Macau, Macau, Jul 15, 2017 – Paola Ogechi Egonu scored an impressive 31 points in her team’s 3-2 win over the USA on Saturday.
Madison Kingdon and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley tallied 20 points each for the losing side.
After a tight start to the opening set, it was Italy who earned the first lead at 14-11. The USA never managed to get close after that, and they lost the set, 25-22. The second set saw a reversal of fortunes when, after an even first part, the Americans jumped three points ahead at the second technical time-out. A confident finish to the set allowed them to take it, 25-22.
In the third set the teams remained tied until 18-all at which point the European side won four points in a row. They never looked back after that and clinched the set, 25-21. The following set was dominated by the USA, who took an early 7-4 lead. There was no stopping them as they raced out to a 25-13 win.
Italy were the first team to earn a lead in the tiebreaker at 8-6. That two-point advantage was all they needed, as they finished the set, 15-13.