Bangkok, Thailand, July 10, 2016 – Brazil captured the 2016 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix title, with their defeat of the United States in five sets, while the Netherlands took bronze, with their 3-2 victory over Russia at Indoor Stadium Huamark on Sunday.
Brazil surpassed their own record by winning their 11th title in the World Grand Prix. The South Americans have dominated the tournament with 18 podium finishes, including 11 gold, five silver and two bronze medals.
Brazil rebounded in the second and third frames after their setback in the opening set. Brazilian setter Danielle Lins showed excellent range in her sets as she got all players on the court involved on offence. USA somehow found their rhythym and took the fourth set, but the Brazilians broke the momentum of their rivals and gained an early advantage in the fifth set, until captain Fabiana Claudino nailed the match-winner.
Five Brazilian players – Fabiana, Sheilla Castro, Fernanda Rodrigues, Thaisa Menezes and Natalia Pereira – scored in double digits. Fabiana, who delivered crucial points in the match, recorded 18 points, while USA’s Foluke Akinradewo topped all scorers with 19 markers.
In the bronze medal match, the Netherlands returned to the World Grand Prix podium since winning gold in 2007, as they rallied from two sets down and seize victory in the thrilling five-setter. The Netherlands fought hard in the third set, but the Russians swung the momentum back to their side as they made back-to-back blocks to grab the lead at 23-22. Both teams kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as they traded points, but the Netherlands eluded Russia in the end at 30-28 to extend the match.
Lonneke Sloetjes powered the Dutch offence together with Anne Buijs, who converted on crucial plays to power her team’s brilliant run in the succeeding sets. Sloetjes scored 24 points, then Buijs added 19 markers for the Netherlands. Russian star Nataliya Goncharova topped all scorer with 29 points.
Meanwhile, China secured fifth place, following their defeat of hosts Thailand in straight sets. The Chinese blockers overwhelmed Thailand, as top scorer Yuan Xinyue mounted huge blocks that forced the Thai hitters to struggle especially in the third set. Yuan Xinyue had six of China’s 18 blocks.
The host nation nevertheless challenged China in the first two sets, with the latter struggling to gain a comfortable cushion. China settled to secure both sets with a two-point margin, then brandished all their might to the third frame and the match with a big edge.
Top Scorer by Day
31 - Angela Leyva of Peru v Kazakhstan on June 3
25 - Bethania De La Cruz De Peña of Dominican Republic v Argentina on June 4
29 – Berenika Tomsia of Poland v Puerto Rico on June 5
20 - Sarina Koga of Japan v Serbia on June 9
31 – Berenika Tomsia of Poland v Argentina on June 10
28 – Angela Leyva of Peru v Cuba on June 11
30 – Paola Egonu of Italy v Japan on June 12
28 – Angela Leyva of Peru v Croatia on June 18
24 - Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Italy on June 19
26 – Paola Egonu of Italy v Brazil on June 24
24 – Brankica Mihajlovic of Serbia v Japan on June 25
24 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Japan on June 26
23 – Natalia Pereira of Brazil v Thailand on July 6
31 – Lonneke Sloetjes of Netherlands v China on July 7
27 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Thailand on July 8
17 – Kimberly Hill of USA v Russia on July 9
29 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Netherlands on July 10
Top Scoring Performances
31 - Angela Leyva of Peru v Kazakhstan on June 3
31 – Berenika Tomsia of Poland v Argentina on June 10
31 – Lonneke Sloetjes of Netherlands v China on July 7
30 – Paola Egonu of Italy v Japan on June 12
29 – Berenika Tomsia of Poland v Puerto Rico on June 5
29 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Netherlands on July 10
28 – Angela Leyva of Peru v Cuba on June 11
28 – Petra Kojdova of Czech Republic v Dominican Republic on June 12
27 - Angela Leyva of Peru v Croatia on June 18
27 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Thailand on July 8
26 – Heidy Rodriguez Lopez of Cuba v Colombia on June 5
26 - Emiliya Nikolova of Bulgaria v Dominican Republic on June 3
26 – Karina Ocasio of Puerto Rico v Argentina on June 11
26 – Lonneke Slöetjes of the Netherlands v Belgium on June 12
26 – Angela Leyva of Peru v Croatia on June 12
26 – Paola Egonu of Italy v Brazil on June 24
24 – Lonneke Sloetjes of Netherlands v Russia on July 10
23 – Natalia Pereira of Brazil v Thailand on July 6
Top Individual Serving Performances
7 – Karla Klaric of Croatia v Algeria on June 11
6 – Antonella Del Core of Italy v Belgium on June 26
6 – Ana Grejman of Poland v Canada on June 3
5 – Kimberly Hill of USA v Russia on July 9
5 – Yvon Belien of Netherlands v USA on July 6
5 – Liu Xiaotong of China v Belgium on June 25
5 – Lise Van Heck of Belgium v Turkey on June 24
5 – Martyna Grajber of Poland v Argentina on June 10
5 – Yael Castiglione of Argentina v Dominican Republic on June 4
4 – Tijana Malesevic of Serbia v Thailand on June 26
4 – Jovana Stevanovic of Serbia v Thailand on June 26
4 – Ajcharaporn Kongyot of Thailand v Serbia on June 26
4 – Wilavan Apinyapong of Thailand v Serbia on June 26
4 –Tashiro Kanami of Japan v Italy on June 12
4 – Valentina Diouf of Italy v Japan on June 12
4 – Baladin Hande of Turkey v Russia on June 12
4 – Aydinlar Nursevil of Turkey v Belgium on June 10
4 – Achour Merwa of Algeria v Cuba on June 12
4 – Carranza Dulce of Mexico v Australia on June 12
4 – Resendiz Claudia of Mexico v Australia on June 12
Top Team Serving Performances
13 – Croatia v Cuba on June 3
12 – Thailand v Serbia on June 26
12 – Kazakhstan v Algeria on June 4
12 – Mexico v Australia on June 12
12 – Belgium v Turkey on June 24
11 – Serbia v Thailand on June 26
11 - Poland v Argentina on June 10
10 – Italy v Belgium on June 26
10 – Croatia v Peru on June 12
10 – Italy v Japan on June 12
10 – Turkey v Russia on June 12
10 – Australia v Mexico on June 12
9 – USA v Russia on July 9
9 – Netherlands v China on July 7
9 - Croatia v Peru on June 18
9 – Japan v Italy on June 12
9 – Croatia v Algeria on June 11
9 – Peru v Cuba on June 11
9 – Bulgaria v Argentina on June 5
7 – Netherlands v USA on July 6
Top Individual Blocking Performances
9 – Irina Zaryazhko of Russia v Thailand on June 25
7 – Fabiana Claudino – Brazil v Italy on June 24
7 – Agnieszka Kakolewska of Poland v Bulgaria on June 18
7 – Cristina Chirichella of Italy v Serbia on June 10
7 – Fabiana Claudino of Brazil v Italy on June 9
7 – Daimara Lescay Cajigal of Cuba v Colombia on June 5
7 – Candida Estefany Arias Perez of Dominican Republic v Bulgaria on June 3
7 – Charuk Lucille of Canada v Bulgaria on June 12
6 – Robin De Kruijf o Netherlands v Russia on July 10
6 – Irina Fetisova of Russia v Netherlands on July 10
6 – Yuan Xinyue of China v Thailand on July 10
6 – Rachael Adams of USA v China on July 8
6 – Irina Zaryazhko of Russia v Japan on June 26
6 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Japan on June 26
6 – Xu Yunli of China v Germany on June 25
6 – Tatiana Kosheleva of Russia v Serbia on June 24
6 – Jovana Stevanovic of Serbia v Russia on June 24
6 – Freya Aelbrecht of Belgium v Turkey on June 24
6 – Silge Wiebke of Germany v Thailand on June 12
6 – Carey Beth of Australia v Mexico on June 12
6 – Vargas Annerys of Dominican Republic v Czech Republic on June 12
6 – Christa Harmotto Dietzen of United States v Thailand on June 11
6 – Heidy Casanova Alvarez of Cuba v Peru on June 11
6 – Daimara Lescay Cajigal of Cuba v Peru on June 11
6 – Julieta Lascano of Argentina v Poland on June 10
5 – Anne Buijs of Netherlands v Russia on July 10
5 – Ksenia Ilchenko of Russia v Thailand on July 8
5 – Lonneke Sloetjes of Netherlands v Brazil on July 7
4 – Irina Fetisova of Russia v USA on July 9
4- Rachael Adams of USA v Russia on July 9
4 – Natalia Pereira of Brazil v Netherlands on July 9
4 – Nataliya Goncharova of Russia v Thailand on July 8
4 – Irina Fetisova of Russia v Thailand on July 8
4 – Fernanda Rodrigues of Brazil v Thailand on July 6
Top Team Blocking Performances
22 – Russia v Thailand on June 25
21 – Netherlands v Russia on July 10
19 – Poland v Bulgaria on June 18
19 – Cuba v Peru on June 11
19 – Italy v Serbia on June 10
18 – Russia v Netherlands on July 10
18 – China v Thailand on July 10
18 – Russia v Serbia on June 24
18 – Poland v Czech Republic on June 4
17 – Russia v Serbia on June 24
17 - Brazil v Italy on June 9
17 – USA v China on June 12
16 – Russia v Japan on June 26
16 – Italy v Japan on June 12
16 – Poland v Argentina on June 10
16 – Poland v Canada on June 3
16 – Peru v Algeria on June 5
16 – Germany v Japan on June 19
15 – Russia v USA on July 9
15 – Russia v Thailand on July 8
15 – Brazil v Russia on July 7
11 – Brazil v Netherlands on July 9
11 – Brazil v Thailand on July 6
Highest Scoring Sets
31-29 – Serbia v Italy on June 10
31-29 – Japan v Serbia on June 9
30-28 – Netherlands v Russia on July 10
30-28 – USA v Germany on June 24
30-28 – Puerto Rico v Argentina on June 11
30-28 – Canada v Poland on June 3
29-27 – Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico on June 18
29-27 – United States v Thailand on June 11
29-27 – Mexico v Australia on June 12
29-27 – Croatia v Peru on June 18
29-27 – Croatia v Kazakhstan on June 19
27-25 – Serbia v Japan on June 25
27-25 – Russia v Thailand on July 8
26-24 – Brazil v Thailand on July 6
25-23 – Brazil v Netherlands on July 9
25-23 – China v Netherlands on July 7
Highest Scoring Matches
219 – Bulgaria v Canada 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 21-25, 28-26, 15-10) on June 12
219 – Netherlands v Russia 3-2 (18-25, 23-25, 30-28, 25-21, 15-9) on July 10
218 – Serbia v Russia 3-2 (25-23, 27-25, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12) on June 24
213 – Puerto Rico v Poland 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 15-25, 28-26, 15-13) on June 5
213 – Italy v Japan 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 25-27, 15-8) on June 12
211 – Poland v Argentina 3-2 (25-23, 24-26, 25-15, 23-25, 15-10) on June 10
210 – Russia v Turkey 3-2 (26-24, 20-25, 20-25, 25-20. 15-10) on June 12
210 – Serbia v Japan 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-8) on June 25
206 – Dominican Republic v Czech Republic 3-2 (25-22, 15-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-8) on June 12
206 - Dominican Republic v Argentina 3-2 (22-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-15, 23-25, 16-14) on June 4
205 – Russia v Italy 3-2 (19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10) on June 19
204 – Brazil v USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9) on July 10
203 - Kazakhstan v Colombia 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 18-25, 15-9) on June 18
202 – Bulgaria v Dominican Republic 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 25-18, 17-25) on June 3
199 – Netherlands v China 3-2 (23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8) on July 7
146 – Russia v Thailand 3-0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-19) on July 8
136 – USA v Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-23) on July 6