Olympic Volleyball

[Critter's Pa]

I don't know what it would cost to employ the system of calling lines and net touches that they're using here, but it's awesome and they get it right pretty much 100% and it takes almost no time.

It would take a big interest in betting on volleyball. If betting money was on the line, the cameras would be the much much better than what is used now. We would also have injury reports.

I really like the Hawk-eye challenge system used in the professional leagues. Replay challenges in professional volleyball last about a minute, if that. In the Olympic play-in games, teams could not challenge in and out calls, but, and I really like this, the refs could call for an official's review of the play to make sure they got in and out calls correct. I wonder if they did this to save teams from using up their challenges on in and out calls. If the replay challenges were quicker, teams could have two challenges each set, use them both, and still be faster than a single challenge in a set in the current NCAA system.

[WstateU]

[WuDrWu]

Not a simple match by any stretch this morning, but the Americans get the sweep vs France despite the French having a set point in the first and at least 3 in the 2nd.

Certainly a lot to work on going into bracket play, but at least they are going into bracket play with 6 points no matter what the other results are today.

[Critter's Pa]

China beat Serbia 3-1, so China ends up 1st in pool A with 8 points.

Brazil and Poland still have to play, both have 6 points going into that game.
*ETA below updated. Brazil won 3-0

Final point standings: (sets won) / (sets lost) = (set ratio)
Pool A
China- 8 (9/3=3.0)
USA- 6 (8/5=1.6)
Serbia- 4 (6/6=1.0)
France- 0 (0/9= 0.0)
Pool B
Brazil- 9 (9/0=0.0)
Poland- 6 (6/4=1.5)
Japan- 3 (4/6=0.667)
Kenya- 0 (0/9=0.0)
Pool C
Italy- 9 (9/1=9.0)
Turkiye- 5 (6/6=1.0)
Dominican Republic- 3 (5/7=0.714)
Netherland- 1 (3/9=0.333)

Looks like the highest the USA could be seeded is 4th behind Italy(9), China(8), and the winner (and possibly loser) of Brazil/Poland. Brazil could be seeded anywhere from 1st to 4th.
The four teams that won't advance are France, Kenya, Netherlands, and Japan. Dominican Republic has won more sets than Japan (both have 3 points) so I think they will advance.

Copy/paste from Paris Olympic website:

If at the end of the preliminary round two or more teams have the same number of points, their rankings are decided as follows:

• Number of victories: If two or more teams have an equal number of ranking points, they will be classified by number of total matches won
• Number of sets won: If the tie still is not broken, the teams will be classified by the score resulting from the number of sets won divided by the number of sets lost
• Number of points scored: If the tie is still not broken, the teams will be classified by the score resulting from the number of points scored divided by the number of total points lost during all sets
• Priority: If a tie exists between two teams, priority will be given to the team that won the last match between them
• Three-way tie: If a tie exists between three or more teams, a classification will be decided based on matches they played against each other

*ETA
Looks like the seeds will be:
Brazil
Italy
China
USA
Poland
Turkiye
Serbia
Dominican Republic

I'm guessing USA will play Poland in quarterfinals.

[Critter's Pa]

Quarterfinal matches on Aug 6: (Central time)

China vs Turkiye 2am. Winner plays winner of Italy vs Serbia
Brazil vs Dominican Republic 6am. Winner plays winner of USA vs Poland
USA vs Poland 10am
Italy vs Serbia 2pm

Most likely to be playing Brazil, but I'm rooting for DR.

[Critter's Pa]

USA beat Poland 3-0 (25-22 25-14 25-20). Brazil beat Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-22 25-13 25-17).

Turkiye beat China 3-2. Italy beats Serbia 3-0.

Final four teams-
USA vs Brazil on Thursday August 8th at 9am
Turkiye vs Italy on Aug 8th at 1pm

Bronze medal match is scheduled for Sat Aug 10 at 10:15am
Gold medal match is scheduled for Sun Aug 11 at 6am

[Critter's Pa]

USA moves on to the gold medal game. They will play Italy Sunday Aug 11 at 6am.

I have not gotten to watch an entire match this Olympics, just follow along online. Might have to continue that trend to keep up the winning streak.

Brazil and Turkiye play for Bronze on Saturday Aug 10 at 10:15am.

[Critter's Pa]

Silver Medal. Congratulations Team USA.

Well, I watched the match. I shouldn't have watched.

It didn't seem like the USA could put together a run of points, and had trouble handling Italy's cross court shots. Italy played great defense. Did USA get a block in the match? I don't think Dana Rettke saw any court time this Olympics.

25-16, 25-20, 25-17.

[WuDrWu]

That was unpleasant. There are a couple of reasons Italy hasn't dropped a match (or a set) in awhile. The most important one is they are damned good. Congrats to the Italians. Good run for the Americans!

Women's basketball nearly got Evansville'd but France, in their haste, took a last second 2 when they needed 3 to tie, and banked it in but it was 1 point not enough.