U.S. Sitting Beats Slovenia, Gold-Ward Bound

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 9, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team will play host Ukraine for the gold medal at the ECVD Continental Cup after downing Slovenia, 25-20, 25-15, 25-11 on Friday in the semifinal match held in Yevatoriya, Ukraine.

The U.S. Women (7-0) dominated on Friday for their seventh straight victory, earning them a chance to compete for the gold medal in the final round on Saturday.

“It was a success for us to win against Slovenia in three sets when it took us five sets for a win previously,” U.S. Assistant Coach Cara Lang (Sartell, Minn.) said via e-mail. “We committed errors in the first set that gave Slovenia 12 of their 20 points, but the girls were able to hone in the game plan to make the next two sets much easier” 

Team Captain Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash./UCO Resident Athlete) led the United States with a match-high 18 points off a match-high 12 kills, a match-leading four service aces and two blocks. Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.) connected on nine kills, three service aces and two blocks. Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C./UCO Resident Athlete) posted 11 points from seven kills, three service aces in addition to a block.

“Michelle Gerlosky went on a serving streak each opportunity, which gave us the point cushion we needed,” Lang said. “Katie Holloway was an excellent court captain for the girls by hitting the shots discussed prior to the match as their [Slovenia’s] weakest points.”

Gerlosky (Lake Wales, Fla.) contributed a match-high five blocks in addition to two kills and a service ace for eight points while Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill./UCO Resident Athlete) posted six points off of five kills and a service aces. Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla./UCO Resident Athlete) posted a pair of blocks and a service aces and a kill for four points.

In the second match of the tournament, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team beat host Ukraine, 25-18, 25-21, 21-15, 25-23. Holloway led all scorers with 25 points on a match-high 22 kills (52.4 kill percent) and three blocks.

ECVD Continental Cup
Sept. 5-11 in Yevpatoriya and Crimea, Ukraine

U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for Ukraine
No. Name (Hometown)
3 Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.)
4 Michelle Gerlosky (Lake Wales, Fla.)
5 Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash./UCO Resident Athlete)
6 Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C./UCO Resident Athlete)
7 Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla./UCO Resident Athlete)
10 Kari Miller (Washington, D.C.)
13 Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill./UCO Resident Athlete)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter (Bethany, Okla.)
Assistant Coach: Cara Lang (Sartell, Minn.)
Athletic Trainer: Kazuma Akehi (Japan)

Tournament Schedule

Day 1
Sept. 5: USA vs. Russia at 4:30 a.m. CT
Sept. 5: Brazil vs. Netherlands at 5:30 a.m. CT
Sept. 5: Great Britain vs. Slovenia at 6:30 a.m. CT
Sept. 5: USA vs. Ukraine at 10 a.m. CT
Sept. 5: Russia vs. Slovenia at 11 a.m. CT
Sept. 5: Brazil vs. Great Britain at noon CT

Day 2
Sept. 6: Ukraine vs. Netherlands at 4 a.m. CT
Sept. 6: USA vs. Slovenia at 5 a.m. CT
Sept. 6: Russia vs. Brazil at 6 a.m. CT
Sept. 6: Slovenia vs. Ukraine at 10 a.m. CT
Sept. 6: Netherlands vs. Great Britain at 11 a.m. CT
Sept. 6: USA vs. Brazil at 10 a.m. CT at noon CT

Day 3
Sept. 7: Ukraine vs. Great Britain at 4 a.m. CT
Sept. 7: Slovenia vs. Brazil at 5 a.m. CT
Sept. 7: Netherlands vs. Russia at 6 a.m. CT
Sept. 7: Brazil vs. Ukraine at 10 a.m. CT
Sept. 7: Great Britain vs. Russia at 11 a.m. CT
Sept. 7: USA vs. Netherlands at noon CT

Day 4
Sept. 8: Ukraine vs. Russia at 2 a.m. CT
Sept. 8: Great Britain vs. USA at 4 a.m. CT
Sept. 8: Slovenia vs. Netherlands at 5 a.m. CT

Semifinals
Sept. 9: Semifinal 1 at 5 a.m. CT
Sept. 9: Semifinal 2 at 7 a.m. CT
Sept. 9: 5-7 places match at 9 a.m. CT

Finals
Sept. 10: 5-7 places match at 3 a.m. CT
Sept. 10: 5-7 places match at 5:30 a.m. CT
Sept. 10: Bronze medal match at 7:30 a.m. CT
Sept. 10: Gold medal match at 9 a.m. CT

Tags: Brenda Maymon, Heather Erickson, Kari Miller, Katie Holloway, Michelle Gerlosky, mobile, Monique Burkland, Sitting Volleyball, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team