US women capture first major title
Print Edition
PLAYER of the tournament Kimberly Hill scored the point that sealed a historic first women’s world volleyball title for the United States on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over China.
The US women easily took the first two sets, but allowed two-time champion China back into the final before winning 27-25, 25-20, 16-25, 26-24.
Hill scored 20 points in the game and was named most valuable player and best spiker of the tournament. She smashed the winning point that sparked wild celebrations among the US. “We came here to make history and we made it. It was a tough battle,” said US coach Karch Kiraly, who won Olympic golds himself in men’s volleyball and beach volleyball.
“After we got a 2-0 lead we knew China would never give up. It was a battle to the end and they have some great young players, as do we.
“I hope that we will be playing against each other in the future. It is just good for the sport to have teams with such history performing at a high level.”
The United States’ women who had never won an Olympic, World Cup or world championship title, should become world No. 1 when new rankings come out this week.
Runner-up in the world championship in 1967 and 2002 and beaten by Brazil at the last two Olympic finals, the victory is a vital springboard to aim for US success at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in two years.
The US scored an upset win over Brazil in the semifinals.
China’s coach Lang Ping won the gold medal with Chinese team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and then coached the US team to silver at the 2008 Beijing Games. She said she was looking for a year of “good training” with her young team ahead of the Rio Olympics.
Brazil claimed the third-place play-off thanks to a 3-2 (25-15, 25-13, 22-25, 22-25, 15-7) win over host Italy.
Meanwhile, FIVB President Ary Graca said the world championship in 2018 may be split between countries in a move that would stop Russia or Qatar being outright hosts. He denied however that dividing the event would be for political motives.
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