Women's Sitting Team Feels Good After Win

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

View Team's Data Volley Statistics

DENVER, Colo. (March 18, 2011) – While it wasn’t exactly a rematch of the Paralympic or World Championship gold medal games, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team is feeling pretty good after taking a 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-12, 25-16) victory over a club team from Shanghai, China on Friday at the Colorado Convention Center in conjunction with the Crossroads Qualifier.

The two teams will play exhibition matches again on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.

The last two times the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team played the Chinese National Team was in the gold medal matches of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing and the 2010 World Championships in Edmond, Okla. China swept both matches from the United States.

Friday’s match was a different story as the United States’ Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) led all scorers with 14 points on eight kills (0.47 hitting percentage), two blocks and four aces. Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.) added 10 points on eight kills and two blocks. Nicole Millage (Champaign, Ill.) scored 10 points on six kills and four aces.

The U.S. Women also held the Shanghai team to a hitting percentage of 0. The United States had 15 aces while Shanghai had four. The U.S. also out-blocked Shanghai, 7-3.

The team from Shanghai includes four members of China’s Women’s Sitting National Team and defeating the women in red gave the United States a boost.

“I was definitely happy to see the confidence level go up,” Holloway said. “We need that confidence.”

“We didn’t feel nervous,” added Team Captain Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.). “If anything, we were super laid back.”

Being “super laid back” may have led to the second set loss, when China turned up the hitting pressure and the United States’ mistakes started to catch up with it. But U.S. Head Coach Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.) was pleased with the way his team responded.

“After we lost set two, I told them, ‘this is where we need to be. You’re being forced to execute,’” Hamiter said. “I thought that we came out in the third set and executed every play.”

Among the other scorers for the United States, Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.) had seven points on six kills and one ace. Monique Burkland (Plainview, Okla.) added seven points on one kill, two blocks and four aces. Lancaster had four points on two kills, one block and one ace.

Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.) contributed three points on two kills and one ace. Michelle Gerlosky (Lake Wales, Fla.) scored one point on a kill.

Libero Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.) was credited with 10 receptions, 80 percent positive and 60 percent excellent. Hamiter singled her out for praise.

“Even though Kari was named the Most Valuable Libero at Worlds, we have really been working with her a lot,” Hamiter said. “She has improved phenomenally.”

As a team, the U.S. was credited with 65 receptions and five errors. The team was 71 percent positive and 38 percent excellent. China was credited with 83 receptions and 17 errors. The team was 54 percent positive and 31 percent excellent.

For more information on Colorado Crossroads, including entry prices, click here.

U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Crossroads Schedule

Saturday, March 19
10 a.m. Match
USA Autograph session following match
11:30 a.m. Sitting Volleyball Clinic following match. Open to everyone.
5 p.m. Match
USA Autograph session following match

Sunday, March 20
9 a.m. Match

U.S. Women's Sitting Team

Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.)
Monique Burkland (Plainview, Okla.)
Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Michelle Gerlosky (Lake Wales, Fla.)
Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.)
Kendra Lancaster (Westfield, Ind.)
Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.)
Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.)
Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.)
Bethany Zummo (Dublin, Calif.)

Staff
Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.) – Head Coach
Cara Lang (Sartell, Minn.) – Asst. Coach & Stats
Jarrett Austin - Athletic Trainer

Tags: Allison Aldrich, Bethany Zummo, Bill Hamiter, Brenda Maymon, Heather Erickson, Kari Miller, Katie Holloway, Kendra Lancaster, Michelle Gerlosky, Monique Burkland, Nichole Millage, Sitting Volleyball, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team