U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Defeats Mexico

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 7, 2010) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team defeated Mexico 25-19, 25-16, 25-23 on Wednesday evening at the NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championships held in Tijuana, Mexico.

The match-up between the U.S. and Mexico was highly anticipated as several members of this year’s U.S. Women’s Junior National Teams competed against Mexico in the last NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship in 2008 on the Girls’ Youth National Teams. The 2008 U.S. Girls’ Team defeated Mexico in the gold-medal match.

Team USA, part of the four-team Pool C in the 10-team tournament, won Pool C and improves to 3-0 during the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship competition, while Mexico falls to 2-1 to conclude pool play. The Americans had the highest point scoring ratio (225-98) among all of the pools’ winners. The U.S. advances directly to the semifinals that start on Friday and will have a day off on Thursday.

The U.S. fell behind early in the first set but quickly gained control to lead the majority of the set and pulled off a comfortable 25-19 win. In the second set, the U.S. played more confidently and U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Head Coach Rob Browning was able to play his bench. The third set was a battle and was close in scoring with long rallies. However, the U.S. was able to keep the lead for the majority of the set by one to three points and defeated its rival.

“I really liked our effort tonight,” Browning said. “Mexico is good team. Getting out of here with a win tonight in their home facility is very gratifying. I also was very pleased with the performance of our players that came off the bench. They played a big role in the win.”

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.

Browning started captain Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) and Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif.) at middle blocker, Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) at setter, Kelly Reeves (San Diego, Calif.) and Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill.) at outside hitter, and Jane Croson (Lakewood, Calif.) as opposite. Jennifer Bonilla (Reseda, Calif.) was the designated libero. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) and Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill.) subbed into the match all three sets as part of a double-switch. Samantha Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) came off the bench in the third set.

“It was really exciting for us to play the home team,” Reeves said. “Mexico came out strong and was a great challenge for us tonight.”

Croson was the highest scorer for Team USA with 12 points on 11 kills and one block. Reeves and Carly Wopat registered 11 tallies apiece. Reeves scored 10 kills and one ace while Carly Wopat had eight kills and three blocks. Holthus contributed eight points on seven kills and a block. Hampton added seven points on four kills, two blocks and an ace. McMahon also scored a kill for Team USA.

Reeves and Holthus led the team with eight digs reach. Reeves also led the team with 18 receptions while Bonilla contributed nine. Kreklow gave 21 running sets, compared to Mexico’s 16.

Team USA had an advantage over Mexico with a 41-31 kill ratio. The U.S. also contributed two aces in comparison to Mexico’s one serving ace. The teams tied in blocks at 7 apiece. However, Team USA also took the advantage on defense with a 31-24 digging ratio and 25 Mexico errors to its own 16.

Mexico’s highest scorer was Andrea Rangel contributing 16 points for the defeated side.

“Team USA executed strong serves and we had a lot of difficulties in our reception which affected our concentration,” Mexican Coach Alfredo Bernal said. “We played better in the third set, but failed with some serves in key moments.”

After losing to the U.S. on Wednesday, Mexico will face Puerto Rico on Thursday. El Salvador edged Guadalupe, 28-26, 22-25, 25-22, 25-20, in a Pool C match between winless teams.

The Dominican Republic overcame Canada, 17-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-23 on Wednesday. The Dominican Republic, which won Pool A with a point-ratio of 167-104, and is the other first-place team in the preliminary round, will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday against the lowest ranked second place team of Canada, along with the second ranked sides.

On Wednesday, Cuba defeated Puerto Rico, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 and has earned a direct spot into the semifinal round after winning Pool B due to their 150-89 point ratio.

Team USA responded to Mexico’s game opening serve with a kill to side-out. However, Mexico took a four-point run to lead 5-2. Croson’s kill broke Mexico’s streak. The U.S. then had a four-point run to take the lead for the first time in the match at 9-8. Mexico did not lead again as the U.S. lengthened the point spread on a seven-point run. Mexico fought back at the end and won five points straight making it 19-24. Mexico could not match up and the U.S. took a victory 25-19.

In the second set, Mexico did not lead the entire set. Team USA controlled the set and took the lead at 2-1 ending in a 25-16 win for the U.S. Browning was able to substitute more in this set and there was no change in play for the U.S. from the players coming off of the bench.

The third set was a nail-biting battle. Team USA did not lead for the first 14 points scored in the set. From 7-8, the U.S. and took ultimate control not allowing Mexico to lead for the rest of the match. However, Mexico did not fall within more than three points away from the U.S. the entire match. The teams volleyed and switched off possessions point-by-point from 22-21 until the U.S. sealed the deal with a 25-23 third-set win for the match victory.

2010 U.S. Women's Junior National Team

NAME (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
2 - Stephanie Holthus (Lib/OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion, Great Lakes)
3- Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast, Southern California)
5 - Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Delano, Minn., 2010, University of Missouri)
6 - Haleigh Hampton (OPP/MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors, Southern California)
8 - Liz McMahon (OPP/MB, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z, Ohio Valley)
9 - Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE, Southern California)
10 - Carly Thomas (S, 5-11, Swansea, Ill., 2010, Southwest Illinois Juniors, Gateway)
12 - Jennifer Bonilla (Lib, 5-9, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sport Shack, Southern California)
14 - Jane Croson (OH, 6-0, Lakewood, Calif., 2011, Sport Shack, Southern California)
16 - Rachel Williams (OH, 6-0, Los Gatos, Calif., 2010, Vision, Northern California)
17 - Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)
18 - Samantha Wopat (OH, 6-1, Goleta, Calif., 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)

Head Coach: Rob Browning
Asst. Coach: Matt McShane
Asst. Coach/Tech. Coordinator: Jennifer Carey
Team Leader/Asst. 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 def. Costa Rica, 25-12, 25-8, 25-6
July 7: Dominican Republic def. Canada, 17-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-23

Pool B
July 5: Puerto Rico def. Trinidad & Tobago, 25-10, 25-9, 25-20
July 6: Cuba def. Trinidad & Tobago, 25-8, 25-10, 25-13
July 7: Cuba def. Puerto Rico, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22

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: United States def. Guadalupe, 25-8, 25-7, 25-6
July 6: Mexico def. El Salvador, 25-13, 25-7, 25-8
July 7: El Salvador def. Guadalupe 28-26, 22-25, 25-22, 25-20
July 7: United States def. Mexico, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23

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, Carly Thomas, Carly Wopat, Haleigh Hampton, Jane Croson, Jennifer Bonilla, Kelly Reeves, Liz McMahon, Molly Kreklow, NORCECA, NORCECA Continental Championship, NORCECA Girls' Youth Continental Championship, NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship, Rob Browning, Sam Wopat, Samantha Cash, Stephanie Holthus, U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team