U.S. cruise to top in volleyball Grand Prix HK leg

Defending champions USA claimed the round title of volleyball Grand Prix here with an easy win against Peru on Sunday. The U.S. were proved to be too strong for their group rivals this weekend, recording three consecutive victories without conceding a single set. The three-time Grand Prix champions made changes to their lineup facing the lowest-ranked team in the GP tally and picked up a clear win at 25-13, 25-18, 25-15. U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon explained the changes as preparation for the GP finals next week in Macao. "The finals are coming up, and there are a lot of matches in a short period of time. I also want to provide opportunities for other players to develop and give them a chance to compete," said McCutcheon at a conference. It is the eighth win for the U.S. this season, as they lost only once to Serbia at 3-1 last week. "I thought our team did better this weekend than last weekend. Our athletes did play hard and stick to the plan," McCutcheon commented. Referring to the upcoming finals, he said the U.S. team would first set eyes on the games next week and keep on working on the zone qualification for World Cup. In the other tie of the group, Italy fought to ensure themselves a ticket to Macao by overcoming Germany at 25-15, 25-22, 25-23 in a relatively tough battle. "We played a good game, especially in the first and second sets," said Italian captain Eleonora Lo Bianco. "Germany served very well. We have problem in reception, but we are delight to close the match in three sets and enter the finals." The GP finals, featuring top seven teams in the rankings and the hosts China, will be staged in Macao from Aug. 24 to 28.