UCLA outside leads U.S. in loss to Germany at U19 World Championship

UCLA outside attacker Alex Knight continues to put up big offensive numbers — it just isn’t resulting into U.S. wins.

Knight finished with a team-high 17 kills on a 50 percent offensive efficiency as the United States lost to Germany 25-19, 19-25, 25-19, 25-14 on Thursday in the 13th-place semifinals for its fourth consecutive loss at FIVB U19 World Championship.

This is the fifth match at the international tournament in Tunisia that Knight had double-digit kills. In addition, the outside attacker enters the final day of the event in the tournament’s top 25 with both a 45.88 percent offensive efficiency and 87 points.

Knight was one of two U.S. players to have more than five kills against Germany. Pepperdine opposite Akinola Akinwumi contributed eight kills on a 47.1 percent offensive efficiency.

Germany opposite Simon Valentin Torwie led all players with 18 kills, while Filip John added 13 kills.

Germany had 10 aces in the victory — two more aces than the United States.

BYU middle attacker Gavin Julient Germany middle attacker Jan Kolakowski both led their teams with four aces. In addition, Pepperdine outside attacker Joe Deluzio and Germany middle attacker Melf Urban each had three aces for their teams.

Despite the loss, the United States out-dug Germany 24 to 21. Long Beach State libero Mason Briggs leads the United States and is fourth in the tournament with a 1.64 digs per game average.

The United States will close out the World Championship playing Chinese Taipei in the 15th-place finals on Friday. Chinese Taipei lost to Nigeria in its 13th-place semifinals match on Thursday.