1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 CHN 20 17 16 U.S. Women Cruise Past Host China 3-0 LUOHE, China (Aug. 7, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team dominated China 25-20, 25-17, 25-16 on Aug. 7 during the FIVB World Grand Prix’s Pool D preliminary weekend held in Luohe, China. The Americans have now won 14 consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix matches counting the final 11 victories in last year’s event. The U.S. started the opening set with an 8-3 advantage, only to have China rally to tie the set at 9-all. However, the Americans answered with a 8-3 scoring run to establish a 17-12 advantage en route to a 25-20 victory in the first set. Team USA built a 9-1 lead in the second set with four kills and an ace in the first 10 points and stretched the lead to as much as 12 points at 19-7 before closing the set at 25-17. The U.S. started the third set with a 4-0 advantage and reached a double-digit lead at 17-7 and cruised to the 25-16 victory.
Megan Hodge (left) takes advantage of a poor China pass to the set and hammers back the overpass. (FIVB photo)
“I am happy with our performance today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We improved every match and this is our best game in this round. Now we focus on Japan. We will immediately prepare for the next round in Japan.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with 18 points with 15 kills on 24 errorless attacks and three blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted 13 points with seven kills on 13 swings, four blocks and two aces. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) totaled eight kills, two aces and two blocks for 12 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) contributed eight kills on 12 attacks and two blocks for 10 points. Jordan Larson scored four kills, three aces and a block for eight points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with an ace. Berg provided 17 assists on 54 total attempts leading to a 46.7 team kill percent and .378 hitting efficiency. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) handed 15 of the team’s 43 dig attempts and totaled 10 service reception attempts. Hodge took 22 of the team’s 48 service receptions with only one error.
(Left) Destinee Hooker (19) stuffs a China attack with Foluke Akinradewo to her left in the block formation. (Right) Hugh McCutcheon observes the action, approving what he is watching - three-set victory over host China. (FIVB photos) (Left) Heather Bown attacks through the open arms of the China defense. (FIVB photo)
“We have achieved our goal to get better and better each game,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas. “We did better than Friday and Saturday. We are hoping we can do it as well as here in Japan.” The U.S. held advantages in all three scoring categories with a 42-32 advantage in kills, 12-6 margin in blocks and 8-3 edge in aces. Meanwhile, China converted 33.0 percent of its attacks for points with a .186 hitting efficiency. 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 backrow sub in all three sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a serving sub in the first and third sets. China substituted liberally in the match with all 12 players starting at least one set. Junjing Yang totaled a team-high nine points, while Linlin Fan added eight points.
U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas and U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon in the post-match press conference. (FIVB photos)
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