U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Defeats El Salvador

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

Unofficial DataVolley Stats - Official Stats

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2010) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team swept El Salvador, 25-8, 25-4, 25-7, in 56 minutes on Tuesday morning in the NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship held in Tijuana, Mexico.

The match was originally set for 1 p.m. PT on Monday afternoon, but due to a few teams arriving late to Tijuana, it was postponed and rescheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m. PT.

Team USA, led by head coach Rob Browning, is part of the four-team Pool C in the 10-team tournament and improves to 1-0 Pool C competition, while El Salvador falls to 0-1. The U.S. continues pool play on Tuesday evening versus Guadalupe at 5 p.m. PT, before concluding group action on July 7 versus Mexico at 7 p.m. PT.

Browning knew that El Salvador was at a disadvantage with its late arrival.

“I know how difficult it is for a team like El Salvador to arrive after 1a.m. and only having a little sleep before having to wake up early, to play at 10 in the morning,” Browning said.

The NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship is a qualifier into the 2011 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship. The top three teams at the NORCECA earn berths into next year’s pinnacle event for the age group.

Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Kelly Reeves (San Diego, Calif.) were the leading scorers with nine points each, while Jane Croson (Lakewood, Calif.) and team captain Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) each contributed eight points. Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill.) added six points to the team’s score. Hampton and Holthus contributed four of the team’s six points from blocking, collectively. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) scored six points for the U.S. team in kills. Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif.) scored two points and Samantha Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) collected three points for the U.S. Libero Jennifer Bonilla (Reseda, Calif.) had 11 digs in the match and Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) contributed 10 running sets and two points to the victory.

The U.S. out-blocked El Salvador 6-1 and held a 10-1 advantage in service aces. El Salvador committed 22 errors during the match, while the U.S. limited its miscues to nine. Team USA had a team hitting efficiency of 56.92 percent. The team also managed a 25-7 dig advantage.

Browning started Kreklow as setter, Carly Wopat and Hampton as middle blocker, Holthus (Elgin, Ill.), Reeves and Croson as outside hitters, and Bonilla was the designated libero for the match. Sam Wopat and Cash each started the third set, while McMahon and Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill.) were substitutes in the second and third sets.

El Salvador’s captain Adriana Flores registered four points as the best scorer on the defeated side.

Head Coach of El Salvador’s team, Nery Henriquez, felt honored to face the U.S. team despite his team’s loss.

“It was difficult for us because we knew we had to face a team with a very high level, but playing at this stage against the USA is an honor for the team of El Salvador,” Henriquez said.

In Pool C, Mexico defeated Guadelupe in consecutive sets, 25-6, 25-11, 25-8, on Monday, the first day of pool play. Mexico’s Andrea Rangel hammered 20 points and Xitlali Herrera contributed 13 points to the victory. Guadalupe’s Alisee Rival and Yannick Ferbac each recorded 7 points for their team. Later Tuesday, Guadalupe will face the United States at 5 p.m. as Mexico is set to play El Salvador at 7 p.m. On July 7, Guadalupe will battle El Salvador at 1 p.m. to wrap-up their pool play.

Canada won against Costa Rica in a close match in Pool A on Monday, 26-24, 25-18, 25-21. Canada out-blocked their opponents 7-3. Canada’s Lisa Barclay scored 14 points, Jennifer Dixon scored 11 and Erika Buchanan scored 10. Costa Rica’s Captain Mijal Hines, who also plays for her Women’s National Team, registered 8 points. Tuesday evening, the Dominican Republic will face Costa Rica at 5 p.m. On Wednesday, Canada will play Dominican Republic at 3 p.m. to conclude pool play.

Puerto Rico had its first win on Monday in Pool B, 25-10, 25-9, 25-20, over Trinidad & Tobago in the opening match on Monday. Genesis Collazo and Jennifer Quesada each compiled 12 points for the winners while Diana Reyes and Neira Ortiz added 9 and 7 points respectively as Puerto Rico out-served Trinidad & Tobago 18-6. Trinidad & Tobago is set to face Cuba at on Tuesday at 1 p.m. On Wednesday, a match between Cuba and Puerto Rico is set for 5 p.m. on the final day of pool play.

The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team opened the first set with a side-out against El Salvador’s service attempt by responding with a kill to gain possession and the first point advantage. The U.S. team’s offense was too quick for El Salvador to handle which resulted in a 25-8 finish in the first set. The El Salvador team only scored half the amount of points against the U.S. in the second set as it did in the first. The U.S. team’s substitutes, setter Thomas and opposite McMahon entered the match at 11-3 in the second set to help force a U.S. 13-point run, starting at 17-4 and resulting in a 25-4 victory for Team USA. The Women’s Junior National Team sealed their first match win by defeating El Salvador 25-7 in the final set.

2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)

Head Coach: Rob Browning
Asst. Coach: Matt McShane
Asst. Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jennifer Carey
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Tom Pingel

NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship
July 5-10, 2010 * Tijuana, Mexico
(All Times Listed as Pacific Time)

Pool A
July 5: Canada def. Costa Rica, 26-24, 25-18, 25-21
July 6: Dominican Republic vs. Costa Rica, 5 p.m.
July 7: Canada vs. Dominican Republic, 3 p.m.

Pool B
July 5: Puerto Rico def. Trinidad & Tobago, 25-10, 25-9, 25-20
July 6: Trinidad & Tobago vs. Cuba, 1 p.m.
July 7: Cuba vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.

Pool C
July 5: Mexico def. Guadalupe, 25-6, 25-11, 25-8
July 6: United States def. El Salvador, 25-8, 25-4, 25-7
July 6: Guadalupe vs. United States, 5 p.m.
July 6: Mexico vs. El Salvador, 7 p.m.
July 7: Guadalupe vs. El Salvador, 1 p.m.
July 7: United States vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.

Classification Matches

Quarterfinals
July 8: (HR1) 2A, B, C vs. (HR2) 2A, B, C, 5 p.m. (Match 15)
July 8: (LR) 1A, B, C vs. (LR) 2A, B, C, 7 p.m. (Match 16)

Classification 7-10
July 8: (HR1) 3A, B, C vs. 4C, 1 p.m. (Match 13)
July 8: (HR2) 3A, B, C vs. (LR) 3A, B, C, 3 p.m. (Match 14)

Classification 7-8 and 9-10
July 9: Loser Match 13 vs. Loser Match 14, 1 p.m. (Match 17)
July 9: Winner Match 13 vs. Winner Match 14, 3 p.m. (Match 18)

Semifinals
July 9: (HR1) 1A, B, C vs. Winner Match 15 or 16, 5 p.m. (Match 19)
July 9: (HR2) 1A, B, C vs. Winner Match 15 or 16, 7 p.m. (Match 20)

Classification 5-6
July 10: Loser Match 15 vs. Loser Match 16, 3 p.m. (Match 21)

Bronze-Medal Match (Classification 3-4)
July 10: Loser Match 19 vs. Loser Match 20, 5 p.m. (Match 22)

Gold-Medal Match (Classification 1-2)
July 10: Winner Match 19 vs. Winner Match 20, 7 p.m. (Match 23)

Tags: 2010 U.S. Women's Junior National Team, 2010 U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team, Carly Thomas, Carly Wopat, Haleigh Hampton, Jane Croson, Jennifer Bonilla, Kelly Reeves, Liz McMahon, Molly Kreklow, NORCECA, NORCECA Continental Championship, NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship, Rachel Williams, Rob Browning, Sam Wopat, Samantha Cash, Stephanie Holthus, U.S. Women's Junior National Team