After the second weekend of play at the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix, the U.S. women's national team boasts a 4-2 record and is ranked third overall behind Serbia (5-1) and Netherlands (5-1) in the Group 1 standings in Macau, China.

The U.S. team won its first match of the weekend, a 3-1 decision over Turkey on Friday, with outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley's 17 points leading the team (11 kills, four aces, and one block). Setter Micha Hancock came off the bench in the last two sets, collecting three aces and a block.



A five-set loss to Italy (25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13) on Saturday marked the first setback of the season for the USA women. The Italian team was led by 18-year-old opposite Paola Ogechi Egonu, the top scorer of the World Grand Prix competition so far, who contributed 31 points, while outside hitter Madi Kingdon led the U.S. squad with 20 kills.



The final match of the weekend for Team USA was a five-set loss to China (25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11) on Sunday. Kingdon once again led the U.S. squad, putting away 22 kills and a block. Kelly Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley also tallied more than 20 kills, helping the U.S. gain a 75-70 advantage over China in kills.

The Chinese team, however, held the advantage in blocks 14-8. Yuan Xinyue led China with 21 points, and 2016 Olympics MVP Zhu Ting contributed 19, as did Gong Xiangyu. Ting did not play in the previous meeting between the two teams, a 3-0 victory for the U.S. during the first weekend of World Grand Prix competition.



Justine Wong-Orantes played libero for the USA in all three matches of the second weekend, recording her best defensive match versus Italy, in which she collected 20 digs.

After two weekends competing in China, the USA squad will next take the court in Cuiaba, Brazil, on Thursday, July 20.

World Grand Prix, Weekend #3

Cuiaba, Brazil

Thursday, July 20: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 PM ET
Friday, July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 PM ET
Sunday, July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 AM ET