Earvin N’Gapeth’s Evolution: 2015 - 2025 | A Decade of Volleyball Genius!

A match point. First set point now for France. Back row combination not yet. Engapeth puts it away. France is on the board. Taylor Sander. Timing maybe not quite there but what a dig by Yenya Grabennikov. And then the kill here right through a small seam in the block. So France on the board. Anderson is stuffed by Engapeth. That was a tentative swing now 13 to 12. Three straight points for France. If France wins this set they are in the finals along with Brazil. Timeout called by the United States. Here's Smith. Left side Engapeth. Sander going fast and then off of Engapeth kept alive. Back row quick combination put to the floor by Jeske. Very good transition volleyball by the United States and they lead at 5-1 and France may be forced to take an early timeout. There it is. France trailing two sets to none and already 5-1 here in the third set. Takes their first team timeout. He is way ahead of schedule in terms of his development. Engapeth through the block and down once again. Nice quick combination. Irvin Engapeth can really play fast. Look at that. Hard to tell who that ball was going to. Here is Lafitte. First look at his first serve. Taylor Sander over the top dug by Tilly. Engapeth. Big swing and he puts the ball away. The United States wanted a double contact on that set respectively for their teams. Good pass here by Tilly and the roundhouse. Irvin Engapeth. We saw twice against Brazil. Atea watch this. I don't know if this is really new school or super old school but either way it worked very effectively. Engapeth. Atea taking out a little frustration there. Just ripping the ball through a seam in the block. So France up against it but certainly not out of time. Yoan Jaumel coming on now for Eric Shoji. His counterpart for the United States has been really good as well. That ball changed direction. A small seam in the block and that's going to be a net violation. Center line violation. Engapeth lost his balance. Watch at the end of the play. We didn't get a good look there at all but no argument about the violation. Engapeth actually fell onto the American side. Three aces, 21 errors. Engapeth. Beautiful quick swing on the second contact. He's really a smart player. Just a really good feel for the game, when to take advantage. That was really nicely done. Very, very smart shot at the beginning of that rally. Hitting the ball flat into the block. Getting the rebound. That was the key shot right there and then he just uses his athletic ability to find a piece of the block. All about the toss. Right side and Engapeth comes straight back. Excellent play coming back from that previous mistake. Good turn down the line. That's just a really good wrist away. I thought Taylor Sander was in a good spot blocking. Poland and Serbia to follow. Max Holt is serving much better. Just shredding the American block. That was just absolute brute force. World Championships. 11 players on this French roster back from the World Championships in Poland in the fall. Off the block and out of bounds. You can really see Irvin Engapeth turning that ball down the line. Watch where this one goes. He's turning to hit off the outside hand and Micah Christensen just not strong enough to slow things down. Teams will head to the sideline and those kind of numbers against a team like Brazil are just astronomical. Martinez number 15. Watch where he goes. Anywhere near that but Engapeth would be quite happy. That's the point. Great timing, good rhythm and again I'm watching Lugov there. He's pulled the blocker. I bet his knees might have a different story. Yep, I mean he didn't pen the VNL and he's not sure what he wants to do beyond this. Does he really want to keep going? He's off to play like a conductor with an orchestra. Engapeth goes big but it hasn't cut through. He'll go again. The triple block's there. This time he gets through. The eyes to the net but something's got to happen. France have got to find inspiration. They've got to find themselves getting angry. He has a little smile as well. And he's got to smile. When he is frustrated he's not playing his best. That ball much faster from Brizard. That's the ball he likes. Clip nose. It's easier to come off the net. Now he's the one pointing to his head. I don't know if that's a personal insult to Vicentino on the other side or if he genuinely is just saying I got to keep my head in the game. They have to play their best against everyone. Oh that was going out. Grbennikov needing to play that. Has that one under control. Even off then to Martala and that's a juggle. Oh he manages to put it off. Martala was there but Engapeth knew better. Four hands are up. It's a well-formed block. Perfect place. He would walk away so you see the same thing out of him. Engapeth's position to a nice point. Come back on court. That's what they needed. Yeah they're targeting Engapeth as well. It's a couple times he's had to pass. In natural time it's like or real time it's like wow that was didn't miss by much. Just warming to his task shall we say. Yeah and Engapeth has volleyball in his blood. I mean his brother played and plays. His father was a... Grbennikov to Tognuti. Here's four but it's still in play. Now free ball once again for France. Engapeth with a little tip. Tognuti has a look. There's Engapeth and down the line in trademark style. How did he get that through? Helmets and they just they make a show of it as much as the volleyball itself. Engapeth down the line. There's not too much wrong with him at the moment. Look at the set from Broussard as well from his knees almost. It's a free ball and it's an Engapeth special. This is just business. This is a workout which is no disrespect to Korea but in their last few matches they played Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia. It's not the same. It's a great serve and it's another ace. I had to keep myself from yelling out go somebody go. I mean the touch is there. First time that Korea were there 2018. Lovely roll but Grbennikov is there beautifully and Engapeth will try to finish that. Engapeth again goes for the tip. Still they have time France. Absolute special and he allows himself a smile. What an up by Grbennikov as well. Just scooping it to keep it in play. He had another one there where he just stuck an arm up. Two imaginary attackers.