Women's Sitting Team Qualifies for 2012 Paralympics

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

EDMOND, Okla. (July 17, 2010) – It’s one goal down and a gold medal match to go for the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team, which qualified for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London on Saturday as it defeated Netherlands, 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18) on Saturday in the semifinals of the 2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championships at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO).

The U.S. Women’s Team improved to 7-0 in the tournament and will face China (7-0) in the gold medal match at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday on Court 1 of the Hamilton Field House at UCO. Live video streaming of all matches is available at the 2010 World Championships web site.

The gold medal match will renew a rivalry that began at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing when China defeated the U.S. Women twice, once in pool play and again in the gold medal match. No matter who wins on Sunday, it will be the best finish ever for the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team at a World Championship.

“Now that we’ve qualified, I would expect our players won’t feel as much pressure (against China),” said U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.).

“We don’t have to option to let down,” U.S. libero Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.) said. “We want to win a gold medal and China is standing in the way of that.”

Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) led all scorers with 19 points on a match-high 13 kills (0.32 hitting percentage), two blocks and four aces. Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.) added 11 points on five kills (0.36 hitting percentage), two blocks and four aces.

Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.) totaled nine points on three kills, four blocks and two aces. Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.) added nine points on four kills, one block and four aces. Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.) contributed seven points on three kills and four blocks.

Nichole Millage (Champagne, Ill.) had six points on five kills and one block. Michelle Gerlosky (Lake Wales, Fla.) had one point on an ace.

Miller led the team in receptions with 21, 76 percent positive and 71 percent excellent. She had only one error.

The U.S. attack percentage was 0.26, Netherlands’ was 0.24.

The U.S. Women out-blocked Netherlands, 14-7. The U.S. had 15 aces to Netherlands’ 13.

The United States swept Netherlands, 25-16, 25-11, 25-12, in its final pool play match on Wednesday. After the first set on Saturday, when Team USA had nine aces, it looked like it would be another U.S. blowout.

But Netherlands found its serve in the second set.

“They were smart with their serving,” Miller said. “They didn’t serve it right at us like they did last match. They must have watched the video.”

Hamiter responded with lineup changes to help improve the United States’ service reception and the U.S. Women won the next two sets.

Hamiter started Maymon, Holloway, Erickson, Aldrich, Millage, Lancaster and Miller at libero. Gerlosky played as a substitute.

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

Visit 2010 Sitting Volleyball World Championship Photo Galleries.

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 (Lake Wales, Fla./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. Second Phase Results
Semifinals – July 17: USA def. Netherlands,25-12, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18
Quarterfinals – July 16: USA def. Russia, 25-13, 25-19, 25-19

U.S. Pool Play 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, Heather Erickson, Kaleo Kanahele, Kari Miller, Katie Holloway, Kendra Lancaster, Michelle Gerlosky, Nichole Millage, Sitting Volleyball, Sitting Volleyball World Championships, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team