Press release

Ningbo, China, July 1, 2012 – World No. 1 the United States beat the host China in straight sets here Sunday evening to claim their third consecutive World Grand Prix title with an amazing unbeaten record.

Having captured gold medals in the annual women’s volleyball event in the last two years, the American women completed their title hat-trick by winning all nine matches in a row in the preliminary rounds and five more in the final round here in Ningbo.

Megan Hodge, who scored 17 points for the United States in their 3-0 win over China, also received the awards of the Most Valuable Player and the Best Scorer.

Beijing Olympic champions Brazil tamed rising European powerhouse Turkey in four sets to finish runners-up to the United States for the third time in three years. The Turkish women, who will make their Olympic Games debut in London in one month, could be satisfied with a bronze on a 3-2 win-loss record in their first journey to the World Grand Prix Finals.

Thailand saw off Cuba 3-0 Sunday afternoon to finish fourth ahead of China in the six-team final round with two wins against three losses while the Cuban side settled for the bottom after losing five matches in a row.

Award winners:

Best spiker: Mendoza Yoana Palacios, Cuba

Best blocker: Thaisa Menezes, Brazil

Best server: Neslihan Darnel, Turkey

Best receiver: Gulden Kayalar, Turkey

Best libero: Zhang Xian, China

Best setter: Tomkom Nootsara, Thailand

Best scorer: Megan Hodge, USA

Most Valuable Player: Megan Hodge, USA

For full match reports, press conference quotes, statistics and photos visit http://www.fivb.org/EN/volleyball/competitions/WorldGrandPrix/2012/LiveScore.asp

Top Scoring Performances
30 – Sittirak Onuma of Thailand v China (June 29)

28 – Megan Hodge of USA v Turkey (June 29)

27 – Darnel Neslihan of Turkey v Thailand (June 27)

Top Blocking Performances
7 – Christa Harmotto of USA v Turkey (June 29)

7 – Heather Bown of USA v Brazil (June 27)
7 – Fabiana Claudino of Brazil v USA (June 27)
7 – Menezes Thaisa of Brazil v China (June 28)

7 – Fabiana Claudino of Brazil v Turkey (July 1)

7 – Danielle Scott-Arruda of USA v China (July 1)

Top Blocking Performances by team
22 – Brazil v Turkey (July 1)

18 – USA v Brazil (June 27)
17 – Brazil v China (June 28)
17 – China v Thailand (June 29)

Top Serving Performance
5 – Silva Adenizia of Brazil v Cuba (June 29)

4 – Tomkom Nootsara of Thailand v Turkey (June 27)
4 – Toksoy Bahar of Turkey v Thailand (June 27)
4 – Darnel Neslihan of Turkey v Cuba (June 28)

4 – Thinkaow Pleumjit of Thailand v China (June 29)

4 – Sittirak Onuma of Thailand v Cuba (July 1)

Top Serving Performances by team
13 – Thailand against Turkey (June 27)
12 – Brazil against Cuba (June 29)

11 – Turkey against Cuba (June 28)

Highest scorer by week
Week 1: Hwang Youn-Joo/Rosanna Giel Ramos, 25 (Cuba v Korea)
Week 2: Serena Ortolani, 25 (Italy v Brazil)
Week 3: Serena Ortolani, 29 (Italy v Poland)
Finals: Sittirak Onuma, 30 (Thailand v China)
 
Highest set score
Week 1: Italy v Poland (31-29)
Week 2: China v Poland (29-27)
Week 3: Cuba v Brazil (31-29)
Finals: Thailand v China (34-32)
  
Highest Scoring matches
Week 1: Cuba v Korea, 3-2 (23-25, 27-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11), 217 points
Week 2: Puerto Rico v Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12), 211 points
Week 3: Brazil v Cuba, 3-2 (29-31, 25-18, 25-19, 26-24, 15-8), 220 points
Finals: China v Thailand, 2-3 (25-21, 22-25, 32-34, 25-21, 13-15), 233 points