COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 10, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Canada 25-16, 25-14, 25-23 to finish in seventh place in the Pan American Games being held at Lima, Peru.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana) led a balanced Team USA scoring as she collected seven blocks and four kills on 11 swings for 11 points. Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) added eight kills on 22 attacks and an ace for nine points. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) provided seven kills and an ace for eight points.
Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Viejo, California), who subbed into all three sets, chipped in seven kills on 12 attacks and a block for eight points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) pocketed eight points with four blocks and three kills on six swings. Middle Jenna Rosenthal (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) contributed four kills on nine swings, two blocks and an ace for seven points. Setter Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas) charted three kills on as many attacks, two aces and two blocks for seven points.
Libero Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) led the American defense with 11 digs and added three excellent receptions on 12 chances. Wilhite Parsons was credited with seven digs and seven excellent receptions on 16 chances. Rolfzen turned in five excellent receptions on a team-high 23 total receptions.
The U.S. converted 37.5 percent of its attacks into points with a .260 hitting efficiency (36-11-96) as Lilley set the majority of the match with Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota) coming in as a sub in all three sets. The Americans held Canada to a 27.6 kill percent and .029 hitting efficiency (29-26-105).
“Canada is a good team,” said Rob Browning, head for the U.S. Women at the Pan Am Games. “We are really happy with our victory today, we played well. We showed our depth in our line-up knowing we could win matches with lots of different line-ups and we got a bunch of good players. The competition for us was real tough, high quality. We enjoyed this experience.”
Team USA out-blocked Canada 16-4 and held a 6-4 margin in aces. The American offense generated a 36-29 advantage in kills and they limited their errors to 17 for the match.
The U.S. started Rolfzen and Wilhite Parsons at outside hitter, Rosenthal and Tapp at middle, Cuttino at opposite, Lilley at setter and Curry at libero.
Team USA will return to the court for the dual gender NORCECA Champions Cup where both the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams host a four-team round-robin tournament Aug. 22-24 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tickets to all 12 matches over the three days are free and open to the public.
The U.S. started the opening set with a 2-0 lead with a Rolfzen kill and Lilley ace, but Canada came back to tie the set at 3-all. The Americans moved in front 8-3 with a Cuttino block, two Rosenthal aces, Wilhite Parsons kill and Canada attack error. Out of the first technical timeout, Canada scored four of the next five points to close to 9-7. Rolfzen scored back-to-back kills to yield a 15-11 margin. Rosenthal and Cuttino scored consecutive blocks to lift the American lead to 17-12. Tapp gave the Americans a 22-15 lead with a kill and two aces. Cuttino ended the set with a kill and block for a 25-16 victory.
The U.S. gained a 5-2 advantage in the second set after a Canada error, Lilley kill and Tapp block. The Americans raised the advantage to 10-3 as Lilley scored an overpass kill and block between a Canadian error and Tapp block and overpass kill. Canada took three points off its deficit at 10-6. The Americans stopped the run with a Rolfzen kill and Canada error at 12-6, but Canada answered with two points at 12-8. Rosenthal, Rolfzen and Wilhite Parsons knocked down kills followed by a Lilley ace to extend Team USA’s lead to 16-8. Canada scored four consecutive points out of the second technical timeout to cut the deficit to 16-12. Rosenthal ended the run with a block, followed by two Cuttino kills around a Rolfzen ace and Canadian error at 21-12. Out of a Canada timeout, Rosenthal added her second block in the 6-0 USA run at 22-12. Tapp and Plummer notched consecutive kills to claim a 25-14 victory.
Canada scored four consecutive points to stake a 4-1 advantage in the third set. Cuttino ended the run with a kill and Canada followed with an attack error to close to 4-3. Plummer tied the set at 7-all with a kill. Canada broke an 8-all tie with five straight points to go up 13-8. Plummer and Rolfzen connected for kills and Canada hit long to slice the gap to 13-11. The U.S. closed to within one at 15-14 with a Rosenthal kill and Canada error. Canada answered with consecutive points to shift the advantage to 17-14. Team USA ran off six straight to go up 21-18 with a Tapp kill and block, two Wilhite Parsons service winners and kill, and a Plummer kill. The U.S. upped its lead to 23-19 with a Plummer kill and Rosenthal block. Canada tallied consecutive points to narrow the deficit to 23-21 and saved a match points to close to 24-23. Plummer ended the set with a kill at 25-23.
U.S. Pan American Games Women’s Volleyball Team Roster
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
2 – Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, California, Stanford University)
3 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Glenarden, Maryland, University of Florida)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Arizona, University of Arizona)
10 – Gabby Curry (L, 5-8, Buford, Georgia, University of Kentucky)
11 – Madison Lilley (S, 5-11, Overland Park, Kansas, University of Kentucky)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, University of Minnesota)
14 – Samantha Seliger-Swenson (S, 5-11, Minnetonka, Minnesota, University of Minnesota)
16 – Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Indiana, Purdue University)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minnesota, University of Minnesota)
22 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Papillion, Nebraska, University of Nebraska)
23 – Krystal Rivers (OPP, 5-11, Birmingham, Alabama, University of Alabama)
24 – Jenna Rosenthal (M, 6-6, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Marquette University)
Head Coach: Rob Browning
Assistant Coaches: Laurie Corbelli
Technical Coordinator: Jon Wong
Team Manager: John Xie
Pan American Games Schedule
Pool A: Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Peru
Pool B: Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, USA
Pool Play for Team USA
Aug. 7: USA lost to Argentina 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 18-25, 15-10
Aug. 8: USA def. Puerto Rico 25-19, 19-25, 21-25, 25-16, 15-10
Aug. 9: USA lost to Brazil 25-21, 25-22, 25-17
Playoff Matches
Aug. 10: USA def. Canada 25-16, 25-14, 25-23 (7th-place match)