So far so good in Berlin for Phil and I. We went through pool play winning all of our matches in 2 games. We did have a semi-tight one with the Kiwi’s in the second game. Gave up some points at the end to make it close. Against Georgia we had another tight one in the second game. Had to go overtime in that game but had match point the entire time.
The Kiwis are a great bunch of guys. Kirk and Jason are young talented players and well liked on tour. Jason is a little on the small side but jumps really well and has great ball control. Scooped a lot of balls against me. Kirk is about 6’3 or 4 but skies. Goofy footer but reaches well and has a great pair of setting hands. In the first game it was soggy and cold. It was tight until about halfway through and then Phil let off some heat seekers from the service line and we went on a 5 point run. The second was close but we pulled away to about 20-17 before they got some points on bad plays by me. Put an end to that at 21-19 though.
In our second match vs. Georgia we played well with the exception of one short stretch in the second. The guys from Georgia are actually brasilian transplants and are a good team. We smoked them in the first like 21-14. We were beating them 9-5 in the second when we gave up 4 points in a row. A sideout, bad pass, bad set, bad hit into net by me, sharp angle hit in the net by me, and lastly Phil scooped that I scooped but then got stuffed. All of a sudden 9-9. We traded points after that and it took us until our 4th match point to win on a shank pass on a good serve up the middle by Phil. Wasn’t really a shanked pass so much as they both went for it and got tangled up.
In our third match vs. the Australians we played very well. They have a very intricate offense which can be very potent but can also kill you if you don’t execute. When they got the good pass, set it was usually a sideout as Phil was moving all over the net to try and stop them. When the pass was so so they struggled to sideout. Also, they missed a ton of serves which made it much easier to sideout for us. Scores were 16 and 15 and we gave up 4 points in a row in the first game at game point.
Tomorrow is a new day though as we play the winner of Austria and the Netherlands.
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6 comments:
Eurosport will send some of the games from Germany, dont know which ones though, I really hope some of yours.
Best of luck to you!!
/Peter
It stinks that Lambo and Stein are going to have to play each other in the first round of the single elimination. Guess that's what happens when you finish 1-2 in pool play.
Good luck again the rest of the way.
Final 4 for you and Phil. Congrats and good luck tomorrow...definitely puts you guys ahead for the top spot for the Olympics!
Way to represent Todd and Phil!! Is the German reception of Americans more like the French negativity or the Norwegian embracing? As for the Berlin tourney to quote Kramers caddy in the court room episode "you are on the green now all you have to do is tap it in".....BRING HOME THE GOLD!
take em down
good luck
Jeff
Scott- Germany's reception was good. More like Norway than France I would in general. The Germans pretty much cheered their teams on really hard and were mum towards other teams. Opposite of the brasilian fans who cheer a little for their teams and then a ton against the teams the brasilians are playing against. Really rude fans cussing at the opponents ect... Not a fan of the brasilian fans.
Todd
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