1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 23 18 20 BRA 17 25 25 25 U.S. Women’s Win Streak Snapped by Brazil CAMPINAS, Brazil (Aug. 4, 2013) – The top-ranked U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to Brazil 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-20 in a marquee matchup of the world’s top two teams on Aug. 4 during FIVB World Grand Prix Pool A in Campinas, Brazil.
Alisha Glass sets during the Team USA’s match with Brazil. (FIVB photo)
Team USA dropped to 2-1 in the World Grand Prix with six points. The U.S. had its World Grand Prix win streak snapped at 18 matches dating back to the 2011 Final Round. Second-ranked and Pool A host Brazil improved to 3-0 with eight points to end the first weekend of the preliminary round. The U.S. trailed 7-5 early in the opening set, but forged to a 16-12 advantage as Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) served two straight aces after a kill. The USA went on a 7-1 run with Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) scoring five kills and a block in the spurt to establish a 23-14 lead en route to a 25-17 victory. Team USA scored five unanswered to take a 9-6 advantage in the second set, but Brazil countered with a 6-0 run to gain a 20-17 advantage and held on for a 25-23 victory. In the third set, Brazil overcame a 8-6 deficit by scoring six of seven points to build a 12-9 advantage and went on to win 25-18. Brazil came back from a 13-8 deficit in the fourth set to take a 15-14 advantage on a 7-1 run. However, Hill put down two kills to spark a 4-0 American run to take a 19-16 lead. Brazil came out of a timeout to score eight unanswered points to regain the lead at 24-19 and went on to win 25-20. Hill led the U.S. in scoring with 16 points on 13 kills, two aces and a block. Harmotto finished the match with 14 points on 12 kills and two blocks. Kristin Hildebrand (Orem, Utah) chipped in 11 points on 10 kills and a block. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) charted 11 points with nine kills, one block and one ace. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) charted three kills and two blocks all in the fourth set. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) tallied four kills and a block for five points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) scored two blocks and Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Left: Kristin Hildebrand attacks against Brazil. Right: Kim Hill hits down the line past the Brazil block. (USAV/Bill Kauffman photos)
Glass provided 36 running sets on 108 set attempts while also contributing a team-high 14 digs. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) added 10 digs, while Hill was credited with 18 excellent receptions on 48 attempts. U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly, who lost for the first time in 11 matches (10-1) as the head coach of the program, started Hildebrand and Hill at outside hitter, Gibbemeyer and Harmotto at middle blocker, Murphy at opposite and Glass at setter. Miyashiro was the designated libero for the match. Fawcett and Paolini started the fourth set in place of Murphy and Gibbemeyer, respectively. Lichtman was a sub in the first three sets, while Hagglund was a sub in the second and third sets.
Lauren Gibbemeyer (8) and Alisha Glass (1) block a Brazil shot. (USAV/ Bill Kauffman photo)
Team USA held a 10-8 margin in blocks while Brazil had a 56-52 edge in kills. The Americans also produced a 3-1 margin in aces. Brazil took advantage of 27 USA errors and limited its miscues to 21. Brazil was led in scoring by Gabriela Braga Guimaraes and Fernanda Rodrigues with 14 points each and Juicely Barreto with 12 points.
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Kelly Murphy (in front of attack) and Christa Harmotto (13) go for a block against Brazil. (USAV/Bill Kauffman photo)