Stanford grad Cynthia Barboza recorded 11 points as the United States women’s national volleyball team shook off a two-match losing streak to beat the Netherlands Antilles, 25-10, 25-9, 25-5, on Monday night at UCF Arena in Orlando.
"I was happy our team could implement some changes from the Pan Am Cup," U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon said. "The goal is to qualify for 2010 FIVB World Championship. I think our team is steadily improving. I am looking for our team to have three good matches and continue to improve."
The Americans play Barbados on Tuesday night in the four-team round-robin event, a third-round qualification tournament into next year’s FIVB World Championships.
The Pool G winner earns an automatic berth into the FIVB World Championship, while the second-place finisher advances to another level of the NORCECA Playoff round. Ranked second in the world, Team USA is considered the heavy favorite to earn the qualifier’s one berth.
Barbados lost to Costa Rica in straight sets on Monday.
Barboza recorded 10 kills and a block. She also added five digs in the victory. Stanford grad Kristin Richards played sparingly, getting a kill as the U.S. needed less than an hour to complete the victory.
The match drew a crowd of 1,500.
