U.S. Women's Jr. Team is Still in it to Win it

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

Unofficial DataVolley Stats * Official Match Statistics

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 28, 2011) -The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team lost to Peru 21-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9 Thursday evening in its first five-set match in the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Junior World Championships Peru 2011 held in Lima at the Eduardo Dibos Gymnasium.

The Thursday evening match had the loudest crowd of any as the gym was packed with 6,500 spectators, many of which were cheering especially loud in honor of Peru’s Independence Day.

Despite the loss, the U.S. team now holds an overall 4-2 tournament record and heads into the semifinals on July 30.

U.S. Women's Junior National Team Head Coach Rob Browning expressed that Team USA still has the same goal as it did from the start.

“Our goal is to win it all and we still can,” Browning said. “We deserve to be in the final four and we are thrilled that we are.”

Peru will begin playing for fifth place on July 30.

Haley Eckerman (Waterloo, Iowa) led the U.S. Women’s Junior Team with 24 points on 23 kills and a block. Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) added 19 points, contributing 17 kills, a block and an ace. Madelyn Hutson (Brentwood, Tenn.) contributed 16 points on 14 kills, a block and an ace.

U.S. captain Kelly Reeves (San Diego) racked up 14 kills. Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill.) and Lauren Plum (Poway, Calif.) each scored two points with a kill and at attack apiece for Team USA.

Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, Calif.) added 38 digs and 12 receptions. Plum contributed 48 assists out of 161 total set attempts and had 11 digs. Holthus made 14 digs and eight receptions.

Reeves contributed 11 digs and 12 receptions. Andrea McHugh (Yorba Linda, Calif.) had two digs and Hannah Allison (Siloam Springs, Ark.) added an assist and a dig for Team USA.

Browning started Reeves and Eckerman at outside hitter, Hutson and Wopat at middle blocker, Plum at setter and Holthus at opposite. Hagglund was the designated libero. McHugh subbed in early on in all five sets. Allison and Sallie McLaurin (Midwest City, Okla.) contributed court action in all five sets as a part of a double switch.

Team USA racked up 70 kills on 108 attacks for 34.48 kill percent, while its opponent scored 55 kills on 117 attempts. The U.S. team accumulated 95 digs and Peru had 89.

Browning congratulated Peru for the win and gave his recap of the U.S. team’s play.

“Peru played a fantastic match, their best match of the tournament,” Browning said. They deserved to win tonight. We played okay much of the time, but got rattled in certain situations - most notably in the fifth set. We lost the serve and pass battle all night and that made it difficult to find any rhythm.”

Peru’s Herrada Grecia scored 18 points and was the leading scorer for her team.

“Playing the U.S. was a more difficult match than the last two that we played,” Peru Head Coach Natalie Malaga said. “Maybe it is too late for us to win the tournament, but we never stop learning. We are going to shoot for fifth place.”

Team USA and Peru battled back and forth and tied three times before a 10-9 score in the Americans favor. The U.S. team took a 15-11 lead do to an overall strong performance with striking offense, aggressive defense and consistent serving. The U.S.’s offensive pressure proved to be successful against Peru’s team as the U.S. led 20-14. Peru kept fighting and was able to score a few points off of serving and by hitting between the U.S. team’s blocks, but it wasn’t enough to stump Team USA. The Americans won the first set 25-21.

In the second set, Team USA won the first point with a block. Again, the two teams were battling with tie scores, four times before Peru’s 11-9 lead. Peru’s stamina kicked in and the team started to hit around the U.S.’s block. For a few consecutive points, the U.S. team made some unforced errors, which brought a 20-14 advantage for Peru. The Americans stayed composed by swinging in full force and scrambling on defense, but Peru’s momentum carried its team to the second set win, 25-19.

The third set started out much like the first two, a tight and hard fought battle. Team Peru hit in between the U.S. team’s block to earn the first three-point advantage of the set, 12-9. Team USA responded instantly and tied the score, 12-all. The play stayed competitive with long rallies, but the U.S. team was able to gain a 20-16 lead. Peru kept fighting, but the Americans put a cap on the third set and propelled to a 25-22 victory.

Peru took an 11-7 lead in the fourth set, but the Americans fought back to tie the score 11-all. Peru gained an 18-15 advantage, but Team USA drilled down two kills. The two teams battled to a 22-20 score but Peru scored the next three points with a kill, an ace and another kill. Peru sealed a third set victory, 25-20.

In the fifth set, Team USA quickly trailed behind Peru, 10-4. Peru’s adrenaline was running high and the U.S. team was putting forth strong effort. At 13-7, the U.S. gave up a point from an error but then responded with a kill to make a 14-8 score. Peru made an error, which gave Team USA the serve. Peru responded with a kill to win the fifth set and match, 15-8.

In Pool E’s other match on Thursday, Italy defeated the Dominican Republic 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20 to wrap up the second round of pool play.

On Thursday in Pool F, Brazil defeated China 29-27, 25-19, 25-20 and Belgium defeated Slovakia 17-25, 11-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-12 to conclude the second round.

To wrap up the second round of pool play in Pool G, Cuba defeated Japan 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 and Korea defeated Tunisia 25-17, 25-17, 25-17.

In Pool H on Thursday, Russia defeated Serbia 26-24, 19-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-11 and Poland defeated Egypt 25-14, 25-15, 23-25, 25-15 to conclude the second round of pool play.

2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
# - Name (Position, Height, Hometown, H.S. Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
1 - Hannah Allison (S, 5-11, Siloam Springs, Ark., 2010, Ozark Juniors/University of Texas, Delta)
2 - Stephanie Holthus (OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion/Northwestern University, Great Lakes)
3 - Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE/University of Southern California, SCVA)
4 - Lauren Plum (S, 5-9, Poway, Calif., 2010, Coast VBC/University of Oregon, SCVA)
6 - Haleigh Hampton (MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors/Long Beach State University, SCVA)
7 - Haley Eckerman (OH, 6-3, Waterloo, Iowa, 2011, Iowa Rockets/University of Texas, Iowa)
9 - Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE/UCLA, SCVA)
10 - Sallie McLaurin (MB, 6-2, Midwest City, Okla., 2010, Oklahoma Charge/University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma)
11 - Moneshia Simmons (OH, 6-0, Buford, Ga., 2010, NFC Volleyball /Clemson University, Southern)
15 - Madelyn Hutson (MB, 6-6, Brentwood, Tenn., 2011, Impact/University of Texas, Southern)
16 - Andrea McHugh (OH, 5-10, Yorba Linda, Calif., 2010, Laguna Beach/Notre Dame, SCVA)
17 - Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC/Stanford University, SCVA)

2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Alternates
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, H.S. Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
Jennifer Bonilla (L, 5-10, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sports Shack/University of Illinois, SCVA)
Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast/Pepperdine, SCVA)
Mackenzie Dagostino (S, 5-10, Tampa Bay, Fla., 2012, Tampa Bay Juniors/University of Maryland, Florida)
Madison Kingdon (OH, 6-0, Phoenix, Ariz., 2011, Arizona Storm/University of Arizona, Arizona)
Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Delano, Minn., 2010, Mizuno Northern Lights/ University of Missouri, North Country)
Liz McMahon (OH, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z/University of Illinois, Ohio Valley)
Alyssa Warren (L, 5-9, Joliet, Ill., 2010, Sports Performance/Seton Hall University, Great Lakes)

2011 U.S. Women's Junior National Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Rob Browning, Saint Mary’s College (Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Erik Sullivan, University of Texas
Assistant Coach: Jill Kramer, West Virginia University
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Denise Corlett, Stanford University

2011 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship

First Round (July 22-24)
Pool A (at Trujillo, Peru)
July 22: Slovakia def. Tunisia, 25-15, 25-10, 25-14
July 22: Peru def. Egypt, 25-18, 25-17, 25-16
July 23: Slovakia def. Egypt, 25-20, 25-10, 25-10
July 23: Peru def. Tunisia, 25-7, 25-11, 25-10
July 24: Tunisia def. Egypt, 26-24, 25-22, 21-25, 20-25, 17-15
July 24: Peru def. Slovakia, 25-21, 25-22, 25-20

Pool B (at Lima, Peru)
July 22: Brazil def. Italy, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-16
July 22: Serbia def. Cuba, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17, 25-10
July 23: Italy def. Cuba, 25-16, 25-12, 26-24
July 23: Brazil def. Serbia, 23-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-18
July 24: Italy def. Serbia, 25-14, 25-15, 25-20
July 24: Brazil def. Cuba, 25-13, 25-15, 25-21

Pool C (at Trujillo, Peru)
July 22: Korea def. Poland, 22-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19, 15-10
July 22: USA def. Belgium, 25-21, 25-18, 25-16
July 23: Belgium def. Korea, 25-19, 25-16, 18-25, 25-20
July 23: USA def. Poland, 25-19, 16-25, 29-27, 25-14
July 24: Belgium def. Poland, 20-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-16
July 24: USA def. Korea, 25-23, 25-14, 25-23

Pool D (at Lima, Peru)
July 22: Dominican Republic def. Japan, 25-14, 25-20, 20-25, 25-22
July 22: China def. Russia, 25-19, 25-19, 27-25
July 23: Dominican Republic def. Russia, 17-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-20
July 23: China def. Japan, 25-18, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19
July 24: China def. Dominican Republic, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23
July 24: Russia def. Japan, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19

Second Round (July 26-28)

Pool E (at Lima)
July 26: USA def. Dominican Republic, 25-11, 25-15, 25-23
July 26: Italy def. Peru, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14
July 27: Italy def. USA, 25-23, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20
July 27: Dominican Republic def. Peru, 25-19, 26-24, 25-15
July 28: Italy def. Dominican Republic, 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20
July 28: Peru def. USA, 21-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 9-15

Pool F (at Trujillo)
July 26: Brazil def. Belgium, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21
July 26: China def. Slovakia, 25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21
July 27: China def. Belgium, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19
July 27: Brazil def. Slovakia, 25-13, 25-22, 25-12
July 28: Brazil def. China, 29-27, 25-19, 25-20
July 28: Belgium def. Slovakia, 17-25, 11-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-12

Pool G (at Lima)
July 26: Cuba def. Korea, 25-23, 18-25, 26-24, 25-17
July 26: Japan def. Tunisia, 25-9, 25-15, 25-14
July 27: Japan def. Korea, 25-20, 25-13, 25-9
July 27: Cuba def. Tunisia, 25-15, 25-13, 25-12
July 28: Cuba def. Japan, 25-20, 25-20, 25-19
July 28: Korea def. Tunisia, 25-17, 25-17, 25-17

Pool H (at Trujillo)
July 26: Russia def. Egypt, 25-10, 25-20, 25-11
July 26: Poland def. Serbia, 25-21, 25-17, 14-25, 18-25, 15-11
July 27: Russia def. Poland, 25-19, 25-17, 25-18
July 27: Serbia def. Egypt, 25-16, 25-5, 29-27
July 28: Russia def. Serbia 26-24, 19-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-11
July 28: Poland def. Egypt, 25-14, 25-15, 23-25, 25-15

Medal Rounds and Playoffs (July 31)
- the winners of the semifinals will play the final for the 1st and 2nd position.
- the losers of the semifinals will play for the 3rd and 4th position.
- the winners of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 5th-6th position.
- the losers of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 7th-8th position.
- the winners of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 9th-10th position.
- the losers of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 11th-12th position.
- the winners of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 13th-14th position.
- the losers of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 15th-16th position.

Tags: 2011 U.S. Women's Junior National Team, Andrea McHugh, Carly Wopat, FIVB Women's Junior World Championship Peru 2011, Haleigh Hampton, Haley Eckerman, Hannah Allison, Kelly Reeves, Lauren Plum, Madelyn Hutson, mobile, Moneshia Simmons, Natalie Hagglund, Rob Browning, Sallie McLaurin, Stephanie Holthus