World Grand Prix double champions USA are joined by Germany and World Cup title holders Italy as the only teams to boast an unbeaten record with two wins from as many matches after two days of the FIVB Volleyball World Cup 2011 in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagano on Saturday.
USA and Germany lead the point standings with six thanks to the maximum three per match having not dropped more than one set in their two victories, while Italy sit third with five points after a five-set victory against China, who are in fourth with four points. Five teams have three points with one win and a loss.
World No. 2 USA backed up their impressive defeat of Olympic champions and world No. 1 Brazil on Friday with a hard fought 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-20) win over World Grand Prix bronze medallists Serbia in Nagano to repeat their World Grand Prix semifinal victory in August.
Destinee Hooker was at the forefront of the US victory with 22 points, one of which secured the victory courtesy of an ace, and was named Most Impressive Player for the game. She was well supported by Jordan Larson with 17 points and Foluke Akinradewo who registered 10 tallies including four blocks. Serbia’s top scorer was Stefana Veljkovic with 15 points.
“We’re thrilled to be 2-0 after playing against two of the best teams in the world,” USA captain Lindsey Berg said. “Serbia came out with a different lineup than we’re used to, so we had to concentrate and get used to some players we don’t know. But we’re happy with the win today.”
Meanwhile, 2007 World Cup winners Italy pulled off an impressive 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12) victory over 2003 champions China in an exhilarating volleyball display of power and precision in Hiroshima. It was the perfect way to mark Antonella Del Core’s 31st birthday as Carolina del Pilar Costagrande recorded the highest individual score of the 2011 World Cup to date – 27 points.
With China ranked sixth and Italy seventh in the world, a close match on paper proved to be exactly that in reality, with del Pilar Costagrande ably supported by Lucia Bosetti and Valentina Arrighetti with 16 and 15 points respectively as Italy reversed their defeat in August to China in the playoff for seventh at the World Grand Prix Finals. China produced a balanced attack led by Hui Ruoqi and Yang Junjing with 18 apiece and three others in double-digits, including the inspirational Wang Yimei .
In Nagano, Germany handed Korea a volleyball lesson, cruising past a side they had only previously beaten three times in 10 matches 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-15). Maren Brinker was top scorer for Germany with 16 points and picked up the Most Impressive Player award, but it was a fine all-around performance by the Germans, with Margareta Kozuch (14 points) and Christiane Furst (11 points) also reaching double figures. Kim Yeon-Koung was again Korea’s leading contributor with 12 points.
“I’m very happy about the performance of my team,” Germany coach Giovanni Guidetti said. “We were very focused and concentrated for this match. We lost to Korea in the World Grand Prix and wanted to play better today, and we played a good match, especially in blocking and defence and my setter played very cleverly. I’m very happy; we played very good volleyball.”
In the last game of the day in Nagano, Brazil comfortably overcame Kenya 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-9) to extend their unbeaten record against the African champions to seven matches.
In Hiroshima, tournament top scorer Bethania De La Cruz de Peña continued on her prolific ways with a personal haul of 16 points after scoring 24 points against Argentina on the first day as the Dominican Republic made short work of Algeria (25-7, 25-15, 25-20) in the first ever match between the two sides in an FIVB competition. While Japan proved too good for Argentina winning 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-20) to maintain their unbeaten record against the South Americans, which stretches to five matches.
Day Three of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, which is the first qualifying event for volleyball at the 2012 Olympic Games offering three tickets to London to the medallists, starts at 11:00 (local time) with the Dominican Republic playing Italy in Hiroshima and Kenya taking on Serbia in Nagano.
FIVB Women's World Cup Fixtures
06.11.2011
02:00 | VOLLEYBALL
Dominican Republic Women v Italy Women
02:00 | VOLLEYBALL
Kenya Women v Serbia Women
06:00 | VOLLEYBALL
Argentina Women v Algeria Women
06:00 | VOLLEYBALL
Germany Women v Brazil Women
09:20 | VOLLEYBALL
China Women v Japan Women
09:20 | VOLLEYBALL
USA Women v South Korea Women
