U.S. Women's Sitting Team Heading to 2025 World Cup Medal Round

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 16, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team finished second in pool play at the 2025 World Cup and will play in the semifinals Friday at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The U.S. lost its final pool play match to Brazil Thursday afternoon 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15). Next up is a rematch with Canada (3-2) at 10:30 a.m. PT Friday; the U.S. defeated Canada 3-0 earlier this week. Brazil will play Italy in the other semifinal.

All matches are live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.

With the team already guaranteed a spot in Friday’s medal round, U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter used the opportunity to mix up his lineups, starting Annie Flood, Kendra Hall, Nicky Nieves, Emma Schieck, Maddy Ball, Alexis Patterson and Tia Edwards. He continued to adapt his lineup throughout the match.

“We took care of business in all our previous matches, so we were in second place no matter what the result was today. It made it a good time for us to get players in against a really good team so they could get that experience, and we can see how they respond,” Hamiter said. “I think that’s a positive. We had some bright sides, some not quite as good. Those are things you have to have as you develop. Overall, I thought it was nice, especially with some of the way we came back in the third set, and pressed in the first and second.”

Brazil led the U.S. in kills (52-29) and aces (15-5), but the U.S. had the edge in blocks (11-3).

Emma Schieck led the U.S. with13 points (seven kills, a team-high four blocks and two aces). Nicky Nieves scored 10 on seven kills and three blocks. Tia Edwards had six kills and three blocks.

Six other players scored for the U.S.: Raelene Elam (three points); Jessie West (three points); Annie Flood (two points); Kendra Hall (two points); Gia Cruz (two points); and Alexi Patterson (one point). Maddy Ball and Bethany Zummo shared the libero duties.

In the first set, Brazil jumped out to a 4-1 lead and stretched the lead to six points at 9-3. As the U.S. lineup began to gel, the lead was cut to two at 10-8. Up 16-14, Brazil scored the final nine points of the set for a 25-14 win.

Set two was closer, with Brazil only gaining an edge by scoring twice to break at 15-15 tie. The U.S. was down by two, 21-19, when Brazil again scored twice for a 23-19 lead. The U.S. closed it to 24-23 but Brazil ended it with a kill.

The U.S. broke an 11-11 tie in the third set with three straight points. After Brazil closed it to 16-15, the U.S. used a Brazil service error, a block by Baker and Elam, a kill by Elam, and an ace by Schieck to help build a 21-15 lead. Brazil got within three at 23-20, but the U.S. closed it out with a Nieves kill and Brazil service error.

In the fourth, the two teams were tied at seven when Brazil scored seven of the next eight points to lead 14-8. Brazil continued to build on the lead, finishing the match 25-15.

U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for World Cup

No  Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni

Schedule

All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10)
Oct. 16: Brazil def. USA, 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15)
Oct. 17: Semifinals: USA vs. Canada, 10:30 a.m. PT
Oct. 18: Medal Matches