Puerto Rico beat Kenya on the penultimate day of the Preliminary Phase and advanced to the second stage of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship.
The Puerto Ricans won the match against Kenya in four sets on Day 9 to strike out their ticket among the best 16 national teams at the World Championship 2022 in the Netherlands and Poland. The match in Pool A in Arnhem, the Netherlands, was crucial for both national teams as they had entered today’s action tied on 3 points and a 1-3 record, disputing the last ticket to the next round of the tournament. This way, the Puerto Rico National Team overcame the obstacle no other side in the event had to face, leaving the country incomplete, three days prior to the tournament due to Hurricane Fiona, with as many as five players joining the team only on the eve of their opening match.
Brittany Abercrombie once again top-scored for the Caribbeans with 20 points. Neira Ortíz made 4 blocks. Veronica Adhiambo Oluoch put down 22 points for the Africans, who committed as many as 36 unforced errors today.
In one of the most anticipated games of the Preliminary Phase of the event between the previous two world champions, Serbia triumphed over the USA – and it was a landslide win. The defending world champions defeated the reigning Olympic champions in Łódź, Poland, in straight sets in a duel that was played for first place in Pool C as both sides advanced to the tournament’s second round yesterday. As a result, the Europeans finished pool play ahead of the Americans, who remained at 4 wins (and one defeat now) and 12 points, with a total of 14 points and 5 victories. Serbia is the first team to finish the first stage of the World Championship without losing a game, and Italy might become the second on Sunday.
Serbia’s win today can be credited to their blocking display of 13 stuffs compared to the USA’s one. Jovana Stevanović of Serbia stood out in this segment with 5 blocks. Tijana Bošković scored match-high 25 points. Outside hitter Alexandra Frantti and middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, two of the American team’s main players in their early matches, weren’t used by head coach Karch Kiraly, but Jordyn Poulter (injured in the last two matches) was.
In a Pool D encounter, Brazil dealt China its first defeat since the competition began. In Arnhem, the South Americans overcame a set deficit to triumph 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22). However, it didn’t help them top the pool. With a 4-1 win-loss record, 12 points, and a 13-3 set record, China took first place. On a set ratio, Brazil is in second place, just below China.
Tainara Santos of Brazil and Li Yingying of China scored 22 points each.
Turkey boasts leadership in Pool B. In Gdańsk, the team commanded by Giovanni Guidetti downed the home side of Poland, making four wins in a row following an opening defeat to Thailand. Turkey collected 11 points on a 4-1 record, nailing Poland to fourth place.
Ebrar Karakurt was Turkey’s top scorer with 22 points but the best scorer of the match award belongs to Poland’s opposite Magdalena Stysiak: 31 points.
2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship – Preliminary Phase, Day 9:
