Hiroshima, Japan, November 6, 2011 – World No. 2 USA lead the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup standings with the full complement of nine points following three impressive victories from as many matches after the completion of the first round in Hiroshima and Nagano on Sunday. Italy, who also have three wins but eight points having dropped one point, are second while five teams sit on six points.

With three points allocated for a 3-0 or 3-1 win (a 3-2 result gives two points to the winner and one to the loser), the field in the race for the medals and 2012 Olympic Games qualification is starting to sort itself out.

The World Grand Prix double champions were far too strong for a disappointing Korea, ranked 13th in the world, to finish their first round campaign in Nagano in style, storming to a 3-0 (25-10, 25-12, 25-13) win, the lowest scoring match of the tournament so far. “Tonight was a great night for USA Volleyball,” USA captain and Most Impressive Player Lindsey Berg said. “We came out very determined – probably more determined than the last two nights – and came out to take care of business. I’m happy that we won tonight and happy to come out of the first leg 3-0, and we’re ready to take it to the next stop and continue on this road.” USA started the 2007 edition in exactly the same vein with three wins from three before eventually finishing third with nine wins and two defeats. 

Earlier in Nagano, world No. 1 Brazil ended Germany’s unbeaten start with a 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21) win in two hours however celebrations were tempered following a nasty sprained ankle to wing spiker Fernanda Rodrigues after stepping on Christiane Furst’s foot at the net in the second set. “Fernanda has suffered a twisted ankle and mild ligament damage,” Brazil doctor Julio Cesar Nardelli said. “The immediate treatment is intensive physiotherapy but she is definitely out for the next week. We hope she can return for the final round.” The World Cup injury toll – Italy’s Serena Ortolani (back – injured on the eve of the tournament) and Sanja Malagurski (leg) from Serbia have both been ruled out of the tournament – is indicative of a challenging schedule where each teams plays 11 games over 15 days during four rounds. Thanks to Brazil’s strength and depth they still managed to charge on to their 24th victory in 28 matches against Germany with Thaisa scoring 18 points, which was matched by Maren Brinker for the world No. 9.

In the opening match in Nagano, European champions Serbia made it two wins from three after repeating their 2007 World Cup victory over Kenya in a hard fought 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-11, 25-11) encounter. Serbia’s young squad is being put the test but so far have managed to pass with wins over Korea and Kenya against one loss to USA. Kenya captain Brackcides Khadambi picked up the Most Impressive Player award after scoring four attack points and a tournament-equalling record six blocks.

In Hiroshima, defending champions Italy carried on their merry way with another outstanding performance considering their injury problems and inconsistent pre-tournament form. Their straight sets (28-26, 25-13, 25-12) win against the Dominican Republic completed an encouraging first round after earlier wins over Japan and China. The match pitted the tournament’s top two scorers against each other in Carolina del Pilar Costagrande for Italy (45 points) and Bethania De La Cruz de Peña for the Dominicans (40) but this contest would see another star rise above the rest as Simona Gioli, the Most Valuable Player at the 2007 World Cup, was awarded the Most Impressive Player for the match with 15 points, including five of her team’s 11 blocks. “I think Gioli has won (the battle of the block against Prisilla Altagracia Rivera Brens),” Italy coach Massimo Barbolini said. “Rivera was good in the World Grand Prix, and it was difficult to block her but I think our block won today. In general we had great play, and a good match with the block.”

Not long after, in the first match ever at an FIVB tournament between Argentina and Algeria, it was the South American vice-champions who took the honours 3-1 (25-18, 25-12, 20-25, 25-16). For Argentina, ranked 20th in the world, and Algeria, 17th, there was plenty at stake and it was Argentina who took the crucial maximum three points on offer while winless Algeria had the consolation of claiming their first set.

In the last match of the day in Hiroshima, Japan went close to breaking their losing run against neighbours China which has seen them lose in four sets at the 2011 Asia Championship final and in last year’s World Championship but they eventually went down in a five set thriller 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13).

The FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, which is the first qualifying event for volleyball at the 2012 Olympic Games offering London tickets to the medallists, now enters the second round starting on Tuesday with Monday being a rest/travel day. Teams at Site A stay in Hiroshima while Site B travels to Toyama.

Tournament Leading Scorers
1 Carolina del Pilar Costagrande (ITA) 58 points
2 Saori Kimura (JPN) 55 points
3 Destinee Hooker (USA) 51 points
4 Bethania De La Cruz de Peña (DOM) 50 points
   Hui Ruoqi (CHN) 50 points

Top Scorers by Day
November 4: 24 – Bethania De La Cruz de Peña (Dominican Republic) v Argentina
November 5: 27 - Carolina del Pilar Costagrande (Italy) v China
November 6: 24 - Saori Kimura (Japan) v China

Top Scoring Performances
27 – Carolina del Pilar Costagrande (Italy) v China on Nov. 5
24 – Saori Kimura (Japan) v China on Nov. 6
24 – Bethania De La Cruz de Peña (Dominican Republic) v Argentina on Nov. 4
23 – Ruoqi Hui (China) v Japan on Nov. 6
22 – Destinee Hooker (USA) v Serbia on Nov. 5

Top Blocking Performances
6 – Brackcides Khadambi (Kenya) v Serbia on Nov. 6
6 – Nana Iwasaka (Japan) v China on Nov. 6
6 – Valentina Arrighetti (Italy) v China on Nov. 5
6 – Bethania De La Cruz de Peña (Dominican Republic) v Argentina on Nov. 4

Top Service Ace Performances
7 – Paula Yamila Nizetich (Argentina) v Algeria on Nov. 6

Highest Set Score
28-26 – Italy v Dominican Republic (Set 1) on Nov. 6

Highest Scoring Matches
211– Italy def. China 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12) on Nov. 5
210 – China def. Japan 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 15-13) on Nov. 6
188 – Brazil def. Germany 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21) on Nov. 6
185 – USA def. Brazil 3-1 (25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19) on Nov. 4
176 – Italy def. Japan 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-15) on Nov. 4

For more information contact:
FIVB Press Director Richard Baker
press@fivb.org or +81 (0)80 2584 4604