Home » WL: EPIC TIEBREAKER – Serbia goes to final over reigning champions!

WL: EPIC TIEBREAKER – Serbia goes to final over reigning champions!

by WoV
source: Photo: fivb.com

Serbia dethroned United States in the World League in a rarely seen showdown in Rio de Janeiro! Serbian team had comfortable 2-0 lead in sets and all segments of the game working perfectly, but the Americans started to block well and reached the tie-break. In the fifth set, they had 9-6 and begun to celebrating a point for 10-6, but wise Serbian head coach Grbić asked for a video challenge and won it! That decision along with several substitutions changed the course of the match and took Serbian team in the final.

Serbia

Serbia

Serbia was making pressure on American side from the start of the Final Six semifinal clash, being the first team to make a gap (7-10) thanks to the strong spikes from Atanasijević and excellent defense. Sander pulled US team forward with a few powerful attacks and ace for 13-12. Serbia gained a two-point lead several times afterwards (14-16, 18-20, 20-22). At 23-23, U. Kovačević successfully converted one-on-one kill while Anderson send his spike outside 23-25See video from the last match between USA – Serbia.

The USA had a furious start of the second set, leading 5-2. With the support of Brazilian fans in „Maracanãzinho“, the Serbians leveled at 5-5. After Christenson’s ace for 7-5, Serbia made 0-5 run with U. Kovačević performing one man show! A three-point lead was unreachable for the Americans despite their perfect serves and Anderson’s kills. Serbia set up amazing defense and even better block (13-16, 17-20). Atanasijević turned the second set ball into 21-25.

A true drama was seen in the third set. American duo SanderAnderson found their way through Serbian block, but at 8-6, Serbian team had a tremendous 0-6 run! USA returned with 3-0 run for 11-12 and afterwards, for more than a half of the set, the audience in Rio could enjoy in atomic volleyball. No team went ahead more than one point. Serbia had one match ball, while US team converted its second. Firstly, Holt sent a bomb from the service line and secondly, Atanasijević unsuccessfully spiked behind 3 meter line – 27-25. USA won three out of four clashes against Serbia in last year’s World League.

The Americans entered into the fourth set with more determination. It was mostly visible in their blocking and a lot of diversity in the attack. Christenson set so many perfect pipes for Sander and Jaeschke while Lee converted several quick attacks. When USA gained 21-18 lead it didn’t lose it until the end, making a 3-0 run at 22-20, crowned with a huge block – 25-20.

US team had a dream start of the tie-break with Anderson’s ace for 3-1 and Holt’s block for 4-2. At 6-6, the Americans scored a 3-0 run and thought that they have won a fourth point in a row. Serbian head coach Grbić saw what most of the guys on the court didn’t. He asked for a video challenge and he won it! Anderson touched the net while blocking. It gave the additional strength to Serbian team and since 12-10 for the USA, Serbians won five points in a row. Serbian jocker Starović took his teammates to the finals with a kill against triple block! See stats from the third match bewtween two teams in the 2014 WL.

Serbian Atanasijević finished the clash with 22 points as the most efficient player in both teams. On the other side, Anderson had 21. Both were the best scorers in the last duel of these teams.


FINALS 1ST GROUP / SEMIFINALS /

Game Date/Time Teams Set Result per set Stats Videos
Semifinal 1 18. 07. 2015 10:00 USA vs Serbia 2:3 23:25; 21:25; 27:25; 25:20; 12:15    
Semifinal 2 18. 07. 2015 12:05 France vs Poland 0:0      


To see standings, more reports, stats and videos from this competition click on World League 2015.

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0 comment

littlebelgian July 18, 2015 - 6:34 pm

Nice, it’s going to be the first all-European final in the world league since 2000!

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