USA's Foluke Akinradewo scores against Netherlands in Monday's battle
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 8, 2016 – The United States overcame a resilient Netherlands side to claim their second victory in Pool A of the women’s volleyball tournament at Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a five-set 3-2 (18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-8) decision on Monday.
Foluke Akinradewo scored three points in the tie-breaker –one spike, one block and one ace- to lead the winners charge at the most crucial moment of the big battle.The victory improved USA win-loss record to 2-0 and dropped Netherlands to 1-1.
Lefty Kelly Murphy with 18 points led four American players with double figures. Akinradewo and Jordan Larson concluded with 15 points each, while Kimberly Hill contributed 14 in the victory.
Dutch Lonneke Sloetjes had a match-high 21 points, 20 in attacks, while Robin DeKruijf had 15, including five blocks, and Anne Buijs and Yvon Belien finished with 11 and 10, respectively.
The Dutch team played text-book volleyball in the first set with terrific net defence and Sloetjes and Buijs leading the attack with 6 points apiece for the 25-18 result.
The European side jumped to a 6-3 lead in the second set, but USA climbed back to tie at 12-all with Larson’s spike and continued on the same path taking the set 25-18.
In the third set the Netherlands led by as many as 6 points at 21-15 with overall good defence and effective attack. De Kruijf closed the actions with spike against Larson.
In the fourth, Murphy broke the tie at 18-18 with a big spike and USA team took the driver seat winning seven of the last nine points.
USA outblocked the Netherlands in the fifth and closed it 15-8 with a spike by Murphy.