Key performance indicators discriminating winners and losers in Men’s Volleyball Nations League
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Abstract
The study identified performance indicators that differentiate winning from losing teams in the Men's Volleyball Nations League. Total of 208 matches from two consecutive Volleyball Nations League seasons (2023 and 2024) were analysed. Matches were categorized with the final set difference (3-0, 3-1, and 3-2). We analysed four performance indicators: attack points, block points, serve points, and opponent error points. The normality of data was verified using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and an independent t-test was employed to compare the differences between winners and losers for all indicators. Variables that showed significant differences between two groups were selected for discriminant analysis. Discriminant analysis revealed all match types, block and serve points were the most important predictor. In 5-set type matches attack, block and serve were found the significant predictor of match outcome. In 3-set type matches, all performance indicators significantly influenced the match outcome. These results demonstrate that serve and block points are consistently critical in all match types. These findings offer insights for coaches on how performance indicators impact match outcomes in high level volleyball matches. Future researches should investigate different scoring phases and other indicators to enhance the application of volleyball performance analysis.
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