U.S. Women's Sitting Team Undefeated in Pool

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

EDMOND, Okla. (July 14, 2010) – Based on the ranking points, the Netherlands Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, was supposed to be the better of the two teams playing on Wednesday at the 2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championships.

But the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team, ranked No. 3, made sure that its points added up to victory as it swept Netherlands, 25-16, 25-11, 25-12 in front of the largest crowd of the tournament thus far to win Pool B with an undefeated 5-0 record.

The U.S. Women will take the day off on Thursday before returning to the court at 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday to play Russia, the fourth-place team out of Pool A. The match is scheduled to be played on Court 2. Live video streaming of all matches is available at the 2010 World Championships web site.

Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.) led the U.S. Women on Wednesday with 13 points on four kills, three blocks and a match-high six aces. Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.) added 11 points on seven kills, three blocks and one ace. Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) totaled nine points on five kills, three blocks and one ace.

The U.S. Women out-served Netherlands, going 13-3 in aces. They also out-blocked the Dutch 12-14 and had an attack percentage of 0.41 as compared to Netherlands’ 0.14.

“We had a mission to win,” Aldrich said. “We didn’t get down or frustrated.

“We’ve seen them so many times. We knew we had to serve it tough.”

U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.) made sure his team knew what to expect.

“We did put a lot of time and energy into scouting them,” Hamiter said. “But in the end, we played with confidence and did what we do well.”

Hamiter started Maymon, Holloway, Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.), Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.), Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.) and Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.) at libero. Michelle Gerlosky (Griffin, Ga.), Alex Gouldie (St. Paul, Neb.) and Kaleo Kanahele (Oklahoma City, Okla.) played as substitutes.

The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team took a 6-1 lead in the first set scoring on two blocks, a kill and an ace by Aldrich, a kill by Maymon and a block by Holloway. Netherlands called timeout. The U.S. committed a hitting error and the Dutch scored three straight points to pull to within two at 6-4. The U.S. held an 8-5 lead at the first technical timeout (TTO). Team USA came out of the break and committed a serving error. But Erickson got the ball back with a spike and the U.S. scored three more points behind the serving of Lancaster who had an ace in the run. Team USA led 16-10 at the second TTO. Netherlands closed the gap by scoring two points. But a Millage tip sparked a six-point run including kills by Holloway and Aldrich and two Aldrich aces. Maymon and Holloway also combined for a block. Trailing 22-12, the Dutch ended the run with a kill, but could not make up the gap.

Team USA took an 11-2 lead in the second set, scoring nine points in one run behind the serving of Aldrich, who had three aces in the run. Maymon also had a block and kill and Holloway had two kills in the run. Later, leading 15-5, the U.S. scored five straight points behind the serving of Gerlosky, who had two aces as the U.S. increased its lead to 20-5. Team USA reached set point first at 24-11 on an ace from Gouldie and Holloway ended the set with a block.

Netherlands kept things closer in the third set and the score was tied at 6-6 when Erickson broke things open with a kill. Lancaster got the serve and helped Team USA score three more points to lead 10-6. The U.S. led 16-20 at the second TTO. Netherlands scored once on a U.S. service error before Team USA came back to score the next four points behind the serving of Holloway, who had an ace in the run. She and Maymon also had kills. The United States’ 20-11 lead proved to be too much for Netherlands to overcome.

For final pool play standings, click here.

For Sitting Volleyball World Championship photo galleries, click here.

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: USA def. Lithuania, 25-21, 25-8, 25-12
July 13: USA def. Canada, 25-16, 25-7, 25-14
July 14: USA def. Netherlands, 25-16, 25-11, 25-12

Women’s Group B Pool Standings
USA 5-0
Netherlands 4-1
Germany 3-2
Lithuania 2-3
Japan 1-4
Canada 0-5

Tags: Alexandra Gouldie, Allison Aldrich, Bill Hamiter, Brenda Maymon, Gina McWilliams, Kaleo Kanahele, Kari Miller, Katie Holloway, Kendra Lancaster, Nichole Millage, Sitting Volleyball, Sitting Volleyball World Championships, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team