Pasay City, Philippines.The USA team overcame Slovenia's resistance with a 3:1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-20) victory and qualified for the quarter-final against Bulgaria. The match will take place on September 25 in the evening session.
The Americans started with difficulty, losing the first set, but then dictated the tempo in the next three sets and deservedly won the match.
🏐 Match Statistics
| Category | USA | Slovenia |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 53 | 49 |
| Block | 10 | 7 |
| Serve | 12 | 2 |
| Opponent errors | 19 | 26 |
| Total points | 94 | 84 |
The USA gained a key advantage from serving – a total of 12 direct points from aces, against only 2 for Slovenia. This proved to be the decisive factor after the evenly matched battle in attack (53 vs 49). The Americans were also more stable on block and made fewer errors.
🔍 Defense and Setting
| Category | USA | Slovenia |
|---|---|---|
| Digs | 81 | 70 |
| Reception | 71 | 80 |
| Distribution (attack assignments) | 131 | 114 |
Slovenia excelled in reception, but the Americans responded with more digs in defense and significantly greater attack distribution, which allowed for a more dynamic and varied game.
⭐ Top scorers
| USA | Points | Slovenia | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garcia (No. 9) | 26 | Tine Štern (No. 1) | 18 |
| Champlin (No. 25) | 15 | Mujanović (No. 20) | 13 |
Garcia's experience was crucial – with 26 points, he was unstoppable in attack. Support came from Champlin, who added another 15. For Slovenia, captain Tonček Štern stood out most with 18 points, but his team did not receive enough help from the others.
After a slow start, the Americans demonstrated character and collective strength to turn the match around. Strong serving and more effective defense tipped the scales in their favor. The USA now awaits Bulgaria in the quarter-finals, while Slovenia exits the competition in the round of sixteen.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
