WNT Update: Headed for Champions League Semis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 9, 2024) – Two teams with U.S. players have advanced to the semifinals of the CEV Champions League. Opposite Taylor Mims takes silver at the Challenge Cup. Logan Eggleston has an amazing match in Türkiye.

CEV Champions League

Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano (Italy) advanced to the semifinals past VakifBank Istanbul of Türkiye, 3-1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16) on Feb. 29. Four players scored in double-digits for the Italian league leaders, including U.S. outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Kelsey (Robinson) Cook. Plummer tallied 16 points on 12 kills, two blocks and two aces. She was named the match MVP. Cook landed 13 points on nine kills, two blocks and two aces. The duo also led the match with 26 and 21 receptions, respectively. Setter Madi Bugg saw action as a sub, while outside hitter Khalia Lanier did not take the court.

Across the net for defending champion VakifBank of Türkiye, both opposite Jordan Thompson and middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu scored nine points in the loss. Thompson had nine kills while Ogbogu had six kills and three blocks. Outside hitter Ali Frantti added seven points on six kills and one block.

Allianz Vero Volley Milano (Italy) clinched a semifinal berth with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-23) win over ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ (Poland) on Feb. 29. U.S. outside hitter Kara Bajema scored 10 points on seven kills, one block and two aces. Middle Dana Rettke started the third set and landed three points on three kills.

Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul (Türkiye) downed Allianz MTV Stuttgart (Germany) with U.S. middle Kayla Haneline in four sets (25-15, 25-15, 23-25, 25-19) for a semifinal ticket. Both Haneline and Hart saw time off the bench with Haneline scoring five points and U.S. outside Alexis Hart scored four off the bench. U.S. opposite Krystal Rivers led Stuttgart with 16 points on 16 kills.

Middle Haleigh Washington and Italy’s Savino Del Bene Scandicci pushed Türkiye’s Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul to the brink, but saw their Champions League run end after a 3-2 (27-25, 20-25, 18-25, 25-22, 15-12) loss Feb. 28. Washington scored 17 points on nine kills, five blocks and three aces.

In the semifinals, which begin March 12, Conegliano will face Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul. Milano will play Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul.

CEV CHALLENGE CUP

Also in European competition, opposite Taylor Mims and French squad Neptunes de Nantes finished second in the Challenge Cup. They fell 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19) to Italy’s Igor Gorgonzola Novara during the second leg of the finals on Feb. 28. Mims led Nantes with 20 points on 18 kills, one block and one ace.

TÜRKIYE

Galatasaray Daikin (12-12) got an amazing performance from U.S. outside hitter Logan Eggleston on March 6 in a 3-2 (24-26, 30-32, 25-20, 25-17, 15-13) win over Beşiktaş Ayos. Eggleston led all scorers with 40 points on 34 kills (.426), four blocks and two aces. Her teammate, U.S. opposite Danielle Cuttino, started the first set and scored three points on three kills. Daikin is in sixth place in the league.

Opposite Stephanie Samedy had a similar performance for Muratpaşa Bld. Sigorta Shop (11-13) on March 6 when it beat Karayollari, 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-7). Samedy led all scorers with 33 points on 30 kills (.440), one block and two aces. U.S. outside hitter Micaya White totaled 21 points on 12 kills, one block and a match-high eight aces.

VakifBank (21-2) with Ali Frantti, Chiaka Ogbogu and Jordan Thompson is in third place in the league and has gone 2-1 in its last three matches. Most recently on March 6, they beat Setter Lauren Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor (7-17), 3-1 (30-28, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23).

Ogbogu scored 11 points on 11 kills (.556). Thompson started the first set and played as a substitute and scored seven points on four kills and three blocks. Frantti did not play. Carlini scored six points on five kills and one block and set her team to a .343 hitting efficiency.

Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor is in 11^th place.

Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons and Kuzeyboru (16-8) are in fifth place and have gone 3-0 in their last three matches. Most recently on March 7, Kuzeyboru beat Nilüfer Belediyespor, 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-18). Wilhite Parsons scored 15 points on 14 kills (.419) and one block.

ITALY

Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano (23-0) with Kelsey Cook, Kathryn Plummer, Khalia Lanier and Madi Bugg went 3-0 in its last three matches and leads the league with three matches left in the regular season.

Most recently on March 6, Conegliano swept Igor Gorgonzola Novara (25-14, 27-25, 25-17). Cook scored 15 points on 14 kills (.461 hitting efficiency) and one ace. She also had 16 receptions, 50 percent positive. Plummer added eight points on seven kills and one block. She had 22 receptions, 59 percent positive. Lanier and Bugg did not play.

Lanier scored 16 points in a 3-1 (17-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-19) win on March 3 over Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore (8-15) with setter Micah Hancock and outside hitter Simone Lee. Lanier scored on 15 kills and one ace. Bugg played as a substitute. Lee scored 19 points on 17 kills, one block and one ace for Casalmaggiore. Hancock scored two points with a kill and an ace. She set Casalmaggiore to a .306 hitting efficiency.

Savino Del Bene Scandicci (19-4) with Haleigh Washington moved into second place in the standings by winning its last three matches. Most recently on March 6, Scandicci swept Wash4green Pinerolo (25-19, 25-16, 25-13). Washington scored eight points on five kills, two blocks and one ace. U.S. outside hitter Lindsey Ruddins totaled 14 points on 11 kills and three aces.

Allianz Vero Volley Milano (19-4) with Kara Bajema and Dana Rettke sits in third place just behind Scandicci. On March 6, Milano fell to Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore with Hancock and Lee, 3-2 (25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-13). Lee led her team with 21 points on 20 kills and one block. Hancock scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and an ace. She set Casalmaggiore to a .394 hitting efficiency. Rettke scored five points on four kills and one block. Bajema did not play.

Casalmaggiore is in ninth place in the standings.

Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 (13-10) with outside hitters Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel are in fifth place. Most recently on March 6, they beat Uyba Volley Busto Arsizio, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-20). Skinner scored 14 points on 14 kills (.580). She had 21 receptions, 57 percent positive. Kingdon Rishel played as a substitute and scored one point with a kill. For Arsizio, opposite Skylar Fields started the first two sets but did not score.

Middle Anna Hall and Honda Olivero S.Bernardo Cuneo (7-16) are in 12^th place. On March 6, they beat Aeroitalia Smi Roma, 3-2 (25-21, 27-25, 23-25, 18-25, 18-16). Hall started the fifth set and scored the final two points with attacks. She finished with four points on three kills and one ace. U.S. outside hitter Madi Kubik started the first set and scored four points on three kills and one ace.

JAPAN

Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous finished the regular season undefeated at 22-0 and advanced to the V League Final Stage. In the championship match of the Final Stage, JT Marvelous fell to the NEC Red Rockets, 3-1 (27-25, 32-30, 16-25, 25-17). Drews scored 28 points on 26 kills, one block and one ace in the final.

Drews finished the regular season as the league’s fifth-leading scorer with 401 points. She won the serving award and was named one of the “Best 6” players in the league.

The next round of play for the V Cup will begin on March 9.

GERMANY

In the intermediate round of the Bundesliga playoffs, libero Justine Wong-Orantes and SC Potsdam got an important win over SSC Palmberg Schwerin on Feb. 24, 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 25-13, 24-26, 15-13) to improve to 1-1. Wong-Orantes had 22 receptions, 50 percent positive. U.S. opposite Danielle Harbin scored 14 points on 11 kills and three blocks.

Allianz MTV Stuttgart is 2-0 in the intermediate round. On Feb. 25, it beat Dresdner SC, 3-2 (25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10). U.S. middle Kayla Haneline did not play. U.S. opposite Alexis Hart scored 14 points on 14 kills for Stuttgart. U.S. opposite Grace Frohling led Dresdner with 19 points on 17 kills, one block and one ace.

Stuttgart also won the German Cup on March 4, beating Potsdam in the final, 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15). Haneline did not play. U.S. opposite Krystal Rivers scored 25 points and was named the Player of the Match. Wong-Orantes was credited with six receptions, 83 percent positive. Harbin scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace. U.S. middle Breland Morrissette scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

In the intermediate round for the sixth- through ninth-place teams, Zoe Fleck and USC Münster improved to 2-2 with a sweep (25-19, 25-19, 25-20) of Wiesbaden on Feb. 25. Fleck was credited with seven receptions, 43 percent positive. U.S. opposite Gloria Mutiri led all scorers with 14 points on 14 kills. Setter Jenna Ewert scored six points on three blocks, two aces and one kill. She set Münster to a .330 hitting efficiency.

For Wiesbaden, U.S. outside hitter Jaidyn Blanchfield played the first two sets and scored three points on two kills and an ace. Middle blocker Rachel Anderson played the first two sets and scored two points on two kills.

BRAZIL

Outside hitter Roni Jones Perry and SESC RJ Flamengo (16-2) went 2-1 in their last three matches. On Feb. 27, Flamengo lost to middle Brionne Butler and Osasco Sao Cristovao Saude (15-3), 3-2 (27-25, 17-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-7). Butler scored 14 points on nine kills and a match-high five blocks. Jones Perry led all scorers with 24 points on 21 kills, one block and two aces.

Osasco Sao Cristovao Saude went 3-0 in their last three matches. Setter Jenna Gray and Gerdau Minas (13-5) also went 3-0 in their last three matches. Most recently on Feb. 28, Gerdau Minas beat Fluminense, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23). Gray scored one point with an ace.

Gray and Gerdau Minas fell to Dentil/Praia Clube, 3-2 (25-23, 29-27, 22-25, 16-25, 16-14) in the final of the Cup of Brazil in March 4.

FRANCE

On March 2, Taylor Mims led Neptunes de Nantes (18-2) to a 3-1 (16-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-17) win over Mulhouse. Mims scored a match-high 24 points on a match-high 19 kills, two blocks and three aces. U.S. middle Jaelyn Keene added 14 points on seven kills, two blocks and five aces. For Mulhouse, U.S. outside hitter Carli Snyder scored 11 points on 10 kills and one ace.

On March 5, Nantes beat Quimper in the semifinals of the French Cup, 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-15). Mims scored 16 points on 12 kills, one block and three aces. Keene was named MVP, scoring 17 points on 10 kills, three blocks and four aces.

PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION

It was two action-packed weeks of pro volleyball in the U.S.

As of March 9, the Atlanta Vibe (6-3) leads the league followed closely by the Omaha Supernovas (6-3).

Most recently, on March 4, Atlanta swept the Vegas Thrill (25-16, 25-18, 26-24). For Atlanta, libero Morgan Hentz was credited with seven receptions, 71 percent positive, and 12 digs. Setter Tori Stringer scored one point with a block. She set Atlanta to a .364 hitting efficiency. For the Thrill (3-6), U.S. Olympic setter Alisha Glass Childress scored four points on two kills and two blocks. The Thrill is in fifth place.

On Feb. 29, Omaha swept the Vibe (25-22, 25-20, 25-22) in Atlanta. For Omaha, Brooke Nuneviller posted double-digit digs and kills (13 and 11, respectively), while Kendall White had 10 digs. Former U.S. National Team middle Tori Dixon scored seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace. For Atlanta, Hentz made 13 digs and four assists. Stringer did not play for Atlanta, nor did Omaha opposite Nia Reed and setter Sydney Hilley.

The Columbus Fury (4-3) sits in third place. On March 3, it won a battle over the Orlando Valkyries, 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 30-28, 21-25, 17-15). Middle Asjia O’Neal did not play for Columbus. Former Women’s National Team outside hitter Megan Courtney Lush scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Orland (4-5) is in fifth place.

The Grand Rapids Rise (4-4) is in fourth place in the league. On March 9, the Rise beat the Columbus Fury, 3-1 (25-15, 13-25, 25-17, 25-23). For Grand Rapids, U.S. Olympian Sarah Sponcil at libero was credited with 16 receptions, 62 percent positive and 14 digs. Setter Ashley Evans scored four points on four blocks. O’Neal did not play for Columbus.

The San Diego Mojo (2-5) beat the Rise 3-2 (16-25, 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 15-9) on March 4. For San Diego, Women’s National Team middle blocker Hannah Tapp scored 13 points on 11 kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Ronika Stone scored 12 points on seven kills, three blocks and two aces. For Grand Rapids, Sponcil was credited with 22 receptions, 45 percent positive, and 17 digs. Evans started every set but the third and scored three points on two kills and a block. She set her team to a .307 hitting efficiency.