U.S. Women, China to Play Volleyball Exhibition Tonight at UCI
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IRVINE — In one of its final domestic competitions before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the U.S. women’s volleyball team will host China at 7 tonight in the Bren Center.
The match is the first of four between the United States and China.
The United States was 4-0 against China last year, including a victory in the round-robin World Cup tournament. China placed third in the tournament to qualify for the Olympics. The United States placed seventh of 12 teams, but qualified automatically for the Olympics because it is the host country.
At the 1984 Olympics, China defeated the United States in straight sets to win the gold medal. Paula Weishoff, a U.S. middle blocker, played in that 1984 gold-medal match. Weishoff, 34, also led the United States to the Olympic bronze medal at Barcelona in 1992 and remains a valuable player for the U.S. team.
Weishoff is expected to play against China after recovering from surgery on her right knee.
China is perennially among the top teams in women’s volleyball and is coached by 1984 gold medalist Lang Ping.
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