COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2024) – Both the U.S. Men’s Sitting National Team and the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team medaled at the 2024 Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands. The men’s team dropped the final to Germany but took home the silver medal. The women’s team defeated Italy to earn the bronze medal.
U.S. Men vs. Germany Match Statistics (PDF)
The U.S. Men led Germany in kills (35-33) and service aces (6-2), but could not overcome the German block, which finished with a 14-3 advantage in a tight match decided by only 11 points total in three sets, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22.
Eric Duda, Zach Upp and Francisco Pinto shared team- and match-high honors with 11 points apiece. Pinto led all players with 11 kills, Duda recorded nine (along with two aces) and Upp finished with eight kills and three aces.
James Stuck totaled six points on four kills, a block and an ace, and Roderick Green scored four points on three kills and a block.
Kazakhstan, which the U.S. defeated in the semifinal round, earned the bronze medal with a win over Brazil on Sunday.
U.S. Women vs. Italy Match Statistics (PDF)
A smothering block guided the U.S. in the bronze-medal match with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 29-27) win. Tia Edwards led the team with five blocks, Whitney Dosty recorded four, and Emma Schieck and Nicky Nieves added three apiece as the U.S. accumulated 17 blocks compared to six for Italy.
Heather Erickson paced all players with 13 kills and 16 points, adding two aces and a block. Schieck served a match-best four aces and contributed seven kills in addition to her three blocks to total 14 points. Edwards registered five kills and two aces to go with her five blocks for 12 points.
Nieves scored nine points on six kills and her three blocks, while Dosty added three kills to her four blocks for seven points.
The U.S. Women took the first two sets convincingly, limiting Italy to a total of 26 points in the first two sets. In the third set, Italy fought off two match points and eventually earned a set point at 27-26, but digs by Bethany Zummo and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay combined with the blocking of Dosty and Erickson secured the tying point. A kill by Nieves and a hitting error by Italy gave the U.S. the victory.
Canada earned the gold medal with a five-set win over Brazil.
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
U.S. Men def. France, 3-0 (25-10, 29-27, 25-19)
Semifinals, Brazil def. U.S. Women, 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18)
Semifinals, U.S. Men def. Kazakhstan, 3-1 (25-20, 31-29, 15-25, 25-21)
Friendly: Brazil def. U.S. Men, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-13)
Friendly: Canada def. U.S. Women, 3-1 (25-13, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20)
July 7
Bronze Medal Match, U.S. Women def. Italy, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 29-27)
Gold Medal Match, Germany def. U.S. Men, 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)