Characterisation of the opposite player’s attack from the opposition block characteristics. An applied study in the Athens Olympic games in female volleyball teams

The purpose of this study was to characterize the attack of the opposite player in Elite Volleyball Female, according to the opposition block characteristics. Six games of the 2004 Olympics Games (female, senior teams) were analyzed, which corresponds to 437 attack actions. In order to test the association between variables, descriptive and inferential statistics were used namely the Chi-Square and Monte Carlo test. The reliability showed that the observations are reliable enough to be used as scientific tool, based on the percentage of accordance and according to the Kappa de Cohen statistic. By zone 1, the opposite player’s attack is slow because it permits the opposition of the triple block and the formation of the compact block. It is also effective in as much as the continuity effect prevails. On the contrary, the attack by zone 2 is fast because it accentuates the use of the simple block in relation to zone 1 and the double and triple block is predominantly badly formed. It is also more effective since the point effect prevails when there is no contact with the ball and the block. These results prove that the 2nd line attack by zone 1 is not sufficiently developed in the female Volleyball.