USA players celebrate after finishing Pool B with an undefeated record
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 14, 2016 – The United States clinched pole position in Pool B of the women’s volleyball tournament at Rio 2016 Olympic Games with an undefeated 5-0 win-loss record after a 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19) over China on Sunday.
As the top ranked team in Pool B, the United States will play Japan or Argentina in the quarterfinals phase next Tuesday.
Jordan Larson-Burbach was the main scorer for the winners with 18 points, followed by Foluke Akinradewo and Kelly Murphy with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
China’s Zhu Ting had a match-high 23 points and Hui Ruoqi finished with 14, including three blocks and two aces.
Hui Ruoqi blocked Akinradewo for a two-point lead early in the first set and the Chinese stayed in front the rest of the way by wide margin.
Akinradewo gave the United States a 5-2 advantage in the second set and the Americans won the second set by a landslide.
Larson scored two points in a row with spike and ace at 8-8, to send the United States to a comfortable win in the third set and a 2-1 lead in the match.
USA led by as many as eight points at 14-6 in the fourth set but China closed in at 15-13. Akinradewo landed a spike and Murphy served an ace to restore the order.
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