The Americans rebound from two sets down to finish pool play on a high note
The United States finished their Pool F campaign at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship 2022 with a huge turnaround from two sets down against Thailand to claim their seventh win since the start of the tournament. The reigning Olympic champions opened the last competition day in the pool with a 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-13) victory at the Atlas Arena in Lodz on Saturday, after denying two Thai match points in set four.
On a 7-2 win-loss record, 20 points and a 21-11 set ratio, USA are second in the current Pool F standings, below pool winners Serbia (on 8-0) and above third-placed Türkiye (on 6-2, 17 points, 21-10 in sets and a game at hand). These three teams are sure to advance to the quarterfinals even before the remaining three games on Saturday – Serbia vs Türkiye at 17:30 local time (15:30 GMT), Dominican Republic vs Canada at 19:00 (17:00), and Poland vs Germany at 20:30 (18:30). Hosts Poland, placed fourth on 5-3 and 15 points, and the Dominican Republic, fifth on 4-4 and 14, are the two teams that will race for the fourth ticket to the quarterfinals from this pool.
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Overall, the Americans did way better than the Thais in both offence and blocking, but committed far too many unforced errors during the match. Two middle blockers led the US scorers. Haleigh Washington contributed 15 points, including two blocks and spiking at a 59% success rate. Chiaka Ogbogu added another 14, also including two blocks and swinging at a 55% success rate.
“Honestly, Chiaka and I have been working very hard to make ourselves as available as we can and to work on being in good blocking positions, so it’s been a process throughout this whole tournament. I am just stoked that we managed to pull it off, last game in pool play,” said Washington after the match. “It’s so fun! I love playing Thailand. They do what they do and they do it so well. They are just a confident, fun and energetic team, and it’s fun to figure out how to beat that.”
Thailand’s opposite Pimpichaya Kokram delivered the match high of 20 points, all in attack, backed up by outside hitter Chatchu-On Moksri with 18 points, including an ace.
The first set of the match was really tight. With both sides showing some solid performances in offence, a fierce battle unfolded on the court. The lead went back and forth and the only time the gap exceeded two points was at 15-12 Thailand’s way. Thai middle Thatdao Nuekjang’s three kill blocks tipped the balance her team’s way, but the Americans kept the fight up until 23-23. In the money time, Pimpichaya spiked successfully from zone four to bring in set point at 24-23 and then converted it herself with a swing from zone two for 25-23.
Another kill from zone four by Pimpichaya put Thailand at a 4-3 lead in the second set. The Asians added two more back-to-back points, a spike by outside Ajcharaporn Kongyot and an ace by Chatchu-On, to open a 6-3 gap. They kept widening their lead. It reached six points on a swing by setter and captain Pornpun Guedpard for 12-6 and extended to seven as Ajcharaporn followed up with an ace for 13-6. After 19-11, the Americans started building up a comeback, but only managed to get back to within three. Finally, it was Pimpichaya again to close the set with a swing for 25-21.
US outside Kara Bajema landed her swing, sandwiched between two first-tempo kills from Ogbogu, for a three-point American breakaway (11-8) that put them in the lead for good in the third set. Bajema delivered an ace (her second of the set, after the one for 5-4) to extend the gap to four points at 16-12. The Americans kept pace to stay in control and even took advantage of some unforced Thai errors to break further away towards the end of the set. It came at 25-19 on a monster block by Washington.
Thailand capitalised on the too many US mistakes to grab the early lead in the fourth set. Chatchu-On’s kill extended their advantage to five points at 9-4 and they managed to keep it up well into the second half of the set, before the Americans started mounting their comeback. After 18-14, they scored four in a row to balance the scoreboard and prompt an exciting epilogue. After 23-23, the Olympic champs saved two Thai match points before sub-in opposite Danielle Cuttino took matters in her own hands, spiking cross court to bring in the first US set point at 26-25 and then elegantly tipping the ball to convert it to a 27-25 win.
After 4-4 in the tie-breaker, USA took control with some great blocking and a brilliant all-around effort from setter Lauren Carlini to run off with a four-point lead at 10-6. Even at 12-8 USA’s way, Thailand did not surrender. The Asians battled back to level the score just before the finish line, at 13-13. However, Bajema hammered a cross-court hit for a 14-13 US match point. Then her serve forced an overpass, which Carlini killed with a two-handed shot for 15-13 to complete the big American turnaround.
The US team celebrating the victory
Saturday is the penultimate competition day in the other second-phase Pool E, offering two matches on the programme in Rotterdam: Italy vs China 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-20) and Brazil vs Belgium at 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT).
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