Former Illinois volleyball player Michelle Bartsch-Hackley scored 30 points as the United States women’s national team held off Japan 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8 on Sunday in the FIVB World Cup in Sapporo, Japan. The World Cup is one of the three major tournaments held during the four-year Olympic cycle.
Team USA, ranked third in the world, improved to 6-0 with 17 points in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans return to the court on Monday for a match against second-ranked China. The U.S. and China are the only remaining undefeated teams with the winner getting the upper hand on the path to gold with five remaining matches