China extend winning record to 4-0, after a five setter win over USA

Mexicali, Mexico, October 8, 2013 - China extended their undefeated record to 4-0 in Pool B after a five setter victory over USA (25-15, 18-25, 14-25, 25-19, 5-15).

Yanhan Liu scored 24 points for China. She was followed by Qi Wang with 18, while Zhou Yang scored 15 and Xinwei Gu 12.

Gina Mancuso had another 20 plus points performance for the American team. The American captain closed with 25 points and three aces to be the best scorer of the match.

Hayley Hodson closed with 11 units and four block kills.

China had a solid start with a 10 point advantage in the first set, but USA recovered in the next two with a good blocking work by Hodson, Mead, Wilson, Scambray and captain Mancuso.

China’s coach Jiande Xu received a red card and had to leave the court in the fourth set. He returned until the fifth.

China put more pressure in serving with Liu, Yang and Gu. In the end, they set the score 2-2 and forced a tiebreaker. The Asians opened the fifth with good reception and block for a temporary 3-0 start to an advantage of 11-3.

“Certainly it was a fun match, but with more fun for China, because they won. They are really athletic. We like to be challenged”, said Mancuso.

“In the beginning we started very well and played well in the first set, but in the next ones we lost concentration”, stated Di Yao, captain of China.

“Congratulations to China. It was a nice win and as Gina said, it was a great battle with ups and downs, but China played down the strecht and got the points.  Now we have to prepare against Brazil,” said American coach Karch Kiraly.

“Sets two and three were not so good for us. We didn’t had the technique and no sprint, so in the last two ones recovered and played good again,” mentioned Jiande Xu.

China will play against Kenya and USA will match Brazil on Wednesday.