Sweeps Go Both Ways for U.S. Sitting Teams

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

EDMOND, Okla. (July 12, 2010) – Two sweeps went two different directions for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Volleyball Teams on Monday at the 2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championships at the University of Central Oklahoma.

While the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team swept Japan, 25-10, 25-14, 25-9 in pool play, the U.S. Men’s Team fell to top-seeded Bosnia, 15-25, 15-25, 10-25.

Both teams will play again on Tuesday, when the U.S. Men (0-2) will play Libya at 6 p.m. CT on Court 2. The U.S. Women (2-0) play Lithuana at 11 a.m. on Court 2 and Canada at 8 p.m. on Court 1. Live video streaming of the matches is available at http://administration.uco.edu/ucowc/worlds/streaming.php.

As nervous as the U.S. Women appeared in their first match against Germany on Sunday, they appeared cool and relaxed on Monday, to the point that U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.) had to encourage them to hit a little harder.

“I thought we started off a little too relaxed,” Hamiter said. “We weren’t quite as aggressive as we can be.”

Oklahoma player Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla.), who was added to the U.S. roster at the last minute after starter Lora Webster was not medically cleared to play, made her debut with the team and had a kill along with serving for the final three points of the U.S. victory.

Kaleo Kanahele (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 14, also got on the court for the U.S. and had two kills, including the final point of the match.

Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) led the U.S. with 19 points on 12 kills, three blocks and four aces. Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.) had seven kills.

Erickson said Monday felt much better than Sunday’s match.

“It felt crisper,” she said. “We were in system and playing like we know we can.”

Hamiter started Holloway, Erickson, Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.), Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.), Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.) and Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.) at libero. Michelle Gerlosky (Griffin, Ga.), Gina McWilliams (The Colony, Texas), Alex Gouldie (St. Paul, Minn.), Kanahele and Burkland played as substitutes.

Prior to the U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball clinic, the U.S. Men found out that Bosnia, the tournament’s top-seeded men’s team, was just “as good as advertised,” as U.S. Men’s player Eric Duda (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) said.

“Bosnia served tough so that made it hard for us to make good passes,” Duda said. “But when we did   get our passing going, we played our game.”

Duda led the U.S. with nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace. Bosnia out-blocked the U.S. Men 9-6 and had six aces to the United States’ two. Team USA finished with 44 kills (0.32 kill percentage) while Bosnia had 72 (0.53 kill percentage).

U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Head Coach Edgar Miraku (Elbasan, Albania) started Duda, Dan Regan (St. Louis, Mo.), James Stuck (New Kensington, Pa.), Edgar Laforest (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Roderick Green (West Monroe, La.), Brent Rasmussen (Omaha, Neb.) and Ed O’Neil  (Amherst, Mass.) at libero.

J. Dee Marinko (New Castle, Okla.) and  Josh Franklin (Houston, Texas) played as substitutes.

Miraku was pleased with his team’s performance despite the loss.

“They do some unbelievable things,” Miraku said of Bosnia. “Through a coach’s eyes, that’s just a lot of experience.

“I saw a huge difference in our team, improvements in almost every area. I am pleased with the way we played against Bosnia.”

The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team can still be one of the three teams that advance from its pool, but must beat Libya and Canada in its next two matches.

“We’ve got to keep in mind the big picture,” Miraku said. “We still have to hold our ranking (third) in the pool.”

For more information, visit the 2010 Sitting World Championship web site

U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team

Number Name (Hometown/Resident athletes at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. are noted)
3 Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind./Edmond, Okla.)
4 Michelle Gerlosky (Griffin, Ga./Edmond, Okla.)
5 Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash./Edmond, Okla.)
6 Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.)
7 Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla.)
9 Gina McWilliams (The Colony, Texas)
10 Kari Miller (Washington, D.C./Edmond, Okla.)
11 Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.)
13 Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill./Edmond, Okla.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.)
18 Alex Gouldie (St. Paul, Neb.)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.)
Assistant Coach: Cara Lang (Sartell, Minn.)
Team Leader: Jamie Aweau
Athletic Trainer: Brian Choate

U.S. Pool Play Schedule (All times CT) and Results
July 11: USA def. Germany, 25-10, 20-25, 25-14, 25-16
July 12: USA def. Japan, 25-10, 25-14, 25-9
July 13 at 8 p.m.: USA vs. Canada
July 14 at 6 p.m.: USA vs. Lithuania
July 15 at 1 p.m.: USA vs. Netherlands

2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championships

U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team
Number Name (Hometown/Resident athletes at the University of Central Oklahoma are noted)
2 Dan Regan (St. Louis, Mo./Edmond, Okla.)
3 Charlie Swearingen (Gulfport, Miss./Edmond, Okla.)
4 Ed O'Neil (Amherst, Mass./Edmond, Okla.)
5 Eric Duda (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Edmond, Okla.)
7 Brad Johnson (Pompano Beach, Fla.)
8 James Stuck (New Kensington, Pa./Edmond, Okla.)
10 Edgardo Laforest (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
11 Roderick Green (West Monroe, La./Edmond, Okla.)
12 Brent Rasmussen (Omaha, Neb.)
13 Josh Franklin (Houston, Texas)
18 J. Dee Marinko (New Castle, Okla.)

Head Coach: Edgar Miraku (Elbasan, Albania)
Assistant Coach: Dixie Collins (Marshall, Va.)
Team Leader:  Kimo Aweau
Athletic Trainer: Akehi Kazuma

U.S. Men’s Pool Play Schedule (all times CT)

July 11: China def. USA, 25-10, 25-23, 25-17
July 12: Bosnia Herzegovina def. USA, 25-15, 25-15, 25-10
July 13 at 6 p.m.: USA vs. Libya
July 14 at 3:30 p.m.: USA vs. Canada

Tags: Alexandra Gouldie, Allison Aldrich, Bill Hamiter, Brad Johnson, Brenda Maymon, Brent Rasmussen, Charlie Swearingen, Dan Regan, Ed O'Neil, Edgar Miraku, Edgardo Laforest, Eric Duda, Gina McWilliams, Heather Erickson, James Stuck, Josh Franklin, Kaleo Kanahele, Kari Miller, Katie Holloway, Kendra Lancaster, Michelle Gerlosky, Nichole Millage, Roderick Green, Sitting Volleyball, Sitting Volleyball World Championships, U.S. Men's Sitting Volleyball Team, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team