1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 THA 16 17 7 U.S. Women Handle Thailand to Finish Preliminary Round 9-0 BANKGKOK, Thailand (June 24, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team ended the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary rounds undefeated following a convincing 25-16, 25-17, 25-7 victory over Pool J host Thailand on Sunday in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games, finished the preliminary round with a 9-0 record with 27 standings points. The Americans lost just two sets during the nine matches and will finish atop the 16-team FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round standings. Thailand ended the preliminary phase in fourth place with a 7-2 record and 20 points.
Christa Harmotto’s attack beats the Thailand block. (FIVB photo)
Both the U.S. and Thailand had already clinched berths into the sixth-team FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round set for June 27 to July 1 in Ningbo, China. The top five teams following the nine-match preliminary round, along with host China, will compete in the Final Round. Team USA raced to a 7-1 advantage in the opening set and was never threatened in a 25-16 victory in which the Americans held a 4-0 block advantage. The U.S. used a 6-0 scoring run to take an 18-11 lead in the second set en route to a 25-17 victory. The Americans rushed to a 4-0 lead in the third set and led 17-5 before ending the contest with a 25-7 victory. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) led the U.S. with a match-high 18 points via 13 kills, three kills and two blocks. She compiled a 56.5 kill percent and .522 hitting efficiency (13-1-23). Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) tallied 13 points with seven kills on eight errorless attacks and five blocks. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) contributed 10 kills on 18 errorless swings attacks for a .556 hitting efficiency and a block for 11 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) chipped in seven kills on 14 attacks and three blocks for 10 points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) tacked on two kills and four blocks for six points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with two kills.
Megan Hodge hits a cross-court winner against Thailand. (FIVB photo)
Glass set the U.S. to a 54.0 kill percent with a .513 hitting efficiency and just two attack errors (41-2-76). She totaled 35 running sets on 55 set attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high six digs, while Hodge contributed eight excellent receptions on 19 errorless attempts. McCutcheon started Glass at setter, Hodge and Richards at outside hitter, Harmotto and Scott-Arruda at middle blocker and Metcalf at opposite. Davis is the designated U.S. libero for Pool J. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) came off the bench in both the first and second sets to serve. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) were part of a double-sub in the third set. Team USA out-blocked Thailand 15-1 and held a 4-1 margin in aces. The Americans limited their errors to 10 for the match and benefited from 15 errors by Thailand, which held a slim 20-17 margin in digs. Onuma Sittirak and Malika Kanthong scored eight points each to lead Thailand. Kristin Richards passes with Nicole Davis behind her and Megan Hodge to the left reading the play. (FIVB photo)
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