2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic GamesAug 2, 2016 by Beverly Oden
2016 Olympics Rankings: #4 Russia (Women)
2016 Olympics Rankings: #4 Russia (Women)
The Russia women's volleyball team clocks in at No. 4 in our 2016 Olympics Rankings.
The FloVolleyball Olympics Rankings will count down to the start of the indoor volleyball competition in Rio by highlighting one team per gender each day. Today, four days before the first serve, we profile the No. 4-ranked USA men and Russia women.
COUNTRY: Russia
TOP PLAYERS
Nataliya Goncharova, Opposite
Best scorer, third-best blocker and seventh-best spiker at World Grand Prix; Russia's best scorer, best spiker, and second-best blocker
Yana Shcherban, Outside Hitter
Fifth-best spiker and eighth-best receiver at World Grand Prix; Russia's second-best spiker, best server, and third-best receiver at World Grand Prix
Irina Zaryazhko, Middle Blocker
Russia's best blocker, second-best scorer, and fourth-best server at WorldGrand Prix
RISING STAR TO WATCH
Kseniia Ilchenko | 21 | Outside Hitter
Eighth-best blocker and ninth-best receiver at World Grand Prix; Russia's second-best receiver and third-best scorer, server, and digger at World Grand Prix
The Russian women return to the Olympics for the 13th time (including seven appearances as the Soviet Union). Russia is the most decorated women's team in Olympics history with nine total medals--four gold (1968, 1972, 1980, 1988) and five silver (1964, 1976, 1992, 2000, 2004)--but it has been 12 years since this program finished on the podium.
In 2012, Russia did everything right in the preliminary round, and amassed a 5-0 record to advance to the quarterfinals in first place. But in an unlucky twist of fate, it was matched in the quarters with world No. 2 Brazil, which had a terrible pool play performance and barely made the playoffs. Unfortunately for Russia, Brazil chose that quarterfinal match to get its mojo back. The South American powerhouse eliminated Russia in a five-set match and went on to upset the U.S. and win gold.
Russia qualified for Rio by winning the European Olympic Qualifier, where they beat the Netherlands 3-1 in the final match. At World Grand Prix in 2015, Russia won silver to improve on its 2014 bronze, but this year, the team placed fourth, and lost to the Netherlands in the bronze-medal match. The Russians were also fourth at the 2015 World Cup, and lost the bronze-medal match to Poland in four sets.
Russia's 6-4 opposite Nataliya Goncharova is its go-to hitter. At World Grand Prix, she took 554 swings--that's 334 more than Russia's next-most-utilized hitter, and 37 percent of Russia's total offense. Russia's setter went to her in the front and back row, and even though teams knew where the ball was going, they struggled to stop her. Goncharova was the best spiker at World Grand Prix.
PREDICTION
Russia will beat Cameroon and Korea, and if playing well, should also beat Argentina and Japan, but it will fall to Brazil in pool play. The crossover match in the quarterfinals will be winnable, but Goncharova will need to have great matches all the way through the playoffs if Russia is to advance to the medal round. The Russians will not return to the top of the podium in Rio, but with a strong showing, they could end up with the bronze medal.
FloVolleyball Women's 2016 Olympics Rankings
12. Cameroon
11. Puerto Rico
8. The Netherlands
6. Serbia
5. Japan
4. Russia
COUNTRY: Russia
TOP PLAYERS
Nataliya Goncharova, Opposite
Best scorer, third-best blocker and seventh-best spiker at World Grand Prix; Russia's best scorer, best spiker, and second-best blocker
Yana Shcherban, Outside Hitter
Fifth-best spiker and eighth-best receiver at World Grand Prix; Russia's second-best spiker, best server, and third-best receiver at World Grand Prix
Irina Zaryazhko, Middle Blocker
Russia's best blocker, second-best scorer, and fourth-best server at WorldGrand Prix
RISING STAR TO WATCH
Kseniia Ilchenko | 21 | Outside Hitter
Eighth-best blocker and ninth-best receiver at World Grand Prix; Russia's second-best receiver and third-best scorer, server, and digger at World Grand Prix
SYNOPSIS
The Russian women return to the Olympics for the 13th time (including seven appearances as the Soviet Union). Russia is the most decorated women's team in Olympics history with nine total medals--four gold (1968, 1972, 1980, 1988) and five silver (1964, 1976, 1992, 2000, 2004)--but it has been 12 years since this program finished on the podium.
In 2012, Russia did everything right in the preliminary round, and amassed a 5-0 record to advance to the quarterfinals in first place. But in an unlucky twist of fate, it was matched in the quarters with world No. 2 Brazil, which had a terrible pool play performance and barely made the playoffs. Unfortunately for Russia, Brazil chose that quarterfinal match to get its mojo back. The South American powerhouse eliminated Russia in a five-set match and went on to upset the U.S. and win gold.
Russia qualified for Rio by winning the European Olympic Qualifier, where they beat the Netherlands 3-1 in the final match. At World Grand Prix in 2015, Russia won silver to improve on its 2014 bronze, but this year, the team placed fourth, and lost to the Netherlands in the bronze-medal match. The Russians were also fourth at the 2015 World Cup, and lost the bronze-medal match to Poland in four sets.
Russia's 6-4 opposite Nataliya Goncharova is its go-to hitter. At World Grand Prix, she took 554 swings--that's 334 more than Russia's next-most-utilized hitter, and 37 percent of Russia's total offense. Russia's setter went to her in the front and back row, and even though teams knew where the ball was going, they struggled to stop her. Goncharova was the best spiker at World Grand Prix.
PREDICTION
Russia will beat Cameroon and Korea, and if playing well, should also beat Argentina and Japan, but it will fall to Brazil in pool play. The crossover match in the quarterfinals will be winnable, but Goncharova will need to have great matches all the way through the playoffs if Russia is to advance to the medal round. The Russians will not return to the top of the podium in Rio, but with a strong showing, they could end up with the bronze medal.
FloVolleyball Women's 2016 Olympics Rankings
12. Cameroon
11. Puerto Rico
10. Argentina
9. Korea
8. The Netherlands
7. Italy
6. Serbia
5. Japan
4. Russia
