Ningbo, China, June 27, 2012 – World No. 1 and two-time defending champions the United States held off reigning Olympic champions Brazil in a five-set thriller as the 2012 Volleyball World Grand Prix Finals kicked off on Wednesday.

Megan Hodge scored 16 points to lead the American women, who have clinched back-to-back titles in the annual world elite women’s volleyball event in 2010 and 2011, to an opening victory at the Beilun Sports and Arts Gymnasium.

World Grand Prix Finals debutants Turkey needed four sets to claim their opening victory over Thailand as Darnel Neslihan notched up game-high 27 points for the Turkish women, who have qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time in history.

In the last match of the day, the host China beat Cuba in straight sets with Yang Junjing leading the Chinese women with 12 points.

World Grand Prix 2012

20th Edition

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

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

22 – Castro Sheilla of Brazil v USA (June 27)

18 – Santos Allegne Yanelis of Cuba v China (June 27)

Top Blocking Performances

7 – Heather Bown of USA v Brazil (June 27)

7 – Fabiana Claudino of Brazil v USA (June 27)

5 – Yang Junjing of China v Cuba (June 27)

Top Blocking Performances by team

18 – USA v Brazil (June 27)

16 – Brazil v USA (June 27)

12 – Turkey v Thailand (June 27)

Top Serving Performance

4 – Tomkom Nootsara of Thailand v Turkey (June 27)

4 – Toksoy Bahar of Turkey v Thailand (June 27)

3 – Hui Ruoqi of China v Cuba (June 27)

3 – Santos Allegne Yanelis of Cuba v China (June 27)

Top Serving Performances by team

13 – Thailand against Turkey (June 27)

7  – Turkey against Thailand (June 27)

5         - Brazil against USA (June 27)

5  - China against Cuba (June 27)

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: Darnel Neslihan, 27 (Turkey v Thailand)

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: Turkey v Thailand (26-24)

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: Brazil v USA, 2-3 (19-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-13, 13-15), 200 points