Team USA Blocks Thailand Upset, Stays Undefeated at Women's World Cup

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 10, 2007) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team struggled early against 30th-ranked Thailand, but came back to block the upset bid with a 21-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-13 victory Friday afternoon on the seventh day of the FIVB World Cup at Kumamoto, Japan.

Team USA, ranked eighth in the latest FIVB world ranking, improves to 7-0 at the FIVB World Cup as it held a 20-4 block advantage in the match. Thailand falls to 0-7 in the tournament. The U.S. is tied atop the World Cup standings with Italy (7-0), which defeated Kenya (0-7) 25-13, 25-13, 25-5 today at Sapporo, Japan.

“My players did their best today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach ‘Jenny’ Lang Ping said. “It was the first Asian team we played. The Thai team is a great team with very good ball control.”

The U.S. faces Korea on Nov. 11 at 3:05 p.m. local time (11:05 p.m. MT on Nov. 10) to conclude the third stage of the World Cup. All 12 teams have two off days for travel before starting the fourth and final stage in Nagoya on Nov. 14. The U.S. faces Serbia on Nov. 14 at 4:35 p.m. local time (12:05 a.m. MT), followed by host Japan on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. local time (2 a.m. MT) and Italy on Nov. 16 at 3:05 p.m. local time (Nov. 15 at 11:05 p.m. MT).

Thailand overcame and early 4-0 deficit in the opening set to win 25-21 as the U.S. committed seven errors in the frame. The U.S. came back from a 15-9 deficit in the second set to win 25-19, thanks to a 16-4 run to close out the frame. Team USA scored 10 out of 13 points to break free from a 6-4 score in the third set en route to winning 25-11 with five blocks. The Americans closed the comeback with a 25-13 victory in the fourth set as they used a 10-3 burst to break away from a 10-8 lead.

“Of course, we think about the points issue but for now it's not important and not in my control,” Lang Ping said. “Our goal is to win the match. It's hard to tell my players not to give up a set or points. We're not at that level yet. We're just happy to win the match. The players worked very hard today. I made some substitutions as we have some injuries. There are still four difficult games to go and we must concentrate on each match.”

“I'd like to congratulate the United States on their win,” Thailand Head Coach Srisamutnak Nataphon said. “I feel sure they will qualify for the Olympics. In the first set, we did very well because the Americans' service was not working so well and that meant that we could counterattack well. In the second set, we did quite well but the USA improved their serving while our receiving was poor. We had the same problem in the third and fourth sets and that meant that the spikers couldn't work well either. We must improve our reception; if we can do that, we will be stronger and be able to strike back.”

The FIVB Volleyball World Cup, held every four years in the preceding year to the Olympics, is the first of three Olympic qualification steps for Beijing 2008. The top three teams at the World Cup qualify for the 2008 Olympics. The FIVB World Cup is a 12-team event with a round-robin playing format of 11 matches in 15 days.

The U.S. started Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) and Jennifer Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) at middle blocker, Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Ogonna Nnamani (Normal, Ill.) at outside hitter, Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) at opposite and Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (Honolulu) at setter. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) is Team USA’s designated libero for the World Cup. Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) entered as a sub in the first and third sets. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) started the final three sets in place of Nnamani. Cassie Busse (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) entered as subs in the second and fourth sets.

“Our team is not very young,” Lang Ping said. “After five or six matches, old injuries come back. In particular, a few players have really swollen knees, so I tried to play with different players and must be careful. The doctors are trying to help the players recover, but we must play every day, so that's why we try to use different players.”

Haneef-Park tallied a team-high 17 points with 16 kills and a block. Scott-Arruda contributed 15 points with a match-high six blocks to go with nine kills. Tom tacked on 10 kills, three blocks and an ace for 14 points to go with six digs and eight excellent receptions on 17 attempts. Joines provided Team USA with 13 points on nine kills, three blocks and an ace. Glass recorded five kills, four blocks and two aces for 11 points. Ah Mow-Santos scored five points via two kills, two blocks and an ace to go with 28 assists. Nnamani turned in three kills all in the first set, while Busse was credited with a key block in the second set off the bench. Davis led the defense with eight digs and 12 excellent receptions on 19 attempts.

“Thailand is a really good team,” Busse said. “They have good ball control and they're very fast hitters. It was the first time for us to play against an Asian team in the tournament and it took us a while to adjust. But our team is focused on fighting and working together as a team and we keep adjusting to the game as it goes along.”

The U.S. defense at the net caused havoc all match as it yielded a 20-4 block advantage over Thailand. Team USA also held advantages in kills (54-39) and aces (5-3) on the offensive end. Thailand hurt itself with 17 errors other than blocks by the U.S., while the Americans limited their miscues to 22. On the back-row, Team USA held a 28-17 margin in digs.

Pleumjit Thinkaow led Thailand with 15 points through 13 kills and two blocks. Amporn Hyapha added 11 kills and an ace for 12 points, while Onuma Sittirak chipped in 11 points off seven kills, two blocks and two aces.

“We played quite a good game today but in the second and third sets the USA changed their style and started serving to certain players and that led to reception errors and resulted in us losing the game,” Thai captain Wilavan Apinyapong said. “They served well and we had trouble blocking their spikers, so in the end we lost.”

Earlier today at Kumamoto, Cuba defeated Dominican Republic 25-13, 25-27, 25-23, 25-18 in a battle of NORCECA rivals. Brazil faces Korea at 6:05 p.m. at Kumamoto. Other matches at Sapporo include Serbia defeating Peru 25-15, 25-15, 25-23 and host Japan against Poland at 7:30 p.m.

Teams not making the World Cup medal stand will have two other opportunities to qualify for the Olympics with continental qualification tournaments in December 2007 and the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in May 2008 at Japan.

Team USA matches during the FIVB World Cup can be seen on a delayed basis on NBC’s Universal HD network. For more details and broadcast times, click here for the release.

Team USA jumped to a 4-0 lead in the opening set on kills from Nnamani and Ah Mow-Santos, followed by two Scott-Arruda blocks. Thailand answered with a 4-0 run of its own to tie the set at 4-all. Thailand continued its run up to an 8-6 lead before a Scott-Arruda block. The U.S. tied the score at 8-all on a Joines kill after a Thailand error, but Thailand came back for two straight points for a 10-8 advantage. Thailand extended its lead to three points at 13-11. Team USA cut the deficit to one at 18-17 on a Nnamani kill and Joines ace. Thailand went on a 4-1 scoring run to gain set point at 24-20. After a Joines block, Thailand closed out the set at 25-21. Scott-Arruda finished the first set with five points on two kills and three blocks.

The U.S. scored three straight points to take a 6-4 advantage with a kill from Haneef-Park, block from Joines and Tom ace. Thailand responded with four unanswered points to take an 8-6 lead into the first technical timeout. Thailand jumped the lead to five points at 13-8 on four straight points, then push the gap to six points at 15-9. Team USA tallied five straight points to close to within one at 15-14 with blocks from Scott-Arruda and Tom, two kills from Joines and a kill from Haneef-Park. Team USA tied the set at 18-all on a Joines kill and Busse block, then grabbed the lead at 19-18 on a Thailand error for the Americans’ third straight point. The U.S. scored four straight points at 23-19 on kills from Glass, Haneef-Park and Scott-Arruda around an Ah Mow-Santos ace. Glass put up consecutive blocks to close out the set on a 6-0 run at 25-19. Haneef-Park scored eight points in the second set and the U.S. put up seven blocks.

The U.S. reached a 5-2 lead in the third set as Scott-Arruda turned in two kills and Tom added a kill around a Glass ace. Ah Mow-Santos scored a kill and block on consecutive plays followed by a Haneef-Park kill to put the U.S. ahead by six, 10-4. Glass followed a Joines kill with a block to lift Team USA into a 12-5 advantage. Scott-Arruda put up two points around a Glass ace to push the gap to nine points, 16-7. Haneef-Park scored two kills after a Scott-Arruda kill for a 3-0 run putting the U.S. in front by 11, 19-8. Tom and Haneef-Park added blocks to extend the scoring run to five points at 21-8. Ah Mow-Santos ended the set at 25-11 on a block after a Thailand error. Scott-Arruda put up five points in the third period to pace the U.S.

The U.S. took a 2-0 lead in the fourth set as Scott-Arruda put up a block after a Thailand error. Joines and Tom put up consecutive kills followed by a Thailand error to push the Team USA lead to 7-3 on three straight points. Thailand cut the deficit in half with consecutive points at 7-5. Haneef-Park and Tom put down back-to-back kills followed by a Thailand error for a five-point advantage, 13-8. Tom and Haneef-Park scored consecutive kills to extend the U.S. lead to six points, 15-9. Joines and Tom tallied kills after a Thailand error to provide the U.S. an eight-point edge, 18-10.Tom and Glass added a fourth and fifth consecutive points with kills at 20-10. Team USA closed out the set with a 5-3 run to win 25-13 punctuated by a Glass block. Tom led the way for the Americans in the final set with seven points.

To view the Team USA press kit for the 2007 FIVB World Cup, go to http://www.usavolleyball.org/media/national/07WorldCupPressKit-W.pdf.

For additional information on the FIVB World Cup, two web sites have been created. To view the FIVB World Cup web site, click here. To view the Japan Volleyball Association's World Cup web site, click here.

U.S. Women’s National Team for FIVB World Cup
No. – Name (Pos., Hgt., School, Hometown)
1 - Ogonna Nnamani (OH, 6-1, Stanford, Normal, Illinois)
2 - Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Long Beach State, Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
3 - Tayyiba Haneef-Park (OH, 6-7, Long Beach State, Laguna Hills, California)
4 – Lindsey Berg (S, 5-8, Minnesota, Honolulu, Hawai’i)
5 – Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Texas A&M, Burleson, Texas)
6 – Logan Tom (OH, 6-1, Stanford, Salt Lake City, Utah)
7 - Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Hawai’i, Yorba Linda, California)
9 - Jennifer Joines (MB, 6-3, Pacific, Milpitas, California)
10 - Kim Glass (OH, 6-3, Arizona, Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
11 - Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (S, 5-9, Hawai’i, Honolulu, Hawai’i)
15 - Nicole Davis (L, 5-6, Southern California, Stockton, California)
18 - Cassandra “Cassie” Busse (OPP, 6-1, Minnesota, Prior Lake, Minnesota)
Head Coach: “Jenny” Lang Ping
Assistant Coaches: Sue Woodstra, Yong Li, Tom Hogan
Team Manager: Kerry Klostermann
Technical Coordinator: Diane French
Technical Consultant: Darrell Akimoto
Team Doctor: Dr. Sherwin Ho
Medical Support: Emery Hill, Jr.

2007 FIVB World Cup Standings (Live Updated standings)

2007 FIVB World Cup Women’s Schedule

First Round

(at Tokyo)
11/2: Serbia def. Korea 25-21, 25-23, 25-15
11/2: Italy def. Thailand 25-14, 25-14, 25-16
11/2: Japan def. Dominican Republic 25-23, 25-18, 25-20
11/3: Serbia def. Thailand 25-20, 18-25, 25-17, 26-24
11/3: Italy def. Dominican Republic 25-17, 25-16, 25-17
11/3: Japan def. Korea 25-23, 19-25, 25-22, 25-16
11/4: Dominican Republic def. Thailand, 25-14, 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 17-15
11/4: Italy def. Korea 25-15, 25-19, 25-22
11/4: Serbia def. Japan 25-20, 25-20, 18-25, 26-24

(at Hamamatsu)
11/2: Cuba def. Kenya 25-11, 25-18, 25-20
11/2: USA def. Peru 25-23, 25-14, 25-19
11/2: Brazil def. Poland 25-12, 25-20, 25-22
11/3: USA def. Cuba 20-25, 25-21, 25-18, 20-25, 15-11
11/3: Poland def. Peru 25-17, 25-17, 25-16
11/3: Brazil def. Kenya 25-16, 25-7, 25-14
11/4: Peru def. Kenya 25-16, 25-9, 25-19
11/4: Brazil def. Cuba 25-19, 19-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-11
11/4: USA def. Poland 25-21, 12-25, 27-25, 25-17

Second Round

(at Osaka)
11/6: Italy def. Serbia 23-25, 25-14, 16-25, 25-17, 15-7
11/6: Korea def. Dominican Republic 26-24, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21
11/6: Japan def. Thailand 25-19, 27-25, 25-14
11/7: Korea vs. Thailand, 12:35 p.m.
11/7: Serbia def. Dominican Republic 25-22, 25-14, 25-23
11/7: Italy def. Japan 25-18, 25-19, 25-14

(at Sendai)
11/6: USA def. Kenya 25-9, 25-20, 25-10
11/6: Cuba def. Poland 21-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13
11/6: Brazil def. Peru 25-17, 25-15, 25-17
11/7: Poland vs. Kenya, 12:35 p.m.
11/7: Cuba def. Peru 29-27, 25-19, 25-13
11/7: USA def. Brazil 17-25, 16-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-9

Third Round

(at Sapporo)
11/9: Italy def. Poland 25-15, 25-15, 25-18
11/9: Serbia def. Kenya 25-15, 25-16, 25-10
11/9: Japan def. Peru 25-18, 25-13, 22-25, 25-19
11/10: Italy def. Kenya 25-13, 25-13, 25-5
11/10: Serbia def. Peru 25-15, 25-15, 25-23
11/10: Japan vs. Poland, 7:30 p.m.
11/11: Peru vs. Italy, 12:35 p.m.
11/11: Poland vs. Serbia, 3:05 p.m.
11/11: Japan vs. Kenya, 6 p.m.

(at Kumamoto)
11/9: Brazil def. Thailand 25-12, 25-13, 25-20
11/9: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-16, 20-25, 25-16, 25-18
11/9: Cuba def. Korea 25-20, 17-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-10
11/10: Cuba def. Dominican Republic 25-13, 25-27, 25-23, 25-18
11/10: USA def. Thailand 21-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-13
11/10: Brazil vs. Korea, 6:05 p.m.
11/11: Cuba vs. Thailand, 12:35 p.m.
11/11: Korea vs. USA, 3:05 p.m. (11:05 p.m. MT on Nov. 10)
11/11: Brazil vs. Dominican Republic, 6:05 p.m.

Fourth Round

(at Nagoya Site A)
11/14: Brazil vs. Italy, 2:05 p.m.
11/14: Serbia vs. USA, 4:35 p.m. (12:05 a.m. MT)
11/14: Japan vs. Cuba, 7:30 p.m.
11/15: Brazil vs. Serbia, 12:35 p.m.
11/15: Cuba vs. Italy, 3:05 p.m.
11/15: Japan vs. USA, 6 p.m. (2 a.m. MT)
11/16: Cuba vs. Serbia, 12:35 p.m.
11/16: Italy vs. USA, 3:05 p.m. (11:05 pm. MT on Nov. 15)
11/16: Japan vs. Brazil, 6 p.m.

(at Nagoya Site B)
11/14: Kenya vs. Thailand, 12:35 p.m.
11/14: Dominican Republic vs. Poland, 3:05 p.m.
11/14: Korea vs. Peru, 6:05 p.m.
11/15: Dominican Republic vs. Kenya, 12:35 p.m.
11/15: Peru vs. Thailand, 3:05 p.m.
11/15: Korea vs. Poland, 6:05 p.m.
11/16: Dominican Republic vs. Peru, 12:05 p.m.
11/16: Poland vs. Thailand, 2:35 p.m.
11/16: Kenya vs. Korea, 5:05 p.m.