MATCH INFO

 Ankara , Turkey, August 13, 2011- Serbia fought for 84 minutes to clinch a stunning victory over  the world 2nd ranked USA in the FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship Pool C at Baskent Volleyball Hall, on Saturday.

FIVB Volleyball Girls' Youth World Championship

 Serbia won in straight sets 3-0, (25-21, 25-13, 26-24) to put the Americans in a critical situation that threatens them to lose the chance to compete within the top 8 frame. With one match to go in Pool C China topped the group with 6 points from 2-0 win- loss record ahead of Serbia and USA 3 points (1-1) then Puerto Rico (0-2). The efficient Serbia’s duo of the captain Bianka Busa and Natasa Cikiriz led their team scorers with 15 points, while Captain Mallory McCage and Amber Rolfzen led USA scorers with 9.

 The match started with tough fight so that teams kept balanced count until the first technical timeout. At one moment USA tried to run ahead but they were stopped by spike of Natasa Cikiriz. The FTT team went with 8-5 lead of USA. Two unsuccessful spikes by Kadie Rolfzen helped Serbia to catch up. While spike from Serbian captain Bianka Busa and block by Cikiriz Serbia proceed forwards. A series of prolonged rallies characterized following fight and at the STT Serbia led 16-12.

After the break USA took the initiative and with spikes by Amber Rolfzen and Mallory McKage made 6-0 run, and went ahead, 18-16. Then with USA's lose of service control over the situation was again in hands of Serbian team. Serbia won this set with spike from Cikiriz, 25-21.

 Second set started with the same tension, but slowly Serbian team started to increase their advantage. So Serbia went into the FTT 8-4 ahead. Several mistakes in USA's spikes and tight block by Serbia even increased the gap so that the second technical timeout came with more prominent leadership of Serbia, 16-8. Then USA tried to catch up, but ace service of Busa and spike of Cikiriz and Nikolina Lukic led Serbia to 21-10.

Toward the end of the second set USA increased their pressure but it was very late for them to change the situation. The final point in this set was one more spike from Cikiriz's, and Serbia won the set, 25-13.

 USA began the third set with successful attack, but Serbia immediately answered to it. Again the exhausting fight for each point began. It was a constant exchange of spikes between Serbian Bianka, Cikiriz and Lukic and USA's Amber Rolfzen, McKage and Nicole Danton. Very tight fight lead to almost unchanging draw until 12-12. Then Serbia made a 3-0 run and again initiative was taken by USA, who just repeated the 3-0 run, 15-15.  At the second technical timeout Serbia went with one point lead, 16-15.

Then Serbia made a run 4-1, until 20-16, and again was stopped by pressure of USA attacks and blocks. And when USA reached 20-20 they lost their service. And teams again find themselves in draw that remained till 24-24. And only the block by Lukic decided their victory 26-24, the first for Serbia in this tournament.