Moving On: Sitting Team Advances to Semis in Paris

PARIS, France (Sept. 3, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team swept Italy 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-15) on Tuesday to advance to its sixth-straight Paralympic Games semifinal.

The U.S. Women (2-1) finished second in Pool A and will play Pool B winner Brazil (3-0) in the semifinals on Thursday at either 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. Pacific time. The U.S. Women have won the gold medal in the last two Paralympic Games.

The Women’s Sitting Team had a slow start in the must-win match, but picked up speed behind opposite Heather Erickson to defeat the European side. Erickson led all scorers with 19 points on a match-high 15 kills, three blocks and one ace.

“We didn’t feel like we were shaken or [had] nerves. We were just trying to settle in,” Katie Holloway Bridge said about the first two sets. “Italy plays at a very fast rate. I don’t think we were caught off guard, but we were definitely trying to settle in and find our game, relax and play volleyball.”

The U.S. led Italy in kills (41-35) and blocks (12-6) while Italy led in aces (5-3). The U.S. scored on 19 Italian errors while giving up 13 points on errors, including 11 in the first two sets.

“This is exactly how our error count goes in our sets,” Holloway Bridge said. “It’s high the first set, lower the second set, and then lower the third set. It takes us a little bit. That’s kind of our [modus operandi].”

Six-time Paralympian Lora Webster at middle blocker was the team’s leading scorer in a difficult first set and finished with 10 points on a match-high five blocks, four kills and one ace.

Outside hitter Monique Matthews finished with nine points on eight kills and one block. Middle Nicky Nieves scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks.

Holloway Bridge totaled eight points on seven kills and one block.

Setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay set the team to a kill percentage of 41%.

Libero Bethany Zummo was credited with one dig and two successful receptions. Erickson led in digs with eight and Bridge led in successful receptions with eight.

Middle Tia Edwards played as a substitute and scored with an ace. Outside Emma Schieck also played as a substitute. Libero Sydney Satchell played as a substitute and was credited with a dig.

Italy jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first set. The U.S. used a 5-1 run to tie it at 6-6, getting the final point on a kill from Matthews. With the U.S. trailing 8-7, it scored three straight points on two kills from Bridge and one from Nieves to lead 10-8. With the U.S. leading 14-13, it used a four-point run to lead 18-13. Italy did not threaten again.

Set two was tied 11-11 when Italy scored three straight, including two off U.S. errors, to lead 14-11. The U.S. came back to tie at 14-14. Italy led by three again at 20-17. The U.S. responded with a five-point run on great serving from Webster, including two kills and a block from Erickson to lead 22-20. The U.S. reached set point at 24-22 on a kill from Matthews. Italy scored on a block, but Nieves finished the set with an overpass kill.

In the third set, the U.S. cleaned up its errors and jumped out to an 11-3 lead and Italy never threatened.

With Brazil waiting in the semifinals, Holloway Bridge thinks the team is ready.

“This is a really nice trajectory for us going into semifinals,” she said. “Italy brings up the pace significantly; Brazil brings the pace and the emotion. I think we’re looking really good in terms of where we’re at, trying to settle in to this tournament, and looking ahead to Brazil. We’re doing just fine.”‘

Paris Paralympics Hub | U.S. Women’s Sitting Team home

2024 U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team

No., Name, Pos., Height, Hometown, USAV Region
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y., Garden Empire)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif., Northern California)
3 Lexi Shifflett-Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn., North Country)
5 Katie Holloway Bridge (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash., Puget Sound)
6 Heather Erickson (OPP, 6-0, Fayetteville, N.C., Carolina)
7C Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla., Oklahoma)
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)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla., Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)

Alternates
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky., Pioneer)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coaches: Leo Filho, Michelle Goodall
Team Leader: Patrick Lawrence
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Team Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
Athletic Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella

U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Paralympic Games

Aug. 30: China def. USA, 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24)
Sept. 1: USA def. France, 3-0 (25-5, 25-1, 25-5)
Sept. 3: USA def. Italy, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-15)
Sept. 5: Semifinals, 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. (Peacock)
Sept. 7: Medal matches (CNBC and Peacock)