Bari, Italy, September 15, 2018 - The race for the top spot in Pool C is getting more and more interesting. After delivering a terrific performance, USA claimed a 3-1 victory over red-hot favourite Russia, much to the delight of a sell-out crowd at PalaFlorio in Bari.
Micah Christenson, setter of the United States: “We have waiting for this matchup for a very long time. We are very happy that we beat a team that many regarded as the strongest in the world so far. Our serving stunned our rivals, as we dominated the game. We were extremely good at making this match not an easy task to talented champions such as Volvich and Muserskiy as well. Playing in front of the amazing audience of Bari filled us with great excitement! I would like to thank this crowd for supporting us throughout the fixture. Now we will have to focus on the next match against Cameroon. We want to get to the Finals and raise the trophy for the eventual winners. It will be a stormy path but we are doing our utmost to crown this tournament with success.”
Sergei Shliapnikov, head coach Russia: “We have certainly not shown the best game we could deliver in this match. The USA Team, on the other hand, were almost perfect. We made many errors in our attempt to withstand our opponents, which cost us a painful defeat. They played an excellent volleyball tonight. Enjoying the rest day will help us recharge our batteries ahead of the final rush of this round.”