The American women's national team faced no difficulties against Canada in the 1/8 final of the World Championship in Thailand. In the "continental derby," the USA, led by their injured coach Eric Sullivan, prevailed over the team of Bulgaria's former coach Giovanni Guidetti with a decisive 3:0 (25:18, 25:21, 25:21) in Bangkok, thus securing a spot among the top eight.
The American team's opponent in the 1/4 finals will most likely be the current European champion Turkey, if Güneş and company overcome Slovenia.
Match Statistics
| Team | Attack | Block | Serve | Opponent's Errors | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 42 | 11 | 3 | 19 | 75 |
| Canada | 38 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 60 |
The Americans showed higher effectiveness both at the net and in attack organization. The huge superiority in blocking (11 against 6) and fewer errors made by the opponent played a key role in the final outcome.
Individual Performances
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Avery Skinner | USA | 13 |
| Khalia Lanier Franklin | USA | 13 |
| Anna Smrek | Canada | 12 |
| Andrea Mitrovic | Canada | 8 |
Defensive play and reception
| Element | USA | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive digs | 64 | 53 |
| Reception | 52 | 70 |
| Setting | 101 | 105 |
An interesting highlight is Canada's superiority in reception (70 against 52). However, the Americans were more effective in attack completion and especially in blocking. This shows that the USA knows how to compensate for weaknesses in some elements through dominance in others.
Historical context
Canada's last victory over the USA was in 2021 (NORCECA), after a dramatic tie-break.
USA at World Championships in the last 10 years – champions in 2014, bronze in 1990, silver in 2002, fourth in the last edition (2022).
Canada – best World Championship ranking: 10th place (2022).
The first referee of the match was the Bulgarian referee Ivaylo Ivanov.
photos:volleyballworld.com
