Girls Youth Team Sweeps Mexico at U18 Worlds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 5, 2019) – The U.S. Girls Youth National Team (GYNT) opened the 2019 FIVB Girls’ U18 World Championship by defeating Mexico 25-21, 25-21, 25-16 on Thursday in Ismailia, Egypt.

Team USA continues its Pool B schedule on Friday against Italy at 6:30 a.m. ET. The Italians, who were idle on the opening day of the five-team Pool B, are the reigning champion of the biennial world championship. The Americans conclude pool play on Sunday against Korea at 6:30 a.m. ET followed by Canada on Monday at 9 a.m. ET.

Elena Oglivie (Kapolei, Hawaii) paced the U.S. with 10 points, all coming on kills from 17 attacks. Jess Mruzik (Livonia, Michigan) chipped in nine points with seven kills on 23 swings and two aces. Devyn Robinson (Ankeny, Iowa) created five kills on nine attacks, two blocks and an ace for eight points.

“This match was a good first match for us,” U.S. Girls Youth National Team Head Coach Jim Stone said. “This was the first time some of our players have played internationally before, but they did well. We made some good plays and some not so good. We are very happy with the result and look forward to our matchup with Italy tomorrow.”

Kennedi Orr (Eagan, Minnesota) served three aces and put up three blocks to go with a kill from her setter position. Caroline Crawford (Lansing, Kansas) added four kills on eight swings and two blocks for six points. Emily Londot (Utica, Ohio) accounted for four kills, one block and one ace for six points. Sydney Taylor (Grove City, Ohio) scored three aces to go with a kill as a back-row sub in all three sets.

“I thought it went really well especially being our first match and getting the nerves out,” Orr said. “We have a lot of goals as a team for this tournament and want to continue to get better every match we play.”

Unofficially, Team USA converted 40 percent of its attacks into points with a .253 hitting efficiency (36-13-91) with Orr doing the setting. The Americans limited Mexico to a 27 kill percent and .011 hitting efficiency (24-23-88).

Team USA held a 33-21 advantage in kills and 10-6 margin in aces. Mexico produced a slim 11-8 margin in blocks. The Americans benefited from 24 Mexico errors to 21 of their own.

U.S. libero Lexi Rodriguez (Sterling, Illinois) handled 22 receptions without an error and a 59 positive reception percent. Mruzik added 15 receptions while Oglivie contributed a 46 positive reception percent on 13 chances. In her limited time on the court, Taylor handled four receptions with a 50 positive reception percent.

The U.S. started Orr at setter, Crawford and Robinson at middle, and Oglivie, Mruzik and Londot at the pins, and Rodriguez at libero. Kami Miner (Redondo Beach, California), Lindsay Krause (Papillion, Nebraska) and Allison Jacobs (Stevenson Ranch, California) all were a sub in one set each.

The U.S. trailed 4-2 early in the opening set before using a 5-1 spurt to take a 7-5 advantage. The Americans extended the lead to 14-10 before Mexico closed the gap to 15-14. Team USA answered with four unanswered points including two Taylor aces to go up 19-14 en route to a 25-21 victory. The U.S. had six aces and four blocks in the opening set to overcome 11 errors.

Mexico used a 3-0 run to take a 12-11 advantage midway through the second set. However, the U.S. scored eight of the next nine points to take a commanding 19-13 lead. Mexico saved five set points before Team USA closed out the set at 25-21. Mruzik and Crawford each scored three points in the set.

Team USA jumped out to a 8-1 advantage in the third set. Mexico charged back to within one at 16-15, only to see the Americans score three unanswered points to regain a four-point cushion at 19-15. The U.S. cruised the final few points for a 25-16 victory.

The world championship pool play is divided up into four pools of five teams. The top four teams in each pool advance to the Eight Finals Round (Top 16) with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals and losers falling into the 9-16 classification matches. The tournament concludes on Sept. 14 with the medal-round matches.

U.S. Girls Youth National Team at 2019 FIVB Girls’ U18 World Championship
# – Name (Pos, Ht, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/Region, College Verbal Commitment)
1 – Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, Sterling, Illinois, 2021, Sports Performance/Great Lakes, Nebraska)
3 – Elena Oglivie (OH, 5-10, Kapolei, Hawaii, 2020, Ku’ikahi VBC/Aloha, Stanford University)
4 – Sydney Taylor (L, 5-10, Grove City, Ohio, 2021, Mintonette Sports/Ohio Valley, N/A)
5 – Allison Jacobs (OH, 5-11, Stevenson Ranch, California, 2020, Legacy Volleyball Club/Southern California, UCLA)
6 – Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, California, 2021, Mizuno Long Beach/Southern California, Uncommitted)
7 – Kennedi Orr (S, 6-0, Eagan, Minnesota, 2021, Mizuno Northern Lights/North Country, University of Nebraska)
11 – Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-1, Livonia, Michigan, 2020, Legacy Volleyball Club/Lakeshore, University of Michigan)
12 – Caroline Crawford (M, 6-2, Lansing, Kansas, 2020, Mid-America Volleyball Club/Heart of America, University of Kansas)
13 – Devyn Robinson (M, 6-2, Ankeny, Iowa, 2020, Iowa Powerplex/Iowa, University of Wisconsin)
14 – Emily Londot (OH, 6-2, Utica, Ohio, 2020, Mintonette Sports/Ohio Valley, Ohio State University)
17 – Lindsay Krause (OH, 6-3, Papillion, Nebraska, 2021, Premier Nebraska/Great Plains, University of Nebraska)
20 – Carter Booth (M, 6-7, Englewood, Colorado, 2022, Colorado Juniors/Rocky Mountain, University of Minnesota)

Head Coach: Jim Stone
Assistant Coaches: Nicki Holmes, Jen Flynn Oldenburg
Technical Coordinator: Mike Gee
Head of Delegation: Meredith Lee