USA Claims Silver at FIVB World Cup

 

OSAKA, Japan, September 29, 2019 - The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 3 in the world, claimed silver at the FIVB World Cup by defeating Korea 25-21, 25-16, 16-25, 25-22 in Osaka to conclude the 12-team round robin event played over 16 days in Japan.

 

Opposite Annie Drews led Team USA with 24 points, including two blocks and two aces. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu charted 16 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley contributed 12 points.

 

Team USA concluded the tournament with a 10-1 record, its sole loss being to gold-medalist China earlier in the round robin format. The Americans have now reached the podium in five consecutive World Cup events played in the year prior to the Olympic Games. The U.S. also earned silver at the 2011 World Cup and bronze at the 2003, 2007 and 2015 editions. No other country had medal in the previous four World Cups let alone now five in a row.

 

The 2019 World Cup podium will have China with gold, USA with silver and Russia with bronze regardless of the outcomes later today.

 

“We have a lot to be proud of,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We played a great tournament. All 14 of our players made really important and critical contributions to that. We had one disappointing loss to China – they are playing a very good tournament. But we have a lot to be excited about. We look forward to coming back here in way less than a year for the 2020 Olympics.”