USA drop to 7-1 after losing to China 3-0

OSAKA, Japan, October 10, 2018 - The Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium was transformed into Chinatown on Wednesday night as the world's top-ranked team demolished the reigning world champions and world No.2 USA 3-0 with an exhilarating display of fast-paced, power-packed volleyball.

The Rio Olympic champions beat the United States 25-17, 26-24, 25-18 to improve their win-loss record to 7-1 - and drop the Americans to the same mark with just one game to go in the second round. The United States next play against Italy.

The stands were packed with red - shirts and flags of hundreds of Chinese supporters - and down on the court the Chinese were a blur of yellow shirts as the USA had no answer to their onslaught.

Captain Zhu Ting led her team with 19 points, 17 of them spikes, and Gong Xiangyu added 14 with 11 spikes and three blocks in another top-notch individual performance.

The Americans had 14 points from Captain Jordan Larson and nine apiece from Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Karsta Lowe but it was not their night.