Game complexes in women's volleyball: how is the sequencing established based on the level of confrontation?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v72.117032Keywords:
Performance analysis, Game complexes, Offensive structure, Women's volleyballAbstract
Introduction and Objective. Game analysis in sports is employed to identify key performance parameters of teams, enabling the structuring and adaptation of training sessions. The present study aimed to analyze the sequencing of game complexes in women's volleyball, considering the levels of the confrontations of the teams participating in the 2021/2022 Superliga.
Methodology. The sample consisted of observations from 135 out of the 148 matches played (91%). The variables considered were the game complex (K) and the effect of the complex (3-point, 2-continuity, 1-attack block and 0-error), with analyses conducted based on the level of the match. To achieve the proposed objective, descriptive and inferential analyses (chi-square and residual adjustments) were performed, along with social network analysis using eigenvector centrality.
Results. The results showed that, regardless of match level, the K0-2 to KI -3 sequence was the most frequent. The analysis of game complexes revealed K0-2 – KI -3 as the most common sequence. Social network analysis highlighted that High vs. Intermediate level matches presented the highest centrality. A significant association was found (χ² = 57.964, p < 0.001) between match level and the type of complex, with Complex V being positively associated with high and intermediate-level matches. No significant association was observed between match level and the effect of the complex.
Discussion. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding game complex sequencing as a key indicator of tactical dynamics and team consistency. The predominance of the K0-2 – KI -3 sequence across all levels suggests that offensive success is strongly linked to the quality of reception and the efficiency of transition to attack. The use of social network analysis provided additional insights into interaction patterns among teams of different competitive levels, highlighting the dynamic nature of performance in women's volleyball.
Conclusions. Based on these findings, it is recommended that training incorporate structured drills emphasizing the K0-2 to KI -3 transition, simulating opponents of different levels to enhance tactical adaptability. This strategy aims to strengthen the reception-attack transition and prepare teams for diverse competitive environments, improving tactical efficiency and resilience in high-level women's volleyball.
References
Araújo, D., Davids, K., & Hristovski, R. (2006). The ecological dynamics of decision making in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 7(6), 653–676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2006.07.002
Araújo, D., Davids, K., & Serpa, S. (2005). An ecological approach to expertise effects in decision-making in a simulated sailing regatta. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 6(6), 671–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2004.12.003
Bonacich, P. (2007). Some unique properties of eigenvector centrality. Social Networks, 29(4), 555–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2007.04.002
Borgatti, S. P. (2005). Centrality and network flow. Social Networks, 27(1), 55–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2004.11.008
Clemente, F. M., Martins, F. M. L., & Mendes, R. S. (2015). Social network analysis: Um ensaio sobre a aplicabilidade na análise de cooperação em contextos esportivos. Conexões, 13(3), 175. https://doi.org/10.20396/conex.v13i3.8640877
Costa, G., Afonso, J., Brant, E., & Mesquita, I. (2012). Differences in game patterns between male and female youth volleyball. Kinesiology, 44(1), 60–66.
Costa, G. C., Caetano, R. C. J., Ferreira, N. N., Junqueira, G., Afonso, J., Costa, R. Dr. P., & Mesquita, I. (2011). Determinants of attack tactics in Youth male elite volleyball. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 11(1), 96–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2011.11868532
Costa, G. D. C., Freire, A. B., Rocha, A. C. R., Evangelista, B. F. D. B., Krahenbuhl, T., Campos, M. H., & Gentil, P. (2018). ASSOCIATION BETWEEN GAME PROCEDURES AND BACKCOURT ATTACK IN THE BRAZILIAN MEN’S SUPER LEAGUE. Journal of Physical Education, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v29i1.2967
Costa, G. D. C. T., & Freire, A. B. (2018). High-level female volleyball: Analysis of the attack on Super-league Female. Revista Brasileira de Educação Física e Esporte, 31(2), 365. https://doi.org/10.11606/1807-5509201700020365
Costa, G. D. C. T., Maia, M. P., Rocha, A. C. R., Martins, L. R., Gemente, F. R. F., Campos, M. H., Milistetd, M., & Freire, A. B. (2017a). Análise da associação do efeito da recepção com os procedimentos de jogo no voleibol de alto nível brasileiro: O caso da equipe campeã da Superliga Feminina. Brazilian Journal of Kinanthropometry and Human Performance, 19(6), 663–675. https://doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2017v19n6p663
Costa, G. D. C. T., Maia, M. P., Rocha, A. C. R., Martins, L. R., Gemente, F. R. F., Campos, M. H., Milistetd, M., & Freire, A. B. (2017b). Association between effect of reception and game procedures in high-level Brazilian volleyball: The case of the women’s “Superliga” champion team. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 19, 663–675. https://doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2017v19n6p663
Drikos, S., Barzouka, K., Balasas, D. G., & Sotiropoulos, K. (2022). Effect of quality of opposition on ga-me performance indicators in elite male volleyball. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17(1), 169–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211013701
Drikos, S., Barzouka, K., Nikolaidou, M.-E., & Sotiropoulos, K. (2021). Game variables that predict suc-cess and performance level in elite men’s volleyball. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 21(5), 767–779. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2021.1945879
Drikos, S., Fatahi, A., Molavian, R., Ahmed Al-Ryami, S. A., Sotiropoulos, K., & Barzouka, K. (2024). Vo-lleyball: Similar game for men and women? Factors characterising successful performance in Olympic Games 2021 regarding genders. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2024.2411870
Dutra, L. N., Ugrinowitsch, H., Medeiros, A. I. A., Clemente, F. M., Da Mata, G. B., Figueiredo, L. S., Lapor-ta, L., & Costa, G. (2021). Is there a setting distribution pattern in high-level men’s volleyball? An ecological approach to the game. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 21(3), 2190–2198. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2021.s3279
Fleiss, J. L., Levin, B., & Paik, M. C. (2013). Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions (3rd ed). Wiley.
Frantz, T.L,, Cataldo, M. & Carley, K.M. (2009). Robustez de medidas de centralidade sob incerteza: exa-minando o papel da topologia de rede. Comput Math Organ Theory 15 , 303–328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10588-009-9063-5
Freeman, L. C. (2004). The development of social network analysis: A study in the sociology of science. Empirical Press ; BookSurge.
García-de-Alcaraz, A., & Marcelino, R. (2017). Influence of match quality on men’s volleyball perfor-mance at different competition levels. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 17(4), 394–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2017.1348058
Hileno, R., Arasanz, M., & García-de-Alcaraz, A. (2020). The Sequencing of Game Complexes in Wo-men’s Volleyball. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 739. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00739
Hofman, N. B., Laporta, L., Trindade, N. P., Berriel, G. P., Schons, P., Martins Kruel, L. F., De Conti Tei-xeira Costa, G., & Leonardi, T. J. (2025). Sequence and effectivity of game complexes in male youth volleyball categories. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17479541251350930. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541251350930
Hurst, M., Loureiro, M., Valongo, B., Laporta, L., & Afonso, J. (2016). Systemic Mapping of High-Level Women’s Volleyball using Social Network Analysis: The Case of Serve (K0), Side-out (KI), Side-out Transition (KII) and Transition (KIII). International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 16(2), 695–710. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2016.11868917
Lamprogeorgou, M., Sotiropoulos, K., Drikos, S., & Barzouka, K. (2024). Α spatiotemporal analysis of gender differences in volleyball attack coverage complex. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 24(12), 2161–2169. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2024.12315
Laporta, L.; Afonso, J.; Mesquita, I. Interaction network analysis of the six game complexes in high-level volleyball through the use of Eigenvector Centrality. Plos One, [s. l.], v. 13, n. 9, p. e0203348, 2018b.
Laporta, L., Afonso, J., Valongo, B., & Mesquita, I. (2019). Using social network analysis to assess play efficacy according to game patterns: A game-centred approach in high-level men’s volleyball. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 19(5), 866–877. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2019.1669007
Laporta, L., Costa, G. C. T., Fernandes, L. G., Pastori, I. A., Rocha, A. C. R., Hileno, R., Lima, R. F., Castro, H. D. O., & Afonso, J. (2023). Sequence and efficacy of game complexes in high-level women’s volleyball: A novel perspective through Social Network Analysis. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 18(3), 867–873. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221087688
Laporta, L. I.; Afonso, J.; Mesquita, I. (2018a). Contributo da análise de redes sociais para a análise do jogo: Breve sinopse concetual e sinóptica. Revista Portuguesa de Ciências do Desporto, [s. l.], v. 18, n. 3, p. 33–45. https:doi.org/10.5628/rpcd.18.03.33.
Laporta, L., Nikolaidis, P., Thomas, L., & Afonso, J. (2015). Attack Coverage in High-Level Men’s Volley-ball: Organization on the Edge of Chaos? Journal of Human Kinetics, 47(1), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2015-0080
Laporta, L., Valongo, B., Afonso, J., & Mesquita, I. (2021). Game-Centred Study Using Eigenvector Cen-trality in High-Level Women’s Volleyball: Play Efficacy is Independent of Game Patterns… Or is it? Montenegrin Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 10(1), 19–24. https://doi.org/10.26773/mjssm.210303
Marcelino, R., Mesquita, I., & Sampaio, J. (2011). Effects of quality of opposition and match status on technical and tactical performances in elite volleyball. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(7), 733–741. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2011.552516
Martins, J. B., Afonso, J., Mendes, A., Santos, L., & Mesquita, I. (2021). Inter-team variability in game play under critical game scenarios: A study in high-level men’s volleyball using social network analysis (Variabilidad entre equipos en el juego bajo escenarios críticos de juego: un estudio en voleibol masculino de alto ni. Retos, 43, 1095–1105. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v43i0.90505
Martins, J. B., Mesquita, I., Mendes, A., Santos, L., & Afonso, J. (2021). Inter-team variability in high-level women’s volleyball from the perspective of Social Network Analysis: An analysis in criti-cal game scenarios. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 21(4), 564–578. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2021.1924524
Nascimento, M. H., Castro, H. D. O., Rocha, A. C. R., Freire, A. B., Pedrosa, G. F., Ugrinowitsch, H., Savassi Figueiredo, L., Laporta, L., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2024). Social Network Analysis: Understanding Volleyball Dynamics through Match Opponents. Applied Sciences, 14(13), 5418. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135418
Nascimento, M. H., Laporta, L., Pedrosa, G. F., Rocha, A. C. R., De Lira, C. A. B., Campos, M. H., Da Silva Guimarães, J., Leonardi, T. J., Rodrigues, M. C. J., Savassi Figueiredo, L., De Oliveira Castro, H., & De Conti Teixeira Costa, G. (2023). The Decision-Making of High-Level Volleyball Setters in the 2021-2022 Volleyball Men’s Superliga: Does the Opponent Matter? Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(6), 2603–2620. https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125231201943
Newman, M. E. J. (2006). Modularity and community structure in networks. Proceedings of the Natio-nal Academy of Sciences, 103(23), 8577–8582. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0601602103
Rabade, R., Mishra, N., Sharma, S. (2014). Pesquisa sobre Técnicas de Identificação de Usuários Influen-tes em Redes Sociais Online. Em: Thampi, S., Abraham, A., Pal, S., Rodriguez, J. (orgs.) Avanços Recentes em Informática Inteligente. Avanços em Sistemas Inteligentes e Computação, vol. 235. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01778-5_37
Rocha, A. C. R., Freire, A. B., Martins, L. R., Maia, M. P., Guimarães, J. D. S., Ugrinowitsch, H., Castro, H. D. O., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2019). Predictive factors of the attack efficacy: The case of the Brazi-lian women’s Volleyball League champion team. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 21, e59383. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2019v21e59383
Rocha, A. C. R., Laporta, L., Rodrigues, G. P., Guimarães, J. D. S., Do Nascimento, M. H., Rodrigues, M. C. J., Leonardi, T. J., De Lira, C. A. B., Castro, H. D. O., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2023). Inter e intra-variability of the best ranked teams: A network analysis in male high-level volleyball. PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0280365. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280365
Rocha, A. C. R., Pedrosa, G. F., Freire, A. B., Praça, G. M., Ugrinowitsch, H., Castro, H. D. O., & Costa, G. T. (2020). Analysis of the setting and predictive factors of the effect of attack according to game ecology: The case of female volleyball. Kinesiology, 52(2), 217–223. https://doi.org/10.26582/k.52.2.7
Sotiropoulos, K., Drikos, S., & Barzouka, K. (2022). Variations in attack patterns between female and male opposite players in top-level volleyball. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17(2), 400–411. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211030633
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed). Pearson Education.
Trombiero, D. S., Praça, G. M., Borges, E. D. P. A., De Lira, C. A. B., Leonardi, T. J., Laporta, L., Castro, H. D. O., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2023). Analysis of Physiological, Physical, and Tactical Responses in Small-Sided Games in Women’s Soccer: The Effect of Numerical Superiority. Applied Sciences, 13(14), 8380. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148380
Vieira, P. H. C., Laporta, L., Pedrosa, G. F., Santana, A. F. D. P., Freire, A. B., Rangel, C. C., Lira, C. A. B. D., Clemente, F. M., Leonardi, T. J., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2024). Sequencing of game complexes in women’s volleyball: Are there differences according to the set played? Human Movement, 25(4), 96–104. https://doi.org/10.5114/hm/194773
Vieira, P. H. C., Santana, A. F. D. P., Bernardes, J. F. L., Souza, J. V. A. D., & Costa, G. D. C. T. (2024). ANÁ-LISE DO SEQUENCIAMENTO DOS COMPLEXOS DE JOGO NO VOLEIBOL FEMININO: IMPLI-CAÇÕES PARA O TREINAMENTO. Corpoconsciência, 28, e17521. https://doi.org/10.51283/rc.28.e17521
Zhang, R. (2000). How to profit by the new rules. The Coach. 1, 9–11.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Pedro Henrique Cavalcante Vieira, Lorenzo Laporta, Thiago José Leonardi, Auro Barreiros Freire, Augusto Faria de Paula Santana, Icaro Gustavo Sousa de Oliveira, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Carolinne Silva Gonçalves, Débora Darck Lopes Costa Arantes, Alberto Souza de Sá Filho, Gustavo De Conti Teixeira Costa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
