COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 5, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won all three of its preliminary round matches, while the U.S. Men’s Sitting National Team split its first two matches on Friday at the Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women will face Brazil tomorrow (July 6) at 3:15 a.m. PT and play Canada in a friendly match at 6:45 a.m. PT. The U.S. Men complete pool play against France at 1:30 a.m. PT.
U.S. Women (3-0)
U.S. Women vs. Germany Match Statistics (PDF)
U.S. Women vs. Italy Match Statistics (PDF)
The U.S. Women opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Germany, finishing with advantages in kills (33-21), blocks (12-9) and service aces (15-6). Six players scored at least five points, led by Nicky Nieves, who totaled 13 points on nine kills, two blocks and two aces.
2024 World ParaVolley Super 6 MVP Heather Erickson also reached double digits with 10 points on seven aces, two blocks and an ace. Tia Edwards posted a team-high three blocks with four kills and two aces for nine points, and Whitney Dosty also contributed nine points with five kills, three aces and a block. Kaleo Kanahele Maclay led the team with four aces.
In its second match of the day against Italy, the U.S. found itself down two sets to none after two close losses, including 27-25 in the second set, but were able to rally and win the final three sets in impressive fashion. Italy won the blocking battle 14-11, but the U.S. led in kills (54-41) and service aces (14-6) with four different players serving three aces.
Erickson led all players with 23 kills and 26 points with a pair of blocks and an ace. Nieves led three other U.S. players in double-digit scoring with 14 points on 12 kills, a block and an ace.
Dosty and Edwards each shared match-high honors with three aces and scored 13 points. Dosty recorded nine kills and a block, while Edwards posted a team-best four blocks to go with her six kills. Kanahele Maclay and Emma Schieck served three aces apiece with Schieck adding three blocks.
Against France, the U.S. dominated in every phase of the match, finishing with 20 more kills (26 to 6) with a .422 team hitting efficiency, a 10-3 advantage in blocks and a nearly unstoppable serve with 24 aces to three for its opponents.
Seven U.S. players tallied between five and Courtney Baker’s match-high of 13 points (six kills and aces, and one block). Edwards also reached double digits with 10 points on four kills and four aces, and two blocks. Jessie West, making her U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team debut, recorded a match-high seven kills and added an ace.
Nieves scored eight points with a match-best four blocks, two kills, and two aces, while MaKenzie Franklin also scored eight points on four aces, two kills and two blocks. Gia Cruz shared the match lead with Baker with six aces. Dosty added five points on four kills and an ace. Lexi Shifflett-Patterson scored two points with a kill and an ace.
U.S. Men (1-1)
U.S. Men vs. Germany Match Statistics (PDF)
U.S. Men vs. Italy Match Statistics (PDF)
After dropping the first two sets to Germany, the U.S. Men closed the gap with a 25-15 win in the third set and had set point at 24-23 in the fourth set before Germany finished the match with three consecutive points. The U.S. recorded an 8-2 edge in service aces, while Germany led in kills (54-47) and blocks (14-8).
Fabricio da Silva Pinto, a two-time Paralympian with Brazil, made an impressive debut with the team by leading the squad with 17 points, sharing the team lead with 13 kills and three aces, adding a block. Zach Upp also registered 13 kills to go with a block and an ace for 15 points.
Eric Duda (12 points on nine kills, two blocks and an ace) and James Stuck (11 points on a team-high three blocks, seven kills and an ace) gave the U.S. four players with double-digit point totals. Roderick Green contributed seven points on four kills, two aces and a block.
The U.S. Men split the first two sets against Italy before controlling the final two sets by a combined 50-36 score. With the third set even at 11-11, the U.S. went on an 8-1 run to take a 19-13 lead. The U.S. began the fourth set by scoring seven of the first eight points.
The U.S. Men finished with a 46-26 advantage in kills and 14-6 in aces with each team registering eight blocks. Upp hit at a .476 efficiency with a team-high 13 kills and three errors in 21 total attacks, adding three aces and a block for a match-high 17 points.
Duda scored 12 points on nine kills with a .600 hitting efficiency), two aces and a block. Pinto reached double digits again with 10 points on six kills and a match-high four aces. Green scored nine points on five kills with two blocks and two aces.
Jason Roberts and John Kremer each scored four points on two kills, a block and an ace. Stuck recorded three kills and Dan Regan added three points on two blocks and a kill. Ben Aman, Chris Seilkop and Sam Suroweic scored two points apiece.
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, Region)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif., Northern California)
3 Lexi Shifflett-Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn., North Country)
6 Heather Erickson (OPP, 6-0, Fayetteville, N.C., Carolina)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz., Arizona)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla., Oklahoma)
10 Sydney Satchell (L, 5-2, Windsor, Conn., New England)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C., Carolina)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas, Lone Star)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla., Oklahoma)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky., Pioneer)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Leo Filho
Assistant Coach: Michelle Goodall
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown, Region)
1 Travis Ricks (L, 5-7, San Diego, Calif., Southern California)
2 Dan Regan (OH, 6-0, St. Louis, Mo., Gateway)
4 Ben Aman (OH, 6-5, Edmond, Okla., Oklahoma)
5 Eric Duda (S/OH, 6-5, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Florida)
8 James Stuck (S/OH, 6-5, New Kensington, Pa., Keystone)
11 Roderick Green (MB, 6-3, West Monroe, La., Bayou)
12 Patrick Young (OH, 6-4, Albuquerque, N.M., Sun Country)
14 John Kremer (L, 5-9, Buford, Ga., Southern)
15 Chris Seilkop (OH, 6-6, Deland, Fla., Florida)
17 Zach Upp (OH, 6-5, Bartlett, Ill., Great Lakes)
20 Jason Roberts (OH/RS, 6-3, Perry, Ga., Southern)
23 Will Curtis (S/L, 6-0, Cumberland, Maine, New England)
24 Fabricio da Silva Pinto (OH/S, 6-1, Santos, Brazil)
49 Sam Surowiec (OH, 6-2, Everett, Wash., Evergreen)
Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coach: Joe Skinner
Assistant Coach: Julie Allen
Performance Analyst: Sydnie Mabry
Athletic Trainer: Whitney Padgett
Team Leader: Tina Readling
U.S. Schedule for the Dutch Tournament
(All times PT)
Matches live streamed at youtube.com/@dutchtournament3998
July 5
U.S. Women def. Germany, 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-13)
Germany def. U.S. Men, 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 15-25, 26-24)
U.S. Women def. Italy, 3-2 (21-25, 25-27, 25-18, 25-14, 15-6)
U.S. Men def. Italy, 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-15, 25-11)
U.S. Women def. France, 3-0 (25-7, 25-10, 25-13)
July 6
1:30 a.m. U.S. Men vs. France
3:15 a.m. U.S. Women vs Brazil
5:00 a.m. U.S. Men vs. TBA
6:45 a.m. U.S. Women vs. Canada (Friendly)
8:30 a.m./12 p.m. U.S. Men vs. TBA
July 7
2 a.m./7:30 a.m. U.S. Women vs TBA, Placement or Medal Match
4 a.m./7:30 a.m. U.S. Men vs. TBA, Placement or Medal Match