Jiangmen, China, June 13, 2019 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Kelsey Robinson found their best form to help the USA finish week four with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-21) win over China at the Jiangmen Sports Center Gym on Thursday.
The result means both teams end week four with two wins and a defeat.
Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson both hit 20 points apiece, while Andrea Drews took her 2019 VNL points total to 133 with 13 points. China’s Zhu Ting led China’s scoring with 13, a total that takes her 2019 tally to 104 points.
Victory is the 2018 VNL gold medallists second in a row after they started the week with defeat to Turkey. It also means that Olympic champions China were unable to take their unbeaten run to 10 consecutive matches.
USA’s win keeps them in the top six that will qualify for the FIVB VNL Finals. The Finals will take place in Nanjing, China from July 3-7. China qualify automatically as hosts.
In the other match in the pool Turkey needed to fight back from losing the first two sets to defeat Poland 3-2 (22-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-12). It was their second victory of week four and ensured Poland left China without a win.
Brazil top in Tokyo
Brazil defeated Serbia 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-15) to secure their third win from three at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo. For the reigning FIVB world champions it rounded off a bad week in the Japanese capital where they lost all three fixtures. Japan enjoyed two wins and finished with victory, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-14) over Thailand.
Italy enjoy home comforts
Italy wrapped up a successful week at the Pala Evangelisti in Perugia when they fought back from losing the first set to defeat Russia 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-21) and take themselves to the top of the VNL table. Indre Sorokaite added another impressive performance for Davide Mazzanti’s team with 29 points that helped her side leave town with three victories. Earlier in the day Bulgaria ensured that they wouldn’t finish the week empty-handed when they defeated Korea 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-19, 26-24).
Dutch play party-poopers in Germany
The Netherlands had the final word at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart when they defeated Germany 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 16-14), a result that means both teams finish the week with two wins and one defeat. The hosts saved one match point, but on the second Lonneke Slöetjes rose high at the net to block Germany’s attack and score the winning point. The Dominican Republic beat Belgium 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-14, 15-11), which means both teams finish the week with one victory and two defeats.
