Shanghai Sitting Team Gets Tough on U.S. Women

B.J. Hoeptner Evans March 19, 2011

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Photo: Copyrighted by USA Volleyball

Heather Erickson puts up a block against Shanghai during their evening match on March 19.

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

View unofficial DataVolley statistics - Match 1
View unofficial DataVolley statistics - Match 2

DENVER, Colo. (March 19, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team won two matches against the Shanghai club team on Saturday at the Colorado Convention Center.

But the U.S. Women are still sort of wondering what their Chinese counterparts had for lunch.

After the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team swept Shanghai, 25-20, 25-15, 25-16 in the morning – even winning two bonus sets 25-16, 15-6 – the United States was surprised to find itself in an evening battle, which it won 3-2 (15-25, 30-28, 22-25, 25-21, 17-15).

The two teams will play their last match on Sunday at 8 a.m. The exhibition matches are being held in conjunction with the Crossroads Qualifier.

“It was a hard-fought battle,” Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.) said of the evening match. “But it’s more fun when they bring their A game.”
 

That A game seemed to be missing in the morning as Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.) led the United States with 11 points on eight kills, one block and two aces. As they had on Friday night, the U.S. team out-blocked and out-served the Shanghai club team and won handily.

But after a lunch break, the Chinese team came back with renewed fire, taking its game up a notch, and causing some frustration for the U.S. players.

“That happens,” U.S. Head Coach Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.) said. “Somebody picks up their game and causes you to make unforced errors.

“At least they competed well. I like to see a 17-15 win. It was all close.”

In the fifth-set, tie-breaker, Shanghai took a 7-4 lead before Maymon responded by blocking the serve. Holloway followed with an ace and Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.) won a joust to tie the score at 7-7. The U.S. Women took a 10-8 lead, but a service error and Shanghai kill tied the score again. The United States reached match point first at 15-14. Shanghai responded with a kill. But two straight aces from Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) put the match away.

Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) led the U.S. in the evening match with 25 points on 18 kills, one block and six aces. Erickson added 12 points on eight kills and four blocks. Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.) scored on eight kills and Brenda Maymon totaled six blocks.

Hamiter joked after the match that his team had listened to him a little too well.

“I said, ‘I know we were hoping to see some adversity, but you didn’t have to take me so literally,’” he said.

Miller says she has learned a lot from playing the Shanghai club team.

“They don’t have a regular go-to play. Most teams have a go-to play that you can count on them using when they get in trouble,” she said. “They’re really versatile and that’s something that we could work on.”

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

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
Elliot Blake – Coordinator Sitting Volleyball Teams

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