Serbia escaped a tough 3-2 clash against Russia in the second round of the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup at the Sendai Gymnasium on Monday
Sendai and Okayama, Japan, August 31, 2015 – Serbia scored a huge upset on top-ranked team, while Dominican Republic, Cuba, China, USA and Japan foiled their respective opponents on Day 7 of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup on Monday.
In Sendai, Serbia posted a 3-2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23, 15-12) victory over Russia, which suffered their first loss in the World Cup after a strong start with six consecutive victories. The Serbians made an epic comeback after being down in the first two sets. Tijana Boskovic of Serbia equalled Nataliya Obmochaeva’s output of 27 points. Although the Russian block was superior, the Serbian attack was the game-changer.
Dominican Republic came up with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 25-17) win over Peru to mend their last two losses against Japan and Serbia. Dominican Republic’s 14 blocks helped immobilise the Peruvian attackers in their crucial runs to secure each set victory. Katherinne Regalado of Peru topped all scorers with 18 points, while Yonkaira Paola Pena Isabel of Dominican Republic charted 17 markers.
Japan triumphed 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-17) against Asian rivals Korea. The hosts persistently challenged the Korean attackers that resulted to long, exciting rallies all throughout the match. Miyu Nagaoka and Sarina Koga led Japan’s offence, charting 15 points each for Japan, while Kim Yeon-Koung top scored for Korea with 15 points.
Meanwhile, in Okayama, Cuba got back on the winning track after losing five consecutive matches. The Cubans defeated Algeria 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-14). Sulian Caridad Matienzo Linares top scored with 18 points, then Heidy Margarita Rodriguez Lopez added 10 points for Cuba. Their star Melissa Teresa Vargas Abreu played briefly in the third set but did not manage to score any point. Nawel Hammouche of Algeria finished with nine points.
USA accomplished a straight-set (25-16, 25-19, 25-14) victory over Argentina to establish a 6-1 win-loss record in the tournament. Four USA players – Kimberly Hill, Karsta Lowe, Jordan Larson-Burbach and Foluke Akinradewo – scored in double figures that tallied 49 points, matching the total point output of the entire Argentine squad. USA also served seven aces in the match that were quite lethal for the Argentine defence.
China brandished its full might to produce a 3-0 (25-7, 25-15, 25-14) triumph over Kenya. Chinese hitters Yung Jianjing and Liu Xiaotong scored 13 points apiece, with Zhang Changning and Zheng Chunlei adding 12 and 10 points, respectively. Everlyn Makuto of Kenya was the lone player who scored in double-digits with 10 points.
Top Scorer by Day
26 – Mercy Moim of Kenya v Cuba on August 22
34 – Tatiana Kosheleva of Russia v Japan on August 23
19 – Sarina Koga of Japan v Cuba on August 24
27 – Kim Yeon-Koung of Korea v China on August 26
26 – Prisilla Rivera Brens of Dominican Republic v Japan on August 27
25 – Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Korea on August 30
27 – Tijana Boskovic of Serbia v Russia; Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Serbia on August 31
Top Scoring Performances
34 – Tatiana Kosheleva of Russia v Japan on August 23
27 – Tijana Boskovic of Serbia v Russia; Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Serbia on August 31
27 – Kim Yeon-Koung of Korea v China on August 26
26 – Prisilla Rivera Brens of Dominican Republic v Japan on August 27
26 – Mercy Moim of Kenya v Cuba on August 22
25 – Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Korea on August 30
25 – Regla Gracia of Cuba v Kenya on August 22
24 – Zhu Ting of China v Serbia on August 22
24 – Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Dominican Republic on August 22
23 – Saori Kimura of Japan v Russia on August 23
23 – Tijana Boskovic of Serbia v USA on August 23
Top Individual Serving Performances
5 – Prisilla Rivera Brens of Dominican Republic v Japan on August 27
5 – Zhang Changning of China v Serbia on August 22
4 – Haruka Miyashita of Japan v Korea on August 31
4 – Yonkaira Paolo Pena Isabel of Dominican Republic v Serbia on August 30
4 – Sarina Koga of Japan v Dominican Republic on August 27
4 – Miyu Nagaoka of Japan v Cuba on August 24
4 – Tijana Boskovic of Serbia v USA on August 23
4 – Saori Kimura of Japan v Argentina on August 22
4 – Everlyn Makuto of Kenya v Cuba on August 22
4 - Foluke Akinradewo of USA v Korea on August 22
Top Team Serving Performances
10 – China v Kenya on August 31
10 – Dominican Republic v Japan on August 27
10 – Japan v Kenya on August 26
10 – Korea v Algeria on August 24
10 – Serbia v USA on August 23
10 - USA v Korea on August 22
Top Individual Blocking Performances
7 – Yuan Xinyue of China v Peru on August 27
6 – Milena Rasic of Serbia v Russia on August 31
6 – Tetori Dixon of USA v Algeria on August 27
6 – Julieta Constanza Lazcano of Argentina v Dominican Republic on August 24
6 – Milena Rasic of Serbia v USA on August 23
6 – Maja Ognjenovic of Serbia v USA on August 23
6 – Zhu Ting of China v Serbia on August 22
5 – Jovana Stevanovic of Serbia v Russia on August 31
5 – Ekaterian Orlova of Russia v Serbia on August 31
5 – Annerys Victoria Valdez Vargas of Dominican Republic v Japan on August 27
5 – Alena Rojas Orta of Cuba v Dominican Republic v Cuba on August 26
5 – Marianne Fersola Norberto of Dominican Republic v Argentina on August 24
5 – Tatiana Kosheleva of Russia v Japan on August 23
5 – Emilce Sosa of Argentina v Cuba on August 23
5 – Yang Hyo-Jin of Korea v Peru on August 23
5 – Nataliya Obmochaeva of Russia v Dominican Republic on August 22
Top Team Blocking Performances
22 – Serbia v USA on August 23
17 – Russia v Serbia on August 31
17 – China v Cuba on August 30
17 – USA v Algeria on August 27
16 – Korea v Peru on August 23
14 – Serbia v Russia on August 31
14 – Dominican Republic v Peru on August 30
14 – Japan v Dominican Republic on August 27
14 – Cuba v Dominican Republic on August 26
14 – Dominican Republic v Argentina on August 24
14 – Argentina v Dominican Republic on August 24
14 – China v Serbia on August 22
Highest Scoring Sets
27-25 Cuba v Kenya (1st set) on August 22
28-26 Dominican Republic v Kenya (1st set) on August 23
25-23 USA v China (1st and 3rd sets) on August 24
25-23 Dominican Republic v Cuba (4th set); Korea v China (1st set); China v Korea (4th set) on August 26
32-30 Dominican Republic v Japan (3rd set) on August 27
26-24 Korea v Russia (2nd set) on August 30
26-24 Japan v Korea (2nd set) on August 31
Highest Scoring Matches
184 - Cuba d Kenya 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 12-25, 25-22) on August 22
202 – Russia d Japan 3-2 (12-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 15-13) on August 23
177 – Dominican Republic d Argentina 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 25-15) on August 24
185 – Dominican Republic d Cuba 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 18-25, 25-23) on August 26
218 – Japan d Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-18, 20-25, 30-32, 25-15, 15-13) on August 27
142 – Russia d Korea 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-22) on August 30
208 – Serbia d Russia 3-2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23, 15-12) on August 31