COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 30, 2016) – Globetrotting U.S. middle blocker David Lee is playing in Turkey this winter for Ziraat Bankasi.
Lee (Alpine, Calif.), who is known for making the most of his time abroad, helped his team beat Tokat Belediye Plevne, 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 25-16 on Nov. 19. Lee started the first three sets and scored nine points on five kills and a match-high four blocks. On Nov. 26, Bankasi fell to Halkbank, 18-25, 25-21, 29-27, 25-22. Lee scored five points on two kills and three blocks.
To read more about Lee’s adventures in other countries, read this story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“I never could have imagined it would turn into what it has,” Lee said of his travels overseas, both for volleyball and for fun. “I’ve gone through three passports already. It’s really become a passion for me, sparked something in me.”
ITALY
U.S. setter Micah Christenson (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Cucine Lube Civitanova have moved into first place in Italy’s Serie A League, thanks in part to U.S. middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio), outside hitter Brian Cook (Santa Cruz, Calif.) and their team Azimut Modena.
On Nov. 20, Holt, Cook and Modena handed Diatec Trentino, which was in first place at 11-1, its second loss of the season, 25-15, 18-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-8. Holt scored 11 points on five kills, three blocks and a team-high three aces. Cook played as a substitute and scored one point on one kill. That same night, Christenson and Civitanova beat Calzedonia Verona, 25-15, 25-15, 25-22. Christenson scored one point on one block and set his team to a .619 hitting efficiency.
On Nov. 27, Christenson and Civitanova beat Exprivia Molfetta, 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17. Christenson scored one point on one kill and set his team to a .646 hitting efficiency. That same night, Holt, Cook and Modena beat LPR Piacenza, 25-19, 27-29, 33-31, 25-22. Holt scored five points on two kills, one block and two aces. Cook played as a substitute.
On Nov. 25, setter James Shaw (Woodside, Calif.), middle blocker Taylor Averill (San Jose, Calif.) and Kioene Padova beat Biosi Indexa Sora, 18-25, 25-15, 25-27, 25-20, 19-17. Shaw scored 11 points on 10 kills and one block. He set his team to a .397 hitting efficiency.
POLAND
On Nov. 19, middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.), libero Dustin Watten (Long Beach, Calif.) and Cerrad Czarni Radom are on a roll with three straight victories. On Nov. 19, Radom beat Lotos Trefl Gdansk, 21-25, 25-22, 30-28, 32-30. Smith scored 10 points on five kills, two blocks and a team-high three aces. Watten was credited with 24 receptions, 54 percent positive.
On Nov. 24, Radon defeated Cuprum Lubin, 28-26, 23-25, 31-29, 25-23. Smith was named the match MVP, scoring 18 points on 15 kills and three blocks. Watten was credited with seven receptions, 86 percent positive. On Nov. 29, Radom beat Onico AZS Politechnika Warszawska, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22. Smith scored six points on five kills and one ace. Watten was credited with 25 receptions, 80 percent positive.
Outside hitter Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.) and Jastrzębski Węgiel went 1-1 in their last two matches. On Nov. 26, Węgiel beat Gdansk, 25-21, 25-20, 23-25, 22-25, 15-13. Touzinsky scored nine points on seven kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 23 receptions, 57 percent positive. On Nov. 30, Cuprum Lubin defeated Węgiel, 26-24, 24-26, 12-25, 25-16, 15-11. Touzinsky started the first two sets and scored three points on three kills.
Setter Johah Seif (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and outside hitter Kyle Russell (Loomis, Calif.) played as substitutes as MKS Będzin beat Effector Kielce, 25-17, 25-17, 25-27, 21-25, 15-10 on Nov. 30. Both also played as substitutes on Nov. 26 as Będzin beat BBTS Bielsko-Biała, 25-12, 25-19, 25-13. Russell scored two points on two kills.
RUSSIA
Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who plays outside hitter for Zenit Kazan, has won three matches in a row with his Russian team. On Nov. 19, Anderson scored seven points on six kills and one ace as Kazan beat Kuzbass Kemerovo, 25-22, 25-19, 25-16. He was credited with 21 receptions, 38 percent positive. On Nov. 26, Kazan defeated Dinamo Leningrad, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19. Anderson played as a substitute and scored two points on two kills. On Nov. 30, Kazan beat Nova Novokuybyshevsk, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22. Anderson scored 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 22 receptions, 55 percent positive.
Libero Erik Shoji (Honolulu) and setter Kawika Shoji (Honolulu) have gone 2-1 with their Russian team Lokomotiv Novosibirsk. On Nov. 19, Novosibirsk beat Gazprom-Ugra Surgut, 25-22, 25-19, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11. Erik Shoji was credited with 29 receptions, 62 percent positive. Kawika Shoji started the first four sets and substituted in the fifth. He scored three points on one kill and two blocks. He set the team to a .536 hitting efficiency.
On Nov. 24, Novosibirsk beat Belogorie Belgorod, 19-25, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21, 15-11. Shoji was credited with 30 receptions, 60 percent positive. Kawika Shoji entered the match as a substitute in the third set and started the fourth and fifth. He scored two points on one kill and one block and helped set the team to a .405 hitting efficiency.
On Nov. 30, Novosibirsk fell to Dinamo Moscow, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23. Erik Shoji was credited with 18 receptions, 61 percent positive. Kawika Shoji started the first three sets and substituted in the fourth. He scored two points on two aces and set the team to a .379 hitting efficiency.
GERMANY
SVG Luneburg, including Americans Michael Brinkley, Scott Kevorken, Cody Kessel and Eric Fitterer, has gone 1-1 in its last two matches. On Nov. 20, Luneburg fell to SWD powervolleys Duren, 25-23, 25-21, 26-28, 25-20. Fitterer (Edwardsville, Ill.), an opposite, led the team in scoring with 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Kessel (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 44 receptions, 57 percent positive. Middle blocker Kevorken (Westlake Village, Calif.) scored 10 points on six kills, one block and three aces. Libero Brinkley was credited with 23 receptions, 48 percent positive.
On Nov. 26, Luneburg fell to TSV Herrsching, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21. Kevorken led his team with 12 points on seven kills and a match-high five blocks. Fitterer added 11 points on 11 kills. Kessel scored eight points on eight kills. He was credited with 12 receptions, 33 percent positive. Brinkley was credited with 10 receptions, 60 percent positive.
GREECE
Outside hitter Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill.) and Pamvohaikos defeated AO Foinikas Sirou, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 19-25, 18-16 on Nov. 26. Petty scored 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 27 receptions, 70 percent positive.
FRANCE
Middle blocker Dan McDonnell (Glendale, Ariz.) has won two straight matches with Chaumont. On Nov. 19, Chaumont beat Paris, 20-25, 30-32, 25-20, 25-20, 15-13. McDonnell scored 14 points on 13 kills and one block. On Nov. 26, Chaumont defeated Poitiers, 20-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 21-19. McDonnell scored nine points on nine kills.