The Volleyball Nations League males’s semifinals are set and, not surprisingly, the ultimate groups are the 4 with one of the best data.
On Saturday in Gdansk, Poland, Japan (11-2) performs Poland (11-2) at 11 a.m. Jap and the USA (11-2) performs Italy (10-3) at 2 p.m.
“I’m enthusiastic about taking part in Italy,” USA coach John Speraw stated. “They’re defending world champions, taking part in nice volleyball, and it is going to be the primary time since 2017 that we’ll be taking part in their full group with all their beginning gamers.
“We performed them in some friendlies final 12 months earlier than World Championships however they didn’t have (Alessandro) Michieletto, who is clearly one of many world’s greatest exterior hitters. Enjoying a group like this, there’s a unique type than what we’ve seen from France or Argentina or a few of our tougher rivals we’ve seen currently, however an distinctive group. So I’m simply enthusiastic about taking part in an amazing group.”
After they met earlier in VNL, the USA got here away with a 25-18, 25-18, 25-19 sweep on June 8 in Ottawa, Canada. As we wrote in our recap that day:
TJ DeFalco led a balanced assault that noticed 5 People with 5 or extra kills. DeFalco had 9 kills, two blocks and 4 aces and had six digs. Max Holt had seven kills, two blocks and an ace.
Garrett Muagututia had seven kills and two aces, Averill Taylor had 5 kills, two blocks and an an ace, and Matt Anderson had six kills, six digs and an ace.
Setter Micah Christenson, who additionally had a kill and a block, had the opposite ace because the USA held a 10-4 benefit in aces and outblocked Italy 7-1.
That was a very long time in the past, after all, and Italy has principally a very completely different look. And the USA’s Matt Anderson, for one, didn’t play in that match, and proper now the 36-year-old reverse is hitting on all cylinders. Within the USA’s 25-21, 25-18, 17-25, 24-26, 15-9 quarterfinal victory over France on Wednesday, Anderson had 20 kills and two aces to go together with seven digs
“Matt Anderson at 36 is a testomony to his professionalism, which I ceaselessly point out,” Speraw stated. “He simply does such an amazing job of taking good care of his physique and lifting and ensuring he’s doing the suitable issues for himself. And his work ethic and he’s all the time been that approach. His dedication to professionalism over the past 10 years or extra has actually allowed him to play at a very excessive degree.
“He’s nonetheless a important a part of how we win volleyball matches.”
Towards France, Speraw went to his bench within the fourth set, one thing he’s been snug doing all VNL with a veteran roster. Wednesday Muagututia got here in at exterior hitter and David Smith entered at center.
“We’ve seen that with Garrett and Thomas Jaeschke is again full time. All of our middles have performed rather well on this VNL, so I’ve 4 completely different choices. Even Taylor Averill wasn’t taking part in badly (towards France), I simply felt like having a unique look would assist. That labored out rather well and naturally Dave Smith is available in with all that have.,” Speraw stated.
“(Setter) Micah Ma’a got here off the bench as a serving sub and acquired us some important factors in that fifth set. Lots of completely different contributions.”
The USA setter, Micah Christenson, not solely had an ace and a team-high 12 digs, his group hit .360 towards France.
“Micah has been unbelievable all match. He’s allowed a group with a variety of weapons to operate at a very excessive degree,” Speraw stated. “I believe as a result of he’s acquired TJ and Thomas and Aaron Russell and Garrett on one facet and Matty, who’s simply produced so properly on the opposite, and 4 completely different middles it’s a tough job to determine who to set and preserve everybody completely satisfied, however Micah has actually set this group in a various approach and making it tough to beat us.
“I believe he’s taking part in unbelievable volleyball. He actually is. That’s been a distinction maker for us.”
Italy superior with a 25-17, 25-13, 25-14 quarterfinals sweep of Argentina as Michieletto led a balanced assault with 13 kills, a block and an ace.
Thursdays semifinals
Each led to sweeps.
Yuki Ishikawa had 22 kills, 4 blocks and an ace as Japan beat Slovenia 26-24, 25-18, 25-22. Yuji Nishida had 12 kills and Ran Takahashi 9. Japan is within the semifinals for the primary time within the fifth version of VNL. Japan final stood on a podium in a global occasion when it gained bronze within the 2009 FIVB Grand Champions Cup.
“We’re so pleased with this win, it was an incredible match from us,” Ishikawa stated. “I felt I used to be taking part in properly and I used to be completely satisfied to assist the group win this match. We’re feeling higher each match and we’ve to proceed to play like this within the semifinals, it’s going to definitely be a troublesome match.”
Slovenia, which completed VNL 8-5, acquired 12 kills from Tine Urnaut and 11 and a block from Alen Pajenk.
Poland had a 10-5 blocks benefit in its 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 win over Brazil.
Left-handed exterior Aleksander Sliwka had 12 kills, two blocks and two aces. Wilfredo Leon had six kills, three blocks and two aces, and Mateusz Bieniek had six kills and 4 aces.
“We really feel nice,” Śliwka stated. “Enjoying right here in Gdańsk is such an honor, our followers are wonderful. We wished to current them an amazing present, but in addition to win, after all. We achieved each objective we had at the moment and we’re completely satisfied about it.
“We began a bit nervous, however we overcame the tough moments, got here again rapidly and did an amazing job.”
Brazil, which ended VNL 8-5, acquired 14 kills from Alan Souza, who had an ace.
Poland swept Japan once they performed July 9 within the Philippines. Poland misplaced within the 2021 VNL ultimate and was third final 12 months.
