COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 28, 2021) – The U.S. Girls U18 National Team will play for the bronze medal at the FIVB World Championship after losing to Italy in the semifinals on Tuesday, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22) in Durango, Mexico.
The Girls U18 Team (6-1) will play Serbia (6-1) for third place at 3 p.m. PT. Italy will play Russia for the gold medal.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS * FIVB TOURNAMENT PAGE
Italy went into the match having lost only one set in the tournament. The U.S. Girls were coming off two straight five-set matches.
“I think maybe the 10 sets caught up with us and we didn’t compete as we are capable of,” U.S. Head Coach Jamie Morrison said.
Italy led the U.S. in kills (42-34) and blocks (13-8). The U.S. led in aces (4-3) and each team had 17 scoring errors.
Outside hitter Mckenna Wucherer led the U.S. with 15 points on 14 kills and one ace.
Opposite Devin Kahahawai and middle blockers Bekka Allick and Maggie Mendelson each scored seven points. Kahahawai scored on four blocks, two aces and one kill. Allick scored on five kills and two blocks. Mendelson scored on five kills, one block and one ace.
Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine came in as a substitute and scored six points on six kills. Outside hitter Harper Murray finished with three points on two kills and one block.
Setter Bergen Reilly scored one point on a kill. Libero Laney Choboy was credited with 10 digs and seven successful receptions.
Italy’s opposite Julia Ituma was a force at the net, leading all scorers with 23 points on 20 kills, two blocks and one ace. Ituma won a gold medal with Italy’s team at the FIVB U20 World Championship in July.
2021 U.S. Girls U18 National Team
Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, Region, Club)
1 Laney Choboy (L, 5-3, Raleigh, N.C., Carolina, NC Volleyball Academy)
4 Chloe Chicoine (OH/L, 5-10, Lafayette, Ind., Hoosier, Circle City)
6 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., North Country, Kairos Elite Volleyball)
7 Mckenna Wucherer (OH, 6-1, Brookfield , Wis., Badger, Milwaukee Sting)
10 Caroline Jurevicius (OPP, 6-2, Gates Mills, Ohio, Ohio Valley, Academy Volleyball Cleveland)
13 Harper Murray (OH, 6-2, Ann Arbor, Mich., Lakeshore, Legacy Volleyball Club)
14 Alexis Stucky (S, 6-2, Laramie, Wyo., Rocky Mountain, Northern Colorado Juniors)
16 Devin Kahahawai (OH, 6-3, Kailua, Hawaii, Aloha, Spike and Serve)
18 Eloise Brandewie (MB, 6-3, Columbus, Ohio, Ohio Valley, Mintonette)
19 Julia Blyashov (OH, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Southern California, Wave Volleyball Club)
21 Bekka Allick (MB, 6-4, Waverly, Neb., Great Plains, VC Nebraska)
24 Maggie Mendelson (MB, 6-5, North Ogden, Utah, Intermountain, Hive Volleyball)
Head Coach: Jamie Morrison
Assistant Coach: Michelle Chatman-Smith
Assistant Coach: Alisha Glass Childress
Technical Coordinator: Mike Gee
Team Leader: Meredith Lee
Athletic Trainer: Wyatt Blue
U.S. Schedule for the FIVB U18 World Championship
(All times PT)
Live streams available at youtube.com
Sept. 21: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-23)
Sept. 22: USA def Romania, 3-1 (25-21, 25-11, 18-25, 25-16)
Sept. 23: USA def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-9)
Sept. 24: USA def Nigeria, 3-0 (forfeit)
Sept. 25 Rest Day
Sept. 26:USA def Argentina, 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-7)
Sept. 27 QFs: USA def Turkey, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 15-9)
Sept. 28 SFs: Italy def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22)
Sept. 29 Bronze at 3 p.m.: USA v Serbia