1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 23 20 15 SRB 22 20 25 25 10 U.S. Women Hold Back Serbia in World Grand Prix Opener LUOHE, China (Aug. 5, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team held off No. 9 Serbia’s upset bid with a 25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 15-10 victory on Aug. 5 to open the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix in the first preliminary weekend held at Luohe, China. The U.S. used a 9-3 scoring run to overcome a 17-14 deficit in the opening set to win 25-22. The Americans overcame 4-0 deficit in the second set to take a 14-10 lead, but needed to break a 17-all tie with an 8-2 scoring run to conclude the set with a 25-19 victory. Team USA battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 23-all before Serbia cashed in on the final two points at 25-23, including the Americans’ 12th error of the set for the final point. The U.S. reached an 8-3 lead in the fourth set, but Serbia’s 10-0 run allowed it to take a 21-14 lead and went on to win 25-20. The Americans never trailed in the fifth set, taking an early 5-2 advantage en route to the 15-10 victory in which Serbia committed six errors in the tiebreaker.
Megan Hodge eyes the ball while passing against Serbia. (FIVB photo)
“First, congratulations for Serbia playing a great game,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). “I am glad we won this game. I hope we can go on in this season.” All five starting American hitters reached double-figure points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player, scored a United States team-high 23 points with 14 kills on 21 swings and a match-high eight blocks. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) tallied 14 kills on a team-high 49 attacks and three blocks as part of a 17-point match. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) charted 14 kills on 39 swings and an ace for 15 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) pocketed 13 points with eight kills, four blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed six kills, three aces and a block for 10 points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with two aces and a kill for three points.
(Left) Jordan Larson attacking against the Serbia block. (Right) Foluke Akinradewo going for one of her match-high eight blocks in the match. (FIVB photos)
Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) registered three digs in the match, according to the official FIVB stats. Hodge tallied five excellent service receptions and Berg provided 34 assists on 107 set attempts. “Serbia is a good team,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “It was a tough match with Serbia. I hope this victory goes on.” Team USA held advantages in kills (57-51), blocks (16-11) and aces (8-5). However, Serbia was aided by 34 American errors, 22 of which came in the third and fourth sets. McCutcheon started Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a back-row sub in all four sets for Hodge. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) were used in a double switch in the fourth set.
(Above) Team USA celebrates a point against Serbia. (Below) The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team group photo for Pool D in Luohe, China. (FIVB photos)
Serbia’s Sanja Malagurski led all scorers with 22 points on 17 kills, three blocks and two aces. Milena Rasic added 15 points in the loss, while Jovana Brakocevic and Britzitka Molnar tallied 10 points each.
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