2018 FIVB WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE – WEEK 4 / POOL 14
- June 5-7, 2018
- Jiangmen, China | Jiangmen Sports Hall (Capacity: 8,500)
- Time Zone: China Standard Time (UTC + 8)
- World Rankings: #1 China, #2 USA, #4 Brazil, #5 Russia
- Preview
- Schedule/Results
United States def. Brazil 3-1
- United States defeated Brazil 25-23, 24-26, 25-21, 25-18
- United States moved to 10-1 (31 points); Brazil moved to 9-2 (26 points)
Lauren Gibbemeyer had a breakout game, posting a match-high 16 points, including eight of the USA’s 14 blocks, as the Americans rolled on to its ninth straight win on Wednesday.
Gibbemeyer also added eight kills and had help from three other double-digit scoring performances. Captain Jordan Larson led the offense with 15 kills and also chipped in a block, while a well-rested Foluke Akinradewo racked up 13 points (9 kills, 4 blocks) and Kim Hill notched 12 points (11 kills, 1 ace). Annie Drews and Kelly Murphy split time, each managing eight points and tallying seven kills. Drews added an ace, while Murphy rounded out the team’s blocking game. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley appeared as a serving substitute. Kelsey Robinson was the team’s libero for the match.
Ana Carolina DaSilva paced Brazil despite not starting the match, tallying 15 points on 11 kills, two blocks and two aces. Amanda Francisco tacked on 12 points, all on kills. Adenizia Da Silva followed with eight points on five kills and a team-leading three blocks. Star Tandara Caixeta played in just the first two sets, notching four kills in 15 swings before exiting the match. Ana Beatriz Correa took played in just the opening set and twok just two offensive swings.
The United States gave up 28 points on errors, but made up the difference with a 60-47 lead in kills and 14-11 edge in blocks. Brazil boasted a slight 4-3 advantage in aces and gifted the USA 23 points on miscues.
The Americans trailed by as many as five in the opening stanza (11-6) and were down 15-12 before putting together a 5-1 run to surge into the lead at 17-16 en route to a 25-23 win. Larson, Hill and Akinradewo shined offensively in the USA rally. Brazil tied it up at 29, but a Drews kill and Bartsch-Hackley ace gave the United States some breathing room at 23-21. As it turned out, they needed it as Brazil tied it up at 23, before a Akinradewo ace and Brazilian hitting error sealed the victory.
Team USA played from behind again late in Set 2, trailing 22-20 and facing two Brazilian set-point tries, before earning one of its own at 26-25. In the end, Brazil held on for the 28-26 win and snapped the United States’ 25-set win streak. Early on in the set, Brazil led 11-8, before the Americans rallied to take a 14-13 lead. The Brazilians went up 22-20, but a Gibbemeyer block and kills by Larson and Hill gave the USA a 23-22 edge. Brazil had the first set point try at 24-23, but a kill and a block by Akinradewo gave the USA a chance to save it set-winning streak at 26-25. Brazil closed out the set with three straight points.
The USA took an early 6-3 lead in Set 3, but boasted a 16-13 advantage midway through. Murphy, Hill, Akinradewo and Larson notched kills as the United States picked up steam down the stretch, tying it at 16 and 18 before charging ahead 21-19. The Americans posted a final 4-0 run to clinch the 25-21 win with a Gibbemeyer putaway issuing the final point.
The USA turned a 5-3 deficit into an eight-point lead courtesy of an 11-3 run before capping the match with a 25-18 victory. Despite boasting a 5-3 lead, Brazil fell apart early on in Set 4 with three errors, which put the United States on top 8-5. The Americans carried the momentum to a 14-8 lead on a Murphy putaway. Gibbemeyer added a kill to make it a seven-point game at 16-9. In the end, the margin was too large for the Brazilians to overcome and a hitting error and service error gave the United States the win and the match.
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