Sunday’s matches are all about seeding and/or finishing strong, because which teams are in the Volleyball Nations League women’s quarterfinals has been decided.
Japan made sure of that with a sweep of Thailand on Saturday, a day in which the USA was off.
The Americans play China on Sunday, a slate that also includes another match involving final-eight teams, Italy vs. Japan. Also Sunday, second-place Poland plays last-place Korea, Brazil plays Thailand, Türkiye plays Croatia and Serbia plays Bulgaria. Germany, Canada, Netherlands and the Dominican Republic finished their respective third rounds Saturday.
Here are the eight teams who will go on to Arlington, Texas, for the quarterfinals, with match and sets records:
USA (10-1, 32-13)
Poland (9-2, 29-13)
Türkiye (8-3, 28-11)
China (7-4, 26-17)
Japan (7-4, 26-17)
Brazil (7-4, 25-18)
Germany (7-5, 26-23)
Italy (7-4, 26-22)
After Sunday, the men begin their third round. In the case of the USA, the second-place Americans get to play at home in Anaheim, where they train. They play Cuba on Wednesday.
USA BEATS GERMANY: Germany had 12 blocks to the Americans’ six, but that was about its only advantage as a balanced USA attack was key in a 25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13 victory.
Ali Frantti had 15 kills, a block, an ace and eight digs. Jordan Thompson had 14 kills, a block and two aces and added 10 digs. Brionne Butler had 12 kills with no errors in 16 attacks and two blocks, and Kara Bajema had 12 kills, a block and an ace to go with 13 digs. Anna Stevenson Hall had eight kills and an ace.
Both setters played. Micha Hancock had block, six digs and an ace and Lauren Carlini had two kills and 10 digs.
Justine Wong-Orantes had 17 digs.
Germany’s Hanna Orthmann had 13 kills. Camilla Weitzel had eight kills and seven blocks, and Lena Stigrot had 10 kills. Anna Pogany had 15 digs.
The USA plays China, which had Saturday off, at 4:30 a.m. Eastern.
CANADA FINISHES STRONG: Canada won’t advance, but it finished 6-6 after winning three of its last four matches. Saturday, which was also Canada Day, it came from behind twice to beat the Netherlands 25-27, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23, 15-9. BYU product Alexa Gray continued to lead her team, this time with 23 kills, a block, 10 digs and an ace. She had five of her kills after the Canadians led 8-7 in the fifth set. Hilary Howe, who…
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