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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 9, 2026) — USA Volleyball announced today that Rob Browning has been named an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Browning brings decades of experience at both the collegiate and international levels, adding valuable perspective as the program continues to compete at the highest level of the sport worldwide.
Browning most recently served as an assistant coach at NC State during the 2025 season. Prior to that, he spent 20 years as head coach at Saint Mary’s College of California, becoming the winningest coach in program history. Under his leadership, Saint Mary’s made five postseason appearances and captured its first West Coast Conference title in 2009. He also launched the school’s beach volleyball program in 2013, helping develop multiple West Coast Conference award winners.
“I’m honored to join the U.S. Women’s National Team staff and work with this outstanding group of athletes and coaches,” Browning said. “I’m excited to contribute and help the program continue to grow and succeed on the world stage.”
Internationally, Browning has spent six years as an assistant coach with the U.S. Men’s National Team, contributing to four Olympic cycles, including the gold medal run at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He has also worked with the U.S. Women’s National Team and U.S. Women’s Junior National Team, helping teams earn gold medals at the 2010 NORCECA Championship and the 2019 Pan Am Cup. Most recently, Browning served as team leader for the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer.
“Rob’s experience and passion for the game make him a tremendous addition to our staff,” said Erik Sullivan, U.S. Women’s National Team head coach. “He has a proven history of developing athletes and building competitive programs, and we’re excited to welcome him as we prepare for the next phase of international competition.”
Browning succeeds Mike Wall, who has stepped away from the role to spend more time with his family. USA Volleyball thanks Mike for his dedication and contributions to the U.S. Women’s National Team.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 18, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won the gold medal in dramatic fashion, pulling off the reverse sweep against Brazil 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-12) at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. finished the tournament 5-2. Brazil (6-1) entered the gold medal match undefeated in the tournament.
The U.S. led in kills (52-49) and blocks (13-6). Brazil led at the serving line (14-9).
“I’m super proud,” U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter said. “The way they (the U.S. Women) played throughout the whole tournament. A few ups and downs, but they really played exceptionally well. A lot of effort and great defense which really kept us in a lot of those matches. Today, the biggest part was trying to keep them in and staying relaxed. They settled in, started executing and that was the difference in the game.”
Emma Schieck led the U.S. with 21 points on 15 kills, three blocks and three aces. Tia Edwards led all players with four blocks and added three kills and an ace.
Nicky Nieves had 15 points on 11 kills, three blocks and an ace. Raelene Elam had 12 points on 11 kills and a block. Gia Cruz had 11 points on six kills, two blocks and three aces. Alexis Patterson had six points on five kills and an ace. Bethany Zummo was credited with 21 receptions.
The U.S. held a five-point lead three separate times in the first set and 12-7, 15-10 and 17-13. However, Brazil scored four points in a row, three of which were aces to take a 20-19 lead late in the set. The U.S. fought off three set points to tie it up 24-24, but Brazil ultimately took the first set in extra points 26-24.
The second set was back and forth until late when Brazil scored four straight points to take a 22-18 lead. The momentum was too much to overcome for the U.S. and Brazil took a 2-0 match lead.
The third set started in favor of Brazil early as they jumped to an 8-3 lead. The U.S. kept their poise and scored six straight points that gave them a 12-10 lead. From then the U.S. stormed ahead to take the set 25-18 and quell Brazil’s hopes of a sweep to the gold medal.
Despite the fourth set staying close early on, it was clear the U.S. had an energy spark. The momentum began to shift when the U.S. scored three straight points to take a 12-9 lead on a pair of Elam kills and an ace from Cruz. The U.S. never looked back taking the set 25-20 and forcing a fifth set.
The fifth set was all USA early with Brazil’s only lead coming at 3-2. The U.S. took match point at 14-7, but Brazil would not go without a fight scoring five straight points to get within two. Ultimately, a net fault error ended the match and the U.S. pulled off the reverse sweep to win the gold medal.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10)
Oct. 16: Brazil def. USA, 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15)
Oct. 17: Semifinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25=22)
Oct. 18: Gold Medal Match: USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-12)
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team won its semifinal matchup against Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-22) and will play for the gold medal at the 2025 World Cup at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team finished second in pool play at the 2025 World Cup and will play in the semifinals Friday at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team took care of business Wednesday afternoon at the 2025 World Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10) victory over Germany at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The sweep-fest at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup continued Tuesday afternoon as the U.S. Women's Sitting Team defeated Canada 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23) at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 17, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its semifinal matchup against Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-22) and will play for the gold medal at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. (4-2) will face the winner of the Italy-Brazil semifinal on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. PT. The U.S. lost to Italy, 3-2, in the first match of the tournament, and fell to Brazil, 3-1, on Thursday. The gold medal match will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
The U.S. looked poised and strong throughout the win, leading Canada in kills (22-18), blocks (9-6) and aces (9-2).
“We’re always glad to get a win and get into the finals,” U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter said. “Our first goal was to make it into the playoffs, especially with the players that we brought. We thought that would be a big goal for them. They played well today, especially on serving, which hurt Canada a lot in passing.
“I like the finish; we played well all week long, not any big ups or downs. That’s exciting as a coach, when you see the depth we’ve got in our program. That’s what we’re trying to build through LA and after. I’m excited about it. We’ll see what we can get done tomorrow.”
Nicky Nieves used a powerful serve to help lead the U.S. in the win. She scored 16 points with a match-high four aces, eight kills and a match-high four blocks. Emma Schieck had eight points on six kills, a block and an ace, and Raelene Elam had three kills, a block and an ace.
Tia Edwards had four kills and a block; Gia Cruz had two aces, a kill and a block, and Alexis Patterson had a block and an ace. Libero Bethany Zummo shined on defense.
Up 8-6 in set one, the U.S. went on a tear behind Schieck’s serving, scoring five straight points. The U.S. stretched the lead to nine at 21-12 and finished the set 25-17 on a Patterson block and Schieck kill.
The U.S. jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set. Up 7-4, it was Nieves’ turn for service pressure, as the U.S. scored six straight with her at the line. That effectively put the set out of reach at 13-4. Canada was never able to close the gap to fewer than six points.
The U.S. had another early lead in set three, going up 9-4. They were up by nine at 16-7 and 19-10 when Canada made a run, scoring five straight for 19-15. Canada got within three at 20-17 and 21-18. The U.S. had match point at 24-20, but Canada saved two before Elam finished the match with a kill.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10)
Oct. 16: Brazil def. USA, 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15)
Oct. 17: Semifinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25=22)
Oct. 18: Gold Meal Match: USA vs. TBA, 2 p.m. PT
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team finished second in pool play at the 2025 World Cup and will play in the semifinals Friday at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team took care of business Wednesday afternoon at the 2025 World Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10) victory over Germany at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The sweep-fest at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup continued Tuesday afternoon as the U.S. Women's Sitting Team defeated Canada 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23) at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 16, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team finished second in pool play at the 2025 World Cup and will play in the semifinals Friday at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. lost its final pool play match to Brazil Thursday afternoon 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15). Next up is a rematch with Canada (3-2) at 10:30 a.m. PT Friday; the U.S. defeated Canada 3-0 earlier this week. Brazil will play Italy in the other semifinal.
All matches are live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
With the team already guaranteed a spot in Friday’s medal round, U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter used the opportunity to mix up his lineups, starting Annie Flood, Kendra Hall, Nicky Nieves, Emma Schieck, Maddy Ball, Alexis Patterson and Tia Edwards. He continued to adapt his lineup throughout the match.
“We took care of business in all our previous matches, so we were in second place no matter what the result was today. It made it a good time for us to get players in against a really good team so they could get that experience, and we can see how they respond,” Hamiter said. “I think that’s a positive. We had some bright sides, some not quite as good. Those are things you have to have as you develop. Overall, I thought it was nice, especially with some of the way we came back in the third set, and pressed in the first and second.”
Brazil led the U.S. in kills (52-29) and aces (15-5), but the U.S. had the edge in blocks (11-3).
Emma Schieck led the U.S. with13 points (seven kills, a team-high four blocks and two aces). Nicky Nieves scored 10 on seven kills and three blocks. Tia Edwards had six kills and three blocks.
Six other players scored for the U.S.: Raelene Elam (three points); Jessie West (three points); Annie Flood (two points); Kendra Hall (two points); Gia Cruz (two points); and Alexi Patterson (one point). Maddy Ball and Bethany Zummo shared the libero duties.
In the first set, Brazil jumped out to a 4-1 lead and stretched the lead to six points at 9-3. As the U.S. lineup began to gel, the lead was cut to two at 10-8. Up 16-14, Brazil scored the final nine points of the set for a 25-14 win.
Set two was closer, with Brazil only gaining an edge by scoring twice to break at 15-15 tie. The U.S. was down by two, 21-19, when Brazil again scored twice for a 23-19 lead. The U.S. closed it to 24-23 but Brazil ended it with a kill.
The U.S. broke an 11-11 tie in the third set with three straight points. After Brazil closed it to 16-15, the U.S. used a Brazil service error, a block by Baker and Elam, a kill by Elam, and an ace by Schieck to help build a 21-15 lead. Brazil got within three at 23-20, but the U.S. closed it out with a Nieves kill and Brazil service error.
In the fourth, the two teams were tied at seven when Brazil scored seven of the next eight points to lead 14-8. Brazil continued to build on the lead, finishing the match 25-15.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10)
Oct. 16: Brazil def. USA, 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15)
Oct. 17: Semifinals: USA vs. Canada, 10:30 a.m. PT
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team took care of business Wednesday afternoon at the 2025 World Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10) victory over Germany at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The sweep-fest at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup continued Tuesday afternoon as the U.S. Women's Sitting Team defeated Canada 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23) at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 15, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team took care of business Wednesday afternoon at the 2025 World Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10) victory over Germany at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. (3-1) will play undefeated Brazil (3-0) Thursday at 12:30 p.m. All matches will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
The match between the U.S. and Brazil is the final test before the playoffs on Friday. In their last meeting at the ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, Brazil defeated the U.S. 3-0 after the Americans had already beaten Brazil twice in the tournament.
Against Germany, the U.S. led in kills (32-10), blocks (10-5) and aces (13-6).
Raelene Elam and Nicky Nieves were both on fire, scoring 16 and 15 points, respectively. Elam had nine kills, two blocks and a team-high five aces, and Nieves had eight kills, two aces and a team-high five blocks.
Gia Cruz scored eight points on five kills and three aces, and Emma Schieck had seven points with five kills, one block and an ace. Tia Edwards had three kills, a block and an ace, and Alexis Patterson notched a kill, block and an ace. Bethany Zummo and Kari Ortiz were awesome on defense while sharing libero duties. Zummo also had a coveted libero kill.
After Germany jumped out to a 3-0 lead in set one, the U.S. settled down to score 10 of the next 11 for a commanding 10-5 lead. The U.S. led by as many as nine at 21-12, but Germany had a late run to close the gap to three at 21-18. Germany had three errors in the final minutes of the match to give up the set 25-18.
Germany held a 10-9 lead in the second before nine straight U.S. points made it 18-10. The U.S. lead continued to grow as they took advantage of Germany errors.
The U.S. continued its dominance in set three, leading by six early, 13-7. The lead grew to eight, 17-9, with three kills from Cruz and an ace from Schieck. Cruz later served consecutive aces to make it 24-10, and Nieves ended the match on a block.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-10)
Oct. 16: USA vs. Brazil, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Playoff rounds
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
The sweep-fest at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup continued Tuesday afternoon as the U.S. Women's Sitting Team defeated Canada 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23) at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 14, 2025) – The sweep-fest at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup continued Tuesday afternoon as the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team defeated Canada 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23) at the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. (2-1) will play Germany (1-2) Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. All matches will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
It was Canada’s first loss of the tournament and moved the U.S. into second place in the standings with seven points. Brazil is first with a 3-0 record and nine points.
Both teams had 23 kills in the match, and the U.S. had 10 aces to Canada’s six. Canada out-blocked the U.S. 8-6.
“I thought it was a great match. We definitely played up and down; still need to clean up some errors. We hung in, and for the most part kept aggressive, which is what we need to do, and living with the pressure is good for them,” U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter said.
Raelene Elam led the U.S. with 11 points on eight kills and three aces. Nicky Nieves had nine points on six kills, one block and two aces. Emma Schieck was tremendous from the serving line, collecting four aces, a couple at crucial junctures. She added four kills.
Tia Edwards and Gia Cruz both scored five, with Edwards having an ace, two kills and two blocks, and Cruz with three kills and two blocks. Annie Flood had one block.
The U.S. was on fire in the first set, rolling out to a 7-0 lead against its North American counterpart. Canada could never make up the difference as the U.S. cruised to a 25-13 win.
The U.S. led by five at 17-12 in the second set, but the Canadians chipped away to tie it 20. At 22-22, a Canada service error gave the U.S. the edge, and a Cruz block led to set point. U.S. setter Alexis Patterson served long and a Canada ace tied it at 24. Edwards and Cruz followed up with two straight kills for the 2-0 match lead.
Canada was on the offensive in the third, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. After the U.S. scored five of the next six points to move within one, Canada pulled ahead again with four straight, 10-5. Canada was up by eight at 15-7 when the U.S. began to make its move.
“I tell them ‘this is why we we are here, to live in these moments'” Hamiter said about talking to his team during high-pressure situations. “‘How are you going to deal with it? You can either go up or down, so let’s see what you’re going to do.'”
Two aces from Schieck helped cut the lead to four at 15-11. The U.S. found itself down by six again at 21-15 when the tide turn. A kill from Schieck, two Canada errors, an Edwards block and a Patterson ace closed the gap to 22-21. Canada went ahead 23-21, but Schieck made it 23-22 on a kill. Two straight Canada errors gave the U.S. match point. Schieck, who served an ace on championship point at the Tokyo Paralympics, ran it back with another ace for the win.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-23)
Oct. 15: USA vs. Germany, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 16: USA vs. Brazil, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Playoff rounds
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 13, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team won its first match at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Monday with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13) victory over the Netherlands.
The U.S. (1-1) will play Canada (1-0) on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. PT. All matches will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
The U.S. led the Netherlands in kills (38-14) and aces (8-4), but the Netherlands held an 11-4 edge in blocks.
“Overall, I thought we did good. Yesterday, we let some of our error counts get too high in a couple of sets, so that was a big part of it,” U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter said. “Set one, we made a few mental mistakes but then got into it. I was happy with the win; happy to be able to get a lot of different players in.”
Nicky Nieves led the U.S. with 13 points on 12 kills and a block, while Emma Schieck had 12 points with 10 kills, a block and an ace. Tia Edwards scored eight points with six kills, two aces and a block. Raelene Elam had seven points (five kills, two aces).
Alexis Patterson scored four points with a team-high three aces and a kill. Gia Cruz had an ace and two kills, and Courtney Baker had a kill and a block. Kendra Hall also had a kill.
The first set was close at 15-14 when the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to break it open at 22-15. Nieves gave the U.S. set point on a kill and Elam grabbed an ace for the win.
The U.S. had an early 6-3 lead in set two but the Netherlands tied it at 6. At 9-8, the U.S. scored three straight for a 12-8 lead and then increased it to 16-9. The Netherlands pressured the U.S. into errors and Hamiter called a timeout at 24-20. A Netherlands service error gave the set to the U.S.
Set three was all USA as they broke a 5-5 tie to run away with the match, 25-13.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Oct. 14: USA vs. Canada, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: USA vs. Germany, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 16: USA vs. Brazil, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Playoff rounds
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 12, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team fell to Italy in a reverse sweep 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14 on Sunday to open pool play at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The U.S. (0-1) will play the Netherlands (0-1) on Monday at 10:30 a.m. All matches will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
“With this group, that’s what they needed–to get in the heat of the battle, pressure on them, so they have to buck up and play, and survive,” said U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter. “Sets three and four, we were a little hesitant, and we let the game get away from us. We got a pretty good flow there in the fifth set. Anytime you got a big swing for the win, you’re doing all right. Our goal is to make it into the playoffs, so we would have liked to have won. They stuck together pretty well, played some awesome defense and served well, which are things we need to do.”
Four players scored in double figures for the U.S., led by Raelene Elam with 17 points on 14 kills, one block and two aces. Tia Edwards had 11 kills, two aces and three blocks for 16 points. Nicky Nieves had 10 kills and four blocks. She and Emma Schieck shared the team lead in blocks, and Schieck added five kills and three aces for 12 points.
Gia Cruz had four kills and a team-high four aces for eight points, and Alexis Patterson had an ace, three kills and two blocks.
The first set was highlighted by an Edwards’ serving run that broke open a close 19-18 game. She stayed on the line for the final six points, and the set ended with an ace and a pair of kills from Nieves.
Set two was tied at 11 before setter Gia Cruz served the team to six straight points for a 17-11 lead. Italy never closed the gap to fewer than four points in the 25-18 win.
At 7-7 in the third set, Italy scored four straight to take an 11-7 lead. The U.S. caught up to take a 13-12 lead, but Italy again went on a run for a three-point lead. The U.S. got close at 23-22, but Italy scored the last two points to send the match to a fourth set.
Italy kept the momentum in the fourth, leading the entire match for a 25-17 win. In the fifth, Italy broke a 3-3 tie with four straight and built the lead to 9-5. Down 10-5, the U.S. scored four straight to cut the lead to one. At 13-11, the U.S. scored twice to tie it. The two teams traded points until Italy got the break for the reverse sweep.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: Italy def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-14)
Oct. 13: USA vs. Netherlands, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 14: USA vs. Canada, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: USA vs. Germany, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 16: USA vs. Brazil, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Playoff rounds
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 7, 2025) – USA Volleyball announces the 13 athletes who will compete for the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup, Oct. 12-18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Hosted by the Turnstone Center, the World Cup is being held in the United States for the first time. Six teams will compete in the women’s division, including the top three in the world rankings: the United States, Canada and Brazil. Italy, ranked No. 7, along with No. 9 Germany and the Netherlands, round out the field.
The U.S. opens play on Oct. 12 at 12:30 p.m. PT against Italy. All matches will be live streamed on the Turnstone YouTube channel.
This is the U.S. Women’s third international competition of 2025. The team won silver at the ParaVolley Pan American Cup in May and captured gold at the Dutch Tournament in July.
Head coach Bill Hamiter leads a seasoned roster that includes eight Paralympians.
“We’re excited to compete at home in front of our fans,” Hamiter said. “This is a strong group with a great mix of veteran leaders and rising talent. The World Cup is an important step as we build toward the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, and we’re eager to test ourselves against the best teams in the world.”
Three-time Paralympians on the roster are liberos Bethany Zummo (libero) and Kari Ortiz, and outside hitter Kendra Hall. Tia Edwards (middle/outside), Nicky Nieves (middle), Alexis Patterson (setter) and Emma Schieck (outside) are all two-time Paralympians. 2020 Paralympian Annie Flood (setter) also joins the team in Fort Wayne.
Outside hitter Raelene Elam and middle hitter Courtney Baker, who were 2024 Paralympic alternates, bring valuable international experience. Setter Gia Cruz and outside hitter Jessie West will make their second international appearances of 2025 after competing at the Dutch Tournament. Defensive specialist Maddy Ball returns to international play for the first time since 2023.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Alexis Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 Maddy Ball (DS, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (MH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Team Manager: Jon Aharoni
All times Pacific
Oct. 12: USA vs. Italy, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 13: USA vs. Netherlands, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 14: USA vs. Canada, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: USA vs. Germany, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 16: USA vs. Brazil, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Playoff rounds
Oct. 18: Medal Matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 20, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Mexico (25-19, 25-17, 25-19) Sunday to win gold at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The U.S. went undefeated (7-0) and won the tournament for the second time. In five editions of the Final Six, the U.S. has won two golds (2023, 2025), two silvers (2022, 2024) and a bronze (2021).
Statistically, the U.S. led in kills (40-30), blocks (7-6) and aces (6-3). They gave up just 16 errors to Mexico, and Kami Miner and Ella Powell set the team to a .356 hitting percentage.
Reagan Cooper was named MVP of the tournament. Sami Francis was 2nd Best Blocker; Norah Sis was Best Receiver, and Ella Powell was Best Setter.
The U.S. cruised through the match and was never really threatened, although Mexico had a 14-11 lead midway through the first. The U.S. righted the ship after a Mexico service error and kills from Cooper and Khori Louis. At 18-18, the U.S. broke it open by scoring seven of the last eight points.
The U.S. never trailed in set two, using six points from Cooper to win 25-17. In the third, the U.S. took the lead at 5-4 and never looked back to win 25-19.
Cooper led all scorers with 16 points (15 kills, one ace), and Louis also hit double figures with 11 points on seven kills, two blocks and two aces. Sis had eight points (seven kills, one ace), and Skylar Fields had seven kills. Francis had two kills and a team-high three blocks, Kendall Kipp had two kills and two blocks; and Miner had a pair of aces.
Elena Oglivie led all players with 19 digs.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba, 3-2, (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)
Sept. 17: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13)
Sept. 18: USA def. Mexico, 3-1(25-15, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20)
Sept. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-13)
Sept. 20: Semifinals: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22
Sept. 21: Gold Medal Match: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-17)
The U.S. Women's National Team advanced past Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22) in the semifinals at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
he U.S. Women's National Team swept Puerto Rico 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 to finish first in pool play at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Madi Kubik Banks and Skylar Fields each scored 20 points as the U.S. Women's National Team outlasted Cuba in a five-set battle, 25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10, Tuesday night at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Four U.S. athletes scored in double figures as the Women's National Team opened play at the NORCECA Final Six with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19) victory over Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico.
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Erik Sullivan is leading 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women's Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 18, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team recorded seven blocks and seven aces on the way to a 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20) win over Mexico on Thursday at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The U.S. (4-0) will play Puerto Rico (2-2) on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. PT to close out pool play.
In addition to the 7-4 blocking advantage and a 7-6 edge at the service line, the U.S. Women were on the right side of the opposing errors with 27 points off of errors by Mexico and allowing only 19.
Outside hitter Madi Kubik Banks led the U.S. scoring with 14 kills. Outside hitter Reagan Cooper added 13 points with 11 kills and two aces. Middle Khori Louis was the third leading scorer with 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace.
The U.S. had plenty of help in scoring throughout the rest of the lineup. Opposite Kendall Kipp contributed eight kills and two aces. Opposite Skylar Fields tallied seven kills and middle Sami Francis had three kills.
After an ace by Banks made it 3-1 to open the match, the U.S. started pulling away with an early lead in the first set. It was 15-8 before the first timeout by Mexico. Kubik Banks led the way with five kills as the U.S. took the first set 25-15.
In the second, Kipp and Kubik Banks helped the U.S. to a 7-4 lead before Mexico again took a timeout. The U.S. made it an eight-point lead before the next stoppage, then took the second set with a Kami Miner ace for another 25-15 score. Kipp had four points with two kills and two aces in the second set.
The third began more evenly, with Mexico taking a 6-5 lead off a block, then adding a kill to open up a two-point lead. The U.S. tied it at 12-12 off a kill from Cooper, but Mexico quickly retook the lead and went on to force a fourth set with a 25-20 score in the third.
The fourth mirrored the third, with both teams deadlocked up until a 9-9 score. A Skylar Fields poke built a three-point margin and the U.S. stayed in front until the set win 25-20 that sealed the match. Khori Louis led the U.S. to victory in the last set with four points on two kills, an ace and a block.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match. Watch on YouTube.
Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba, 3-2, (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)
Sept. 17: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13)
Sept. 18: USA def. Mexico, 3-1(25-15, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20)
Sept. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 20: Semifinals
Sept. 21: Medal matches
Madi Kubik Banks and Skylar Fields each scored 20 points as the U.S. Women's National Team outlasted Cuba in a five-set battle, 25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10, Tuesday night at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Four U.S. athletes scored in double figures as the Women's National Team opened play at the NORCECA Final Six with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19) victory over Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico.
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Erik Sullivan is leading 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women's Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team took advantage of 33 opponent errors en route to a 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13) win over the Dominican Republic Wednesday at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The U.S. (3-0) will play Mexico (2-0) on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. PT. Mexico has defeated Puerto Rico 3-2 and Canada 3-1, and play Cuba later tonight.
Stats were fairly even between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, with the U.S. having an advantage in kills (48-46) and aces (5-4), while the two teams each had 10 blocks. Errors were the crucial difference, as the U.S. scored 33 points off Dominican errors while yielding just 10.
Opposite Kendall Kipp paced the U.S. offense with 18 points on 14 kills, three blocks and one ace. Khori Louis led the team with four blocks and added 10 kills and two aces for 16 points. Claire Chaussee also reached double figures with 11 points on 11 kills.
Rounding out the U.S. scorers were Norah Sis with nine points on nine kills; Emily Thater with four points (one kill, three blocks); Ella Powell with a kill and an ace; Skylar Fields with two kills, and Mary Shroll with an ace.
The U.S. jumped out to an early lead in set one, scoring four points before the Dominican Republic got on the board with a kill. The lead was cut to two at 5-3, but that’s the closest the set got. The U.S. used a balanced attack led by Kipp to run away with a 25-12 lead.
The second set was closer, with the Dominican Republic gaining a two-point advantage at 13-11 that held until 15-13 when they broke it open to 19-15. The U.S. tried to inch its way back and had a chance at 20-19. But the Dominican Republic scored five of the next seven for the 25-21 win.
It was the U.S. that held the two-point advantage for most of the third set. At 16-16, the U.S. scored six straight, including two kills by Chaussee and a Louis ace. Another Chaussee kill eventually gave the U.S. set point, but the Dominican Republic scored three before Fields ended it with a kill.
Set four was all U.S. as they jumped out to a 5-2 lead and never looked back, winning 25-13. Louis led the U.S. in the set with six points.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match. Watch on YouTube.
Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba, 3-2, (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)
Sept. 17: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13)
Sept. 18: USA vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 20: Semifinals
Sept. 21: Medal matches
Madi Kubik Banks and Skylar Fields each scored 20 points as the U.S. Women's National Team outlasted Cuba in a five-set battle, 25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10, Tuesday night at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Four U.S. athletes scored in double figures as the Women's National Team opened play at the NORCECA Final Six with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19) victory over Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico.
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Erik Sullivan is leading 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women's Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2025) – Madi Kubik Banks and Skylar Fields each scored 20 points as the U.S. Women’s National Team outlasted Cuba in a five-set battle, 25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10, Tuesday night at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The U.S. Women (2-0) will play the Dominican Republic (1-0) on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. PT. The Dominican Republic defeated Cuba 3-0 in its opening match and plays Puerto Rico later tonight.
For the second straight match, the U.S. dominated at the net, notching 13 blocks to seven for Cuba. The U.S. also had the edge in aces (8-6), including two crucial ones from Ella Powell late in the fifth set, and Cuba held the advantage in kills, 59-56.
Banks and Fields led the U.S. offense, with Banks collecting 17 kills, two blocks and one ace, and Fields notching 15 kills, three blocks and two aces.
Sami Francis and Emily Thater also scored in double figures, with each scoring 10. Francis had seven kills and three blocks, and Thater had five kills and a match-high five blocks. Claire Chaussee had six kills and one ace; Kendall Kipp had two kills, and Kami Miner had an ace.
Miner and Powell split the setting duties, with Miner in for the first two sets and Powell in for the final three. Powell had three of the teams ace’s and also had a kill. Mary Shroll led the U.S. with 16 digs and seven excellent receptions.
Set one was locked at 16-16 when kills by Francis, Banks and Kipp plus a Thater block increased the lead to 20-16. Cuba cut the lead to two twice, but at 21-19, the U.S. scored four of the last five to win.
Set two had the opposite result. Leading 15-14, Cuba scored 10 of the last 12 for the win. The U.S. led throughout set three, but Cuba rallied in the middle of set four to force a fifth set.
Cuba jumped out to leads of 5-1, 6-2 and 7-3 before the U.S. found its rhythm in the fifth. Blocks by Francis and Banks cut the lead to 7-5, then kills from Kipp, Chaussee and Banks, and a Cuba error, tied it at 8.
At 9-9, Powell served consecutive aces to give the U.S. breathing room at 11-9. After a Cuba kill, the U.S. used kills from Thater, Chaussee and Fields to reach match point, where Banks served an ace for the win.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match. Watch on YouTube.
Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba, 3-2, (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)
Sept. 17: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 3 p.m.
Sept. 18: USA vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 20: Semifinals
Sept. 21: Medal matches
Four U.S. athletes scored in double figures as the Women's National Team opened play at the NORCECA Final Six with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19) victory over Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico.
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Erik Sullivan is leading 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women's Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2025) – Four U.S. athletes scored in double figures as the Women’s National Team opened play at the NORCECA Final Six with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19) victory over Canada in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The U.S. Women (1-0) face Cuba at 3 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Cuba lost its opening match to the Dominican Republic, 25-16, 25-23, 25-21.
The U.S. never trailed in the match and led Canada in kills (39-21), aces (6-4) and blocks, 14-1.
Middle blocker Sami Francis led all scorers with 12 points on seven kills and five blocks. Opposite Kendall Kipp scored 11 with five kills and a match-high six points. Outside hitter Norah Sis had 11 kills, and outside Reagan Cooper collected 10 points on eight kills, one block and an ace.
Middle Khori Louis had six kills, two blocks and one ace for nine points. Opposite Skylar Fields had two kills. Setter Ella Powell led all players with four aces while leading the team to a .394 hitting efficiency. Libero Elena Oglivie had 13 digs.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match. Watch on YouTube.
Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA vs. Cuba, 3 p.m.
Sept. 17: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 3 p.m.
Sept. 18: USA vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 20: Semifinals
Sept. 21: Medal matches
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Erik Sullivan is leading 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women's Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2025) – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Erik Sullivan will lead 14 athletes in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six, Sept. 15-21.
This is the fifth edition of the Final Six, where the U.S. Women will face off against Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico.Their opening match is Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. PT against Canada. Last year, the U.S. earned silver after falling to the Dominican Republic in five sets. The team won gold in 2023, silver in 2022 and bronze in 2021.
The roster features former college stars now competing professionally overseas or with LOVB and Major League Volleyball, many of whom have competed with the U.S. national team program previously.
Setter Kami Miner and middle blocker Khori Louis helped the U.S. win silver at the 2024 Final Six, with Miner earning Best Setter honors. Fellow setter Ella Powell was on the roster during weeks one and two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League.
Middle blocker Kendall Kipp and outside hitter Jaali Winters won silver with the U.S. at the 2024 Pan American Cup. Outside hitter Norah Sis captured gold with the U.S. U21 Team at the 2023 Pan Am Cup, and libero Elena Oglivie competed with the 2021 U20 team that finished fifth at the World Championship. Outside hitter Madi Kubik and opposite Skylar Fields were both on the 2018 U.S. Junior National Team that won gold at the NORCECA U20 Championship.
Libero Mary Shroll, middle blockers Sami Frances and Emily Thater, and outside hitters Claire Chaussee and Reagan Cooper, will make their competitve debut for the U.S. Chaussee was also part of the 2022 Women’s Collegiate National Team.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six
Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)
All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match
Sept. 15: USA vs. Canada, 5 p.m.
Sept. 16: USA vs. Cuba, 3 p.m.
Sept. 17: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 3 p.m.
Sept. 18: USA vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 20: Semifinals
Sept. 21: Medal matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 1, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to Türkiye in four sets (25-14, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23) Thursday in the quarterfinals at the 2025 FIVB World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S. finished the tournament with a 4-1 record.
The match was a blocking bonanza, as the teams combined for 30 blocks, with Türkiye having the 19-11 edge. Türkiye also led in kills (58-41), but the U.S. had six aces to Türkiye’s three. Türkiye scored 17 points off U.S. errors while giving up 18.
“Obviously [it’s] disappointing in the moment,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “I don’t think we played our best this evening. Türkiye played really well. They did some things early on that put some pressure on us that was different from what we had seen, but I loved the fact that we were resilient and competed through the whole match. We gave ourselves a shot there at the end. We just couldn’t convert on a couple of plays. I love the foundation that we’re building for the four years. It was a great summer for us in a bunch of aspects, but we’ve got to find ways to perform in these bigger moments.”
Match Statistics (PDF)
Sarah Franklin led the U.S. with 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace. Three players had 11 points: Avery Skinner collected 11 kills; Dana Rettke scored six kills, two blocks and three aces; and Stephanie Samedy notched 10 kills and an ace.
Chiaka Ogbogu had eight points with three kills and a team-high five blocks. Madisen Skinner had two blocks, and setter Jordyn Poulter had a block and an ace. Ali Frantti had one kill.
Türkiye had eight blocks, including five from Eda Erdem, to dominate the first set. After Türkiye jumped to an early 6-2 lead, the U.S. took a timeout and cut the lead to 8-6. Two straight kills from Türkiye’s Melissa Vargas increased the lead back to four at 10-6. After an Ogbogu block made it 11-7, the U.S. did not get any closer. Rettke led the U.S. with two kills and two blocks in the set.
The U.S. handed Türkiye its first set loss in the tournament in the second. Türkiye started out strong again with an early 6-3 lead, but two blocks and a kill from Ogbogu, followed by a Poulter ace, gave the U.S. at 7-6 lead. The two teams traded points until Türkiye began to inch away mid-set, 18-15. After a U.S. timeout, a Samedy kill and Rettke-Samedy block cut the lead to two at 19-17.
Samedy, who came in for Madisen Skinner at opposite late in the first set, went to the service line and the U.S. took over, scoring six straight points for 23-19. A Türkiye block and Franklin error cut the U.S. lead to 23-21. But Franklin came back with two kills for the 25-22 win. Rettke had six points (four kills, two blocks), and Samedy had four kills and an ace.
“We know that we have depth and we can make some changes,” Sullivan said about Samedy and later bringing in Frantti. “We’ve got a bunch of players on this roster who can help us in different situations,” Sullivan said. “[It’s a] real big positive that we can make those substitutions and get a lot of production out of people.”
It was all Türkiye again in the third set, leading early 8-3. Kills by Samedy and Avery Skinner, along with a Türkiye error, cut the lead to 8-6. Türkiye continued to pull ahead as its blocking game returned to form. Frantti made her first Worlds appearance and immediately notched a kill to make it 15-9, but that was as close as the U.S. would get. Avery Skinner had three points for the U.S.
The U.S. battled throughout the fourth set after falling behind 5-2 and 10-7. A Franklin kill, Ogbogu block and two Türkiye errors evened the set at 11. Türkiye built a three-point lead again at 18-15, but Samedy and Avery Skinner had kills for 18-18. Türkiye pulled ahead by two, but the U.S. pulled within one at 20-19, 22-21 and 23-22. Türkiye then had two set points, giving one back on a service error but ending the match on a kill.
“We’ve learned a lot,” Sullivan said. “It’s probably going to take me a while to digest. I like the pieces that we have; I love how we competed all summer. We came up in some big moments, and in moments that were hard, I thought we were at our best at times. I think that’s a great thing to have in our back pocket. Obviously, we’re not going to get back in the gym right away, but I want to get back with this group and keep building, and see what pieces we can add and where we can be.”
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17)
Aug. 26: USA def. Czechia, 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15)
Playoffs
Bangkok, Thailand
Round of 16: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21)
Quarterfinals: Sept. 4, Türkiye def. USA, 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23)
The U.S. Women's National Team advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a solid 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21) sweep of Canada in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team finished 2025 FIVB World Championship pool play undefeated with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15) win over Czechia on Tuesday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the knockout round of the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17) win over Argentina on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 1, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a solid 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21) sweep of Canada in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. (4-0) will play on Sept. 4 against the winner of the Türkiye-Slovenia match (time TBA).
“I’m really happy, obviously, with the win,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “Having a little break between pool play and having to transfer cities… I thought we were in a nice little rhythm, so having to break that up with a couple days was a little bit concerning for me. But I love the way that we came out and competed. There’s always some things we can clean up in the gym. We get a couple days to do that.”
The U.S. led Canada in kills (42-38) and blocks (11-6), but Canada had one more ace (4-3). The U.S. scored 19 points off of Canada errors while only giving up 12.
Match Statistics (PDF)
Avery Skinner and Sarah Franklin led the U.S. with 13 points; Avery on 12 kills and one block, and Franklin with nine kills and three blocks. Madi Skinner scored 12 on 10 kills, one block and an ace.
Chiaka Ogbogu was a force in the middle throughout the match with six kills, one block and one ace. Dana Rettke, playing in a little more than just one set, scored four points with a kill and three blocks. Tia Jimerson replaced Rettke and had one kill.
Stephanie Samedy scored three points (two kills, one block), and Jordyn Poulter had a kill and a block while leading the offense to a .638 hitting percentage.
Morgan Hentz patrolled the back court and led the team in digs (11). She had five successful receptions while Avery Skinner had 7.
The first set was a close battle through the first half, with neither team getting an edge. The U.S. moved ahead 16-14 on an Avery Skinner block, and then 19-16 on a Canada unforced error. A block from Rettke and Madisen Skinner increased the lead to four, 20-16. Ogbogu’s ace increased the lead to five, and another block from Rettke and Franklin made it 22-16.
A Canada service error gave the U.S. set point, and Samedy came in to get the final kill for a 25-18 win. The U.S. outblocked Canada 7-0 in the set, led by Rettke with three. Rettke and Avery Skinner both had four points.
“Our staff did a good job of putting the scout together,” Sullivan said. “Our players did a great job of executing it. I thought we did a nice job getting our hands over the net, putting some pressure on them offensively to have to tip and throw and try to find the edges.”
Canada had the early lead in set two, up 8-5 after a terrific rally that finished with a Canadian block. Canada kept a one-point advantage until kills by Franklin and Skinner put the U.S. ahead 16-15. At 18-18, the U.S. scored three straight on an Ogbogu kill, Madisen Skinner/Ogbogu block and Franklin kill to take the lead for good. Two blocks for the U.S. made it 24-20, and after a Canada kill, Franklin put down a ball for the win.
Madi Skinner and Franklin each had five points in the set, with Ogbogu scoring four.
The U.S. jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the final set and never relinquished the advantage, up by as many as four points. Canada closed the gap to two at 18-16, but the U.S. scored four straight to go ahead 22-16. Samedy closed the match with a kill for a 25-21 win.
Aery Skinner and Sarah Franklin each had six points in the set, with Madi Skinner scoring five.
“We had a lot of opportunity in the third set that I think we let get away from us,” Sullivan commented. “Those are always concerning sets for me because I felt like we should have been up 10 or 12 points and we’re up two or three and allowed them to stay in it. We didn’t get caught up in the moment too much. When we did give up a point, I felt like we came right back and scored one right away. Just a great all-around effort. I’m happy with where we’re at. We just need to get a little bit better in the next couple days.”
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17)
Aug. 26: USA def. Czechia, 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15)
Playoffs
Bangkok, Thailand
Round of 16: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21)
Quarterfinals: Sept. 4, USA vs. TBA
The U.S. Women's National Team finished 2025 FIVB World Championship pool play undefeated with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15) win over Czechia on Tuesday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the knockout round of the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17) win over Argentina on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 26, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished 2025 FIVB World Championship pool play undefeated with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15) win over Czechia on Tuesday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. (3-0) advances to the Round of 16, which begins in Bangkok on Aug. 29, with times and matchups to be determined.
“I thought Czech came out and played really well for the first half of that first set and (we) just stayed the course,” said U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “In those situations, it is easy to get outside of yourselves a little bit and press. I told the players I thought they were playing really well and that you have to weather the storm sometimes. We did that. I thought we played a nice, steady even match throughout the night and put a lot of pressure on them to be good for a long period of time. One of our strengths is depth, but it is nice to have a similar lineup from night to night. We haven’t had that all summer by design and I think we are seeing the fruits of that getting a little more comfortable next to each other. You can tell some stuff is kind of smoothing out a little bit. In saying that, I think we still left a lot out there and we have a lot we can clean up and get better at. We’ll work on that the next few days.”
The U.S. recorded 14 more kills (50-36) and three more blocks (7-4). The teams were nearly even in aces (4-3 Czechia) and errors (U.S. making one fewer error, 16-15).
Outside hitter Avery Skinner totaled a match-high 15 points on 13 kills, a block and an ace.
“It’s really tough to (make the Round of 16),” Skinner said. “The pool is difficult, and we knew each match was going to be tough. I am proud of us for finishing 3-0. We weathered the storm. We knew Czech has a lot of energy and is a very emotional team. They came out really hot and it was about us staying calm and keeping within what we planned. Every team is going to give us their best, so we come in ready to play USA volleyball.”
Outside Sarah Franklin totaled 12 kills and middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Dana Rettke each recorded seven kills and two blocks. Ogbogu added an ace to reach double figures with 10 points.
Libero Morgan Hentz continued her sterling defense in the championship, leading the team with 10 digs and six successful receptions. Setter Jordyn Poulter finished with 27 assists and led the team to a .398 hitting efficiency.
Opposite Madisen Skinner scored eight points on six kills and two blocks, and fellow opposite Stephanie Samedy added five kills. Madisen Skinner finished second on the team with eight digs.
Czechia ran out to a 7-2 lead in the match, forcing the U.S. to take an early timeout. Back-to-back Ogbogu blocks and an Avery Skinner ace sparked a 4-0 run that cut the lead to one. An ace by Ogbogu and an Avery Skinner back row attack gave the U.S. its first lead, 9-8. Czechia went on a 9-4 run to take a four-point lead, 17-13.
Trailing 21-19, the U.S. scored five of the next six points to take a 24-22 lead. A block by Avery Skinner tied the set at 21 and a Logan Eggleston ace put the U.S. back ahead. Kills by Samedy and Ogbogu gave the U.S. two set points. Czechia recorded a kill and an ace to save both set points, but the U.S. took the opener on kills by Madisen Skinner and Avery Skinner. Avery Skinner scored seven points on five kills, a block and an ace, and Ogbogu totaled six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace.
Consecutive kills by Avery Skinner gave the U.S. a 12-10 lead in the second set. Madi Skinner scored off hands to make it 13-11 and start a 5-0 run with her block giving the U.S. a 17-11 advantage. Another Madi Skinner kill put the U.S. out in front 19-13 but Czechia ran off three points in a row to cut the lead back to three points. A Franklin kill gave the U.S. set point at 24-20 and Avery Skinner ended the set on her seventh kill of the set. Franklin recorded five kills.
A block and kill by Madisen Skinner staked the U.S. to a 5-0 lead in the third set. Czechia cut the deficit to two points, 8-6, but the U.S. scored the next three points, including one on a Rettke kill on a slide and led by at least four points the rest of the way. Franklin scored off the block after a great dig by Hentz for a 15-10 lead. Franklin scored cross court and a hitting error extending the lead to seven points, 18-11.
Samedy placed a ball in the back corner and followed with a kill off the block for a 22-14 lead. Avery Skinner scored her 15th points for a 23-14 lead. Franklin registered six kills in the set.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17)
Aug. 26: USA def. Czechia, 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-15)
Playoffs
Bangkok, Thailand
Round of 16, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, TBA
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the knockout round of the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17) win over Argentina on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 24, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team clinched a spot in the knockout round of the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17) win over Argentina on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. (2-0) will conclude pool play competition against Czechia (1-1) on Tuesday at 5:30 a.m. PT.
The U.S. finished with advantages in kills (52-46) and aces (4-3), but it was the block that made the biggest difference as the U.S. totaled 15 blocks to six for Argentina. The U.S. made only 14 errors in the match compared to 27 for Argentina.
“I’m real happy with how we competed,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “We talked about coming out and getting off on the right foot. In previous matches, especially this summer, we kind of go out and feel it out for a little bit, and let other teams get going. [Tonight] we put some pressure on them right away. It was some of the best volleyball for the longest periods of time that we’ve played.”
Middle blocker Dana Rettke shared the team lead with 15 points on 11 kills, three blocks and an ace. She hit .786 for the match with her 11 kills and no errors on 14 attacks. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu led all players with five blocks, adding eight points and an ace for 14 points. She hit .539 for the match with just one error.
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led the U.S. with 13 kills, finishing with 15 points with a block and an ace. She also shared the team lead with libero Morgan Hentz with 14 digs.
Hentz, who made multiple spectacular plays, led the squad with eight successful receptions, and Franklin added six.
Outside Avery Skinner totaled 13 points on 11 kills and two blocks. She also reached double digits in digs with 10 and finished with six successful receptions.
Playing for the majority of the match, setter Jordyn Poulter contributed a kill, block and ace while leading the offense to a .360 hitting efficiency percentage. Opposite Madi Skinner scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Fellow opposite Stephanie Samedy added four points on three kills and a block, one of seven U.S. players to record a block.
Three early kills by Rettke combined with a block and kill each by Ogbogu and Avery Skinner staked the U.S. to a 12-9 lead in the first set. Rettke scored again on a slide to give the U.S. a 20-12 lead. An Avery Skinner kill pushed the advantage to double digits, 23-13. Rettke finished the set with five kills on five attacks. The U.S. hit .500 in the set with 15 kills and only one error in 28 total attacks.
Strong serving and a block sparked a 6-2 Argentina run to begin the second set. The U.S. responded with an 8-3 run to take the lead. Avery Skinner tied the set on a back row attack and Rettke scored on an overpass for an 11-10 lead. Rettke scored back-to-back points on a kill and an ace for the first two-point lead of the set for the U.S., 13-11.
Argentina used an ace and block on consecutive points to even the set at 16. With the set tied at 19, Argentina used a 3-1 mini-run to take the lead for good as the teams exchanged points the rest of the set. Rettke scored five points on four more kills and an ace. Through two sets, Rettke totaled nine kills on nine attacks.
“I didn’t think we lost the second set necessarily because we did a bunch of poor things,” Sullivan said. “I thought Argentina played really well; they hit their way out of some tough situations, took some nice high, flat swings. I thought we made a great adjustment, especially with their opposite (Bianca Cugno) of kind of getting low and over on her; not getting so reach-y, and she hit a couple of balls over us and out.”
Consecutive blocks by Ogbogu staked the U.S. to a 9-4 advantage early in the third set. An Argentina timeout was unable to stem the momentum as the U.S. scored the next seven points, including a Poulter ace off the tape, an Avery Skinner block, and a Madi Skinner kill that raised the lead to 10 points. After another Argentina timeout, Ogbogu recorded a block and kill on the next two points for a 16-4 lead.
A Rettke block ended a rally that featured Hentz setting from a seated position to give the U.S. a 20-9 lead. Ogbogu scored seven points in the set on four blocks and three kills.
Franklin scored twice to give the U.S. a 4-1 lead to open the third set. Poulter registered the team’s 13th block of the match for a 6-3 advantage, and a hitting error gave the U.S. a four-point lead. The U.S. doubled up Argentina, 10-5, on a Madi Skinner kill. After an Ogbogu kill made it 14-9, Argentina scored the next three points to close the gap to two points.
A big swing from Franklin pushed the lead back to five points, 18-13. Another great dig by Hentz led to an Avery Skinner kill for match point. The double block of Samedy and Ogbogu ended the match with the team’s 15th block.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17)
Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 5:30 a.m.
Playoffs
Bangkok, Thailand
Round of 16, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, TBA
The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 22, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The U.S. (1-0) will have a day off before facing Argentina (1-0) on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 5:30 a.m. PT.
The U.S. finished with three more kills (53-50) while Slovenia, playing in its first World Championship, held the advantage in blocks (10-5) and aces (7-4). The U.S. benefitted from 30 Slovenia errors while making 13 fewer errors.
“(There were) a bunch of nice things about that,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “Obviously, to get the win in our first match, that’s the most important thing for us. I thought we were real gritty; we hung in there, we fought against a real good Slovenia team. I thought they [Slovenia] played really well tonight, but I also think we allowed them to do some things that we need to correct. We need to come out with a little more aggressiveness in how we’re playing and make sure we establish that early. It took us a little while to get there. We got a lot of help from a lot of players on our roster, which is awesome.”
The Skinner sisters combined for 28 points with Avery leading the team with 15 points on 14 kills and an ace, and Madisen totaling 13 points on 10 kills, a block and two aces. Avery added seven digs and five successful receptions.
Veteran setter Jordyn Poulter ran the offense, adding two kills and six digs. Outside hitter Sarah Franklin reached double digits with 10 points on nine kills and a block and led the team with seven successful receptions. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, making her 2025 international debut, had eight points on seven kills and a block, and fellow middle Dana Rettke scored seven points on five kills and a pair of blocks. Libero Morgan Hentz, who split sets with Lexi Rodriguez, provided a team-high eight digs with four successful receptions.
Sullivan talked about the addition of Ogbogu to the team for this tournament.
“Obviously, she brings a ton of experience. She’s been doing this a long time at a super high level,” he said. “Having that on the court changes our team’s personality a little bit.”
Trailing 9-7 in the opening set, Slovenia went on a five-point run with back-to-back blocks and an ace for a 12-9 lead. The teams traded the next six points before the U.S. scored three points in a row to even the set at 15. Two Ogbogu kills put the U.S. ahead 20-19. With the U.S. leading 21-20, Poulter made a great dig and connected with Madi Skinner on a jump set for a two-point lead.
Slovenia scored the next two points to tie the set 22-22. Franklin scored off hands on a give-and-go to put the U.S. back up and after Slovenia tied the set, Franklin scored again for a 24-23 lead. Samedy ended the set on a kill on her first touch of the match. Franklin delivered five kills in the set with Ogbogu and Madi Skinner each contributing three kills. The U.S. benefitted from nine Slovenia errors while making only four.
A successful last touch challenge and an ace gave Slovenia a 4-1 lead to begin the second set. A Franklin block ended a three-point U.S. run to tie the set, but Slovenia responded with a 5-1 run for a 9-5 lead that led the U.S. to take its first timeout. An ace gave Slovenia its biggest lead at six points, 14-8.
Consecutive kills by Avery Skinner and Madi Skinner helped the U.S. come within three points, 15-12. An Ogbogu kill and Avery Skinner ace cut the margin to two points, 16-14, before Slovenia regained its five-point advantage on its way to squaring the match at one set apiece. Avery Skinner scored four points on three kills and an ace with Madi Skinner adding three kills.
A Frantti kill put the U.S. ahead 9-7 in the third set but Slovenia quickly tied the set. The U.S. regained a two-point lead, 12-10, on an Ogbogu block. An overpass on a Poulter serve led to an Ogbogu kill to give the U.S. its first three-point advantage of the set, 14-11. After a timeout, Franklin recorded a great dig to lead to a Madi Skinner kill and a four-point U.S. lead.
A great dig by Hentz led to another Madi Skinner kill and a hitting error put the U.S. ahead 18-14. Slovenia scored the next two points before the Skinners scored back-to-back points on an Avery kill and a Madi ace for a 20-16 advantage. Slovenia responded with two points out of a timeout to cut the margin back to two points.
Avery Skinner scored her 10th point of the match to give the U.S. a 22-19 lead but Slovenia pulled within a point on a kill off an overpass. Avery Skinner scored off hands for a 23-21 U.S. advantage and a hitting error gave the U.S. three set points. After yielding one point, the U.S. ended the set on an Ogbogu kill. Madi Skinner scored five points on three kills, a block and an ace, while Avery Skinner scored four points on kills.
“Mo provided a spark for sure,” said Sullivan, after Hentz entered the match in the third set. “We know what Mo can do; we see it every day in practice. She can fly around and make plays. I feel like we needed a little bit of that against Slovenia. Putting her on that court changed our personality a bit in a real positive way.”
A Franklin kill on a back row attack put the U.S. up 6-2 in the fourth set, prompting a quick Slovenia timeout. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson scored her first World Championship point for an 8-4 lead and two Slovenia errors pushed the margin to six points. Jimerson’s first set of the match was an ace to make it 12-5.
A Rettke kill on a slide, a Madi Skinner ace and a Franklin kill extended the lead to 11 points at 17-6. The lead grew to 14 points at 24-10 on kills by Avery Skinner and Jimerson. Slovenia scored four points in a row before Avery Skinner ended the match. Franklin (four kills) and Jimerson (three kills and an ace) each scored four points.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA vs. Argentina, 5:30 a.m.
Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 5:30 a.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 19, 2025) – Fourteen U.S. Women’s National Team athletes are in Thailand this month for the 2025 FIVB World Championship, Aug. 22-Sept. 7.
The U.S. Women, currently ranked No. 7 in the world, are in Pool D alongside Slovenia, Argentina and Czechia, and their opening match is set for Aug. 22 at 5:30 a.m. PT against Slovenia. The team will play in Nakhon Ratchasima for pool play before moving to Bangkok for playoff rounds.
This will be the first World Championship under head coach Erik Sullivan, who took over the program earlier this year. The World Championship is held every four years, and the U.S. Women finished fourth in 2022. Overall, the program has won five medals at the event, including gold in 2014.
With a rotating lineup throughout the year and several veterans taking the season off, the U.S. finished 7-5 in VNL and advanced to the Finals, where they fell to world No. 1 Italy in the quarterfinals.
The 2025 Worlds roster includes the return of two-time Olympian Chiaka Ogbogu at middle blocker. She joins 2024 Olympic teammates Avery Skinner, Jordyn Poulter and Dana Rettke.
Skinner is one of four outside hitters on the roster, which also includes Sarah Franklin, Logan Eggleston and Ali Frantti, who makes her first appearance for the U.S. Women this year. Ogbogu and Rettke are joined in the middle by Tia Jimerson and Amber Igiede. The opposites are Madisen Skinner and Stephanie Samedy, and Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres joins Poulter at setter. Morgan Hentz and Lexi Rodriguez are the liberos.
“This roster brings a mix of experienced Olympians and athletes eager for their first major world championship,” Sullivan said. “Every match in this tournament is tough, and our pool will demand our best right from the start. We’ve used this season to test different lineups and grow our depth. Now the group is focused on competing together on the world stage and continuing to raise our level as we build toward Los Angeles in 2028.”
All matches can be watched with a subscription to VBTV or on the CBS Sports Network.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter
Pool Play-All times Pacific
Aug. 22: USA vs. Slovenia, 5:30 a.m.
Aug. 24: USA vs. Argentina, 5:30 a.m.
Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 5:30 a.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 15, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team defeated Croatia for the second time at the FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, this time 3-1 (26-28, 25-22, 25-15, 25-15) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. (6-2) will play in the ninth-place match against the winner of the match between Czechia and Thailand on Sunday, Aug. 17 at a time to be announced.
The U.S. led in kills (45-35), blocks (15-11) and nearly doubled Croatia in aces (15-8). Croatia made one fewer error (27-26).
Opposite Henley Anderson led all scorers with 16 points on 12 kills and four blocks. Outside hitter Halle Thompson totaled 13 points on eight kills, two blocks and three aces. She led the team with five successful receptions and added seven digs.
Outside JJ Robinson finished with 11 points on five kills, three blocks and three aces. Middle blocker Brooke Harwood shared match-high honors with Anderson with four blocks, and her four kills and two aces gave her 10 total points.
Setter Genevieve Harris recorded 32 assists and three aces to go with a kill and a block. Middle Elena Hoecke finished with nine points on six kills, a block and a pair of aces, and outside Taylor Stanley added eight kills. Libero Gabi Rodriguez paced the squad with nine digs.
Croatia used an early 4-0 run in the first set to take a 9-7 lead and prompt the U.S. to take a timeout. After the set was tied four times, the U.S. used back-to-back blocks to take a 14-12 lead. After a timeout, Croatia put together another four-point run to retake the lead by two points.
Croatia extended the lead to six points, 21-15, scoring five consecutive points before a hitting error ended the streak. A Hoecke ace and Taylor kill cut the margin to three points, 21-18. After a Croatia point, another Taylor kill and a hitting error brought the U.S. to within two, 22-20.
An Anderson block cut the lead to one, but the U.S. was unable to score on an overpass on the next serve. Kills by Anderson and Harwood evened the set at 23. An Anderson tip gave the U.S. set point, but Croatia responded with a kill and then went ahead on an ace. Anderson scored off the block to make it 25-25. A block gave Croatia its second set point, but a hitting error squared the set again.
A nice play by the setter on a pass close to the net led to a Croatia kill and a hitting error ended the set. The teams were nearly identical statistically in the set with 11 kills and nine opponent errors, but Croatia recorded one more ace and block each. Anderson led the U.S. with six points on five kills and a block.
A back row attack by Thompson gave the U.S. a 9-6 advantage in the second set. The lead reached five, 12-7, on a Harwood block and Harris ace. Croatia came out of a timeout and went on a 5-1 run to cut the lead back to one point and used an ace to even the set at 15 apiece.
A Hoecke ace gave the U.S. a two-point lead again at 18-16 before Croatia scored three points in a row with another ace forcing a U.S. timeout. A Robinson kill tied the set at 19-19 before a lengthy delay on a Croatia challenge on the next play that eventually favored the U.S. Harris delivered an ace on the next serve to restore the two-point U.S. advantage.
Croatia regained the lead, 22-21, by scoring the next three points, but the U.S. scored the final four points. Robinson and Thompson scored the final two points on kills to close out the back-and-forth set. Harwood (two blocks with a kill and an ace) and Hoecke (three kills and an ace) each scored four points.
The U.S. continued its momentum into the third set with a Thompson kill making it 4-1 and forcing Croatia into a quick timeout. Thompson served an ace to extend the lead to four points, 7-3, confirmed after a challenge. Another Thompson ace made it 12-8 and led to the final Croatia timeout of the set.
A Harwood ace and a hitting error pushed the lead to six points, 15-9. Thompson served another ace for an 18-11 U.S. lead. Croatia was unable to get closer than six points after that. Harwood ended the set with a kill. Anderson scored five points on four kills and a block, while Thompson contributed two kills and her two aces.
Two more Thompson aces keyed an 7-2 U.S. run to start the fourth set. Another Harwood ace and a hitting error extended the lead to seven points, 10-3. Croatia used its final timeout trailing 12-4. Setter Blair Thiebaud served an ace and a Hoecke ace pushed the lead to double digits. Croatia was never able to draw closer than eight points the remainder of the match. Robinson scored six points on three blocks, two aces and a kill. Stanley ended the match with her fourth kill of the set.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA def. Croatia, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Aug. 11: China def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26)
Aug. 13: Round of 16: Bulgaria def. USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15)
Aug. 15: Playoff Round: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-16)
Aug. 16: Playoff Round: USA def. Croatia, 3-1 (26-28, 25-22, 25-15, 25-15)
Aug. 17: Ninth-Place Match: USA vs. Czechia/Thailand, TBA
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team began the playoff round with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-16) win over Puerto Rico on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team lost for the only time in pool play, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26) to China in a matchup of undefeated teams at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship on Tuesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won its fourth consecutive match at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Croatia on Monday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team dropped its 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship Round of 16 match to Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15) on Wednesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 13, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team began the playoff round with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-16) win over Puerto Rico on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. (5-2) will take on Croatia tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 16. The teams met in pool play with the U.S. winning in three sets, including a 27-25 victory in the opening set.
The U.S. led in kills (38-32), blocks (7-6), aces (6-3) and committed eight fewer errors (24-16).
“Puerto Rico played well to start the match. It was really cool to see our team respond most importantly, but at the end of the day what really stood out was the team effort. Everyone got the opportunity to get in the match and make an impact, which allowed us to play at our potential, which was something really great to see,” said U.S. assistant coach Steven Duhoux.
Six U.S. players scored at least six points with outside hitter Halle Thompson leading the team with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks. Opposite Henley Anderson shared the team-high with nine kills. Libero Gabi Rodriguez recorded match-highs of 13 digs and six successful receptions.
Middle blocker Elena Hoecke totaled seven points on four kills, two blocks and an ace. In addition to running the balanced offense, setter Geneiveve Harris contributed two kills, blocks and aces each for six points. Middle Brooke Harwood (four kills and two aces) and outside Audrey Flanagan (six kills) also finished with six points.
Trailing 9-7 in the opening set, an Anderson kill followed by great serving from Harris sparked a 4-0 U.S. run. Harris served two aces and Puerto Rico struggled with another serve that led to a hitting error. After evening the set at 21, Puerto Rico successfully challenged the call on the next play to regain the lead.
An Anderson kill tied the set again at 22 before a service error put Puerto Rico back in front, but the U.S. scored the final three points of the set, which ended on a net violation. Anderson finished the set with five kills.
Leading 12-11 in the second set, a Thompson kill on a rally, in which she also recorded an excellent dig, ignited a 6-0 run with Harwood recording an ace in serving for five consecutive points. Hoecke led the team with five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace.
The U.S. built an early five-point lead in the third set on its way to clinching the match. Thompson dominated the set with nine points on eight kills and a block.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA def. Croatia, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Aug. 11: China def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26)
Aug. 13: Round of 16: Bulgaria def. USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15)
Aug. 15: Playoff Round: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-16)
Aug. 16: Playoff Round: USA vs. Croatia, TBA
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team lost for the only time in pool play, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26) to China in a matchup of undefeated teams at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship on Tuesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won its fourth consecutive match at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Croatia on Monday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team dropped its 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship Round of 16 match to Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15) on Wednesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 13, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team dropped its 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship Round of 16 match to Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15) on Wednesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. (4-2) will take on either Poland or Puerto Rico on Friday, Aug. 15.
The U.S. finished with one more block (10-9) but trailed in kills (36-28) and aces (6-1). Bulgaria made nine fewer errors (24-15).
Opposite Henley Anderson again led the U.S. with 10 points on team-highs of seven kills and three blocks. Anderson shared team-best honors with libero Gabi Rodriguez with seven digs. Rodriguez paced the squad with five successful receptions.
Outside hitter Audrey Flanagan totaled seven points on five kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Elena Hoecke finished with six points on five kills and a block. Setter Genevieve Harris added five points on three kills and two blocks, and outside Ayanna Watson scored four points on three kills and a block.
The U.S. made a late run in the first set after trailing 23-18. Coming out of a timeout, Harris recorded a block and Flanagan took advantage of an overpass off a Harris serve to pull the U.S. within three points. Flanagan registered a block on the following play cut the margin to two points and force a Bulgaria timeout.
After Bulgaria scored the next point for set point, Flanagan and Watson delivered kills before Bulgaria won the next point to take the set. Flanagan scored five points on four kills and a block, and Harris totaled four points on two kills and two blocks.
Anderson led the team in the second set with five points on three kills and a pair of blocks. Outside Halle Thompson, Hoecke, and Anderson each produced two kills in the final set
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA def. Croatia, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Aug. 11: China def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26)
Aug. 13: Round of 16: Bulgaria def. USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15)
Aug. 15: USA vs. Puerto Rico/Poland, TBA
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team lost for the only time in pool play, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26) to China in a matchup of undefeated teams at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship on Tuesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won its fourth consecutive match at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Croatia on Monday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 12, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team lost for the only time in pool play, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26) to China in a matchup of undefeated teams at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship on Tuesday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. (4-1) finished second in its pool to advance to the round of 16 on Wednesday, Aug. 13. The time and opponent will be determined after pool play ends on Tuesday.
The U.S. led in kills (38-31) and blocks (11-8) but could not overcome 35 errors compared to just nine for China. The U.S. finished with 17 service errors while China, which served six aces to three for the U.S., made only five.
Opposite Henley Anderson led the U.S. with 14 points on 12 kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Brooke Harwood scored seven points on four kills, a block and two of the team’s three aces. Ayanna Watson totaled six points on five kills and a block in the third set.
Outside hitter Halle Thompson produced five kills and middle blocker Keoni Williams added four kills. Outsides Audrey Flanagan (three kills and a block) and JJ Robinson (two kills, two blocks) and setter Genevieve Harris (two kills with two blocks) joined Williams with four points.
After the teams split the first 10 points of the match, China went on a 7-2 run to take the lead for good in the set, 12-7. A Harris kill and Robinson ace cut the margin to three points, 15-12, but China scored the next three points to take a six-point advantage and force the U.S. to use its second timeout.
The U.S. scored four of the next five points and had a swing to cut the lead to two points, but China came up with a block. Anderson scored six points on five kills and a block in the set. The U.S. committed 11 errors to just three for China.
China opened the second set by scoring six of the first eight points. The U.S. pulled within three points, 8-5, after outlasting China on a long rally and again at 10-7 on a Hardwood kill. China went on a 7-2 run to take an eight-point lead. The U.S. cut the lead back to six before China scored seven consecutive points for set point, which it converted two points later. Anderson scored three points on two kills and a block.
Harwood served two aces to lead the U.S. to a 7-5 lead in the third set. A setter dump by Harris made it 9-6 but three consecutive errors and a China kill put the U.S. behind, 10-9. Between a U.S. timeout and an officials’ delay, it was several minutes before the next point was played.
Once play resumed, China scored the next two points to extend its lead to three and complete a 6-0 run. After China pushed the lead to four points, 15-11, the U.S. went on a 5-1 run to cut the margin to one point. Two errors and an ace put the China lead back to four points, 19-15.
The U.S. came back to score the next three points, the last of which came on a long rally which ended with a China hitting error. After a China timeout, Harris recorded a block to even the set. China won a joust on the next play to regain the lead. Anderson scored from the back row to tie the set again (21-21).
Another Harris block gave the U.S. a 22-21 lead. After a service error, Harwood scored on a slide to put the U.S. up by a point again. After China tied it, Flanagan delivered a kill for set point, but China responded with a kill. Watson put a ball straight down for a second set point, but a service error evened the set at 25 apiece. Anderson produced a kill for the third U.S. set point but another service error aided China, which won the next two points to clinch the match. Watson led the U.S. with her six points and Anderson added five kills.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA def. Croatia, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Aug. 11: China def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 28-26)
Aug. 13: Round of 16: USA vs. TBA
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won its fourth consecutive match at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Croatia on Monday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 11, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won its fourth consecutive match at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory over Croatia on Monday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The win set up a showdown between the U.S. (4-0) and China (4-0) in the final match of pool play tonight at 8 p.m. PT. Both teams have dropped only one set in the championship and have already qualified for the round of 16 that begins on Wednesday. The winner will finish first in Pool B.
The U.S. offense dominated with 44 kills to only 26 for Croatia. The U.S. also held leads in blocks (11-8) and aces (7-3). Croatia made five fewer errors (20-15).
Three U.S. players reached double-digit scoring, led by opposite Henley Anderson, who scored 14 points on 10 kills, three blocks and an ace. She added seven digs. Middle blocker Elena Hoecke registered a match-best four blocks with nine kills for 13 points. Outside hitter Ayanna Watson led all players with three aces and recorded nine kills for 12 points.
Libero Gabi Rodriguez shared match-high honors with 12 digs.
“We went into this match with a very aggressive mindset,” Rodriguez said. “Croatia is a very big and physical team with strong blocking and great serving. We came prepared for that. I think our team did a great job getting a lot of digs to kills and working together through every point. Even if we lost two points in a row, we bounced back super quick with a lot of first-ball sideouts. I’m proud of us for working together and getting the team win. I’m excited to keep competing with this team.”
Outside Audrey Flanagan totaled nine points on six kills, two blocks and an ace. Middle Brooke Harwood scored eight points on six kills and two blocks. Setter Genevieve Harris contributed 33 assists, four kills and an ace for five points. Fellow setter Blair Thiebaud added two assists and a kill.
Hoecke (four kills and a block) and Flanagan (three kills, one block, one kill) each scored five points in the opening set. Flanagan and Rodriguez each recorded four successful receptions.
The U.S. hit .423 in the second set with 14 kills and only three errors in 26 total attacks. Harris (four kills) and Harwood (three kills) each hit 1.000 in the set. Harwood added two blocks for five points, and Anderson scored five points on four kills and a block.
Anderson scored seven points on five kills and two blocks in the third set. Hoecke added six points on four kills and two blocks, and Watson produced five kills.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA def. Croatia, 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-15)
Aug. 11: USA vs. China, 8 p.m.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 9, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team continued its strong start at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, defeating Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18) on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. (3-0) plays Croatia (1-2) at 11 p.m. PT on August 10 in its next-to-last pool play matchup.
The U.S. held a 34-21 advantage in kills, but it was a dominating block (12-3) and strong serve (10-4) that keyed the victory.
Eight U.S. players scored at least four points with outside hitter Halle Thompson leading the way with 12 points on six kills and a block to go with five service aces, one more than the entire Mexico team.
Four players totaled seven points, including outside Audrey Flanagan, who shared the team lead with six kills to go with an ace. Outside JJ Robinson and middle blocker Brooke Harwood both contributed four kills, two blocks and an ace, while opposite Taylor Stanley posted a match-high three blocks with four kills.
Setter Blair Thiebaud scored six points with two kills, two blocks and two aces. Outside hitter Ayanna Watson finished with six points on five kills and a block. Middle blocker Keoni Williams scored four points on three kills and a block.
Thompson served all five of her aces in the opening set and added two kills for seven points. Thiebaud recorded two blocks, a kill and an ace for four points. Flanagan led the U.S. in the second set with six points on five kills and an ace, while Thompson contributed five points on four kills and a block. Robinson and Watson came in for the third set, combining for 13 points as the U.S. completed its second consecutive sweep.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-18)
Aug. 10: USA vs. Croatia, 11 p.m.
Aug. 11: USA vs. China, 9 p.m.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 8, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team earned its second win in a row to start the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) on Friday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Next up for the U.S. is a matchup with Mexico at 12 a.m. PT tonight/tomorrow.
The U.S. finished the match with 45 kills while limiting the Dominican Republic to just 19. The U.S. led in aces (8-2) and blocks (4-3) with each team making 18 errors.
Setters Blair Thiebaud and Genevieve Harris combined to lead the U.S. to a team hitting efficiency percentage of .438 with the 45 kills and 10 errors in 80 attacks. Harris scored four points with two aces, a kill and a block, and Thibaud served an ace.
“We came out strong from the start. I give the Dominican Republic credit for staying in those long rallies and challenging our block. Our serve and receive, and defense were keeping us in system most of the match, allowing us to run our offense to our game plan. I think we kept our foot on the gas the whole time and showed who U.S.A. is,” Thiebaud commented.
Middle blocker Keoni Williams led three players in double figures with 15 points on 13 kills, a block and an ace. She hit .767 for the match with her 13 kills coming on 17 attacks without an error. Outside hitter JJ Robinson totaled 14 points on 12 kills, a block and an ace while leading the team with five successful receptions. Outside Halle Thompson finished with 11 points on nine kills and a pair of aces.
Middle blocker Elena Hoecke added seven points on five kills, a block and an ace, and opposite Taylor Stanley delivered five kills and led the team with 11 digs. Libero Gabi Rodriguez finished with 10 digs and three successful receptions.
Williams (six kills) and Robinson (four kills) each hit 1.000 in the opening set to get the U.S. off to a strong start. In the second set, Thompson scored seven points on five kills (no errors in seven attacks) and Williams produced five more kills on six attacks. Robinson added four kills.
Robinson led the way in the third set with five points on four kills, Stanley produced three kills and Williams added three points on two kills and an ace.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-11)
Aug. 9: USA vs. Mexico, 12 a.m.
Aug. 11: USA vs. Croatia, 12 a.m.
Aug. 11: USA vs. China, 9 p.m.
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team, competing at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, began play with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea on Thursday in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The U.S. will continue play against the Dominican Republic late tonight at 1 a.m. PT.
The U.S. used a powerful block and strong serving to earn the win, finishing with an 11-1 advantage in blocks and serving 13 aces to five for Korea. The U.S. recorded four more kills (50-46) while Korea committed nine fewer errors (29-20).
Opposite Henley Anderson led all players with 16 kills, three blocks and 22 points. She also served three aces and added seven digs. Setter Genevieve Harris led the squad to a .373 hitting efficiency percentage while contributing six points on four kills, a block and an ace.
“It was a great first match against Korea. They challenged us in different areas of the game that we hadn’t seen before. I love how we came together as a team in the ways that mattered, and I am super excited to continue playing this tournament finding our strengths and weaknesses and our identity as a team these next couple of weeks,” Harris said.
Middle blocker Elena Hoecke matched Anderson with three blocks, served a match-best five aces and produced six kills for 14 points. Outside hitter Audrey Flanagan scored 13 points on nine kills, two blocks and two aces, and fellow outside Ayanna Watson also reached double digits with 11 points on 10 kills and a block. Middle Brooke Harwood contributed eight points on five kills, two aces and a block.
Hoecke dominated the first set with four aces, three blocks and an ace for a total of eight points. Harwood and Anderson each scored three points on two kills and an ace.
Anderson took over in the second set with nine points on six kills, two blocks and an ace. Flanagan added three points on two kills and a block.
Korea extended the match with a win in the third set despite another strong set from Anderson, who finished with eight points on six kills, a block and an ace.
Watson (five kills and a block) and Flanagan (four kills and two aces) paced the U.S. in the clinching fourth set with six points each. Hoecke recorded two kills and her fifth ace of the match.
2025 Girls U19 National Team for U21 World Championship
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Jayden “JJ” Robinson (OPP, 6-3, 2008, Missouri City, Texas, Ridge Point HS, Lone Star)
6 Keoni Williams (MB, 6-4, 2007, Fort Worth, Texas, Eagle Mountain HS, North Texas)
7 Brooke Harwood (MB, 6-4, 2008, Mesa, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
8 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
11 Gabi Rodriguez (L, 5-6, 2008, Celeste, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C., Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Halle Thompson (OH, 6-0, 2008, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lone Star)
14 Taylor Stanley (OPP, 6-3, 2007, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Southwest HS, Heart of America)
16 Elena Hoecke (MB, 6-3, 2007, Lino Lakes, Minn., Centennial HS, North Country)
17 Audrey Flanagan (OH, 6-3, 2008, Redondo Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
19 Henley Anderson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
22 Blair Thiebaud (S, 6-0, 2007, College Station, Texas, College Station HS, Lone Star)
Alternates
1 Emma Cugino (L, 5-9, 2008, Galena, Ohio, Olentangy Orange HS, Ohio Valley)
2 Nadiya Johnson (OPP, 6-2, 2008, Ashburn, Va., Riverside HS, Chesapeake)
4 Kendall Omoruyi (MB, 6-4, 2008, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS, Arizona)
5 Danielle Whitmire (S, 6-1, 2007, Celina, Texas, Walnut Grove HS, North Texas)
9 Isabel Incinelli (OPP/OH, 6-5, 2008, Winter Park, Fla., Winter Park HS, Florida)
15 Lynney Tarnow (MB, 6-5, 2007, Downers Grove, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)
18 Tessa Larkin (OH, 6-1, 2008, Anthem, Ariz., Xavier College Preparatory HS, Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Training: Elgin Liu (UCSD men’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst Competition: Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)
Schedule
All times PT
Pool Play
Aug. 7: USA def. Korea, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20)
Aug. 8: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 1 a.m.
Aug. 9: USA vs. Mexico, 12 a.m.
Aug. 11: USA vs. Croatia, 12 a.m.
Aug. 11: USA vs. China, 9 p.m.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will compete at the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 6-17, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 31, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s U23 National Team faced its biggest test of the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U23 Pan American Cup, coming away with a 3-2 (20-25, 27-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-10) semifinal round victory over Mexico on Wednesday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. (4-0) will play for the gold medal against North American rival Canada (4-1), which earned a five-set win in the quarterfinals and reverse swept Cuba in the other semifinal. The match will be tomorrow, Friday, August 1, at 3 p.m. PT.
The U.S. dominated the net with 15 blocks compared to just four for Mexico. The U.S. served five of the seven aces in the match. Although Mexico led in kills 68-65, they made 13 more hitting errors.
Middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla was outstanding with 10 of the 15 U.S. blocks to go with 12 kills for 22 points. Outside hitter Eva Hudson recorded 20 kills. Libero Emmy Klika finished with 27 digs and passed in system 82 percent of the time in 39 attempts.
Outside Chloe Chicoine scored 16 points on 15 kills and a block. Middle blocker Raven Colvin also reached double digits in scoring with 14 points on 10 kills, a team-high three aces and a block. Opposite Jurnee Robinson added eight points on six kills and a pair of blocks.
Mexico took a quick 7-2 lead to start the match and never trailed in the first set. Back-to-back aces off the tape by Colvin cut the lead to one, 11-10. The U.S. pulled within a point seven more times in the set, the last time 21-20 on a back row attack by Hudson, but Mexico scored the final four points of the set to hand the U.S. its first set loss of the tournament.
Two kills and two blocks from Cos-Okpalla turned a 9-9 tie in the second set into a 14-10 U.S. lead. Mexico answered with four consecutive points to tie the set again. A Colvin kill put the U.S. up by three points, 19-16, and the lead was three again, 22-19, when Cos-Okpalla adjusted midair to post a kill. Mexico used a 4-1 run to square the set at 23. The U.S. was unable to convert two set points before scoring consecutive points on a kill by Hudson and another block by Cos-Okpalla.
The U.S. won the third set, 25-20. In the fourth, Chicoine scored off the block to give the U.S. an 11-10 lead, but Mexico ran off the next four points and never trailed again in the set. Chicoine kills tied the set at 19 and 20, and a Hudson back row attack evened the score at 21. Mexico scored the final four points to send the match to a fifth set.
The U.S. gave up the first point of the deciding set but scored the next three points and never surrendered the lead behind the pinpoint passing of Klika. Mexico misplayed a Chicoine serve, leading to a Colvin kill on a slide and the 3-1 advantage. After dropping the next point, the U.S. regained a two-point lead on another perfect pass from Klika that led to a Hudson kill off the block.
A Robinson kill and Cos-Okpalla block increased the margin to three, 7-4, and prompted a Mexico timeout. The U.S. continued its momentum with a Chicoine off-speed crosscourt kill and Robinson block making it 9-4.
Another strong Klika pass led to a Chicoine kill for an 11-7 U.S. lead. A series of phenomenal defensive plays by Mexico ending up cutting the lead back to three, but the trio of Klika, setter Caroline Kerr and Chicoine connected again for a 12-8 lead.
Kills by Hudson and Colvin gave the U.S. 13-8 and 14-9 leads, respectively. After Mexico saved one set point, Hudson ended the match on a kill to send the U.S. to the gold medal match.
USA Volleyball Women’s U23 Roster
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)
1 Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)
10 Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas)
11 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas)
13C Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes)
15 Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America)
16 Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)
18 Lauren Rumel (OPP, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona)
Alternates
7 Brooke Bultema (MB, 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio Valley)
12 Ella Swindle (S, 6-2, 2004, Columbia, Mo., Univ. of Texas, Heart of America)
14 Devin Kahahawai (OPP, 6-4, 2004, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
17 Marianna Singletary (MB, 6-4, 2004, Charleston, S.C., UCLA, Southern)
19 Maya Sands (L, 5-7, Rock Falls, Ill., Univ. of Missouri, Great Lakes)
Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian)
Performance Analyst: Matthew Adams (Michigan)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)
All times Pacific
July 27: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21)
July 28: USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7)
July 29: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-10)
July 30: Quarterfinals: USA received a bye
July 31: Semifinals: USA def. Mexico, 3-2 (20-25, 27-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-10)
Aug. 1: Gold Medal Match: USA vs. Canada, 3 p.m.
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team finished pool play without dropping a set after a 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-10) win over Costa Rica on Tuesday at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup in León, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team dominated Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7) at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup on Monday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team opened the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup with a sweep of the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21) on Sunday in León, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U.S. Girls U19 National Team who will prepare for the NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup, June 24–29 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes who have been selected to prepare for the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship, set to take place from July 2-13 in Osijek, Croatia, and Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. The U.S. will compete in Pool C alongside teams from Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Peru and Spain.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will prepare for the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 5-18, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 29, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s U23 National Team finished pool play without dropping a set after a 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-10) win over Costa Rica on Tuesday at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U23 Pan American Cup in León, Mexico.
The U.S. (3-0) earned a bye in tomorrow’s quarterfinal round and advanced directly to the semifinal round on Thursday, July 31.
The U.S. recorded 50 kills in the match, 30 more than Costa Rica, and six of the eight blocks in the match. The U.S. hit .460 as a team with its 50 kills and only 10 errors in 87 total attacks, while limiting Costa Rica to a .037 hitting percentage.
Opposite Jurnee Robinson led all players with 14 points on 13 kills and a block. She hit .579 for the match.
Middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla scored nine points on eight kills, and outside hitter Chloe Chicoine also finished with eight kills. Cos-Okpalla and Chicoine each hit .727 with eight kills without an error in 11 attacks. Chicoine added 10 digs and five successful receptions.
Middle blocker Raven Colvin totaled eight points on seven kills and a block. Libero Emmy Klika paced all players with 15 kills and nine successful receptions.
In addition to running the effective offense, setters Averi Carlson (four points on three kills and a block) and Caroline Kerr (two points on a kill and a block) combined for six points.
The U.S. never trailed in the first set, grabbing an early 8-4 lead when Martin converted an overpass for a kill. A Colvin kill extended the lead to six, 15-9. A block by Carlson gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set, 20-12. After Costa Rica scored the next two points, Robinson scored on a tip. Robinson finished the set with her seventh kill.
With a 6-5 lead in the second set, the U.S. went on a 8-1 run to take an eight-point lead. Colvin served three aces in that stretch, and Cos-Okpalla delivered a kill to end the longest rally of the match and put the U.S. up 13-6. A Colvin block extended the lead to 12 points, 20-8. Colvin added three kills in the set for four points and Hudson recorded four kills.
A Robinson block put the U.S. up 5-1 early in the third set. A Colvin kill raised the lead to eight, 12-4. The U.S. continued to extend the lead, and a Chicoine kill ended the match for back-to-back 25-10 victories. Robinson paced the U.S. with seven points on six kills and a block.
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)
1 Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)
10 Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas)
11 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas)
13C Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes)
15 Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America)
16 Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)
18 Lauren Rumel (OPP, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona)
Alternates
7 Brooke Bultema (MB, 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio Valley)
12 Ella Swindle (S, 6-2, 2004, Columbia, Mo., Univ. of Texas, Heart of America)
14 Devin Kahahawai (OPP, 6-4, 2004, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
17 Marianna Singletary (MB, 6-4, 2004, Charleston, S.C., UCLA, Southern)
19 Maya Sands (L, 5-7, Rock Falls, Ill., Univ. of Missouri, Great Lakes)
Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian)
Performance Analyst: Matthew Adams (Michigan)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)
All times Pacific
July 27: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21)
July 28: USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7)
July 29: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-10)
July 30: Quarterfinals: USA received a bye
July 31: Semifinals: USA vs. TBA
Aug. 1: Medal Match: USA vs. TBA
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team dominated Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7) at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup on Monday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team opened the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup with a sweep of the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21) on Sunday in León, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U.S. Girls U19 National Team who will prepare for the NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup, June 24–29 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes who have been selected to prepare for the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship, set to take place from July 2-13 in Osijek, Croatia, and Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. The U.S. will compete in Pool C alongside teams from Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Peru and Spain.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will prepare for the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 5-18, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 28, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s U23 National Team dominated Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7) at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U23 Pan American Cup on Monday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. (2-0) concludes pool play against Costa Rica tomorrow, Tuesday, July 29, at 3 p.m. PT.
The U.S. outscored Suriname 75-30 and hit .521 (43 kills and only six errors in 71 total attacks). Suriname finished with more hitting errors (17) than kills (15). The U.S. registered the only five blocks in the match and 10 of the 11 aces.
Setter Caroline Kerr ran the nearly unstoppable U.S. offense while scoring five points on one kill, one block and a match-high three aces. Libero Emmy Klika totaled 18 digs and 12 successful receptions.
The top five scorers in the match were from the U.S., with each totaling at least nine points. Outside hitter Norah Sis hit .600 with 13 kills and only one error in 20 attacks, adding two aces for 15 points. Middle blocker Cara Cresse also reached double digits with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.
Middle Raven Colvin (five kills with two blocks an aces), outside Ava Martin (seven kills and two aces) and opposite Lauren Rumel (eight kills and an ace) all totaled nine points.
A Cresse kill on a slide gave the U.S. an 8-3 lead early in the match. The U.S., which went on a 9-2 run for a 17-5 lead, took its biggest lead on the final point on an ace by Martin. Rumel recorded five kills with Sis (four kills) and Martin (three kills in addition to her ace) adding four points.
Suriname took its first leads of the match 2-1 and 3-2 in the second set. The U.S. scored five consecutive points, culminating with a Sis kill on a back row attack, to prompt a timeout. After the teams split the next 10 points, the U.S. went on a 5-1 run to take a 16-9 lead on a Rumel ace.
The lead reached double digits, 20-10, on a Kerr kill and moved to 11 (23-12) on a Kerr service ace. Colvin ended the set by putting a ball down after an overpass on one of the longer rallies of the contest. Sis produced five kills, Cresse scored five points on four kills and a block, and Colvin finished with four points on three kills and a block.
Two Kerr aces and a Colvin block led the U.S. to a 6-0 start to the third set. After Suriname put together three consecutive points for the first time in the match, the U.S. went on another 6-0 run that included a pair of aces by Sis.
Leading 16-5, the U.S. scored seven consecutive points and nine of the last 11 to close out the match. Sis led the way with six points on four kills and two aces.
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)
1 Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)
10 Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas)
11 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas)
13C Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes)
15 Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America)
16 Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)
18 Lauren Rumel (OPP, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona)
Alternates
7 Brooke Bultema (MB, 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio Valley)
12 Ella Swindle (S, 6-2, 2004, Columbia, Mo., Univ. of Texas, Heart of America)
14 Devin Kahahawai (OPP, 6-4, 2004, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
17 Marianna Singletary (MB, 6-4, 2004, Charleston, S.C., UCLA, Southern)
19 Maya Sands (L, 5-7, Rock Falls, Ill., Univ. of Missouri, Great Lakes)
Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian)
Performance Analyst: Matthew Adams (Michigan)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)
All times Pacific
July 27: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21)
July 28: USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7)
July 29: USA vs. Costa Rica, 3 p.m.
July 30: Quarterfinals
July 31: Semifinals and Classification Matches
Aug. 1: Medal Matches and Classification matches
The U.S. Women's U23 National Team opened the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup with a sweep of the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21) on Sunday in León, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U.S. Girls U19 National Team who will prepare for the NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup, June 24–29 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes who have been selected to prepare for the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship, set to take place from July 2-13 in Osijek, Croatia, and Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. The U.S. will compete in Pool C alongside teams from Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Peru and Spain.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will prepare for the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 5-18, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 27, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team completed its undefeated run to win the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-13) championship match victory over Chile on Sunday in San Jose, Costa Rica. The U.S. finished the tournament without losing a set in its five matches and won its third straight Pan Am titles, after winning in 2022 and 2023.
“I’m happy for the group to come together over two weeks and play well in the final against a good Chile team. Everyone contributed and I was glad how they kept their focus the whole match. We played our best volleyball at the end,” said U.S. head coach Heather Olmstead. “It was a great tournament, and Costa Rica did a great job hosting it. We are just really grateful to be here and to represent the USA.”
Brooklyn DeLeye was named MVP and first Best Outside Hitter. Favor Anyanwu received second Best Middle Blocker, and Taylor Parks earned Best Server.
The U.S. finished with large margins in kills (42-15), blocks (10-2) and aces (8-2). Chile committed 11 fewer errors (26-15). The U.S. hit .516 for the match with 42 kills and just nine hitting errors in 64 attacks, while limiting Chile to a .000 hitting percentage on the same number of attacks.
Middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and opposite Jadyn Livings shared match-high honors with 13 points each. Anyanwu led all players with four blocks, adding eight kills, and the championship-clinching ace. Livings was the only player to reach double digits in kills (12) to go with a block.
Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye scored eight points on seven kills and a block, and middle blocker Ayden Ames totaled six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace. Libero Ramsey Gary led all players with 11 digs. Setter Stella Swenson delivered a match-high three aces.
A Glover block and back-to-back Swenson aces started a 7-0 U.S. run that turned a two-point lead into a nine-point margin, 13-4, in set one. DeLeye produced a kill that put the U.S. up 22-12 before Chile scored the next four points to prompt a U.S. timeout. The teams split points the rest of the set. DeLeye led all players with five points on four kills and a block.
The U.S. took an early 6-2 lead on a Livings kill in the second set and then the U.S. bench showed off its dancing skills during a lengthy delay. Back-to-back DeLeye kills made it 8-3 heading into the first technical timeout. Ames served an ace to build the lead to seven points, 17-10.
Anyanwu posted a block to put the U.S. ahead 20-11. Livings finished the set with a block, her seventh point of the set. She recorded six kills. Opposite Noemie Glover scored five points on four kills and a block with middle Lizzy Andrew (three kills and one block) and outside hitter Blaire Bayless (three kills and one ace) each scoring four points.
An Anyanwu kill gave the U.S. a 10-5 lead and when Glover put a ball down, the lead grew to seven at 13-6. Anyanwu scored on a slide off the block for an 18-9 lead. Anyanwu sealed the championship with an ace, her seventh point of the set after contributing three kills and three blocks.
2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)
Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)
Schedule
All times Pacific
July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15)
July 24: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11)
July 25: Quarterfinals: USA received bye
July 26: Semifinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-20)
July 27: Gold Medal: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-13)
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team reached the gold medal match of the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-20) blanking of Canada in Saturday's semifinal in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team stayed unbeaten at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15) victory over Puerto Rico on Wednesday in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team began play at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup in San Jose, Costa Rica with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) win over North American rival Canada on Tuesday.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 27, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s U23 National Team opened the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U23 Pan American Cup with a sweep of the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21) on Sunday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. will return to the court tomorrow, Monday, July 28, at 1 p.m. PT against Suriname.
The U.S. finished with an advantage in kills (43-35) while leading 9-5 in blocks. The Dominican Republic served one more ace (3-2).
Opposite Jurnee Robinson made a stellar international debut by leading the U.S. with 13 points on eight kills and a match-high five blocks. Outside hitter Eva Hudson recorded 10 kills and 17 successful receptions, while middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla finished with 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and an ace in her first international appearance.
Libero Emmy Klika registered a match-high 19 digs, eight more than the next highest total, and added nine successful receptions. Outside Chloe Chicoine delivered nine kills, 11 digs and 10 successful receptions.
Middle blocker Raven Colvin scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Setter Averi Carlson ran the U.S. offense and added eight digs.
The first set was close throughout with the Dominican Republic holding a 21-19 lead before the U.S. went on a four-point run to move ahead 23-21. With the score tied at 21, a strong up by Chicoine led to a Hudson kill. On the following play, a great dig by Klika kept a rally live that finished with Hudson scoring off a set from Klika.
Trailing 24-22, the Dominican Republic saved two set points. Another great dig by Klika led to another Hudson kill and a third set point, but the Dominican Republic scored the next point. Robinson finished the set with a kill and a block. Hudson ended the set with seven kills, while Robinson scored five points on three kills and two blocks.
The Dominican Republic led 13-11 in the second set before a 5-0 U.S. run that included an ace by Cos-Okpalla. An ace brought the Dominican Republic back within a point, 16-15, and the teams traded points until the U.S. finished the set on a 6-1 run. Cos-Okpalla had a kill and block down the stretch, totaling seven points on five kills, a block and an ace.
A block by Chicoine gave the U.S. a 10-6 lead in the third set. Back-to-back blocks by Robinson and Cos-Okpalla stretched the lead to six points, 13-7. The Dominican Republic pulled within a point on an ace, 20-19, but Cos-Okpalla recorded a kill on the next point and a hitting error pushed the lead back to three points, 22-19.
A Colvin block gave the U.S. match point, 24-20, and after yielding the next point, the U.S. completed the sweep on a Chicoine kill. Robinson paced the team with six points on three kills and three aces.
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)
1 Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)
10 Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas)
11 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas)
13C Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes)
15 Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America)
16 Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)
18 Lauren Rumel (OPP, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona)
Alternates
7 Brooke Bultema (MB, 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio Valley)
12 Ella Swindle (S, 6-2, 2004, Columbia, Mo., Univ. of Texas, Heart of America)
14 Devin Kahahawai (OPP, 6-4, 2004, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
17 Marianna Singletary (MB, 6-4, 2004, Charleston, S.C., UCLA, Southern)
19 Maya Sands (L, 5-7, Rock Falls, Ill., Univ. of Missouri, Great Lakes)
Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian)
Performance Analyst: Matthew Adams (Michigan)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)
All times Pacific
July 27: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21)
July 28: USA vs. Suriname, 1 p.m.
July 29: USA vs. Costa Rica, 3 p.m.
July 30: Quarterfinals
July 31: Semifinals and Classification Matches
Aug. 1: Medal Matches and Classification matches
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 18 athletes who will train with the 2025 Women’s U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U.S. Girls U19 National Team who will prepare for the NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup, June 24–29 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes who have been selected to prepare for the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship, set to take place from July 2-13 in Osijek, Croatia, and Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. The U.S. will compete in Pool C alongside teams from Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Peru and Spain.
USA Volleyball announces the 19 athletes on the 2025 U19 Girls National Team who will prepare for the 2025 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship, Aug. 5-18, in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 26, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team reached the gold medal match of the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-20) blanking of Canada in Saturday’s semifinal in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. will face the winner of the semifinal between Chile and host Costa Rica in the gold medal match tomorrow, Sunday, July 27, at 4 p.m. PT.
The U.S. dominated in kills (42-18) and aces (9-2), while Canada registered one more block (6-5) and 11 fewer errors (30-19).
The top four scorers were all from the U.S. with captain and outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye scoring 18 points on 14 kills and four aces. Opposite Jadyn Livings also reached double digits with 10 kills. Libero Ramsey Gary posted a match-high 17 digs, while DeLeye added six and Livings five.
“This was our second time playing Canada and they put up a great fight. I am really proud of how our team came together and represented our country and something bigger than ourselves,” DeLeye said.
Middle blocker Lizzy Andrew led all players with four blocks to go along with four kills and an ace for nine points. Outside Blaire Bayless also scored nine points with eight kills and an ace.
Back-to-back aces by DeLeye out of the first technical time out gave the U.S. a 10-5 lead in the opening set. The margin grew to six points, 16-10, at the second timeout but Canada used three blocks to ignite a 6-1 that cut the lead to one point, 17-16.
The U.S. then finished the first set on an 8-1 run with DeLeye (three kills and an ace) and Ames (three kills) accounting for the first seven points in that stretch. DeLeye totaled 10 points on seven kills and three aces.
The U.S. continued the momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. A setter dump by Parks, a kill from Andrew, and a Parks ace upped the lead to nine points,15-6. With the U.S. leading 16-7, Canada scored seven consecutive points to cut the lead to 16-14. DeLeye ended the run with a kill off the block.
A Gibadlo ace followed by an Andrew kill pushed the lead back to six, 23-17. Livings ended the set with a kill to give the U.S. a two-set advantage. Andrew led the U.S. with five points on three blocks and a pair of kills.
The third set was tight with a DeLeye ace giving the U.S. a three-point lead, 17-14. After two Canada points, Livings recorded a kill after a long rally to put the U.S. ahead 18-16. An Andrew block and Bayless kill stretched the lead to four, 20-16. Livings sealed the win with her fourth kill of the set. DeLeye and Bayless each delivered five kills in the set.
2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)
Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)
Schedule
All times Pacific
July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15)
July 24: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11)
July 25: Quarterfinals: USA received bye
July 26: Semifinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-20)
July 27: Gold Medal: USA vs. Costa Rica/Chile, 4 p.m.
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team stayed unbeaten at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15) victory over Puerto Rico on Wednesday in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team began play at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup in San Jose, Costa Rica with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) win over North American rival Canada on Tuesday.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 24, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team finished undefeated in pool play at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11) win over Chile on Thursday in San Jose, Costa Rica.
With the win in the matchup of undefeated teams, the U.S. earned a bye in Friday’s quarterfinals and moves directly into the semifinal round on Saturday, July 26, at 6 p.m. PT.
The U.S dominated at the net with 11 blocks to only three for Chile, while also holding advantages in kills (33-24) and aces (7-3). Chile committed six more errors (24-18), with the mistakes compounding in the final set.
Five players scored at least seven points in the balanced U.S. attack. Opposite Jadyn Livings was the only U.S. player in double figures with 10 points on a match-high nine kills to go with a block. She added seven digs.
Middle blockers Ayden Ames and Favor Anyanwu shared match-high honors with three blocks apiece. Ames also registered five kills and an ace, while Anyanwu added four kills.
“I thought Chile played really well that match. I thought we fought back harder. We kept the service pressure up the entire match, and we were able to stay calm on defense with blocks and passing,” Ames said.
Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye scored nine points on seven kills and two aces, while outside Kamryn Gibadlo led the team with seven successful receptions to go with seven digs and seven points (five kills, one block, one ace).
Setter Stella Swenson led the U.S. offense to a .301 hitting percentage while contributing two blocks, two aces and six digs. Libero Ramsey Gary finished with a team-high 10 digs.
Trailing 11-7 in the opening set, the U.S. scored seven consecutive points. A Gibadlo ace evened the score at 11. The run ended on a Livings kill set up by a great up from Ames and then an Ames block for a 14-11 lead.
Following the second timeout, Chile put together three points in a row to tie the score at 16-16. With the set all square at 17, the U.S. scored three consecutive points. After a service error, the U.S. got a block from Swenson and a kill by Gibadlo after a strong dig by Parks. After a Chile timeout, Ames recorded a kill and a block around a Parks ace to complete a 6-0 U.S. run. Ames and Livings each scored five points in the set.
Chile went on a 5-0 run leading up to the first technical timeout of the second set to take an 8-4 lead. After giving up another point, the U.S. rallied with a 8-0 run that began with a smart push to the back court by Livings, who followed that by putting a ball straight down. A DeLeye ace forced a Chile timeout at 9-9. A Gibadlo block and two errors gave the U.S. a 12–9 lead.
Another Ames block extended the margin to five points, 15-10. The advantage grew to six (18-12) on a Swenson ace. Chile came no closer than four points the rest of the way. After trailing 9-4, the U.S. finished the set with a 21-10 advantage. Anyanwu and DeLeye each scored four points in the set with Livings adding three kills.
The U.S. took advantage of five early Chile errors to race out to a 8-1 lead in set three with Gibadlo scoring twice in the run. With the U.S. up 10-3, Ames served an ace, and the lead grew to double digits with two more Chile errors. The margin continued to balloon after a Chile timeout with a pair of blocks by Anyanwu and an error making it 16-3. Outside Blaire Bayless entered the match in the third set and led the U.S. with four points on three kills and an ace.
2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)
Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)
Schedule
All times Pacific
July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15)
July 24: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11)
July 25: Quarterfinals: USA receives bye
July 26: Semifinals: USA vs. TBA, 6 p.m.
July 27: Medal Matches
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team stayed unbeaten at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15) victory over Puerto Rico on Wednesday in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team began play at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup in San Jose, Costa Rica with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) win over North American rival Canada on Tuesday.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 23, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team stayed unbeaten at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15) victory over Puerto Rico on Wednesday in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The U.S. closes out pool play tomorrow, Thursday, July 24, at 4 p.m. PT against Chile. A win would send the U.S. directly into the semifinal round. Puerto Rico fell to 0-2.
The statistical domination was reflected in the scoreline as the U.S. nearly tripled Puerto Rico in kills (37-13). The U.S. recorded seven of the nine blocks in the match and all five aces.
Setters Stella Swenson and Taylor Parks combined to lead the U.S. to a phenomenal .680 hitting percentage for the match with only three errors in 50 total attacks. Libero Ramsey Gary led all players with eight successful receptions and shared match-high honors with seven digs.
Outside hitter Blaire Bayless led all players with 14 points on 12 kills, a block and an ace. She hit .800 with her 12 kills on 15 attacks without an error.
“We came off of a good win against Canada yesterday and we wanted to come into this match with the same intensity and same fire. I think we did a great job playing well over time and finishing strong,” Bayless said.
Middle blocker Lizzy Andrew registered a match-best three blocks to go with five kills for eight points. Opposite Noemie Glover (six kills and an ace) and outside Abby Vander Wal (five kills and two aces) each scored seven points. Middle blocker Ayden Ames added five points on three kills and a pair of blocks.
A Vander Wal kill gave the U.S. an early 8-3 lead. After the teams exchanged the next eight points, the U.S. scored six points in a row. Bayless served for five points with one ace, while Ames and Livings each recorded a block in the run. Four U.S. players scored at least three points in the set with Bayless leading the way with three kills and her ace. The U.S. hit .722 as a team with 14 kills and only one error in 18 total attacks.
A Bayless block and kill helped ignite a 4-0 U.S. start in the second set that caused Puerto Rico to take an early timeout. The U.S. continued the momentum with a block and kill by Andrew, helping push the lead to 8-0 at the first technical timeout. One of the longest rallies of the match featured great defense by both teams before Bayless scored on a back row attack to make it 10-2.
Another Andrew block raised the lead to double digits, 13-3. A Parks ace upped the lead to 15 (21-6). Andrew (three kills, two blocks) and Bayless (four kills, one block) both scored five points. The U.S. hit .667 with 10 kills and no errors in 12 total attacks.
Two Bayless kills helped stake the U.S. to a 5-1 lead in the third set. A Vander Wal ace pushed the lead to six points, 10-4. Puerto Rico pulled within three points, 11-8, but kills by Bayless and Andrew led to a Puerto Rico timeout.
The lead grew to eight points, 21-13, on a Vander Wal kill, and a Bayless kill stretched the advantage to 10 (24-14) and set up match point. After Puerto Rico saved one match point, the U.S. ended the match on a kill by Glover. Bayless delivered five kills in the set.
2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)
Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)
Schedule
All times Pacific
July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15)
July 24: USA vs. Chile, 4 p.m.
July 25: Quarterfinals
July 26: Semifinals
July 27: Medal Matches
The U.S. Women's U21 National Team began play at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U21 Pan American Cup in San Jose, Costa Rica with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) win over North American rival Canada on Tuesday.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 23, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) quarterfinal match to world No. 1 Italy, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 28-26) on Wednesday in Łódź, Poland. The U.S. completed VNL play with a 7-6 record, while Italy, the 2024 Olympic gold medalists Italy, extended its world-record winning streak to 27 matches.
The U.S. will next compete in the 2025 FIVB World Championships in Thailand in August.
“I think the progress we have made since we got in the gym in May has been great. I thought we played really hard. We still have to figure out some moments where we just give the other team too much opportunity,” said U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “We were much more competitive to play that same roster two months later. I’m real proud of that but we still have some work to do.”
Italy overcame 23 errors by holding a 50-36 edge in kills. The U.S. matched one of the top blocking teams in the world with six blocks. Italy finished with one more ace (5-4).
Outside hitter Avery Skinner led the U.S. with 11 kills and contributed seven digs.
“We are pretty familiar with each other, so we know each other’s tendencies. That can make it fun, too, because we have to be creative. I am proud of us for sticking with it until the end,” Skinner said. “We are super young, and each week it has been building on what we did the week before. The summer is long and we have another tournament, so we are going to work even more for that next tournament.”
Libero Lexi Rodriguez was outstanding again on defense with a match-high nine successful receptions and equaling match-best honors with 14 digs.
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin totaled eight points on seven kills and a block. Middle blocker Dana Rettke (five kills, one block, one ace) and opposite Samantha Samedy (six kills and one ace) each scored seven points.
Opposite Madi Skinner scored five points on four kills and an ace, and middle Amber Igiede finished with five points on three kills and two blocks. Setter Jordyn Poulter posted two blocks and six digs.
The U.S. scored the first three points of the match, one on a Madi Skinner ace, and still led 10-7 when Italy scored four consecutive points after a timeout to take the lead. A Rettke block gave the U.S. the lead for the last time at 12-11. Italy went on a 10-4 run to take a five-point advantage (21-16), culminating with the seventh U.S. hitting error.
Italy still led by five, 23-18, when the U.S. scored four points in a row to cut the lead to one. A Franklin swipe off the block and Rettke kill keyed the rally. Italy called its second timeout and returned to the floor by scoring the final two points to take the opener. Madi Skinner and Avery Skinner each recorded four kills, while Rettke added three kills.
Taking advantage of a rare series of errors by Italy, the U.S. took a 13-12 lead in the second set before a 5-2 run gave Italy a 17-15 lead. An Avery Skinner kill, a Franklin back row attack where she adjusted mid-air, and an Igiede block put the U.S. back in front 18-17. Italy responded with seven of the next nine points to go up 24-20. Franklin registered four kills and Avery Skinner added three.
The U.S. trailed 8-6 in the third set before going on a 9-3 run to take its biggest lead of the match at four points. Rettke served a tough ball that led to an Igiede kill on an overpass and then served an ace to give the U.S. the lead. Kills by Samedy, Avery Skinner and Rettke made it 15-11.
A Franklin block sandwiched between the seventh and eighth Italy hitting errors of the set put the U.S. ahead 19-15 and forced Italy to take its final timeout. Italy scored the next two points, but Samedy changed speeds on an attack to make it 20-17. Avery Skinner scored the next two U.S. points for a 22-19 lead, but Italy scored the next four points to regain the lead.
An Igiede kill and Logan Eggleston ace gave the U.S. its first set point of the match, 24-23. Avery Skinner ripped a ball on a back row attack for a 25-24 for a second set point. Italy saved another set point after a service error and earned set point in spite of multiple great defensive plays by Rodrigue,z and finished the match with a block. Samedy scored five points on four kills and an ace and Avery Skinner recorded four kills.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
19 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
VNL Finals
July 23: Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 28-26)
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
Week 3 Results: Arlington, Texas
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20)
July 12 USA def. Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17)
July 13 China def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16)
USA Volleyball has announced the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Final Round in Łódź, Poland, July 23-27. The top eight teams from the preliminary phase advanced to the Finals, and the U.S. earned its spot with a 7-5 record, finishing eighth in the standings.
The U.S. Women's National Team completed Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary play with a 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16) loss to China on Sunday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) finals with a thrilling 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17) win over North American rival Canada on Saturday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team earned its second win as many nights with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20) victory over the Dominican Republic in a key Volleyball Nations League (VNL) matchup on Thursday at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 22, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team began play at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup in San Jose, Costa Rica, with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13) win over North American rival Canada on Tuesday.
The U.S. returns to play tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23, at 2 p.m. PT against Puerto Rico, which dropped its opener to Chile.
The U.S. dominated statistically, more than doubling Canada in kills (44-20), blocks (7-3) and aces (9-4).
“I’m happy for the way the group stayed together. Shaky beginnings are always a little messy as we try to figure each other out. I thought our team found their footing and really competed, stayed true to who they are and let their skills come out,” said U.S. head coach Heather Olmstead. “We did a good job in the serve and pass game in the first match and Brooklyn (DeLeye) took some big swings. Some players came in and made a difference. Taylor Parks came in and served some tough balls that helped us go on a run. Our blocking was decent, and we are looking to continue to get better.”
Each of the top four scorers in the match were U.S. players, including three in double figures. DeLeye led all players with 14 kills and 16 points, adding two aces. She recorded five digs and four successful receptions.
Fellow outside Kamryn Gibadlo scored 11 points on 10 kills and an ace, and middle blocker Favor Anyanwu scored 10 points on six kills and a match-high four blocks, one more than Canada as a team. Gibadlo led the team with five successful receptions and totaled five digs.
Opposite Jadyn Livings scored eight points on seven kills and an ace. Libero Ramsey Gary posted a match-best seven digs.
After an inauspicious start, falling behind 5-0 on four aces, the U.S. chipped away at the lead until it tied the set at 13-13 and 14-14. Canada scored the next two points before the U.S. finished the set on an 11-2 run. Parks served the final five points, including three aces in a row to make it 24-18. DeLeye and Gibadlo each recorded five kills in the set with DeLeye adding an ace.
The U.S. led most of the second set, running off seven consecutive points after being up 17-12 to bring up set point. Four players contributed at least three points in the set with DeLeye leading the way with six points on five kills and an ace. Livings recorded four kills.
Anyanwu scored three early points to lead the U.S. to a quick 8-4 lead in the third set. A great defensive rally by Gary helped the lead remain at four, 12-8. After giving up the next point, the U.S. scored six consecutive points and went on to finish the match on 13-4 run. Anyanwu, DeLeye and Gibadlo all scored four points in the set.
2025 Women’s U21 National Team for U21 Pan American Cup
Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)
Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)
Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)
Schedule
All times Pacific
July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 2 p.m.
July 24: USA vs. Chile, 4 p.m.
July 25: Quarterfinals
July 26: Semifinals
July 27: Medal Matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team completed Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary play with a 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16) loss to China on Sunday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. finished 7-5, including 3-1 in front of the home crowd, and qualified for the VNL finals with an eighth-place finish. The U.S. will travel to Poland for the VNL finals where it will meet top-seeded Italy, which finished play with a 12-0 record.
“Giving an opportunity to some of the less experienced players is one of our big goals this summer, so I am really happy we got that. I love the way that we battled tonight,” remarked U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “We obviously had some lulls here and there. I thought China woke up and played some really good volleyball and challenged us. I love how we responded to that. It would have been very easy for us to get in that fifth game and not fight. I think when we’ve been in those big moments, we have done a nice job competing.”
The U.S. led in blocks (10-9) and aces (4-1), while China held the edge in kills (67-64).
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led all players with 32 points on 29 kills and three blocks. She finished with 11 successful receptions and four digs.
“We are going to learn a lot from this and continue to grow. We saw a lot of really good things out there on the court. China did a really good job changing up in the third, fourth and fifth sets. We just need to be better at responding at that,” said Franklin, who is competing in her first VNL this year. “It’s been really fun watching our teammates cheering on all of us who are new this year.”
Opposite Taylor Mims scored her first VNL point when she entered the match in the third set, finishing the night with 10 points on nine kills and a block. Middle blocker Asjia O’Neal scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks, and outside Roni Jones-Perry also contributed nine points with seven kills and two aces. Jones-Perry led the team with 13 successful receptions and added 11 digs.
As it did throughout VNL play, the U.S. got tremendous play from the libero position as Morgan Hentz recorded 20 digs, eight more than the next highest total by any player. Opposite Danielle Cuttino totaled eight points on six kills and two blocks, and middle blocker Brionne Butler scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.
A Franklin block gave the U.S. an 11-5 lead in the first set and the lead was still four points, 15-11, when Jones-Perry scored. China then went on a 5-1 run to even the set at 16. A Franklin kill gave the U.S. the lead back and then Fairbanks served for five consecutive points, which featured an ace and two more serves that turned into overpasses. Franklin led all players with seven points on five kills and two blocks.
A great dig by Hentz led to a Cuttino out-of-system kill that gave the U.S. an 8-6 lead in the second set. Another Fairbanks ace, a China hitting error and a Franklin kill on an overpass concluded a 5-0 U.S. run that made it 11-6. China had a 7-1 run, but the U.S. responded with its own 7-2 streak to take a 20-14 lead. Franklin scored on back-to-back points, keyed by digs from O’Neal to complete the run.
Franklin’s seventh kill and eighth point of the set gave the U.S. a 21-16 lead and Butler scored three of the team’s final four points of the set. Butler’s block made it 22-17, her kill on an overpass gave the U.S. set point, and she ended the set with a kill that went straight down.
Mims scored her first VNL point to even the third set at 16. It was the last tie of the set as China scored the next two points and led the rest of the set. The set win clinched sixth place for China in the VNL standings and set up a quarterfinal match with Japan at the VNL finals. Franklin recorded six more kills to raise her match total to 18 kills and 21 points through three sets.
China took a 9-4 lead in the fourth set and led by as many as eight points, 19-11. China took advantage of the U.S. passing at just a 30 percent rate in the set. Franklin again led the squad with six kills.
The U.S. led 5-3 in the deciding set before China ran off three points in a row. The set was tied nine times, including every other point from 10-10 through 16-16. Mims recorded a block to tie the set at 12 and a kill to even the score at 14-14. An O’Neal kill tied the set at 15 and Franklin’s 29th kill and 32nd point after a great up by Jones-Perry evened the score at 16-16. Mims scored five points on four kills and her block, and Franklin added five more kills.
“I learned a lot,” added Sullivan, who was coaching the U.S. women for the first time in the VNL. “Any time we get these opportunities and experiences to play, I think we learn a lot not just about the personnel on our team, but also our culture and what kind of team we are with a bunch of systems we have implemented. We also learn about our weaknesses as you get exposed in some things. It’s awesome to be able to get back in the gym and tighten that stuff up and try to get better.”
U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Results: Arlington, Texas
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20)
July 12 USA def. Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17)
July 13 China def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16)
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) finals with a thrilling 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17) win over North American rival Canada on Saturday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team earned its second win as many nights with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20) victory over the Dominican Republic in a key Volleyball Nations League (VNL) matchup on Thursday at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team is bringing 16 athletes, including five with Texas ties, to round three of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), July 9-13, at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 12, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team clinched a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) finals with a thrilling 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17) win over North American rival Canada on Saturday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. (7-4) is now in seventh place and seeks to finish undefeated in the final week of VNL play tomorrow, Sunday, July 13, at 5 p.m. PT against China.
“I thought we had moments of better volleyball tonight than we did the first two nights. We still have some letdowns that kind of get away from us, so I’d like to clean those up and address those. I feel like we are getting up three or four points in a set and then giving those points back in maybe not the greatest fashion,” U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan said. “I thought in the fourth set and fifth sets, while we still did that a little bit, we did it in a better emotional state. We were battling and not getting defeated by those moments. I really like the way we competed in those two sets at the end.”
The 69-58 U.S. edge in kills was just enough to offset the 24-16 deficit in blocks. Both teams served three aces.
“We are still kind of learning about each other a little bit trying to figure out what buttons to push and how we respond,” Sullivan commented. “We try to give them a little more emotional support when things not necessarily just don’t go our way but when we just don’t have quality touches and you can see we are a little frustrated. Our staff was giving more of a pump-up vibe and I thought that helped a little bit. Our goal this summer was to give some players opportunities. We will shuffle around and continue to do that. I don’t want to abandon that just because we qualified.”
Outside hitter Avery Skinner put together another tremendous match, totaling 21 points on 20 kills, including six in the final set, and a block. She also led team in digs with 14 and added 11 successful receptions. Opposite Madi Skinner (16 kills, one block, two aces) and outside Logan Eggleston (17 kills and two blocks) each scored 19 points.
Setter Jordyn Poulter finished with 63 assists, six digs and two blocks.
“We just tried to remind ourselves to take it one point, one play at a time. We’ve been challenged in every match in tis VNL tournament and we will continue to be challenged every match this summer, so we are working our hardest to try to be steady and consistent and play some good volleyball,” said Poulter, who ran the offense in which five players recorded at least seven kills. “We can’t spread it out unless we are passing well so I will give that credit to our passers fighting off some really tough serves.”
Libero Lexi Rodriguez led all players with 14 successful receptions and added nine digs. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson took over in the fourth set, scoring half of her 14 points, to keep the U.S. in the match. She finished with eight kills and shared match-high honors with six blocks. Middle Dana Rettke also reached double digits with 10 points on seven kills and three blocks.
Trailing 13-9 in the first set, Canada scored five consecutive points to take a 14-13 lead. Neither team led by more than two points the rest of the set, which was tied at 24 when the U.S. was able to score back-to-back points to take the set. Avery Skinner scored to set up the second U.S. set point. Opposite Taylor Mims made her 2025 VNL debut from the service line and Canada’s hitting error ended the set. Madi Skinner led all players with five kills and Avery Skinner added four points on three kills and a block.
A Jimerson block put the U.S. up 19-18 in the second set and her kill made it 20-19, but it would be the U.S. squad’s last lead of the set. Down 24-21, the U.S. defended two set points on a Madi Skinner kill off hands and an Avery Skinner back row attack, but Canada secured the final point. Madi Skinner (five kills and an ace) and Eggleston (four kills and two blocks) each scored six points in the set.
Canada led most of the third set. The U.S. did use a 5-0 run thanks to strong serving from Brionne Butler to take a 14-13 lead but Canada responded with an 8-3 run to retake a four-point lead. Madi Skinner paced the U.S. with five points on three kills, a block and an ace.
Jimerson recorded a kill and block on consecutive plays to give the U.S. a 12-7 lead in the fourth set. Canada responded with a 7-2 run, tying the set at 14 on an ace, and then took its last lead at 16-15. An Avery Skinner kill off hands and another Jimerson kill gave the U.S. the lead for good, 17-16.
A Jimerson block extended the lead to four points, 22-18. Rettke and Avery Skinner scored the final points of the set to send the match to a decisive fifth set. Jimerson led the U.S. in the set with seven points on four kills and a trio of blocks.
Another Jimerson block gave the U.S. a 9-5 lead in the fifth set but Canada scored the next four points, the last two on blocks, to even the set. Jimerson recorded a kill for a 10-9 lead and then her two digs on the next point led to an Avery Skinner kill that put the U.S. up 11-9.
After Canada tied the set at 11, Eggleston scored on a kill over the block for a 12-11 U.S. lead. Two U.S. errors and Canada’s 24th block of the match gave the underdogs two match points. Eggleston scored off the block and Rettke followed with a block to tie the set at 14.
Canada earned three more match points. A service error that was well long tied the set at 15 and two Avery Skinner kills helped the U.S. fight off a fourth and fifth match point. Avery Skinner gave the U.S. its first match point on a back row attack and Eggleston ended the match on a kill off a pass from Rodriguez. Skinner finished the set with six kills and Eggleston added four.
U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20)
July 12 USA def. Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17)
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. USA vs. China
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
The U.S. Women's National Team earned its second win as many nights with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20) victory over the Dominican Republic in a key Volleyball Nations League (VNL) matchup on Thursday at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team is bringing 16 athletes, including five with Texas ties, to round three of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), July 9-13, at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 10, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team earned its second win as many nights with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20) victory over the Dominican Republic in a key Volleyball Nations League (VNL) matchup on Thursday at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. (6-4) will have a day off before meeting Canada on Saturday, July 12, at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are still available for the final two U.S. matches. Buy your tickets now.
“Bunch of good things,” said U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “Loved that we got some production out of players off the bench. I feel like it’s a total group effort right now, both last night and tonight. We need to find some consistency. We still have too many periods of times when we’re just giving easy points away. We need to shore that up a little bit. But I’m overall very happy with how we’re competing right now. Playing a team that’s a little bit slower in their offensive tempo (compared to Thailand) gave us an opportunity to get in front of them a little bit more. Our middles did a really nice job of closing up the block and getting straight up and over.”
The U.S. led in each major statistical category, including 50-41 in kills, 14-10 in blocks and 6-4 in aces.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner again led the U.S., scoring 18 points on 15 kills, two aces and a block. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson made her VNL debut and shared the match-high with four blocks to go with nine kills and an ace for 14 points playing the first three sets.
“It’s just about us being in system and (Jordyn) Poulter being able to see the other side and feeding it to me. We have been working really hard in the gym and today we wanted to show our chemistry and hard work, and I think we did that,” stated Jimerson, who appreciated making her debut before the home crowd. “It’s amazing, and I am just so grateful for the opportunity to be out here and compete with these women.”
Poulter finished with 39 assists and an ace in leading the effective U.S. offense. Avery Skinner and fellow outside hitter Logan Eggleston helped the U.S. stay in system often with eight and five successful receptions, respectively. Libero Morgan Hentz led all players with 13 digs, many in spectacular fashion, and opposite Stephanie Samedy added 11 digs.
Eggleston ranked second on the team with 10 kills. Samedy scored eight points on six kills and two blocks, while middle blocker Brionne Butler shared the team lead with four blocks while also contributing a pair of kills. Madi Skinner scored five points on four kills and a block, and middle blocker Dana Rettke scored four points on two kills, a block and an ace while only playing the fourth set. Outside hitter Sarah Franklin also totaled four points with three kills and a block as seven different U.S. players recorded at least one block.
The Dominican Republic led 15-12 in the first set before the U.S. scored the next two points. From that point forward, neither team led by more than two points in the set. An Avery Skinner kill off a free ball set up by a strong Jimerson serve tied the set at 18 and a Butler block evened the score at 19.
Avery Skinner put a ball down on a back row attack after a good pick up by Hentz to finally give the U.S. the lead back, 23-22, but the Dominican Republic scored the final three points to take the set. Avery Skinner led the U.S. with seven points on six kills and a block.
Behind strong serving from Madi Skinner, the U.S. jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the second set. Avery Skinner scored on another back row attack, Jimerson scored on a slide, and back-to-back blocks by Franklin and Jimerson stretched a 6-2 lead to 10-2.
Trailing 12-3, the Dominican Republic successfully challenged asking for a block touch and it started a 7-2 run that cut the lead to four points, 14-10. After a U.S. timeout, Samedy scored to stop a four-point streak, but the U.S. gave up the next four points to shrink the lead to one, 15-14.
A Butler kill stemmed the tide and sent the U.S. on its own four-point run. A great cover by Samedy led to a kill by Eggleston, who had recently entered the match, and another Jimerson block put the lead back at five points, 19-14.
Two Jimerson kills, one on another slide and the second on an overpass made it 22-16 and a great Hentz dig set up Avery Skinner to tool the block for a seven-point lead. Avery Skinner again paced the U.S., this set with six points on four kills and two aces, while Jimerson contributed five points on three kills and a pair of blocks.
Another great Hentz dig set up an Eggleston kill down the line that staked the U.S. to a 7-3 lead to start the third set. A Poulter ace stretched the lead to six at 14-8 and a 6-2 run from that point, culminating with a Roni Jones-Perry ace off the tape, gave the U.S. a double-digit lead, 20-10.
The Dominican Republic scored the next five points but could get no closer. Strong serves by Eggleston on the final two points led to a Madi Skinner kill on an overpass and Jimerson’s fourth kill and seventh point of the set. Eggleston added five kills.
It was the Dominican Republic’s turn to start quickly in the fourth set as it took a 7-4 lead behind some sterling defense. The U.S. scored the next four points with a Butler block tying the score. Another Butler block capped a 7-1 run that put the U.S. ahead 11-8.
The lead was cut to one, 15-14, before the U.S. scored three consecutive points, the last when Rettke and Madi Skinner each got their hands on a block that forced the Dominican Republic to call its final timeout. Avery Skinner scored on back-to-back kills, the second against a triple block, to make it 22-17.
Great defense on the following point eventually led to a back row attack by Eggleston to extend the lead to six, 23-17. The Dominican Republic scored the next three points before a service error followed by an Eggleston kill ended the match.
U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20)
July 12 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Canada
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. USA vs. China
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
The U.S. Women's National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team is bringing 16 athletes, including five with Texas ties, to round three of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), July 9-13, at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. (5-4) returns to the court tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. PT against the Dominican Republic (4-5).
Tickets are still available for the remaining U.S. matches. Buy your tickets now.
The U.S. finished with a 57-46 advantage in kills, while also holding narrow leads in blocks (10-7) and aces (3-2). The U.S. was out-blocked 6-5 through the first three sets before using a 5-1 margin in the fourth set to seal the match.
“I like the way we competed. Congratulations to Thailand. They are a very-well coached team and when they are running their systems, they are hard to defend. They can frustrate you a lot, so I liked the way we were resilient, stuck with the game plan and figured it out in the end,” said U.S head coach Erik Sullivan, who saw improvement later in the match on his team’s serve and pass. “In the last set, we put a little more pressure on them and got them out of rhythm.”
2024 Paris Olympian and outside hitter Avery Skinner made her 2025 VNL debut a memorable one, leading the U.S. with 19 kills and 22 points, adding two blocks and an ace, while also leading the match with 10 digs.
“Thailand is an amazing team. We knew the rallies were going to be long, so for us, it was about being patient, not trying to score necessarily on the first ball but when we got our chance, then going for it,” Skinner commented. “It was special. I have been so excited waiting for this match. I’m glad we could come out and get a win. It’s really fun being back with this group. Coming to Arlington is so fun because we get to play in front of our crowd. We are grateful for all the fans who have come out to support us.”
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston scored 19 points on 18 kills and a block, contributing nine digs, and a match-best 10 successful receptions. Middle blocker Dana Rettke totaled 10 points on nine kills and an ace. Opposites Stephanie Samedy and Danielle Cuttino made their 2025 VNL debuts in style with Samedy recording nine kills and Cuttino leading all players with four blocks to go with four kills for eight points.
Libero Lexi Rodriguez made several outstanding plays, finishing with seven digs and three successful receptions. Captain and setter Jordyn Poulter, another 2024 Paris Olympian making her 2025 VNL debut, ran the U.S. offense while adding a kill, an ace and three digs.
Middle blockers Brionne Butler (three kills and three blocks) and Asjia O’Neal (four kills in her 2025 VNL debut) combined for 10 points.
An Eggleston kill followed by a Thailand error gave the U.S. a four-point lead, 16-12, in the opening set. With a 17-14 lead, the U.S. stretched the lead to six on two kills by Skinner, one set up by a great dig from Rodriguez, and an Eggleston kill on a back row attack.
Thailand used a 9-3 run to even the set at 23. An Eggleston kill, a Rettke kill on a slide, and a Skinner kill gave the U.S. three different set points, but they were unable to convert. After a hitting error gave the U.S. its fourth set point, Cuttino’s second block finished the set. Skinner scored seven points on six kills and an ace, while Eggleston provided five kills.
The second set was even at 16 when Thailand recorded back-to-back blocks to start a 5-0 run. The U.S. pulled within two points, 23-21, when a great up by Eggleston led to another Skinner kill, but Thailand evened the match by scoring the final two points of the set. Skinner totaled six points on five kills and a block, and Cuttino scored four points on two kills and two more blocks.
Another great dig by Rodriguez led to a Skinner kill to give the U.S. a 16-14 lead in set three. Back-to-back kills by Samedy and an Eggleston kill gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set at 19-15. Thailand bounced right back with four consecutive points to tie the set at 19.
An Eggleston kill down the line and a back row tip by Skinner put the U.S. back up by two points, 21-19, but it was the final two-point lead until the end of the set. Just as it did in the first set, Thailand defended three set points, but the U.S. took a 2-1 set lead when Samedy scored on a kill to the back line and then again with a kill off the block. Eggleston scored seven points on kills, with Skinner and Samedy each contributing five kills.
A Rettke kill gave the U.S. an early 5-1 lead in the fourth set and her ace later extended the lead to five points, 10-5, and force Thailand to take a timeout. Consecutive blocks by Skinner and Butler followed by a Poulter ace pushed the U.S. to a 14-6 lead. The lead grew to as many as 11 points, 19-8, before Thailand scored four consecutive points. Samedy registered two kills in a row, the second set up by a great dig by Roni Jones-Perry, for a 22-13 lead. Eggleston paced the U.S. with five points on four kills and an ace.
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
July 12 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Canada
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. USA vs. China
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
The U.S. Women's National Team is bringing 16 athletes, including five with Texas ties, to round three of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), July 9-13, at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is bringing 16 athletes, including five with Texas ties, to round three of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), July 9-13, at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Tickets are still available for all four U.S. matches. Buy your tickets now.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner (Katy, Texas; Baylor) and middle blocker Asjia O’Neal (Southlake, Texas; Univ. of Texas; LOVB Austin) are among the key additions to the week three roster. Skinner helped the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and O’Neal has been part of VNL rosters since 2023.
The Texas connections don’t stop there. Outside hitters Logan Eggleston (Univ. of Texas, LOVB Austin) and Madisen Skinner (Katy, Texas; Univ. of Texas, LOVB Austin), along with middle blocker Brionne Butler (Kendleton, Texas; Univ. of Texas), will also suit up for the U.S. in Arlington.
Avery Skinner isn’t the only 2024 Paris Olympian making her return to the lineup. Setter Jordyn Poulter, a two-time Olympic medalist, is on the roster after being an alternate in week one. Middle blocker Dana Rettke will compete in week three as well, bringing the number of Olympians on the U.S. squad to three.
The Arlington roster also features four athletes making their 2025 VNL debut: Stephanie Samedy, Danielle Cuttino, Tia Jimerson and Taylor Mims.
Samedy has been a fixture on U.S. Pan American Cup teams since 2020, helping the team earn five medals in that time. Cuttino, a national team member since 2019, has competed in the last three VNL seasons.
Jimerson will make her first VNL appearance. She was a standout for LOVB Atlanta in its inaugural season, and prior to that, earned multiple “Best Blocker” honors during her time playing professionally in Hungary, Portugal and Germany. Mims, meanwhile, brings international experience from the Pan Am Cup and Pan Am Cup Final Six, where she helped the U.S. earn gold and bronze medals in 2023.
Rounding out the roster are Morgan Hentz, Rachel Fairbanks, Sarah Franklin, Roni Jones-Perry and Lexi Rodriguez, all of whom traveled with the team during at least one of the first two VNL weeks.
“We are excited to return to Arlington for another year,” said head coach Erik Sullivan. “It’s a great venue with great fans and it’s always special competing in front of a home crowd for VNL. I am looking forward to building on the momentum we gained from the end of week two, and I think this roster for week three brings a good mix of talent that will position us well to compete against some tough competition.”
The VNL brings together the world’s top 18 teams for three weeks of preliminary play, with each team competing in four matches per week. Only the top eight teams will earn a spot in the Final Round, where a VNL title will be on the line.
The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic silver medalists and ranked No. 7 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018. In 2024, they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual Olympic champion Italy,
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
July 9 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Thailand
July 10 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Dominican Republic
July 12 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Canada
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. vs. China
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team defeated Italy in an exciting final match to win the gold medal at the 2025 Dutch Tournament on Sunday in Assen, Netherlands. The U.S. defeated Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 25-23) in the gold medal match, while earning a 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 27-25, 15-7) comeback victory over the Netherlands earlier in the day.
MATCH STATISTICS VS. ITALY
MATCH STATISTICS VS. NETHERLANDS
vs. ITALY
The U.S. led Italy in kills (48-33) and aces (12-4), while Italy recorded four more blocks (16-12).
Whitney Dosty led all players with 19 kills on a match-best 14 kills to go with four blocks and an ace. Middle blocker Nicky Nieves finished with 12 kills and three aces for 15 points. Setter Kaleo Kanahele also reached double digits with 12 points on seven kills, three aces and a pair of blocks.
Tia Edwards (five kills, two blocks, two aces) and MaKenzie Franklin (five kills, three blocks, one ace) each scored nine points, while Raelene Elam added eight points on five kills, two aces and a block.
The U.S. ran out to a 13-6 lead in the opening set and maintained a seven-point lead at 20-13. Italy scored six of the next seven points to pull within two points, but the U.S. scored the final four points to win the set.
Behind strong serving from Kanahele, the U.S. took a 5-1 lead in the second set to force a quick Italy timeout. An Edwards kill pushed the lead to double digits, 16-6 with a Franklin block giving the U.S. an 11-point lead.
Italy scored the next five points, but an Edwards ace highlighted a 4-0 U.S. run. Elam finished the set with a kill, matching the biggest margin of the set at 12 points.
After dropping the first four points of the third set, the U.S. used an 11-4 stretch to take a three-point lead, 11-8. Italy went on a 12-2 run to take its biggest lead of the match, seven points at 20-13.
In a set of runs, the U.S. went on an 9-1 run to take a 22-21 lead with Elam scoring six points on her serve. Italy scored the final four points to extend the match to a fourth set.
A great dig by libero Kari Ortiz and a save by Dosty led to a point that put the U.S. ahead 6-1 in the fourth set. A kill by Dosty down the line extended the lead to seven points, 12-5. Kills by Kanahele and Franklin after Italy points kept the lead at seven, 14-7. The lead grew to eight, 16-8, on an Italy service error.
Nieves put a second ball away for a 17-10 lead. After yielding two points, the U.S. regained its seven-point advantage on another Dosty kill and a Nieves ace. An Italy service error gave the U.S. a 20-13 lead.
Italy scored four of the next five points before Edwards put a ball down the line for a 22-17 lead. Italy scored three points in a row to cap a 7-2 run and come within two points, 22-20. Nieves scored from a tough angle and a ball handling error set up match point.
Italy held off three match points to pull within one, 24-23, but a Franklin block sealed the gold medal for the U.S.
vs. NETHERLANDS
The U.S. led the Netherlands in all statistical categories, 43-34 in kills, 25-19 in aces and 15-14 in blocks.
Franklin led the U.S. with 12 kills and 17 points, adding two blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Jessie West finished with 15 points on nine kills, five aces and a pair of blocks. Outside Emma Schieck also reached double digits with 10 points five kills, three blocks and two aces.
Edwards served a match-high six aces to go with two kills and a block to score nine points, while outside Courtney Baker also totaled nine points on seven kills, a block and an ace.
Setter Gia Cruz totaled six points on three blocks and three aces, and Kendra Hall recorded four kills and two blocks for six points. Nicky Nieves (three kills, one block, one ace) scored five points, while setter Annie Flood added four points on two aces and two blocks.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
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 Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Strength and Conditioning/Physical Therapist: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella
July 4
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
USA def. France, 3-0 (25-17, 25-5, 25-14)
July 5
USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-20)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-9)
July 6
USA def. Netherlands, 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 27-25, 15-7)
Gold Medal Match: USA def. Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 25-23)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 5, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team moved to 4-0 at the 2025 Dutch Tournament with two more wins on Saturday in Assen, Netherlands. The U.S. began the day with a 3-0 victory over host Netherlands (25-14, 25-9, 25-20) before defeating Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-9).
“In our first match against Netherlands today, we started out a little slow but picked it up after we got behind. We had some really good play and leadership from Kaleo Kanahele. We really buckled down and got some good offense at that point to put the (first) set out of reach,” head coach Bill Hamiter said. “Netherlands has a young but very tall team that pushed us to execute and make sure that we had good location on sets and are attackers were swinging well. In the second set, we got some really play out of Whitney Dosty and some good serving out of Tia Edwards. In the third set, we were able to get some strong play out of both Jessie West and Kendra Hall, which was good to see.”
“We still need to work on some of our momentum shifts. Although volleyball is a game of momentum, right now we are having some big highs and big lows, so we are working hard to smooth that out. The win against Netherlands set us up for the finals tomorrow, which allowed for some different lineups that we ran against Canada,” Hamiter continued. “We had a couple of close sets. We had to come from behind in the first and second sets. I really like the way that the team stuck together. They kept up their energy and did a good job in closing those sets. We kind of ran away with the third set a little bit. We got some good blocking out of Courtney Baker and real energy out of Emma Schieck. It was a good day today and looking forward to tomorrow.”
MATCH STATISTICS VS. NETHERLANDS
MATCH STATISTICS VS. CANADA
vs. NETHERLANDS
The U.S. dominated with 34 kills to the host country’s nine and served 10 more aces (17-7). Each team registered 11 blocks.
Outside hitter MaKenzie Franklin led all scorers with 16 points with a match-high nine kills, a team-best three blocks and four aces. Whitney Dosty also served four aces and reached double figures with five kills and two blocks for 11 points. Setter Kaleo Kanahele recorded a match-high five aces and totaled 10 points with four kills and a block.
Nicky Nieves contributed five kills, a block and an ace for seven points, and Tia Edwards also recorded five kills, adding an ace for six points. Outside Emma Schieck totaled five points on four kills and a block.
vs. CANADA
The U.S. led Canada in all statistical categories, 31-18 in kills, 12-9 in blocks and 13-9 in aces.
Franklin again led the U.S. and shared match-high honors with 12 points, leading all players with seven kills and four blocks to go with an ace.
Eleven other players scored for the balanced U.S. attack. Dosty scored eight points on six kills and two aces. Edwards (four kills, one block, two aces) and Nieves (four kills and three blocks) each scored seven points.
Kendra Hall led the team with four aces and added a kill for five points and Courtney Baker totaled four points on two kills and two blocks.
Canada used a 6-0 run in the first set to take a 13-9 lead and maintained a four-point lead when it moved ahead 20-16. After a timeout, the U.S. responded by finishing the set on a 9-1 run.
The U.S. again trailed for most of the second set, twice trailing by four points, before evening the set at 17 apiece. Canada went up by three, 20-17. An Elam ace cut the deficit back to one, 20-19. After dropping the next point, the U.S. put together another strong finish, scoring six of the final seven points.
During the final run, Dosty recorded an ace and two important digs, the second of which led to a Nieves kill to end the set.
The U.S. took an early 9-3 lead in the third set and was never challenged, ending the match on an 11-2 run.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
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 Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Strength and Conditioning/Physical Therapist: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella
July 4
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
USA def. France, 3-0 (25-17, 25-5, 25-14)
July 5
USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-20)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-9)
July 6
USA vs. Netherlands, 4:15 a.m. PT
USA vs. Italy, 10:00 a.m. PT
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 4, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team began play at the 2025 Dutch Tournament with two wins on Friday in Assen, Netherlands. The U.S. defeated Italy, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22) and then swept France, 3-0 (25-17, 25-5, 25-14).
“Against Italy in our first match of the day, we started out a little slow but gained momentum as we went. We did play a little up and down throughout the match,” head coach Bill Hamiter said. “We would have some runs and get a lead. Then we would allow Italy to get back in the sets with just a few servers serving well against us, so that is something we need to work on. Part of our goal for the weekend is developing players. I think the offensive pieces went really well with a lot of players getting to play in the big matches.”
“Our second match of the day was against France, a team that is developing themselves and are up and coming. We again played a lot of different lineups and different players. Annie Flood had her return to the team, getting to do some setting, which was good to see,” Hamiter continued. “We also got a lot of quality time out of Kendra Hall and Courtney Baker. We had a high error count in the first set but did settle down and played really well the rest of the match. To be 2-0 on the first day, we are pretty excited and glad to have gotten some good play.”
MATCH STATISTICS VS. ITALY
MATCH STATISTICS VS. FRANCE
vs. ITALY
The U.S. began the tournament with a thrilling four-set win over Italy in which no set was decided by more than three points. The U.S. finished with advantages in kills (47-40) and blocks (17-14), while Italy led in aces (20-15).
Nicky Nieves led three U.S. players in double figures with 17 points on 12 kills, two blocks and three aces. Whitney Dosty totaled 15 points on eight kills, four blocks and three aces. Raelene Elam totaled 13 points on five kills, four blocks and a team-best four aces.
Tia Edwards had five kills, adding three blocks and an ace for nine points, while MaKenzie Franklin also scored nine points with seven kills, a block and an ace. Setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay contributed eight points on five kills, a block and a pair of aces. Outside hitter Emma Schieck added five kills.
vs. FRANCE
Seven U.S. players scored at least six points in the match with outside hitter Jessie West reaching double digits with 10 points thanks to her match-high nine aces, adding a kill.
The U.S. doubled up France in kills (20-10) but won the match at the service line with 34 aces while giving up just three. France recorded seven blocks to six for the U.S.
The U.S. controlled the first half of the opening set, taking a 16-9 lead. Back-to-back aces completed a 7-3 France run that cut the lead to three points, but the U.S. scored six of the final seven points, culminating with a Dosty ace.
Setter Gia Cruz, making her 2025 debut with the team, served the U.S. to a 7-0 lead in the second set. Outside hitter Courtney Baker recorded a kill and consecutive aces to put the U.S. ahead 11-2. From there, France only scored three points the rest of the set.
Two aces in a row by setter Annie Flood gave the U.S. a 5-1 lead in the third set, but France used a 9-4 run to take a 10-9 lead. After a service error evened the score, Franklin served for 11 consecutive points, including a stretch of five serves in a row that France did not return over the net. Not even a moment of levity when the French coach gave the line judge a hug or a timeout stopped the run.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
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 Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Strength and Conditioning/Physical Therapist: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella
July 4
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
USA def. France, 3-0 (25-17, 25-5, 25-14)
July 5
USA vs Netherlands, 1:45 a.m.
USA vs Canada, 5:15 a.m.
July 6
Playoff matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 3, 2025) — Nine Paralympians are on the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team roster for this week’s Dutch Tournament, taking place July 4-6 in Assen, Netherlands.
Head Coach Bill Hamiter is using the annual event as a key development opportunity ahead of the 2025 World Cup in October.
The U.S. roster includes the return of libero Kari Ortiz, competing internationally for the first time since retiring in 2016. Ortiz helped the U.S. win gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Also making her return is 2020 Paralympic gold medalist Annie Flood, competing for the first time since Tokyo.
Veterans Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Kendra Hall, Kaleo Kanahele Maclay, Nicky Nieves, Emma Schieck and Bethany Zummo round out the group of Paralympians leading the charge in the Netherlands. They are joined by 2024 Paralympic alternates Courtney Baker, Raelene Elam and MaKenzie Franklin, while setter Gia Cruz and outside hitter Jessie West will make their 2025 debuts with the team.
The Dutch Tournament features a strong international field, including the host Netherlands, Canada, Italy and France. The U.S., Canada and Italy are all ranked in the world’s top 10. Last year, the U.S. finished third at the event before going on to win gold at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
The team recently earned silver at the 2025 Para Pan America Zonal Championship and has already qualified for the 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championship and the 2028 Paralympic Games.
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
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 Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Strength and Conditioning/Physical Therapist: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella
July 4
USA vs. Italy, 12 a.m. PT
USA vs. France at 7 a.m. PT
July 5
Women: USA vs NED, 1:45 a.m.
USA vs Canada, 5:15 a.m.
July 6
Playoff matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 22, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team close out week two of 2025 Volleyball Nations League with its second five-set victory, this time against France 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13) on Sunday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. improve to 4-4. They will pick back up on home soil in Arlington, Texas on July 9 against Thailand.
Opposite Madi Skinner led U.S. scorers with 21 points on 19 kills, one block and one ace. Outside Hitter Sarah Franklin followed with 18 points on 18 kills. Outside Hitter Logan Eggleston had 17 points on 17 kills. Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres led the U.S. in blocks with four. Libero Lexi Rodriguez had a match high 15 digs.
The U.S. led in blocks (11-10) and points off opponent errors (24-20). France led in kills (73-70) and aces (6-2).
“Those aren’t easy matches to manage,” said head coach Erik Sullivan, when asked about the team’s performance. “I think last week we let those moments get the better of us and to see us kind of fight through that and just be uncomfortable the whole night and find a way to win is a very valuable lesson.”
Middle blocker Dana Rettke had 10 points on six kills, three blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Brionne Butler had eight points on five kills and three blocks. Opposite Logan Lednicky had four points on four kills. Middle blocker Amber Igiede added one point on one kill.
Trailing 12-9 early in the first set, the U.S. stayed close until finally tying it up 14-14 after an unsuccessful challenge from France. A deep court tip from Skinner put the U.S. ahead 15-14 and they never gave up the lead after that. A mid set double substitution brought in Rachel Fairbanks and Logan Lednicky. Lednicky scored three straight points off the bench to extend the U.S. lead to 19-15. A tip from Butler that just caught the line ended the first set 25-22 in favor of the U.S.
France led nearly the entire second set until the final few points. The U.S. won a critical point late after an out of system set from Franklin to Eggleston to tie it up 22-22. A pancake dig from Rettke led to a kill off the block from Franklin to give the U.S. its first lead in the set 24-23. France challenged the pancake, but was unsuccessful. Back-to-back attack errors from France clinched the set and a 2-0 match lead for the U.S.
France jumped out to a 8-0 lead in the third set. Despite that, the U.S. fought its way back into the set late to get within four points at 21-17. The U.S. stayed in it before Sabine Haewegene from France put together back-to-back kills to give them set point before a U.S. serving error ended the set 25-20 for France.
The U.S. was in control in the fourth set with their largest lead at 16-11 before France put together their second 8-0 run of the match to take a 21-18 lead. France went on to win the set 25-21 to force a fifth set.
The U.S. took control early behind four kills from Eggleston. A Rettke block gave the U.S. an 11-8 lead. France challenged a net touch but was unsuccessful. The U.S. found itself in a familiar situation after France put another run together before tying the set 12-12 on an ace serve. France took a 13-12 lead on a block out of the final USA timeout. Eggleston continued where she left off early in the fifth set with a kill to tie it up 13-13. Jones-Perry subbed in to serve leading to a critical back court dig from , and Franklin went up on two to take match point 14-13. Franklin ended it down the line to give U.S. the match 15-13.
Week Two Roster for 2025 VNL
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
Reserve
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 2 Schedule: Belgrade, Serbia (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
The U.S. Women's National Team put together its strongest performance of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19) victory over the Netherlands on Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. Women's National Team started strong before falling to Poland, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18) in 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Thursday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. Women's National Team opened week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11) win over host Serbia before a sellout crowd in Belgrade on Wednesday.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 21, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team put together its strongest performance of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19) victory over the Netherlands on Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. (3-4) returns to the court tomorrow, June 22, against France at 7:30 a.m. PT.
“We want to come out and put back-to-back matches together. I don’t think we’ve really been able to do that. France is doing a nice job right now and playing at a very high level,” U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan said.
The U.S. led in every statistical category with 10 more kills (49-39) and two more blocks (6-4) and aces (4-2). The U.S. Women committed just 14 errors in the match with the Netherlands making 16. The U.S. hit .330 or better in each set.
Veteran middle blocker Dana Rettke hit at a 56 percent efficiency rate for the match with 11 kills and just one error in 18 attacks. She recorded seven points on six kills and a block in the third set with five coming on slide attacks off consistently good sets from Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres.
“This group has so much great energy and is so willing to adapt, adjust and get better. I’m proud of how they have been able to rise up to this challenge. I know this is a lot of their first VNLs, and it’s been so much fun to play with them and have that experience with them,” Rettke commented. “In general, I’m just proud of the way this group has continued to get better every single day whether that is a match or a practice.”
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston led all players with 14 points on a match-high 13 kills and a block. She hit .480 with only one error in 25 attacks and shared match-best honors with seven successful receptions.
Opposite Madi Skinner totaled 13 points on 10 kills, two blocks and an ace. Outsider Sarah Franklin delivered nine kills. Libero Lexi Rodriguez equaled a match-high with 11 digs, Skinner added six and Ka’aha’aina-Torres finished with five.
“I thought there were moments in that match where in the past couple of matches we’ve let it get away from us that we made a progression and grew in that space today,” Sullivan remarked. “We’re talking about the process, not worrying about the results, and that showed today.”
Trailing 7-5 early in the first set, the U.S. scored the next six points and rolled the rest of the set. A block and kill by Skinner followed by a Franklin kill off hands made it 11-7 and forced a Netherlands timeout. The U.S. Women hit .370 in the set, which included a kill by opposite Logan Lednicky on her 21st birthday. Eggelston led a balanced attack that saw five U.S. players score two points or more with four kills.
The second appeared to be a near replay of the first set when the U.S. used a 7-0 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 17-11 lead. Eggleston scored three of the final four points in the run, one off a set from Franklin, another on a swipe off the block, and the third on a roll shot.
Setter Rachel Fairbanks made her VNL debut in style, serving an ace when she entered the match to make it 19-12. A Franklin kill gave the U.S. a 21-14 lead before the Netherlands ran off six consecutive points to cut the lead to one. With a narrow 22-21 lead, the U.S. scored a key point when Skinner took advantage of no libero in the back row, placing a shot in the middle of the court.
Another Franklin kill gave the U.S. set point at 24-22 and the set ended as the Netherlands struggled with an Igiede serve. Eggleston recorded six kills in the set, while Skinner scored six points on five kills and a block.
The Netherlands jumped out to an early three-point lead for the third set in a row, but Rettke scored four points in a 6-1 U.S. run, the final two on slides. The U.S. lead was just one point, 12-11, when Brionne Butler’s smart play to push the ball into an empty back court put the lead back to two points and the Netherlands got no closer.
Eggleston scored on a block and then a deep push shot to make it 17-13. Rettke’s seventh point of the set gave the U.S. a 22-18 lead and a Franklin call off a one-handed set from Ka’aha’aina-Torres made it 23-19. Skinner closed out the match with back-to-back kills.
Week Two Roster for 2025 VNL
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
Reserve
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 2 Schedule: Belgrade, Serbia (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 at 7:30 a.m. vs. France
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
The U.S. Women's National Team started strong before falling to Poland, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18) in 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Thursday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. Women's National Team opened week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11) win over host Serbia before a sellout crowd in Belgrade on Wednesday.
2024 Olympian Dana Rettke returns to the U.S. Women's National Team lineup for week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 18-22 in Belgrade, Serbia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2025) –The U.S. Women’s National Team started strong before falling to Poland, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18) in 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Thursday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The U.S. (2-4) will have a day off before facing the Netherlands on Saturday, June 21 at 7:30 a.m. PT. Poland moved to 5-1 with the win.
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston led the U.S. with 24 points on 22 kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Brionne Butler led all players with six blocks, adding five kills and two aces to finish with 13 points. Libero Morgan Hentz played a tremendous match on defense, leading the team with nine digs and making multiple great plays to keep points alive.
The U.S. totaled 12 blocks to just seven for Poland and were nearly even in kills (50-48 Poland), but yielded 10 aces, including five in the fourth set.
“We would want to go back and pass some better balls at the end,” said Eggleston, when asked what she would have liked her team to do differently. “We lost the serve and pass game, which is super important, so we will get back in the gym and work hard to get ready for Holland on Saturday.”
“We just need to be more consistent. That is the frustrating piece. I don’t feel like we competed at a level that we held ourselves to the last three or four matches that we played,” remarked head coach Erik Sullivan. “We need to get back and regroup a little bit and make sure we are ready for our next match. Serve and pass is always important. We can’t give up three- and four-point runs and expect to be in sets, so that’s always going to be a focus for us.”
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin scored eight points on seven kills and a block playing the final two sets, opposite Logan Lednicky earned her eight points on six kills and two blocks, and middle blocker Molly McCage tallied five points on three kills and a pair of blocks. Amber Igiede and Roni Jones-Perry each scored two points, and Olivia Babcock and setter Ella Powell each had one.
With its fifth block of the first set, the second by Lednicky, the U.S. took a 15-11 lead. Poland evened the score at 16 before Eggleston scored three consecutive points to give the U.S. the lead for good. Two Butler kills, an Eggleston ace, and a free ball that fell in between four Poland players after a great dig by Hentz sealed the set victory.
Eggleston scored nine points on seven kills and two aces, Lednicky scored six points on four kills and a pair of blocks, and Butler added two kills and two blocks for four points.
An early ace gave Poland a 7-4 lead in the second set. An Eggleston kill on a back row attack gave the U.S. its last lead of the set, 13-12. Lednicky scored by putting a ball through the block to even the score at 17, but Poland finished the set on an 8-3 run.
Poland led for most of set three. Franklin, playing her first set of the match, scored after a great up by Hentz for an 8-7 lead and again when she hit the end line on an out-of-system attack to give the U.S. its final lead of the set, 9-8. A Butler ace closed the gap to one, 12-11, and another Butler block cut the deficit to two later in the set, 17-15. Poland ended the set on an 8-2 run. Franklin scored four points on three kills and a block.
Butler’s sixth block of the match, after another great save by Hentz, and ace gave the U.S. a 9-5 lead in the fourth set before Poland scored the next five points. Eggleston’s 23rd point of the match put the U.S. ahead 15-14 but Poland again scored five consecutive points to take control of the set. Eggleston recorded six kills in the set and Franklin added four.
Week Two Roster for 2025 VNL
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
Reserve
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 2 Schedule: Belgrade, Serbia (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-xx)
June 21 at 7:30 a.m. vs. Netherlands
June 22 at 7:30 a.m. vs. France
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
The U.S. Women's National Team opened week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11) win over host Serbia before a sellout crowd in Belgrade on Wednesday.
2024 Olympian Dana Rettke returns to the U.S. Women's National Team lineup for week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 18-22 in Belgrade, Serbia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2025) –The U.S. Women’s National Team opened week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11) win over host Serbia before a sellout crowd in Belgrade on Wednesday.
The U.S. (2-3) earned its second consecutive win while Serbia fell to 0-5. The U.S. Women will next play Poland (4-1) tomorrow, June 19, at 7:30 a.m. PT.
Outside hitter Madi Skinner doubled her point total from the first week of VNL play with 32 points on 30 kills and two blocks, while also reaching double-digits in digs with 12. She scored six points on five kills and a block in the decisive fifth set.
Libero Lexi Rodriguez made her VNL debut a memorable one with a match-high 17 digs.
“The crowd was amazing and getting to play them on their home court, you could really feel the buzz. Going to five and battling with my teammates was really fun. It was a great day,” Rodriguez said.
The U.S. held a 65-61 advantage in kills and a one-point margin in blocks (10-9) with both teams serving five aces. Serbia made one more error (29-28).
Outside Sarah Franklin scored 20 points on 18 kills and two blocks, while registering nine digs and eight successful receptions. Middle blockers Amber Igiede and Dana Rettke, making her 2025 VNL debut, combined for 18 points with each posting two blocks and an ace. Igiede recorded seven kills and Rettke added five.
“I thought we did a great competing in a wonderful environment. Congratulations to Serbia on filling the gym. What a great experience for our players. I thought we were real consistent, whether things were going our way or not,” head coach Erik Sullivan stated. “We stayed on the next play mentality and competed. I was confident we could do the same in the fifth set.”
Captain outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry finished with seven points on five kills, a block and an ace. She led the team with nine successful receptions and added 11 digs. Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres recorded eight digs, two aces and a block.
The U.S. took an early 12-6 lead in the opening set and still led by five, 16-11, on a Rettke block. An ace by Ka’aha’aina-Torres made it 20-17 and a kill by Igiede brought it to 21-18 before Serbia cut the lead to one point. It was still a one-point difference when Rettke recorded a kill for a 23-21 lead. Two Serbia errors accounted for the final U.S. points of the set. Skinner recorded five kills and Franklin added four.
The second set was tightly contested with the U.S. finally taking a two-point lead at 15-13 with a perfect pass from Rodriguez setting up a Jones-Perry kill. After a Serbian hitting error, the U.S. closed out a 4-0 run on a Franklin kill.
An Igiede kill extended the lead to five points, 19-14. With the lead down to three at 22-19, the U.S. won a key point on the longest rally of the match that featured great defense on both sides. A great dig by Franklin led to a Jones-Perry kill. The U.S. went up two sets on a back row attack by Franklin and a set-clinching kill by Rettke. Franklin led all players in the set with six points on four kills and a pair of blocks, while Skinner contributed four kills.
Serbia raced out to 5-1 lead in the third set before the U.S. climbed back in the set and eventually took a 14-12 lead on a block by Ka’aha’aina-Torres. Two more Skinner kills gave the U.S.Women leads at 15-14 and 16-15, but they would not lead again. An Igiede kill on an overpass after a strong Ka’aha’aina-Torres serve to even the set at 18 but Serbia finished on a 7-4 run to extend the match. Skinner totaled 10 kills in the set.
The U.S. led 19-16 in the fourth set before Serbia finished on a 9-3 run to send the match to a fifth set, the fourth time in five VNL matches that Serbia has played a five-setter. Skinner added seven more points on six kills and a block.
“They made a lot of adjustments during the set and we were a little slow on our end. After the fourth set, we just came out with a clean slate being ready to adjust and play USA volleyball and that’s what we did,” Rodriguez commented.
The U.S. looked like it may run away with the fifth set, scoring the first three points and taking a 5-1 lead. Rettke scored the first two points, one on a slide and another with an ace. Skinner put a ball down cross court at the 10-foot line for a 6-2 lead, made it 7-3 on a right-side swing, and bumped the lead to 8-3 with a block.
A Serbian hitting error made it 9-3, but an ace off the net culminated an 8-3 run that closed the gap to one point, 12-11, forcing the U.S. to use its second timeout. Skinner scored back-to-back points, the second on a successful block touch challenge, to give the U.S. match point. A Ka’aha’aina-Torres ace sealed the victory.
Week Two Roster for 2025 VNL
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
Reserve
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 2 Schedule: Belgrade, Serbia (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 at 7:30 a.m. vs. Poland
June 21 at 7:30 a.m. vs. Netherlands
June 22 at 7:30 a.m. vs. France
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
2024 Olympian Dana Rettke returns to the U.S. Women's National Team lineup for week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 18-22 in Belgrade, Serbia.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 27, 2025) — The third-ranked U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team captured the silver medal at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship after a 3-0 (26-28, 22-25, 20-25) loss to second-ranked Brazil in the gold medal match at the Colorado Convention Center.
It was the third meeting between the two teams in the tournament, with the U.S. (4-1) winning the previous matches in five sets and four sets, respectively. With the gold medal, Brazil (3-2) qualifies for the 2026 ParaVolley World Championship. The U.S. has already qualified due to winning the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Lora Webster was named Best Blocker for the tournament, and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay was named Best Setter.
“We’re disappointed in the outcome,” head coach Bill Hamiter said. “We had set one; we had a five-point lead once, a four-point lead once, and our errors gave it back to them. We were just being really lackadaisical. I tried to tell them, ‘hey, we gotta pick up the energy.’ We let them back in to win that one, and of course that gave them a lot of emotion, and we could never climb back in. I tried every sub I had trying to climb back in. Some days, it just doesn’t happen.”
Raelene Elam was on fire for the U.S., scoring 15 points on 12 kills, two aces and one block. She was the only one in double figures. Monique Matthews had five kills and Webster had four kills and two blocks. Nicky Nieves had three kills and an ace, and Kanahele Maclay had a kill and a block. Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Jillian Williams Coffee and MaKenzie Franklin also all had two points. Lexi Patterson and Emma Schieck each had a kill.
Shout out to Bethany Zummo, who was amazing at libero the entire tournament, playing in every set. Brazil led the U.S. in kills (45-33), aces (6-4) and blocks (9-5).
Next up for the U.S. Women is the Dutch Tournament, July 3-6, in the Netherlands. The ParaVolley World Cup will be hosted in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Oct. 12-18.
Schedule/Results
May 24
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
May 25
USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-11)
May 26
USA def. Brazil, 3-1 (15-25, 25-20, 25-17, 27-25)
May 27
Gold medal match, Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (26-28, 22-25, 20-25)
Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
7 Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams-Coffee (MB/OPP/OH, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
The third-ranked U.S. Women's Sitting National Team toppled top-ranked Canada for the second time at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship.
The third-ranked U.S. Women's Sitting National Team withstood a furious rally at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, posting a 3-2 (25-19, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11) victory over No. 2 Brazil.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team picked up where it left off in 2024 — with a victory. Kicking off the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, the U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated No. 1 Canada, 3-0, (25-22, 25-21, 25-15).
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams that will compete at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, May 24-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball announces the schedule for 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24–28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball is proud to host the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24-28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This premier event will run alongside the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, bringing high-level sitting volleyball competition to the Mile High City.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 26, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team shook up the lineup for the second meeting with Brazil at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, but the result was the same — another victory. After losing the first set, the third-ranked U.S. Women went on for a 3-1 win (15-25, 25-20, 25-17, 27-25) over second-ranked Brazil.
The U.S. (4-0) will face Brazil (2-2) again in the championship match on Tuesday, May 27, at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT. Matches are live streamed on our event page.
Monday’s starting lineup included three-time Paralympian Kendra (Lancaster) Hall, who last played for the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team in 2012, when the squad won silver. It was an emotional moment for her.
“I was really nervous going into this whole tournament and as soon as I sat down on the floor, it felt like home,” Hall said. “Obviously it wasn’t perfect , but I came out to move and I came out to play hard and I think I did that. The hardest thing for me at this point has been remembering who I was as a player and what I could do and being patient. Giving myself the time and giving myself the grace to get back to who she (Hall) was. When I played before, I was a top hitter, I was a starter. My role right now is different, and I love that and I love being here for the girls.
“It’s a battle, right? It’s constantly reminding myself it’s one percent better every day and giving myself that grace because I am a fighter, and I want to be out there. It’s the battles with yourself. This game is so hard mentally, but I am really happy. It just feels so good to be here and I couldn’t be happier.”
Hall played the first two sets and collected a block and an ace.
Brazil had the edge in the first set as the U.S. players adjusted to each other on the court against one of the best teams in the world. Brazil took an early lead and never looked back for the 25-15 win. But, after the set break, the U.S. regrouped and came out swinging to win the next three.
Setter Lexi Patterson led the team with a steady hand through all four sets.
“I think we really focused on getting high balls off and just making sure we were reading the block and making a better read on the hit,” said Patterson about how the team adjusted after set one.
Patterson enjoys the chance to work with all her teammates on the court, even in high-pressure situations.
“It’s a little stressful but in a good way,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful to see these newer athletes come in and get some playing time. [It’s] seeing how we work together, the ebb and flow of each athlete and [making] those connections.”
Whitney Dosty led the U.S. with 16 points on 14 kills, one ace and one block. Nicky Nieves had 12 points on one ace, nine kills and two blocks. Tia Edwards collected nine points with four kills and a match-high five blocks. Jillian Williams Coffee had eight points on seven kills and one block.
Patterson had four points on two kills and two aces. MaKenzie Franklin scored six on four kills and two blocks. Monique Matthews had three points on a kill and two blocks, and Raelene Elam had two aces. Lora Webster had a block
The U.S. had the edge in kills (41-38) and blocks (15-11), but Brazil led in aces, 11-7.
Schedule/Results
May 24
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
May 25
USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-11)
May 26
USA def. Brazil, 3-1 (15-25, 25-20, 25-17, 27-25)
May 27
Gold medal match, USA vs. Brazil, 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT
Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
7 Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams-Coffee (MB/OPP/OH, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
The third-ranked U.S. Women's Sitting National Team toppled top-ranked Canada for the second time at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship.
The third-ranked U.S. Women's Sitting National Team withstood a furious rally at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, posting a 3-2 (25-19, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11) victory over No. 2 Brazil.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team picked up where it left off in 2024 — with a victory. Kicking off the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, the U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated No. 1 Canada, 3-0, (25-22, 25-21, 25-15).
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams that will compete at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, May 24-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball announces the schedule for 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24–28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball is proud to host the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24-28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This premier event will run alongside the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, bringing high-level sitting volleyball competition to the Mile High City.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2025) — The third-ranked U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team toppled top-ranked Canada for the second time at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship. After being taken to five sets by Brazil earlier in the day, the U.S. Women came back with its best effort of the tournament in a decisive 3-0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-11) victory on Sunday evening.
With a 3-0 mark, the U.S. has clinched a spot in Tuesday’s championship match. The U.S. women will complete round-robin play against the second-ranked Brazilian squad on Monday, May 26, at 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT. Matches are live streamed on our event page.
The U.S. finished with 16 aces (yielding only one) by eight different players and held a significant advantage in kills (28-15) and a five-block margin (11-6).
Twelve U.S. players scored with outside hitter Monique Matthews reaching double digits with a match-high 10 points on a team-high seven kills with two aces and a block.
Outsider hitter Emma Schieck totaled nine points on six kills and three aces, while setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (match-high five aces with two blocks) and outside hitter MaKenzie Franklin (team-high three blocks with three kills and an ace) each added seven points.
“This game puts us into the finals no matter what happens tomorrow,” Matthews said. “That means we could do some different lineups maybe tomorrow and get more playing time for some of the girls, so we wanted to get in here and finish it strong.”
Matthews’ four kills combined with three aces and a block from Kanahele Maclay helped the U.S. roll to a win in the first set. It looked like more of the same in the second set before Canada went on an 8-2 run to tie the set at 14. However, the U.S. scored 11 of the final points to take a 2-0 set advantage.
Schieck scored seven points on four kills and three blocks in the second set, and Franklin contributed three kills and three blocks.
The U.S. again jumped out to a 12-6 lead in the third set, but Canada was unable to mount a rally as the U.S. completed the sweep, its second of Canada in two days.
Six players scored between two and four points for the U.S. in the final set. Middle blocker Lora Webster (two kills, one block, one ace) and Jillian Williams Coffee (three kills, one ace) joined Matthews (two aces, one kill, one block) in pacing the team with four points.
“I’m really proud of us,” Matthews said. “We’re doing really well with all the lineups getting thrown in. We’re learning as we’re going, playing with new people next to each other. We keep figuring it out and pushing forward.”
Schedule/Results
May 24
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
May 25
USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-11)
May 26
USA vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
May 27
Gold medal match, 1 vs 2 at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT
Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
7 Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams-Coffee (MB/OPP/OH, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
The third-ranked U.S. Women's Sitting National Team withstood a furious rally at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, posting a 3-2 (25-19, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11) victory over No. 2 Brazil.
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team picked up where it left off in 2024 — with a victory. Kicking off the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, the U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated No. 1 Canada, 3-0, (25-22, 25-21, 25-15).
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams that will compete at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, May 24-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball announces the schedule for 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24–28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball is proud to host the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24-28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This premier event will run alongside the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, bringing high-level sitting volleyball competition to the Mile High City.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2025) — The third-ranked U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team withstood a furious rally at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, posting a 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11) victory over No. 2 Brazil.
The U.S. (2-0) will return to the court later today to face No. 1 Canada at 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT. On Saturday, the U.S. defeated Canada in three sets. Matches are live streamed on our event page.
Monique Matthews paced the U.S. with 17 points with a team-high 14 kills in addition to two blocks and an ace. Jillian Williams Coffee (11 kills, two blocks, one ace) had 14 points, and Raelene Elam (nine kills, three blocks and one ace) contributed 13 points.
Lora Webster recorded a match-high six blocks and added two kills to total eight points. Tia Edwards scored 11 points, registering three kills to go with three blocks and a match-best five aces. Kaleo Kanahele Maclay finished with seven points on three kills, three blocks and an ace. Nicky Nieves scored five points on five kills; Whitney Dosty had four points on three kills and an ace, and Lexi Patterson had an ace
“I thought we played well throughout, especially the first two sets,” Hamiter said. “Our error count was under six, which is super good for us. I changed the lineup in set three; we really should have won that. I thought we had our chances. Set four… same thing. Overall, when you’re looking at your second match of the year, I thought we handled things pretty well. A little up and down for us, but some of that is to be expected.
“We really want to get players in,” Hamiter continued. “It’s the first time Raelene (Elam) has played all around quite a bit. She started, and I thought she did a pretty good job. That’s what we have to keep doing, playing those players so they can step up when we need them.”
The U.S. continued its momentum from a sweep of Canada yesterday, cruising to 25-17 wins in each of the first two sets and extending its winning streak to five sets to open the tournament.
Consecutive kills by Matthews gave the U.S. a 19-12 lead in the first set and an Edwards ace closed the opening set. Brazil scored five of the first seven points in the second set before a 14-3 U.S. run, highlighted by three kills and a block from Webster in a 5-1 stretch. A Nicky Nieves kill made it 24-16 and Coffee ended the set with a kill.
Brazil led 18-17 in the third set before a 5-1 run positioned the U.S. to complete a sweep with a 22-19 lead. A Whitney Dosty kill tied the set at 18 and Matthews put the U.S. ahead by one. After falling behind by three, Brazil ran off five consecutive points for a 24-22 lead, eventually winning the set 26-24.
The U.S. fell behind 8-2 in the fourth set but went on a 12-4 run to take a 14-12 lead. Edwards served a pair of aces to even the set at 12 before a Webster block gave the U.S. the lead. A Coffee kill put the U.S. ahead 23-22, but Brazil evened the match by scoring the last three points.
Two kills and a block by Elam helped the U.S. take a 6-1 lead in the deciding set. Brazil twice cut the lead to two points (7-5 and 11-9), but two errors gave the U.S. a late four-point advantage, 13-9. A kill from Coffee made it 14-10 and an Elam kill sealed the match.
Hamiter said he relies on his players to find the motivation they need to win.
“That’s up to the players,” he said. “My job is to let them know what’s going on, what they need to do, the technical and tactical parts we need to execute on. They stayed calm and played the game.”
Brazil held a slight edge in kills (52-50), while finishing with a 19-13 advantage in blocks and 11-7 in aces. Janaina Petit Cunha led all players with 21 kills and 26 points.
Schedule/Results
May 24
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
May 25
USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-11)
USA vs. Canada, 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
May 26
USA vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
May 27
Gold medal match, 1 vs 2 at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT
Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
7 Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams-Coffee (MB/OPP/OH, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
The U.S. Women's Sitting National Team picked up where it left off in 2024 — with a victory. Kicking off the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, the U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated No. 1 Canada, 3-0, (25-22, 25-21, 25-15).
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams that will compete at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, May 24-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball announces the schedule for 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24–28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball is proud to host the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24-28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This premier event will run alongside the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, bringing high-level sitting volleyball competition to the Mile High City.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team picked up where it left off in 2024 — with a victory. Kicking off the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, the U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated No. 1 Canada, 3-0, (25-22, 25-21, 25-15).
The U.S. (1-0) will face No. 2 Brazil on Sunday, May 25 at 10 a.m. MT/9 a.m. PT. Matches are live streamed on our event page.
While two of the stars of the 2024 Paralympic Games, Heather Erickson and Katie Bridge, are not competing this year, two other Paralympians made their return to competition against Canada — 2020 Tokyo gold medalist Jillian Williams Coffee and three-time Paralympic medalist Kendra Hall.
“It was really awesome [being back on the court],” Coffee said. “I also have Major (her son) and my husband watching. Last I played, he was in my belly, so it was cool to have him here with me, too. Just to be with the girls again was unbelievable — the feeling, the excitement, and the energy is unmatched.”
Despite the three-set win, there were still a couple rough spots for the U.S. in the match, as expected with a different mix of athletes competing together for the first time.
“I think we did really well, but there’s a lot to work on, including serving and serve receive,” Coffee added. “We are pretty much a whole new lineup when it comes to the people on the court, so it takes some time to adjust to who’s next to us and getting comfortable with getting into that rhythm with each other. We’re getting there.”
Coffee scored five points on five kills in her first match back, but four-time Paralympic medalist Monique Matthews led the U.S. with 11 points on eight kills, one blocks and two aces.
Kaleo Kanahele Maclay scored seven points at setter in the first two sets, with three kills, two blocks and two aces. Lora Webster, Tia Edwards and Whitney Dosty each scored six. Webster had four kills and two blocks; Edwards had three kills and three blocks; and Dosty had six kills.
Nicky Nieves had two kills and two blocks; Emma Schieck had an ace and three kills; Lexi Patterson collected a kill; and MaKenzie Franklin and Raelene Elam each recorded a block.
The U.S. led Canada in kills, 34-24 and blocks, 12-8, but Canada had a 7-6 edge in aces. Canada’s Heidi Peters led all scorers with 15 points.
Full Match Stats (PDF)
Schedule/Results
May 24
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
May 25
USA vs. Brazil, 10 a.m. MT/9 a.m. PT
May 26
USA vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
May 27
Gold medal match, 1 vs 2 at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT
Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
7 Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams-Coffee (MB/OPP/OH, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams that will compete at the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, May 24-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball announces the schedule for 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24–28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
USA Volleyball is proud to host the 2025 ParaVolley Pan America (PVPA) Sitting Volleyball Zonal Championships, May 24-28, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. This premier event will run alongside the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, bringing high-level sitting volleyball competition to the Mile High City.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 21, 2025) – Back at it! The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team, three-time and reigning Paralympic gold medalists, kicked off the 2025 season (and the LA28 quad) with a pair of intrasquad scrimmages Friday at the Boston Volleyball Festival.
Nine of the 12 members of the 2024 Paralympic team are in Boston for five matches over the weekend: Lora Webster, Bethany Zummo, Lexi Patterson, Monique Matthews, Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Emma Schieck, Kaleo Kanahele Maclay and Nicky Nieves. Joining them are 2024 Paralympic alternates MaKenzie Franklin and Raelene Elam, 2020 Paralympic gold medalist Jillian (Williams) Coffee, and national team members Gia Cruz, Courtney Baker and Jessie West.
Big news on the roster is the return of two Paralympians who haven’t played with the team in a number of years. Kari (Miller) Ortiz is a three-time Paralympian, who retired after winning gold in 2016. Three-time Paralympian Kendra (Lancaster) Hall is also back after retiring with three medals following the 2012 London Games.
While the matches were serious training, there was also fun to be had, as USA Volleyball President and CEO John Speraw joined the competition during the fourth set in the first match. Between matches, fans lined up for autograph and to see the Paralympic gold medals.
The team also plays Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST, and Sunday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. EST. Matches are streamed live on the USA Volleyball Facebook page.
Match 1
As the matches are scrimmages, there was some shuffling with lineups across the net, but it was a 4-0 win by the squad that started Webster, Matthews, Schieck, Maclay, Nieves, Franklin and Zummo. Kanahele Maclay led all scorers with 23 points on 12 aces, nine kills and two blocks. Matthews scored 17 on seven aces, seven kills and three blocks, and Franklin had 16 points on five aces, five kills and three blocks. Webster was also in double figures, scoring 10 on an ace, seven kills and two blocks. Schieck had three aces, four kills and two blocks for nine points, and Nieves also had nine points on two aces, six kills and a block. Hall scored seven with three aces, two kills and two blocks.
Dosty had one block with the winning team, but on the other side of the net she collected 15 points on five aces, seven kills and three blocks. Edwards scored eight (five kills, three blocks); Elam scored seven (one ace, three kills, three blocks); Coffee had six (five kills, one block); Baker had six (one ace, five blocks). Patterson and Cruz split setting duties, with Patterson getting two aces and Cruz collecting a block. West had two aces.
Match 2
The second match also had a 4-0 score, and this time the winning team started Webster, Matthews, Hall, Nieves, Maclay, Franklin and Zummo.
Matthews led all scorers with 22 points, collecting 13 kills, three blocks and six aces. Webster flashed back to the Paris Games with seven blocks in the match, adding to seven aces and six kills for 20 points. Kanahele Maclay had eight aces, five kills and one block for 14 points. Nieves scored nine on three kills, one block and five aces; Hall had eight points on three kills, two blocks and three aces; Schieck had seven with three kills, two blocks and two aces; and Franklin scored four on three kills and a block.
Dosty led the other side again with 12 points, notching eight kills and four blocks. Elam hit double figures at 11 with eight kills and three aces. Coffee started all four games for 10 points on three kills, three blocks and four aces. West had two kills, one block and and ace, and Patterson, Edwards, Cruz and Baker also scored three.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team earned the silver medal at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup after a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-19) loss to Argentina in the gold medal match on Sunday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. won six consecutive matches to reach the gold medal match, losing just two sets. The U.S. remains the most successful team in Pan Am Cup history with its 15th medal, including seven gold and three silver. The silver medal was the third for the U.S. Women’s National Team this summer with runner-up finishes in the Paris Olympics and NORCECA Final Six.
The U.S. finished with a 39-35 advantage in kills, but Argentina benefitted from 21 U.S. errors, while making only 12. Argentina held the advantage in blocks (12-5) and service aces (7-1).
Libero Zoe Fleck shared match-high honors with 20 digs and paced the U.S. with nine successful receptions. Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry led all players with 13 kills, adding seven successful receptions and six digs. Outside Claire Hoffman finished with six successful receptions and fellow outside Logan Eggleston registered five successful receptions and four digs in the third set.
Middle blocker Serena Gray (seven kills, two blocks and an ace) and opposite Kendall Kipp (eight kills, two blocks) also totaled double digits with 10 points. Kipp and setter Jenna Gray contributed six digs each, and Serena Gray added five.
Middle Tia Jimerson scored eight points on seven kills and a block, Hoffman scored on three points on kills, and setter Ella Powell recorded a kill.
Argentina scored the first three points of the opening set and never trailed and led by four points, 11-7, before the U.S. scored three points in a row on a kill by Jones-Perry and back-to-back blocks by Kipp and Serena Gray. Leading by just two points, 19-17, Argentina finished the second on a 6-1 run. Kipp led all players with seven points on five kills and a pair of blocks.
Hoffman and Jones-Perry kills with an Argentina hitting error gave the U.S. a 3-0 run and an 11-8 lead in the second set. Argentina responded by scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 15-12 lead. Serena Gray and Jones-Perry scored on the next two points to cut the lead to one, but Argentina went on a 9-4 run. The U.S. defended two set points before dropping the set. Jones-Perry led the U.S. with five kills.
The U.S. jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the third set before a 12-2 Argentina run made it 17-12. The lead grew to six, 21-15, before the U.S. cut the deficit in half by scoring the next three points. Argentina scored the next three points and four of the last five to win the gold medal. Jones-Perry recorded five kills and Serena Gray added four points on three kills and an ace.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15)
Aug. 22: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21)
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
Aug. 24: Semifinals, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 28-26)
Aug. 25: Gold Medal match, Argentina def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-19)
The U.S. Women's National Team earned a trip to the gold medal match at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 28-26) victory over the Dominican Republic in León, Mexico on Saturday.
The U.S. Women's National Team finished first in Pool B of the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) victory over previously undefeated Argentina on Thursday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's National Team rolled past winless Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15) to move to 4-0 at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup on Wednesday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Puerto Rico fell to 1-1.
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 24, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a trip to the gold medal match at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 28-26) victory over the Dominican Republic in León, Mexico on Saturday.
The U.S. moves into Sunday’s gold medal match at 7 p.m. PT and will take on the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between Colombia and Argentina.
The U.S. finished with a six-kill advantage (50-44) in the match and led in blocks (8-4), while Argentina served one more ace (4-3). In a match where both teams hit at a better than .300 efficiency percentage, the U.S. scored on 17 opponent errors compared to 15 for Argentina.
“We had a great match. We played so clean and executed so well in the first set, but as the Dominican Republic always does, they fight back and respond. They pushed us,” said head coach Brad Rostratter. “Though it was a three-set match, it was a lot tougher than that. We were really proud of our way to respond to them continually, even in that third set when we had our backs against the wall. We were able to keep fighting, stay steady, and trusting each other and our group. I’m super proud of them that they get to compete for a gold medal tomorrow night.”
Opposite Kendall Kipp hit the 20-point plateau for the second consecutive match and setter Jenna Gray led the offense to a .364 hitting efficiency percentage. Kipp totaled 18 kills, two blocks, and 11 digs. Gray finished with five points on three kills, a block and an ace, adding four digs.
“I’m really proud of us and I think we did a great job taking care of business, Kipp said. “We talked about how much this (Dominican Republic) team was going to battle and challenge us. We executed our scouting report really well,” said Kipp, who registered 10 of her 18 kills in the final set.
Libero Zoe Fleck’s 21 digs were 10 more than the next-highest total and she shared the team-lead with outside hitter Claire Hoffman with 13 successful receptions. Hoffman was the second on the team with 11 kills. Outside Roni Jones-Perry also reached double digits in scoring with 10 kills, a block and an ace. She added seven successful receptions and four digs.
Tia Jimerson (five kills in nine attacks) and Serena Gray (three blocks in five attacks) combined to hit .615 out of the middle blocker spot. Jimerson shared the match-high with three blocks, while Gray also contributed a block and an ace. Outside Jaali Winters recorded three digs.
Trailing 6-5 in the opening set, the U.S. went on a 9-2 run and were never challenged after that. A Jenna Gray kill on a dump gave the U.S. the lead for good. Hoffman registered five kills with Kipp also scoring five points with four kills and a block. The U.S. hit at a .485 efficiency percentage with 18 kills and only two errors in 33 total attacks.
The Dominican Republic led for the majority of the second set, matching its match-high lead of three points at 16-13. Kipp scored on a kill off the block and recorded a block to cut the lead to one point. A hitting error that started with a tough Serena Gray block evened the set for the first time since 5-5.
Another hitting error and a Hoffman kill capped a 5-0 U.S. run to make it 18-16 and force a second timeout in a four-point span. Back-to-back kills by Jimerson and a kill by Jones-Perry gave the U.S. its biggest advantage of the set, five points at 23-18. The Dominican Republic defended four match points to come within a point, 24-23. After a timeout, a Jones-Perry kill off a set from Fleck gave the U.S. a 2-0 set lead. Jones-Perry led all players with seven points on six kills and a block, and Jimerson added six points on four kills and two blocks.
The U.S. used a 4-0 run to take a 10-7 lead in the third set. Great hustle by Fleck led to a Jones-Perry kill that gave the U.S. the lead, 8-7. The Dominican Republic trailed by just one point, 20-19, when the U.S. called a timeout. A service error and a Jones-Perry ace raised the lead back to three, but the Dominican Republic ran off five consecutive points to take the lead for the first time since leading 7-6 and earn a pair of set points.
A Hoffman kill and Jimerson block evened the set at 24 and after yielding the next point, the U.S. defended its third set point on a Kipp kill. After the Dominican Republic fought off a match point, the U.S. finished the set and match on a Kipp kill and a service error.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15)
Aug. 22: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21)
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
Aug. 24: Semifinals, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 28-26)
Aug. 25: Gold Medal match, 7 p.m. vs. Colombia/Argentina
The U.S. Women's National Team finished first in Pool B of the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) victory over previously undefeated Argentina on Thursday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's National Team rolled past winless Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15) to move to 4-0 at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup on Wednesday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Puerto Rico fell to 1-1.
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team finished first in Pool B of the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) victory over previously undefeated Argentina on Thursday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. won all five of its pool play matches to advance directly to Saturday’s semifinal round. Argentina (4-1) will play in the quarterfinals on Friday.
“It was an exciting match for us to compete with such a strong team like Argentina,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “The players really stepped up to the challenge and represented the U.S. well. Our serving was awesome, doing a good job targeting certain passers, and the blocking execution is something we’ve invested time in, and it started to pay some dividends as we got a better view and understanding of what the Argentinian offense was trying to do against us,”
The U.S. finished with narrow advantages in kills (55-50), blocks (15-12) and service aces (4-2). The U.S. scored 22 points on opponent errors with Argentina scoring 19 on errors.
“I think we did a really good job of staying steady. Argentina is a really good team that has some really high-highs and they made a lot of good adjustments,” said setter Jenna Gray, who ran the U.S. offense while adding a kill and six digs. “We made our adjustments even quicker. I think we’ve had a really good build-up throughout the competition and tonight’s match proved our hard work and how we are trying to get better every single day. I’m really excited now that we are headed to the semifinals.”
Opposite Kendall Kipp led all players with 20 kills and 25 points, adding four blocks, an ace and six digs. Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry registered 18 points (17 kills and one ace), a match-high 15 digs and eight successful receptions. Middle blocker Serena Gray posted a match-high six blocks to go with five kills and an ace to finish with 12 points.
Libero Zoe Fleck recorded a match-high 24 successful receptions with 11 digs. Outside Claire Hoffman finished with 15 successful receptions and eight digs.
Middle Tia Jimerson scored eight points on four kills and four blocks, and Hoffman contributed six points on four kills, a block and an ace. Outside Logan Eggleston and opposite Stephanie Samedy each posted two kills. Jimerson, Samedy and setter Ella Powell each recorded a pair of digs.
Each team put together a big run at the start of the match with Argentina jumping out to a 7-2 lead and the U.S. going on its own 7-2 run to even the set at nine. A Jimmerson kill and block keyed a 4-0 run that put the U.S. out in front 13-9 and led to an Argentina timeout.
Kipp’s sixth and seventh kills in the early going extended the lead to seven points, 17-10. The lead grew to 11 points, 24-13, before Argentina fought off six set points before a service error ended the set. The only U.S. player with more than two points in the set, Kipp scored 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and an ace to hand Argentina its first set loss of the tournament.
With a 7-6 lead in the second set, the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to take a 14-7 lead with Kipp and Jones-Perry each scoring four points. Argentina had three swings to try to cut the lead to four points (when trailing 19-15) but could not get a ball past the U.S. front row with a Hoffman block securing the point.
Jones-Perry’s eighth kill of the set gave the U.S. a two-set advantage. Kipp scored five points on four kills and a block, and Hoffman added four points on two kills, a block and an ace.
Argentina started strong in the third set and stretched its lead to seven points on a kill off an overpass that made it 14-7 and forced the U.S. to take its second timeout of the set. A Serena Gray block capped a 6-2 run that closed the gap to three points, but the U.S. could get no closer. Gray led the team with two kills and two blocks, and Jones-Perry recorded four more kills.
A Serena Gray ace gave the U.S. the first two-point lead for either team in the fourth set, 6-4. Scrambling defense led to a Kipp kill that made it 10-6 and prompted Argentina to call a time out. An ace by Argentina cut the lead to two points, 11-9. Tenacious defense set up another Kipp kill as the U.S. regained its four-point advantage, 14-10.
A Serena Gray block gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set, 17-11 and caused Argentina to use its final time out. Argentina ran off three points in a row to cut the deficit back to three points and lead to a U.S. timeout.
The lead was still three points at 23-20 and 24-21, but big kills by Serena Gray and Kipp accounted for the clinching points. Kipp led all players with seven points on six kills and a block with Gray adding five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15)
Aug. 22: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21)
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
Aug. 24: Semifinals, TBA
Aug. 25: Medal match
The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Puerto Rico fell to 1-1.
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 21, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team rolled past winless Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15) to move to 4-0 at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup on Wednesday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The win set up a showdown with Argentina (3-0) for first place in Pool B on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. PT. The winner will move directly into Saturday’s semifinals with the loser set to play in the quarterfinal round on Friday.
The U.S. dominated every facet of the match, posting a 42-15 advantage in kills, 9-3 in blocks, and 7-1 in service aces. The U.S. hit at a .388 efficiency percentage, while Costa Rica hit -.075 with seven more errors than kills.
“Another good match for us. We got to work on some things and get better in some specific areas that are really going to help us in the upcoming matches,” said head coach Brad Rostratter. “It was great to see us execute at a pretty good rate, and hopefully we can translate that into more and more matches down the road.”
Five players scored between 10 and 12 points for the well-balanced U.S. attack. Middle blocker Amber Igiede led all players with 12 points on eight kills, two blocks and a pair of aces.
“I was super excited about this match because this ensured we would go into the next round. We have really worked hard as a team and we had a lot of fun,” Igiede said.
Outside hitter Claire Hoffman and opposite Stephanie Samedy each registered double-doubles. Hoffman scored 11 points on nine kills, one block and an ace with a match-high 10 successful receptions and also recorded eight digs. Samedy totaled 10 points on eight kills and two aces to go with 10 digs.
Libero Sarah Sponcil led all players with 15 digs and added five successful receptions. Outside Jaali Winters, who produced a match-high 10 kills with a block, scored 11 points and finished with eight digs and six successful receptions. Middle Breland Morrissette finished with five blocks, two more than the entire Costa Rica team, and totaled 10 points with four kills and an ace.
Setters Ella Powell and Jenna Gray ran the offense that recorded a 27-kill advantage. Powell contributed two kills, an ace and three digs. Jenna Gray added a kill and two digs. Igeide (four) and Morrissette (three) combined for seven digs from the middle blocker position.
Strong serving by Winters early in the opening set helped the U.S. jump out in front, 9-4. After Costa Rica scored the next two points, the U.S. ran off eight consecutive points and finished the set by scoring 16 of the final 18 points. Morrissette registered four blocks in the set, adding two kills, to lead the team with six points. Igiede totaled five points on three kills, a block and an ace.
Costa Rica took its biggest lead of the match by scoring the opening three points of the second set. The U.S. moved ahead with a 6-1 run, but Costa Rica scored three consecutive points again to regain the lead. From there, the U.S. took over with a 12-2 run that made it 18-9. Winters led all players with six kills, while Hoffman (two kills, one block, one ace) and Igiede (three kills, one block) each contributedfour points.
Winters scored three early points to help stake the U.S. to a 10-5 lead in the early stages of the third set. Costa Rica was unable to come any closer than four points the remainder of the set. Samedy led the way with five points on four kills and an ace, and Hoffman recorded four kills.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15)
Aug. 22: USA vs. Argentina, 4 p.m.
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals and classification
Aug. 24: Semifinals and classification
Aug. 25: Medal matches
The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Puerto Rico fell to 1-1.
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 20, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated in pool play at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10) win over Cuba on Tuesday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women (3-0) look to continue their winning ways against winless Costa Rica at 1 p.m. PT on Wednesday (Aug. 21).
Four U.S. players scored in double digits and the team hit at a .351 efficiency percentage for the match with leads in kills (53-39), blocks (7-5) and service aces (11-4).
“As always, Cuba brought the firepower and really came out in the first set and maximized that firepower and put some pressure on us from the inline,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “Thankfully, we were able to right the ship, get back on track, and really grind it out through sets two, three and four to gather the victory.”
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry recorded a triple-double with team-highs of 15 points and 15 successful receptions to go with 12 digs. Libero Zoe Fleck led all players with 19 digs and added 12 successful receptions. Outside Logan Eggleston nearly registered a triple double with nine kills, 13 successful receptions, and 11 digs.
“I thought that match was a good challenge for us and we did a good job staying steady and getting better as the match went on against a good Cuba team,” Jones-Perry said.
Middle blocker Serena Gray scored 13 points with eight kills and a match-high three blocks and was one of four U.S. players with two aces. Opposite Kendall Kipp totaled 11 points on 10 kills and a block, and middle Tia Jimmerson finished with 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and an ace.
Setters Ella Powell and Jenna Gray combined to run the efficient offense while each contributed three points on a kill and a pair of aces. Powell finished with six digs and Gray added three digs. Opposite Stephanie Samedy scored four points on three kills and an ace, outside Claire Hoffman scored twice on a kill and an ace, and outside Jaali Winters recorded a kill.
After the U.S. matched its biggest lead of the first set, 10-7, Cuba went on an 11-5 run to take the lead for good. Jones-Perry’s second ace of the set cut the deficit to one, 18-17, but the U.S. was never able to even the set, dropping its first set of the tournament. Serena Gray scored four points on three kills and a block.
A block and two kills from Kipp keyed the U.S. to a 4-0 lead to start the second set and force Cuba into an early timeout. Cuba never got closer than three points with a 9-0 run giving the U.S. a 22-9 lead. The U.S. hit .522 in the set, recorded the only two blocks and all three aces. Kipp scored four points on three kills and an ace, while Eggleston and Jones-Perry each recorded three kills.
Cuba started the third set strong, opening a 5-2 lead and leading most of the set until a Jones-Perry killed tied the set at 17. An ace by Hoffman gave the U.S. its first lead since scoring the opening point of the set. Clinging to a 21-20 lead, the U.S. went up by three on back-to-back Jimerson kills, the second on a rally started by a spectacular dig from Fleck. An Eggleston kill ended the set and gave the U.S. a 2-1 advantage. Jones-Perry led the way with five kills followed by Serena Gray with four.
The U.S. kept its momentum going by scoring seven of the first 10 points of the fourth set. A Serena Gray ace stretched the lead to six points, 13-7. After a Cuba point, the U.S. ran off six consecutive points to make it 19-8. Jones-Perry led the team with four kills in a set in which the U.S. hit .480 and finished with a 4-1 advantage in blocks and 4-0 in aces.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA vs. Costa Rica, 1 p.m.
Aug. 22: USA vs. Argentina, 4 p.m.
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals and classification
Aug. 24: Semifinals and classification
Aug. 25: Medal matches
The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Puerto Rico fell to 1-1.
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 19, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team moved to 2-0 with a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) win over Puerto Rico (1-1) on Monday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women play their third consecutive 7 p.m. PT match in the tournament on Tuesday (Aug. 20) against Cuba (1-1).
“It was a really good match for us. We played nice and clean and steady,” Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “It was fun to see a new group of athletes step on the court. Again, our serving and passing was the difference in us being consistent.”
The U.S. offense dominated the match, finishing with a 47-21 advantage in kills. The U.S. also led in blocks (9-6) and service aces (6-3).
Opposite Kendall Kipp and outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry combined for 30 kills and 34 points to overwhelm the Puerto Rico defense. Kipp led all players with 18 points on 16 kills and two blocks, while Jones-Perry totaled 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. Both players finished with seven digs.
“I think the team played really well. We are still getting used to playing together in competition, but I think we did a really good job of adjusting to what Puerto Rico was doing. They played a really good match,” Kipp said. “It was fun to get the nerves out and play some volleyball. It is fun to play with all these players on the same side of the net after playing against them in college.”
Middle blocker Amber Igiede scored nine points on five kills, two blocks, and two aces. She shared the team lead in blocks with Kipp and Jones-Perry and shared the team lead in aces with setter Jenna Gray and middle Serena Gray.
Outside hitter Claire Hoffman contributed seven points on six kills and a block, and Serena Gray finished with seven points on four kills and a block to go with her two aces. Jenna Gray led all players with 13 digs and added a kill and a block to her two aces. Backup setter Ella Powell also played as part of double substitutions.
Backup opposite Stephanie Samedy recorded a kill. Hoffman and libero Zoe Fleck each finished with 12 digs, while Hoffman paced the squad with 17 service receptions.
Back-to-back aces by Jenna Gray gave the U.S. a 16-7 lead in the opening set. The lead grew to 13 points, 21-8, and the set never got closer than nine points. Jones-Perry led the team with five kills with Kipp also scoring five points, coming on four kills and a block.
Scrambling defense that led to an Igiede put down from the middle and a Kipp kill gave the U.S. an early 8-4 lead in the second set, but Puerto Rico kept the set close throughout. A Kipp block gave the U.S. its biggest lead at 16-11, but Puerto Rico closed the gap to two, 17-15, on an ace that dribbled off the net.
With the lead still just two points, 18-16, a Kipp kill and Serena Gray block extended the lead to four points and Puerto Rico was never able to get closer in the set. Igiede (five kills, one block) and Jones-Perry (four kills, two blocks) paced the U.S. with six points apiece. Kipp recorded five points on four kills and a block for the second consecutive set.
Three Kipp kills in a four-point span put the U.S. ahead 10-7 in the third set. Puerto Rico pulled within two points, 13-11, midway through the set before a 5-0 run extended the lead to seven, keyed by a pair of kills from Kipp, and kills from Jones-Perry and Hoffman.
Kipp’s eighth kill of the match made it 22-13. A Serena Gray kill punctuated a second consecutive U.S. sweep to open the tournament. Jones-Perry registered five kills in the set and Hoffman added four points on three kills and one block.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA vs. Cuba, 7 p.m.
Aug. 21: USA vs. Costa Rica, 1 p.m.
Aug. 22: USA vs. Argentina, 4 p.m.
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals and classification
Aug. 24: Semifinals and classification
Aug. 25: Medal matches
The U.S. Women's National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 18, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team began the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) win over Chile on Sunday in Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. Women return to play on Monday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. PT against Puerto Rico, which opened the tournament with an exciting five-set victory over Cuba.
The U.S. led in kills (35-29) and blocks (9-5), while benefitting from 29 Chile errors and making only 11 errors. The U.S. hit .260 for the match, while error-plagued Chile hit just .033. Each team served two aces, but Chile finished with three more service errors.
“This was a great match for us,” Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “It was great to see some women make their debuts and have some awesome performances. Overall, it was good to see the team take care of business, nice and clean serving and hitting and playing USA Volleyball.”
Seven U.S. players scored at least four points with outside hitter Logan Eggleston and opposite Samantha Samedy combining for 19 points. Eggleston scored 10 points on nine kills and a block, and Samedy totaled nine points on eight kills and a block, adding nine digs. Eggleston led the team with 10 successful receptions and contributed seven digs.
“It was good to go out there and compete, get those first-match jitters out; to come out and battle to start the tournament,” Samedy said.
In addition to leading the U.S. to a .260 hitting efficiency, setter Ella Powell scored six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace, and paced the team with 12 digs. Setter Jenna Gray played as a subsitute. Libero and Tokyo Olympian in beach volleyball Sara Sponcil recorded 10 digs and eight successful receptions. Outside hitter Jaali Winters contributed nine successful receptions and five kills.
Middle blockers Amber Igiede and Breland Morrissette joined Powell with two kills apiece. Igiede scored four points in the opening set with her two blocks, a block and an ace. Morrissette totaled five points in the final two sets, recording three kills to go with her blocks. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson scored four points on three kills and a block and opposite Kendall Kipp, who played as part of the double substitution, recorded three kills.
Igiede’s block and ace gave the U.S. the first three-point lead of the opening set, 10-7, and lead to a Chile timeout. From there, the U.S. scored seven of the next nine points to take control of the set. The U.S. hit .308 in the set, while Chile only hit .059.
Chile led 10-9 early in the second set before a 6-0 U.S. run, keyed by a pair of Eggleston kills and a Powell block. Chile scored three consecutive points to close the gap back to two, 15-13, but a Powell block and Samedy kill extended the advantage back to four points and led to a Chile timeout. The U.S. tallied the first five points after the time out to take a 10-point lead. Eggleston led all players with five kills with Morrissette adding two kills and two blocks.
An Eggleston kill completed a 4-0 run that gave the U.S. a 10-6 lead in the third set. Chile was not able to get any closer than three points down the remainder of the set. Samedy paced the U.S. with four kills with Eggleston adding three points on two kills and a block.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.
Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m.
Aug. 20: USA vs. Cuba, 7 p.m.
Aug. 21: USA vs. Costa Rica, 1 p.m.
Aug. 22: USA vs. Argentina, 4 p.m.
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals and classification
Aug. 24: Semifinals and classification
Aug. 25: Medal matches
The 2024 international volleyball season did not end with the Olympic Closing Ceremony. USA Volleyball is sending 14 athletes to compete at the Women’s NORCECA Pan American Cup on August 18-25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
5-10
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-2
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PARIS, France (August 11, 2024) – After another incredible Olympic run, the U.S. Women took home the silver medal after falling to Italy in the gold medal match, 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) on the final day of the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
The Tokyo gold medalists now lead the former Soviet Union for all-time medals 7-6 and have medaled at each of the past five Olympics. The gold medal was the first Olympic hardware for Italy, who captured the Volleyball Nations League title earlier this summer and dropped only one set in the tournament, winning its final 17 sets.
Chiaka Ogbogu was named Best Middle Blocker on the Paris 2024 Dream Team.
“We have so much that we’re proud of from this tournament,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “But out of the three medalist teams, (silver) is the only one that finishes with a loss. There’s a bittersweet part to that.”
Ranked fifth in the world entering this year’s Olympics, the U.S. Women (4-2) ran off four consecutive victories to again reach the championship match after an opening 3-2 loss to China in pool play. They defeated the reigning world champions Serbia in pool play, fourth-ranked Poland in the quarterfinals, and world No. 1 Brazil in the semifinals. The silver medal is the fourth for the U.S., which finishes the Olympics ranked No. 3.
“For those of us who were in Tokyo, I think this was more what we envisioned a typical Olympic experience to be,” U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter said. “I think the city of Paris did a phenomenal job putting this on.
“We were able to come out playing our best volleyball throughout this tournament, which is where I hoped we would eventually get to at the end of this quad.”
Backup opposite Jordan Thompson led the U.S. in scoring with eight kills and outside hitter Avery Skinner added seven. Opposite Annie Drews scored six points on five kills and an ace, and outside Jordan Larson played as a substitute and finished with five kills and six digs. Thompson also totaled six digs, while setter Jordyn Poulter and Drews each added five.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led all players with 15 digs. Skinner recorded a match-high 15 successful receptions and Wong-Orantes finished with six.
Italy led in kills (45-35), blocks (11-0), aces (7-3) and made five fewer errors (17-12). Paola Egonu of Italy completed her torrid Olympic play with 22 points on 18 kills and four blocks.
PLAY-BY-PLAY
An Italy block sent the U.S. to a quick 5-1 deficit and an early timeout in the opening set. Another block stretched the lead to six points, 12-6 and led to a second time out. The lead grew to eight, 15-7, on an ace.
The U.S. used an Ogbogu ace and a Washington kill on a slide to key a 4-0 U.S. run, but another Italy block ended the run. A fourth Italy block prevented the U.S. from pulling within three points on a swing at 16-12.
A Thompson kill and an Italy hitting error after the U.S. front row send two attacks back cut the deficit to three, 19-16, but Italy scored the next two points after a timeout to regain a five-point advantage. Italy finished the set on a 6-2 run. Italy hit .324 in the opening set, while the U.S. hit .071. Skinner (three kills), and Drews and Ogbogu (two kills, one ace) each scored three points.
A Larson kill gave the U.S. a 3-1 lead in the second set before Italy went on a 6-2 run to go up by two points. Larson evened the set 8-8 on a kill, but Italy scored four of the next five points to take the first three-point lead of the set and force a U.S. timeout. An ace gave Italy its biggest lead of the set, 21-16, and the U.S. could not get closer than four points. Larson led the team with four kills with Skinner and Thompson each contributing three kills. Through two sets, Italy was hitting .400 and passing at 68 percent good or perfect, while the U.S. was hitting .183.
A hitting error gave the U.S. a 6-5, the latest it led in any set, but Italy ran off seven points in a row to take a 12-6 lead. A ninth Italy block extended the lead to six, 15-9. A Thompson kill cut the lead back to four, 15-11, but the U.S. could not get any closer. Thompson registered three kills in the set.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 USA def. France, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20)
Aug. 6 Quarterfinal: USA def. Poland, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20)
Aug. 8 Semifinal: USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11)
Aug. 11 Gold medal, Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will defend its gold medal at the Paris Olympics after defeating the world’s top-ranked team Brazil in a memorable semifinal, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11) on Thursday.
Playing its best match yet in the Paris Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the semifinals with an impressive 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20) blanking of Poland on Tuesday. The win sends the U.S. to its fifth consecutive semifinal berth.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with a tight 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20) victory over France before a boisterous French crowd on Sunday.
The U.S. Women's National Team, the defending gold medalists, made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday.
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
Led by an incredible blocking performance from Chiaka Ogbogu, the U.S. Women's National Team earned a dramatic 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15) victory over reigning world champion Serbia in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
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PARIS, France (August 8, 2024) – For a second straight Olympic Games, and fourth in the last five, the U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the gold medal. On Thursday, the U.S. Women beat Brazil, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, in a memorable semifinal, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11) in Paris.
The U.S. Women (4-1) will face Italy (5-0) in the gold-medal match at 4 a.m. PT on Sunday, not long before the Closing Ceremony. A win would give the program its second gold in 13 Games. A silver medal would be the program’s fourth. Brazil will play Türkiye for the bronze medal on Saturday.
On Thursday, Brazil was hoping to avenge its gold-medal loss to the U.S. Women at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. But two players who were not on the team in Tokyo helped lead the U.S. Women to Thursday’s semifinal win.
“It’s so fun to see Kathryn and Avery just take this game by the throat,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They’re giving us some fantastic firepower.”
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer led all players with 26 points on a match-high 23 kills with two blocks and an ace. She also contributed 16 successful receptions and seven digs. Outside Avery Skinner totaled 19 points on 15 kills, three blocks and ace, while adding a match-best 20 successful receptions and equaling libero Justine Wong-Orantes for the team lead with 10 digs.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Skinner said. “We knew they had not lost a set in this whole tournament. Us coming in after multiple five-set matches, we knew we had been battle tested. I think we did have a lot of confidence in what we could do.”
The U.S. led in kills (67-61) and aces (5-2). Both teams were effective on the block with Brazil holding a slight 15-13 advantage, but the U.S. was only blocked five times in the final three sets. Both teams scored 21 points on opponent errors. Brazil led in digs, 100-94, in a match that featured tremendous defense by both squads.
Starting opposite Annie Drews scored 18 points on 17 kills and an ace, adding six digs. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu tied for match-high honors with four blocks and added five kills. Backup opposite Jordan Thompson (four kills, one block) and middle Haleigh Washington (two kills, two blocks, one ace) each scored five points. Washington also contributed five digs.
Starting setter Jordyn Poulter and backup Lauren Carlini ran the offense and played major roles in multiple aspects. Poulter totaled nine digs and scored on a block and an ace. Carlini finished with eight digs, making numerous critical defensive plays in the deciding set. Veteran Jordan Larson entered the match in key spots and pitched in with a kill, successful reception and a dig.
The U.S. Women have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. The U.S. Women qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, which the United States boycotted.
The U.S. Women have won one Olympic gold medal (2020), three silver medals (1984, 2008 and 2012) and two bronze medals (1992 and 2016).
PLAY-BY-PLAY
In the first set, blocks by Ogbogu, Plummer and Washington helped stake the U.S. to a quick 8-3 lead, but Brazil scored the next four points to force the U.S. to take its first timeout. Brazil went up 17-17 on its sixth and seventh blocks of the set, prompting the second U.S timeout. Skinner’s sixth kill and a pair of Brazil hitting errors evened the set again at 19, leading Brazil to take a timeout. At 21-21, The U.S. scored after a great defensive rally by both teams ended on a net violation.
An Ogbogu kill made it 23-22 U.S., but a great block cover led to a tying kill for Brazil. Plummer’s off-speed kill ended a long rally to give the U.S. set point. A one-arm stab by Skinner led to a Plummer kill to finish the set and hand Brazil its first set loss in Paris. Skinner led all players with eight points on seven kills and an ace with Plummer adding seven points on five kills and a pair of blocks.
Brazil took a 6-3 lead in the second set. Drews delivered back-to-back kills, the first ending a long rally featuring great defense and hustle by Brazil and the second after a one-arm dig by Washington. The U.S. evened the score 8-8 on an Ogbogu block, but Brazil regained its three-point advantage to force a timeout.
By scoring the first two points out of the timeout, Brazil finished a 5-0 run before a Drews kill. Brazil led 15-9 on its 10th block. The teams exchanged the next eight points before consecutive points by the U.S. cut the gap to four points, the second on a Thompson kill after a great dig by Carlini, and led to a Brazil timeout.
Brazil scored the first four points out of the timeout, taking a 23-15 lead. Ogbogu and Skinner blocks and a bad pass by Brazil cut the advantage back to five points. Brazil, which hit .405 in the set, scored the final two points to square the match at a set apiece. Drews paced the U.S. with five kills and Plummer added four.
Aces by Plummer and Washington, and a Poulter block led the U.S. to a 7-3 lead to open the third set. A kill and a block on consecutive points by Thompson gave the U.S. a 15-8 lead. Brazil scored the next two points and had a swing to cut the lead to five, but a Skinner block made it 17-10.
Plummer’s fifth kill of the set and an ace from Drews extended the U.S. lead to eight, 22-14. After a Brazil point, Washington posted the fourth U.S. block of the set, a Plummer kill out of the back row, and a Skinner tip ended the set. After being blocked 10 times in the first two sets, the U.S. out-blocked Brazil 4-0 in the third set. Plummer scored seven points on six kills and an ace, Skinner contributed three kills and a block, and Drews added two kills and an ace.
Two Plummer kills helped the U.S. take a 6-4 lead in set four, but two blocks keyed an 8-4 run that put Brazil ahead 12-10 and led to a U.S. timeout. Trailing 14-11, the U.S. pulled to within a point on another Plummer kill and a block by Skinner. A Washington kill, Ogbogu block and a service error kept the deficit at one point as the teams exchanged six points.
Brazil scored two points in a row to take a three-point lead and force the U.S. to take its final timeout of the set. A Drews kill cut the margin to two points, 20-18, but Brazil upped the lead to four with back-to-back points. A rare Brazil hitting error in the set cut the margin back to two points, 23-21 and led to a timeout.
A Drews kill fought off one set point at 24-21 and Poulter drew the U.S. within a point on an ace that led to another Brazil timeout. The U.S. was called for being over the net after a bad pass by Brazil to end the set. Drews recorded seven kills and Plummer added five.
A service error and a kill off the top of the block gave Brazil the first two-point lead of the fifth set, 5-3, prompting a U.S. timeout. Skinner brought the U.S. within one, 6-5, and then tied the match on a kill after a long rally that included a key dig from Washington and multiple big digs by Carlini.
Another strong defensive point from Carlini and a set by Plummer led to a Thompson kill to give the U.S. its first lead of the deciding set, 7-6. After Brazil evened the set, a Skinner kill ended a 4-1 run and gave U.S. an 8-7 lead when the teams switched sides.
Brazil tied the deciding set for the final time, 9-9, but a perfect pass by Skinner led to an Ogbogu kill. The lead grew to three points when Brazil was called for a back row block and hit a ball out. A Drews kill made it 12-8 and caused Brazil to use its second timeout in three points.
Out of the timeout, Brazil scored on a kill off the block and registered a block to cut the deficit back to two points, 12-10. Plummer scored on an off-speed shot that found the middle of the court, and a Washington block gave the U.S. match point. After Brazil scored the next point, Plummer sent the U.S. back to the gold medal match with her 23rd kill of the match and third of the set. Skinner matched Plummer with three kills.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 USA def. France, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20)
Aug. 6 Quarterfinal: USA def. Poland, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20)
Aug. 8 Semifinal: USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11)
Aug. 11 Gold medal, USA vs. Italy, 4 a.m. PT
Playing its best match yet in the Paris Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the semifinals with an impressive 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20) blanking of Poland on Tuesday. The win sends the U.S. to its fifth consecutive semifinal berth.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with a tight 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20) victory over France before a boisterous French crowd on Sunday.
The U.S. Women's National Team, the defending gold medalists, made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday.
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
Led by an incredible blocking performance from Chiaka Ogbogu, the U.S. Women's National Team earned a dramatic 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15) victory over reigning world champion Serbia in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
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PARIS, France (August 6, 2024) – Playing its best match yet in the Paris Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the semifinals with an impressive 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20) sweep of Poland on Tuesday.
The win sends the U.S. to its fifth consecutive Olympic semifinal berth. Poland (2-2) finishes without reaching its first Olympic semi.
The U.S. will face world No. 1 Brazil, in Thursday’s semifinals. Brazil swept the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals. The semis will be a replay of the gold medal match in Tokyo.
The U.S. dominated in kills (44-30) and led in aces (6-3), while staying nearly even (12-10) in blocks with one of the world’s top blocking teams.
U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly said the team’s new starting lineup, which was introduced against Serbia during pool play and has Kathryn Plummer and Avery Skinner at the outsides, came together with some key substitutions for the victory.
“Most other teams have been playing for years with the same starting lineup,” he said. “We now have three matches… We’re excited because we feel like we’re just getting going with this slugger lineup.”
The team was also excited about the return of backup setter Lauren Carlini, who had missed the last two matches with an injury. Setter Micha Hancock returned to official alternate status.
The U.S. finished with a significant advantage in digs (67-55) and scored four more points on opponent errors (15-11).
Opposite Annie Drews led all players with 13 points on 12 kills and a block.
Drews credited the U.S. Women’s play in its pool for helping them on Tuesday.
“Pool A was such a dogfight and it really showed us anything can happen,” she said. “As we’ve gone on in this tournament, we’ve gotten better and better at not getting rattled.”
Skinner nearly registered a triple-double with 12 kills, 10 digs, and eight successful receptions. Plummer scored 12 points on eight kills, two blocks, and two key aces late in the third set. Plummer led the team with 10 successful receptions and contributed five digs, and Drews added seven digs.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes finished with a match-high 14 digs and added four successful receptions. Setter Jordyn Poulter, who led the team to a .262 hitting efficiency percentage, scored four points on two blocks and two aces, and recorded nine digs.
Middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington combined for 13 points. Ogbogu hit .571 with four kills in seven attacks, while Washington added three kills in six attacks. Both players finished with two blocks and an ace. Veteran Jordan Larson scored four points on three kills and a block.
The U.S. jumped out to a 5-1 lead with Plummer scoring twice on a kill and a block, and Washington recording a block. A Poulter ace stretched the lead to six, 12-6, and the lead eventually grew to seven points, 15-8, before Poland ran off four consecutive points.
A Drews kill made it 19-14, but back-to-back Poland points, the second on a kill off an overpass, cut the deficit to three points. Skinner scored the team’s next two points, the second off a one-handed set from Poulter, to make it 21-17. Cook ended a long rally highlighted by great block coverage by Wong-Orantes for a 22-18 lead.
Consecutive blocks brought Poland within two points for the first time since the score was 3-1, but Drews scored off a high set. The teams traded points for the final points of the set with Plummer’s fourth kill giving the U.S. set point and Skinner’s fifth kill ending the set. Plummer joined Skinner in leading the team with five points. Ogbogu, who entered the match tied for the blocking lead in the Olympics, scored three points on a pair of kills and a block.
A Poulter ace gave the U.S. a quick 4-0 lead in the second set. A Drews kill high off the block raised the advantage to six points, 11-5. A Poland block cut the lead to four points, but it was as close as the set would get. A great pass by Wong-Orantes led to a Washington kill and after a Poland hitting error, a strong dig by Plummer and set by Poulter led to another Skinner kill and a 14-7 lead. Washington served an ace for an eight-point lead coming after a Poland timeout.
Strong digs by Wong-Orantes led to a Skinner kill and Drews tip ran the lead to eight points, 18-9. Skinner scored three more times as the U.S. ran away with the set, once off a Plummer set out of system and the final two points of the set. Skinner finished with seven kills and Drews also scored seven points with six kills and a block. Washington scored three points with two kills and an ace.
Through two sets, the U.S. was hitting .293 compared to .136 for Poland and held a huge advantage in digs (35-20). The U.S. scored on 33 of 75 attacks, while Poland was limited to 19 kills in 66 attacks.
For the first time in the match, Poland got off to strong start in the third set, using its powerful block to take a 7-1 lead. The U.S. used its second timeout after consecutive Poland points made it 10-4. A Thompson kill off a back set from Lauren Carlini and a one-on-one block by Larson closed the gap to three points, 11-8, and forced a Poland timeout. Carlini was making her first appearance since the opening match after sitting out the last two matches with back troubles.
Trailing 13-10, the U.S. tied the set with back-to-back kills by Drews and Ogbogu’s 17th block of the Olympics. A Plummer block gave the U.S. its first lead of the set, 15-14. After a Poland service error, Poulter recorded a block and a Poland net violation extended the U.S. lead to 18-15 and finishing a 17-8 run.
Poland scored the next three points to even the set at 18, but a service error put the U.S. ahead for good. Plummer served five consecutive points with consecutive aces taking the lead to three points and a back row attack completing the 5-0 run. Larson delivered a kill to give the U.S. match point and with the score 24-20, Ogbogu ended the match on a kill. Plummer finished the set with five kills, adding two kills and a block to her aces. Drews registered four kills and Larson scored four points on three kills and a block.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 USA def. France, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20)
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals: USA def. Poland, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20)
Aug. 8 Semifinals: USA vs. Brazil, TBA
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with a tight 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20) victory over France before a boisterous French crowd on Sunday.
The U.S. Women's National Team, the defending gold medalists, made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday.
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
Led by an incredible blocking performance from Chiaka Ogbogu, the U.S. Women's National Team earned a dramatic 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15) victory over reigning world champion Serbia in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
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PARIS, France (August 4, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with a tight 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20) victory over France before a boisterous French crowd on Sunday. The U.S. finished pool play 2-1, while France did not take a set in its first Olympic appearance.
The U.S. Women (2-1) will play Poland (2,1) in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. PT on Tuesday.
Tennis great Billie Jean King attended the match and sent a video to the team beforehand.
“She was a supporter of ours in Rio and Tokyo,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “She kind of watches us from afar. And this time it’s really cool this time because she is here.”
The U.S. led the match in kills (48-44) and service aces (5-3), but the key statistic was play in the middle where it held a 12-6 advantage in blocks, and its middle blockers totaled 17 kills with a .556 hitting efficiency percentage.
Middles Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington combined for 24 points and seven blocks. Ogbogu, who tied an Olympic record with eight blocks in a five-set win over Serbia and leads the Paris Olympics in blocks, hit at a .615 efficiency percentage (eight kills on 13 attacks) and recorded three more blocks to give her 15 through the end of pool play. Her two aces gave her 13 points for the match. Washington hit .500 while totaling 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.
Kiraly started first-time Olympians Kathryn Plummer and Avery Skinner at outside hitter, but later brought in veterans Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson Cook.
“We felt like we needed a little more ball control,” Kiraly said. “We were handling some jump-spin serves better once those two were in.”
Opposite Annie Drews led all players with 15 kills and led the team with 15 digs. Plummer was the fourth U.S. player to reach double digits with 11 points on six kills, three blocks and two aces.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes recorded another double-double with 11 successful receptions and 10 digs. Skinner finished with four kills and nine successful receptions, while Plummer and Cook each added eight successful receptions.
Opposite Jordan Thompson scored four points on three kills and a block. Cook scored three points on two kills and a block, and setter Jordyn Poulter totaled three points on a kill, block and an ace, adding seven digs. Larson contributed three successful receptions, two digs and a block.
The U.S. took an early four-point lead, but France tied the set at 10-10 and 12-12 with blocks. A Plummer ace capped a 5-1 U.S. run that gave the U.S. a four-point advantage again, 17-13 and led to a France timeout. The Olympic hosts kept the set close by scoring three of the next four points to pull back within two points.
Ogbogu scored three of the next four points in the set with a block and a pair of kills to give the U.S. its largest lead of the set, 22-17, but France scored the next six points to take a 23-22 lead. Two Drews kills gave the U.S. its first set point. France fought off the set point and had a swing for the lead but hit the ball out.
France had its first set point at 27-26, but a Skinner kill and a great dig by Washington that led to a Drews kill gave the U.S. a 28-27 lead. A strong Washington serve that France struggled to get over the net led to a Skinner kill that gave the U.S. the win on its fourth set point. Drews led the team with seven kills and Ogbogu added five points on three kills, a block and an ace.
Plummer scored five early points in the second set on four kills and an ace to lead the U.S. to an 8-5 lead. Ogbogu and Plummer recorded back-to-back blocks to make it 11-8. After a France point, Ogbogu and Washington each scored out of the middle to help raise the lead to six points, 15-9. France continued to keep it close by scoring the next three points and forcing a U.S. timeout.
A Skinner kill in transition put the U.S. ahead 17-12. A Thompson kill off the block raised the lead to six, 20-14 but France scored the next seven points to take the lead. A Drews kill ended the run and a Larson block put the U.S. back ahead, 22-21. Another Ogbogu block made it 23-22. A Drews crosscourt kill gave the U.S. set point at 24-23.
A France attack was called out but reversed on a block touch challenge. A kill gave France its first set point before a Drews kill evened the set. A service ace put France back ahead 26-25 before Washington scored on a slide. A hitting error gave France its third set point, but Drews recorded her 12th kill of the match to tie it back up. A hitting error and an Ogbogu block gave the U.S. a 2-0 set lead. Plummer finished with seven points, Drews and Washington each registered five kills, and Ogbogu scored five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace.
A Washington kill on an overpass gave the U.S. an early three-point lead, 7-4, in the third set. A France ace and a kill on an overpass evened the set at 13. The U.S. responded with a 5-1 run, culminating with a Washington kill.
With the score 20-17, Ogbogu put a ball down to raise the lead to four. A great dig by Wong-Orantes led to a Drews kill off a set from Larson for a 22-17 lead. Three France errors down the stretch sealed the match for the U.S. Washington scored six points in the set on four kills and two blocks with Drews, Robinson-Cook, and Ogbogu each contributing three points.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 USA def. France, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20)
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals: USA vs. TBA
Aug. 8 Semifinals
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal
Led by an incredible blocking performance from Chiaka Ogbogu, the U.S. Women's National Team earned a dramatic 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15) victory over reigning world champion Serbia in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
The U.S. Women's National Team, the defending gold medalists, made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday.
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
Setter, 5-11
Setter, 6-1
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PARIS, France (July 31, 2024) – Led by an incredible blocking performance from Chiaka Ogbogu, the U.S. Women’s National Team earned a dramatic 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15) victory over reigning world champion Serbia in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
The U.S., which has earned three points in the standings by splitting two five-set matches and is likely to advance to the quarterfinals, can clinch that spot with a win over host France at 4 a.m. PT on Sunday (Aug. 4).
Ogbogu recorded eight of the team’s 19 blocks in the match and totaled 14 points with six kills in her 11 attacks. The U.S. finished with five more blocks, while trailing in kills (63-56) and service aces (6-3). The U.S. benefitted from 23 Serbian errors, most of which came in the first two sets.
“Good teams make good plays and it took Serbia a while to make some,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Then they really started pouring it on in the third and fourth sets. We can’t be surprised by that, just like they can’t be surprised when we make a bunch of good plays in the first two sets. Then it became a closer, more fierce battle with both teams making good plays in the fifth set.”
Serbia scored one more point in the match (102-101). The first two U.S. matches have been separated by one point. In the U.S. five-set loss to China on Monday, both teams score 102 points.
Opposite Tijana Boškovic of Serbia scored 31 points on 27 kills, two blocks and two aces.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes continued her sterling Olympic play with a double-double consisting of match-high 11 digs, including three crucial digs in the fifth set, and 10 successful receptions. Setter Jordyn Poulter ran the U.S. offense and also contributed eight digs. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson-Cook added five digs, three as she steadied the defense in the fifth set.
Opposite Annie Drews led the team with 16 points on 15 kills and a block. Drews registered the team’s first two points in the deciding set and her kills gave the U.S. 15-14 and 16-15 leads. Outside hitter Avery Skinner totaled 13 points with 11 kills and two blocks.
Three more U.S. players reached double digits as opposite Jordan Thompson (10 kills and a huge block in the fifth set) and outside hitter Kathryn Plummer (nine kills and two blocks) each scored 11 points. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington also scored in double figures with 10 points on five kills, four blocks and an ace. Plummer totaled 16 successful receptions with Skinner adding 14.
“We knew this was going to be an intense match. Serbia is always a strong opponent. We knew they were going to push back, and they did,” Washington stated. “We just had to keep believing. It wasn’t a matter of changing this or adjusting that. It was just a matter of weathering the storm and repeating to ourselves, ‘Yes, we can. We have this.'”
When asked about rebounding after the tough five-set loss to China to open the Olympics, Washington shared, “One our mantras is being where our feet are. Yes, that loss was heartbreaking, but we took it as an opportunity to learn and get better. Yesterday was about recovery. Today was about Serbia and tonight will be about recovery. We just keep doing that one day at a time and being present.”
A Washington kill on an overpass gave the U.S. a 6-2 lead in the first set with Plummer scoring on a kill and a block in the opening points. Serbia stormed back with a 6-1 run to take the lead and still led 14-12 when Ogbogu took over the set. She registered three blocks to fuel a 10-0 run that gave the U.S. a 22-14 lead.
Ogbogu added a pair of kills to score five points in the set. Drews registered five kills, Plummer scored four points on three kills and her early block, and Washington added two kills and served an ace during the team’s dominant run.
Serbia made a series of hitting errors early in the second set, allowing the U.S. to take a 12-7 lead. At that point in the match, Serbia totaled 14 hitting errors, while the U.S. was hitting nearly .400 as a team. A 6-1 Serbia run evened the set at 13. With the the score tied at 16, the U.S. ran off four points in a row with Skinner scoring from the back row and making a strong dig in middle back to set up a Drews kill during the 4-0 run.
Leading 21-18, the U.S. played a great defensive point that ended with a block by Washington. Micah Hancock, seeing her first action since entering the lineup in place of the injured Lauren Carlini, served an ace off the net, and Washington followed with her third block of the set. Thompson ended the set on a kill with the U.S. up 24-20. Washington led the U.S. team with five points, adding two kills to her blocks, Skinner recorded four kills, and Plummer added three.
The U.S. took an early 7-4 lead in the third set, but Serbia quickly evened the set at 9-9 and then scored six points in a row to take the lead for good. A great dig by Wong-Orantes led to a Thompson kill that pulled the U.S. within three points, 17-14, but a 6-1 run gave Serbia a decisive 23-15 lead. The U.S. scored the next five points, the final two on blocks by Ogbogu, but Serbia extended the match by scoring the final two points of the set. Skinner and Drews each delivered four kills in the set.
Serbia scored the first four points of the fourth set and by the time it led 10-4, the U.S. was forced to use both its timeouts. A Skinner kill followed by Ogbogu’s seventh block of the match brought the U.S. within two points, 11-9, but Serbia finished the set on a 13-5 run to continue the match. Thompson paced the U.S. with four kills.
A Thompson kill gave the U.S. an early 4-3 lead in the deciding set, but Serbia went on another of its runs, this one 5-1, to take an 8-4 lead into the side switch. Thompson scored again to close the gap to two points and Skinner and Thompson recorded back-to-blocks to even the score.
Serbia took what turned out to be its final lead of the match, 9-8, but once again Ogbogu came up with a block, her ninth of the match. Poulter followed with an ace and the U.S. took its first two-point lead of the set when Drews scored down the line on transition after a block touch slowed the Serbian attack.
A perfect pass from Robinson-Cook set up a Skinner kill to make it 12-9. Serbia took a timeout and the two-time world champions cut the lead back to one with two points, the second on a block. Ogbogu secured a kill that came off the net, prompting Serbia to challenge a net touch to no avail. Wong-Orantes came up with another great dig to set up a Plummer kill off the block and give the U.S. two match points.
Serbia delivered a kill on the next point and staved off a second match point with its 14th block. A perfect pass from Skinner led to a Drews kill. After Serbia stopped a third match point, Drews again put the U.S. within a point of victory. Wong-Orantes made a rally-saving dig on the final point, which ended on a Serbian hitting error. Drews finished the set with five kills, and Skinner and Thompson both scored three points on two kills and their set-changing blocks.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 at 4 a.m. USA vs France
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals
Aug. 8 Semifinals
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal
The U.S. Women's National Team, the defending gold medalists, made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday.
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
Setter, 5-11
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PARIS, France (July 29, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday. China received two points in pool play for the victory, while the U.S. earned one point for going five.
The U.S. entered the Olympic Games ranked fifth in the world, while China came in ranked sixth. The U.S. will face No. 9 Serbia at 8 a.m. PT on Wednesday (July 31).
The U.S. ended the match with a 74-68 advantage in kills and 6-1 in aces, while recording just one less block (12-11). China benefitted from 21 U.S. errors, while committing only 11. Each team scored 102 points.
“The statistics highlight how thin the margin is,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We have to take care of some of these little plays.
“The makeable plays have to be made. We made a bunch. I want to give our team a huge amount of credit for fighting back. It’s not easy to come back from 0-2 against a really good China team.”
Kiraly singled out the play of libero Justine Wong-Orantes, who recorded a double-double with a match-high 17 digs and adding 12 successful receptions.
He also lauded setter Jordyn Poulter, who started all five sets after coming back this season from a severe knee injury. Lauren Carlini also helped with setting duties during double substitutions.
Opposite Annie Drews led all players with 26 kills and 29 points, adding three blocks, hitting at a .353 efficiency percentage.
“I think there’s a presence I can bring that inspires those around me if I’m not getting in my own way,” Drews said. “My focus this tournament is on how I can bring the emotional version of my best self out there and let the errors fly in the wind.”
The U.S. Women call their players off the bench “Game Changers” and looked to Avery Skinner and Kathryn Plummer to change the match against China. The pair helped the U.S. win the third and fourth sets to force the tiebreaker.
Skinner scored 17 points on 15 kills and two aces, hitting .400, and led all players with 17 successful receptions. Plummer added 10 points on nine kills and an ace.
“They came in guns a blazing because they had nothing to lose,” middle blocker Haleigh Washington said. “I love that attitude. I love that energy. I think it’s a testament to the depth we have on this team.”
Washington and fellow middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu each reached double digits in scoring. Ogbogu totaled 13 points with nine kills and shared match-high honors with four blocks. Washington finished with 11 points on five kills, three blocks and a match-best three aces.
Outside Kelsey Robinson Cook recorded 15 successful receptions and three kills.
China held a narrow lead, 15-14, in the opening set before a series of runs. Three consecutive points by China raised the lead to four, but the U.S. responded with its own 3-0 run to cut the lead back to one. However, China took control of the set by scoring the next four points. Drews led the U.S. with five points on four kills and a block, and Larson and Cook each registered three kills.
The second set was tied at 10 when China went on a 7-1 run that began with back-to-back blocks. The U.S. never got closer than a five-point deficit for the remainder of the set. Drews totaled seven kills in the set. Ogbogu scored four points on three kills and a block, and Washington added three points on two kills and a block.
With Skinner and Plummer starting in the third set, the U.S. jumped out to an 8-5 lead. Still holding a three-point advantage at 14-11, a great dig by Wong-Orantes led to a Skinner kill and then a Drews tip made it 16-11 and forced a timeout. China came out of its time out by scoring the next three points, but a Drews kill and back-to-back point on overpasses off strong serves by Washington put the lead back to four, 18-14.
With a 20-16 lead, the U.S. ran off four points in a row with Drews, Plummer and Ogbogu all recording kills and Skinner serving an ace. Plummer ended the set with her third kill. Skinner led all players with eight points on seven kills and the ace, Drews scored six more points on five kills and a block, and Ogbogu contributed four points on three kills and a block.
The U.S. continued its momentum by scoring four of the first five points in the fourth set, prompting China to take an early time out. China then went on an 8-3 run to take an 11-9 lead and force the U.S. to take its first time out. Still trailing by three, 13-10, the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to take a 17-14 lead. China fought back by scoring four of the next five points to even the set at 18.
Poulter scored on a tough ball to give the U.S. the lead again. A Plummer kill and a China hitting error made it 21-18. China pulled back within a point at 21-20, but a Skinner kill, a double called on the China setter and a Washington ace made it 24-20. Drews then sent the match to a fifth set with her fifth kill of the set.
A Drews kill completed a four-point run to stake the U.S. to a 6-3 lead in the deciding set, but China went on a 4-0 run of its own. A Skinner kill and a Washington ace made it 8-7 U.S. as the teams switched sides. China scored the first four points after the switch to take a 11-8 lead. The U.S. fought off two match points on a kill by Drews and another by Washington on an overpass before China ended the match on a kill. Drews again led the team, scoring six points on five kills and a block. Washington contributed a kill, block and an ace.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 at 8 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Aug. 4 at 4 a.m. USA vs France
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals
Aug. 8 Semifinals
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-9
There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win
The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid
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LONG BEACH, Calif. (July 14, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated its Paris sendoff with a second straight sweep of the Netherlands 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-17) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Sunday at The Walter Pyramid. The Netherlands won a bonus set 25-22.
A sendoff celebration for the U.S. Women, U.S. Men and U.S. Beach Olympic delegations was held after Sunday’s match. The U.S. Women, the defending Olympic gold medalists, will leave for the Summer Games in Paris on July 20 and will play their first match on July 29 against China.
The U.S. Women won all three exhibition matches over Netherlands, which will also be competing in Paris.
“We did some good things here and also we see that we still have work to do,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re going to take these 15 days and improve as much as we can and then throw everything we’ve got at China and Serbia.”
The U.S. led in kills (61-44) and blocks (15-14) and the teams tied in aces (3-3). The U.S. hitting efficiency was .301 while Netherlands hit .228.
Kiraly was happy about more than the statistics.
“We’re ecstatic that our group is getting to a really good state of health,” Kiraly said. “For the first time all season, we were able to start the same seven people for two consecutive matches (Friday and Sunday).”
U.S. opposite Annie Drews started all four sets and led all scorers with 19 points on 15 kills and four blocks. Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer started all four sets and added 16 points on 13 kills and three blocks.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu started all four sets and scored 12 points on seven kills, four blocks and one ace. Middle Haleigh Washington started the first three sets and totaled 10 points on seven kills and three blocks.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook started all four sets and scored eight points on eight kills.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner played as a substitute and scored four points on four kills.
Middle Dana Rettke started the fourth set and scored three points on two kills and a block. Opposite Jordan Thompson played as a substitute and scored three points on three kills.
Setter Jordyn Poulter started the first three sets and scored three points on two aces and a kill. Setter Lauren Carlini played as a substitute and the entire fourth set and scored one point with a kill. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 22 receptions, 50 percent positive. Cook led in receptions with 32, 59 percent positive.
U.S. Women’s Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Netherlands Roster
No. Name (Position, Height)
4 Celeste Plak (Opp, 6-3)
5 Jolien Knollema (OH, 6-2)
7 Juliët Lohuis (MB, 6-4)
10 Sarah Van Aalen (S, 6-1)
11 Anne Buijs (OH, 6-3)
12 Britt Bongaerts (S, 6-1)
14 Laura Dijkema (S, 6-0)
16 Indy Baijens (MB, 6-4)
18 Marit Jasper (OH, 5-11)
19 Nika Daalderop (OH, 6-3)
23 Eline Timmerman (MB, 6-3)
25 Florien Reesink (L, 5-9)
26 Elles Dambrink (Opp, 6-1)
33 Nova Marring (OH, 6-0)
Head Coach: Felix Koslowski
Assistant Coach: Eric Meijer
Performance Analyst: Olaf Garbe
Physiotherapist: Marta Gutierrez Perez
Physiotherapist: Alewijn Huisman
Physical Preparation: Alessandro Bracceschi
Team Manager: Karel Eggen
The U.S. Women’s National Team swept the Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-13) on Friday at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag at The Walter Pyramid
The U.S. Women’s National Team overcame a rough start and beat Netherlands 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10, 15-12) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Wednesday at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach
USA Volleyball is pleased to announce that Micha Hancock has been named the official alternate to the U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team that will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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LONG BEACH, Calif. (July 12, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept the Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-13) on Friday at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag at The Walter Pyramid.
The teams played an extra set for the fans, which the U.S. also won 25-23.
The teams will play one more match at 4 p.m. on Sunday. During the match, the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men’s Team will be honored.
Following the match, there will be a celebration for both the women’s and men’s teams traveling to Paris for the Olympic Games. The U.S. Olympic beach team of Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes will also be there.
Matches are being streamed live on BallerTV.com.
The U.S. Women led Netherlands in kills (62-37), blocks (12-3) and aces (4-3). Starting setter Jordyn Poulter and backup Lauren Carlini (who played the entire bonus set) combined to help the U.S. to a .377 hitting efficiency.
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer played all four sets and led all scorers with 24 points on a match-high 20 kills (.594) and four blocks.
Middle blocker Haleigh Washington played all four sets and added 16 points on a match-high six blocks, eight kills (.533) and two aces.
“It was a fun game,” Washington said. “I think we ID’d some things we want to get better at. But I think we also progressively got better during the match.”
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook played the first three sets and scored 12 points on 11 kills and one block.
Opposite Annie Drews started the first three sets and scored eight points on eight kills. Opposite Jordan Thompson played as a substitute and started the fourth sets and scored six points on six kills.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu started the first two sets and scored five points on four kills and a block. Middle Dana Rettke started the third and fourth sets and scored three points on two kills and one ace. Outside hitter Avery Skinner played the fourth set and scored three points on three kills.
Carlini scored one point on an ace.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led the team with 21 receptions, 81 percent positive.
U.S. Women’s Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Netherlands Roster
No. Name (Position, Height)
4 Celeste Plak (Opp, 6-3)
5 Jolien Knollema (OH, 6-2)
7 Juliët Lohuis (MB, 6-4)
10 Sarah Van Aalen (S, 6-1)
11 Anne Buijs (OH, 6-3)
12 Britt Bongaerts (S, 6-1)
14 Laura Dijkema (S, 6-0)
16 Indy Baijens (MB, 6-4)
18 Marit Jasper (OH, 5-11)
19 Nika Daalderop (OH, 6-3)
23 Eline Timmerman (MB, 6-3)
25 Florien Reesink (L, 5-9)
26 Elles Dambrink (Opp, 6-1)
33 Nova Marring (OH, 6-0)
Head Coach: Felix Koslowski
Assistant Coach: Eric Meijer
Performance Analyst: Olaf Garbe
Physiotherapist: Marta Gutierrez Perez
Physiotherapist: Alewijn Huisman
Physical Preparation: Alessandro Bracceschi
Team Manager: Karel Eggen
The U.S. Women’s National Team overcame a rough start and beat Netherlands 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10, 15-12) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Wednesday at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach
USA Volleyball is pleased to announce that Micha Hancock has been named the official alternate to the U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team that will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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LONG BEACH, California (July 10, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team overcame a rough start and beat Netherlands 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10, 15-12) at the USA Volleyball Cup presented by hoag on Wednesday at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach.
The two teams will battle again at 7 p.m. on Friday and at 4 p.m. on Sunday as both prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which begin July 26.
U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner came through in the clutch for the U.S. Women on Wednesday. She led all scorers with 27 points on a match-high 25 kills (.561 hitting percentage) and two blocks.
Overall, the U.S. led Netherlands in kills (67-48) and blocks (14-12). Netherlands held the 4-3 edge in aces, but was also charged with 18 service errors compared to 11 for the U.S.
“This was a perfect example of why these matches are so helpful,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “It wasn’t always pretty. Sometimes it was ugly on our side. Sometimes it was ugly on Netherlands’ side. Both sides were playing to win but we are both using these matches to prepare to be our best in Paris.”
Opposite Jordan Thompson, who started the final three sets in a pre-planned switch with opposite Annie Drews, scored 13 points on 12 kills and one ace. Middle blocker Dana Rettke also scored 13 points on nine kills (.500), three blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook finished with 10 points on eight kills, one block and one ace. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu totaled nine points on six kills and three blocks. Drews finished with eight points on six kills and two blocks before leaving the match after the second set.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored four points on three blocks and one kill. She set the U.S. to a .325 hitting efficiency. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes finished with 15 receptions, 68 percent positive. Cook led in receptions with 33, 61 percent positive.
The teams were tied 11-11 in the fifth set when Carlini scored on a kill off the block. Thompson and Skinner each followed with a kill. Cook got the final kill of the match to give the U.S. Women the win.
U.S. Women’s Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Netherlands Roster
No. Name (Position, Height)
4 Celeste Plak (Opp, 6-3)
5 Jolien Knollema (OH, 6-2)
7 Juliët Lohuis (MB, 6-4)
10 Sarah Van Aalen (S, 6-1)
11 Anne Buijs (OH, 6-3)
12 Britt Bongaerts (S, 6-1)
14 Laura Dijkema (S, 6-0)
16 Indy Baijens (MB, 6-4)
18 Marit Jasper (OH, 5-11)
19 Nika Daalderop (OH, 6-3)
23 Eline Timmerman (MB, 6-3)
25 Florien Reesink (L, 5-9)
26 Elles Dambrink (Opp, 6-1)
33 Nova Marring (OH, 6-0)
Head Coach: Felix Koslowski
Assistant Coach: Eric Meijer
Performance Analyst: Olaf Garbe
Physiotherapist: Marta Gutierrez Perez
Physiotherapist: Alewijn Huisman
Physical Preparation: Alessandro Bracceschi
Team Manager: Karel Eggen
USA Volleyball is pleased to announce that Micha Hancock has been named the official alternate to the U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team that will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23) loss to Italy on Friday in Bangkok, Thailand
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six took the silver medal after falling to the host Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11) on Sunday in Santo Domingo.
The U.S. Women finished the tournament at 3-1. Setter Kami Miner earned the Best Setter award.
The U.S. Women’s Team was made up of athletes who still have college eligibility and who hadn’t played together until they started preparing for the tournament.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
Prior to the start of the tournament, U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly said, “We are treating NORCECA Final 6 as the first tournament of the new Olympic cycle that eventually leads to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,”
Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic used the tournament to prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games and its roster was made up of players on its Olympic long list.
The Dominican Republic led the U.S. in kills (56-54), blocks (13-9) and aces (5-2). The Dominican Republic scored 31 points on U.S. errors and committed 27.
Opposite Merritt Beason led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 14 kills and one block. Outside hitter Sarah Franklin scored eleven points on nine kills, one block and one ace before she had to leave the match with an injury in the second set.
Middle blocker Khori Louis scored 11 points on seven kills and a match-high four blocks.
Middle Sophie Fischer totaled nine points on seven kills and two blocks.
Outside Eva Hudson scored six points on six kills as did outside Jess Mruzik, who took over for Franklin. Hudson was also credited with a match-high 16 digs and 16 excellent receptions. Libero Lexi Rodriguez was credited with 27 excellent receptions and 10 digs.
Opposite Olivia Babcock, who played as a substitute along with setter Mia Tuaniga, scored four points on three kills and one block. Miner scored three points on two kills and one ace.
U.S. Roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
June 26 USA def Mexico 3-0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)
June 28 USA def Canada 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)
June 29 Semifinals: USA def Puerto Rico 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16)
June 30 Gold Medal: Dominican Republic def USA 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11)
The U.S. Women's Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six got its second straight sweep on Friday, beating Canada (25-15, 25-21, 25-13) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women's Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six got its second straight sweep on Friday, beating Canada (25-15, 25-21, 25-13) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six got a hard-won sweep (33-31, 27-25, 25-15) of Mexico in their first match on Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 29, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six will play for the gold medal after defeating Puerto Rico on Saturday, 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (3-0) will play the host Dominican Republic (3-0) for the gold medal at 4 p.m. PT on Sunday. The match will be livestreamed at youtube.com/@ReinasdelCaribe/streams.
Against Puerto Rico, the U.S. Women had to hold off several challenges, but Head Coach Brad Rostratter used some strategic substitutions to help get the win.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
“We knew Puerto Rico was going to be riding the highs and lows,” U.S. outside hitter Sarah Franklin said. “So we stayed very consistent and I think we played very well together as a team.”
Franklin led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 13 kills (.458 hitting efficiency) and two blocks.
Opposite Merritt Beason, who played as a substitute in the first set and started the next three, scored 14 points on 13 kills (.526) and one ace. Outside hitter Eva Hudson, who also entered the match as a sub, scored nine points on nine kills.
“Tonight was a good match for us to get tested and face some adversity,” Rostratter said. “The changes we made in terms of getting Eva Hudson and Merritt Beason on the court really impacted the match.”
Middle blocker Sophie Fischer scored 13 points on eight kills, three blocks and two aces.
Opposite Olivia Babcock scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Middle Carter Booth totaled five points on three kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Jess Mruzik scored five points on three kills and two aces.
Setter Kami Miner scored four points on three kills and one ace. She set the team to a .366 hitting efficiency.
The teams were tied 20-20 in the first set when the U.S. scored three straight points on a Beason kills, Puerto Rico error and Fischer block. Puerto Rico scored on a U.S. service error. The U.S. won the match with kills from Fischer and Franklin.
Puerto Rico came back to take a 13-6 lead in the second set. The U.S. responded with an eight-point run to lead 14-13. Puerto Rico came back to lead 16-14 and then 21-16 before taking the set win.
Puerto Rico led 15-12 in the third set. The U.S. tied it at 15-15 on a Puerto Rico error and two straight blocks by Franklin. The U.S. went on to lead 23-20. Puerto Rico pulled to within one at 23-22. The U.S. reached set point on a Beason kill. Puerto Rico scored once more, but then served into the net to win the set.
The U.S. took at 17-10 lead in the fourth set and Puerto Rico never recovered.
U.S. Roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
June 26 USA def Mexico 3-0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)
June 28 USA def Canada 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)
June 29 Semifinals: USA def Puerto Rico 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16)
June 30 Gold Medal at 4 p.m.: USA vs Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women's Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six got its second straight sweep on Friday, beating Canada (25-15, 25-21, 25-13) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six got a hard-won sweep (33-31, 27-25, 25-15) of Mexico in their first match on Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 14 players it has selected to compete at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup on June 26-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 28, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six got its second straight sweep on Friday, beating Canada (25-15, 25-21, 25-13) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. (2-0) will play Puerto Rico (1-1) in the semifinals at 2 p.m. PT on Saturday. Matches are being livestreamed at youtube.com/@ReinasdelCaribe.
The U.S. Women’s Team at this event is comprised of players still in c.ollege and Canada fielded a similar team.
“I think they had some really great attackers,” said U.S. middle blocker Carter Booth who made her debut in a USA Volleyball jersey and scored nine points on seven kills, one block and one ace. “It was fun to get to play against some of the girls that I have seen in college volleyball but in a different setting.”
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP PRESENTED BY HOAG ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
Booth plays college volleyball at the University of Wisconsin.
The U.S. Women were on point with their serves and led in aces 6-1. The U.S. led in kills (35-27) and blocks (5-3). The U.S. hit .366 behind setters Kami Miner and Mia Tuaniga.
Lexi Rodriguez played the first set at libero and was credited with three digs and four excellent receptions. Elena Scott took over and tallied five digs and nine excellent receptions.
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led U.S scoring with 10 kills (.625) one block and one ace. She was credited with nine excellent receptions and six digs.
Outside hitter Taylor Landfair added seven points on five kills, one block and one ace.
Middle Khori Louis, who started the first two sets, finished with six points on four kills and two blocks.
Opposite Olivia Babcock started the first two sets and scored five points on four kills and one ace.
Opposite Merritt Beason started the third set and scored four points on four kills.
Middle blocker Cara Cresse, outside hitter Jess Mruzik and Tuaniga all played as substitutes, and each scored one point.
U.S. Roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
June 26 USA def Mexico 3-0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)
June 28 USA def Canada 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)
June 29 Semifinals
June 30 Medal matches
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six got a hard-won sweep (33-31, 27-25, 25-15) of Mexico in their first match on Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 14 players it has selected to compete at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup on June 26-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 26, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six got a hard-won sweep (33-31, 27-25, 25-15) of Mexico in their first match on Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (1-0) will get Thursday off before facing Canada at 2 p.m. PT on Friday.
The U.S. led Mexico in kills (47-44) and dominated in blocks (14-5), led by middle blocker Sophie Fischer with six. Mexico led in aces (7-4). Mexico committed 20 scoring errors while the U.S. had 15.
The U.S. had a .365 hitting efficiency behind setter Kami Miner, who also scored six points on four kills and two blocks. Backup setter Mia Tuaniga also played as a substitute.
Outside hitter Jess Mruzik led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 14 kills and one block.
“It was our first match and there were a lot of nerves and a lot of anxiety surrounding the game,” Mruzik said. “I thought we did a good job of sticking together and battling through those hard moments.”
Behind Mruzik, Fischer scored 14 points on her six blocks, seven kills and one ace.
Outside hitter Eva Hudson totaled 11 points on nine kills and two aces. Opposite Olivia Babcock added nine points on five kills, three blocks and one ace.
Middle Khori Louis scored five points on four kills and one block.
Setter Merritt Beason, middles Carter Booth and Cara Cresse and outside hitters Sarah Franklin and Taylor Landfair each scored a point as a substitute.
Libero Elena Scott also played as substitutes.
Mexico led 13-10 in the first set before the U.S. tied it at 14-14 and then led 18-14. Mexico came back to tie it at 20-20 and the two teams traded points. At 31-31, the U.S. got a big block from Fischer who followed that with a kill to give the U.S. the set win.
Mexico took a 9-6 lead in the second set, but the U.S. came back to tie at 9-9. The U.S. later led 17-13, but Mexico came back to tie at 19-19. Mexico reached set point first at 24-22, but the U.S. tied it on another Fischer block and Mruzik kills. Mexico took set point again at 25-24. The U.S. responded with a Fischer block, Mexico hitting error and Babcock block to win 27-25.
Mexico led the third set 7-6 when Mruzik scored with an attack. She took the serve and sparked the U.S. to a 4-0 run. Mexico never recovered.
U.S. Roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
June 26 USA def Mexico 3-0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)
June 28 at 2 p.m. USA vs Canada
June 29 Semifinals
June 30 Medal matches
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 14 players it has selected to compete at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup on June 26-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 21, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23) loss to Italy on Friday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women (7-6) finished seventh at VNL and will return to Anaheim, Calif., to prepare for the USA Volleyball Cup (on July 10, 12 and 14 in Long Beach, Calif.) and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“Italy is a great team. I had a long season facing a lot of these women,” said outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook, who played for Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano over the winter, to Volleyball World. “I try to think about the positives. We were right there. It’s just inches. I am excited to have the time to work right now.”
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The U.S. led Italy in kills (45-40) and aces (3-1). But Italy dominated on defense, leading in blocks (11-7). The U.S. also committed 23 scoring errors while Italy had 10.
Cook played as a substitute and started the third set, scoring six points on six kills. She was credited with six successful receptions and six digs.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led the team in digs with 11. She also had five receptions.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner led the U.S. scoring with 11 points on 10 kills and one ace. She had six successful receptions and six digs.
Middle blocker Haleigh Washington added nine points on six kills and three blocks. Opposite Jordan Thompson played as a substitute and scored eight points on eight kills.
Middle Dana Rettke totaled seven points on five kills, one block and one ace. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu, who started the third set, scored five points on three kills and two blocks.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace.
Opposite Annie Drews totaled three points on three kills and outside hitter Jordan Larson had two points on two attacks.
Setter Micha Hancock also played as a substitute.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL Preliminary Round 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23C Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Doctor: James Suchy
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def. USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 Türkiye def. USA 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12)
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 USA def France 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-20)
June 12 USA def Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22)
June 14 Italy def USA 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21)
June 16 USA def Japan 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24)
Final Round in Bangkok, Thailand
June 21 QF: Italy def USA 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will open the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Final Round in the quarterfinals against Italy at 3 a.m. PT on June 21 in Bangkok, Thailand
The U.S. Women’s National Team qualified for the Volleyball Nations League Final Round on Sunday with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24) win over host Japan in Fukuoka.
The U.S. Women’s National Team kept battling but couldn’t overcome Italy and fell 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League match in Fukuoka, Japan
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 5-11
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will open the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Final Round in the quarterfinals against Italy at 3 a.m. PT on June 21 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women finished the preliminary round at 7-5 and played a strong final match against Japan, getting a 3-0 win to finish seventh and advance.
In the match before Japan, the U.S. Women battled a tough Italian team before losing 3-1. Italy finished the preliminary round in second place at 10-2.
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The winner of Friday’s quarterfinal match will advance to Saturday’s semifinals. The medal matches will be played on Sunday.
Micha Hancock and Lauren Carlini will be the setters for the final round. Morgan Hentz and Justine Wong-Orantes will be the liberos.
The outside hitters will be Khalia Lanier, Jordan Larson, Kelsey Robinson Cook and Avery Skinner. The opposites will be Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson.
The middle blockers will be Chiaka Ogbogu, Dana Rettke, Anna Stevenson Hall and Haleigh Washington.
The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic champions and were ranked No. 2 in the world going into VNL. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018. In 2023, they finished fourth overall.
Head Coach Karch Kiraly is a three-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist as a player who took over as head coach in 2013. He has led the U.S. Women to a World Championship in 2014 and an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Kiraly’s first assistant is Tama Miyashiro, who won a silver medal as a libero with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The second assistants are Alfee Reft and Erin Virtue.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL Preliminary Round 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23C Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Doctor: James Suchy
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def. USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 Türkiye def. USA 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12)
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 USA def France 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-20)
June 12 USA def Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22)
June 14 Italy def USA 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21)
June 16 USA def Japan 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24)
Final Round in Bangkok, Thailand
June 21 at 3 a.m. QF: USA vs Italy
The U.S. Women’s National Team qualified for the Volleyball Nations League Final Round on Sunday with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24) win over host Japan in Fukuoka.
The U.S. Women’s National Team kept battling but couldn’t overcome Italy and fell 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League match in Fukuoka, Japan
The U.S. Women’s National Team got its second straight sweep in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday when it beat Netherlands (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) in Fukuoka, Japan
Setter, 5-11
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 16, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team qualified for the Volleyball Nations League Final Round on Sunday with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24) win over host Japan in Fukuoka.
The U.S. Women finished the VNL Preliminary Round in seventh place at 7-5. They will travel straight to Bangkok, Thailand, where they will play Italy (10-2) in the quarterfinals at 3 a.m. PT on June 21.
An estimated crowd of 7,600 watched on Sunday as the U.S. Women led Japan in kills (52-38), blocks (7-4) and aces (3-0). The U.S. scored 14 points on Japan’s errors and committed 15.
The two teams know each other well. Japan trained with the U.S. at its headquarters in Anaheim, Calif., before the start of VNL. Opposite Annie Drews also played for JT Marvelous, a professional club team based in Nishinomiya, Japan, over the winter.
“We’re doing a good job executing the gameplan,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly told Volleyball World after the second set. “We’re also passing well. (Japan is) a great serving team.”
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U.S. libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 20 digs and six successful receptions. Outside hitter Avery Skinner also had six successful receptions.
Skinner and Drews led the U.S. scoring with 13 points apiece. Drews scored on 13 kills (.429 hitting efficiency). Skinner scored on 11 kills and two blocks.
“I think this was one of our better matches,” Skinner told Volleyball World. “We haven’t had an easy, consistent lineup. We’re just working through things. We want to be trending in the right direction. Right now is not when we want to peak.”
Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Jordan Larson had 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Anna Hall added 11 points on nine kills (.643) and two blocks.
Middle Haleigh Washington totaled six points on four kills and two blocks. Setter Lauren Carlini scored three points on three kills. She combined with substitute Micha Hancock to set the U.S. to a .361 hitting efficiency.
Hancock scored two points on two aces and opposite Jordan Thompson, playing as a substitute, scored twice on attacks.
The teams were tied 8-8 in the first set when the U.S. scored four straight points on a kill from Drews and two from Skinner along with Japan’s hitting error. Japan never recovered.
In the second set, the score was 6-6 when the U.S. scored on a Drews attack, a block from Hall, and two straight overpass kills by Carlini behind Washington’s tough serving. The U.S. cruised to the win.
Japan led 12-9 in the third set before the U.S. tied it at 14-14. The U.S. trailed 15-16 when Hall scored with an attack and then scored again by putting away an overpass. Larson followed with an attack to put the U.S. up 18-16. The U.S. increased the lead to four at 21-17 and reached set point at 24-20. Japan scored four straight points to tie it. Larson gave the U.S. match point by tooling the block and Drews ended the match with a fierce attack on the right.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL Preliminary Round 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2C Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Reserve Player
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Doctor: James Suchy
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 Türkiye def USA 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12)
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 USA def France 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-20)
June 12 USA def Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22)
June 14 Italy def USA 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21)
June 16 USA def Japan 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24)
Final Round in Bangkok, Thailand
June 21 at 3 a.m. QF: USA vs Italy
The U.S. Women’s National Team kept battling but couldn’t overcome Italy and fell 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League match in Fukuoka, Japan
The U.S. Women’s National Team got its second straight sweep in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday when it beat Netherlands (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) in Fukuoka, Japan
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round with a sweep (25-15, 26-24, 25-20) of France on Tuesday in Fukuoka, Japan
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 6-1
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team kept battling but couldn’t overcome Italy and fell 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League match in Fukuoka, Japan.
To advance to the Final Round, the U.S. Women (6-5) must beat host Japan (8-3) on Sunday. Japan confirmed a berth at the 2024 Olympic Games via its world ranking on Saturday. Italy (9-2) has also confirmed its Olympic berth via its world ranking.
Opposite Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson were bright spots for the U.S. Women. Drews played as a substitute and played all of the fourth set, finishing with 13 points on 13 kills (.440 hitting efficiency).
Thompson, who started the first three sets, scored 12 points on 11 kills (.346) and one block.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes also played a strong match, making some incredible saves and finishing with a match-high 15 digs and six successful receptions.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
“I think Italy did a really good job with blocking defense,” Wong-Orantes told Volleyball World. “This match is something we can learn from, for sure and put it in the back of our minds and get ready for the next match.”
Italy led the U.S. Women in blocks 11-7. It led in kills 61-55 and in aces 6-3. The U.S. scored 13 points on Italy’s errors and committed 16. Italian opposite Paolo Egonu led all scorers with 23 points.
Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Haleigh Washington scored seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook scored seven points on six kills and one ace. She also led the team in successful receptions with 11 and she had 13 digs.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu scored seven points on seven kills.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner, who started the second, third and fourth sets, scored six points on six kills. Outside Jordan Larson, who started the first and fourth sets, scored six points on five kills and one block.
Middle Dana Rettke started the first set and scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. Setter Lauren Carlini scored three points on two kills and one block.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL Preliminary Round 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2C Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Reserve Player
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Doctor: James Suchy
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 Türkiye def USA 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12)
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 USA def France 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-20)
June 12 USA def Netherlands 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22)
June 14 Italy def USA 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21)
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women’s National Team got its second straight sweep in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday when it beat Netherlands (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) in Fukuoka, Japan
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round with a sweep (25-15, 26-24, 25-20) of France on Tuesday in Fukuoka, Japan
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook and opposite Annie Drews, both 2020 Olympic gold medalists, will make their 2024 debuts with the U.S. Women’s National Team at the third and final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Fukuoka, Japan
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 13, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team defeated Paralympic rival China 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19) Thursday at the World ParaVolley Super 6 in Nancy, France.
The U.S. (3-0) will face France at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 13. France is 0-3.
The U.S. and China have met in the gold-medal match in the last three Paralympic Games, with the U.S. coming out on top in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. This was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2020 Paralympic final.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
Overall, Thursday’s match highlighted some of the best of sitting volleyball, with terrific rallies and powerful attacking. The U.S. jumped out to an early lead in set one behind great hitting from Katie Bridge. Down 19-17, China began chipping away at the lead with four straight points to go up 21-19. The U.S. matched China by tying it at 23, but a China kill and U.S. error gave China the 25-23 win.
China started set two on fire with five straight points, forcing U.S. coach Bill Hamiter to call an early timeout. The team responded immediately, and a Heather Erickson kill quickly gave the U.S. its first point. Bit by bit, the U.S. crawled back with good defense and more kills from Erickson and Bridge. The U.S. tied it at 9-9 and 10-10, but China pulled away again for a 14-10 lead. Two more kills by Erickson helped tie the game, and a Monique Matthews kill gave the U.S. its first lead of the set at 15-14. From there, the U.S. never looked back for a 25-18 win. Nicky Nieves had two key blocks late in the set, and Lora Webster served up an ace.
Set three had the same rhythm, with China building leads of 10-5 and 14-11. But the U.S. went on a 14-5 run, including four kills from Erickson, to secure the 25-19 win.
The U.S. did not let China get out to an early lead in set four, and the two teams stayed close to an 18-18 tie. Then, it was Bridge’s turn to take over, collecting three kills and sharing in three blocks to put the U.S. up 24-18. After China got one back, a service error gave the U.S. the 25-19 win.
“This was a really fun game tonight,” said Bridge, who finished with a match-high 22 kills on 15 kills and seven blocks. “Both teams play at an extremely high level, so it’s always good volleyball. But our team just came together and leaned on each other to bring ourselves back each set. Truly, a team win!”
Erickson scored 21 points (her second match of the tournament scoring more than 20) on 19 kills and two blocks. Lora Webster collected nine points on five blocks, two aces and two kills. Matthews scored seven on six kills and a block, and Nieves added six points on three kills and three blocks. Setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay had three points with a kill, ace and block. Libero Bethany Zummo was extraordinary on the court, flying everywhere to grab digs and keep rallies alive.
Blocking was a key factor in the win, with the U.S. notching 19 to China’s 9. China led the U.S. in kills (56-46) and aces (4-3), but had 21 attack errors to the U.S.’ seven. The U.S. hit for .459.
All matches are livestreamed on World ParaVolley’s YouTube channel.
No., Name, Pos., Ht., 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 Alexis 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, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
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
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Team Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
Athletic Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Schedule
All times Pacific
June 11
USA def. Brazil, 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22)
June 12
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-10)
June 13
USA def. China, 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19)
June 14
USA vs. France, 9 a.m.
June 15
USA vs. Canada, 11 a.m.
June 16
Placement matches
Middle Blocker, 5-11
Libero, 5-3
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-0
Middle, 6-0
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-3
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Libero, 5-2
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Setter, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 5-10
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Outside Hitter, 6-1
The U.S. Women's Sitting Team picked up its second straight win at the ParaVolley Super 6 with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-10) win over No. 7 Italy on Wednesday.
The U.S. Women's Sitting Team returned to international play for the first time since July 2023 and picked up right where they left off -- with a win. The U.S. Women, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, opened competition at the World ParaVolley Super 6 with a 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22) victory over No. 2 ranked Brazil.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team continues its preparations for the 2024 Paralympics this week with the World ParaVolley Super 6 Tournament on June 11-16 in Nancy, France.
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 12, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team picked up its second straight win at the ParaVolley Super 6 with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-10) victory over No. 7 Italy on Wednesday.
The U.S. (2-0) will face No. 4 China (2-0) at 11 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 13. China has defeated Canada and Brazil this week.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
The match against Italy allowed head coach Bill Hamiter to mix up lineups, with 2020 Paralympian Whitney Dosty, 2016/2020 Paralympian Lexi Shifflett-Patterson, and newcomers MaKenzie Franklin and Raelene Elam seeing playing time.
The U.S. Women were not threatened in the first two sets, jumping out to early leads in both for wins of 25-14 and 25-11. Team captain Monique Matthews powered the U.S. offense, and she led all scorers in the match with 23 points on 15 kills, five aces and three blocks.
Italy turned things around in set three, battling to a 25-23 victory. Matthews said the third-set loss was just part of the process.
“We had quite a bit of errors,” she said. “We’re just getting out the kinks and figuring our stuff out. This is to build to Paris, so we’re learning from each set.”
The team was back on track right away in set four, dominating the game in all aspects for a 25-10 win.
“It’s always good to get a win,” Matthews said. “We’re here focused on team dynamics and working on what we need to work on. Winning in the process makes it even better.”
Besides Matthews, nine other players scored for the U.S. Lora Webster notched 12 points on seven kills and a team-high five blocks. Heather Erickson scored eight (four kills, one block, three aces), and Elam scored her first international points (six kills and two blocks). Nicky Nieves scored seven on five kills and two aces, and setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay had three kills and a block.
Dosty had three kills, Katie Bridge had two, Tia Edwards had a kill and an ace, and Franklin came in to set four to score a kill.
The U.S. led Italy in kills (47-27), blocks (12-8) and aces (11-5), and hit .377.
With China next up, the U.S. Women face the team they defeated for gold in the last two Paralympics. Matthews said the team is excited to play its rival.
“China is always a tough opponent, and we’re always happy to play them because they push us” she said. “They make us see our weaknesses so we know what to work on in the next tournament. We’re excited and we’re ready to go.”
No., Name, Pos., Ht., 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 Alexis 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, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
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
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Team Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
Athletic Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Schedule
All times Pacific
June 11
USA def. Brazil, 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22)
June 12
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-10)
June 13
USA vs. China, 11 a.m.
June 14
USA vs. France, 9 a.m.
June 15
USA vs. Canada, 11 a.m.
June 16
Placement matches
Middle Blocker, 5-11
Libero, 5-3
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-0
Middle, 6-0
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-3
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Libero, 5-2
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Setter, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 5-10
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Outside Hitter, 6-1
The U.S. Women's Sitting Team returned to international play for the first time since July 2023 and picked up right where they left off -- with a win. The U.S. Women, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, opened competition at the World ParaVolley Super 6 with a 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22) victory over No. 2 ranked Brazil.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team continues its preparations for the 2024 Paralympics this week with the World ParaVolley Super 6 Tournament on June 11-16 in Nancy, France.
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 11, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team returned to international play for the first time since July 2023 and picked up right where it left off — with a win. The U.S. Women, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, opened the World ParaVolley Super 6 with a 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22) victory over No. 2 ranked Brazil.
The U.S. (1-0) will face No. 7 Italy at 7 a.m. PT on Wednesday, June 12. Earlier on Tuesday, Italy defeated France, 3-0.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter started a veteran group against Brazil: five-time Paralympian Lora Webster, four-time Paralympians Heather Erickson and Katie (Holloway) Bridge, three-time Paralympians Monique Matthews and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay, two-time Paralympian Bethany Zummo, and 2016 Paralympian Tia Edwards.
Brazil and the U.S. played close early in all four sets, with both teams capitalizing on runs only to see their opponent catch up. The U.S. pulled away midway through the first set to win 25-18, but Brazil wasn’t going quietly. In the set two battle, Brazil grabbed set point at 24-23, but the U.S. wiped that away to tie it at 24. Brazil scored the next two for the 26-24 win.
The U.S. regrouped in set three, led by Erickson, who paced the U.S. team with 22 points on 19 kills, two blocks and an ace. The set was close until the U.S. pulled away at 22-19, and a few points later Erickson put the set away with a kill at 25-21.
Brazil threatened to push it to five sets in set four with leads of 15-12 and 18-15. But each time, the U.S. pushed back, with an eventual 25-22 win.
“That was a great way to start this Super 6 tournament,” Hamiter said. “We were challenged from the start, and that’s exactly what we need in preparation for the Paralympics. We had to be very scrappy, and we competed well. It’s always good to get a win and especially against the No. 2 team in the world.”
Bridge was a force at the net, leading the team with six blocks in addition to 10 kills. Webster added five kills and five blocks, and Matthews scored nine points on five kills, three blocks and one ace.
Nicky Nieves started sets three and four and provided additional firepower with eight points on six kills and two blocks. Maclay scored six points on four kills and a two aces. Edwards finished with a block and a kill.
As a team, the U.S. led Brazil in kills (50-44) and block points (19-16), but Brazil had the edge in aces, 5-4.
Matches will be streamed on World ParaVolley’s YouTube channel.
No., Name, Pos., Ht., 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 Alexis 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, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
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
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Team Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
Athletic Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Schedule
All times Pacific
June 11
USA def. Brazil, 3-1 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22)
June 12
USA vs. Italy, 7 a.m.
June 13
USA vs. China, 11 a.m.
June 14
USA vs. France, 9 a.m.
June 15
USA vs. Canada, 11 a.m.
June 16
Placement matches
Middle Blocker, 5-11
Libero, 5-3
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-0
Middle, 6-0
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-3
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Libero, 5-2
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Setter, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 5-10
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Outside Hitter, 6-1
The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team continues its preparations for the 2024 Paralympics this week with the World ParaVolley Super 6 Tournament on June 11-16 in Nancy, France.
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 10, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team continues its preparations for the 2024 Paralympics this week with the World ParaVolley Super 6 Tournament on June 11-16 in Nancy, France.
The U.S. Women last competed in the Super 6 in 2019, winning gold with a 3-0 victory over Russia in the final. The Super 6 is one of two tournaments the team will play ahead of the Paralympics, with the Dutch Tournament scheduled for July 5-7 in Assen, Netherlands. Head coach Bill Hamiter will select his Paralympic roster after the Dutch Tournament.
The 14-player roster includes 11 Paralympic Games veterans. Lora Webster is a five-time Paralympian, and Heather Erickson and Katie Holloway Bridge are four-time Paralympians.
Also leading the veteran crew are three-time Paralympians Monique Matthews and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay. Lexi Shifflett-Patterson and Bethany Zummo are two-time Paralympians, and Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Nicky Nieves and Emma Schieck have all competed in one Paralympic Games.
Sydney Satchell and MaKenzie Franklin are both making their first appearances in the Super 6. Satchell joined the team in 2019 and has helped it win medals in its last four international tournaments. Franklin made her international debut with the team at the 2023 ParaVolley Pan American Zonal Championship.
Newcomer Raelene Elam will be competing internationally with the team for the first time.
The U.S. Women are the two-time defending Paralympic gold medalists. They are currently ranked No. 3 in the world and will open the tournament against No. 2 Brazil on June 11. Canada is ranked No. 1, and the U.S. will face the Canadians on June 15 in the round-robin tournament. Other teams competing are No. 4 China, No. 7 Italy and France. All six teams have qualified for the 2024 Paralympic Games on Aug. 28-Sept. 8 in Paris.
Matches will be streamed on World ParaVolley’s YouTube channel.
No., Name, Pos., Ht., 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 Alexis 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, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
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
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Analyst: Jeffery Hicks
Team Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
Athletic Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Schedule
All times Pacific
June 11
USA vs. Brazil, 11 a.m.
June 12
USA vs. Italy, 7 a.m.
June 13
USA vs. China, 11 a.m.
June 14
USA vs. France, 9 a.m.
June 15
USA vs. Canada, 11 a.m.
June 16
Placement matches
Middle Blocker, 5-11
Libero, 5-3
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-0
Middle, 6-0
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-3
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Libero, 5-2
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Setter, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 5-10
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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ARLINGTON, Texas (June 2, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team gave itself chances to win, but in the end it suffered a five-set loss (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12) to the world’s top-ranked team Türkiye in a Volleyball Nations League preliminary match on Sunday at College Park Center.
The U.S. Women (4-4) split their first eight matches in VNL action and is in eighth place. Eight teams, including host Thailand, will advance to the Final Round. The U.S. will return to play on June 10 at 11:30 p.m. PT against France (1-7) to begin the third and final week of preliminary play in Fukuoka, Japan. Türkiye (6-2) finished the first two rounds in fifth place.
Seven players scored at least five points for the U.S., whose depth was the key in a dominating fourth set and taking the lead late in the fifth. Opposite Jordan Thompson recorded team-highs of 13 kills and 16 points, while recording three blocks and seven digs. Jordan Larson finished with 14 points on the outside with 12 kills and two service aces, shared match-high honors with seven successful receptions, and added nine digs.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes finished with a team-high 14 digs and setter Jordyn Poulter added 11.
“We run really deep. We have people who can come off the bench and change games for us,” Poulter said. “This entire VNL, we are looking to get better, and I think tonight we got better. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but we got better. We are going to use the next five days before we leave for Japan to see how much better we can get in our gym.”
Middle blocker Dana Rettke was the other U.S. player who scored in double digits with 13 points on 10 kills and three blocks. Outside Kathryn Plummer totaled eight points and middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu led all players with five blocks, adding a pair of kills.
In a remarkably close match, both on the court and statistically, the teams tied with 61 kills. The U.S. held a 14-11 advantage in blocks, while Türkiye had one more ace (4-3). The U.S. scored on 25 of Türkiye’s errors and committed 22.
“Our team battled incredible fiercely,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “That was a real positive to take from this. Even when it was rough, we figured out how to push and get to a generally better spot until right at the end of the match.”
Melissa Vargas of Türkiye showed why she is one of the best players in the world with 27 points on 23 kills, two blocks, and two aces. She also totaled double digits in digs with 10.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
Türkiye took a 7-4 lead to start the match, but the U.S. scored six of the next seven points to move ahead 10-8. The lead grew to five, 18-13, on a Rettke block, but a rotation error turned the momentum back to Türkiye, who scored four consecutive points.
With the score 19-18, Khalia Lanier came in and posted a huge kill to stop the run. Thompson scored twice with Hanock adding a kill and Larson an ace to give the U.S. the opening set.
Vargas was nearly unstoppable in the second set that Türkiye controlled from the start. She scored nine points on eight kills and one block in addition to making tremendous defensive plays, including one where she went over the barrier to play a ball. The lead was as large as seven points, 20-13.
Larson and Plummer each scored four points for the U.S. in the second set.
“We didn’t execute nearly as well in the second set. There were some basic plays we struggled with. We flubbed an easy block deflection and some other things where we didn’t take care of business. That’s a really good team and we have got to be clean,” Kiraly told Volleyball World after the second set.
The third set was nearly a repeat of the previous set with Türkiye taking a 15-10 lead, but the U.S. responded with a 5-0 run on Ali Frantti’s serve, tying the set on a Rettke block and Avery Skinner kill. However, a block and ace helped Türkiye take a four-point lead, 19-15. The set never got closer than three points the rest of the way.
Thompson led the U.S. with four points in the third set. Larson and Rettke added three points apiece.
The U.S. stormed out to a 7-3 lead with a Rettke kill forcing an early timeout by Türkiye. Haleigh Washington, playing in her first set of the match, led all players with five points on three kills and two blocks during an 11-3 run that gave the U.S. an 18-6 lead. The run included three great digs, including a pancake by Poulter on the same play, a Larson kill when she passed a serve over the net, and multiple big plays on the same point by Wong-Orantes.
“I love that we’re fighting and pushing people and we’re not even the best we’re going to be yet,” Washington said. “Whatever my role needs to be, whether it’s as a game changer or a starter, I’m just here to bring the energy.”
With the deciding set tied at six, the U.S. scored three consecutive points on a Rettke kill and back-to-back kills from Ali Frantti, the second coming when her free ball landed in between defenders. A Thompson kill gave the U.S. an 11-9 lead, but Türkiye finished the match on a 6-1 run with Vargas scoring her 27th point on the match clincher.
Frantti recorded four kills in the fifth set with Thompson scoring twice with a kill and a block.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2024 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
General Managers: Peter Vint
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def. USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 Türkiye def. USA 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 15-12)
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Playing in front of the home fans in Arlington, the U.S. Women's National Team opened the second round of Volleyball Nations League play with a 3-1 victory over Canada (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20) on Tuesday night.
For the second time in a row on its home court in Arlington, the U.S. Women's National Team fell to Poland, this time 3-0 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23) in Volleyball Nations League preliminary round action on Saturday.
The U.S. Women’s National Team ended the first round of Volleyball Nations League preliminary play on a high note with a sweep (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro
Riding the loud cheers from the crowd, Brazil beat the U.S. Women’s National Team on Friday, 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
Three players from Texas and seven Olympic gold medalists are on the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the second round of the Volleyball Nations League, May 28-June 2 in Arlington, Texas
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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ARLINGTON, Texas (June 1, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team got 21 points from Jordan Larson and 18 from Jordan Thompson but couldn’t get past Poland on Saturday, falling 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23) in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round action.
The U.S. Women (4-3) will finish their first round of VNL on Sunday against world No. 1-ranked Türkiye (5-2) at 1 p.m. PT/3 p.m. CT on Sunday. Poland finished its first round on Saturday at 8-0.
At outside hitter, Larson led the U.S. in scoring with 20 kills (.475 hitting efficiency) and 21 points. “We just need to learn how to finish games. It came down to a few key points and we kind of shied away from what our job was. It is disappointing because I think we are better than what we showed today,” Larson said. “We need to show up consistently. There were plays today which we misread or misplayed something. Consistency over time wins a lot of matches.”
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
At opposite, Thompson scored 18 points on 16 kills, one block, and the team’s only ace. Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer added six kills and she shared the team lead with middle blocker Haleigh Washington with three blocks for nine points.
Washington and fellow middle blocker Dana Rettke each totaled eight points. Rettke and outside hitter Avery Skinner both recorded seven kills and a block.
Opposite Magdalena Stysiak of Poland posted match-highs of 24 kills and 27 points.
The U.S. held slight advantages in kills (62-61) and blocks (13-9), but were hurt by 27 errors in such a close match.
Poland led for most of the first set before a tight finish that saw both teams with three set-point opportunities. After falling behind 24-22 on its fifth service error of the opening set, the U.S. fought off set points as Larson tooled the block and Thompson scored.
A Poland hitting error gave the U.S. its first set point. Larson and Thompson each recorded kills after Poland evened the set for two more set point chances, but Poland responded at 26-27 with three points in a row to take the set.
Larson (seven) and Thompson (six) combined for 13 kills in the first set. Plummer added five points on four kills and a block. The U.S. finished with 21 kills in the set but could not overcome nine hitting errors in addition to the errors on the serve.
“It was a frustrating loss,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “It felt like we were trying to climb out of quicksand a lot.
“I thought our serving picked up in the third and fourth… We have stuff to work on for sure… We’re not taking care of the details like we need to and like I am confident we will as we get into the season.”
Neither team led by more than three points in the third set. A Larson kill gave the U.S. a 20-19 lead and Poland was unable to get past the double block of Washington and Plummer, eventually hitting a ball out. The two-point lead was the second of the set for the U.S., its largest lead of the match to that point.
A pair of hitting errors contributed to a 6-1 Poland run and a 25-22 win in the set. The U.S. offense continued to run through Larson and Thompson, who each registered five kills in the set. Plummer added four points on two kills and two blocks.
After the U.S. used a 5-1 run to even the third set at 14, Poland scored five of the next seven points to take a 19-16 lead. Kiraly called his final time out of the set and the U.S. squad responded with a 9-1 run to extend the match. Skinner scored three points in the stretch and Washington recorded two blocks in addition to a kill on a slide.
In the fourth set, the U.S. played from behind as it had done through most of the match. Poland led by three points on multiple occasions before the U.S. rallied to even the score 20-20. The set was tied three more times before a tip and kill at 23-23 gave Poland the set and match.
Larson again led the way for the U.S. in the fourth set with four kills and a block. Skinner and Thompson each scored four points. After committing 15 service errors in the first three sets, the U.S. did not have a service error in the fourth set.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2024 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
General Managers: Peter Vint
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 Poland def. USA 3-1 (28-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23)
June 2 at 1 p.m. PT/3 p.m. CT USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Playing in front of the home fans in Arlington, the U.S. Women's National Team opened the second round of Volleyball Nations League play with a 3-1 victory over Canada (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20) on Tuesday night.
Three players from Texas and seven Olympic gold medalists are on the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the second round of the Volleyball Nations League, May 28-June 2 in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team ended the first round of Volleyball Nations League preliminary play on a high note with a sweep (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro
Riding the loud cheers from the crowd, Brazil beat the U.S. Women’s National Team on Friday, 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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ARLINGTON, Texas (May 31, 2024) – After two days off from competition, the U.S. Women’s National Team returned to the court and won its third consecutive match in Volleyball Nations League preliminary play with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22) triumph over Bulgaria on Friday night.
The U.S. Women (4-2), ranked fourth in the latest FIVB world rankings, come back tomorrow to face first-place (7-0) and world’s third-ranked Poland at 2:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. CT. Poland has dropped just one set in this year’s VNL and defeated the U.S. in last year’s VNL bronze medal match. Bulgaria, which broke a four-match losing streak with a 3-2 win over Korea on Wednesday, fell to 1-5.
Outside hitter and Texas native Avery Skinner had a tremendous match in her home state, leading all players with 17 kills and 19 points, adding 10 digs and a team-high four successful receptions.
JOIN US FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP ON JULY 10/12/14 IN LONG BEACH!
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who was one of three U.S. players to total 10 points, is embracing her veteran status. “I want to help the new women out. It feels weird to be older, but I am trying to take on more of a leadership role and I am excited for it,” said Frantti, who was playing with former Penn State teammates Micha Hancock and Haleigh Washington. “In the second set, I was looking at the lineup and thinking this was six, seven, eight years ago we were doing this. It has been great to play with Micah and Haleigh for all these years. It’s really a special moment for us.”
Middle blocker Washington finished with 10 points, hitting .615 with nine kills and one error in 13 total attacks, while setter Hancock led the team with three blocks, scored seven points, totaled 10 digs, and ran the offense that hit .453 with a 20-kill advantage, 51-31.
Though she usually plays outside hitter, Khalia Lanier made her debut at opposite for the U.S. Women and finished with 10 points on 10 kills while scoring the winning point in each of the final two sets.
“Khalia did a really nice job in a position she doesn’t play very much,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Credit to (setter) Micha Hancock for having confidence in Khalia to get that kill to finish out the second set and the third.”
“I’m happy to get an opportunity, wherever it is,” Lanier said. “I think I started with two errors. I definitely had to work out some kinks. But it feels good to be on the court, no matter what position, in a USA jersey.”
Libero Morgan Hentz was one of three U.S. players with double-digit digs, leading all players with 11. Middle Asjia O’Neal finished with seven points on five kills and joining Skinner and Frantti with two blocks.
The U.S. finished with a dominating 19-7 advantage in kills in the first set, more than offsetting six blocks by Bulgaria. Frantti and Skinner each registered five kills with Washington adding four.
A Hancock block gave the U.S. an early 8-3 lead and her dump shot for a score later in the set keyed a 5-1 run that extended the lead to seven points, 20-13.
Bulgaria jumped out to an 11-8 lead in the second set, prompting a timeout by Kiraly. The U.S. responded by scoring six of the next seven points to take a 14-12 lead. The run was highlighted by a back set from Washington to Skinner, who put the ball away to even the set at 12 and a tough O’Neal serve that led to Skinner scoring on an overpass to conclude the run.
Bulgaria’s ninth block of the match cut the lead to three points, 22-19, but O’Neal recorded a block going from the right-side pin all the way outside and followed that with a kill to raise the lead back to five points. After Bulgaria fought off three set points, the U.S. finished the set on a kill from Lanier.
Skinner led all players with seven points in the second set on six kills and a block, and Washington added five points. O’Neal and Lanier each contributed three kills in the set.
With the U.S. using its sixth different lineup in as many matches, Kiraly was encouraged by what he saw through two sets. “We haven’t been together that long and it’s not that easy. It’s the same for all the teams in VNL. You have to get it together quickly and see if we can run a really smooth offense. So far, we’ve seen some really nice glimpses,” he said.
Asked what he would deem a success apart from winning, Kiraly stated, “One thing is always that we look the same no matter whether we won the point or lost the point. No matter how great or how poor we were, we flush that and bring a really good version of ourselves to the next point.”
The U.S. trailed for much of the third set, taking its first lead, 16-15, on back-to-back Bulgaria hitting errors. A Hancock kill on a dump followed by consecutive aces made it 19-16, but Bulgaria stormed back by scoring the next four points to retake the lead.
Trailing by one point, the U.S. finished the match on a 6-2 run with Skinner and Lanier each recording three kills.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2024 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, William Briner, James Suchy
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
General Managers: Peter Vint and John Crawley
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
June 1 at 2:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. CT USA vs Poland
June 2 at 1 p.m. PT/3 p.m. CT USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Three players from Texas and seven Olympic gold medalists are on the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the second round of the Volleyball Nations League, May 28-June 2 in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team ended the first round of Volleyball Nations League preliminary play on a high note with a sweep (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro
Riding the loud cheers from the crowd, Brazil beat the U.S. Women’s National Team on Friday, 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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ARLINGTON, Texas (May 28, 2024) – Playing in front of the home fans in Arlington, the U.S. Women’s National Team opened the second round of Volleyball Nations League preliminary play with a 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20) victory over Canada on Tuesday night.
The U.S. Women (3-2) will return to the court to face Bulgaria (0-4) on Friday, May 31, at 6 p.m. PT/8 p.m. CT. Canada, which is fighting for a berth at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris based on its world ranking, fell to 3-2.
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer made her 2024 VNL debut and scored a team-high 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (12 points, two blocks, one ace) and opposite Jordan Thompson (13 kills, one block, one ace) each contributed 15 points.
Larson steadied the U.S. defense with 18 digs and four successful receptions. Plummer recorded 13 digs and three successful receptions.
“I think we are trying to find a balance between a sense of urgency and a presence of calm,” Larson said. “Also, we’re kind of a new crew here. So I think we’re adapting and adjusting to each other.”
Middle blockers Dana Rettke and Asjia O’Neal, who were both making their 2024 VNL debuts, had a combined 17 points and five blocks, each finishing with six kills. Rettke posted a team-high three blocks. O’Neal was back in the state where she was part of back-to-back NCAA championships with the University of Texas.
“It’s so cool to be back at home, playing in front of familiar faces and looking in the crowd seeing Texas shirts. It’s the best feeling and super full circle for me,” said O’Neal, who recognizes the pressure of trying to make the Olympic team. “You want to have something to push you every single day and it’s a blessing to have that pressure because it means people expect a lot from you.”
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes finished with 12 digs and three successful receptions. Setter Jordyn Poulter ran the offense that hit .418.
“We had our hands full tonight (with Canada),” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “This was only really day 4 for us together because we had a lot of people finish late in the pro season in Europe… It’s going to be rough and it’s not always going to look pretty, but that’s OK.”
Canada finished with a 59-52 advantage in kills, but the U.S. made only 11 errors in the match, while Canada totaled 33. Outside hitter Alexa Gray led all scorers with 20 kills and 23 points, while teammate Kiera Van Ryk totaled 17 kills and 20 points.
A pair of Thompson kills spurred a 4-0 run to give the U.S. the biggest lead of the first set, 23-19. Canada fought back with three consecutive points, highlighted by an ace by Gray. Another tough serve gave Canada a chance to tie, but a huge Rettke block made it 24-22, and Thompson served an ace to end the set. Plummer paced the team with six points on five kills and a block in the set.
The second set was tied at seven before the U.S. took over. A Plummer back row attack capped a 7-2 run for a 14-9 lead, prompting a Canada timeout. The momentum stayed with the U.S. as they went on another 7-2 run. Thompson closed out the set with her fifth kill of the match. Plummer and O’Neal each scored four points in the second set.
Through the first two sets, the U.S. committed only three scoring errors, while Canada made 20.
Canada scored six of the final nine points in the third set to cut the lead to two sets to one. After being error prone in the first two sets, Canada made only four errors in the third set. Gray led all scorers in the set with seven points on seven kills. Larson, who scored three consecutive points to give the U.S. an 18-16 lead, led her team with six points on five kills and a block in the third set.
After trailing most of the fourth set, Canada rallied to take an 18-17 lead on a Gray ace, her 23rd point of the match. A Larson kill, a hitting error, and a Thompson block gave the U.S. the lead for good, 20-18. Canada scored the next point to pull back within a point, but the U.S. sealed the match by scoring five of the six points. Four different players scored the team’s final four points: Thompson, O’Neal, Plummer, and Rettke.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2024 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, William Briner, James Suchy
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
General Managers: Peter Vint and John Crawley
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 USA def Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 USA def Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20)
May 31 at 6 p.m. PT/8 p.m. CT USA vs Bulgaria
June 1 at 2:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. CT USA vs Poland
June 2 at 1 p.m. PT/3 p.m. CT USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Three players from Texas and seven Olympic gold medalists are on the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the second round of the Volleyball Nations League, May 28-June 2 in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team ended the first round of Volleyball Nations League preliminary play on a high note with a sweep (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro
Riding the loud cheers from the crowd, Brazil beat the U.S. Women’s National Team on Friday, 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 17, 2024) – Riding the loud cheers from the crowd, Brazil beat the U.S. Women’s National Team on Friday, 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match in Rio de Janeiro.
The U.S. Women (1-2) will finish their first round of VNL preliminary matches on at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday against the Dominican Republic (1-2).
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A crowd of more than 9,000 filled the Maracanazinho to watch the rematch of the Tokyo 2020 gold medal match. Brazil beat the U.S. Women for the first time in five years.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson led the U.S. scoring with 17 points on 15 kills, one block and one ace. But no other U.S. player scored in double figures.
“Playing Brazil in Brazil; it’s an honor to play in a country that loves volleyball this much,” said U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter, who scored four points. “We’re still trying to figure things out. We use VNL a lot differently than other countries do. We’re trying to be good in two months, not necessarily put it all together right now.”
The U.S. Women led Brazil in blocks (14-11) and aces (5-4). Brazil led in kills (54-50) and scored 24 points on U.S. errors while committing just 13.
The U.S. could not slow down Brazil’s outside hitter Gabi Guimaraes, who finished with 24 points.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti started the first two sets and scored nine points, including eight kills. In the third, Avery Skinner took over and also scored nine points, including eight kills.
Middle blocker Brionne Butler scored eight points, including a match-high five blocks. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu also had eight points, including two blocks.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino started the first two sets and scored six points, including two blocks. Madi Skinner started the final two sets at opposite and also scored six points.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons played as a substitute and scored one point. Middle Anna Stevenson Hall started the third set and scored one point, but had to leave after being hit in the head by an attack.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2024 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-3, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, William Briner, James Suchy
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
General Managers: Peter Vint and John Crawley
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 Brazil def USA 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-19)
May 19 at 10 a.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs Canada
May 31 at 6 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
June 1 at 2:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 2 at 1 p.m. USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18) on Wednesday at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team opens the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on May 15-10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a roster of 11 veterans and three newcomers to the tournament
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 16, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team fell to China 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19) on Thursday at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro.
The U.S. Women (1-1) will look to bounce back against host Brazil (2-0) on Friday at 5 p.m. PT.
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While the U.S. Women have already qualified for the Olympic Games, China (2-0) has not and is looking to qualify via its world ranking at the end of VNL.
Led by outside hitter Li Yinying (20 kills) and setter Wang Yuanyuan (eight blocks), China was strong at the net, leading the U.S. in kills (60-58) and blocks (12-6). The U.S. Women led in aces (5-4). The U.S. scored on 22 Chinese errors and committed 20.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino led the U.S. scoring with 19 points on 16 kills, two blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Jordan Larson added 18 points on 16 kills (.411 hitting efficiency), one block and one ace.
“We had moments where we were grooving,” Larson told Volleyball World. “We know what we need to do to get better. I am proud of us for sticking through it.”
Outside hitter Avery Skinner scored 14 points on 12 kills, one block and one ace. She was also credited with 14 digs and 11 successful receptions.
Middle blocker Anna Stevenson Hall added nine points on seven kills, one block and one ace.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu totaled five points on four kills and one ace. Middle Brionne Butler, who subbed for Ogbogu in the third set and finished the match, scored three points on three kills.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored one point with a kill. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 11 digs and seven successful receptions.
Outside hitters Ali Frantti and Sarah Wilhite Parsons also played as substitutes.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2024 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-3, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, William Briner, James Suchy
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
General Managers: Peter Vint and John Crawley
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 China def USA 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
May 17 at 5 p.m. USA vs Brazil
May 19 at 10 a.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs Canada
May 31 at 6 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
June 1 at 2:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 2 at 1 p.m. USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18) on Wednesday at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
The U.S. Women’s National Team opens the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on May 15-10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a roster of 11 veterans and three newcomers to the tournament
The U.S. Women’s National Team, the reigning Olympic champion, will play three matches this July against world No. 10 at The Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University in California
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 15, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2024 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18) on Wednesday at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro.
The U.S. Women (1-0) will face China (1-0) in their second Preliminary Round match at 1:30 p.m. PT on Thursday.
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Three-time NCAA champion Madi Skinner made her debut with the U.S. Women, playing opposite instead of her usual outside hitter. She led all scorers with 19 points on 12 kills, four blocks and a match-high three aces.
“My teammates supported me through and through,” Skinner told Volleyball World. “They gave me a lot of confidence as we were training throughout the last week.”
Overall, the U.S. Women led Thailand in kills (53-49), blocks (12-1) and aces (8-4). Nevertheless, Thailand used tough passing and digging, and took advantage of nine U.S. errors, to win the second set.
“Thailand is a great team and can be very dangerous at any time,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly told Volleyball World. “We were a little too error prone in that second game and we (needed) to get back to our steadiness.”
The U.S. Women also had setter Jordyn Poulter back in the lineup after a yearlong absence while she rehabbed from a knee injury she suffered while playing for her Italian club team. She and backup setter Lauren Carlini, who subbed in the second set, combined to help the team to a .364 hitting efficiency.
Behind Madi Skinner, outside hitter Ali Frantti scored 14 points on 13 kills and one ace. Madi Skinner’s sister Avery Skinner scored 11 points on nine kills, one block and one ace at outside hitter.
Middle blocker Anna Stevenson Hall totaled 12 points on nine kills, one block and two aces. Middle Brionne Butler totaled 10 points on six kills and four blocks. Poulter added two points on a kill and block.
Libero Zoe Fleck made her senior team debut and was credited with 12 digs and six successful receptions.
Backup outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons scored two points on a kill and ace. Substitute opposite Danielle Cuttino scored two points on a kill and block.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2024 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-3, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, William Briner, James Suchy
Consultant Coaches: Sue Enquist, Katy Stanfill
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
General Managers: Peter Vint and John Crawley
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2024 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PDT)
Week 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
May 15 USA def Thailand 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-18)
May 16 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs China
May 17 at 5 p.m. USA vs Brazil
May 19 at 10 a.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Week 2 in Arlington, Texas
May 28 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs Canada
May 31 at 6 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
June 1 at 2:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 2 at 1 p.m. USA vs Türkiye
Week 3 in Fukuoka, Japan
June 10 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs France
June 12 at 8 p.m. USA vs Netherlands
June 14 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Italy
June 16 at 2:45 a.m. USA vs Japan
Final Round: June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. Women’s National Team opens the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on May 15-10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a roster of 11 veterans and three newcomers to the tournament
The U.S. Women’s National Team, the reigning Olympic champion, will play three matches this July against world No. 10 at The Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University in California
Thirty athletes, including nine Olympic gold medalists, are on the U.S. Women’s National Team long-list roster for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL)
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 25, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, the reigning Olympic champion, will play three matches this July against world No. 10 Netherlands at The Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University in California.
This will be the final chance to see the world’s No. 2-ranked team play on U.S. soil before heading to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to defend its title. The USA Volleyball Cup will take place at 7 p.m. PT on July 10 and July 12 and at 4 p.m. on July 14 and is expected to sell out, as it did in 2022.
“This will be our Olympic Team’s final tuneup before we depart for France,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “It will also be a great chance for our fans to show their support, and for our team to express its gratitude and appreciation. We hope to see as many of you as possible there, so let’s Pack the Pyramid, and Prep for Paris!”
The U.S. Women beat Netherlands for the bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. Netherlands had its revenge at the 2018 World Championship when it beat the U.S. Women in the third round, eliminating the team from medal contention. The last time the two teams played was at the 2021 Volleyball Nations League preliminary round, when the U.S. won 3-0.
Although the U.S. Women’s Olympic Team has not yet been named, players competing at the USAV Cup will come from the current National Team (see roster below).
Fans attending the USA Volleyball Cup are encouraged to come clad in red, white and blue in support of the U.S. Women.
Immediately following the match on July 14, the U.S. Men’s National Team will join the U.S. Women on the court for an Olympic send–off celebration. The U.S. Men are also ranked No. 2 in the world and will look for their fourth gold medal in Paris.
Tickets are on sale now at longbeachstate.com/usavolleyball. All-session passes are now available. Any remaining single-session tickets will go on sale later this summer. Any remaining single-session tickets will go on sale later this summer.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Baylor, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
32 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-3, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-2, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
Thirty athletes, including nine Olympic gold medalists, are on the U.S. Women’s National Team long-list roster for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL)
The week, Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel won the CEV Cup with Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76. Two Italian teams with U.S. players advanced to the final of the CEV Champions League
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 21, 2024) – The world’s top teams will compete in the 2024 women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Arlington, Texas, on May 28-June 2 for the last major volleyball event before the Paris Olympic Games and the only VNL matches in the United States this year.
The U.S. Women’s National Team, three-time VNL and reigning Olympic champion, will welcome 2023 VNL champion Türkiye along with Canada, South Korea, Germany, Serbia, Bulgaria and Poland. Spectators can expect a week of intense volleyball action featuring the world’s best athletes. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 23 at 9 am CT at VNLTickets.com, offering U.S. fans the opportunity to Be Part of the Action. Prices start as low as $16 for a child’s ticket and $23 for adults, not including fees.
The Volleyball Nations League is the premier annual global volleyball tournament, which sees 16 national teams per gender compete over eight action-packed weeks throughout Asia and North and South America. North Texas will host week 2 of the preliminary phase at the College Park Center in Arlington from May 28-June 2.
“I am thrilled to announce women’s Volleyball Nations League will be returning to Arlington, Texas.” Finn Taylor, Volleyball World CEO said. “Seeing the passion, unwavering support and sold out crowds for the VNL Finals at College Park last year, we knew we had to return to the Metroplex. Fans will be able to see top-notch athletes and heart pouncing action as these teams compete for a spot in the VNL Finals, the last major event prior to the Paris Olympics.”
Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and the city of Arlington is the perfect place to host the world’s best.
“We are thrilled to once again host Volleyball Nations League athletes from around the world at The University of Texas at Arlington’s beautiful College Park Center. We hope these elite competitors and their supporters have an opportunity to enjoy the rich cultural experiences available here in The American Dream City during their stay,” Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said.
“Arlington has gained a reputation for hosting the greatest athletes and sporting events in the world. We are beyond excited to say that Volleyball Nation’s League and the athletes competing in this event are definitely the ‘best of the best’. This is an incredible opportunity for a global audience to begin a journey with their favorite team and there’s no better place to start than Arlington, Texas!”– Matt Wilson, Senior Vice President of Sports & Events; Executive Director, Arlington Sports Commission.
The U.S. Women’s National Team took the VNL by storm when the competition launched in 2018. After winning gold at the Finals of the first edition in Nanjing, China, Coach Karch Kiraly’s team also claimed victory at the next two tournaments in 2019 and 2021. That amazing winning streak was interrupted in 2022, when the U.S. Women lost to Serbia in the quarterfinals. In 2023 at College Park in Arlington, the U.S. Women battled to make it to the medal round where they lost to Poland in the bronze medal match. The reigning Olympic champions are sure to be among the favorites for 2024.
Volleyball World will provide fans, athletes, partners, and other sport afficionados with the ultimate volleyball experience. It will be memorable for all attendees whether new to the sport or a volleyball pro.
USA Volleyball will host its 2026 Women’s National Team Collegiate Training, February 19-22, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The training will bring together 62 athletes representing 20 USA Volleyball regions, with participants from 29 NCAA Division I universities.
USA Volleyball announced today that Cassidy Lichtman has been elected chair of its Board of Directors, bringing her experience as a player, leader, and advocate for athlete empowerment to the organization’s top governance role. Lichtman, one of the sport’s most respected female leaders, underscores the organization’s commitment to elevating athlete voices in governance and shaping its long-term strategy.
USA Volleyball announced today that Rob Browning has been named an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Browning brings decades of experience at both the collegiate and international levels, adding valuable perspective as the program continues to compete at the highest level of the sport worldwide.
From the NTDP courts to the NCAA semifinals, the impact of USA Volleyball’s development pipeline is on full display once again. Athletes and coaches from all four teams will bring rich experience from NTDP programs and U.S. national teams, showing how the pathway continues to prepare players and staff for the sport’s biggest stages.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 22, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team took one more step toward Olympic qualification on Friday by beating Italy 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18) at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier in Łódź, Poland.
The U.S. Women (5-0), the defending Olympic champions, are now the only undefeated team in their pool. They will play Poland (4-1) on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. PT. The top two teams will qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The U.S. Women led Italy in kills (63-58). The teams tied in blocks (9-9) and aces (2-2). The U.S. scored 24 points on Italy’s errors and gave up 14.
“What a freaking fight and huge team win,” U.S. libero and Team Captain Justine Wong-Orantes said. “So proud of this whole squad for digging deep and staying together throughout the whole match.”
Wong-Orantes was credited with 14 digs and two excellent receptions.
“Our service pressure was key late in the game and just minimizing their middles in the offense,” Wong-Orantes said. “Also, Kathryn Plummer just coming off the bench and igniting a huge fire allowe the whole team to play big.”
Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 24 points on a match-high 23 kills (.384 hitting efficiency) and one block.
Outside hitter Kelsey Cook added 16 points on 12 kills (.344), three blocks and one ace. Cook led the team in successful receptions with five and in digs with 18.
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer, who played as a substitute and started the fourth set, scored 11 points on 10 kills (.500) and one ace.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored two points on two attacks and set the team to a .371 hitting efficiency. She also had eight digs.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke totaled nine points on five kills and a match-high four blocks.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson scored seven points on seven kills and had 11 digs.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu scored five points on four kills and one block.
After cruising to the first-set win, the U.S. Women trailed in the second set 19-14. They kept battling and pulled to within one at 23-22 and 24-23, but Italy’s Ekaterina Antropova scored the final point with a kill.
The U.S. Women led the third set 9-5. Italy tied the score at 12-12 and kept close to the U.S. until the U.S. lead was 18-17. A kill from Plummer and an Italy attack error put the U.S. ahead 20-17 and Italy did not threaten again.
The teams were tied 11-11 in the fourth set when the U.S. scored on Italy’s error and a Thompson kill to go up by two. Italy scored once before the U.S. scored three more points in a row to pull away.
Matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4C Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Team Doctor: Mark Hutchinson
Athletic Trainer: Jackie Chan
Nutritionist: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Luis Hernandez
Mental Performance Coach: Sue Enquist
Performance Analyst: Matthieu Van Der Broeke
U.S. Schedule for the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
(all times PT)
Sept. 16 USA def Colombia, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13)
Sept. 17 USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Sept. 19 USA def Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13. 20-25, 25-13)
Sept. 20 USA def Korea 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17)
Sept. 22 USA def Italy 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18)
Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Poland (world No. 7)
Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Germany (world No. 12)
The U.S. Women’s National Team got a slow start but came back to beat Korea 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17) on Wednesday at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier in in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 3-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier as it defeated Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13, 20-25, 25-13) on Tuesday in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier on Sunday with a sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) of Thailand in Łódź, Poland
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 20, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team got a slow start but came back to beat Korea 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17) on Wednesday at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier in in Łódź, Poland.
At the qualifier, eight teams are each playing seven round-robin matches over nine days. The top two teams will qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The teams will take Thursday off before the U.S. Women (4-0) play Italy (4-0) at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. The U.S. Women are ranked No. 3 in the world and Italy is ranked No. 5.
In Wednesday’s first set, Korea led in kills (17-13) and aces (1-0) and scored seven points on U.S. errors while committing five. The U.S. led in blocks (2-0).
In the next three sets, the U.S. Women led in kills (43-31), blocks (9-5) and aces (5-1). Each team finished the match with 23 scoring errors.
“Korea threw a lot at us with their scrappy defense and tough serves,” opposite Jordan Thompson said. “We just need to settle in and find our rhythm after the first set.”
Thompson led all scorers with 26 points on a match-high 20 kills, a match-high three aces and a team-high three blocks.
“I think we had a solid game plan going into the match and we wanted to execute that well,” Thompson said. “Lauren (Carlini) set our offense up for success and I think our middles did a good job drawing the block so that I had some more space while I was attacking.”
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook added 13 points on 12 kills and one block. She also led the team in digs with 16 and in successful receptions with 12.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson and middle blocker Dana Rettke each totaled 12 points on nine kills, two blocks and one ace. Larson was credited with 13 digs.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored four points on three kills and one block. She set the U.S. to a .316 hitting efficiency.
Middle Haleigh Washington entered the match in the second set as the U.S. was battling back from a 12-9 deficit. She started the third and fourth sets and scored three points on a kill and two blocks. Starting middle Chiaka Ogbogu scored two points on two kills.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 14 digs and five excellent receptions.
Matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4C Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Team Doctor: Mark Hutchinson
Athletic Trainer: Jackie Chan
Nutritionist: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Luis Hernandez
Mental Performance Coach: Sue Enquist
Performance Analyst: Matthieu Van Der Broeke
U.S. Schedule for the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
(all times PT)
Sept. 16 USA def Colombia, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13)
Sept. 17 USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Sept. 19 USA def Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13. 20-25, 25-13)
Sept. 20 USA def Korea 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17)
Sept. 22 at 11:45 a.m. USA vs Italy (world No. 5)
Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Poland (world No. 7)
Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Germany (world No. 12)
The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 3-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier as it defeated Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13, 20-25, 25-13) on Tuesday in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier on Sunday with a sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) of Thailand in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team got a great start at the Road to Paris Olympic qualifying tournament, defeating Colombia 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-13) on Saturday in Łódź, Poland
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 3-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier as it defeated Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13, 20-25, 25-13) on Tuesday in Łódź, Poland.
At the qualifier, eight teams are each playing seven round-robin matches over nine days. The top two teams will qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The U.S. Women will play Korea (0-3) at 5:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday.
The U.S. Women led Slovenia in kills (52-34), blocks (15-10) and aces (5-3). The U.S. scored 23 points on Slovenia’s errors and committed 17.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and opposite Annie Drews led the U.S. in scoring with 12 points apiece.
Ogbogu, who started the entire match, scored on a match-high seven blocks and five kills.
“Shout out to Slovenia for pushing us and forcing us to find different solutions,” Ogbogu said. “We’ve talked a lot about establishing ourselves as a good block and defense team, and I thought we did a high-level job of executing our defensive game plan. It’s also very easy to block whem my pin hitters set it up for me, so shout out to them too.”
Drews, who entered the match in the second set and stayed in the rest of the time, scored on a match-high 11 kills and one ace.
Outside hitters Kelsey (Robinson) Cook and Kathryn Plummer each scored nine points. Cook, who started the first, second and fourth sets, scored on seven kills, one block and one ace. Cook led in successful receptions with six.
Plummer, who started the third and fourth sets, scored on eight kills (.583 hitting efficienc) and one block.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson scored seven points started the match at scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti played as a substitute and scored five points on four kills and one ace. Middle Haleigh Washington played as a substitute and scored five points on two kills and three blocks.
Starting opposite Jordan Thompson and starting middle Dana Rettke each scored four points on four kills.
Starting setter Lauren Carlini combined with backup Asley Evans to set the team to a .342 hitting efficiency. Carlini also scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. Evans scored with an ace.
Libero Justing Wong-Orantes was credited with 10 digs.
Matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4C Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Team Doctor: Mark Hutchinson
Athletic Trainer: Jackie Chan
Nutritionist: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Luis Hernandez
Mental Performance Coach: Sue Enquist
Performance Analyst: Matthieu Van Der Broeke
U.S. Schedule for the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
(all times PT)
Sept. 16 USA def Colombia, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13)
Sept. 17 USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Sept. 19 USA def Slovenia, 3-1 (25-13, 25-13. 20-25, 25-13)
Sept. 20 at 5:30 a.m. USA vs Korea (world No. 36)
Sept. 22 at 11:45 a.m. USA vs Italy (world No. 5)
Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Poland (world No. 7)
Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Germany (world No. 12)
The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier on Sunday with a sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) of Thailand in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team got a great start at the Road to Paris Olympic qualifying tournament, defeating Colombia 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-13) on Saturday in Łódź, Poland
Fourteen players on the U.S. Women’s National Team are in Łódź, Poland for the Road to Paris Volleyball Qualifier, the first opportunity for the team to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Middle, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 at the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier on Sunday with a sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) of Thailand in Łódź, Poland.
At the qualifier, eight teams are each playing seven round-robin matches over nine days. The top two teams will qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The U.S. Women (2-0) will have Monday off before playing Slovenia (0-1) on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. PT.
The U.S. Women led Thailand (0-2) in kills (41-27), blocks (16-5) and aces (4-1). Each team had 14 scoring errors.
Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 18 points on a match-high 15 kills (.609 hitting efficiency), two blocks and one ace.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke added 11 points on a match-high six blocks and five kills.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook scored 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and one ace. She also led the team in receptions with 10 and added five digs.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led the team in digs with 12 and was credited with two excellent receptions.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu totaled nine points on six kills and three blocks.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored six points on three kills and three blocks and set the team to a .372 hitting efficiency.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled four points on three kills and one ace. She was credited with seven digs and five excellent receptions.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti played as a substitute and scored two points with a kill and an ace.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 2 in the world and are the defending Olympic champions. The U.S. Women have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. They have won one gold medal, three silver and two bronze.
Matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4C Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Team Doctor: Mark Hutchinson
Athletic Trainer: Jackie Chan
Nutritionist: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Luis Hernandez
Mental Performance Coach: Sue Enquist
Performance Analyst: Matthieu Van Der Broeke
U.S. Schedule for the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
(all times PT)
Sept. 16 USA def Colombia, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13)
Sept. 17 USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Sept. 19 at 11:30 a.m. USA vs Slovenia (world No. 25)
Sept. 20 at 5:30 a.m. USA vs Korea (world No. 36)
Sept. 22 at 11:45 a.m. USA vs Italy (world No. 5)
Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Poland (world No. 7)
Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Germany (world No. 12)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team got a great start at the Road to Paris Olympic qualifying tournament, defeating Colombia 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13) on Saturday in Łódź, Poland.
At the quSalifier, eight teams will each play seven matches over nine days. The top two teams will qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The U.S. Women will play Thailand at 5:30 a.m. PT on Sunday.
The U.S. Women dominated the statistics against Colombia, leading in kills (44-24), blocks (9-2) and aces (6-1). The U.S. scored 16 points on Colombia’s errors and gave up 10.
“I think our mindset is to try to play better every point that we play,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly told Volleyball World. “We’ve been playing some different lineups throughout this year in the Volleyball Nations League and the NORCECA Championship and we’re looking to find the best rhythm and teamwork as possible. We were off to a nice start.”
Setter Lauren Carlini started and played most of the match. Ashley Evans took over during the third set. The two combined to set the U.S. to a .506 hitting efficiency.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke led all scorers with 11 points on seven kills (.666), three blocks and one ace.
Opposite Jordan Thompson added 10 points on seven kills and a match-high three aces.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook totaled nine points on six kills and three blocks.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled six points on six kills. Carlini added five points on three kills, one block and one ace.
Opposite Annie Drews played as a substitute scoring four points on four kills. Outside hitter Ali Frantti subbed in and scored three points on three kills.
Middle Haleigh Washington and outside hitter Kathryn Plummer each scored one point on a kill.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with nine digs. Carlini led the team with 10. Cook led in successful receptions with 12.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 2 in the world and are the defending Olympic champions. The U.S. Women have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. They have won one gold medal, three silver and two bronze.
Matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4C Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Team Doctor: Mark Hutchinson
Athletic Trainer: Jackie Chan
Nutritionist: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Luis Hernandez
Mental Performance Coach: Sue Enquist
Performance Analyst: Matthieu Van Der Broeke
U.S. Schedule for the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
(all times PT)
Sept. 16 USA def Colombia, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-13)
Sept. 17 at 5:30 a.m. USA vs Thailand (world No. 14)
Sept. 19 at 11:30 a.m. USA vs Slovenia (world No. 25)
Sept. 20 at 5:30 a.m. USA vs Korea (world No. 36)
Sept. 22 at 11:45 a.m. USA vs Italy (world No. 5)
Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Poland (world No. 7)
Sept. 24 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Germany (world No. 12)
Fourteen players on the U.S. Women’s National Team are in Łódź, Poland for the Road to Paris Volleyball Qualifier, the first opportunity for the team to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a silver medal after falling, 3-2 (12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13) to Dominican Republic on Sunday in the final of the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec.
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-9
Setter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 3, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a silver medal after falling, 3-2 (12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13) to the Dominican Republic on Sunday in the final of the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec.
The gold medal was the third consecutive in the event for Dominican Republic, which was swept by the U.S. in pool play on Thursday.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
“Congratulations to Dominican. They made some nice adjustments and played a great match. It was an exceptional win for them,” conceded U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly. “Of course, we are really disappointed to be on the losing end of that. After the first set, they tried some different combinations and threw more at us than we could handle.”
The U.S. held a 60-53 advantage in kills and a 7-3 lead in aces, while recording one less block (9-8). They made only three more errors (31-28) in the match, but they committed seven hitting errors with two service errors in the deciding set.
Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 21 points on 17 kills, three blocks, and one ace. Middle blocker Dana Rettke was the only other U.S. player to reach double digits with 11 points on eight kills, two blocks, and one ace.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled nine points on eight kills and an ace, and outside hitter Ali Frantti contributed eight points on seven kills and one ace.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu finished with six points on four kills and two blocks, while opposite Annie Drews and outside hitter Avery Skinner each recorded four kills.
After losing three of the first four points in the first set, the U.S, went on a 6-1 run to take a 7-4 lead and never looked back. Rettke led the way with six points with a block and kills on each of her five attacks for the U.S. team, which hit .481 as a team in the set.
Dominican Republic scored the first three points of the second set and never trailed. The lead was six points, 21-15, before a 5-1 U.S. run cut the lead to two points. Dominican Republic closed out the set with three of the final four points. Thompson recorded six kills in the set.
The U.S. led throughout the third set, including 24-15, before Dominican Republic fought off four set points. Thompson led all scorers with seven points on four kills and three of her team’s four blocks in the set.
Dominican Republic called a quick timeout down 6-2 in the fourth set and responded with an 8-4 run to even the set at 10. From that point on, the Dominican squad took control to even the match.
The two-time defending champions opened the fifth set with two blocks and never trailed in taking the set and match. Dominican Republic led 14-10 before consecutive points by Haleigh Washington, Kelsey Cook, and Rettke closed the deficit to one point before the clincher.
Host Canada took home the bronze medal with a win over Cuba in the third-place match.
The U.S. Women’s National Team heads to Poland later this week for the FIVB Women’s Road to Paris Olympic qualifier on Sept. 16-24.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
U.S. Referee: Jung Park
NORCECA Championship Results
Aug. 29 USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5)
Aug. 30 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14)
Aug. 31 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-16)
Sept. 2 Semifinal, USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-16)
Sept. 3 Gold Medal Match, Dominican Republic def. USA, 3-2 (12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13)
The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the 2023 NORCECA Championship Gold Medal Match with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-16) semifinal victory over Cuba on Saturday in Quebec.
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished pool play undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) win over Canada at the 2023 Pan Am Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s National Team has still not dropped a set at the 2023 NORCECA Championship after defeating Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14) on Wednesday in Quebec.
The U.S. Women’s National Team began play at the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5) victory over a young Costa Rica squad on Tuesday.
The U.S. Women’s National Team heads into the 2023 NORCECA Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Quebec looking to reclaim the title it once held
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 2, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the 2023 NORCECA Championship gold medal match with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-16) semifinal victory over Cuba on Saturday in Quebec.
The U.S. (4-0) has not dropped a set in the championship and will face the winner of the Dominican Republic-Canada semifinal in Sunday’s final at 2:30 p.m. PT.
The U.S. Women dominated every facet of the match in sweeping Cuba for the second time in four days, finishing with a 40-18 edge in kills, 10-5 in blocks, and 11-1 in aces.
Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 13 points on 12 kills and one block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled 11 points on seven kills, one block and four aces, and middle blocker Dana Rettke also reached double digits with 11 points on six kills, three blocks and two aces.
“We are just trying to get better every day as a team no matter who is on the other side of the net. We are really just focusing on our side and what we can do better,” Larson remarked. “We approach each day like it is a new challenge.”
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu matched Rettke with three blocks and recorded six kills. Outside hitter Ali Frantti scored seven points on four kills and three aces, adding a match-best 11 successful receptions and 11 digs.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led all players with 14 digs and registered seven successful receptions. Setter Lauren Carlini ran the offense that posted a .349 hitting efficiency percentage.
The U.S. took control of the match immediately, taking a 12-1 lead in the first set. Rettke led all scorers with five points on three kills and two blocks. She and Ogbogu each had two of the six team’s blocks in the set.
Cuba took its only lead of the match, 2-1, in the second set, but the U.S. scored 10 of the next 12 points. Larson dominated in the set with nine points on five kills and four of the five U.S. aces.
The third set was more of the same for the U.S., who scored six of the first eight points. Cuba fought off three match points before a Rettke kill sent the U.S. into the final.
The U.S. Women are eight-time NORCECA Championship winners, but they are looking to reclaim the title for the first time since 2015.
Matches are being streamed at https://go.usav.org/23wnorcecastream.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
U.S. Referee: Jung Park
NORCECA Championship Schedule
All times PDT
Aug. 29 USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5)
Aug. 30 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14)
Aug. 31 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-16)
Sept. 2 Semifinal, USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-16)
Sept. 3 2:30 p.m. Gold Medal Match, USA vs. Dominican Republic/Canada
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished pool play undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) win over Canada at the 2023 Pan Am Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s National Team has still not dropped a set at the 2023 NORCECA Championship after defeating Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14) on Wednesday in Quebec.
The U.S. Women’s National Team began play at the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5) victory over a young Costa Rica squad on Tuesday.
The U.S. Women’s National Team heads into the 2023 NORCECA Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Quebec looking to reclaim the title it once held
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 31, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has yet to drop a set at the 2023 NORCECA Championship after defeating two-time defending champion Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-16) on Thursday in Quebec.
The U.S wins Pool B (3-0) and advances directly to the semifinal at 2 p.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 2.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
With a hitting efficiency of .400, the U.S. had six more kills on the match than DOM (39-33) but conceded the serve advantage with only one ace compared to the opponent’s three. The U.S. held the advantage in blocks over DOM 10-7 and forced 25 opponent errors.
“Dominican [Republic] is a really good team, a very dangerous team that eliminated Serbia from this year’s VNL,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said after the match. “They beat China, the silver medalist at VNL. So, we love it whenever we have a chance to play a really good team across the net.”
The U.S. was challenged early in the match and were down by as much as five in the first set. Middle Dana Rettke tied the set at 19 thanks in part to a run of key serves. An error by DOM resulted in the first lead of the match at 22-21. The U.S. would go on to take the first set 25-22.
“They started pushing us right out of the gate,” Kiraly said. “We were not clean at all, playing very poor volleyball, but the good news was we got better as it went along. We just had to calm down and know that we were a little frantic. We had to understand that we have more time than we think to make plays.”
Rettke finished as the third leading scorer for the U.S. with nine points on six kills, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Ali Frantti was one of three U.S. scorers with four kills after the first set and would add another kill to her final tally. Libero Justine Wong Orantes had 10 of her 17 total digs in the first set. Setter Lauren Carlini had 30 of her 75 total sets and was ultimately named player of the match.
The second set was as much of a battle as the first. Dominican Republic tied the score at 13 and then took the lead at 14-13. The U.S. would control the lead at 16-14 and traded points until the score was knotted up at 20. Opponent errors and consistent contribution from Jordan Thompson helped the team capture the second set at 25-22. Thompson scored five points on four kills and one block in the second set. She finished as the leading scorer on the night with 15 total points on 12 kills and three blocks.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu provided support to the offensive and defensive effort throughout the match. Ogbogu had two blocks and two kills in both the second and third sets. She finished the match as the second leading scorer with 10 points on six kills and four blocks.
The U.S. maintained their momentum heading into the third, doubling up DOM with a 10-5 score. Kathryn Plummer and Annie Drews aided the leading scorers with a kill and a block respectively as the team cruised to a 25-16 victory in the third and final set.
Drews would finish with four points on three kills and a block. Kelsey Cook scored six points on six kills.
Seven teams are competing in Quebec, divided in two groups: Pool A consists of host Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, while Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic join the U.S. in Pool B.
The U.S. Women are eight-time NORCECA Championship winners, but are looking to reclaim the title for the first time since 2015.
Matches are being streamed at https://go.usav.org/23wnorcecastream.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
U.S. Referee: Jung Park
NORCECA Championship Schedule
All times PDT
Aug. 29 USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5)
Aug. 30 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14)
Aug. 31 USA def. Dominican Republic (25-22, 25-22, 25-16)
Sept. 1 at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Quarterfinals
Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. Semifinal, opponent TBD
Sept. 3 Gold, Bronze, and Fifth-Place matches
The U.S. Women’s National Team has still not dropped a set at the 2023 NORCECA Championship after defeating Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14) on Wednesday in Quebec.
The U.S. Women’s National Team began play at the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5) victory over a young Costa Rica squad on Tuesday.
The U.S. Women’s National Team heads into the 2023 NORCECA Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Quebec looking to reclaim the title it once held
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 30, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has not dropped a set at the 2023 NORCECA Championship after defeating Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14) on Wednesday in Quebec.
The U.S (2-0) will play two-time defending NORCECA Women’s Continental champion Dominican Republic at 4:30 p.m. PT on Thursday.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
With a hitting efficiency of .397, the U.S. more than doubled Cuba’s kill total (43 to 20) and also recorded six of the seven aces in the match. Cuba finished with a 5-2 lead in blocks.
“Our team is doing a nice job of controlling the things we’ve been working on in terms of our first-ball touch and our service pressure,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said.
Opposite Annie Drews was the only player in the match to reach double digits in scoring with her 15 points on 14 kills and one ace. She hit .417 for the match and led the U.S. to a dominant win in the first set with five kills in her six attacks. Drews was named Player of the Match and received a selection of maple syrup products.
Middle blockers Haleigh Washington and Chiaka Ogbogu each scored eight points on seven kills with Washington adding an ace and Ogbogu posting one of two U.S. blocks. Both players hit .778 for the match with seven kills and no errors in nine attacks.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled seven points on six kills and one ace, also contributing a match-high 11 successful receptions and adding seven digs. Setter Micha Hancock scored six points on three kills, the other U.S. block, and a match-high two aces.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti registered four kills and outside hitter Avery Skinner, who played the third set as a substitute, scored three points on two kills and an ace. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes led all players with nine digs.
Drews and Washington combined for 13 points in the second set, each posting six kills and Drews adding her ace. Seven U.S. players scored in the third set with Hancock leading the way with four points.
“We are looking forward to playing Dominican Republic,” Kiraly said. “We have a lot of respect for them. It’s a great team. We’ve probably played them more than any other team over the last 10 years plus.”
Seven teams are competing in Quebec, divided in two groups: Pool A consists of host Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, while Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic join the U.S. in Pool B.
The U.S. Women have won the NORCECA Championship eight times, but not since 2015. The Dominican Republic won the last two editions in 2019 and ’21.
Matches are being streamed at https://go.usav.org/23wnorcecastream.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
U.S. Referee: Jung Park
NORCECA Championship Schedule
All times PDT
Aug. 29 USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5)
Aug. 30 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14)
Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
Sept. 1 at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Quarterfinals
Sept. 2 Classification/Semifinals
Sept. 3 Gold, Bronze, and Fifth-Place matches
The U.S. Women’s National Team began play at the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5) victory over a young Costa Rica squad on Tuesday.
The U.S. Women’s National Team heads into the 2023 NORCECA Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Quebec looking to reclaim the title it once held
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 29, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team began play at the 2023 NORCECA Championship in Quebec with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5) victory over a young Costa Rica squad on Tuesday.
The U.S., ranked third in the world, faces Cuba at 10:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday.
The U.S. never trailed in the match and hit at a .623 efficiency percentage with a 43-12 advantage in kills to go with an 8-1 lead in both blocks and aces.
“We go in hoping each opponent is going to present some very serious and significant challenges for us. We don’t have control over what they do on their side of the net, but I thought our team today did a really nice job of honoring our opponent by playing really hard against them,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly commented. “We’ve been working hard the past few weeks on the speed of our offense and that was showing, so there were some nice things coming out of today.”
The top five scoring players in the match were all from the U.S., led by opposite Jordan Thompson, who totaled 16 points on 11 kills, three blocks, and two aces, while hitting at a .563 clip. Thompson was named Player of the Match and received a selection of maple syrup products.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson made a memorable return as she finished the match with 10 kills on 11 total attacks (.909 hitting efficiency percentage) in her first appearance for the U.S. Women since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke contributed 13 points on six kills, three blocks, and a match-high four aces. She served out the match with three aces in a row. Setter Lauren Carlini ran the offense that made only six errors in 61 total attacks, and also led all players with six digs.
Middle blocker Haleigh Washington and outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook each recorded seven kills with one error. Washington added two blocks and an ace; Cook added an ace.
The U.S. dominance started with a 7-0 run to start the match. With her team leading 9-2, Thompson scored 11 consecutive points, including a pair of aces. She was one of three players to score five points in the set, matching Washington and Cook. The U.S. connected on 14 of 15 attacks without committing a hitting error.
After falling behind 9-2 in the second set, Costa Rica managed to play even with the U.S. for the next 14 points, before dropping five consecutive points. Thompson paced the U.S. again with six points on four kills and two blocks.
In addition to her three aces to end the match, Rettke registered four kills and a block to lead the way in the third set with eight points. Larson scored on five of her six attacks.
Seven teams are competing in Quebec, divided in two groups: Pool A consisting of host Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, while Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic join the U.S. in Pool B.
The U.S. Women have won the NORCECA Championship eight times, but not since 2015. The Dominican Republic won the last two editions in 2019 and ’21.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
NORCECA Championship Schedule
All times PDT
Aug. 29 USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-3, 25-13, 25-5)
Aug. 30 at 10:30 a.m. USA vs. Cuba
Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
Sept. 1 at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Quarterfinals
Sept. 2 Classification/Semifinals
Sept. 3 Gold, Bronze, and Fifth-Place matches
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
The U.S. Women's National Team took fourth after a tight 3-2 loss to Canada in the NORECEA Continental Championship Tuesday.
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 28, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team heads into the 2023 NORCECA Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Quebec looking to reclaim the title it once held.
The U.S. Women have won the NORCECA Championship eight times, but not since 2015. The Dominican Republic won the last two editions in 2019 and ’21.
Tokyo Olympic MVP outside hitter Jordan Larson is part of a group of eight Olympic gold medalists on the roster: setter and Team Captain Micha Hancock, libero Justin Wong-Orantes, outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, opposites Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson and middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington.
They will be joined by veterans Lauren Carlini and setter, Morgan Hentz at libero, Ali Frantti and Kathryn Plummer at outside hitter, and Dana Rettke at middle blocker.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner, who joined the top Women’s National Team this year, will make her NORCECA Championship debut.
The team is led by Head Coach Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist as a player who took over as head coach of the U.S. Women in 2013.
Kiraly’s first assistant is Tama Miyashiro, who won a silver medal as a libero with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The second assistants will be Alfee Reft and Erin Virtue.
Seven teams are competing in Quebec, divided in two groups: Pool A consisting of host Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, while Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and the United States are in Pool B.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 3 in the world by the FIVB. Besides winning the NORCECA championship, the U.S. Women also want to use the tournament bolster their ranking points and prepare for the Road to Paris Olympic qualifier on Sept. 16-24 in Poland.
NORCECA stands for North America, Central American and the Caribbean.
The tournament will be livestreamed on: cbc.ca/sports/streaming-schedule.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 NORCECA Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Team Doctor: William Stetson
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
NORCECA Championship Schedule
All times PDT
Pool Play
August 29
10:30 am United States v Costa Rica
2 pm Dominican Republic v Cuba
4:30 pm Canada v Mexico
August 30
10:30 am Cuba v United States
2 pm Costa Rica v Dominican Republic
4:30 pm Puerto Rico v Canada
August 31
10:30 am Cuba v Costa Rica
2 pm Puerto Rico v Mexico
4:30 pm United States v Dominican Republic
Quarterfinals
Sept. 1 at 2 and 4:30 p.m.
Classification 5/6
Sept. 2 at 10:30 a.m.
Semifinals
Sept. 2 at 2 and 4:30 p.m.
Finals
Sept. 3 at 8:30 a.m. Fifth-place match
Sept. 3 at noon Bronze medal match
Sept. 3 at 2:30 pm Gold medal match
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center
The U.S. Women's National Team took fourth after a tight 3-2 loss to Canada in the NORECEA Continental Championship Tuesday.
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 26, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team went undefeated and captured the gold medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six with a 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21) victory over host Dominican Republic on Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Outside hitter Simone Lee was named Best Attacker and tournament MVP. She fittingly ended the match on Saturday with a kill, her 26th on the night. She finished with 29 points, adding three blocks, 19 successful receptions, and six digs. Lee hit at a .386 efficiency percentage.
The U.S., which hit .371 as a team and ended the match with a 68-52 advantage in kills, also led in blocks (12-7) and recorded three of the four aces in the match.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons contributed 18 points on 12 kills, a match-high four kills, two aces, a match-high 20 successful receptions, and 10 digs. Opposite Taylor Mims and middle blocker Madeleine Gates each reached double digits. Mims totaled 14 points on 13 kills and an ace, while Gates scored 13 points on 12 kills and a block.
Libero Zoe Fleck led the team with 11 digs and 11 successful receptions. Middle blocker Kayla Haneline contributed eight points on five kills and three blocks.
The first set was back-and-forth with Dominican Republic going on a 6-1 run after trailing 20-18 to take the first three-point lead by either team. The U.S. fought off three set points before the hosts closed the set with back-to-back points. Parsons scored six points on three kills and three blocks.
Lee excelled in the second set with nine points on seven kills and two blocks. The U.S. led by as many as eight points, 16-8, in the set before four consecutive Dominican Republic points cut the lead to four. The U.S., which recorded a 5-1 edge in blocks in the set, responded with three points in a row and led by at least five points for the remainder of the set.
The U.S. jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the match, though Dominican Republic pulled with two points on two occasions. Several key plays allowed the U.S. to hold on, including three kills by Lee, two kills on overpasses by Gates, and a critical pancake dig by Jenna Gray.
The Dominican Republic took the early lead in the fourth set, going ahead 7-3. The U.S. scored six points in a row, with Lee tallying the tying and go-ahead points, to take the lead for good. Dominican Republic pulled with one point twice and still only trailed by two, 22-20, when a huge kill by Mims put the U.S. two points from the gold medal. Lee’s gold medal-clinching point marked her eighth point of the set.
Cuba took home the bronze medal after defeating Mexico in four sets, while Canada defeated Puerto Rico in three sets in the fifth-place match.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 24 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Aug. 24 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-27, 25-14, 15-5)
Aug. 25: Semifinals, USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-15)
Aug. 26 Gold Medal Match, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the gold medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six after rolling to a 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-15) win over Mexico in the semifinals on Friday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team completed round robin play at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six undefeated with a 3-2 win over host Dominican Republic on Thursday night in front of a raucous crowd in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off a day with two matches by defeating Cuba 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team won its third straight match in as many days on Tuesday, defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team continued its dominant run at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, cruising to a 3-0 (25-12 25-15, 25-7) victory over Puerto Rico on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the gold medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six after rolling to a 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-15) win over Mexico in the semifinals on Friday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. (6-0) will play host Dominican Republic, a 3-0 winner over Cuba in the other semifinal, in the gold medal match at 4 p.m. PT on Saturday. The two teams met on Thursday with the U.S. coming back from a 2-1 deficit to take the match in five sets.
The U.S. dominated every statistical category, including a 33-20 advantage in kills with a .379 hitting efficiency percentage for the match. The U.S. led in blocks (9-2) and aces (6-2), while committing only 13 errors compared to 25 by Mexico.
Seven U.S. players scored at least five points with middle blocker Serena Gray pacing the team with 11 points, seven kills, and four blocks. Opposite Stephanie Samedy totaled seven points on five kills, one block, and one ace.
Four players scored six points in the balanced attack. Outside hitters Simone Lee and Brooke Nuneviller each recorded five kills with Lee adding an ace and Nuneviller a block. Outside hitters Sarah Wilhite Parsons and Logan Eggleston each registered four kills, a block, and an ace. Eggleston added a team-best seven successful receptions.
Libero Zoe Fleck led all players with eight digs. Samedy added six and Gates five. Middle blocker Madeleine Gates scored five points on two kills, two blocks, and an ace.
Lee and Serena Gray each recorded five points as the U.S. rolled to a 25-11 lead in the first set. An ace by Gates gave the U.S. a 14-6 lead and Mexico could not get any closer.
Mexico took an early 6-3 lead in the second set, but the U.S. went on an 11-1 run to take a 14-7 lead. The U.S. closed out the set with five consecutive points, including back-to-back blocks to make it 22-10. Parsons led the team with four points on two kills, a block, and an ace.
After falling behind 7-3 in the third set, Mexico twice pulled within one point in third set, but a 7-0 U.S. run made it 16-9. Mexico got no closer than five points the rest of the set. Eggleston scored five points on three kills, one block, and one ace, and Nuneviller contributed four kills.
Mexico will play for bronze against Cuba, while Canada and Puerto Rico will play for fifth place.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 24 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Aug. 24 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-27, 25-14, 15-5)
Aug. 25: Semifinals, USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-15)
Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. Gold Medal Match, USA vs. Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team completed round robin play at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six undefeated with a 3-2 win over host Dominican Republic on Thursday night in front of a raucous crowd in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off a day with two matches by defeating Cuba 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team won its third straight match in as many days on Tuesday, defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team continued its dominant run at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, cruising to a 3-0 (25-12 25-15, 25-7) victory over Puerto Rico on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 24, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team completed round robin play at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six undefeated with a 3-2 win over host Dominican Republic on Thursday night in front of a raucous crowd in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It marked the second win of the day for the U.S., which finished round robin play 5-0.
In a schedule forced to adjust due to Tropical Storm Franklin, the U.S. will compete in the first semifinal against Mexico on Friday at 3 p.m. PT. Round robin play ends earlier on Friday with two more matches still to be played.
The U.S. finished with slight leads in kills (58-52), blocks (10-9), and aces (13-9), but dominated the final two sets with a 23-11 advantage in kills and 7-1 in aces.
Opposite Taylor Mims paced the U.S. Women’s National Team with 22 kills. Outside hitter Simone Lee added19 points on 14 kills, two blocks and three aces. Both players scored eight points over the final two sets.
Middle blocker Kayla Haneline led the team with five blocks to go with four service aces and six kills for a total of 15 points. Fellow middle blocker Danielle Hart also reached double digits with 10 points on eight kills and two blocks. In addition to leading the offense to a .333 hitting efficiency percentage, setter Sydney Hilley led the U.S. with five aces.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons finished with match-highs of 22 successful receptions and 17 digs. Lee totaled 10 digs and Mims added nine. Parsons scored eight points on seven kills and an ace.
With a 10-9 lead in the first set, the U.S. went on a 5-1 run to take a five-point lead. Dominican Republic pulled within two points, 23-21, but a Lee kill stopped a three-point run.
Dominican Republic led from start to finish in the second set, amassing a 12-point lead at 19-7. The U.S. made a valiant comeback in scoring 11 of the next 14 points, but it could not get any closer.
It looked like the U.S. would pull ahead in the match after taking a 15-6 lead in the third set, but Dominican Republic staged a furious rally emboldened by the crowd, scoring 18 of 22 points to take a 24-21 lead. The U.S. fought off three set points and then took a 25-24 lead, but then dropped the last three points of the set.
After losing the first two points of the fourth set, the U.S. scored nine consecutive points and then went on a 9-2 run to take an 18-4 lead. Dominican Republic scored five points in a row after falling behind 22-13, but it could not complete the comeback this time.
The U.S. dropped the first point of the deciding set, but then ran off eight points in a row to take control of the match, eventually extending the lead to the final difference of 10 points.
The U.S. took home the victory in spite of a tremendous effort from Gaila Ceneida Gonzalez Lopez, who totaled 28 kills and 32 points.
Teams from Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico are competing.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 24 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Aug. 24 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-27, 25-14, 15-5)
Aug. 25: at 4 p.m. Semifinals, USA vs. TBA
Aug. 26 Finals
The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off a day with two matches by defeating Cuba 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team won its third straight match in as many days on Tuesday, defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team continued its dominant run at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, cruising to a 3-0 (25-12 25-15, 25-7) victory over Puerto Rico on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 24, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off a day that will include two matches by defeating Cuba 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Late matches on Tuesday and all Wednesday matches were suspended due to Tropical Storm Franklin, so all teams are playing two matches on Thursday.
The U.S. (4-0) faces the Dominican Republic (3-0) tonight at 6 p.m. PT.
Against Cuba, the U.S. Women led in kills (38-27), blocks (6-4) and aces (10-5). They had 20 points off Cuba’s errors while Cuba scored 13 off the U.S.
“I think that in general our team did a good job,” U.S. captain Sarah Wilhite Parsons said. “We prepared very well. They put pressure on us at times but we knew how to stay calm and fight back.”
Cuba indeed put pressure on the U.S. especially in the first set. Cuba kept the set close through most of it and took a late 20-18 lead. But the U.S. scored seven straight points, ending on a kill from middle blocker Madeleine Gates, for the win.
Set two was close early, but steady play from the U.S. allowed them to pull away quickly for the 25-15 win. In set three, Cuba didn’t let the U.S. pull away by more than four points and tied it at 17-17. Four straight U.S. points, including an ace by middle blocker Serena Gray and kills by outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller and Gates, gave the Americans the edge they needed to close it out.
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston led all scorers with 14 points on 11 kills, one block and two aces. Gates finished with 10 points (six kills, two blocks, two aces), and Nuneviller finished with nine (seven kills, two aces).
Opposite Stephanie Samedy had eight kills and one ace, and Gray finished with nine points (five kills, two blocks, two aces).
Setter Jenna Gray scored three points (one kills, one block and one ace), and set the team to a .330 hitting percentage. Libero Zoe Fleck had a match-high 10 digs and 14 excellent receptions.
Teams from Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico are competing.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 24 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Aug. 25: Semifinals
Aug. 26 Finals
The U.S. Women’s National Team won its third straight match in as many days on Tuesday, defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team continued its dominant run at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, cruising to a 3-0 (25-12 25-15, 25-7) victory over Puerto Rico on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 23, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s U21 Team avenged an earlier loss to Türkiye with a 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 25-21) win on Wednesday at the FIVB U21 World Championship in Aguascalientes, Mexico. On August 18, Türkiye handed the U.S. its only loss in the first round of pool play, also in four sets.
The U.S. (3-3) will have Thursday off before competing in the 5th- through 8th-place semifinals on Friday against Mexico at a time to be determined.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
Kills and blocks were nearly even with the U.S. holding a 51-48 lead in kills and Türkiye leading in blocks, 9-6. It was a 9-2 advantage in aces and six fewer errors that keyed the U.S. victory.
Outside hitter Skyler Pierce made the most of being in the starting lineup with team-highs of 19 points and 18 kills. She registered a .325 hitting efficiency percentage, while adding 11 successful receptions and eight digs.
Three other U.S. players reached double digits in scoring. Captain and outside hitter Emerson Sellman totaled 12 points on nine kills, one block, and was one of three players with two aces. She paced the squad with 17 successful receptions. Opposite Abigail Mullen also served two aces to go with her seven kills and two blocks, and middle blocker Lizzy Andrew scored 11 points on 10 kills and a block.
Libero Ava Falduto put up her biggest numbers of the championship with 25 digs, nine more than the highest total for Türkiye, and added 13 successful receptions.
Middle blocker Taylor Harvey finished with seven points on four kills and a team-high three blocks. Setter Campbell Flynn contributed two kills, two aces, and eight digs.
For the second night in a row, the U.S. Women’s U21 scored the first five points, eventually taking a 7-1 lead. Türkiye responded with an 8-1 run of its own. With the score even at 18, the U.S. scored the next four points, including a kill by Flynn that clipped the net and an ace by Mullen, to take the lead for good.
Türkiye controlled the second set, going up 10-6 early, and stretching the lead until reaching its biggest with the final point of the set.
The U.S. regained the match lead in the third set, using a 3-0 run to turn a one-point deficit into a lead it never relinquished. A Kelly Kinney ace upped the lead to four points, 17-13. The lead hovered around five points for the rest of the set, including the final 25-20 score.
Trailing 13-10 in the fourth set, the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to turn the set. A Harvey block made it 19-15, but Türkiye scored three consecutive points to pull within one point. The U.S. lead was one point four times late in the set, but got a kill each time, twice by Pierce and once each by Mullen and Andrew. A Mullen ace and Sellman kill closed out the set and match.
U.S. Women’s U21 Roster for the 2023 FIVB World Championship
No. Name (Position, Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Ridgefield HS, Columbia Empire)
6 Campbell Flynn (S, 6-3, 2006, Rochester Hills, Mich., Mercy HS, Lakeshore)
8 Kaci Demaria (OH, 6-4, 2007, San Pedro, Calif., Palos Verdes HS, Southern California)
9 Ava Falduto (L, 5-7, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., IC Catholic Prep, Great Lakes)
11 Kelly Kinney (OH, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The King’s Academy, Florida)
13C Emerson Sellman (OH, 6-4, 2005, Burtonsville, Md., The Academy of the Holy Cross, Chesapeake)
14 Skyler Pierce (OH, 6-2, 2005, Lenexa, Kan., Olathe Northwest HS, Heart of America)
15 Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty HS, Heart of America)
17 Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
18 Izzy Starck (S, 6-1, 2006, Melbourne, Fla., Viera HS, Rocky Mountain)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., Timothy Christian HS, Great Lakes)
20 Alec Rothe (MB, 6-3, 2006, Dublin, Ohio, Dublin Scioto HS, Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Tom Hogan
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora
Second Assistant: Lauren Plum
Team Manager: Courtney Smith
Performance Analyst: Evan Metzger
Athletic Trainer: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship
Matches will be livestreamed on the Volleyball World YouTube channel
All times PDT
Aug. 17 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-21)
Aug. 18 Türkiye def. USA, 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-23, 25-14)
Aug. 19 USA def. Netherlands, 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17)
Aug. 21 Italy def. USA, 3-1 (25-19, 25-10, 32-34, 25-17)
Aug. 22 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22)
Aug. 23 Türkiye def. USA, 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-21)
Aug. 25 Classification playoffs
Aug. 26 Classification playoffs
The U.S. Women's U21 Team avenged an earlier loss to Türkiye with a 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 25-21) win on Wednesday at the FIVB U21 World Championship in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U21 Team was swept, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22) by Brazil on Tuesday at the 2023 FIVB U21 World Championship in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U21 Team lost 3-1 (25-19, 25-10, 32-34, 25-17) to undefeated Italy on Monday at the 2023 FIVB U21 World Championship in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U21 Team finished the first round of pool play at the 2023 FIVB U21 World Championship with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17) victory over Netherlands in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U21 Team dropped to 1-1 at the 2023 FIVB U21 World Championship with a 3-1 (17-25, 25-22, 23-25, 14-25) loss to Türkiye in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The U.S. Women's U21 Team began the 2023 FIVB World Championship in style with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-21) win over Cuba that featured two late rallies in Thursday's match in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
USA Volleyball has selected 12 athletes to train for and compete at the 2023 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship on Aug. 17-26 in Aguascalientes and Lèon, Mexico
The U.S. Girls U19 National Team won the world title on Friday with a 3-2 comeback win over Türkiye, (20-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-10. at the FIVB Girls U19 World Championship in Osijek Croatia.
Middle Blocker, 6-5
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Setter, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Libero, 5-7
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-3
Setter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won its third straight match in as many days on Tuesday, defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13) at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. (3-0) is scheduled to face Cuba (1-1) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. PT. However, Tropical Storm Franklin is currently affecting the Dominican Republic and Tuesday’s matches have been suspended. It’s unclear what the new schedule will be.
“We played with the fundamentals, and tactically everything went well,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “Mexico also played well. They battled with everything they had but this is just one game. I hope they continue to improve.”
The U.S. Women played outstanding in all aspects of the match, leading Mexico in kills (40-32), blocks (8-0) and aces (11-3). Setter Sydney Hilley paced the team to am outstanding .552 hitting percentage.
Opposite Taylor Mims and outside hitter Logan Eggleston led with 15 points each. Mims had 11 kills, one block and three aces; and Eggleston had 10 kills, two blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller scored 11 points on 10 kills and an ace.
Middle blocker Danielle Hart collected three kills, a team-leading four blocks and one ace for eight points. Middle Kayla Haneline scored seven points on five kills and two aces. Hilley had three points (one kill, one block, one ace) to go with her outstanding setting. Libero Kendall White had 10 digs and five excellent receptions.
Teams from Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico are competing.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. USA vs Cuba
Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Aug. 26 Finals
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 21, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its dominant run at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, cruising to a 3-0 (25-12 25-15, 25-7) victory over Puerto Rico on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. will face Mexico (1-1) at 12 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
In the first set, the U.S. Women and Puerto Rico battled early to a 6-6 tie, but the U.S. reeled off 14 of the next 15 points to put it out of reach. Middle blocker Kayla Haneline paced all scorers in the set with five points on three kills and two blocks.
In sets two and three, the U.S. Women jumped ahead early and never took their foot off the gas for the win. Haneline, middle blocker Madeleine Gates and outside hitter Logan Eggleston all scored three points in the balanced second-set attack. Haneline took charge in the third set with seven points on five kills and two blocks.
The U.S. led Puerto Rico in kills (45-16), blocks (6-2) and aces (9-0), and setter Jenna Gray helped the team to a .493 hitting percentage.
Haneline finished with 16 points on 11 kills and five blocks. Opposite Stephanie Samedy had nine kills and two aces for 11 points. Gates finished with 11 points on seven kills, one block and three aces; and Eggleston also scored 11 (10 kills, one ace). Outside hitter Simone Lee had seven points on seven kills. Gray had three points on a kill and two aces. Setter Sydney Hilley had one ace.
Libero Zoe Fleck led the team with 14 digs, and Eggleston was credited with 12 excellent receptions.
“Our team did a good job on the court,” U.S. team captain Sarah Wilhite Parsons said. “We did not know the Puerto Rican players since it’s a new team, which represented a challenge for us, but we handled it well and we knew how to defend our side of the court.”
Teams from Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico are competing.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 at noon USA vs Mexico
Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. USA vs Cuba
Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Aug. 26 Finals
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 20, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. will face Puerto Rico (0-1) at 2 p.m. PT on Monday.
With 44 kills and only 10 errors in 85 total attacks, the U.S. hit at a .400 efficiency percentage and registered 19 more kills than Canada. Opposite Taylor Mims posted match-highs of 16 points, 13 kills, and three blocks. She hit .370 for the match.
Middle blocker Danielle Hart totaled 11 points on nine kills (.750 hitting efficiency percentage with no kills in 12 attacks) and two blocks. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons finished with 10 points on nine kills (with a .400 hitting percentage) and a block.
Middle blocker Serena Gray tallied nine points on seven kills and two blocks and outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller scored six points on five kills and the only U.S. ace. She also led the team with eight successful receptions and recorded seven digs. Libero Kendall White finished with a match-high 12 digs.
Mims led the U.S. charge in the first set with six points on three kills and three of the team’s four blocks. Parsons added five points on four kills and one block.
After leading Canada in kills (14-10) and blocks (4-1) in the first set, the U.S. put up nearly identical numbers in the second set with a 14-8 advantage in kills and 3-0 in blocks. Hart paced the team in the set with six points on four kills and two of the squad’s three blocks. Mims contributed five kills.
Canada led 14-12 in the third set before the U.S. finished the match on a 13-1 run, including scoring the final nine points. Mims again led the way, this time with five kills. Hart added four kills and Serena Gray posted three kills and the only U.S. block of the set.
Teams from Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico are also competing.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT
Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. USA vs Puerto Rico
Aug. 22 at noon USA vs Mexico
Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. USA vs Cuba
Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Aug. 26 Finals
The U.S. Women’s Team started the NORCECA Final Six in dominant fashion, sweeping Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico
The U.S. Women’s Team that took bronze at the Pan American Cup on August 11 will compete again on August 20-26 at the NORCECA Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Setter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 5-11
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 13, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup will bring home the bronze medal after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25) on Sunday in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women finished the tournament 5-1. Outside hitter Simone Lee was named First Best Spiker.
The U.S. Women led the Dominican Republic in kills (63-55) and scored 19 points on Dominican errors while giving up 17. The Dominican led in blocks (14-12) and aces (6-4).
Lee led the U.S. scoring with 23 points on a team-high 19 kills and a team-high four blocks. She also had 14 excellent receptions and eight digs.
“I’m really excited,” Lee said. “We were down in the fourth set, and we were able to come back really strong. I think that showed just a lot of our team’s grit and fight especially after yesterday losing to Argentina and to have such a big turnaround and play so well together as a team, it just makes this moment even sweeter.”
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston added 19 points on 15 kills, a team-high three aces and one block. She led the team in excellent receptions with 16.
Opposite Stephanie Samedy finished with 16 points on 16 kills.
Middle blocker Madeleine Gates scored 10 points on eight kills and two blocks. Middle Kayle Haneline added nine points on five kills, three blocks and an ace.
Setter Jenna Gray scored two points on two blocks. Gray started at setter while Sydney Hilley helped out as a substitute.
Libero Zoe Fleck was credited with 19 digs and 11 excellent receptions.
After winning the third set, the Dominican Republic took a 15-9 lead in the fourth. The U.S. Women used a 6-2 run to pull to within two at 17-15. The U.S. took its first lead of the set at 20-19 and the teams traded points.
The U.S. Women held match points at 24-23 and 25-24, but Puerto Rico tied it each time. The U.S. Women took their third match point at 26-25 on the Dominican Republic’s service error. Logan Eggleston got a cross-court kill for the final point.
“I think the most important piece is we’ve had different people step up in different moments and the more we stay together, the more we get better as a coaching staff and as a team,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “The better that is for us moving forward down to the Dominican Republic (for the NORCECA Final Six).”
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager: John Xie
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Pan American Cup
(All times PDT)
Sunday, August 6
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
Monday, August 7
United States def Peru, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12)
Tuesday, August 8
United States def Colombia, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19)
Thursday August 10
United States def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18)
Saturday August 12
Semifinals, Argentina def. United States, 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25)
Sunday August 13
Bronze Medal Match: United States def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will play in the Pan Am Cup bronze medal match after falling to Argentina, 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-27) in Saturday's semifinal in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished pool play undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) win over Canada at the 2023 Pan Am Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) victory over Colombia on Tuesday to move to 3-0 without dropping a set in the 2023 Pan American Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Setter, 6-1
Setter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 12, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play in the Pan Am Cup bronze medal match after falling to Argentina, 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-27) in Saturday’s semifinal in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women (4-1) advance to the tournament’s third-place match at 1 p.m. PT Sunday against the Dominican Republic. The U.S. has captured bronze in each of the past two years in the Pan Am Cup.
The U.S. led in the match in kills (54-53) and blocks (13-8), but it could not overcome 29 errors compared to only 18 by Argentina.
Outside hitter Simone Lee led the U.S. with 18 kills on 16 kills, one block, and one error. Opposite Taylor Mims contributed 15 points on 14 kills and one ace, and middle blocker Madeleine Gates finished with 12 points on seven kills, a match-high four blocks, and one ace.
Outside hitter Stephanie Samedy (six kills and two blocks) and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (five attacks and three blocks) each scored eight points, and middle blocker Serena Gray added six points on two kills, three blocks, and an ace.
Mims led all scorers with eight points on seven kills and one ace in the opening set. Lee (four kills, one ace) and Gates (three kills, one block, one ace) each added five points. The U.S. held advantages in kills (15-12), blocks (4-2), and aces (3-1).
Lee paced the U.S. with five kills in a tight second set that was nearly statistically even. Argentina held slight advantages in kills (15-14) and aces (2-1), while the U.S. had one more block (2-1).
Mims (four kills) was the only U.S. player with more than two points in the third set as Argentina went up 2-1 with a 13-11 advantage in kills and 4-0 in aces.
Lee led the U.S. with six points on five kills and a block in the final set, while Samedy added five kills. In another very close statistical set, errors were the key as Argentina committed only four compared to seven by the U.S.
Bianca Cugno of Argentina led all players with 23 points and 20 kills.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager: John Xie
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Pan American Cup
(All times PDT)
Sunday, August 6
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
Monday, August 7
United States def Peru, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12)
Tuesday, August 8
United States def Colombia, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19)
Thursday August 10
United States def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18)
Saturday August 12
Semifinals, Argentina def. United States, 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25)
Sunday August 13
1 p.m. Bronze Medal Match: United States vs. Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished pool play undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) win over Canada at the 2023 Pan Am Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) victory over Colombia on Tuesday to move to 3-0 without dropping a set in the 2023 Pan American Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s Team is now 2-0 at the Pan American Cup after defeating Peru on Monday 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Women will next play on Tuesday at 1 p.m. vs. Colombia.
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup opened the tournament Sunday with a sweep (25-12, 25-12, 25-17) of Costa Rica in Ponce, Puerto Rico
USA Volleyball has selected 14 players to compete at the women’s Pan American Cup on August 6-13 in Ponce, Puerto Rico
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 10, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished pool play undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) win over Canada at the 2023 Pan Am Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women (4-0) advance straight to Saturday’s semifinals. They will face the winner of one of two quarterfinal matches, which are scheduled for Friday night.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
Outside hitter Simone Lee led the U.S. attack with 16 points on 12 kills, one block and three aces. The U.S. led Canada in kills (40-37), blocks (1-0) and aces (8-5). They scored 26 points off of Canada errors, while only giving up 13 to Canada.
“It was good,” U.S. head coach Brad Rostratter said. “We knew we had the pool locked up, which was great because it allowed us to find a rhythm, and then also continue developing everyone we have and getting lots of work and managing our loads throughout the tournament. Phase two starts now and it’s recover, train and work on some things tomorrow and we’ll figure out who we got in the semifinal.”
After cruising through the first set, the U.S. fought off a renewed attack by Canada in the second. Canada led 9-5 and 12-8 before the U.S. pulled even at 12. The teams traded points to 15 all, but four straight U.S. points gave them the edge they needed.
Canada pulled close to the U.S. in the third set at 18-16, but the U.S. won three straight to put the match out of reach.
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston also finished in double figures, with 10 points on 10 kills. Stephanie Samedy had six kills and an ace, and Sarah Wilhite Parsons had six kills. Serena Gray had two kills, Danielle Hart collected two kills and an ace, and Kayla Haneline also had two kills. Jenna Gray and Madeleine Gates (2) had the rest of the U.S. aces.
Zoe Fleck and Kendall White shared the libero duties, with Fleck collecting eight digs while White came off the bench for three digs in the third set.
In serve reception, Lee and Wilhite Parsons led the way with nine and eight successful receptions, successfully. Jenna Gray and Sydney Hilley set the team to a .400 percentage.
“This is like a new group of girls that we’re playing with right now,” Lee said. “And I think we’ve just worked so hard to play together as a team. To beat Canada 3-0 is always really nice, and to secure our spot in the semifinals on this awesome tournament it’s even better.”
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager: John Xie
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Pan American Cup
(All times PDT)
Sunday, August 6
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
Monday, August 7
United States def Peru, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12)
Tuesday, August 8
United States def Colombia, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19)
Thursday August 10
United States def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-18)
Saturday August 12
3 p.m. Semifinals
Sunday August 13
1 p.m. Bronze Medal Match
3 p.m. Gold Medal Match
The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) victory over Colombia on Tuesday to move to 3-0 without dropping a set in the 2023 Pan American Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women’s Team is now 2-0 at the Pan American Cup after defeating Peru on Monday 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Women will next play on Tuesday at 1 p.m. vs. Colombia.
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup opened the tournament Sunday with a sweep (25-12, 25-12, 25-17) of Costa Rica in Ponce, Puerto Rico
USA Volleyball has selected 14 players to compete at the women’s Pan American Cup on August 6-13 in Ponce, Puerto Rico
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 8, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) victory over Colombia on Tuesday to move to 3-0 without dropping a set in the 2023 Pan American Cup in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
After a day off on Wednesday, the U.S. Women will play Thursday at 3 p.m. vs. Canada.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
Opposite Taylor Mims led all scorers with 16 points on 13 kills, one block, and two aces. Outside hitter Simone Lee shared the match-high with 13 kills.
Two other U.S. players reached double digits with middle blocker Madeleine Gates totaling 11 points (six kills, three blocks, and two aces) and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons finishing with 10 points (six kills, two blocks, two aces).
“Tonight was a good match for the team. We played well against a very tough opponent,” said U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter. “There is a lot for us to improve on and work on as the tournament continues, but we will take each day ahead of us as best we can.”
The U.S. finished with significant advantages in kills (45-28) and aces (7-2) with a slight edge in blocks (8-7). The U.S. Women recorded a .304 hitting efficiency for the match, including .382 in a dominant first set in which they used an early 7-1 run to take a 15-6 lead. Lee and Mims each recorded five kills in the opening set.
In addition to leading the effective offense, setter Jenna Gray added four points on two kills, one block, and one ace. Middle blocker Serena Gray finished with six points on five kills and one block.
Colombia jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the second set and still led 13-11 when the U.S. scored four consecutive points to take a two-point lead. The back-and-forth play continued as Colombia regained the lead, 17-16, but the U.S. responded with four consecutive points to take the lead for good. Mims contributed five kills again with Parsons (three kills, two aces) and Gates (two kills, one block, two aces) also scoring five points in the set.
Neither team led by more than two points in the third set until the U.S. scored three points in a row to take a 19-15 lead. Colombia pulled within two points, 20-18, but the U.S. finished on a 5-1 run to close out the match. Mims led both teams in the set with six points on three kills, one block, and two aces.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager: John Xie
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Pan American Cup
(All times PDT)
Sunday, August 6
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
Monday, August 7
United States def Peru, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12)
Tuesday, August 8
United States def Colombia, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19)
Thursday August 10
3 p.m. United States v Canada
Friday August 11
11 a.m. Classification 7/10
1 p.m. Classification 7/10
3 p.m. Quarterfinals
5 p.m. Quarterfinals
Saturday August 12
9 a.m. Position 9-10
11 a.m. Classification 5/8
1 p.m. Classification 5/8
3 p.m. Semifinals
5 p.m. Semifinals
Sunday August 13
9 a.m. Position 7-8
11 p.m. Position 5-6
1 p.m. Bronze Medal Match
3 p.m. Gold Medal Match
The U.S. Women’s Team is now 2-0 at the Pan American Cup after defeating Peru on Monday 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Women will next play on Tuesday at 1 p.m. vs. Colombia.
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup opened the tournament Sunday with a sweep (25-12, 25-12, 25-17) of Costa Rica in Ponce, Puerto Rico
USA Volleyball has selected 14 players to compete at the women’s Pan American Cup on August 6-13 in Ponce, Puerto Rico
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 10, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six won the silver medal on Saturday after losing in the final to the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 26-24). The U.S. Women finished the tournament 4-3. Dominican Republic dominated the match statistics, leading in kills (44-37),...
The U.S. Women’s Team won bronze at the Pan American Cup Sunday with a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-11) victory over host country Mexico in Hermosillo, Sonora.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s Team is now 2-0 at the Pan American Cup after defeating Peru on Monday 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women will next play on Tuesday at 1 p.m. vs. Colombia.
Peru was up to the challenge early. The U.S. held a one-point lead at 8-7 at the technical timeout in the first set. The U.S. was in the driver’s seat at 23-17, but a late rally from Peru closed the gap to 24-22 before the U.S. scored the final point to put it away.
Middle blocker Madeline Gates had three key blocks in the first set on her way to five total for the match. The U.S. held a 12-3 advantage in blocks for the match as a team. Outside hitter Sarah Parsons and setter Jenna Gray each tallied two blocks.
The U.S. never let Peru draw within more than two for the remaining two sets. Opposite Stephanie Samedy and outside hitter Logan Eggleston set the tone for the rest of the match for the team in scoring. Eggleston was the highest scorer on the day with 14 kills and one block.
“It was a fun game to play,” said Eggleston. “I think we’re getting used to each other as a team with a lot of really awesome talent. And we’re just having fun getting to play together. Our expectation is always to win, and we just played at a really high level and I think we’re doing a really good job at the beginning and it’s going to keep getting better”.
Samedy had 11 kills, one block and one ace. She also held down the defensive end of the floor with seven digs. Libero Kendall White was credited with 10 digs and three serve receptions.
Parsons contributed three of her five kills in the second set as the U.S. didn’t let Peru advance any further past the 20-point barrier in the second set.
The team maintained its momentum in the third, doubling up Peru at 12-6 and never looking back. The team finished with a definitive 25-13 final score in set three to close out the 3-0 win.
“We’ve gotten to get everyone in and everyone kind of got the first match jitters out of the way,” said coach Brad Rostratter. “It was nice to see us put some things together through those last two sets, through the home stretch. It’s just the next step and we just have been preparing on what’s ahead of us and what’s in front of us and we played better today and we’re trying to play better tomorrow against Colombia.”
U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager: John Xie
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Pan American Cup
(All times PDT)
Sunday, August 6
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
Monday, August 7
United States def Peru, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-12)
Tuesday, August 8
1 p.m. United States v Colombia
Thursday August 10
3 p.m. United States v Canada
Friday August 11
11 a.m. Classification 7/10
1 p.m. Classification 7/10
3 p.m. Quarterfinals
5 p.m. Quarterfinals
Saturday August 12
9 a.m. Position 9-10
11 a.m. Classification 5/8
1 p.m. Classification 5/8
3 p.m. Semifinals
5 p.m. Semifinals
Sunday August 13
9 a.m. Position 7-8
11 p.m. Position 5-6
1 p.m. Bronze Medal Match
3 p.m. Gold Medal Match
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup opened the tournament Sunday with a sweep (25-12, 25-12, 25-17) of Costa Rica in Ponce, Puerto Rico
USA Volleyball has selected 14 players to compete at the women’s Pan American Cup on August 6-13 in Ponce, Puerto Rico
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 10, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six won the silver medal on Saturday after losing in the final to the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 26-24). The U.S. Women finished the tournament 4-3. Dominican Republic dominated the match statistics, leading in kills (44-37),...
The U.S. Women’s Team won bronze at the Pan American Cup Sunday with a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-11) victory over host country Mexico in Hermosillo, Sonora.
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ARLINGTON, Texas (July 16, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in fourth place after falling to Poland on Sunday, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15) at College Park Center.
The U.S. Women, the defending Olympic champions, finished VNL with an 11-4 record. The team will compete next at the NORCECA Continental Championship on Aug. 28-Sept. 3 in Canada.
Less than 16 hours after battling Türkiye in the semifinals and just missing a chance at a fifth set, the U.S. Women struggled in the first set against Poland.
U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly started a completely different lineup in the second set, except for libero Justine Wong-Orantes, and the team seemed to find the spark it needed. But the success didn’t last and Kiraly continued to adjust the lineup, eventually putting every player on the court at some point.
In the fifth set, the U.S. Women trailed 9-6 before tying the score at 11-11. The U.S. held match point at 14-13 and 15-14 but could not convert.
“We’re proud that our team emptied the tank, and we tried every possible answer and came close,” Kiraly said. “But this is a bitter disappointment, and we need to use this to get better for our next tournament, for the Olympic qualifier and for next year.”
Poland led the U.S. in kills (63-50) and aces (7-5). The U.S. Women led in blocks (14-11) and scored 30 points on Poland errors while committing 20.
Setter Lauren Carlini saw her first action of the final round, starting sets 2-5. She scored three points on two kills and a block.
“I thought the comeback in the fifth was great. We had match point,” Carlini said. “That’s something we’re going to work on over this next training block is executing when it matters.”
Outside hitter Avery Skinner, a Texas native who played collegiately at Baylor, started sets 2-5 and led the team in scoring with 18 points on 15 kills and three blocks. She was also credited with five digs.
Opposite Annie Drews, who started the first, fourth and fifth sets, scored 10 points on nine kills and one block.
Starting libero Justine Wong-Orantes led the team with 12 digs and was credited with two successful receptions.
Middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Asjia O’Neal, who each grew up in Texas and played for the University of Texas, had identical score lines with each scoring nine points on four kills, four blocks and one ace. Both athletes started sets 2-5.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook scored six points on six kills. She was credited with eight successful receptions to lead the team and seven digs.
Opposite Jordan Thompson, who started the second and third sets, scored five points on five kills.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who started the first set and played as a substitute, scored three points on two kills and one ace.
Outside hitter Khalia Lanier scored three points on three kills. Starting setter Micha Hancock was also used as a serving substitute and scored with two aces.
Middle Haleigh Washington scored one point with a block.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist,
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
(All times PT)
Quarterfinal
July 12 USA def Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18)
July 15 Türkiye def USA 3-1 (25-21, 25-14, 24-26, 27-25)
July 16 Bronze medal: Poland def USA 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 17-15)
July 16 Gold medal: Türkiye def China 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-16)
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ARLINGTON, Texas (July 15, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team almost took Türkiye to a fifth set, but the comeback came up short and the European side won 3-1 (25-21, 25-14, 24-26, 27-25) in the semifinals of the Volleyball Nations League on Saturday at the College Park Center.
The U.S. Women (11-3) will play Poland (11-3) for the bronze medal on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT (noon PT). Türkiye (11-3) will play China (10-4) for the gold medal at 5:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. PT).
The U.S. Women scored four straight points at the end of the third set to fight off two Türkiye match points and go from a 24-22 deficit to a 26-24 set win behind the strong serving and passing of outside Ali Frantti.
“I like to be an energy person,” said Frantti, who started the third and fourth sets as a substitute outside hitter and scored 12 points on 12 kills. She had six digs and four successful receptions. “I just bring out a little more fire. When that happens, I feel like it’s a chain reaction. People play with their chest out. I just wanted to be a difference maker out there.”
Türkiye took match point in fourth set at 24-21. The U.S. Women scored four straight points to take the lead at 25-24. But Türkiye came back with three straight points to end the match.
“When you have a match like that, it’s a race to the finish,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “You only have three sets to try to find some answers. We were happy to get to an answer that extended it to a fourth.
“There are things we have to clean up for sure. But I’m also pleased that we came up with some answers that put a very good team in trouble. That’s a very good team. They’re playing very good volleyball right now.”
The teams tied in kills (50-50). Türkiye let in blocks (18-14) and the U.S. led in aces (3-2). Türkiye scored 31 points on U.S. errors and committed 19.
Outside hitter Khalia Lanier started the whole match at led the U.S. scoring with 18 points on 16 kills, one block and one ace. She led the team in digs with 13 and in successful receptions with seven.
Opposite Annie Drews, who left the match in the fourth set for Jordan Thompson, scored 14 points on 12 kills and two blocks.
Setter, Micha Hancock scored seven points on four kills, two blocks and one ace. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 10 digs and two successful receptions.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu scored six points on two kills, three blocks and one ace before leaving in the third set for Asjia O’Neal, who scored three points on three blocks.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner took over for Kelsey (Robinson) Cook in the first set and started the second before leaving for Frantti. She scored three points on three kills.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke subbed for Haleigh Washington in the second set and scored two points on two blocks.
Thompson and Cook each scored one point.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist,
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
(All times PT)
Quarterfinal
July 12 USA def Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18)
July 15 Türkiye def USA 3-1 (25-21, 25-14, 24-26, 27-25)
July 16 at 1 p.m. Bronze medal: USA vs Poland
July 16 at 4:30 Gold medal: China vs Türkiye
The U.S. Women’s National Team (11-2) will face a familiar foe with a new look on Saturday when they take on Türkiye (10-3) in the semifinals of the Volleyball Nations League at 7:30 p.m. CT at the College Park Center.
A crowd of almost 5,000 showed up to the College Park Center on Wednesday to cheer on the U.S. Women’s National Team and Team USA didn’t let them down, beating Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18) in the quarterfinals of the Volleyball Nations League
The women’s Volleyball Nations League Final Round is in Arlington, Texas, this week, and USA Volleyball has selected its fourteen-person roster
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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ARLINGTON, Texas (July 14, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team (11-2) will face a familiar foe with a new look on Saturday when they take on Türkiye (10-3) in the semifinals of the Volleyball Nations League at 7:30 p.m. CT at the College Park Center.
The winner will play the winner of the semifinal between Poland (11-2) and China (9-4).
The U.S. Women go into the match ranked No. 1 in the world. Türkiye is ranked third.
The U.S. Women have played Türkiye seven times since winning gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games and have won every match, including three friendly USAV Cup contests in California and two meetings at the 2022 World Championship.
Türkiye made changes over the winter, including hiring head coach Daniele Santarelli, the Italian who helped Serbia win the 2022 world championship.
Santarelli has moved Türkiye star Karakurt Ebrar from opposite to outside hitter. He has moved Cuban Melissa Vargas, now a citizen of Türkiye, to opposite.
‘Türkiye is playing really good volleyball,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They have increased their firepower from the last couple of years. They’re going to be a handful for sure. We are excited for the challenge.”
The U.S. Women beat Türkiye 3-2 when they played their preliminary round match on June 4.
“We’re looking to bring the best out of each other in what will be a really tough semifinal battle,” Kiraly said.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist,
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
(All times PT)
Quarterfinal
July 12 USA def Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18)
July 15 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs Türkiye
July 16 at 1 p.m. Bronze medal match
July 16 at 4:30 Gold medal match
The women’s Volleyball Nations League Final Round is in Arlington, Texas, this week, and USA Volleyball has selected its fourteen-person roster
The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) final preliminary round match to China, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8), in Suwon, Korea.
The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Germany, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13) in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play in Suwon, Korea.
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
Setter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-3
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ARLINGTON, Texas (July 12, 2023) – A crowd of almost 5,000 showed up to the College Park Center on Wednesday to cheer on the U.S. Women’s National Team and Team USA didn’t let them down, beating Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18) in the quarterfinals of the Volleyball Nations League.
The U.S. Women (11-2) will take Thursday off and await the winner of the quarterfinal between Türkiye and Italy at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The victory helped diminish the memory of last year’s quarterfinal loss to Serbia in the Final Round and the loss to Japan during this year’s preliminary round.
“We had a very disappointing loss in this match last year to Serbia in the fifth set in Türkiye,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “That’s a long way to go for one match.
“It’s really nice to be going to the semifinals. Even at 24-whatever, I am not taking anything for granted. That team can come back from any deficit and it’s never over until the last whistle blows.”
At the end of the match, the U.S. led in kills (62-50) and blocks (10-9) while the teams tied in aces (2-2). Japan scored 29 points on U.S. errors and gave up 19.
After the U.S. Women battled to win the first two sets, Japan gained control of the third set. Kiraly looked to his bench and brought in Dana Rettke at middle blocker for Chiaka Ogbogu, Jordan Thompson at opposite for Annie Drews and Avery Skinner at outside hitter for Khalia Lanier.
Skinner went on to finish with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.
“I just really wanted to come in and make an impact in whatever way I could,” said Skinner, who is from Katy, Texas and played her final collegiate season at Baylor. “We needed someone to put the ball away, so I really wanted to go in and do that.”
Drews led all scorers with 13 points on 11 kills and a match-high two aces. Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook added 11 points on 10 kills and one block.
Ogbogu and Lanier each scored nine points. Lanier had six kills and a team-high three blocks.
Washington scored seven points on six kills and one block. Rettke totaled five points on three kills and two blocks.
Setter Micha Hancock scored four points on four kills and set the team to a .267 hitting efficiency.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who subbed in for Kelsey (Robinson) Cook after Cook took a hard fall going after a ball on the sideline, scored three points on three kills. Thompson finished with two points on two kills.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist,
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
(All times PT)
Quarterfinal
July 12 USA def Japan 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18)
July 15 at 6:30 p.m. USA vs Türkiye
July 16 at 1 p.m. Bronze medal match
July 16 at 4:30 Gold medal match
The women’s Volleyball Nations League Final Round is in Arlington, Texas, this week, and USA Volleyball has selected its fourteen-person roster
The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) final preliminary round match to China, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8), in Suwon, Korea.
The U.S. Women’s National Team used a dominating block to improve to 9-1 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17) victory over Bulgaria in Suwon, Korea.
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Libero, 5-6
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ARLINGTON, Texas (July 11, 2023) – The women’s Volleyball Nations League Final Round is in Arlington, Texas, this week, and USA Volleyball has selected its fourteen-person roster.
The competition begins Wednesday at College Park Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington where the U.S. Women (10-2) will play Japan (7-5) at 7:30 p.m. CT.
The roster is highlighted by Olympic gold medalists Micha Hancock at setter, Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson at opposite, middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington, Kelsey (Robinson) Cook at outside hitter and libero Justine Wong-Orantes.
Filling out the team are Lauren Carlini at setter, outside hitters Ali Frantti, Khalia Lanier and Avery Skinner, middles Asjia O’Neal and Dana Rettke and libero Morgan Hentz.
The U.S. Women finished the preliminary round of VNL in second place. Their only losses were to Japan and China and both scores were 3-2.
The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic champions and ranked No. 1 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018.
The team is led by Head Coach Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist as a player who took over as head coach of the U.S. Women in 2013.
Kiraly’s first assistant is Tama Miyashiro, who won a silver medal as a libero with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The second assistants are Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft and Erin Virtue.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist,
Team Manager: Dana Burkholder
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
(All times PT)
Quarterfinal
July 12 at 6:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) final preliminary round match to China, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8), in Suwon, Korea.
The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Germany, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13) in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play in Suwon, Korea.
The U.S. Women’s National Team used a dominating block to improve to 9-1 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17) victory over Bulgaria in Suwon, Korea.
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 2, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams completed strong performances at the Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands, with the women’s team successfully defending its title and the men doubling their win total from last year and finishing third.
Women’s Sitting National Team: 2-0
USA def. Great Britain, 3-0 (25-5, 25-15, 25-7) (PDF)
USA def. Canada, 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-9) (PDF)
In the sweep of Great Britain, the U.S Women recorded a 25-0 advantage in service aces and 23-11 in kills. Tia Edwards posted team-highs of 19 kills, 13 aces and six kills. Six other players finished with at least five points, including outside hitter Maddy Ball with five kills and four aces for nine points.
Monique Matthews (eight points) and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (six points) each served five aces. Outside hitter Emma Schieck served four aces (six points).
Whitney Dosty totaled seven points (three kills, three aces, one block) and outside hitter MaKenzie Franklin added four kills and one block.
In the second match, the Dutch Tournament title was on the line when the U.S., the world’s top-ranked team, faced third-ranked Canada. The U.S. Women took the first set to extend their set winning streak to 16 in the tournament. Canada became the first team to win a set against the U.S. in the second set and another win in the fourth set sent the match to a deciding set. The U.S. fell behind 4-2, but then went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-4 lead and never trailed again.
“While the Dutch Tournament is a relatively short event, it offered us a great opportunity to compete and to connect as a team,” assistant coach Michelle Goodall said. “The team showed experience and poise on the court, and that confidence carried us when it got tight versus a very tough Canada team.”
Outside hitter Katie Bridge, competing in her first international competition since the Tokyo Paralympics, recorded match-highs of 21 points and 16 kills, adding four blocks and an ace. Dosty scored 14 points on 11 kills, two blocks and an ace.
Franklin also reached double digits with 10 points, including a match-high seven blocks. Matthews finished with nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Maclay (nine points) and Edwards (seven points) each served four aces.
“We enjoyed having Katie Holloway Bridge back on the court, her first major event after her maternity leave,” Goodall said. “All and all, it was a great event for us. We will take these victories and lessons learned with us as we train the next few months for the World Cup.”
Men’s Sitting National Team: 1-1
USA def. Great Britain, 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-17) (PDF)
Ukraine def. USA, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 19-25, 15-10) (PDF)
After dropping the first set to Great Britain, the U.S. Men rebounded with three set wins and finished with a 43-25 advantage in kills. Outside hitter Dan Regan and middle blocker Roderick Green shared the U.S. team lead with 15 points. Regan recorded nine kills, a match-high four blocks and one ace, while Green totaled eight kills, three blocks and four aces.
Three other U.S. players tallied at least nine points. James Stuck (12 points) led all players with 11 kills, Eric Duda contributed six kills and 10 points, and outside hitter Chris Seilkop totaled nine points on five kills, three aces and one block. Libero John Kremer shared the team lead with Green with four aces.
“We battled through the last day,” head coach Greg Walker said. “We were able to get a lot experience playing Great Britain in getting a good flow heading into a tough Ukraine match.”
The U.S. Men dropped the first two sets to Ukraine by identical scores before taking the next two sets to set up a crucial fifth set. Ukraine’s 15-10 win in the final set gave them the Dutch Tournament title, while the U.S. placed third and won four of six matches.
Outside hitter Zach Upp posted match-highs of 17 kills and 21 points, adding two blocks and two aces. Duda registered 19 points, which included 15 kills and a team-best three aces.
Stuck totaled 15 points on 10 kills and five blocks, and Green reached double figures again with 12 points, highlighted by a match-best seven blocks. Outside hitter Patrick Young finished with nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace.
“Ukraine was a battle,” Walker said. “They are a top-ranked team and usually a team that is contending for a Paralympic spot. We didn’t start the way we would have liked in the match, but we battled through to a fifth set an just started slow out of the gates.
“This tournament was a great opportunity for all 14 on our roster,” he continued. “We always look forward to coming to Assen; the hosts and teams are so generous and gracious competitors. I’m looking forward to getting our team back into a training block before World Cup.”
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, Region)
4 Maddy Ball (OH, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla., Florida)
5 Katie (Holloway) Bridge (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash., Puget Sound)
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)
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)
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: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jeffery Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Coach: Bobby Moore
U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown, Region)
2 Dan Regan (OH, 6-0, St. Louis, Gateway)
3 Nicholas Dadgostar (L, 6-0, Sidney, Neb., Chesapeake)
4 Ben Aman (OH, 6-5, Edmond, Okla., Oklahoma)
5 Eric Duda (S/OH, 6-5, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Florida)
6 Alex Wilson (Opp/OH, Alexandria, Va., Old Dominion)
7 Robbie Gaupp (Opp/OH, Havre De Grace, Md., Chesapeake)
8 James Stuck (S/OH, 6-5, New Kensington, Pa., Keystone)
9 Troy Benesh (Opp/OH, Minneapolis, Minn., Badger)
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)
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: Kyle Homeyer
U.S. Schedule for the Dutch Tournament
(All times PT)
June 30
U.S. Men def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11-25-21)
U.S. Women def. Italy, 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-20)
U.S. Men def. France, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-22)
U.S. Women def. France, 3-0 (25-7, 25-9, 25-3)
July 1
U.S. Women def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-4)
U.S. Men def. Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-17, 25-16)
U.S. Women def. Ukraine, 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-10)
Germany def. U.S. Men, 3-1 (25-11, 25-12, 12-25, 25-20)
July 2
U.S. Men def. Great Britain, 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
U.S. Women def. Great Britain, 3-1 (25-5, 25-15, 25-7)
Ukraine def. U.S. Men, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 19-25, 15-10)
U.S. Women def. Canada, 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-9)
The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams combined to win three matches Friday at the Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams each won a pair of matches without dropping a set on the opening day of the Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams are in Assen, Netherlands this weekend for the Dutch Tournament, with matches June 30-July 2
The U.S. Women's Sitting punched its ticket to the Paris 2024 Paralympics Thursday night by defeating Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 19-25, 25-21) at the ParaVolley Pan American Zonal Championship in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are the first U.S. team to qualify for the 2024 Games in any sport.
The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team fell to Brazil on Saturday 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-19) in the final of the ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, missing a chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 2, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) final preliminary round match to China, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8), in Suwon, Korea.
The U.S. team completed preliminary round play with a 10-2 record, placing second behind Poland. The 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round will be played July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Four U.S. players scored in double figures, led by outside hitter Kathryn Plummer’s 22 points on 21 kills and one service ace. Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook registered 17 kills with opposite Annie Drews adding 15 kills and one block.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke totaled 10 points, including two blocks, and one ace. Rettke and fellow middle blocker Haleigh Washington each hit at a .500 hitting efficiency percentage with seven kills.
Justine Wong-Orantes paced the U.S. defense with 16 digs, while Plummer (11) and Cook (10) also recorded double-digit digs. Setter Lauren Carlini led the offense to a .353 hitting percentage with four kills of her own.
The U.S. Women led by as many as seven points on multiple occasions in the opening set. China pulled within three points, 21-18, but after a timeout, the U.S. scored the final four points of the set. China scored the first three points of the second set and never trailed to even the match.
Back-to-back kills by Drews gave the U.S. a little breathing room in the third set and a 12-8 lead. Plummer’s back-to-back kills extended the lead to seven, 19-12. The lead reached nine (23-14) and the U.S. eventually closed out the set to take a 2-1 lead.
China scored the first six points of the fourth set. The U.S. cut the lead to three points late in the set (21-18 and 22-19), but China held on to send the match to a fifth set. A Cook kill gave the U.S. a 5-3 lead in the deciding set, but China scored the next nine points to take control.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Eugene Yim
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 China def USA 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8)
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 1, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Germany, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13) in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play in Suwon, Korea.
MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)
The U.S. team (10-1) completes preliminary round play July 2 against China (7-4) at 1:30 a.m. PT.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti and opposite Jordan Thompson each paced the U.S. with 17 points. Franti led the team with 15 kills, Thompson added 14, and middle blocker Brionne Butler and outside hitter Kara Bajema each contributed 12. Bajema finished with 12 digs and Thompson registered 10.
Butler hit at a .750 efficiency percentage with her 12 kills and no errors in 16 total attacks. Middle blocker Anna Stevenson Hall recorded eight kills as the U.S. Women held a 63-48 advantage in kills.
“We knew Germany was going to scrap. They have a great defense and are a great ball control team. Putting pressure on our serve allowed us to be really good on our blocking defense,” said libero Justine Wong-Orantes, who posted a team-best 19 digs.
The U.S. trailed most of the first set and were down 19-16 before ending the set on a 9-3 run. A Butler block gave the U.S. its first lead of the set, 21-20. Thompson led the way with six kills. They trailed throughout the second set, but they got off to strong starts in the final two sets.
The off-speed game and an ace by setter Micha Hancock, who entered the game in the third set, led to a 5-0 start in that set. A Hall kill on an overpass extended the lead to eight points, 16-8. Germany pulled within two points, 24-22, but a Frantti kill gave the U.S. a 2-1 match lead.
An ace by Hall gave the U.S. Women a 10-2 lead in the fourth set and Germany was unable to mount a comeback. Frantti and Bajema each recorded five kills in the set in which the U.S. hit .500 as a team.
“Simple calls early. We talk about that every day in practice and putting that into the game really helped,” Wong-Orantes stated in reference to defending the tough Germany serve. “We stayed patient. We know Germany has been battling each week and each match, so when we had opportunities on our side of the net to transition and execute, we did a great job.”
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Eugene Yim
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 USA def Bulgaria 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17)
July 1 USA def Germany 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-22, 25-13)
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. PT USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 27, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team moved into first place in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round with a thrilling 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14) victory over Poland in Suwon, Korea. Poland entered the contest in first place.
The U.S. Women (8-1), which entered the final week of preliminary round play as the No. 1 team in the world, return to the court at 11:30 p.m. PT against Bulgaria (2-7).
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook made her 2023 VNL debut a memorable one, scoring the winning point and sharing the team lead with opposite Annie Drews with 20 points. Cook finished with 17 points and three blocks, while Drews paced the U.S. squad with 18 kills, adding a block and service ace.
“I thought we took it point by point and we were really patient with a lot of block touches. Our blockers did an amazing job and allowed our defense to play, and then when we had the swing, we took it,” Cook said about rallying from a four-point deficit in the final set, in which she recorded five kills, including the match-saving point at 13-14.
Middle blocker Dana Rettke, who finished with 13 points (10 kills, three blocks) added three kills in the fifth set, including a kill on an overpass at 14-14. Outside hitter Ali Frantti recorded 12 kills and middle blocker Haleigh Washington totaled 10 points, including a team-high five blocks.
“I thought we were super solid on the block, easy to read behind and play defense. I feel like that is going to be a motto for us moving forward,” Cook said. The U.S. finished with 13 blocks, including 12 over the final four sets.
Captain and libero Justine Wong-Orantes totaled 23 digs with Cook and Frantti each adding 10.
After being outblocked 5-1 in the opening set, the U.S. turned it around and finished with a 6-0 advantage in the second set. The U.S. led 16-12 in the second set before using a 5-1 run to pull away. Washington recorded a kill and two blocks to account for three of the five points.
“We have a different group every time we step out on the court, so it is just about finding our rhythm. It might take a little bit longer, but I thought we did a really nice job of settling in when we did. We have a lot more to go,” Cook aadded.
The third set was back and forth with neither team leading by more than three points. With the score tied 25-25, a Frantti kill gave the U.S. Women the lead and Cook followed with a kill to win the set.
The U.S. rallied from a 22-17 deficit in the fourth set and fought off two match points on kills by Cook to tie the set 24-24. The U.S. had three match points before Poland eventually took the set to continue the match.
The U.S. dropped five consecutive points to fall behind 7-3 in the final set, but scored seven of the next 10 points, three by Cook, to even the set at 10. The U.S. did not lead until Rettke’s kill made it 15-14.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2023 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Eugene Yim
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 (all times PT) at Suwon, Korea
June 27 USA def Poland 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 28-30, 16-14)
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team ended the second round of preliminary play at the Volleyball Nations League on a high note with a sweep (25-22. 25-19, 25-22) of host Brazil on Sunday in Brasilia.
The U.S. Women (5-1) get a week off and will be back in action on June 28 against Poland in Korea.
The U.S. Women jumped out to leads in every set, then held on while Brazil mounted furious comeback attempts before a crowd estimated at approximately 10,000. Brazil is ranked No. 1 in the world and the U.S. Women are No. 2.
The U.S. led in kills (46-43) and aces (7-2) and scored 16 points on Brazil’s errors while committing nine. The U.S. hitting efficiency was .381 behind setter Micha Hancock.
Brazil led in blocks (9-6) and hit .288.
Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 15 points on a match-high 13 kills and two aces.
“We have so much respect for Brazil as a program,” Thompson said. “We always know it’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be a fun, high-energy match.
“Props to our coaches for a great scouting plan. We contained them well and tried to force them into things that weren’t so comfortable.”
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer added 14 points on 11 kills and a match-high three aces. Plummer and libero Morgan Hentz each finished with nine digs. Plummer was credited with five successful receptions. Hentz was credited with two.
Outside hitter Khalia Lanier scored 12 points on 12 kills. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington totaled eight points on five kills and a team-high three blocks.
Middle Asjia O’Neal scored four points on three kills and one block.
Setter Micha Hancock totaled three points on two aces and a kill. Opposite Danielle Cuttino played a key role as a substitute in the second set, scoring on a kill and two blocks in the final points of the set.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: William Briner
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 Japan def. USA 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6)
June 18 USA def Brazil 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Week 3 (all times PT) at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team suffered its first 2023 Volleyball Nations League loss of the preliminary round, 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-6) to Japan on Saturday in Brasilia, Brazil.
The U.S. Women’s National Team moved to 5-0 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15 victory over Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil. The team, which is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, finished 4-0 in the tournament last week.
The U.S. Women’s National Team moved to 5-0 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15 victory over Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil. The team, which is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, finished 4-0 in the tournament last week.
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-9
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its winning ways in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16) victory over Thailand on Thursday in Brasilia, Brazil.
The U.S. Women have Friday off before returning to the court to face Japan at 1:30 p.m. PT on June 17.
The U.S. Women ran off four consecutive points to break a 16-16 tie on the way to a 25-21 win in the opening set. After extending the lead to two sets to none, the U.S. scored the first six points and cruised to the third set victory and sweep of the match.
Five players registered at least seven kills, led by 14 from opposite Jordan Thompson, as the U.S. team overpowered Thailand’s defense. Outside hitters Avery Skinner (13) and Kathryn Plummer (10) recorded double-digit kill totals.
Middle blockers Asjia O’Neal and Haleigh Washington combined for 15 kills and nine blocks. O’Neal hit .667 with eight kills and no errors in 12 attacks, while leading the team with five blocks. Washington contributed seven kills and four blocks. Setter Micha Hancock had a team-leading three aces and 12 digs.
“We wanted to focus on our blocking on focus on our side. They have a really fast offense and run a lot of things at you so we just wanted to dial in on what we can do,” said O’Neal about facing the Thailand offense that U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly called ‘tricky.’ “You just have to calm down at the net. There are so many things coming at you, but someone is going to come into your zone at some point, so being good with your hitter is really the key that we found to be successful.”
Having made her senior national debut in the first week of VNL, O’Neal credits her teammates for her early success. “All the women are really welcoming so the culture is great. I was able to come in and just feel confident and comfortable in what I’m doing,” she described. “Having all these people around me, I feel like I can just go out and play and be myself.”
The U.S. led Thailand in kills (54-29), blocks (11-9) and aces (3-2).
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: William Briner
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 (all times PT) at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 at USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 at USA def. Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16)
June 17 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
June 18 at 6 a.m. USA vs Brazil
Week 3 (all times PT) at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team moved to 5-0 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15 victory over Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil. The team, which is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, finished 4-0 in the tournament last week.
The U.S. Women’s National Team returns to the court for its second week of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round competition today when it plays Croatia at 1:30 p.m. PT
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished its first round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at 4-0 after beating host Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9) on Sunday in Antalya
After going five sets in the first two VNL matches, The U.S. Women’s National Team needed only three sets to defeat Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11) on Saturday in Antalya, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women’s National Team found itself in a 2-1 hole for the second straight match but once again battled back for a five-set victory, this time over world No. 2 Italy (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9) on Friday in Antalya, Türkiye.
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-9
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team moved to 5-0 in Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round play with a 3-1 (17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15) victory over Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil. The team, which is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, finished 4-0 in the tournament’s first round last week.
The U.S. Women have Wednesday off before facing Thailand (2-2) at 10 a.m. PT on June 15.
Croatia earned its first set win in this year’s VNL in the opening frame. The U.S. Women rallied to take a close second set before rolling to victories in the third and fourth.
“After the first loss, we had to make some adjustments with our blocks and defense systems,” said outside hitter Ali Frantti, who was making her 2023 VNL debut. “We also talked about serving more aggressively. They were very comfortable in serve receive, so it was important to try to get them off the net.”
Frantti and opposite Jordan Thompson, who was also making her VNL debut this season, combined for 29 kills. Frantti led the U.S. team with 15 kills with a .419 hitting percentage, and Thompson registered a .541 hitting efficiency with 14 kills.
“It was a surreal moment to step back on the court wearing the USA jersey. It’s something I never take for granted,” Frantti described. “Playing with these women is an absolute dream for me. All of us have the same goal and we all push ourselves to be better. Everyone steps up when they need to and that’s the beauty of a team sport.”
Outside hitter Khalia Lanier contributed 12 kills, while middle blockers Brionne Butler (six) and Asjia O’Neal (three) totaled nine kills without an error in 13 attacks.
The U.S. totaled 14 blocks to Croatia’s six, led by Butler’s five.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: William Briner
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def. Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 (all times PT) at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 at USA def. Croatia 3-1 (17-22, 25-22, 25-18, 25-15)
June 15 at 10 a.m. USA vs Thailand
June 17 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
June 18 at 6 a.m. USA vs Brazil
Week 3 (all times PT) at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team returns to the court for its second week of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round competition today when it plays Croatia at 1:30 p.m. PT
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished its first round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at 4-0 after beating host Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9) on Sunday in Antalya
After going five sets in the first two VNL matches, The U.S. Women’s National Team needed only three sets to defeat Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11) on Saturday in Antalya, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women’s National Team found itself in a 2-1 hole for the second straight match but once again battled back for a five-set victory, this time over world No. 2 Italy (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9) on Friday in Antalya, Türkiye.
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-9
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team returns to the court for its second week of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round competition today when it plays Croatia at 1:30 p.m. PT.
The U.S. Women went 4-0 in their first week of VNL, winning three of those matches in five sets. The wins improved their world ranking to No. 2.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly has tweaked the roster for the second week.
Those players returning for the second week of competition are setters Ashley Evans and Micha Hancock, libero Morgan Hentz, outside hitters Khalia Lanier and Avery Skinner, middle blockers Brionne Butler and Asjia O’Neal and opposite Danielle Cuttino.
Making their 2023 VNL debuts are middles Haleigh Washington and Anna (Stevenson) Hall, opposite Jordan Thompson, outside hitters Ali Frantti and Kathryn Plummer and libero Kendall White.
The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic champions and ranked No. 2 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018.
The U.S. Women will face No. 30 Croatia, No. 15 Thailand, No. 7 Japan and Brazil, which moved to No. 1 in the rankings thanks to last week’s first round of VNL.
VNL matches will be livestreamed in the United States on VolleyballWorld.tv.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Week 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
14 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: William Briner
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 (all times PT) at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Croatia
June 15 at 10 a.m. USA vs Thailand
June 17 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
June 18 at 6 a.m. USA vs Brazil
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished its first round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at 4-0 after beating host Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9) on Sunday in Antalya
After going five sets in the first two VNL matches, The U.S. Women’s National Team needed only three sets to defeat Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11) on Saturday in Antalya, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women’s National Team found itself in a 2-1 hole for the second straight match but once again battled back for a five-set victory, this time over world No. 2 Italy (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9) on Friday in Antalya, Türkiye.
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-9
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-5
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 4, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished its first round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at 4-0 after beating host Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9) on Sunday in Antalya.
U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Jeff Flake and his wife Cheryl were on hand to watch the victory, which was the U.S. Women’s third five-set win of the first four matches. An estimated crowd of 10,500 filled Antalya Arena.
“Honestly, this was really special to play in,” U.S. opposite Annie Drews said. “To see the way Turkish fans value volleyball is really, really incredible. This is a match I don’t think I’ll forget for a very long time.”
The U.S. Women get the week off while the U.S. Men play their first four VNL matches on June 7-11 in Ottawa, Canada. The U.S. Women will be back on the court on June 13 when they play Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil.
The U.S. Women edged Türkiye in kills (62-61). Türkiye led in blocks (13-3) and aces (8-3). The U.S. scored 30 points on Türkiye errors while losing 21 points.
“Honestly, after the fourth set, we were in the mud,” Drews said. “We could not be further in a hole. But we (said), ‘We’re going to be there. We’re going to climb our way out of it. So just (take it) one at a time.”
Drews led the U.S. scoring with 19 points on 17 kills and two aces. Outside hitter Avery Skinner added 16 points on 16 kills. Khalia Lanier scored 12 points on 11 kills and one ace.
Setter Micha Hancock led the team in digs with 13 and scored four points on three kills and one ace. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 12 digs and four successful receptions. Skinner and Lanier each had seven successful receptions.
Among other scorers, middle blocker Dana Rettke scored nine points on eight kills and one block. Middle Asjia O’Neal, who took over for Brionne Butler in the second set, scored five points on four kills and one block. Butler had three points on three kills.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino, outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry and outside Brooke Nuneviller all played as substitutes.
VNL matches are livestreamed in the United States on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Preliminary Round 1
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
31 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: James Suchy
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 (all times PT) at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31: USA def Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12)
June 2: USA def. Italy 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
June 3: USA def. Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11)
June 4: USA def Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9)
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Croatia
June 15 at 10 a.m. USA vs Thailand
June 17 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
June 18 at 6 a.m. USA vs Brazil
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
After going five sets in the first two VNL matches, The U.S. Women’s National Team needed only three sets to defeat Korea 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-11) on Saturday in Antalya, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women’s National Team found itself in a 2-1 hole for the second straight match but once again battled back for a five-set victory, this time over world No. 2 Italy (25-16, 14-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9) on Friday in Antalya, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) by winning a battle with world No. 1 Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12) on Wednesday in Antalya, Türkiye
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Middle Blocker, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 26, 2023) – USA Volleyball has revealed the 14-player roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team that will travel to Antalya, Türkiye, for the first week of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round.
Volleyball Nations League is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament. The top 16 teams in the world play four matches a week for three weeks of preliminary competition. The top eight teams at the end of the preliminaries will go to the Final Round.
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s VNL Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, which means the U.S. automatically qualifies.
Get tickets for the final round at tickets.volleyballworld.com/arlington.
The U.S. Women’s roster offers a balance of veterans and players brand new to VNL.
The roster includes three gold medalists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: opposite Annie Drews, setter Micha Hancock and libero Justine Wong-Orantes.
Players on the roster with previous VNL experience are libero Morgan Hentz, middle blockers Brionne Butler and Dana Rettke, and opposite Danielle Cuttino.
VNL rookies on the roster are outside hitters Roni Jones-Perry, Khalia Lanier, Brooke Nuneviller and Avery Skinner, middles Madeleine Gates and Asjia O’Neal, and setter Ashley Evans.
The team is led by Head Coach Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist as a player who took over as head coach of the U.S. Women in 2013.
Kiraly’s first assistant is Tama Miyashiro, who won a silver medal as a libero with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The second assistants will be Alfee Reft and Erin Virtue.
The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic champions and ranked No. 4 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018.
The U.S. Women will face world No. 1 and defending world champion Serbia in their first match. They will play world No. 2 and defending VNL champion Italy in their second match.
VNL matches will be livestreamed in the United States on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2023 VNL Preliminary Round 1
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1C Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
26 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
31 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Tama Miyashiro
Second Assistant Coaches: Alfee Reft, Erin Virtue
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: James Suchy
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2023 VNL
All matches will be broadcast on volleyballworld.tv
Week 1 (all times PT) at Antalya, Türkiye
May 31 at 7 a.m. USA vs Serbia
June 2 at 10 a.m. USA vs Italy
June 3 at 7 a.m. USA vs Korea
June 4 at 10 a.m. USA vs Türkiye
Week 2 at Brasilia, Brazil
June 13 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Croatia
June 15 at 10 a.m. USA vs Thailand
June 17 at 1:30 p.m. USA vs Japan
June 18 at 6 a.m. USA vs Brazil
Week 3 at Suwon, Korea
June 27 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Poland
June 28 at 11:30 p.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 1 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs Germany
July 2 at 1:30 a.m. USA vs China
Final Round on July 12-16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas
USA Volleyball announces its 30-player Women’s National Team roster for the 2023 Volleyball Nations League (VNL)
Leagues are moving deeper into the playoffs and the CEV Cup was awarded in this week’s update
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Libero, 5-9
Middle Blocker, 6-8
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 9, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team picked up a victory the hard way tonight, defeating Canada in a five-set comeback (21-25 18-25, 25-16, 25-17, 15-12) at the 2023 ParaVolley Pan American Zonal Championship in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The match was the first in a best-of-five series between the U.S. and Canada, with the winner earning a berth to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. The U.S. has won the last two Paralympic gold medals and is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. Canada is ranked No. 3.
The two teams traded points in set one until they were tied at 21. Then, Canada reeled off two aces, a block and a kill to win 25-21. In set two, Canada pushed ahead early and never looked back, winning 25-18. The U.S. regained their focus and power in the third and fourth sets with all-around solid play. In the deciding set, the U.S. had an early lead, but Canada crawled back to even the score at 12. After the U.S. went ahead 13-12, Canada made errors on the final two points for the U.S. victory.
“It was a heck of a match, for sure,” U.S. head coach Bill Hamiter said. “Both sides played well throughout. Canada came out on fire, and we just weren’t matching that intensity. One thing I kept telling our players though, our error count was low throughout. We just gotta keep counting on our play. We just had to keep competing. You’re good players; you gotta play good. That’s the bottom line.”
Heather Erickson led the team with 16 points on 12 kills and four blocks. Nicky Nieves scored 13 points on nine kills, three blocks and an ace. Monique Matthews scored 13 points on eight kills, four blocks and and an ace. Tia Edwards scored 10 points (five kills, three blocks, two aces); Kaleo Maclay scored nine (four kills, two blocks, three aces); Whitney Dosty had four points on three blocks and a kill). Emma Schieck, Lora Webster and Lexi Shifflett all scored two, and libero Sydney Satchell had one.
Canada’s Danielle Ellis led all scorers with 21 points on 17 kills, two blocks and two aces.
Schedule/Results (all times PT)
Tuesday, May 9
USA def. Canada, 3-2 (21-25 18-25, 25-16, 25-17, 15-12)
Wednesday, May 10
3:30 p.m. vs. Canada
Thursday, May 11
6 p.m. vs. Canada
Friday, May 12
3:30 p.m. vs. Canada
Saturday, May 13
3 p.m. vs. Canada
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, Region)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y., Garden Empire)
3 Lexi Shifflett-Patterson (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn., North Country)
4 Maddy Ball (OH, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla., Florida)
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, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
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: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jeffery Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Sport Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
The top two men's sitting teams in the zone squared off Tuesday afternoon in the first match at the ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship, with No. 1 Brazil defeating the No. 2 U.S. Men 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23).
Paralympic qualification is on the line this week when the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting Teams compete at the ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championship on May 9-13 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Outside Hitter, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Outside Hitter/Opposite, 6-3
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Opposite, 6-0
Setter, 5-6
Middle, 6-0
Middle Blocker, 5-10
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Libero, 5-2
Outside Hitter, 5-7
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 15, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team finished the FIVB World Championship in fourth place after losing the bronze medal match to Italy 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 27-25) on Saturday in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women finished the tournament 8-4. They finished the FIVB season 19-6.
Italy dominated the match, leading in kills (42-31), blocks (10-7) and aces (4-3). Italy scored on 21 points on U.S. errors while giving up 19. Italy opposite Paola Egonu led all scorers with 25 points.
“We just need to execute better, serve tougher and just let her rip,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly told VolleyballWorld.tv between the second and third sets. “We’re playing a little too timid against this team.”
Opposite Annie Drews led U.S. scoring with 10 points on nine kills and one ace.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook added eight points on eight kills. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu scored six points on three kills and three blocks.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons, who started the second and third sets, scored six points on five kills and one block.
Middle Haleigh Washington finished with five points on three kills, one block and one ace.
Starting setter Lauren Carlini totaled three points on two blocks and an ace. Starting outside hitter Kara Bajema had three points on three kills.
Justine Wong-Orantes and Morgan Hentz shared libero duties. Opposite Danielle Cuttino and middle Hannah Tapp each played as substitutes.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Poland def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
USA def Türkiye, 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22)
USA def Thailand 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-13)
Quarterfinals
USA def Türkiye, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-20)
Semifinals
Serbia def USA, 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23)
Brazil beat Italy, 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19)
Finals
Oct. 15
Bronze medal: Italy def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 27-25)
Gold medal: Serbia def Brazil, 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-17)
The U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the bronze medal at the FIVB World Championship after falling to defending world champion Serbia 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23) in the semifinals on Wednesday in Gliwice, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Türkiye (25-22, 25-15, 25-20) on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the FIVB World Championship in Gliwice, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team will play Türkiye in the quarterfinals of the FIVB World Championship at 8:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday (Oct. 11) in Gliwice, Poland
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 12, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the bronze medal at the FIVB World Championship after falling to defending world champion Serbia 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23) in the semifinals on Wednesday in Gliwice, Poland.
In the bronze medal match, the U.S. Women will play the loser of Thursday’s semifinal match between Brazil and Italy. The bronze medal match will be Saturday at 7 a.m. PT in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Against Serbia, the U.S. Women led in blocks (7-6) and aces (8-4). But they trailed in kills (62-53) and struggled to slow down Serbia’s opposite Tijana Boškovic, who finished with 33 points on 32 kills and one block.
It did look like the U.S. Women might take the match to a fifth set. Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, who was part of the U.S. team that won the 2014 World title, led the comeback in the third set, scoring nine points on eight kills and one block.
The U.S. led 15-13 in the fourth set, but Serbia tied it at 15s. The teams traded points, but at 19-19, Serbia went on a four-point run and the U.S. never recovered.
Cook led the U.S. scoring with 18 points on a team-high 16 kills and two blocks. Opposite Annie Drews added 14 points on 12 kills and two aces.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu totaled 10 points on six kills, a team-high three blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who started the first three sets, finished with 10 points on eight kills and two aces.
Outside hitter Kara Bajema, who took over for Frantti in the third set and started the fourth, scored six points on five kills and one ace. Middle Haleigh Washington totaled five points on four kills and one block.
Setter Jordyn Poulter scored three points on two aces and a kill. Opposite Danielle Cuttino played as a substitute and scored two points on a kill and a block.
Setter Lauren Carlini and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons also played as substitutes.
Liberos Justine Wong-Orantes and Morgan Hentz again split time at the position. Wong-Orantes was credited with three digs and two successful receptions. Hentz had three digs. Drews led the team in digs with six and Poulter had four.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Poland def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
USA def Türkiye, 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22)
USA def Thailand 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-13)
Quarterfinals
USA def Türkiye, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-20)
Semifinals
Serbia def USA, 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23)
Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. Italy vs Brazil
Finals
Oct. 15
Bronze medal at 7 a.m.: USA vs Brazil/Italy loser
Gold medal at 11 a.m.: Serbia vs Brazil/Italy winner
The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Türkiye (25-22, 25-15, 25-20) on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the FIVB World Championship in Gliwice, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team will play Türkiye in the quarterfinals of the FIVB World Championship at 8:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday (Oct. 11) in Gliwice, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team held off a challenge from Türkiye to win their FIVB World Championship match 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22) on Friday in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team is now in third place in Pool F with a 5-2 record at the FIVB World Championships after falling to host Poland on Wednesday, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in Łódź
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 9, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play Türkiye in the quarterfinals of the FIVB World Championship at 8:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday (Oct. 11) in Gliwice, Poland.
The U.S. Women (7-2) placed second in Pool F after beating Thailand on Saturday, 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-13). Türkiye (6-3) finished third. One of Türkiye’s losses was to the U.S. Women on Oct. 7.
Against Thailand, the U.S. Women battled back from an 0-2 deficit led by middle blockers Haleigh Washington and Chiaka Ogbogu.
Washington led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. Ogbogu scored 14 points on 12 kills and two blocks.
“Chiaka and I have been working really hard to make ourselves as available as we can and to be in good blocking position,” Washington said. “It’s been a process throughout this whole tournament. I’m just stoked that we managed to pull it off on the last day of pool play.”
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who started the first four sets, also scored in double figures with 13 points on 13 kills.
Outside hitter Kara Bajema, who took over for Kelsey (Robinson) Cook in the second set and finished the match, scored 12 points on nine kills, one block and the United States’ only two aces.
Opposite Annie Drews, who started the first four points, scored 11 points on 10 kills and one block.
Jordyn Poulter started the first two sets while Lauren Carlini finished the match. Justine Wong-Orantes and Morgan Hentz combined libero duties.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Poland def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
USA def Türkiye, 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22)
USA def Thailand 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-13)
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Türkiye
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s National Team held off a challenge from Türkiye to win their FIVB World Championship match 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22) on Friday in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team is now in third place in Pool F with a 5-2 record at the FIVB World Championships after falling to host Poland on Wednesday, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in Łódź
The U.S. Women’s National Team came back from a first-set loss to beat the Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14) on Tuesday at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team held off a challenge from Türkiye to win their FIVB World Championship match 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22) on Friday in Łódź, Poland.
The U.S. Women improved to 6-2 in Pool F and are in second place behind Serbia (8-0), the only unbeaten team left in the tournament. The top four teams in each pool advance to the quarterfinals.
The U.S. Women finish the second round of pool play against Thailand (4-4) at 6 a.m. PT on Sunday.
The U.S. Women and Türkiye know each other well, having played four previous matches this year. The U.S. Women won their VNL contest and took all three USAV Cup friendly matches in August.
“The matches in Southern California were great preparation,” U.S. libero Justine Wong-Orantes said. “Both teams know each other so well so I was super happy with what our team showed tonight across the board.”
The match was a battle from the start, with the U.S. Women fighting back from a 10-14 deficit in the first set and dropping the second before coming back in the third and fourth.
Türkiye led in kills (55-49) while the U.S. Women led in blocks (15-10) and aces (9-5). Team USA scored 23 points on Türkiye errors while giving up 19.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on seven kills (.500 hitting efficiency), a match-high six blocks and two aces.
“I’m really proud of this team,” Ogbogu said. “After our last loss (to Poland), we really wanted to focus on block and defense. One thing about this team, we are going to respond, always.”
Setter Jordyn Poulter scored five points on a match-high four aces and one block.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook stayed aggressive throughout the match and finished with 14 points on 13 kills (.400) and one block. Opposite Annie Drews finished with 13 points on 10 kills, two blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti added 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace. Middle Haleigh Washington finished with eight points on four kills, three blocks and one ace.
Backup opposite Danielle Cuttino scored six points on five kills and one block.
Setter Lauren Carlini and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons played as substitutes.
Wong-Orantes and libero Morgan Hentz took turns in the position, with Wong-Orantes in serve receive and Hentz on defense.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Poland def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
USA def Türkiye, 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22)
Oct. 8 at 6 a.m. USA vs Thailand
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s National Team is now in third place in Pool F with a 5-2 record at the FIVB World Championships after falling to host Poland on Wednesday, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in Łódź
The U.S. Women’s National Team came back from a first-set loss to beat the Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14) on Tuesday at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished second in Pool C at the FIVB World Championships after losing its first match of the tournament on Saturday, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13) to Serbia in Łódź, Poland
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Libero, 5-9
Setter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 5, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is now in third place in Pool F with a 5-2 record at the FIVB World Championships after falling to host Poland on Wednesday, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18) in Łódź.
Team USA gets a day off on Thursday before finishing pool play against Türkiye on Friday and Thailand on Saturday. The top four teams in the pool advance to the quarterfinals.
Poland led the U.S. Women in kills (37-34) and blocks (12-4). The U.S. Women led in aces (4-3). Poland scored on 23 U.S. errors while committing 19.
Poland’s 6-8 opposite Magdalena Stysiak led all scorers with 19 points on 16 kills and three blocks.
Opposite Annie Drews led the U.S. scoring with 12 points on 12 kills. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington added eight points on five kills, two blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook and middle Chiaka Ogbogu each finished with six points. Ogbogu had six kills and Cook had five kills and one block.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti started the first two sets and scored five points on two kills, one block and two aces.
Setter Jordyn Poulter had two points on a kill and an ace. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with five digs.
Outside hitter Kara Bajema, who took over for Frantti in the second set, scored on two kills.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino, who played as a substitute, scored on a kill. Setter Lauren Carlini and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons also played as substitutes.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Poland def USA, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-18)
Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Türkiye
Oct. 8 at 6 a.m. USA vs Thailand
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s National Team came back from a first-set loss to beat the Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14) on Tuesday at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished second in Pool C at the FIVB World Championships after losing its first match of the tournament on Saturday, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13) to Serbia in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women led 11-0 in aces in sweeping Germany (25-17, 25-13, 26-24) on Friday in a pool-play match at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 4, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team came back from a first-set loss to beat the Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14) on Tuesday at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland.
The U.S. Women (5-1) will continue the second phase of pool play on Wednesday when they will play host Poland (3-2) at 11:30 a.m. PT.
After losing the first set, the U.S. Women fell behind 7-11 in the second before mounting the comeback.
“We always expect a battle with the Dominicans,” said U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter who finished with four points including two aces and a block. “They’re an extremely physical group and they came out hot. We were on our heels the entire first set, which made it difficult to find our rhythm.
“We maintained a level of composure and picked a couple of defensive upgrades to home in on, on top of turning up the service pressure.”
The U.S. Women struggled early to find their way around Dominican middle blockers Jineiry Martinez and Geraldine Gonzalez, who each finished with five blocks.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who led the U.S. scoring with 17 points on 14 kills, one block and two aces, said patience was the key.
“Credit to them, they put up a really strong block,” Frantti said. “I just have to be patient when that happens. My team really helped me out with advice and coverage.”
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 11 digs. Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook added seven.
The U.S. Women led the match in kills (63-47) and aces (6-2). The Dominican Republic led in blocks (12-10). The teams tied in errors (17-17).
Opposite Annie Drews finished with 15 points on 14 kills and one ace. Cook finished with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker Haleigh Washington totaled 11 points on seven kills, a team-high three blocks and one ace. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu finished with nine points on seven kills and two blocks.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino, who played in every set as a substitute, scored five points on five kills. Middle Hannah Tapp, who took over for Ogbogu in the fourth set, scored three points on two kills and one block.
Setter Lauren Carlini and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons also played as substitutes.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Serbia def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
Pool Play Round Two
Łódź, Poland
USA def Dominican Republic, 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14)
Oct. 5 at 11:30 a.m. USA vs Poland
Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Türkiye
Oct. 8 at 6 a.m. USA vs Thailand
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s National Team finished second in Pool C at the FIVB World Championships after losing its first match of the tournament on Saturday, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-13) to Serbia in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women led 11-0 in aces in sweeping Germany (25-17, 25-13, 26-24) on Friday in a pool-play match at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s National Team put another check in the win column on Thursday with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15) win over Bulgaria at the World Championships in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s Team improved to 2-0 in pool play at the FIVB World Championships with a sweep (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) of Canada on Monday in Ahren, Netherlands
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 30, 2022) – The U.S. Women led 11-0 in aces in sweeping Germany (25-17, 25-13, 26-24) on Friday in a pool-play match at the FIVB World Championship in Łódź, Poland.
The U.S. Women (4-0) will play Serbia (4-0) for pool supremacy on Saturday at 10 a.m. PT. The top four finishers in each pool will advance to the second round of pool play.
Middle blocker Anna Hall, who entered the match midway through the second set and played all of the third for starter Haleigh Washington, led all scorers with 12 points on six kills, a match-high three blocks and three aces.
“I’m just proud of the team that we feel like we can put anyone in (the match), and the team feels confident in me,” Hall said. “We’ve been itching to play, but even playing the best in practice is pretty sweet.”
Starting opposite Annie Drews finished with nine points on a match-high four aces, four kills and one block.
Middle Hannah Tapp, who started the second and third sets for Chiaka Ogbogu, finished with six points on three kills and three aces. Washington also had six points on five kills and one block.
Starting setter Lauren Carlini said the team had been working on its setter/hitter connections.
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work the past few months after VNL and it’s showing in all our connections,” said Carlini, who set the team to a .418 hitting efficiency and scored five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace. “The trust we’ve built within our team is tremendous.”
Opposite Danielle Cuttino, who started the match mid second set for Drews, scored six points on six kills.
Outside hitter Kara Bajema started the second and third sets for Ali Frantti and scored five points on five kills. Outside Kelsey (Robinson) Cook added three points on three kills. Sarah Wilhite Parsons, who started midway through the second set for Cook, had two points on two kills.
Libero Morgan Hentz was credited with four digs and two successful receptions. Carlini led in digs with five and Bajema led in receptions with five.
The U.S. Women again received vocal support at the match from members of the U.S. Air Force’s 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (F-22 Raptors).
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24)
Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Pool Play Round Two
Oct. 2-9
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s National Team put another check in the win column on Thursday with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15) win over Bulgaria at the World Championships in Łódź, Poland
The U.S. Women’s Team improved to 2-0 in pool play at the FIVB World Championships with a sweep (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) of Canada on Monday in Ahren, Netherlands
The U.S. Women’s National Team dominated Kazakhstan with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22) victory to open the 2022 FIVB World Championships in Arnhem, Netherlands on Sunday
USA Volleyball announces the 14 players who will comprise the U.S. Women’s National Team at the FIVB World Championships on Sept. 23-Oct. 15 in Netherlands and Poland
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 29, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team put another check in the win column on Thursday with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15) victory over Bulgaria at the World Championships in Łódź, Poland.
This pool-play match was the first of three in a row for the United States, which will play Germany on Friday (10 a.m. PT on Sept. 30) and Serbia on Saturday (10 a.m. PT on Oct. 1).
The U.S. Women lead Pool C with a 3-0 record and nine points (teams receive three points for each 3-0 and 3-1 victory). The top four teams from each pool will advance to the second round of pool play.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu stood out for the U.S. Women, finishing with 16 points on eight kills, a match-high five blocks and three aces.
“Our setters did a great job to put our setter, Lauren, in great positions to run the middle,” Ogbogu said. “When it comes to blocks, I can’t block well unless my pins set me up. Shout out to all my pins tonight for setting up the blocks.”
Setter Lauren Carlini made her first start of the World Championships and set the team to a .417 hitting efficiency.
Libero Morgan Hentz also made her first Worlds appearance for Justin Wong-Orantes, taking over in the second set. She was credited with seven digs and two successful receptions. Wong-Orantes finished with seven digs.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti led all scorers with 19 points on 17 kills (.625), one block and one ace. Outside hitter Kelsey Cook scored 15 points on 12 kills, two blocks and one ace.
Opposite Annie Drews totaled 13 points on seven kills, two blocks and a match-high four aces, three of which came in a row near the end of the third set.
Middle Haleigh Washington scored eight points on five kills, one block and two aces, which also came in a row in the fourth set.
Carlini scored two points on a kill and block and serving substitute Sarah Wilhite Parsons scored with an ace.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino finished the fourth set for Drews.
The U.S. led Bulgaria in kills (50-43), blocks (12-4) and aces (12-3). The U.S. Women scored 24 points on Bulgaria’s errors and gave up 15.
The U.S. Women received vocal support at the match from members of the U.S. Air Force’s 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (F-22 Raptors).
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
USA def Bulgaria, 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-15)
Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. USA vs Germany
Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Pool Play Round Two
Oct. 2-9
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
The U.S. Women’s Team improved to 2-0 in pool play at the FIVB World Championships with a sweep (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) of Canada on Monday in Ahren, Netherlands
The U.S. Women’s National Team dominated Kazakhstan with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22) victory to open the 2022 FIVB World Championships in Arnhem, Netherlands on Sunday
USA Volleyball announces the 14 players who will comprise the U.S. Women’s National Team at the FIVB World Championships on Sept. 23-Oct. 15 in Netherlands and Poland
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team improved to 2-0 in pool play at the FIVB World Championships with a sweep (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) of Canada on Monday in Ahren, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women will have two days off while they travel to Poland to finish pool play. They will play Bulgaria at 10 a.m. PT on Thursday.
The U.S. Women led Canada in kills (43-39), blocks (8-3) and aces (7-2). The U.S. scored 18 points on U.S. errors and committed 14.
The U.S. had a bit of a scare in the second set when Canada took set point at 24-23. Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook tied the score with a kill. She then served for the final two points and got a key dig as outside hitter Ali Frantti gave the U.S. the win with two successful attacks.
“I think we played with a lot of poise tonight,” Cook said. “Even when Canada pushed us, we stayed steady and patient and scored points when we had the chance. I’m really proud of our team and it’s one step in the right direction.”
Frantti led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 14 kills (.520) and one block.
“You have to focus in those moments,” Frantti said of the finish in the second set. “I like those moments actually, the pressure. It’s a battle each point.”
Starting setter Jordyn Poulter, who got some help from Lauren Carlini in the third set, helped the team to a .411 hitting efficiency.
Opposite Annie Drews finished the match with 14 points on 11 kills (.500), one block and two aces.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu scored 10 points on six kills (.455) and a match-high four blocks. Cook finished with eight points on eight kills and led the team in digs with seven.
Poulter scored six points on a match-high three aces along with one kill and two blocks. Middle Haleigh Washington finished with three points on two kills and one ace.
Outside hitter and serving substitute Sarah Wilhite Parsons scored a point with an ace and backup opposite Danielle Cuttino had a kill.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with six excellent receptions and four digs. Frantti led in receptions with six and had four digs.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)
Łódź, Poland
Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. USA vs Bulgaria
Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. USA vs Germany
Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Pool Play Round Two
Oct. 2-9
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 24, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dominated Kazakhstan with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22) victory to open the 2022 FIVB World Championships in Arnhem, Netherlands on Sunday.
The U.S Women (1-0) will continue pool play at Worlds on Monday at noon PT against Canada (0-0).
The U.S. Women led Kazakhstan in kills (47-24), blocks (5-3) and aces (6-2). Kazakhstan scored 22 points on U.S. errors while committing 17.
U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter helped her team to a .434 hitting efficiency.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti led all scorers with 14 points on a match-high 13 kills and one ace. Opposite Annie Drews scored 13 points on 10 kills, one block and three aces.
“We didn’t know much about Kazakhstan. It’s not a team we face very often,” Drews said. “We put a lot of importance on our side and what we could control and how we are going to set the tone for this tournament.”
Outside hitter and team captain Kelsey (Robinson) Cook finished with 12 points on 11 kills and one block.
Middle blocker Haleigh Washington totaled nine points on five kills, two blocks and two aces and middle Chiaka Ogbogu added eight points on seven kills and one block.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with eight digs and one excellent reception. Poulter had seven digs and Frantti led in receptions with four.
Poulter scored two points on a kill and an ace. Sarah Wilhite Parsons played as a substitute.
Matches are being livestreamed on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They won the World Championships for the first time in 2014. They took silver in 1967 and 2002. They took third in 1982 and 1990. They tied for fifth at the last World Championships in 2018.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 FIVB World Championships
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna (Stevenson) Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Specialist: Tony Poland
Team Doctors: Warren Young and Steven Stovitz
U.S. Schedule for the World Championships
All times PT
Pool Play Round One
Arnhem, Netherlands
USA def Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22)
Sept. 26 at noon USA vs Canada
Łódź, Poland
Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. USA vs Bulgaria
Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. USA vs Germany
Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Pool Play Round Two
Oct. 2-9
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11
Semifinals
Oct. 12-13
Finals
Oct. 15
USA Volleyball announces the 14 players who will comprise the U.S. Women’s National Team at the FIVB World Championships on Sept. 23-Oct. 15 in Netherlands and Poland
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 10, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six won the silver medal on Saturday after losing in the final to the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 26-24).
The U.S. Women finished the tournament 4-3.
Dominican Republic dominated the match statistics, leading in kills (44-37), blocks (8-3) and aces (2-0). The Dominican scored 22 points on U.S. errors and committed 18.
U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner, who started the first two sets, led the team in scoring with 11 points on 10 kills and one block.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry scored nine points on nine kills. Substitute outside hitter Dani Drews, who took over for Skinner in the second set and started the third, scored seven points on seven kills.
Middle blocker Madeliene Gates totaled four points on four kills.
Middle Brionne Butler, who took over for starter Ali Bastianelli in the second set and started the third, added three points on two kills and a block.
Starting opposite Stephanie Samedy had two points on two kills. Middle Ronika Stone, who played as a substitute, scored two points on two kills.
Opposite Nia Reed and Bastianelli each scored a point on a kill.
Setter Tori Dilfer set the team to a .226 hitting efficiency. Libero Kendall White was credited with seven digs and 12 excellent receptions.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Alli (Stumler) Linnehan (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manager and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
PUR def. CAN, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18
USA def. MEX, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18)
DOM def. CUB, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18
Sept. 5
CUB def CAN, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-21)
PUR def USA, 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20)
DOM def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
Sept. 6
MEX def CUB, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11)
USA def CAN, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22)
DOM def PUR, 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-17)
Sept. 7
PUR def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-8)
USA def CUB, 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-17)
DOM def CAN, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-15)
Sept. 8
CUB def. PUR, 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 22-25, 15-13)
CAN def. MEX, 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25)
DOM def. USA, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-19)
Sept. 9
CAN def MEX, 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 15-25, 16-14
USA def PUR, 3-1 (30-28, 26-28, 25-22, 26-24)
DOM def CUB, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-16)
Sept. 10
Bronze: CAN def MEX, 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-18)
Gold: DOM def USA, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 26-24)
The U.S. Women are headed to the championship match of the Pan American Cup Final 6 after beating Puerto Rico on Friday, 3-1 (30-28, 26-28, 25-22, 26-24) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
he U.S. Women’s Team (3-2) will move on to the semifinals at the Pan American Cup Final Six despite a three-set loss to the home team Thursday night in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup improved to 3-1 after winning two matches in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Libero, 5-5
Opposite, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 9, 2022) – The U.S. Women are headed to the championship match of the Pan American Cup Final 6 after beating Puerto Rico on Friday, 3-1 (30-28, 26-28, 25-22, 26-24) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. will play the Dominican Republic in the gold medal match on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT. Watch live at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe.
In Friday’s match, the U.S. led in kills (64-41) and blocks (15-10). Puerto Rico led in aces (6-4). The U.S. scored on 24 Puerto Rican errors while committing 25.
U.S. outside hitter Dani Drews ked 6the U.S. scoring with 21 points on 15 kills, five blocks and one ace. Opposite Stephanie Samedy scored 21 points on 21 kills.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner totaled 19 points on 16 kills, two blocks and one ace.
Middle blocker Madeleine Gates totaled eight points on four kills, three blocks and one ace.
Middle Brionne Butler tallied seven points on four kills and three blocks.
Setter Tori Dilfer scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. Dilfer set the U.S. to a .415 hitting efficiency.
Middle Ali Bastianelli played as a substitute and scored three points on two kills and one block.
Libero Kendall White was credited with six digs and nine excellent receptions. Bergen Reilly played as a substitute setter.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Alli (Stumler) Linnehan (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manger and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
PUR def. CAN, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18
USA def. MEX, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18)
DOM def. CUB, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18
Sept. 5
CUB def CAN, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-21)
PUR def USA, 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20)
DOM def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
Sept. 6
MEX def CUB, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11)
USA def CAN, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22)
DOM def PUR, 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-17)
Sept. 7
PUR def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-8)
USA def CUB, 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-17)
DOM def CAN, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-15)
Sept. 8
CUB def. PUR, 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 22-25, 15-13)
CAN def. MEX, 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25)
DOM def. USA, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-19)
Sept. 9
CAN def MEX, 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 15-25, 16-14
USA def PUR, 3-1 (30-28, 26-28, 25-22, 26-24)
DOM def CUB, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-16)
Sept. 10
14:00 Third-place match
16:00 First-place match
he U.S. Women’s Team (3-2) will move on to the semifinals at the Pan American Cup Final Six despite a three-set loss to the home team Thursday night in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup improved to 3-1 after winning two matches in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six fought hard but couldn’t get past Puerto Rico and fell 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20) on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Libero, 5-5
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 8, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team (3-2) will move on to the semifinals at the Pan American Cup Final Six despite a three-set loss to the home team Thursday night in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic (5-0) swept the U.S. Women 25-19, 25-17, 25-19.
The U.S. had no answer for the Dominican Republic’s powerful offense on Thursday. The home team led in kills (51-31), blocks (5-2) and aces (4-1).
Outside hitter Dani Drews led the U.S. with 14 points on 14 kills. Opposite Nia Reed scored five points on five kills, as did middle Ronika Stone.
Setter Bergen Reilly scored three on two kills and one ace, and middle Ali Bastanielli scored three on one kill and two blocks. Outside hitter Alli (Stumler) Linnehan had two points on two kills, and opposite Stephanie Samedy had two points on two kills.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Alli (Stumler) Linnehan (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manger and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
PUR def. CAN, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18
USA def. MEX, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18)
DOM def. CUB, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18
Sept. 5
CUB def CAN, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-21)
PUR def USA, 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20)
DOM def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
Sept. 6
MEX def CUB, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11)
USA def CAN, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22)
DOM def PUR, 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-17)
Sept. 7
PUR def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-8)
USA def CUB, 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-17)
DOM def CAN, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-15)
Sept. 8
CUB def. PUR, 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 22-25, 15-13)
CAN def. MEX, 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25)
DOM def. USA, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-19)
Sept. 9
12:00 5 v 6
14:00 2 v 3
16:00 1 v 4
Sept. 10
14:00 Third-place match
16:00 First-place match
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup improved to 3-1 after winning two matches in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six fought hard but couldn’t get past Puerto Rico and fell 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20) on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Dani Drews led all scorers with 15 points as the U.S. Women's National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18) on day one of the Pan American Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Fourteen athletes have been selected to be part of the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six, which starts Sunday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Libero, 5-5
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 5, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six fought hard but couldn’t get past Puerto Rico and fell 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20) on Monday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (1-1) will look to bounce back against Canada (0-2) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. PT.
The U.S. led Puerto Rico in kills (50-40) and blocks (17-13). Puerto Rico led in aces (11-5) and had five players score in double figures while the U.S. had two.
The U.S. Women U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner led all scorers with 19 points on 17 kills and two blocks. Opposite Stephanie Samedy, who started the first three sets, added 11 points on eight kills and three blocks.
Libero Kendall White was credited with 17 digs and 15 excellent receptions. Skinner led the team in excellent receptions with 19.
U.S. middle blocker Brionne Butler scored eight points on two kills, three blocks and three aces. Backup middle Madeleine Gates started the third and fourth sets and totaled eight points on five kills and three blocks.
Starting outside hitter Alli (Stumler) Linnehan started the first two sets and scored seven points on six kills and one block. Outside Roni Jones-Perry started the third and fourth sets and scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.
Backup opposite Nia Reed subbed in the third set and started the fourth and scored five points on five kills. Starting setter Tori Dilfer scored four points on one kill, two blocks and one ace. Backup setter Bergen Reilly added a point with a kill.
Starting middle blocker Ronica Stone played the first two sets and scored one point on a block. Backup middle Ali Bastianelli scored a point with a kill.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
29 Alli (Stumler) Linnehan (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manger and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
PUR def. CAN, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18
USA def. MEX, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18)
DOM def. CUB, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18
Sept. 5
CUB def CAN, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-21)
PUR def USA, 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 25-20)
DOM def MEX, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
Sept. 6
12:00 CUB v MEX
14:00 USA v CAN
16:00 DOM v PUR
Sept. 7
12:00 MEX v PUR
14:00 USA v CUB
16:00 DOM v CAN
Sept. 8
12:00 PUR v CUB
14:00 CAN v MEX
16:00 DOM v USA
Sept. 9
12:00 5 v 6
14:00 2 v 3
16:00 1 v 4
Sept. 10
14:00 Third-place match
16:00 First-place match
Dani Drews led all scorers with 15 points as the U.S. Women's National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18) on day one of the Pan American Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Fourteen athletes have been selected to be part of the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six, which starts Sunday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Libero, 5-5
Opposite, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-0
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 4, 2022) – Outside hitter Dani Drews led all scorers with 15 points as the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18) on day one of the Pan American Cup Final Six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women kept a steady pace throughout the match and outpaced Mexico in kills (42-34), blocks (7-2) and aces (10-3).
Drews scored all but one of her points on kills; she also had an ace.
“It was a good team win,” Drews said. “We were able to use our entire lineup, and everyone did their job. I think Mexico is a good team. They play good defense, and I wish them good luck the rest of the tournament.”
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry, one of the leaders of the U.S. Women’s team that won bronze two weeks ago at the Pan Am Cup, scored 13 points on nine kills, one block and three aces. Middle Ali Bastianelli collected 11 points on seven kills, two blocks and two aces.
Also scoring for the U.S. Women were opposite Nia Reed with 10 (nine kills, one ace); middle Madeleine Gates with eight (three kills, three blocks, two serves), setter Tori Dilfer with two (one block, one ace). Libero Kendall White notched a team-leading four digs.
Seventeen-year-old Bergen Reilly made her debut with the U.S. Women in the third set. Earlier this summer, the high school senior represented the U.S. at the Girls U19 Pan Am Cup in Tulsa. Reilly was named MVP and Best Setter of that tournament, which the U.S. Girls won.
The U.S. Women face Puerto Rico on Sept. 5 at 2 p.m. PT.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Alli Stumler (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manger and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
PUR def. CAN, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18
USA def. MEX, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-18)
DOM def. CUB, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18
Sept. 5
12:00 CUB v CAN
14:00 USA v PUR
16:00 DOM v MEX
Sept. 6
12:00 CUB v MEX
14:00 USA v CAN
16:00 DOM v PUR
Sept. 7
12:00 MEX v PUR
14:00 USA v CUB
16:00 DOM v CAN
Sept. 8
12:00 PUR v CUB
14:00 CAN v MEX
16:00 DOM v USA
Sept. 9
12:00 5 v 6
14:00 2 v 3
16:00 1 v 4
Sept. 10
14:00 Third-place match
16:00 First-place match
Fourteen athletes have been selected to be part of the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six, which starts Sunday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 3, 2022) – Fourteen athletes have been selected to be part of the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six, which starts Sunday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Eleven players on the team return from the Pan American Cup team that won bronze on Aug. 28 in Mexico.
Setter: Tori Dilfer
Outside hitters: Dani Drews, Roni Jones-Perry and Avery Skinner
Middle blockers: Ali Bastianelli, Brionne Butler and Madeleine Gates
Opposites: Nia Reed and Stephanie Samedy
Liberos: Kendall White and Hana Lishman
Skinner was honored as Best Spiker and Best Scorer at the Pan Am Cup.
Three players joining the team are setter Bergen Reilly, outside hitter Alli Stumler and middle Ronika Stone.
Stumler and Stone have been part of the training group for the team.
Reilly, 17, is joining the team for the first time in Santo Domingo after playing earlier this summer for the United States at the Girls U19 Pan Am Cup in Tulsa. Reilly was named MVP and Best Setter of that tournament, which the U.S. Girls won. After the tournament, she will return to Sioux Falls, S.D., to play her senior season at O’Gorman High School.
Michelle Chatman, who was an assistant coach for the Pan American Cup team, will be the head coach in Santo Domingo. The assistant coaches will be Jonathan Charette and five-time Olympian Danielle Scott.
“Our team plays with a lot of passion and a lot excitement and so we are expecting our players to play well,” Chatman said. “I think that all of the teams competing here are in very good shape. We all trained hard, so it is going to be a lot of fun to compete.
The Pan American Cup Final Six format will be five days of round-robin. The top four teams will move on to the semifinals on Sept. 9.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup Final Six
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., O’Gorman High School, North Country)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
29 Alli Stumler (OH, 6-1, Floyds Knob, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Univ. of Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois, Lakeshore)
38 Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Oregon, Northern California)
Head Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coaches: Jonathan Charette and Danielle Scott
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Team Manger and Performance Analyst: T.J. Read
Full Schedule
All Times PT
Matches are being livestreamed at www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe
Sept. 4
12:00 PUR v CAN
14:00 USA v MEX
16:00 DOM v CUB
Sept. 5
12:00 CUB v CAN
14:00 USA v PUR
16:00 DOM v MEX
Sept. 6
12:00 CUB v MEX
14:00 USA v CAN
16:00 DOM v PUR
Sept. 7
12:00 MEX v PUR
14:00 USA v CUB
16:00 DOM v CAN
Sept. 8
12:00 PUR v CUB
14:00 CAN v MEX
16:00 DOM v USA
Sept. 9
12:00 5 v 6
14:00 2 v 3
16:00 1 v 4
Sept. 10
14:00 Third-place match
16:00 First-place match
The U.S. Women’s Team won bronze at the Pan American Cup Sunday with a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-11) victory over host country Mexico in Hermosillo, Sonora.
The U.S. Women’s Team was the first at the Pan American Cup to win a set from Colombia, but the South American side took the quarterfinal win, 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20) on Saturday in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
It took a comeback from 0-2 and an overtime tiebreaker, but the U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup have qualified for the semifinals after beating Cuba on Friday 3-2 (27-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 19-17) in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Middle Blocker, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-0
Opposite, 6-1
Setter, 6-1
Libero, 5-5
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 29, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won the first two matches of the USA Volleyball Cup over the weekend in Long Beach, Calif.
The USA Volleyball Cup showcases the gold-medal winning U.S. Women against No. 4 Türkiye in three friendly matches. It’s the first time the No. 1-ranked U.S. Women have competed in Southern California since winning the Tokyo Olympic gold medal in 2021.
The U.S. and Türkiye meet one final time on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in the LionTree Arena at UC San Diego. Get your tickets.
You can also stream the final match live for $9.99 with a subscription to BallerTV. Your subscription gets you access to replays of the first two matches, plus game highlights.
Match No. 1
In front of a sold-out crowd at the Long Beach State Pyramid Saturday night, the U.S. won the first match, 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 25-15.
Opposite Annie Drews led all scorers in the match with 21 points on 13 kills, six aces and two blocks. Middle Haleigh Washington scored 14 on 11 kills and three blocks, and outside hitter Ali Frantti scored 14 on 13 kills and one ace.
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook collected nine points on nine kills, and middle Chiaka Ogbogu had seven points on five kills and two blocks. Setter Jordyn Poulter collected three points on a kill and two blocks.
Match No. 2
On Sunday, the U.S. and Türkiye gave fans everything they could want in a volleyball match.
After the U.S. won the first two sets, 25-21 and 25-12, Türkiye regrouped to win the next two, 26-24 and 25-22. The final set went to the wire with the U.S. Women winning 15-13.
This time it was Frantti leading the U.S. in scoring with 21 points on 20 kills and one ace. Cook collected 20 points on 16 kills, two blocks and two aces.
Drews scored 14 points on 14 kills, and opposite Jordan Thompson came off the bench to score 10 points on 10 kills. Washington had nine points on five kills, three blocks and one ace. Middle Hannah Tapp had eight points on six kills and two blocks.
Poulter scored six off of two kills, two blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons scored one point off an ace.
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey (Robinson) Cook (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
USA Volleyball has announced the 18 U.S. Women’s National Team players who will participate in the USA Volleyball Cup friendly matches against Türkiye on Aug. 27, 28 and 30
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 28, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team won bronze at the Pan American Cup Sunday with a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-11) victory over host country Mexico in Hermosillo, Sonora.
The U.S. Women finished 5-2 while Mexico was 4-3. It’s the fourth bronze medal for the U.S. in the history of the Pan American Cup (they also won bronze in 2021), and they earned their qualification to the 2023 Pan American Games. U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner was honored as Best Spiker and Best Scorer
The U.S. Women led Mexico in kills (52-32), blocks (11-8) and aces (10-7). Mexico scored 25 points off of U.S. errors and but committed 26.
“This was a very chaotic match for us,” outside hitter Mac May said. “Mexico played an incredible game. I’m very proud of our team for just working through adversity. We had a lot of girls playing positions they’ve never played in, especially myself. Having the team behind me and knowing that we were good…it was a lot of fun.”
May scored eight points on six kills and two aces. Fellow outside hitter Roni-Jones Perry was the offensive star, however, scoring 24 on 20 kills and a match-high four aces. She also led the team with 12 excellent receptions.
Opposite Stephanie Samedy scored 15 points on 11 kills, three blocks and one ace. She also notched a match-high 25 digs. Outside hitter Avery Skinner finished with 13 points on eight kills, one ace and a team-high four blocks. Skinner was awarded 2nd Best Spiker and Best Scorer for the tournament.
Middle blocker Ali Bastianelli collected seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace. Setter Tori Dilfer scored six on four kills, one block and an ace.
Libero Hana Lishman was credited with nine digs and six excellent receptions.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
Mexico def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-9)
Monday August 22
Dominican Republic def Peru, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-22)
Colombia def Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ((25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Mexico def Cuba, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Tuesday August 23
Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-14)
Cuba v Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-14)
Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-18)
Colombia def Mexico, 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-11)
Wednesday August 24
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7)
Canada def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-19)
Puerto Rico def Peru, 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-17, 15-12)
Colombia def Cuba, 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-17)
Thursday August 25
Puerto Rico def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12)
Colombia def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8)
Mexico def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21)
Friday August 26
Classification 7/10: Costa Rica def Nicaragua, 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-22, 15-13)
Classification 7/10: Peru def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18)
Quarterfinal: United States def Cuba, 3-2 (27-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 19-17)
Quarterfinal: Mexico def Puerto Rico, 3-2 (25-17, 25-19, 18-25, 20-25, 15-12)
Saturday August 27
Classification 9-10: Canada def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22)
Position 7-8: Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-13)
Semifinal: Colombia def USA, 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20)
Semifinal: Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-8, 25-14)
Sunday August 28
5/6: Cuba def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (14-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-21)
Bronze Medal: USA def. Mexico, 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 25-11)
18:00 Gold Medal Match Dominican Republic vs Colombia
The U.S. Women’s Team was the first at the Pan American Cup to win a set from Colombia, but the South American side took the quarterfinal win, 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20) on Saturday in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
It took a comeback from 0-2 and an overtime tiebreaker, but the U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup have qualified for the semifinals after beating Cuba on Friday 3-2 (27-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 19-17) in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
The U.S. Women competing at the Pan American Cup lost their first match of the tournament on Thursday, falling to the Dominican Republic, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8)
The U.S. Women’s Team competing in the Pan American Cup remained undefeated on Wednesday as it beat Costa Rica 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7)
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico improved to 2-0 on Monday with a sweep (25-19, 25-16, 25-22) of Puerto Rico in pool play
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup got off to a good start with a 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17) win over Peru on Sunday in Hermosillo, Mexico
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 27, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team was the first at the Pan American Cup to win a set from Colombia, but the South American side took the quarterfinal win, 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20) on Saturday in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
The U.S. Women (4-2) will play Mexico for the bronze medal on Sunday at 4 p.m. PT. Watch the match live at youtube.com/c/TMXDigital/videos
The U.S. Women led Colombia in blocks (9-6) and was close behind in kills (59-57). Colombia led in aces (6-1) and scored 29 points on U.S. errors and committed 16 of its own.
“It’s always disappointing to lose,” U.S. setter Tori Dilfer said. “Colombia played a heck of a match. I think we made adjustments really well when Colombia started showing us things we weren’t prepared for. We just got it going a little late.”
Dilfer combined with backup setter Ashley Evans to set the U.S. to a .209 hitting efficiency. She also scored two points with a kill and an ace.
U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner led all scorers with 21 points from a match-high 20 kills and one block. Skinner also led the U.S. in excellent receptions with 18.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry with 17 points on 15 kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Alison Bastianelli finished with 10 points on seven kills and a match-high three blocks.
Middle blocker Madeleine Gates finished with seven points on five kills and two blocks. Opposite Stephanie Samedy totaled six points on six kills.
Outside hitter Mac May played as a substitute and scored three points. Evans scored a point with a kill.
Libero Kendall White was credited with 25 digs and seven excellent receptions.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
Mexico def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-9)
Monday August 22
Dominican Republic def Peru, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-22)
Colombia def Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ((25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Mexico def Cuba, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Tuesday August 23
Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-14)
Cuba v Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-14)
Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-18)
Colombia def Mexico, 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-11)
Wednesday August 24
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7)
Canada def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-19)
Puerto Rico def Peru, 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-17, 15-12)
Colombia def Cuba, 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-17)
Thursday August 25
Puerto Rico def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12)
Colombia def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8)
Mexico def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21)
Friday August 26
Classification 7/10: Costa Rica def Nicaragua, 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-22, 15-13)
Classification 7/10: Peru def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18)
Quarterfinal: United States def Cuba, 3-2 (27-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 19-17)
Quarterfinal: Mexico def Puerto Rico, 3-2 (25-17, 25-19, 18-25, 20-25, 15-12)
Saturday August 27
Classification 9-10: Canada def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22)
Position 7-8: Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-13)
Semifinal: Colombia def USA, 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20)
Semifinal: Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-8, 25-14)
Sunday August 28
14:00 Position 5-6 Cuba vs Puerto Rico
16:00 Bronze Medal Match USA vs Mexico
18:00 Gold Medal Match Dominican Repuiblic vs Colombia
It took a comeback from 0-2 and an overtime tiebreaker, but the U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup have qualified for the semifinals after beating Cuba on Friday 3-2 (27-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 19-17) in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
The U.S. Women competing at the Pan American Cup lost their first match of the tournament on Thursday, falling to the Dominican Republic, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8)
The U.S. Women’s Team competing in the Pan American Cup remained undefeated on Wednesday as it beat Costa Rica 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2022) – The U.S. Women competing at the Pan American Cup lost their first match of the tournament on Thursday, falling to the Dominican Republic, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8).
The loss means the U.S. Women (3-1) must play in Friday’s quarterfinals against Cuba (2-2) to make it to the semifinals. Both the Dominican Republic (4-0) from Pool A and Colombia (4-0) from Pool B advanced straight to the semis.
The U.S. Women led the scoring statistics in Thursday’s match, holding the edge in kills (67-62), blocks (14-11) and aces (4-2). The Dominican Republic, which is using the tournament to warm up for the FIVB World Championship and played its top team, took advantage of 37 U.S. errors while committing 12.
Outside hitter Dani Drews led the U.S. scoring with 24 points on 23 kills and one ace. Outside hitter Avery Skinner added 21 points on 19 kills, one block and one ace.
Libero and Team Captain Kendall White was credited with 26 digs and 21 excellent receptions.
“I felt that in the first two sets, we controlled a lot of the energy,” White said. “I felt like it got away from us a little bit at the end… Both teams competed really hard, they just had a better day at the end.”
Opposite Nia Reed totaled 15 points on a match-high five blocks and 20 kills. Middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan contributed 12 points on nine kills and three blocks.
Middle Brionne Butler scored nine points on five kills and four blocks.
Setter Tori Dilfer scored three points on two aces and one kill. She combined with backup Ashley Evans to set the team to a .202 hitting efficiency.
Backup opposite Stephanie Samedy scored a point with a block.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
Mexico def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-9)
Monday August 22
Dominican Republic def Peru, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-22)
Colombia def Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ((25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Mexico def Cuba, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Tuesday August 23
Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-14)
Cuba v Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-14)
Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-18)
Colombia def Mexico, 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-11)
Wednesday August 24
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7)
Canada def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-19)
Puerto Rico def Peru, 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-17, 15-12)
Colombia def Cuba, 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-17)
Thursday August 25
Puerto Rico def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12)
Colombia def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, 15-8)
Mexico def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21)
Friday August 26
14:00 Classification 7/10
16:00 Classification 7/10
18:00 Quarterfinals
20:00 Quarterfinals
Saturday August 27
14:00 Position 9-10
16:00 Position 7-8
18:00 Semifinals
20:00 Semifinals
Sunday August 28
14:00 Position 5-6
16:00 Bronze Medal Match
18:00 Gold Medal Match
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 24, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing in the Pan American Cup remained undefeated on Wednesday as it beat Costa Rica 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-7).
The U.S. Women (3-0) will take on the Dominican Republic (3-0) for first place in pool A on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT. The match will be livestreamed at youtube.com/c/TMXDigital.
The U.S. Women dominated the match and led in kills (39-9). Team USA also held a 7-2 margin in aces and a 6-5 margin in blocks, committing 22 errors against 24.
U.S. outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry led all scorers with 11 points on 10 kills and one ace.
“So far, our team is doing a good job building every day, coming together as a team and we are excited to see what we can do tomorrow against Dominican Republic,” Jones-Perry said. “We will put up a fight and leave everything we can on the court. Today we were patient, we kept calm when things weren’t going our way and kept playing.”
Outside hitter Mac May, opposite Stephanie Samedy and middle blocker Ali Bastianelli each added nine points.
May had nine kills. Samedy scored on eight kills and one ace. Bastianelli scored on four kills, a match-high three blocks and two aces.
Backup opposite Nia Reed scored three points on two kills and one block.
Setter Ashley Evans scored three points on one block and two aces. She combined with backup setter Tori Dilfer to set the U.S. to a .314 hitting efficiency.
Libero Hana Lishman was credited with 15 digs and seven excellent receptions. Jones-Perry led in excellent receptions with 10.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
Mexico def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-9)
Monday August 22
Dominican Republic def Peru, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-22)
Colombia def Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ((25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Mexico def Cuba, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Tuesday August 23
Peru def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-14)
Cuba v Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-14)
Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-18)
Colombia def Mexico, 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-11)
Wednesday August 24
14:00 United States v Costa Rica
16:00 Canada v Nicaragua
18:00 Puerto Rico v Peru
20:00 Cuba v Colombia
Thursday August 25
14:00 Puerto Rico v Costa Rica
16:00 Colombia v Nicaragua
18:00 Dominican Republic v United States
20:00 Mexico v Canada
Friday August 26
14:00 Classification 7/10
16:00 Classification 7/10
18:00 Quarterfinals
20:00 Quarterfinals
Saturday August 27
14:00 Position 9-10
16:00 Position 7-8
18:00 Semifinals
20:00 Semifinals
Sunday August 28
14:00 Position 5-6
16:00 Bronze Medal Match
18:00 Gold Medal Match
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico improved to 2-0 on Monday with a sweep (25-19, 25-16, 25-22) of Puerto Rico in pool play.
The U.S. Women will have Tuesday off before facing Costa Rica at 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday and Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. PT on Thursday. The pool winners will advance straight to the semifinals.
“It was a fun match,” said U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter. “Puerto Rico played well and for us it’s really about our side of the net.”
The U.S. Women led in kills (43-26) and blocks (11-8) blocks; Puerto Rico led 5-4 in aces. The United States committed 18 scoring errors and Puerto Rico had 17.
U.S. outside hitter Avery Skinner led all scorers with 15 points, all on kills. Middle blocker Brionne Butler added 11 points on a match-high five blocks, four kills and two aces. Opposite Nia Reed added nine points on seven kills and two blocks.
Outside hitter Dani Drews started the first two sets and scored six points on five kills and one block.
Middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan scored five points on four kills and one block.
Setter Tori Dilfer scored five points on two kills, one block and two aces.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry started the third set and score three points on three kills.
Backup opposite Stephanie Samedy scored two points on two kills. Middle blocker Madeleine Gates played as a substitute and scored two points on a kill and a block.
Dilfer and backup setter Ashley Evans combined to set the U.S. to a .271 hitting efficiency.
Libero and Team Captain Kendall White was credited with 20 digs and 12 excellent receptions.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
Mexico def Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-9)
Monday August 22
Dominican Republic def Peru, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-22)
Colombia def Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ((25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Mexico def Cuba, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Tuesday August 23
14:00 Peru v Costa Rica
16:00 Cuba v Nicaragua
18:00 Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico
20:00 Mexico v Colombia
Wednesday August 24
14:00 United States v Costa Rica
16:00 Canada v Nicaragua
18:00 Puerto Rico v Peru
20:00 Cuba v Colombia
Thursday August 25
14:00 Puerto Rico v Costa Rica
16:00 Colombia v Nicaragua
18:00 Dominican Republic v United States
20:00 Mexico v Canada
Friday August 26
14:00 Classification 7/10
16:00 Classification 7/10
18:00 Quarterfinals
20:00 Quarterfinals
Saturday August 27
14:00 Position 9-10
16:00 Position 7-8
18:00 Semifinals
20:00 Semifinals
Sunday August 28
14:00 Position 5-6
16:00 Bronze Medal Match
18:00 Gold Medal Match
The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup got off to a good start with a 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17) win over Peru on Sunday in Hermosillo, Mexico
A roster of 14 up-and-coming women’s volleyball players are in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico this week for the Pan American Cup, which runs Aug. 21-28
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 21, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the Pan American Cup got off to a good start with a 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17) win over Peru on Sunday in Hermosillo, Mexico.
The U.S. Women (1-0) will continue pool play on Monday against Puerto Rico at 6 p.m. PT.
The U.S. Women led in kills (54-46), blocks (13-4) and aces (4-2). Each team finished with 25 scoring errors.
“We’re learning to play together,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “as much as we wanted to be perfect as coaches it’s not always going to be. Peru created some good service pressure and offensively they had some really good swings.”
Outside hitter Dani Drews led all scorers with 19 points on 15 kills, two blocks and two aces.
“It was a very exciting first game for this group,” Drews said. “There was a little of those first-game jitters, which caused us to grind into some ups and downs; but we were able to stay strong as a team and to stay together to end up with the win.”
Outside hitter Avery Skinner added 17 points on 16 kills and one block.
Middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan totaled 12 points on 10 kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker Brionne Butler had a match-high six blocks to go with three kills. Opposite Nia Reed scored nine points on eight kills and one block.
Setter Tori Dilfer scored five points on two kills, one block and two aces. She combined with backup Ashley Evans to set the U.S. to a .310 hitting efficiency.
Libero and Team Captain Kendall White was credited with 33 digs and five excellent receptions. Skinner led in excellent receptions with 13.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, College, Region)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
14 Mac May (OH, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa, UCLA, Iowa)
17 Dani Drews (OH, 6-0, Sandy, Utah, Univ. of Utah, Intermountain)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
26 Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Chesapeake)
27 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Baylor, Lone Star)
28 Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue, Ohio Valley)
32 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Aloha)
33 Nia Reed (OPP, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
35 Tori Dilfer (S, 5-11, Los Gatos, Calif., Louisville, Northern California)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Illinois, Lakeshore)
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman and Jonathan Charette
Team Manger: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Madison Schultze
Performance Analyst: Thomas Read
Competition Schedule
(All times PDT)
Sunday August 21
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-9)
Cuba def Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-23)
United States def Peru, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17)
20:00 Mexico v Nicaragua
Monday August 22
14:00 Dominican Republic v Peru
16:00 Colombia v Canada
18:00 United States v Puerto Rico
20:00 Mexico v Cuba
Tuesday August 23
14:00 Peru v Costa Rica
16:00 Cuba v Nicaragua
18:00 Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico
20:00 Mexico v Colombia
Wednesday August 24
14:00 United States v Costa Rica
16:00 Canada v Nicaragua
18:00 Puerto Rico v Peru
20:00 Cuba v Colombia
Thursday August 25
14:00 Puerto Rico v Costa Rica
16:00 Colombia v Nicaragua
18:00 Dominican Republic v United States
20:00 Mexico v Canada
Friday August 26
14:00 Classification 7/10
16:00 Classification 7/10
18:00 Quarterfinals
20:00 Quarterfinals
Saturday August 27
14:00 Position 9-10
16:00 Position 7-8
18:00 Semifinals
20:00 Semifinals
Sunday August 28
14:00 Position 5-6
16:00 Bronze Medal Match
18:00 Gold Medal Match
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 21, 2022) – Southern California volleyball fans will get their chance to see the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s National Team compete live in August when it takes on No. 4 Türkiye in the USA Volleyball Cup.
The teams will play three exhibition matches on Aug. 27 and 28 at the Walter Pyramid at Long Beach State and Aug. 30 at LionTree Arena (formerly the RIMAC Arena) at UC San Diego.
The U.S. Women’s National Team is ranked No. 1 in the world and is the defending Olympic gold medalist. Türkiye is ranked No. 4 in the world and recently finished fourth at the Volleyball Nations League, the biggest annual international women’s tournament.
Among the players expected to compete for the U.S. Women are Olympic gold medalists Annie Drews, Micha Hancock, Chiaka Ogbogu, Jordyn Poulter, Kelsey Robinson, Jordan Thompson, Haleigh Washington and Justine Wong-Orantes.
U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly is expecting the matches to be competitive and fun for both teams.
“Türkiye is one of the best teams in the world,” Kiraly said. “They gave us all we could handle and more in our pool play match at the Olympics. We barely got out with a win.
“They have made massive improvement over the last few years. They have really taken their country by storm. Women’s volleyball gets so much attention because they have gotten so much better.
“Every time we play them, they challenge us and make us better. I hope we do the same for them.”
Both teams will be using the friendly matches to prepare for the 2022 FIVB World Championship on Sept. 23-Oct. 15 in Netherlands.
Buy your tickets now at usavolleyball.org.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will not be defending its FIVB Volleyball Nations League title after a hard-fought 3-2 (29-27, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 15-13) quarterfinal loss to Serbia on Wednesday in Ankara, Türkiye.
The U.S. Women (11-2) were the three-time defending VNL champions. They are ranked No. 1 in the world.
Wednesday’s quarterfinal was a roller coaster of a match with the U.S. Women having to come back from an 0-2 set deficit.
It looked like the U.S. might come back one more time in set 5. With Serbia leading 13-8, the U.S. Women scored three straight points on two Serbia hitting errors and a block from Chiaka Ogbogu.
Serbia reached match point at 14-12 with a kill by scoring-leader Sara Lozo (22 points). The U.S. Women held off the loss with Ogbogu’s sixth block of the match to make it 14-13. But a final U.S. hitting error gave Serbia the win.
Led by Ogbogu, the U.S. Women dominated the blocking, 21-14. Serbia led in kills (67-66) and aces (6-3). The U.S. had 22 scoring errors and Serbia had 23.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson led the U.S. scoring 21 points on 17 kills and four blocks. Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who subbed in the second set and started the final three, scored 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. Ogbogu at middle blocker had six kills to go with her six blocks.
Starting opposite Jordan Thompson scored 11 points on nine kills and two blocks. Opposite Annie Drews, who started the final three sets, scored 11 points on 10 kills and one block.
Middle Haleigh Washington totaled seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer started the first two sets and scored six points on five kills and one block. Setter Jordyn Poulter scored five points on one kill, two blocks and two aces.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons played as a substitute and scored one point with a kill.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 10 digs and six successful receptions. Robinson led the team in digs with 14. Plummer and Frantti were each credited with 11 successful receptions.
Setter Lauren Carlini also played as a substitute in the first set.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 VNL Final Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
June 15-19
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
USA def China, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
USA def Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18)
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
June 29-July 4
USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16)
USA def. Türkiye, 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16)
USA def. Germany, 3-1 (25-17, 25-13, 13-25, 25-22)
Final Round: Ankara, Türkiye
Quarterfinals
July 13
Brazil def Japan, 3-1 (29–27, 28–26, 20–25, 25–14)
Serbia def USA, 3-2 (29-27, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 14
Italy vs China at 5 a.m.
Türkiye vs Thailand at 8:30 a.m.
July 16: Semifinals
July 17: Finals
A little more than six weeks after the U.S. Women’s National Team began its 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) journey, it is in Ankara, Türkiye searching for its fourth-straight VNL title
Türkiye took the U.S. Women’s National Team to the brink Saturday afternoon, but key plays by Annie Drews, Kelsey Robinson and Hannah Tapp helped lead the U.S. to a five-set victory (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Canada.
Another match, another new roster, another win for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which beat Serbia on Thursday, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 12, 2022) – A little more than six weeks after the U.S. Women’s National Team began its 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) journey, it is in Ankara, Türkiye searching for its fourth-straight VNL title.
In fact, the U.S. Women are the only champions that VNL has had since it was introduced in 2018 to replace the FIVB Grand Prix.
The U.S. finished the 2022 VNL preliminary round in first place at 11-1. The team’s only loss came to Japan to close out the first week of matches in Shreveport, La.
Because the host country gets the top seed in the Final Round, Türkiye, which finished seventh, will play No. 8 Thailand in its first match. The U.S. Women go in at No. 2 and will face defending world champion Serbia (8-4) in the quarterfinals at 8:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday. The U.S. Women beat Serbia 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16) in a preliminary round match on June 30 in Canada.
If the U.S. beats Serbia, it will advance to the semifinals on Saturday (July 16). The medal matches will be Sunday (July 17). All matches are being shown live and on demand on VolleyballWorld.tv.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly has used a different roster of 14 players for each week of the tournament and has not used the same starting seven players in any two matches.
For the Final Round, the roster includes seven Tokyo Olympic gold medalists, five VNL veterans and two players who made their VNL debuts in 2022.
The seven Olympic medalists on the roster are setter Jordyn Poulter, middle blockers Haleigh Washington and Chiaka Ogbogu, outside hitter Kelsey Robinson, opposites Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson and libero Justin Wong-Orantes.
The five VNL veterans on the roster are setter Lauren Carlini, outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Sarah Wilhite Parsons and middle blockers Dana Rettke and Hannah Tapp.
Rounding out the roster are outside hitter Ali Frantti and libero Morgan Hentz, who both made their VNL debuts this year.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 VNL Final Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
June 15-19
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
USA def China, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
USA def Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18)
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
June 29-July 4
USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16)
USA def. Türkiye, 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16)
USA def. Germany, 3-1 (25-17, 25-13, 13-25, 25-22)
Final Round: Ankara, Türkiye
Quarterfinals
July 13
Brazil vs Japan at 5 a.m.
USA vs Serbia at 8:30 a.m.
July 14
Italy vs China at 5 a.m.
Türkiye vs Thailand at 8:30 a.m.
July 16: Semifinals
July 17: Finals
The U.S. Women's National Team beat Germany 3-1 (25-17, 25-13, 13-25, 25-22) to clinch the best record during the VNL preliminary round.
Türkiye took the U.S. Women’s National Team to the brink Saturday afternoon, but key plays by Annie Drews, Kelsey Robinson and Hannah Tapp helped lead the U.S. to a five-set victory (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Canada.
Another match, another new roster, another win for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which beat Serbia on Thursday, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Setter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-9
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 2, 2022) – Türkiye took the U.S. Women’s National Team to the brink Saturday afternoon, but key plays by Annie Drews, Kelsey Robinson and Hannah Tapp helped lead the U.S. to a five-set victory (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The U.S. Women are in first place in the VNL standings at 10-1 and have assured themselves a place in the Final Round, July 13-17, in Ankara, Türkiye. The U.S. finishes VNL play Sunday at 1 p.m. PT against Germany.
On Saturday, the U.S. and Türkiye battled evenly through all five sets. U.S. starters Drews, Robinson, Tapp, Haleigh Washington, Jordyn Poulter, and Kara Bajema had the upper hand through most of the first set, with Bajema leading the way with six points on five kills and one ace.
Türkiye did not give in, though. Led by Ebrar Karakurt with six points, they went on a run midway through the second to take control of the set and win 25-18.
Türkiye led most of the third set and had three set points at 24-21. An error by Türkiye, an ace by Poulter and a kill by Drews tied the game at 24. Türkiye denied a set point to the U.S. at 25-24, but at 26-25, the U.S. successfully challenged a block touch for the victory, 27-25.
Set four was even until Karakurt scored on a massive kill to give Türkiye a two-point lead at 21-19. The U.S. couldn’t get the break back, falling 25-23.
The fifth set was everything you want in a volleyball match. Great rallies, spectacular kills, awe-inspiring blocks. Türkiye led most of the way, up by three at 12-9, but then Drews hit the service line at 12-10. Two straight aces by Drews changed the momentum of the match at 12-12. Türkiye had one match point at 14-13, but a kill by Robinson tied it back up.
The U.S. had two match points at 15-14 and 16-15, but each time Türkiye responded. Two points later at 17-16 for the U.S., Tapp put down a monster block off Karakurt for the victory.
“It definitely wasn’t a pretty match, but we got it done,” Drews said. “I thought our passers did a really nice job tonight, and as a group, we did a good job putting our foot on the gas when we needed to. Playing Türkiye is always a fun match-up, and going five sets is always good for us to experience and learn from. I think we have a lot to be excited about, but equally as much to learn from and get better at.”
Drews finished the match with 24 points on 20 kills, one block and three aces. She ranked second in points to Bajema, who scored 26 on 24 kills and two aces. Robinson scored 21 (19 kills, two aces), Washington had 11 (10 kills, one ace), Tapp scored six with four blocks and two kills. Poulter picked up an ace. At libero, Justine Wong Orantes led all players with 17 digs.
The U.S. led Türkiye in kills (75-72) and aces (9-2) but were outblocked by Türkiye 12-5.
“It was huge,” Bajema said. “This is our first fifth-setter of 2022. I thought we put forth a lot of effort. We were down for a majority of the fifth, the majority of the third. It was a great comeback. I loved it.”
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 VNL Week 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Pugen Sound)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
June 15-19
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
USA def China, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
USA def Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18)
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29-July 4
USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16)
USA def. Türkiye, 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 27-25, 23-25, 18-16)
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
Another match, another new roster, another win for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which beat Serbia on Thursday, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Kara Bajema led all scorers with 20 points on Wednesday as the U.S. Women beat Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The U.S. Women’s National Team is heading into the final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Calgary, Canada, with its third different roster of the competition.
The U.S. Women’s National Team adjusted from a rough first set and beat Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match on Sunday in Quezon City, Philippines.
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2022) – Another match, another new roster, another win for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which beat Serbia on Thursday, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16) in the Volleyball Nations League in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The U.S. Women remain in first place at 9-1. Japan did not play Thursday and is 8-1 in second place. The U.S. has assured itself a trip to the Final Round as part of the final eight teams on July 13-17 in Ankara, Türkiye (Turkey).
The U.S. will have Friday off and play Türkiye on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
Only setter Jordyn Poulter and libero Justine Wong-Orantes played both Wednesday and Thursday while Kathryn Plummer and Sarah Wilhite Parsons played on the left side on Thursday, Hannah Tapp and Haleigh Washington were in the middle and Jordan Thompson was on the right.
There was no loss of quality as the U.S. led Serbia, the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, in kills (48-44), blocks (9-5) and aces (5-4). The U.S. scored 21 points on Serbia’s errors while committing 11.
Serbia did come close to winning the second set, but the U.S. Women came through at the end.
Plummer led all scorers with 18 points on a match-high 16 kills (.500 hitting efficiency) and two blocks. She led the team in successful receptions with 13.
“We were just focusing on the next point,” Plummer said of the second set. “They were doing some good things, especially the outside hitters, and we had to clean up our defense a little bit. We reset really well and that helped slow the game down, which ended up helping us in the end.”
Thompson finished with 15 points on 14 kills and one ace. She also had 10 digs.
Wilhite Parsons led the team in digs with 11 and had 11 successful receptions. She scored 12 points on 10 kills (.500) and two aces.
Washington had eight points on four kills, three blocks and one ace. Tapp added seven points on four kills, two blocks and one ace. Poulter scored two points on two blocks and set the team to a .380 hitting efficiency.
Wong-Orantes was credited with seven digs and four successful receptions.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 VNL Week 3
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Pugen Sound)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
June 15-19
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
USA def China, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
USA def Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18)
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29-July 4
USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-17, 33-31, 25-16)
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
Kara Bajema led all scorers with 20 points on Wednesday as the U.S. Women beat Belgium, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The U.S. Women’s National Team is heading into the final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Calgary, Canada, with its third different roster of the competition.
The U.S. Women’s National Team adjusted from a rough first set and beat Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match on Sunday in Quezon City, Philippines.
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team adjusted from a rough first set and beat Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match on Sunday in Quezon City, Philippines.
The U.S. Women concluded the second preliminary round of VNL at 7-1 and sit in second place in the standings behind Japan (7-0), which will play China (5-2) later on Sunday. The U.S. Women will play their final round of VNL in Calgary, Canada, starting on June 29.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly used another new starting lineup on Sunday, with Ali Frantti and Madi Kingdon Rishel at outside hitter, Chiaka Ogbogu and Anna Stevenson at middle blocker, Danielle Cuttino at opposite, Micha Hancock at setter and Justine Wong-Orantes at libero.
Thailand controlled the tempo in the first set, running a fast offense and getting seemingly impossible digs. The U.S. also committed 10 scoring errors while Thailand had one.
Kiraly brought in Kelsey Robinson for Kingdon Rishel, Lauren Carlini for Micha Hancock, and Nia Reed for Cuttino to help slow down Thailand’s offense and get higher and harder attacks on the U.S. side.
The strategy worked. The U.S. ended up leading Thailand in kills (61-47), blocks (8-2) and aces (5-3). The U.S. finished with a .322 hitting efficiency. It did give up 27 points on errors while Thailand gave up 18.
“They really brought things at us hard with their fast offense to the pin, [and] set a fast back court set,” Kiraly said. “It was difficult for our team to calm things down. Then, we made three changes for the second set with Kelsey, Lauren and Nia coming in, and props to them and to the whole group of 14 to help get us into a little better rhythm.”
Carlini agreed that the team mentality helped push the U.S. forward.
“We’ve done a really good job of being able to come in and make plays and be 14 strong,” Carlini said. “Everyone who came in did a good job with that today and I know the people on the bench were ready to come in and make a change. I am really proud of all 14 of us for staying engaged. Even the girls who went to the bench helped us throughout this match and we couldn’t have won without them.”
Frantti also proved to be a big part of the victory for the U.S. as she finished with 27 points on 24 kills, two blocks and one ace. She was credited with 10 digs and four successful receptions.
Robinson finished with 11 points on 10 kills and one ace. She was credited with 16 digs and seven successful receptions. She credited her time playing professionally in Japan over the fall and winter of 2021-22 for her success in hitting against Thailand.
“It’s not easy to get a kill (in Japan),” Robinson said. “Having to be crafty and learn those skills really helped.”
Middles Ogbogu and Stevenson each finished with 10 points. Ogbogu had eight kills, one block and one ace. Stevenson had a match-high three blocks and seven kills.
Reed finished with eight kills. Kingdon Rishel had five points on three kills, one block and one ace. Carlini scored three points on a kill, a block and an ace.
Wong-Orantes was credited with 16 digs and two successful receptions.
“[We] always love to play Thailand,” Kiraly added. “They have such a great spirit about them, and they are just so scrappy … and relentless. They play great defense, and they keep the ball alive. They never give up, always max effort. They really honor the game with what they do. It’s always fun and good for us to compete.”
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2022 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
33 Nia Reed (Opp, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
June 15-19
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
USA def China, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21)
USA def Thailand, 3-1 (17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-18)
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
Outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Kelsey Robinson led the U.S. Women’s National Team past China on Saturday, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21) in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match in Quezon City, Philippines.
The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Poland in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match on Thursday (25-12, 25-21, 25-16) in Quezon City, Philippines, to improve to 5-1 and move into second place in the VNL standings.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 16, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Poland in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) match on Thursday (25-12, 25-21, 25-16) in Quezon City, Philippines, to improve to 5-1 and move into second place in the VNL standings.
The U.S. Women will play China (4-1) on Saturday at 4 a.m. PT. All matches are being shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, a streaming service.
Talk about depth; The U.S. Team that started on Thursday was completely different from the group that swept Bulgaria on Wednesday; but the result was the same.
“Those two groups of seven are putting a lot of thought and effort into being great teammates for each other and bringing out the best in each other,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “When they’ve battled in training, each group has gotten the other group very well prepared for the teams that we have faced here so far.”
U.S. outside hitter Ali Frantti led all scorers with 18 points on a match-high 15 kills and a match-high three blocks. She led the U.S. Women in successful receptions with seven.
“It’s such an honor to be with these girls and this talent each day,” said Frantti, who is playing in her first tournament with the senior National Team. “It’s fun to get in the gym and work hard with them… We’re focusing on good serves, good first contacts, getting set on the block… focusing on those little things.”
Opposite Nia Reed made her first start for the U.S. Women and finished with 12 points on 11 kills and one block. She led the team in digs with 13.
“I can honestly say, I was nervous. My legs felt like Jell-O. But they were good nerves,” Reed said. “With different lineups every other week or even every other game, it’s hard to stay together, stay connected. But I think USAV does a really good job with their players on connection and communication.
“I thought we competed hard today. We stayed calm and level-headed. We had patience and I think that worked in our favor.”
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel also scored 12 points on 11 kills and one block.
Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, playing with the U.S. Women for the first time since the Tokyo Olympic Games, scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Middle Anna Stevenson scored six points on five kills and two blocks.
Setter Lauren Carlini scored four points on two kills, a block and the United States’ only ace. She set the U.S. Women to a .467 hitting efficiency. Libero Morgan Hentz was credited with 12 digs and three successful receptions.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world. They are the three-time defending VNL champions and the defending Olympic gold medalists.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2022 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
33 Nia Reed (Opp, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
12 a.m. USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the second round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20) win over Bulgaria on Wednesday in Quezon City, Philippines.
The U.S. Women’s National Team continues its 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) odyssey this week with four matches in Quezon City, Philippines
The U.S. Women’s National Team suffered its first loss of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League on Sunday as it fell to Japan, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) in a preliminary round match at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women swept Brazil (25-21, 25-20, 25-18) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League contest that was a rematch of the final of the Tokyo Olympic Games
he U.S. Women’s National Team was in a celebratory mood on Friday, and it came across in its 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19) win over Canada in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Opposite, 6-1
Libero, 5-9
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo (June 15, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the second round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20) win over Bulgaria on Wednesday in Quezon City, Philippines.
The U.S. Women (4-1) will be back in action at 8 p.m. PT on Thursday against Poland (3-2). Bulgaria falls to 1-4. Matches are being shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, a subscription service.
The last time the U.S. Women played Bulgaria was in 2019 at the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Shreveport, Louisiana. Bulgaria took that match to five sets before the U.S. Women prevailed and went on to win their first Olympic gold medal.
Wednesday’s match was less dramatic, but Bulgaria did present a challenge, taking the lead to open each set and making the United States fight back.
With only five players returning from the roster that competed in VNL round 1, which was also in Shreveport, U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly knew his team would need time to find its rhythm.
“We have a very different group here than we had in Shreveport,” he said. “We have a real challenge of figuring out ways to connect, to bring out the best in each other and to elevate the play and the performance of the people around us.
“We certainly didn’t play our best volleyball, and that is to be expected with a lot of people playing their first USA match of the 2022 season. We did get things better. It was good that we got uncomfortable and had some chances to reset and some chances to upgrade some things.”
The U.S. Women led in kills (44-37), blocks (7-5) and aces (7-6). The United States scored 17 points on Bulgaria’s errors while committing 14.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson, the only U.S. starter who played in the first week of VNL in Shreveport, led the U.S. in scoring with 14 points on a match-high 13 kills and one ace.
Opposite Danielle Cuttino made her VNL debut, scoring 12 points on 10 kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker Hannah Tapp scored 11 points on nine kills, one block and one ace. Middle Haleigh Washington finished with 10 points on four kills, two blocks and a match-high four aces. Washington’s service runs were critical to helping the U.S. Women pull ahead.
“Haleigh really stressed a couple of Bulgarian passers in particular and created lots of scoring chances for us,” Kiraly said.
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer finished with eight points on seven kills and one block. Plummer also led the U.S. women in successful receptions with seven and in digs with nine.
Setter Micha Hancock scored three points on a kill, a block and an ace. She set the U.S. Women to a .364 hitting efficiency.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with eight digs and three successful receptions.
U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2022 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
33 Nia Reed (Opp, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
May 31-June 5
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
USA def Bulgaria, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
12 a.m. USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
The U.S. Women’s National Team continues its 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) odyssey this week with four matches in Quezon City, Philippines
The U.S. Women’s National Team suffered its first loss of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League on Sunday as it fell to Japan, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) in a preliminary round match at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women swept Brazil (25-21, 25-20, 25-18) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League contest that was a rematch of the final of the Tokyo Olympic Games
he U.S. Women’s National Team was in a celebratory mood on Friday, and it came across in its 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19) win over Canada in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continues its 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) odyssey this week with four matches in Quezon City, Philippines.
Although the Philippines does not have a team competing in VNL, the sport is very popular there.
The U.S. Women are the three-time defending VNL champions and ranked No. 1 in the world. In round 2, they will face No. 18 Bulgaria, No. 10 Poland, No. 3 China and No. 14 Thailand. The U.S. Women are in third place in the overall VNL standings behind Japan (4-0) and China (3-1).
Japan was the only team to beat the U.S. Women in the first round. The United States has beaten Dominican Republic, Canada and Brazil.
“We are looking forward to some more great opponents in the Philippines,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Every one of those is a chance for us to learn and get better.”
The U.S. Women’s roster that Kiraly and his staff have selected for the Philippines leg is different from the one that went 3-1 in the first leg in Shreveport, La.
There are five 2020 Olympians on the roster. That number does not include opposites Annie Drews or Jordan Thompson, who both competed in Shreveport.
Setter Micha Hancock, libero Justine Wong-Orantes, outside hitter Kelsey Robinson and middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington are the 2020 gold medalists on the roster.
Setter Lauren Carlini, libero Morgan Hentz, middle Anna Stevenson and outside hitters Ali Frantti and Madi Kingdon Rishel are the players returning from the roster that competed in Shreveport.
Players joining the roster for the Philippines are opposites Danielle Cuttino and Nia Reed, outside hitter Kathryn Plummer and middle Hannah Tapp.
All VNL matches are being shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, a subscription service.
U.S. Women’s Roster for 2022 VNL Round 2
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
8 Hannah Tapp (MB, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
33 Nia Reed (Opp, 6-1, Fort Lee, N.J., Penn State, Garden Empire)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Japan def USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20)
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
Wednesday, June 15
12 a.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
Midnight USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
The U.S. Women’s National Team suffered its first loss of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League on Sunday as it fell to Japan, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) in a preliminary round match at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women swept Brazil (25-21, 25-20, 25-18) on Saturday in a Volleyball Nations League contest that was a rematch of the final of the Tokyo Olympic Games
he U.S. Women’s National Team was in a celebratory mood on Friday, and it came across in its 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19) win over Canada in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
Libero, 5-9
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 5-11
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Middle Blocker, 6-2
Opposite, 6-1
Libero, 5-6
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
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SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. (June 4, 2022) – The personnel may have changed, but the results were almost the same.
In Saturday’s greatly anticipated rematch of the Tokyo Olympic gold medal final, the U.S. Women’s National Team won by almost the same score that it achieved last year, beating Brazil 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18) in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women (3-0) will close out the first round of preliminary play at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday against Japan (3-0).
In Tokyo, the U.S. Women beat Brazil, 25-21, 25-20, 25-14 to win the program’s first-ever gold medal. But both sides had very different rosters.
Opposite Jordan Thompson was the only player on Saturday’s starting roster who was part of the U.S. team in Tokyo. But she did not play against Brazil in Tokyo due to an injury.
On Saturday she led all scorers with 19 points on a match-high 15 kills, a match-high three aces and one block. She had a key serving run in the third set that took the U.S. Women from a 2-5 deficit to an 8-5 lead. The run included two aces and a back-row kill from the gold medalist.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti, who is making her U.S. Women’s National Team debut at VNL, added 13 points on 11 kills and two blocks.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons scored 12 points on nine kills and three blocks. Middle blocker Dana Rettke added nine points on five kills, three blocks and one ace.
Rettke also had some serving runs and her blocks energized the U.S. Women on their way to the win.
“I thought we did well. I thought we did a good job of controlling the things we could control,” Rettke said. “Brazil gave us some different looks since we were putting on the pressure and we were prepared for that.”
Wilhite Parsons praised the U.S. coaches for preparing the team for Brazil.
“Our coaches had a great scouting report for us. We had a great plan,” Wilhite Parsons said. “We didn’t know exactly who was going to be on the court (for Brazil). But I think we prepared well against each hitter and executed well.”
The U.S. Women led Brazil in kills (45-32), blocks (11-8) and aces (6-2). Brazil scored 17 points on U.S. errors while committing 13. The U.S. hitting efficiency behind setter Lauren Carlini was .255. Brazil hit .125.
Among other U.S. scorers, middle Anna Stevenson made her first start for the U.S. Women and scored six points on four kills and two blocks. Carlini scored three points on one kill and two aces.
Libero Morgan Hentz was credited with 17 digs and eight successful receptions.
All matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, which is a subscription service.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL First Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
USA def Brazil, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-18)
Sunday, June 5
1 p.m. Japan vs. USA
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
Wednesday, June 15
12 a.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
Midnight USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
he U.S. Women’s National Team was in a celebratory mood on Friday, and it came across in its 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19) win over Canada in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
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SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. (June 3, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team was in a celebratory mood on Friday, and it came across in its 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19) win over Canada in a Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary match at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women (2-0) will face Brazil (3-0) at 8 p.m. CDT on Saturday in a rematch of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medal final.
The U.S. Women won that gold medal, which they celebrated on Friday by saluting all 23 athletes that contributed to the Olympic victory, either by competing in Tokyo or training with the team in the gym.
Opposite Annie Drews, who was among those who won the gold medal at the Olympics, led all scorers with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. Veteran player Madi Kingdon Rishel, who was an Olympic alternate, added 12 points on 11 kills and one block.
“This is my first time starting for the USA in a couple of years,” Kingdon Rishel said. “It felt really great to be on the court tonight. I love these girls. The energy that we have is very unique.”
The U.S. Women led Canada in kills (44-36), blocks (8-6) and aces (2-1). Setter Lauren Carlini helped the U.S. to a .380 hitting efficiency. The U.S. Women scored 21 points on Canada’s errors while committing 12.
Middle blocker Bri Butler, who was making her first start ever for the U.S. Women, finished with nine points including a match-high three blocks, and truly enjoyed the experience.
“I just can’t be more happy inside to be a part of this program,” she said. “One thing we talked about with Canada was their speed to the pins. I think we did a really good job of slowing down their hitters and getting good touches.”
Outside hitter Kara Bajema, who also made her senior national team debut, scored 12 points on nine kills, two blocks and one ace. Middle Tori Dixon scored three points on three kills and Carlini finished with three points on two kills and an ace. Libero Kendall White was credited with 17 digs and six successful receptions. Bajema led in receptions with 18.
With Canada behind them, the U.S. Women are ready to focus on Brazil.
“Brazil is very physical. They are the Olympic silver medalist and I think they will have some girls from that team playing tomorrow,” Kingdon Rishel said. “I am expecting them to hit hard and get big blocks, but we can do the same thing. I am excited for that.”
All matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, which is a subscription service.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL First Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Bossier City, La.
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-19)
Saturday, June 4
6 p.m. USA vs. Brazil
Sunday, June 5
1 p.m. Japan vs. USA
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
Wednesday, June 15
12 a.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
Midnight USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
Outside Hitter, 6-1
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Middle, 6-3
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SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. (May 31, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team got their 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) campaign off to a strong start with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) win over Dominican Republic on Tuesday at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The U.S. Women are the three-time defending VNL champions and ranked No. 1 in the world. They will play next on Friday (June 3) against Canada. Tickets are still available at BrookshireGroceryArena.com.
The U.S. Women led the Dominican Republic in kills (47-32), blocks (9-7) and aces (4-0).
Opposite Jordan Thompson, one of two Tokyo Olympic gold medalists on the roster, finished with 15 points on 13 kills (.429 hitting efficiency), one block and one ace. Thompson has been working to recover from an injury she suffered during the Olympic Games and felt good about her performance on Tuesday.
“It felt amazing,” Thompson said. “I think our energy was really good and we started off strong… We knew that this is a brand-new team. We haven’t played together that long. We’re still feeling each other out and getting into a rhythm.”
Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly was happy to have Thompson, or JT as she is know on the team, back on the court.
“I was really excited to see Jordan Thompson get back into it and to see Morgan Hentz get to have her first ever senior national team match,” Kiraly said. “They were both really fun to watch and took care of business.”
Hentz was brought on to the National Team early in 2020, shortly before the COVID pandemic shut down training. Making her VNL debut on Tuesday, she let the team in digs with 15 and had 10 excellent receptions.
Outside hitter Ali Frantti made her VNL debut on Tuesday and admitted she was feeling nervous before the match.
“I’ve had butterflies for two nights before this, so it was kind of crazy,” Frantti said. “I think it would be not a good sign if I didn’t have butterflies. Tonight was unbelievable.”
Frantti scored 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. She led the team in successful receptions with 15.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons, a VNL veteran, scored 15 points on 10 kills, three blocks and two aces.
Among the other starters, middle blockers Tori Dixon and Dana Rettke each scored six points. Dixon scored on five kills and one ace. Rettke scored on three kills and three blocks.
Setter Lauran Carlini scored three points on three kills.
All matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, which is a subscription service.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL First Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Bossier City, La.
USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
Friday, June 3
6 p.m. USA vs. Canada
Saturday, June 4
6 p.m. USA vs. Brazil
Sunday, June 5
1 p.m. Japan vs. USA
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
Wednesday, June 15
12 a.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
Midnight USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
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SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. (May 30, 2022) – Seven veteran U.S. Women’s National Team players and seven rookies are on the roster for the first round of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League this week at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
Tickets are still available at BrookshireGroceryArena.com.
The U.S. Women are the three-time VNL champions and ranked No. 1 in the world. In 2021, they won their first Olympic gold medal.
Olympic gold medalists Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson; Olympic alternates Lauren Carlini, Tori Dixon, Madi Kingdon Rishel and Sarah Wilhite Parsons; and 2019 VNL veteran Dana Rettke will lead the way for the U.S. Women.
Drews and Thompson are both opposites. Carlini plays setter, Dixon and Rettke are middle blockers and Parsons and Rishel play outside hitter.
The VNL newcomers on the roster are middles Brionne Butler and Anna Stevenson, outside hitters Kara Bajema and Ali Frantti, setter Jenna Gray and liberos Morgan Hentz and Kendall White.
The U.S. players agreed they are excited to start the competition in the United States. Their last U.S. appearance was also in Shreveport-Bossier City at the Olympic qualifier in 2019.
“I am especially excited for Week 1,” Carlini said. “We’re starting in the United States. We are playing some of our NORCECA teams. That’s just very exciting. It’s a good way to start the tournament.”
The U.S. Women open competition on Tuesday against Dominican Republic at 8 p.m. CT. They get a break before facing Canada at 8 p.m. CT on Friday, June 3.
The marquee match will be a 8 p.m. Saturday (June 4) against Brazil, whom the U.S. beat in the Tokyo Olympic final. The U.S. Women close things out against Japan at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday.
”We’re really excited to go after it and continue to be competitive and grow as a team,” Thompson said. “Of course, when other teams see USA across the net, they are playing extra hard. We love that other teams are bringing the fire and challenging us because that’s going to make us better.”
All matches will be shown on VolleyballWorld.tv, which is a subscription service.
U.S. Women’s Roster for VNL First Round
No. Name (Pos., Ht, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
5 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
6 Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
9 Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Arizona, Arizona)
10 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Kara Bajema (OH, 6-2, Lynden, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Pugen Sound)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
22 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
30 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
31 Anna Stevenson (MB, 6-2, Laurens S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro, Alfee Reft
Performance Analyst: Brian Hurler
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Doctor: Christopher Lee
Consultant Coach: Sue Enquist
Team Manager: Coley Pawlikowski
Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
2022 U.S. Women’s VNL Schedule (All times PDT)
Week 1 – Bossier City, La.
Tuesday, May 31
6 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
Friday, June 3
6 p.m. USA vs. Canada
Saturday, June 4
6 p.m. USA vs. Brazil
Sunday, June 5
1 p.m. Japan vs. USA
Week 2 – Quezon City, Philippines
Wednesday, June 15
12 a.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
Thursday, June 16
8 p.m. USA vs Poland
Saturday, June 18
4 a.m. USA vs China
Sunday, June 19
Midnight USA vs Thailand
Week 3 – Calgary, Canada
Wednesday, June 29
7 p.m. USA vs Belgium
Thursday, June 30
7 p.m. USA vs Serbia
Saturday, July 2
1 p.m. USA vs Turkey
Sunday, July 4
1 p.m. USA vs Germany
Finals: July 13-17 in Ankara, Turkey
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-athlete roster for Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2022
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team rebounded from Saturday’s semifinal loss to win the bronze medal on Sunday by beating Canada, 3-0 (26-24, 25-17, 25-17) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“I am very proud of this group,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “After the disappointing loss last night, they came back so strong and played as a team.”
U.S. outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry was named one of two Best Spikers and middle blocker Ali Bastianelli was named one of two Best Blockers.
It is the 13th medal and fourth bronze for the United States in the history of the Pan American Cup. The U.S. Women have also won seven gold medals and two silvers. The Dominican Republic won the gold medal on Saturday while Mexico took silver.
The U.S. Women led Canada in kills (36-29), blocks (9-7) and aces (7-3). Starting setter Taylor Bruns and backup setter Elle Glock helped the U.S. to a .313 hitting efficiency while Canada hit .125.
The U.S. Women scored 24 points on Canada’s scoring errors and committed 19.
U.S. opposite Danielle Cuttino and Jones-Perry each finished with a match-high 15 points. Jones-Perry scored on a match-high 13 kills and two blocks. Cuttino scored on 11 kills, a match-high three blocks and one ace.
Bastianelli scored seven points on three kills, two blocks and two aces. Middle Rachael Kramer added six points on four kills and two blocks.
Bruns finished with five points on a match-high four aces and one kill.
Libero Hana Lishman was credited with four digs and five excellent receptions.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Canada def Cuba 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-10)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17
Wednesday September 15
Mexico def Cuba, 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-16, 15-10)
United States def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-18)
Dominican Republic def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-20)
Thursday September 16
Mexico def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-15)
United States def Cuba, 3-0 25-11, 25-18, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Canada, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-20)
Friday September 17
Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-19
Mexico def Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)
Saturday September 18
Fifth-place: Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
SF: Mexico def United States, 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19)
SF: Dominican Republic def Canada, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21)
Sunday September 19
Bronze: United States def Canada, 3-0 (26-24, 25-17, 25-17)
Gold: Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-14)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 18, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team will play for the bronze medal after falling to Mexico in the semifinals on Saturday, 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (4-2) will play Canada (2-4) for third place. Canada lost its semifinal against the Dominican Republic on Saturday. The Dominican Republic (6-0) will play Mexico (4-2) for the gold medal at 4 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
“I have to give Mexico a big congratulations,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They have been playing from less to more in this tournament. They were a better team than us today and they deserved the victory.”
Mexico led the U.S. in kills (59-52) and aces (7-4). The U.S. led in blocks (13-12). The U.S. hitting efficiency was .291 while Mexico hit .282. Each team had 19 scoring errors.
Among the individual bright spots for the U.S. Women, opposite Danielle Cuttino led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 19 kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Ali Bastianelli scored seven points on a match-high seven blocks. Libero Hana Lishman was credited with 7 digs and 13 excellent receptions. Symone Williams-Abbott had eight digs.
Outside hitters Lindsay Stalzer and Symone Williams-Abbott each finished with 15 points. Stalzer had 13 kills and two aces. Williams-Abbott had 12 kills and three blocks.
Middle Shelly Stafford scored seven points on four kills, two blocks and one ace.
Starting setter Taylor Bruns scored two points with two kills as did backup opposite Alex Holston. Backup setter Elle Glock also played in the match.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Canada def Cuba 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-10)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17
Wednesday September 15
Mexico def Cuba, 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-16, 15-10)
United States def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-18)
Dominican Republic def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-20)
Thursday September 16
Mexico def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-15)
United States def Cuba, 3-0 25-11, 25-18, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Canada, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-20)
Friday September 17
Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-19
Mexico def Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)
Saturday September 18
Fifth-place: Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
SF: Mexico def United States 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19)
SF: Dominican Republic def Canada, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21)
Sunday September 19
2 p.m. Bronze: Canada vs United States
4 p.m. Gold: Dominican Republic vs Mexico
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team lost its first match of the tournament on Friday, falling to the host Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-13). The U.S. Women end the round-robin preliminary round in second place with a 4-1 record. They will play third-place Mexico (3-2) at...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team remained undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17) win over Cuba in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The win sets up a showdown with the host country, which is also undefeated in the preliminary round robin at 4-0, on Friday...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team remained undefeated on Wednesday after sweeping Canada (25-22, 25-16, 25-18) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (3-0) will continue the preliminary round robin on Thursday when they play Cuba (0-3) at 2 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at...
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team lost its first match of the tournament on Friday, falling to the host Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-13).
The U.S. Women end the round-robin preliminary round in second place with a 4-1 record. They will play third-place Mexico (3-2) at 2 p.m. PT on Saturday in the semifinals. The Dominican Republic (5-0) will play fourth-place Canada (2-3) in the other semifinal). Live stream is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
On Friday, the U.S. Women held their own in the first set, but errors crept in and combined with a powerful Dominican team that overwhelmed Team USA.
“The Dominican is a very good team,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Today, they played much better than us. Things did not go the way we expected.”
The Dominican Republic led the U.S. in kills (32-28), blocks (10-5) and aces (5-1). The U.S. finished with 28 scoring errors while the Dominican had 16.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry led the U.S. scoring effort with 10 points on nine kills and one block. Starting opposite Danielle Cuttino added nine points on nine kills.
Middle blocker Rachel Kramer scored seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace.
Outside hitter Symone Williams-Abbott totaled four points on four kills. Middle Shelly Stafford scored on two kills and one block. Backup opposite Alex Holston scored one point with a kill.
Backup setter Elle Glock also played in the match.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Canada def Cuba 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-10)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17
Wednesday September 15
Mexico def Cuba, 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-16, 15-10)
United States def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-18)
Dominican Republic def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-20)
Thursday September 16
Mexico def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-15)
United States def Cuba, 3-0 25-11, 25-18, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Canada, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-20)
Friday September 17
Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-19
Mexico def Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-12)
Dominican Republic def United States, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)
Saturday September 18
Noon Fifth place: Cuba vs Puerto Rico
2 p.m. United States vs. Mexico
4 p.m. Dominican Republic vs. Canada
Sunday September 19
2 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
4 p.m. Gold Medal Game
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team remained undefeated on Thursday with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17) win over Cuba in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The win sets up a showdown with the host country, which is also undefeated in the preliminary round robin at 4-0, on Friday at 4 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
After Friday’s final preliminary matches, the top four teams will advance to Saturday’s semifinals, so both the United States and the Dominican Republic will advance regardless of the outcome.
The U.S. Women kept up the service pressure against Cuba, finishing with 11 aces led by middle blocker Ali Bastianelli with four and outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer with three.
The U.S. Women led in kills (28-13) and aces (11-5) while the Dominican led in blocks (5-4). The U.S. scored 32 points on Cuba’s errors while committing 23 scoring errors.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry led all scorers with 14 points on a match-high 12 kills and two aces. Bastianelli added 11 points with five kills and a match-high two blocks to go with her aces.
Stalzer totaled nine points on six kills with her three aces. Middle Rachael Kramer scored seven points on four kills, two aces and one block. Opposite Alex Holston finished with one point on one kill.
Setter Elle Glock scored one point with a block and helped the team to a .333 hitting efficiency. Libero Hana Lishman had five digs and three excellent receptions. Holston led the team in digs with six. Jones-Perry led in excellent receptions with four.
The Dominican Republic will present the U.S. Women with their greatest challenge of the tournament thus far. The Dominican team has seven players from its 2020 Olympic Team that finished eighth in Tokyo. It has not lost a set so far at the Pan American Cup.
The U.S. team is young and has only been playing together a few weeks. It has lost only one set in the tournament and has improved with each match.
Going into Thursday’s matches, Jones-Perry was leading the U.S. Women in scoring and was tied for second among all Pan Am Cup players with 43 points on 33 kills, three blocks and seven aces.
Outside hitter Yonkaira Peña was leading the Dominican Republic and was fourth among all players 36 points on 35 kills and one block.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team remained undefeated on Wednesday after sweeping Canada (25-22, 25-16, 25-18) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (3-0) will continue the preliminary round robin on Thursday when they play Cuba (0-3) at 2 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 14, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team had a different lineup but the same result on Tuesday as it defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (2-0) will continue round-robin preliminary play on Wednesday when they will play Canada (2-0)...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team opened the tournament on Monday with a hard-fought 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27) win over Mexico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (1-0) will continue the tournament’s preliminary round robin on Tuesday when they will play Puerto Rico (0-1)...
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team remained undefeated on Wednesday after sweeping Canada (25-22, 25-16, 25-18) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (3-0) will continue the preliminary round robin on Thursday when they play Cuba (0-3) at 2 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
The U.S. led Canada in blocks (9-3) and aces (7-2) while Canada led in kills (28-24). The U.S. was helped by Canada’s 35 scoring errors. The U.S. committed 23.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Setter Elle Glock made her tournament debut as a substitute for starter Taylor Bruns in all three sets as part of a double sub that also saw Alex Holston taking over for Danielle Cuttino at opposite.
Cuttino nevertheless led all scorers with 12 points on a tournament-high six blocks and six kills.
“Our team has a lot of reasons to feel proud,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We keep playing better every day. We are very happy with the job done by our young setter Elle Glock as this is her first international appearance. All our victories have been the result of a team effort.”
Outside hitter Symone Williams-Abbott finished with eight points on five kills, one block and two aces.
Middle blockers Shelly Stafford and Ali Bastianelli along with outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer each finished with six points. Bruns and Holston each scored one.
Libero Hana Lishman finished with five digs and two excellent receptions.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Canada def Cuba 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-10)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17)
Dominican Republic def Mexico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17
Wednesday September 15
Mexico def Cuba, 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-16, 15-10)
United States def Canada, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-18)
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico
Thursday September 16
Noon Mexico v Puerto Rico
2 p.m. United States v Cuba
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Canada
Friday September 17
Noon Puerto Rico v Cuba
2 p.m. Canada v Mexico
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v United States
Saturday September 18
Noon Positions 5-6
2 p.m. 2nd vs 3rd
4 p.m. 1st v 4th
Sunday September 19
2 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
4 p.m. Gold Medal Game
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 14, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team had a different lineup but the same result on Tuesday as it defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (2-0) will continue round-robin preliminary play on Wednesday when they will play Canada (2-0)...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team opened the tournament on Monday with a hard-fought 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27) win over Mexico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. Women (1-0) will continue the tournament’s preliminary round robin on Tuesday when they will play Puerto Rico (0-1)...
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 12, 2021) – Fresh off leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Head Coach Karch Kiraly and assistants Erin Virtue and Tama Miyashiro will lead a younger group at the Pan American Cup this week in Santo Domingo,...
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 14, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team had a different lineup but the same result on Tuesday as it defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (2-0) will continue round-robin preliminary play on Wednesday when they will play Canada (2-0) at 2 p.m. PT. Live stream is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly adjusted the team lineup from Monday when the U.S. beat Mexico, 3-1. Symone Williams-Abbott started for the first time at outside hitter, Alex Holston started at opposite and Shelly Stafford made her debut at middle blocker.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
Williams-Abbott made her mark, leading all scorer with 18 points on a match-high 14 kills and a match-high four blocks.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry, making her second straight start, finished with 16 points on 12 kills, three aces and one block. Holston added 13 points on 11 kills, one block and one ace.
Stafford and middle Rachael Kramer, who made her second start, each finished with six points. Each player had five kills while Stafford added a block and Kramer had an ace.
Setter Taylor Bruns made her second start and helped the team to a .320 hitting efficiency. Libero Hana Lishman was credited with six digs and three excellent receptions.
“My team did a good job,” Kiraly said in a NORCECA press release. “Even though we didn’t have much time to train, just a few days, I think we will be improving day after day.”
Overall, the U.S. Women led Puerto Rico in kills (47-19) and aces (9-3). Puerto Rico led in blocks (6-3). The U.S. committed 22 scoring errors as compared with 16 for Puerto Rico.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Canada def Cuba 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-10)
United States def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17)
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Mexico
Wednesday September 15
Noon Cuba v Mexico
2 p.m. United States v Canada
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico
Thursday September 16
Noon Mexico v Puerto Rico
2 p.m. United States v Cuba
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Canada
Friday September 17
Noon Puerto Rico v Cuba
2 p.m. Canada v Mexico
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v United States
Saturday September 18
Noon Positions 5-6
2 p.m. 2nd vs 3rd
4 p.m. 1st v 4th
Sunday September 19
2 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
4 p.m. Gold Medal Game
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Team opened the tournament on Monday with a hard-fought 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27) win over Mexico in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Women (1-0) will continue the tournament’s preliminary round robin on Tuesday when they will play Puerto Rico (0-1) at 2 p.m. PT. Live streaming is available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReinasdelCaribe/videos.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
The match looked like it would go to a tiebreaker when Mexico held a 21-18 lead in the fourth set. The U.S. tied the score at 21-21 on two Mexico errors and a roll shot from outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry.
A Jones-Perry cross-court kill gave the U.S. the 22-21 lead. But the United States’ next attack went out of bounds and the teams started to trade points. At 27-27, outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer slammed a kill and middle blocker Ali Bastianelli finished with a walk-off ace.
The U.S. Women led in blocks (13-5). Mexico led in kills (48-47) and aces (11-8). The U.S. scored 33 points on Mexico’s errors while committing 29.
“Our team battled hard,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I am very proud. It wasn’t easy, but our side knew how to play as a team. I hope we keep improving in the next games.”
Jones-Perry led all scorers with 27 points on a match-high 21 kills, a match-high four aces and one block. Opposite Danielle Cuttino added 18 points on 14 kills and four blocks.
Stalzer totaled 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Rachael Kramer scored seven points on four kills, two blocks and one ace. Bastianelli scored five points on four blocks and her match-winning ace.
Setter Taylor Bruns helped her team to a .348 hitting efficiency. Mexico hit .296. Libero Hana Lishman was credited with eight digs and 17 excellent receptions.
U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
2 Taylor Bruns (S, 5-11, Normal, Ill., Univ. of South Carolina)
3 Alex Holston (OH, 6-2, Olney, Md., Univ. of Florida)
5 Hana Lishman (L, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii, Pepperdine Univ.)
6 Shelly Stafford (MB, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Baylor Univ.)
7 Symone Williams-Abbott (OH, 6-1, Northville, Mich., Northwestern Univ.)
8 Elle Glock (S, 6-1, Wahoo, Neb., Univ. of Southern California)
9 Rachael Kramer (MB, 6-10, Phoenix, Ariz., Florida)
12 Lindsay Stalzer (OH, 6-1, Kewanee, Ill., Bradley Univ.)
14 Ali Bastianelli (MB, 6-3, Marysville, Mich., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Roni Jones-Perry (OPP, 5-11, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
16C Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach Erin Virtue
Assistant Coach Tama Miyashiro
Team Manager John Xie
Athletic Trainer Misao Tanioka
Statistician Peter Wong
Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PT)
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ZS0TLfErMqfPsBr65bldQ
Monday September 13
Canada def Puerto Rico, 3-0 ( 25-17, 25-16, 25-18)
United States def Mexico, 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 29-27)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)
Tuesday September 14
Noon Cuba v Canada
2 p.m. United States v Puerto Rico
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Mexico
Wednesday September 15
Noon Cuba v Mexico
2 p.m. United States v Canada
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico
Thursday September 16
Noon Mexico v Puerto Rico
2 p.m. United States v Cuba
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v Canada
Friday September 17
Noon Puerto Rico v Cuba
2 p.m. Canada v Mexico
4 p.m. Dominican Republic v United States
Saturday September 18
Noon Positions 5-6
2 p.m. 2nd vs 3rd
4 p.m. 1st v 4th
Sunday September 19
2 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
4 p.m. Gold Medal Game
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TOKYO (Aug. 5, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team will play for the gold medal on Sunday after beating Serbia decisively on Thursday, 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23) at the Olympic Games.
The U.S. Women (6-1) will play Brazil (7-0) in the gold medal match scheduled for 9:30 p.m. PT on Saturday. Korea and Serbia will play for bronze.
It will be the fourth straight Olympic Games that will see the U.S. Women playing for a medal and the third time since 2008 that they will play for gold. Overall, the team has won three silver medals (1992, 2008 and 2012) and two bronze (1984 and 2016).
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS * MEDIA GUIDE * USA VOLLEYBALL MATCH CENTER
Although only four players on the current team competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro where Serbia beat the U.S. in the semifinals, all the players understood the significance of the match.
“(The veterans) didn’t even need to talk about it. I think so many of us watched that match,” setter Jordyn Poulter said. “I am sure there was a chip on their shoulders. All of us who play for the USA have been chasing history for so long.”
Defensively, the U.S. had one big goal, contain Serbian opposite Tijana Bošković, the tournament’s leading scorer and Serbia’s longtime star, and try to stifle Serbia’s other scorers. The plan worked. Bošković led all scorers with 19 points (.120 hitting efficiency), but Serbia’s next highest scorer, middle blocker Mina Popovic, had six. Outside hitters Bianka Busa and Bojana Milenkovic each scored four points. As a team, Serbia hit .262,
“I thought we executed phenomenally,” said middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson. “Before the match, I envisioned this for us. I envisioned us being clinical about it, executing the game plan and it was nice to see it come to life.
“I felt trust in our group.”
Akinradewo led the U.S. with three blocks. The U.S. led Serbia in blocking 12-8.
The U.S. digging and receiving corp. also impressed. Outside hitter Jordan Larson was credited with 20 successful receptions while libero Justin Wong Orantes had six and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley finished with five. Larson and Bartsch-Hackley were each credited with eight digs and Wong Orantes had six.
The great defense made life easier for Poulter, who set the team to a .333 hitting efficiency. Opposite Annie Drews led the scoring with 17 points on 12 kills, two blocks and a match-high three aces. Larson added 15 points on 11 kills, two block and two aces.
Bartsch-Hackley finished with nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Akinradewo totaled eight points on five kills to go with her three blocks. Washington scored seven points on five kills, one block and one ace. Poulter scored two points on two blocks.
NOTES
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24: USA def Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
July 26: USA def China, 3-0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-21)
July 29: USA def Turkey, 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12)
July 30: Russian Olympic Committee def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19)
Aug. 1: USA def Italy, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12)
Aug. 3: QF USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-19)
Aug. 5: SF USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23)
Aug. 7 at 9:30 p.m. PT: Gold final USA v Brazil/Korea winner
It’s not a match that the U.S. Women’s National Team enjoys talking about, but they know it will be tough to avoid it. On Aug. 18, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, the U.S. Women lost to Serbia in the semifinals of the Olympic Games in a tough five-set match. The U.S. won the first set, but Serbia took the next two. The U.S. won the fourth set 25-16 and led the fifth set 11-8 before Serbia came back to win 15-13.
The U.S. Women’s National Team assured itself the chance to play for a medal with a 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-19) quarterfinal sweep of the Dominican Republic at the Olympic Games on Wednesday in Tokyo.
The U.S. Women’s National Team played Italy on Monday knowing it had already qualified for the quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Focused on improved serving and passing, the U.S. Women beat the European side, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12) in their final pool play match.
The U.S. Women will play Dominican Republic at 9 p.m. PT on Tuesday (1 p.m. Wednesday in Tokyo) in the Olympic quarter finals. The winner will play the winner of Italy/Serbia in the semifinals and is guaranteed a chance to play for a medal. The loser will go home.
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
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TOKYO (Aug. 5, 2021) – It’s not a match that the U.S. Women’s National Team enjoys talking about, but they know it will be tough to avoid it.
On Aug. 18, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, the U.S. Women lost to Serbia in the semifinals of the Olympic Games in a tough five-set match. The U.S. won the first set, but Serbia took the next two. The U.S. won the fourth set 25-16 and led the fifth set 11-8 before Serbia came back to win 15-13.
The U.S. Women (5-1) will get a chance to avenge the loss on Thursday night when they play Serbia (5-1) in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The match starts at 9 p.m. PT and will be live on the USA Network.
MEDIA GUIDE * USA VOLLEYBALL MATCH CENTER
The 2016 loss was devastating to the U.S. Women’s National Team, which was hoping to win its first Olympic gold medal in Rio. It went on to win the bronze.
U.S. Team Captain Jordan Larson said she did bring up the loss with the eight U.S. players competing at their first Olympic Games because she knew they would hear about it.
“At the end of the day, as Sue (Enquist, a team consultant coach) talks about, the game has no memory,” Larson said. “It’s a new game, it’s a new day, it’s five years later.”
Serbia went on to lose the 2016 Olympic gold medal match to China. But it came back in 2018 to win the FIVB World Championship. The U.S. record against Serbia since 2016 is 4-2. Most recently, it beat the Europeans in the preliminary round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, but Serbia did not bring its top team.
Serbia’s top team was led by opposite Tijana Bošković in 2016 and today. In fact, she is the leading scorer of this year’s Olympic Games with 140 points in six matches. She is also the leading attacker with 124 kills.
“Nobody shuts her down,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Nobody slows her down tremendously. We just have to try to contain her.
“Serbia also has one of the world’s great setters in Maja Ognjenovic. She’s been playing at a really elite level for years. She’s very tricky and unorthodox.”
Unlike Serbia, the U.S. Women (5-1) have had very balanced scoring. Their scoring leader is still opposite Jordan Thompson (78 points), who has missed the last two matches after being injured in a pool play match against Russia. She is followed by outside hitters Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (68 points) and Jordan Larson (64 points).
Both Thompson and setter Jordyn Poulter, who was injured in the team’s final pool play match against Italy, are back in training with the team.
In other good news, Bartsch-Hackley is leading all players of the tournament in successful receptions, averaging 19.3 per match and libero Justine Wong Orantes is third among diggers with 69 in six matches.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24: USA def Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
July 26: USA def China, 3-0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-21)
July 29: USA def Turkey, 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12)
July 30: Russian Olympic Committee def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19)
Aug. 1: USA def Italy, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12)
Aug. 3: QF USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-19)
Aug. 5 at 9p PT: SF USA vs Serbia
Aug. 7/8 Medal matches
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TOKYO (Aug. 3, 2021) – Despite challenges at every turn, the U.S. Women’s National Team took care of business in a difficult pool at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Now comes the hard part.
The U.S. Women will play Dominican Republic at 9 p.m. PT on Tuesday (1 p.m. Wednesday in Tokyo) in the Olympic quarter finals. The winner will play the winner of Italy/Serbia in the semifinals and is guaranteed a chance to play for a medal. The loser will go home.
MEDIA GUIDE * USA VOLLEYBALL MATCH CENTER
On the other side of the bracket, Korea will play Turkey and Brazil will face the team from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
With each challenge that came along during pool play, the team dug a little deeper and pulled together.
“I think this team has done a phenomenal job of adapting, compensating and adjusting to all the strange things that have happened,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re certainly going to be ready for a great Dominican team across the net. They are a very physical team so we’ve got to be in good spots there.”
Those who have followed the team know its struggles in Tokyo.
First, assistant coach Erin Virtue was put into quarantine after she was deemed a “close contact” of a person who tested positive for COVID on the plane to Tokyo. She could not be on the bench for the team’s first two matches but was eventually allowed to rejoin the group under strict protocols.
During the U.S. Women’s match against the ROC, starting opposite Jordan Thompson, who had been leading the team in scoring, injured her ankle and left the match. The ROC team went on to sweep the U.S.
On Monday, starting setter Jordyn Poulter injured her ankle in the United States’ final pool play match against Italy. The U.S. went on to beat Italy and win Pool B.
Team Captain and three-time Olympian Jordan Larson has encouraged the younger players on the team to acknowledge the pressure they are feeling and talk about it.
“It’s important to acknowledge what’s in front of us,” Larson said. “But also being present in the moment and focusing on what we can control.”
Three-time Olympian Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson said the team has put an emphasis on trust and that has helped it get through the tough times.
“With that trust on and off the court, it has translated to these matches,” she said. “We are able to rely on one another and we know our good is good enough.”
First-time Olympian Micha Hancock took over at setter for Poulter when she was injured and has been buoyed by the support she is receiving from her teammates.
“I had a lot of support coming off the bench,” Hancock said. “It’s not easy, emotionally, watching a teammate go down. It wasn’t easy, but we figured out a way.”
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24: USA def Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
July 26: USA def China, 3-0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-21)
July 29: USA def Turkey, 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12)
July 30: Russian Olympic Committee def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19)
Aug. 1: USA def Italy, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12)
Aug. 3/4: Quarterfinals
Aug. 5/6 Semifinals
Aug. 7/8 Medal matches
The U.S. Women’s National Team played Italy on Monday knowing it had already qualified for the quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Focused on improved serving and passing, the U.S. Women beat the European side, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12) in their final pool play match.
By any name, a team from Russia can be a bear. The U.S. Women’s National Team encountered a grizzly in pool play on Friday, falling to the team from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19) at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
There is a saying that goes, “It’s hard to beat a team three times a season.” The U.S. Women’s National Team found out it was hard, but not impossible, to defeat Turkey for a third time this season when it beat the European side, 3-2
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TOKYO (Aug. 2, 2021) – Sometimes you are playing to get the bad taste of a loss out of your mouth.
The U.S. Women’s National Team played Italy on Monday knowing it had already qualified for the quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Focused on improved serving and passing, the U.S. Women beat the European side, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12) in their final pool play match.
Later on Monday, the U.S. Women (4-1) won Pool B thanks to Turkey (3-2) beating the Russian Olympic Committee team (3-2), 3-2. The U.S. will play the fourth-place team in Pool A – the winner between Japan and the Dominican Republic – in the quarterfinals on Aug. 4.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS * MEDIA GUIDE * USA VOLLEYBALL MATCH CENTER
Monday’s victory may have cost the United States another player. Starting setter Jordyn Poulter left the match at the start of the third set with an apparent ankle injury. There is no current update on her condition.
The U.S. already lost starting opposite Jordan Thompson to injury while playing the ROC team. Thompson was in the stands cheering on her teammates on Monday and it is hoped she will play again in Tokyo.
After being swept by the ROC team on Saturday, the U.S. Women met to discuss their first loss of the tournament.
“We had a meeting that night to reframe things,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I think we were all a little disappointed that match didn’t go the way we wanted it to. Russia played extremely well.
“I had told them I would be very surprised if anybody went through this tournament undefeated. It’s very difficult.”
The U.S. Women led Italy in blocks (13-10) and aces (4-2) and scored 35 points on Italy’s errors while committing 24. Italy held an edge in kills (60-59). Poulter and backup setter Micha Hancock combined to help the U.S. Women to a .291 hitting efficiency. Italy hit .196.
Making her first start of the Olympics, opposite Annie Drews led the U.S. Women with 22 points on 19 kills and three blocks.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley added 17 points on 13 kills, two blocks and two aces.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson scored 13 points on 12 kills and one ace. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington totaled 11 points on seven kills and four blocks and middle Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson added 10 points on six kills and four blocks.
Serving specialist Kim Hill scored one point with an ace and Poulter and Hancock each had a kill. Libero Justine Wong Orantes was credited with a match-high 14 digs and 12 successful receptions. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with 12 digs and 25 successful receptions.
Italy’s opposite Paola Egonu led all scorers with 28 points, but only one other Italian player scored in double figures.
NOTES
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24: USA def Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
July 26: USA def China, 3-0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-21)
July 29: USA def Turkey, 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12)
July 30: Russian Olympic Committee def USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19)
Aug. 1: USA def Italy, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12)
Aug. 3/4 Quarterfinals
Aug. 5/6 Semifinals
Aug. 7/8 Medal matches
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 6, 2021) – After a slow start in the first set, the U.S. Women’s National Team got its groove back and beat Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13) on Sunday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (7-0) maintain their first-place tourney lead over 16 other teams. They will play South Korea on Monday at 7 a.m. PT. Matches are being shown on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women had to fight back from a 13-17 deficit in the first set. But after that, it was a relatively smooth dance to victory.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“I think we did a really good job of staying patient throughout the match,” U.S. libero Justine Wong Orantes said. “Germany was getting a lot of defensive plays. We did a good job of focusing on our side of the net and controlling what we could control.”
Opposite Annie Drews and outside hitter Kelsey Robinson led the way for the U.S. and led all scorers with 17 points each. Drews scored on a match-high 17 kills (.654). Robinson scored on 12 kills, a match-high two blocks and three aces, which tied her for the match high with teammate Micha Hancock.
The U.S. Women led Germany in kills (45-27) and aces (8-3). The teams tied in blocks (4-4). The U.S. Women scored 18 points on Germany’s errors while committing 15.
Among other scorers, outside hitter Jordan Larson scored 10 points on eight kills and two aces. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu finished with six points on five kills and one block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson finished with three points on two kills and one block.
Hancock scored four points in her three aces and one kill. She set the U.S. Women to a .500 hitting efficiency. Wong Orantes was credited with team-leading 14 digs and seven successful receptions.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Larson and Robinson at the outsides, Akinradewo and Ogbogo in the middle, Drews at opposite, Hancock at setter and Wong Orantes at libero. He did not substitute.
The only real difficulty for the U.S. Women came in the first set when they fell behind 13-17. Two kills in a row from Akinradewo and Larson pulled the U.S. to within two. With the U.S. still trailing 16-18, Drews scored on an attack, giving Hancock the serve. The U.S. scored the next three points on a kill from Ogbogu, ace by Hancock and Drews kill to go ahead 20-18. Germany tied it at 20 and the teams were still tied at 21 when the U.S. scored twice on Germany’s errors. The U.S. reached set point first at 24-22. Germany scored once before Akinradewo ended it with a kill.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 6
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ.)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at noon: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 2, 2021) – Two groups down, three to go. The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated at the end of their second group at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Wednesday, beating Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16) in Rimini. The U.S. Women (6-0) get three days off before playing Germany (2-4)...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 1, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is on a roll at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, improving to 5-0 after its victory over Netherlands 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18) on Tuesday in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women close out their second group of the Preliminary Round against Thailand on Wednesday...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made quick work of a young Serbian team on Monday, beating the defending world champion, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12) on Monday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (4-0), the two-time defending VNL champions, have lost only...
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 2, 2021) – Two groups down, three to go. The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated at the end of their second group at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Wednesday, beating Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16) in Rimini.
The U.S. Women (6-0) get three days off before playing Germany (2-4) at noon PT on June 6. The U.S. Women and Turkey (5-0) are the only women’s VNL teams still undefeated (Turkey will play China later today) in the Preliminary Round.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley led all scorers with 18 points on 11 kills (.500), a match-high four aces and three blocks. Opposite Jordan Thompson added 17 points on a match-high 14 kills (.480) and three blocks.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
The U.S. Women led Thailand in kills (47-26), blocks (11-2) and aces (7-0). The U.S. scored 20 points on Thailand’s errors while giving up only 10 points on errors.
Although the match statistics were one-sided, it was an entertaining game with some long rallies, including one that lasted almost a minute.
“When we play Thailand, we’re always expecting a battle and really long rallies both ways,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “I think we did a good job controlling those and turning them into our points.”
Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Kim Hill totaled 11 points on nine kill and two blocks. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington scored eight points on six kills, one block and one ace. Middle Hannah Tapp added seven points on six kills and one ace.
Setter Micha Hancock scored four points on two blocks, one kill and one ace. She set the U.S. Women to a .446 hitting efficiency while Thailand hit .240. Libero Megan Courtney was credited with nine successful receptions and five digs. Hill also had five digs.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Washington and Tapp at middle blocker, Thompson at opposite, Hancock at seter and Courney at libero. He did not substitute any players.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 2
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6 at noon: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at noon: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 1, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is on a roll at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, improving to 5-0 after its victory over Netherlands 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18) on Tuesday in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women close out their second group of the Preliminary Round against Thailand on Wednesday...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made quick work of a young Serbian team on Monday, beating the defending world champion, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12) on Monday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (4-0), the two-time defending VNL champions, have lost only...
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Libero/Outside Hitter, 6-1
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 1, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is on a roll at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, improving to 5-0 after its victory over Netherlands 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18) on Tuesday in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women close out their second group of the Preliminary Round against Thailand on Wednesday at 3 a.m. PT. All matches are being shown live on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women’s serving was on point as they led in aces 7-0 and frequently put Netherlands out of system with tough serves. Setter Micha Hancock, middle blocker Tori Dixon and outside hitter Kelsey Robinson, making her 2021 VNL debut, each had two aces for the U.S. Outside hitter Jordan Larson added one.
“I think both of us came out a little slow; a lot of missed serves, a lot of errors,” said U.S. middle Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson. “I think once we were able to pick up the service pressure that really helped out our blocking defense and that helped us to earn more points.”
Robinson led all scorers with 13 points on 10 kills and one block to go with her two aces. Opposite Annie Drews scored 11 points on nine kills and a team-high two blocks. Larson finished with 10 points on eight kills and her two aces.
Akinradewo finished with nine points on eight kills and one block. Hancock and middle Tori Dixon each finished with five points. Hancock set the team to a .261 hitting efficiency. Netherlands finished with a .168 efficiency.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 14 digs and nine successful receptions. Robinson led in digs with 15 while Larson also had 14. Robinson also had nine successful receptions.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Dixon at middle blocker, Drews at opposite, Hancock at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero. He did not use any substitutes.
The teams kept the first set close and the score was tied 20-20 when Hancock jump served an ace that was clocked at 100 km an hour. Robinson followed with a kill that put the U.S. Women ahead 22-20. Netherlands scored again to pull to within one, but Larson scored with a kill and the U.S. went on to win.
The U.S. Women led the second set 9-8 when they went on a 5-0 scoring run. Robinson scored with a kill and took the serve. Drews scored with another kill before Robinson served an ace. A Netherlands scoring error and a back-row attack from Robinson put the set out of Netherlands’ reach.
The U.S. Women led 6-5 in the third set when it scored three straight points on a kill from Akinradewo and two from Hancock to increase the lead to 9-5. Netherlands never recovered.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 1
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA
June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made quick work of a young Serbian team on Monday, beating the defending world champion, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12) on Monday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (4-0), the two-time defending VNL champions, have lost only...
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made quick work of a young Serbian team on Monday, beating the defending world champion, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12) on Monday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (4-0), the two-time defending VNL champions, have lost only one set so far in the preliminary round and are first in the standings. Serbia falls to 2-2. The U.S. Women play Netherlands (3-10) on Tuesday at 9 a.m. PDT.
Serbia arrived in Italy without some of its star players that helped it to the 2018 FIVB World Championship.
“Serbia was very young but very talented,” U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter said. “Right from the start, they were going after us from the service line.
“We knew that it was going to be a little strange, Serbia not having some of their more veteran players.”
The U.S. Women led Serbia in kills (43-23), blocks (8-5) and aces (5-3). The U.S. Women scored 19 points on Serbian errors and committed 17.
“I think early on in this VNL tournament all the teams can say they are just trying to settle in and see what different lineups can do – and that’s what we are doing,” Poulter said. “We have a couple of girls who haven’t seen the court yet this season and we all haven’t played together since 2019… We are doing a great job staying patient and managing some of the good jitters that come along with getting back our rhythm.”
U.S. opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 17 points on a match-high 15 kills (.500) and a team-high two aces, including an ace for the final point of the match.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, who made her 2021 VNL debut, scored 11 points on nine kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington added 11 points on a match-high four blocks, six kills and one ace.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Kim Hill, who also made her 2021 VNL debut, totaled five points on five kills.
Poulter scored three points on two kills and a block. She set the U.S. Women to a .343 hitting efficiency. Libero Megan Courtney was credited with a match-high 22 digs and five successful receptions. Bartsch-Hackley also had five successful receptions.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Poulter at setter, Thompson at opposite and Courtney at libero. He did not make any substitutions.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for May 31
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia vs USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Netherlands
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA
June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Libero/Outside Hitter, 6-1
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 27, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated the return of its two-time Olympic medal-winning middle blocker Foluke Gunderson on Thursday with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22) victory over Brazil at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
The U.S. Women (3-0) and the 15 other women’s teams in Rimini, Italy, will take a three-day break while the men’s teams play matches. The U.S. Women will return on Monday, May 31 to play defending world champion Serbia (1-2).
In another interesting turn of events, the FIVB updated its indoor rankings on Thursday and the U.S. Women moved from No. 2 to No. 1 in the world prior to the finish of the VNL.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
For the most part, they played like it on Thursday, leading Brazil in kills (67-58) and aces (6-2). The U.S. also took advantage of 19 Brazil errors while committing 14. Brazil led in blocks (9-6).
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons led all players in scoring with 25 points on a match-high 21 kills, a match-high two aces and two blocks.
“I’m just really proud of our team; the way we fought this battle,” Wilhite Parsons said. “We started really strong in the first two sets, but then we made too many mistakes. We regained control, even if they pushed us.
“Winning three matches for three points is huge. It’s good to start the tournament this way.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson and opposite Annie Drews each scored 16 points. Gunderson and fellow middle Haleigh Washington each finished with 10. Setter Jordyn Poulter, who made her first appearance of the 2021 VNL, scored two points and set the U.S. Women to a .356 hitting efficiency. Brazil hit .297.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 25 digs and 11 successful receptions.
Gunderson played in her first match with the U.S. Women since the FIVB World Championship in October 2018. The following year, while playing for her pro club in Japan, Gunderson discovered she was pregnant with son Kayode, who was born in November 2019.
Her 10 points came on seven kills, two blocks and one ace.
The teams were tied 8-8 in the first set when Drews and Washington scored with two straight kills to give the U.S. a two-point lead. Later, with the U.S. leading 13-12, the team used a 4-0 run, including kill and block by Gunderson and kills from Wilhite Parsons and Larson, to put Brazil behind for good.
Brazil took a 5-1 lead in the second set before the U.S. Women tied it at 7-7. At 8-8, Wilhite Parsons scored with a kill, then took the serve and served for the next five points, including an ace and a block from Gunderson. Brazil never threatened.
The third set, Brazil led 17-14 before the U.S. tied it at 17s. The teams were still tied at 23-23 when Brazil scored on a kill and a U.S. hitting error to win the set.
The U.S. Women came out strong in the fourth set, taking an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout and never allowing Brazil back into the match.
The VNL is being broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for May 25-27
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31 at 10:30 a.m.: Serbia vs USA
June 1 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Netherlands
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA
June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 26, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team rebounded from a 17-22 deficit in the first set to sweep Canada (26-24, 25-15, 25-10) on Wednesday and improve to 2-0 in the Preliminary Round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women finish their first group of VNL...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2021) – After more than a year and a half, the U.S. Women’s National Team returned to the competition court on Tuesday and emerged victorious, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women, who are the VNL...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, begins its 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) campaign on Tuesday (9 a.m. PDT) against the Dominican Republic in Rimini, Italy. Coincidentally, the last match that the U.S. Women played as a team was a 3-2 loss...
Opposite, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 26, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team rebounded from a 17-22 deficit in the first set to sweep Canada (26-24, 25-15, 25-10) on Wednesday and improve to 2-0 in the Preliminary Round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women finish their first group of VNL matches on Thursday against Brazil (2-0) at 10:30 a.m. PDT.
U.S. opposite Annie Drews, the MVP of the 2019 VNL, led all scorers with 20 points on a match-high 19 kills (.405 hitting efficiency) and one block. Outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Sarah Wilhite Parsons added 11 points each. Wilhite Parsons had a match-high three blocks to go with eight kills. Plummer had eight kills, two aces and one block.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“We did a good job covering up the first set,” Drews said. “We came out maybe a little too excited, a little jittery. I know myself, this is my first game in two years in Team USA, so a little nervous when you start the match. But after that we did a really good job staying patient and just taking point by point.”
Middle blockers Tori Dixon and Hannah Tapp each finished with seven points and setter Lauren Carlini scored six. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 17 digs and three successful receptions. Plummer led successful receptions with 11.
The U.S. led Canada in kills (48-29), blocks (10-2) and aces (4-0). Canada had 18 errors while the U.S. had 14. Carlini set the U.S. Women to a .345 hitting efficiency.
“I think Lauren [Carlini] did a really good job tonight spreading offence and we had a really nice connection tonight,” Drews said.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Plummer and Wilhite Parsons at the outsides, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Carlini at setter, Drews at opposite and Wong-Orantes at libero. There were no substitutes.
Canada’s offense came out firing in the first set, led by outside hitter Kiera Van Ryk who had nine kills in the frame. With the U.S. down 17-22, Dixon scored on a quick kill, then took the serve and didn’t stop until the teams were tied 22-22. Drews gave the U.S. three points on two kills and a block during the run. With the teams tied 24-24, Carlini blocked outside hitter Hilary Howe and Plummer followed with a block of Van Ryk to take the set.
The second set was tied at 6-6 when Tapp scored with a block and Wilhite Parsons followed with two more to give the U.S. the three-point lead and Canada did not threaten again.
The third set featured a serving run from Lauren Carlini that took the U.S. from a 12-6 lead to 18-6, including an ace, a block by Drews and kills from Wilhite Parsons and Plummer.
The VNL is being broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for May 25-27
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 2-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27 at 10:30 a.m.: Brazil vs USA
May 31 at 10:30 a.m.: Serbia vs USA
June 1 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Netherlands
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA
June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2021) – After more than a year and a half, the U.S. Women’s National Team returned to the competition court on Tuesday and emerged victorious, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women, who are the VNL...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, begins its 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) campaign on Tuesday (9 a.m. PDT) against the Dominican Republic in Rimini, Italy. Coincidentally, the last match that the U.S. Women played as a team was a 3-2 loss...
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 6-1
Middle, 6-3
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2021) – After more than a year and a half, the U.S. Women’s National Team returned to the competition court on Tuesday and emerged victorious, sweeping the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women, who are the VNL two-time defending champions, will play their next preliminary round match against another NORCECA zone foe, Canada, at noon PDT on Wednesday (May 25).
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer, making her VNL debut, led the U.S. scoring on Tuesday with a match-high 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson added 15 points on 14 kills and one block and opposite Jordan Thompson scored 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace.
“We are trying to maximize our potential,” Larson said. “It’s been a long time since we were able to compete under our flag and represent the USA. We are very excited to be together again, just coming together for one goal. In this game, there were times when we were a bit slow, but I think we got better as the match wore on.”
Middle blocker Hannah Tapp scored seven points on a match-high four blocks and three kills. Middle Tori Dixon added six points on six kills. Setter Lauren Carlini scored three points on one kill, one block and one ace. Libero Justin Wong-Orantes was credited with 10 digs and nine successful receptions.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
The U.S. Women led the Dominican in kills (51-34), blocks (9-3) and aces (2-1). The U.S. had 13 errors as compared to 15 for the Dominican. Carlini set the U.S. to a .376 hitting efficiency.
Coincidentally, prior to Tuesday, the last match that the U.S. Women played as a team was a 3-2 loss to the Dominican Republic in the final of the NORCECA Championship in October 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Larson and Plummer at outside hitter, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Carlini at setter, Thompson at opposite and Wong-Orantes at libero. There were no substitutes.
With the score tied 7-7 in the first set, the U.S. Women went ahead by two on a Larson kill and an ace from setter Lauren Carlini. The U.S. led by as many as four at 15-11. The Dominican came back to trail by one at 15-16, but two kills from Thompson and middle blocker Hannah Tapp kept the lead intact.
The U.S. led 14-11 in the second set, but the Dominican came back to tie it at 16s. The U.S. used a 4-1 run, including three kills from Larson, to lead 21-17 and the Dominican never threatened again.
The U.S. jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set and never looked back. Set highlights included three big blocks from Tapp.
The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for May 25-27
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26 at noon: USA vs Canada
May 27 at 10:30 a.m.: Brazil vs USA
May 31 at 10:30 a.m.: Serbia vs USA
June 1 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Netherlands
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA
June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, begins its 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) campaign on Tuesday (9 a.m. PDT) against the Dominican Republic in Rimini, Italy. Coincidentally, the last match that the U.S. Women played as a team was a 3-2 loss...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 25, 2021) – Seeking to better support the health of female players on its national teams, USA Volleyball is announcing a partnership with Orreco, a global leader in bio-analytics and performance for elite athletes. Orreco will provide the U.S. Indoor, Beach and Sitting national teams with its FitrWoman app and FitrCoach...
Setter, 6-1
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite/Outside Hitter, 6-6
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team steam train kept barreling down the track on Sunday with a sweep of Japan (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
A showdown looms on Monday as the first-place U.S. Women (11-0) will face second-place Turkey (9-2) at noon PT. All matches are being shown live on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The words of the day for the U.S. Women were “patience and aggressive,” said middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, who finished the match with four blocks and three kills.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“Patience when we need to be and aggressive when we know we have the opportunities to score,” Ogbogu said.
The U.S. Women led Japan in kills (49-41), blocks (9-1) and aces (5-4), but Japan also scored 21 points on U.S. errors while only committing 13. Japan also led in digs (98-75).
“Japan is very good defensively and we knew that,” Ogbogu said. “That’s where the patience comes in. We had to be patient with our swings and also patient with our covering. They are really good at covering each other and getting the next ball back.”
Outside hitters Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Kelsey Robinson each finished with 14 points for the U.S. Bartsch-Hackley scored on 12 kills (.444) one block and one ace. Robinson scored on 11 kills, two aces and one block.
Opposite Annie Drews scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington finished with eight points on seven kills and one block. Jordan Thompson, who didn’t start but played several times as part of a double substitution when she and setter Jordyn Poulter entered for setter Micah Hancock and Drews, scored seven points.
Hancock scored two points on two blocks and Poulter had a point with an ace. They combined to set the U.S. Women to a .376 hitting efficiency. Libero Justine Wong Orantes finished with 14 digs and five successful receptions. Robinson had 15 digs and Bartsch-Hackley had 14 successful receptions. Outside hitter Kim Hill played as a serving substitute.
The U.S. Women led the first set 23-16 when Japan went on a 6-0 scoring run to pull to within one point. U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly called his second timeout of the run and Robinson came back with a kill for set point at 24-22. Japan scored once more with an attack before Drews shut it down with a kill.
Japan led the majority of the second set and led by as many as four at 17-13. The U.S. Women scored three straight points on Japan’s error, a kill from Thompson and ace by Robinson. Later, with Japan leading 21-19, the U.S. tied it on a Bartsch-Hackley kill and block from Ogbogu. Japan reached set point first at 24-23, but Washington tied it with a kill. Washington gave the U.S. set point with a block and then won the set with another attack.
The U.S. Women jumped out to an 8-5 lead in the third set and Japan never seriously threatened.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 13
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13: USA vs Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2021) – When Belgium picked up its serving for a second-set surge, the U.S. Women’s National Team pulled together to defeat the European side, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (10-0) continue to lead the VNL standings but...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 8, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hit a minor speedbump, but otherwise kept on rolling on Tuesday and beat Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (9-0) are the only team that is still undefeated in Rimini. The...
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 women who will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2021) – When Belgium picked up its serving for a second-set surge, the U.S. Women’s National Team pulled together to defeat the European side, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (10-0) continue to lead the VNL standings but set your alarm! They will face second-place Japan (8-2) on Sunday at 3 a.m. PT. All matches are being shown live on VolleyballWorld.tv.
The U.S. Women led Belgium in kills (53-21) and blocks (7-5). Belgium led in aces (4-2) and it was that strong serving that worked it back into the match.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“Belgium did a really good job of picking up their serving,” U.S. opposite Jordan Thompson said. “They were serving really tough in the second and third sets and we had to make some adjustments there with passing and I think we did a good job with that.”
Thompson led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 18 kills (.405) and a match-high three blocks. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson added 14 points on 12 kills, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Jordan Larson totaled 10 points on 10 kills.
Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson scored nine points on eight kills and one block. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu finished with six points on four kills and two blocks.
Setter Jordyn Poulter scored two points on a kill and an ace and set the U.S. to a .432 hitting efficiency. Libero Justine Wong Orantes was credited with 11 digs and 13 successful receptions. Robinson had 16 digs and Larson had 14.
Belgium scored 23 points on U.S. errors while committing 14 and Thompson praised her team for rebounding from some tough plays.
“I think we did a good job of staying patient and just trying to stay together as a team through the tough times,” Thompson said. “It wasn’t necessarily the prettiest match that we’ve played, but I think as we come back together as a team and try to work out all the kinks, it’s only going to get better.”
During and after the U.S. Women’s first-set victory, Belgium made some personnel changes that seemed to steady it somewhat.
The U.S. Women led the second set 18-15 when Belgium scored four straight points, including a block from outside hitter Lise De Valkeneer and a kill by middle blocker Nathalie Lemmens, neither of whom started the match for Belgium. The teams traded points until the U.S. grabbed the first set point at 24-23 on a Thompson attack. A U.S. service error tied it at 24-24. Thompson scored again on a kill and the U.S. won the set on Belgium’s attack error.
Belgium led the third set 10-8 when the U.S. went on a four-point run on two kills and a block by Thompson and a kill from Larson. Belgium stayed within striking distance until the U.S. led 18-16 and it scored on Larson kill and Belgium attack error to put the set out of reach.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 12
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 8, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hit a minor speedbump, but otherwise kept on rolling on Tuesday and beat Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (9-0) are the only team that is still undefeated in Rimini. The...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 7, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept South Korea (25-16, 25-12, 25-15) on Monday and is now the only unbeaten team at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (8-0) will finish the third group of the 2021 VNL against Italy (2-6) on Tuesday at...
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 women who will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 8, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hit a minor speedbump, but otherwise kept on rolling on Tuesday and beat Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (9-0) are the only team that is still undefeated in Rimini. The set they dropped to Italy is the second one they have dropped in the tournament. In the next round on June 12-14, they will face eighth-place Belgium (5-4), fifth-place Japan (7-2) and second-place Turkey (8-1).
The U.S. Women led Italy in kills (57-47), blocks (9-8) and aces (7-6).
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“I thought Italy put up a great fight. They have some really talented young players,” outside hitter Kelsey Robinson said. “We spent the match trying to navigate that and figure out how to stop them.
“I thought we were really patient with our swings. Once we got our middles going in-system, I thought we did a really good job.”
Opposite Annie Drews led all scorers with 20 points on a match-high 18 kills (.500) and two aces. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley added 19 points on 16 kills (.424), two blocks and one ace.
Robinson finished with 11 points on nine kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson scored 11 points on a match-high four blocks and seven kills.
Middle Haleigh Washington totaled nine points on six kills, one block and two aces. Setter Jordyn Poulter finished with three points on one kill, one block and one ace. She set the U.S. to a .336 hitting efficiency.
Libero Justine Wong Orantes was credited with 20 digs and eight successful receptions.
After winning the first two sets, the U.S. Women led the third 15-13 when Italy’s offense caught fire and carried the European side on a 9-1 scoring run to lead 22-16 and the U.S. Women ran out of serves to catch up.
The U.S. Women put the third set in the rear-view mirror and took a 10-5 lead to open the fourth set. Italy never challenged.
U.S. Women’s National Team 18-Person Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey
June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 7, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept South Korea (25-16, 25-12, 25-15) on Monday and is now the only unbeaten team at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (8-0) will finish the third group of the 2021 VNL against Italy (2-6) on Tuesday at...
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 women who will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 6, 2021) – After a slow start in the first set, the U.S. Women’s National Team got its groove back and beat Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13) on Sunday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (7-0) maintain their first-place tourney lead over 16 other teams....
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 14, 2020) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will host Japan in a joint training session from March 14-21 at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim, California.
As part of the training week, the two countries will engage in an exhibition match on March 20 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California. Admission is $10 for general admission, while youth 10-and-under, seniors 60-and-over and military with identification can purchase tickets for $7. Youth 3-and-under will be admitted free. Tickets will go on sale at the door 90 minutes prior to the 7 p.m. PT first serve.
While rosters for both USA and Japan have not been confirmed, the American roster will be composed mostly of college student-athletes who will be joining Spring Training Camp in Anaheim. Several U.S. Women’s National Team members will also be in training at that time in Anaheim, including Olympians Jordan Larson, Foluke Akinradewo and Rachael Adams, along with Tori Dixon, Annie Drews and Hannah Tapp.
College players invited to the Spring Training Camp are liberos Morgan Hentz (Stanford) and Hana Lishman (Pepperdine); middles Brionne Butler (Texas), Danielle Hart (Wisconsin) and Kaitlyn Hord (Penn State); outside hitters Kara Bajema (Washington), Dani Drews (Utah), Logan Eggleston (Texas), Mac May (UCLA), opposites Skylar Fields (Texas), Kenzie Koerber (Utah) and Stephanie Samedy (Minnesota); and setters Sydney Hilley (Wisconsin), Erin Olson (UCF) and Ella May Powell (Washington).
U.S. Women’s National Team Spring Training Camp
Athlete (Position, College, Years of Collegiate Eligibility Remaining, Height, Hometown)
Kara Bajema (OH, University of Washington, 0, 6-2, Lynden, Washington)
Brionne Butler (M, University of Texas, 2, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas)
Dani Drews (OH, University of Utah, 1, 6-0, Sandy, Utah)
Logan Eggleston (OH, University of Texas, 2, 6-2, Brentwood, Tennessee)
Skylar Fields (OPP, University of Texas, 3, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas)
Danielle Hart (M, University of Wisconsin, 2, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Morgan Hentz (L, Stanford University, 0, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Kentucky)
Sydney Hilley (S, University of Wisconsin, 1, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota)
Kaitlyn Hord (M, Penn State University, 2, 6-4, Lexington, Kentucky)
Kenzie Koerber (OPP, University of Utah, 1, 6-3, Chino Hills, California)
Hana Lishman (L, Pepperdine University, 0, 5-8, Kailua, Hawaii)
Mac May (OH, UCLA, 1, 6-3, Dubuque, Iowa)
Erin Olson (S, UCF, 0, 5-9, Cary, Illinois)
Ella May Powell (S, University of Washington, 2, 6-0, Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Stephanie Samedy (OPP, University of Minnesota, 1, 6-2, Clermont, Florida)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 7, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Sitting Volleyball Team, 18-0 in 2019 and nine months from defending its Paralympic Games title next summer in Japan, will have an early chance to acclimate to conditions in Japan during the 2019 Nomura World Super 6 Tournament held Nov. 13-17 in Tokyo.
The 12-player Team USA roster includes nine Paralympic Games veterans. Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.), Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) and Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.) are three-time Paralympians leading the veteran crew along with two-time Paralympians Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla.) and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Bill Hamiter, head coach for the U.S Women’s Sitting Team, feels the team has a variety of goals to accomplish in the season-ending tournament.
“Our goals for the Super 6 tournament are to get as many of our players classified and eligible to compete in the Paralympics as possible, to gain valuable quality play time against high ranking teams and to experience matches in Tokyo where we will play in the Paralympics in August 2020,” Hamiter said. “Besides these main goals we will be using the Super 6 to evaluate acclimation procedures and other tactics we want to put in place for the Paralympics. This trip will serve as a good test run and give the team and players valuable information for our preparation for Tokyo next year.”
Hamiter said the Super 6 event has an added incentive for the team.
“We want to play as well as we can and win the tournament,” Hamiter said. “The Super 6 is the only money tournament that World ParaVolley sanctions, so our athletes are looking forward to possibly winning some money as well.”
Annie Flood (Salem, Ore.) and Emma Schieck (Statesville, N.C.) will be making their world-level tournament debuts while also becoming eligible for selection to the American Paralympic Games roster.
“Two of our youngest players, Annie Flood & Emma Schieck, are on the Super 6 roster,” Hamiter said. “I am very interested to see how they will perform at a high-level tournament requiring such long travel.”
The Super 6, normally a six-team round-robin event, has been reduced to four teams in 2019 with two teams pulling out prompting a double round-robin pool play. Team USA faces Ukraine to open the tournament on Nov. 13, followed by matches against host Japan and Russia on Nov. 14. The Americans challenge Ukraine on Nov. 15, then conclude the tournament versus Japan and Russia on Nov. 16. The tournament concludes on Nov. 17 with the medal rounds.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world and are defending Paralympic Games champions from 2016. Russia ranks sixth in the World ParaVolley world rankings, mostly due to their absence from the 2016 Paralympic Games. Ukraine ranks fourth and Japan is 11th.
USA, Russia and Japan have qualified for the eight-country 2020 Paralympic Games, though Russia’s inclusion is pending its sanctions being lifted by the International Paralympic Committee. Ukraine will compete in the Women’s Paralympic Qualifier next year.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 28, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team season may be over, but the vast majority of players are competing in overseas pro leagues. Find below the latest news on the team members playing abroad.
2019 SEASON RECAP: The U.S. Women’s National Team reached five podiums in 2019 and concluded their 2019 season with a 44-7 record in tournament play. The Americans won gold at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions Cup. The U.S. finished with silver medals at the FIVB World Cup and the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship. Team USA qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning its Tokyo Qualification Tournament pool on home soil.
USA VOLLEYBALL COACHING LEGEND MIKE HEBERT PASSES AWAY: USA Volleyball legendary volleyball coach Mike Hebert passed away on Oct. 21 in San Diego at the age of 75. Coaching volleyball was a labor of love for Hebert, who coached 35 seasons at the collegiate level and four decades lending his expertise to the U.S. Women’s National Team and USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline. He was named USA Volleyball’s Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach in 2011. “Mike Hebert was a special man and a special coach, and our volleyball world will miss him dearly,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “He served USA Volleyball at so many levels over many years, both players and coaches, and his wisdom, perspective and humor were unique. Any day spent with Mike was a day that made us better, and made us grateful. We’re sending prayers for strength and comfort to all of Mike’s family and friends.”
COURTNEY, HANCKOCK WITH NOVARA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Libero/outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio, Instagram) and setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma, Instagram, Twitter) are playing for Igor Gorgonzola Novara in the Italian Serie A1 and European Champions League this winter. Novara won its season-opener 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-22 versus Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo on Oct. 13. Hancock set Novara to a 39 kill percent to go with three aces and two kills on two attacks. Novara lost to Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 28-30, 15-13 on Oct. 20. Hancock, starting all but the third set, set Novara to a 37 kill percent and scored two aces and two kills on two attacks. Courtney, who just arrived after competing for Team USA in the NORCECA Championship as a libero, started the second set at outside hitter and was a sub in three sets as she compiled three kills on 14 attacks. Novara edged Il Bisonte Firenze 25-27, 23-25, 25-16, 25-18, 15-11 on Oct. 23. Hancock set Novara to a 40 kill percent and scored four aces, one kill and one block for six points. Courtney produced 12 kills on 35 swings and an ace for 13 points. She handled 28 receptions with an 86 positive percent. Novara blanked Lardini Filottrano 26-24, 25-18, 25-19 on Oct. 26. Hancock set Novara to a 44 kill percent and added two kills on three swings and an ace for three points. Courtney, starting all three sets at outside hitter, tallied seven kills on 19 swings and a block for eight points. Novara (3-1, 9 points) faces fourth-place Unet E-Works Busto Arsizio (2-1, 7 points) on Oct. 30 followed by a Nov. 3 contest against eighth-place Savino Del Bene Scandicci (2-1, 4 points). Novara is grouped in Pool C of the European Champions League with Poland’s LKS Comercecon, Poland’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart and the winner of VK Up Olomouc and Khimik Yuzhny. Champions League fourth round action begins the week of Nov. 19.
FOECKE WITH FIRENZE IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Il Bisonte Firenze in the Italian Serie A1 for the 2019-2020 season. Firenze won its season opener 25-21, 18-25, 20-25, 25-15, 15-11 over Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio on Oct. 13. Foecke tallied seven kills on 21 swings and a block for eight points in starting the first two sets. Firenze defeated Golden Tulip Volalto 2.0 Caserta 18-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-22 on Oct. 20. Foecke, who started all but the second set, tallied a team-high 20 points with 17 kills on 28 swings, two aces and a block. She also had a 57 positive reception percent on 30 chances. Firenze nearly upset Igor Gorgonzola Novara on Oct. 23 before falling 25-27, 23-25, 25-16, 25-18, 15-11. Foecke pocketed 10 kills on 35 attacks and two blocks for 12 points. She was credited with a 72 positive reception percent on 36 chances. Firenze improved to 3-1 on the season with a 28-26, 25-23, 25-22 victory over Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia on Oct. 26. Foecke turned in eight kills on 22 attacks, one block and one ace for 10 points. She was credited with a 31 positive reception percent on 16 chances. Firenze (3-1, 9 points), which is in third place, challenges sixth-place Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri (2-1, 6 points) on Oct. 31 followed by a Nov. 3 contest against seventh-place Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia (2-2, 5 points).
WASHINGTON, LOWE WITH BUSTO ARSIZIO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado, Instagram, Twitter) and opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California, Instagram) are playing for Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio in the Italian Serie A1 and CEV Cup this winter. Busto Arsizio was without Washington and Lowe to start the season as they were still competing for Team USA in the NORCECA Championship. Busto Arsizio lost the opener 25-21, 18-25, 20-25, 25-15, 15-11 to Il Bisonte Firenze on Oct. 13. Busto Arsizio bounced back to defeat Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 on Oct. 20. Lowe was a sub in the second set before starting the third set, compiling six kills on 13 attacks. Busto Arsizio stopped Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia 28-30, 25-21, 25-18, 25-16 on Oct. 27. Lowe scored a team-high 19 points with 18 kills on 42 swings and a block. Washington, making her 2019-20 debut, totaled 15 points with 13 kills on 22 attacks and two blocks. Busto Arzisio (2-1, 7 points), now in fourth place, faces second-place Igor Gorgonzola Novara (3-1, 9 points) on Oct. 30 followed by a Nov. 3 contest versus 13th-place Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia (0-3, 0 points). Busto Arsizio is in the 16th Finals Round of the CEV Cup where it awaits the loser of VK Up Olomouc and Khimik Yuzhny from the third round of the Champions League.
POULTER WITH CHIERI IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado, Instagram, Twitter) is competing for Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri in the Italian Serie A1 for the 2019-20 pro season along with American Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) Chieri was without the services of Poulter to start the season as she was still competing for Team USA at the NORCECA Championship. Chieri started the year with a 25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-15 victory over Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia on Oct. 13. Rolfzen tallied 13 points with nine kills on 20 attacks and four blocks. Chieri lost to Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 on Oct. 20. Poulter, in her 2019-20 club debut, was a sub in the first and third sets. Rolfzen turned in six kills on 11 errorless attacks and a block for seven points. Chieri downed Golden Tulip Volalto 2.0 Caserta 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13 on Oct. 27. Poulter set Chieri to a 49 kill percent and added two kills on three swings and an ace for three points. Rolfzen contributed seven kills on 12 swings, three blocks and an ace for 11 points. Chieri (2-1, 6 points), in sixth place, faces third-place Il Bisonte Firenze (3-1, 9 points) on Oct. 31 followed by a Nov. 3 match versus fifth-place Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo (2-1, 6 points).
JONES-PERRY WITH BRESICA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry (West Jordan, Utah, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Brescia won its season-opener 25-21, 26-28, 26-24, 25-17 over Golden Tulip Volalto 2.0 Caserta on Oct. 13. Jones-Perry collected 11 points with 10 kills on 22 attacks and a block. She was credited with a 50 positive reception percent on 20 chances. Brescia dropped a 25-17, 25-15, 25-14 match to Conegliano on Oct. 16. No individual stats are available for the match. Brescia won its second match of the season with a 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 28-30, 15-13 battle over Igor Gorgonzola Novara on Oct. 20. Jones-Perry scored three kills on seven errorless attacks as a sub in the fourth set. Brescia lost to Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio 28-30, 25-21, 25-18, 25-16 on Oct. 27. Jones-Perry was a sub in the third set. Brescia (2-2, 5 points), now in seventh place, takes on fifth-place Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo (2-1, 6 points) on Oct. 31 before challenging third-place Il Bisonte Firenze (3-1, 9 points) on Nov. 3.
OGBGOBU, HILL WITH CONEGLIANO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas, Instagram, Twitter) and outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram) are playing in the Italian Serie A1 and European Champions League for Imoco Volleyball Conegliano this winter. Conegliano opened the season without the services of Ogbogu and Hill, who were still competing for Team USA at the NORCECA Championship. Conegliano won its season opener 25-19, 25-23, 25-20 against Saugella Monza. Conegliano blanked Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia 25-17, 25-15, 25-14 on Oct. 16. Conegliano captured its third victory with a 25-11, 25-23, 25-23 win over Lardini Filottrano on Oct. 20. Conegliano improved to 3-0 with a 25-21, 25-16, 25-18 victory over Pomi Casalmaggiore on Oct. 27. Hill was a sub in the opening set. Conegliano (4-0, 12 points), which sits atop the Italian Serie A league as the lone undefeated team, returns to action on Oct. 31 against 12th-place Golden Tulip Volalto Caserta (0-3, 0 points) followed by a Nov. 4 contest versus ninth-place Zanetti Bergamo (1-2, 4 points). Conegliano is in Pool D of the European Champions League with Nantes, C.S.M. Volei Alba Blaj and the winner of Vasas Obuda Budapest and Partizani Tirana. Champions League fourth round action begins the week of Nov. 19.
ALHASSAN WITH CASERTA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland, Instagram, Twitter) is competing for Golden Tulip Volato 2.0 Caserta in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Caserta lost its season-opener 25-21, 26-28, 26-24, 25-17 to Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia on Oct. 13. Alhassan tallied 11 kills on 20 attacks and a block for 12 points. Caserta dropped an 18-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-22 match to Il Bisonte Firenze on Oct. 20. Alhassan contributed 14 points with 10 kills on 21 attacks and four blocks. Caserta lost to Reale Mutua Fenera Caserta 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13 on Oct. 27. Alhassan did her part by scoring 12 kills on 15 errorless attacks with two blocks for 14 points. Caserta (0-3, 0 points), which is in 12th place, takes on first-place Imoco Volley Conegliano (4-0, 12 points) on Oct. 31 followed by a Nov. 3 contest against 11th-place Saugella Monza (1-2, 3 points).
CUTTINO WITH CASALMAGGIORE IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Opposite Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Epiu Pomi Casalmaggiore in the Italian Serie A1 during the 2019-2020 pro season. Casalmaggiore was edged 26-24, 22-25, 21-25, 32-30, 15-12 by Savino Del Bene Scandicci its season-opener on Oct. 13. Cuttino scored 19 kills on 57 attacks and a block for 20 points. Casalmaggiore bounced back to defeat Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-17 on Oct. 20. Cuttino scored a match-high 24 points with 21 kills on 42 attacks and three blocks. Casalmaggiore lost to league-leader Imoco Volley Conegliano 25-21, 25-16, 25-18 on Oct. 27. Cuttino scored six kills in the loss. Casalmaggiore (1-2, 4 points), in 10th place), returns to action on Oct. 31 against ninth-place Zanetti Bergamo (1-2, 4 points) followed by a Nov. 3 contest versus 14th-place Lardini Filottrano (0-3, 0 points).
DREWS WITH JT MARVELOUS IN JAPAN V-LEAGUE: Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana, Instagram, Twitter) is playing in the Japan V-League this winter with JT Marvelous. With Drews still competing for the U.S. in the NORCECA Championship, JT Marvelous lost its V-League opener to Toyota 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 on Oct. 12. JT Marvelous rebounded with a 23-25, 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 15-6 victory over Saitama Ageo Medics on Oct. 19. Drews collected 29 kills on 57 errorless attacks. She added two blocks and an ace for 32 total points. JT Marvelous won its second consecutive five-set match in as many days in edging Toray 17-25, 25-19, 25-22, 19-25, 15-7 on Oct. 20. Drews piled up 23 kills on 55 attacks, four blocks and two aces for 29 points. JT Marvelous eased by PFU Blue Cats 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 on Oct. 26. Drews hammered 15 kills on 34 attacks to go with a block and ace for 17 points. JT Marvelous returns to action on Nov. 2 against Toray followed by a Nov. 3 contest against PFU Blue Cats.
LEE WITH KUROBE IN JAPAN V-LEAGUE: Outside hitter Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Kurobe Aqua Fairies in the Japan V-League this winter. The Aqua Fairies lost its season opener to PFU Blue Cats 25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 25-15 on Oct. 12. Lee scored 23 kills on 54 swings and two blocks for 25 points. Kurobe lost to JT Marvelous 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 12-25, 17-15 on Oct. 13 in the second match of the season. Lee scored 18 kills on 50 attacks, two blocks and an ace for 21 points. The Aqua Fairies dropped a 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14 match to Toyota on Oct. 19. Lee tallied 26 kills on 67 attacks and an ace for 27 points. Kurobe lost to Saitama Ageo Medics 25-21, 25-19, 26-24 on Oct. 26. Lee notched 16 kills on 34 attacks and a block for 17 points. Kurobe lost to Toray 27-25, 21-25, 25-21, 28-26 on Oct. 27. Lee hammered 30 kills on 67 attacks with one block for 31 points. The Aqua Fairies return to action on Nov. 2 against PFU and Nov. 3 against Toray.
HANNAH TAPP WITH HITACHI IN JAPAN V-LEAGUE: Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) is playing with Hitachi Rivale in the Japan V-League this winter. Hitachi defeated Himeji 16-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-20 on Oct. 12. Hitachi lost to Hisamitsu Springs 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 on Oct. 19. Hitachi defeated Okayama Seagulls 25-21, 25-19, 25-20 on Oct. 20. Hitachi lost to NEC Red Rockets 25-19, 26-24, 25-23 on Oct. 26. Hitachi lost to Denso 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15 on Oct. 27. Tapp was not available for each of the matches. Hitachi returns to action on Nov. 2 against Hisamitsu Springs followed by a Nov. 3 contest against Himeji.
RIVERS, ROSENTHAL WITH STUTTGART IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Opposite Krystal Rivers (Birmingham, Alabama, Instagram, Twitter) and middle Jenna Rosenthal (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, Instagram, Twitter) are playing for Allianz MTV Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga and the European Champions League. Stuttgart opened the season with a 13-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 comeback victory over USC Munster on Oct. 5. Rivers scorched the scoresheet for 29 points with 27 kills on 50 attacks and two blocks. Rosenthal added a block in the victory. Stuttgart claimed a 25-23, 25-22, 25-14 victory over Dresdner on Oct. 12. Rivers piled up 21 kills on 45 swings and a block for 22 points. Stuttgart swept NawaRo Straubing 25-21, 25-22, 25-19 on Oct. 23. Rivers contributed 18 points with 16 kills on 29 attacks and a block. Rosenthal scored a kill as a sub in all three sets. Stuttgart topped VC Wiesbaden 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 25-15 on Oct. 26. Rivers, who was a sub in sets two and three before starting set four, amassed six kills on 14 swings in her limited action. Rosenthal was a sub in the final set, record two blocks and a kill for three points. Stuttgart (4-0, 12 points), which leads the Bundesliga returns to action on Nov. 9 against Potsdam. In the Bundesliga hiatus, Stuttgart plays Straubing on Nov. 2 in the German Cup Round of 16. Stuttgart has been drawn into the European Champions League Pool C with Italy’s Igor Gorgonzala Novara, Poland’s LKS Commercecon and the winner of VK Up Olomouc and Khimik Yuzhny.
WONG-ORANTES WITH SCHWERIN IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for SSC Palmberg Schwerin in the German Bundesliga this winter. Prior to Wong-Orantes’ arrival due to her commitments to Team USA, Schwerin lost to Aachen 27-25, 25-21, 20-25, 17-25, 19-17 on Oct. 3 and defeated VfBS Suhl LOTTO Thuringen 22-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-17. Schwerin defeated Schwarz-Weiss Erfurt 25-17, 24-26, 25-22, 25-19 on Oct. 23 as Wong-Orantes compiled a 44 positive reception percent on 18 chances. Schwerin (2-1, 7 points), which ranks fourth in the Bundesliga, returns to action Oct. 30 against Vilsbiburg. Prior to resume Bundesliga action, Schwerin takes on Wiesbaden in the German Cup Round of 16 on Nov. 2. Schwerin is in the CEV Cup 16th Finals Round in which it plays home-and-home matches against Sliedrecht Sport on Dec. 4 and Dec. 17.
KADIE ROLFZEN WITH DRESDNER IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Dresdner in the German Bundesliga and the CEV Challenge Cup. Rolfzen scored four kills in Dresdner’s season-opening 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22 loss to SC Potsdam on Oct. 5. Dresdner lost is second match of the season with a 25-23, 25-22, 25-14 setback to reigning league champion Allianz MTV Stuttgart on Oct. 12. Roflzen notched nine kills on 26 attack with a block for 10 points. She added a 55 positive reception percent on a team-high 22 chances. Dresdner was edged 16-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12 to Aachen in the third match of the season on Oct. 23. Rolfzen turned in 12 kills on 28 attack and a block for 13 points. She handled 34 receptions with a 44 positive percent. Dresdner defeated VfB Suhl Lotto Thuringen 25-21, 23-25, 28-26, 25-17 on Oct. 26. Rolfzen tallied six kills, two blocks and an ace for nine points. She also handled 34 of the team’s 73 receptions with a 35 positive percent. Dresdner (1-3, 4 points), in seventh place, returns to action Nov. 9 against Erfurt. In the German Bundesliga break, Dresdner faces Stuttgart II on Nov. 3 in the German Cup Round of 16. Dresdner is in the 16th Finals Round of the CEV Challenge Cup where it will face LLC Kamienskie in a home-and-home series starting Nov. 5.
SELIGER-SWENSON WITH BEZIERS IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Beziers in the French League and the CEV Challenge Cup along with American teammate Alexa Smith (Colorado Springs, Colorado). Beziers won its French league opener 25-21, 25-21, 22-25, 25-13 versus Le Cannet on Oct. 5. Seliger-Swenson set Beziers to a 49 kill percent as a team and added an ace. Beziers captured a 25-21, 25-15, 25-19 victory over Saint Raphael on Oct. 8. Seliger-Swenson set Beziers to a 53 kill percent and added three kills on five errorless attacks and a block for four points. Beziers captured its third straight win to open the season with a 25-15, 25-19, 25-10 victory over France Avenir 2024. Smith, in her first action of the season, pocketed nine kills on 15 attacks and a block for 10 points. Beziers remained undefeated with a 20-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20 rally against Pays D’Aix Venelles on Oct. 18. Seliger-Swenson set Beziers to a 48 kill percent and added a block and ace for two points. Beziers claimed a 25-18, 25-20, 25-14 victory over Chamalieres on Oct. 26. Seliger-Swenson set Beziers to a 46 kill percent and turned in two aces, a kill and block for four points. Smith was a sub in the third set, registering a block and kill on her only attack for two points. Beziers (5-0, 15 points), one of two undefeated teams in the French league, returns to action on Nov. 1 against ninth-place Marcq-en-Baroeul (2-3, 6 points). Beziers begins its CEV Challenge Cup 16th Finals Round the week of Nov. 11 against RSR Walferdange.
ROBINSON WITH FENERBAHCE IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California, Instagram, Twitter), YouTube) is playing for Fenerbahce in the Turkish League and European Champions League this winter. After missing the first three matches of the season – all Fenerbahce wins, Robinson made her debut in Fenerbahce’s 11-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-18 loss to Galatasaray on Oct. 25. Robinson scored five kills on 15 attacks and an ace for six points in the loss. She handled 10 reception with an 80 positive reception percent. Fenerbahce (3-1) returns to the court on Oct. 29 against Turkish rival VakifBank (4-0), who Robinson played for last season, followed by a Nov. 2 contest against Eczacibasi (4-0). Fenerbahce is part the European Champions League main phase and in Pool A along with Turkish rival Eczacibasi, Poland’s Budowlani Lodz and LP Salo. Champions League fourth round action begins the week of Nov. 19.
KINGDON-RISHEL WITH THY IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Turk Hava Yollari (THY) in the Turkish League this winter. THY narrowly lost to Fenerbahce 25-18, 25-15, 22-25, 18-25, 15-9in the league opener on Oct. 12. Kingdon Rishel started the opening set and was a sub in the final four sets, compiling five kills on 11 errorless attacks and a block for six points. THY lost its second consecutive match in five sets after falling to Atlasglobal Yesilyurt 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 25-14, 15-6 on Oct. 15. Kindgon Rishel, who started the first two sets and the tiebreaker, notched five kills on 14 swings in the loss and was 48 positive on 23 receptions. THY lost to undefeated VakifBank 29-27, 25-23, 25-23 in three close sets on Oct. 20. Kingdon Rishel contributed 10 kills on 23 attacks and an ace for 11 points. She was 74 percent positive on 19 receptions. THY swept Beylikduzu Voleybol Ihtisas 25-11, 25-17, 25-14 on Oct. 26. Kingdon Rishel turned in seven kills on 16 attacks and a block for eight points. THY (1-3, 5 points), in seventh place,returns to action on Oct. 29 against 11th-place Nilufer (0-4, 0 points) followed by a Nov. 2 contest versus 10th-place Karayollari (0-4, 1 point).
BENSON WITH NUC IN SWISS LEAGUE: Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona, Instagram) is playing for Viteos NUC in the Swiss League and CEV Cup this winter along with American teammates Tia Scambray (Dana Point, California) and Kyra Holt (Hercules, California). In the Swiss opener, NUC defeated VC Kanti Shaffhausen 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23 on Oct. 13. Benson was 50 percent positive on 14 reception chances. Scambray had a match-high 26 points with 22 kills on 53 swings, three blocks and an ace. Holt added 16 kills on 38 swings, two aces and a block for 19 points. NUC swept Geneve Volley 25-13, 25-13, 25-20 on Oct. 18. Benson again was 50 percent positive on 12 receptions. Holt turned in 14 points with 13 kills on 25 attacks and a block. NUC defeated VBC Cheseaux 25-16, 19-25, 25-7, 25-18 on Oct. 20. Benson handled 13 receptions with a 38 positive percent. Holt pocketed 19 points again with 15 kills on 30 attacks and four aces. NUC lost to undefeated TS Volley Dudingen 26-24, 25-19, 25-13 on Oct. 26. Benson handled 16 receptions at a 75 percent positive clip. Holt scored eight points with six kills, one block and one ace. NUC (3-1, 9 points), which is in third place), returns to the Swiss League courts on Nov. 3 against fifth-place Zesar-VFM (2-2, 6 points). NUC faces Minchanka Minsk in the CEV Cup 16th Finals Round that begins the week of Dec. 3.
CARLINI WITH DINAMO MOSCOW IN RUSSIA LEAGUE: Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Dinamo Moscow in the Russia Super League and the European Champions League. Dinamo Moscow has been drawn into Pool E of the European Champions League main phase along with Russian rival Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg, France’s RC Cannes and Martiza Plovdiv. Champions League fourth round action begins the week of Nov. 19.
LARSON WITH SHANGHAI IN CHINESE LEAGUE: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Instagram, Twitter) is playing for Shanghai in the Chinese Super League this winter.
BARTSCH-HACKLEY, DIXON WITH BEIJING AUTO IN CHINESE LEAGUE: Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter) and middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) are playing for Beijing Auto in the Chinese Super League this winter.
WILHITE PARSONS WITH SESI BAURU IN BRAZILIAN SUPERLIGA: Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) is competing for Sesi Bauru in the Brazilian Superliga this winter. The team begins regular season action on Nov. 12 against Esporte Clube Pinheiros.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 13, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship silver medal, falling in five after digging itself in a two-set deficit in the gold-medal match to Dominican Republic on Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The U.S., which finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, reached the podium for the fifth time in 2019. The Americans, which concluded their 2019 season with a 44-7 record in tournament play, won gold at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions Cup. The U.S. qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning its Tokyo Qualification Tournament pool on home soil. The Americans also claimed silver at the FIVB World Cup.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led the U.S. with a match-high 27 points via 26 kills on 58 swings and a block. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) came off the bench in the second set to provide 13 kills on 34 swings in the match. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) totaled 12 kills on 33 attacks after coming into the match late in the second set.
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) turned in four kills on nine swings and four blocks for eight points as a late replacement in the second set. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added four kills, two blocks and an ace for seven points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) charted six kills and an ace for seven points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) produced four kills and setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) served two aces with a block for three points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) rounded out the scoring with a kill and block for two points.
The U.S. Women take silver at the NORCECA Championship after their rally from a two-set deficit comes up short in the…
Posted by USA Volleyball on Sunday, October 13, 2019
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) had 16 digs and a 94 positive reception percent on 17 errorless chances. Bartsch-Hackley handled 51 of the team’s 92 receptions with a 59 positive percent to go with 14 digs. Robinson had six digs and a 50 positive reception percent on 12 chances. Poulter added 10 digs and Drews had six digs.
Poulter set Team USA to a 39 kill percent and .276 hitting efficiency (70-20-181). Dominican Republic converted 39 percent of its attacks with a .275 hitting efficiency (62-18-160).
The U.S. held a slim 4-2 margin in aces as Dominican Republic edged the Americans 10-9 in blocks. Team USA had a 70-62 advantage in kills, but 14 service errors played and 20 attack errors hurt in the end.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Lowe at opposite, Poulter at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero. Washington, Robinson and Drews all subbed into the match in the second set and started the final three sets.
Dominican Republic took a 13-10 advantage in the opening set with a 3-0 run and increased its margin to 22-17. Dominican Republic scored three of the final five points for a 25-19 victory.
Dominican Republic jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second set. Lowe served an ace and slammed a kill as part of a 3-0 run to close the gap to 7-5. Dominican Republic returned to a four-point cushion at 14-10, then extended the margin to 17-12. Bartsch-Hackley and Washington downed to kills to slice the gap to 17-14. Dominican Republic scored three unanswered to go up 24-18 and went on to win 25-23 after Team USA saved five set points.
Robinson and Bartsch-Hackley nailed kills, Dixon downed an overpass and Dominican Republic committed an error to open the third set with a 4-0 advantage. Bartsch-Hackley slammed another overpass to extend the lead to 7-2. Washington roofed Dominican and Bartsch-Hackley provided a kill to raise the American lead to 10-3. Dominican Republic chipped off four points on the lead to close to 10-7. Team USA answered with three unanswered points to go up 14-8. Dominican Republic responded with three points to cut the gap to 16-13. A Drews kill, Dominican Republic error and Robinson kill pushed the American lead to 19-13. The U.S. went on a 4-1 to take a 23-14 lead and went on to win 25-15.
Team USA came back from a 5-3 deficit in the fourth set with three unanswered points to go up 7-6, but Dominican Republic responded with two points to go into the technical timeout up 8-7. The U.S. went in front 19-14 on three Robinson kills, Dixon kill and Bartsch-Hackley ace after a Dominican Republic service error. Dominican stopped the 6-0 American run with a 3-0 run of its own to close to 19-17. Drews hammered a kill and Bartsch-Hackley blocked Dominican Republic to extend the American lead to 21-17. The U.S. finished the set with a Drews kill and Washington block for a 25-20 victory.
Dominican Republic scored the first four points of the fifth set. Drews slammed a kill and Dixon served an ace to slice the gap to 5-3, but Dominican answered with consecutive points to go back up 7-3. Bartsch-Hackley downed a kill and Dominican Republic hit wide to slice the deficit to 7-5. Again, Dominican Republic responded with three points to go up 10-5. Drews hammered a kill and Dominican Republic hit wide to put U.S. within 10-7. Dominican raised its lead to 13-7 with three consecutive points. Dominican Republic finished the set at 15-9.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for 2019 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Leader: Jimmy Stitz
Team USA Schedule at NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship
Pool B
Oct. 8: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-8, 25-7, 25-7
Oct. 9: USA def. Mexico 25-8, 25-15, 25-14
Oct. 10: USA def. Dominican Republic 27-25, 25-17, 25-14
Quarterfinals
Oct. 11: Canada (Pool 2A) def. Mexico (Pool 3B) 25-20, 29-31, 25-17, 25-20
Oct. 11: Dominican Republic (Pool 2B) def. Cuba (Pool 3A) 25-18, 25-11, 25-20
Semifinals
Oct. 12: USA (Pool 1B) def. Canada (2A) 25-17, 25-16, 25-18
Oct. 12: Dominican Republic (2B) def. Puerto Rico (1A) 19-25, 25-14, 26-24, 21-25, 15-8
Medal Round Matches
Oct. 13: Canada def. Puerto Rico 26-24, 25-13, 25-20 (Bronze Medal Match)
Oct. 13: Dominican Republic def. USA 25-19, 25-23, 15-25, 20-25, 15-9 (Gold-Medal Match)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 6, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, has set its roster for the biennial NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship scheduled for Oct. 8-13 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The NORCECA event crowns the best team from North American, Central America and the Caribbean every two years.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have selected the same 14 players who just won silver at the FIVB World Cup in Japan a week ago.
The U.S. is grouped in the four-team Pool B. The Americans face Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. ET, followed by Mexico on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. ET. Team USA faces rival Dominican Republic to conclude pool play on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. ET. The winner of the four-team pool advances directly to the semifinals on Oct. 12, while the second- and- third-place teams of both Pools A and B compete in the quarterfinals on Oct. 11. The medal-round matches are scheduled for Oct. 13.
All U.S. matches at the NORCECA Championship will be streamed on FloVolleyball.tv.
Team USA is coming off a silver-medal finish at the World Cup with a 10-1 record, its sole loss being to gold-medalist China earlier in the round robin format.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Kiraly said after earning the World Cup silver medal. “We played a great tournament. All 14 of our players made critical contributions to that effort. We had one disappointing loss to China – they played a very strong tournament. We can’t wait to come back here in less than 10 months for the 2020 Olympics.”
Following its World Cup performance, the Americans are 40-6 in tournament play in 2019, including gold medals in the FIVB Volleyball Nations Leagues (premier annual international competition) and Pan American Cup (North and South America yearly competition). The U.S. also qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning its four-team Tokyo Qualification Tournament pool on home soil in August.
“I think this summer has been really exciting for our team with new and younger faces getting an opportunity to play at a high level,” Robinson said. “I think we have a lot of potential and room for growth. We have NORCECA to go back to and I think we can be a great team come 2020.”
Kiraly said the team will continue to work to improve its reception game heading toward the Olympic Games next summer in Tokyo.
“We need to keep getting better in our receive-set-attack game when the other team is serving,” Kiraly said. “That is a big part of who we are and we’ll continue to improve our service pressure. We are doing well at those things, but we need to get even better.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 24, 2019) – Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) powered home 23 points to lead the U.S. Women’s National Team past NORCECA rival Dominican Republic 25-22, 25-23, 25-9 on Tuesday on the eighth day of the FIVB World Cup in Sapporo, Japan.
Team USA improves to 7-1 and remains in second place in the 12-team round robin World Cup. After two off days, the Americans return to the court on Friday to face Russia at 5 a.m. ET in Osaka. The U.S. concludes the tournament on Saturday against Cameroon and on Sunday versus Korea. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
The U.S. built a 9-4 advantage in the opening set, but Dominican Republic charged back into a tie at 13-all and went in front 21-19 on a 4-0 run. The Americans rallied for the 25-22 victory by scoring the final four points. Team USA used a 6-0 advantage to build on a slim 8-7 advantage to go up 14-7 in the second set but needed to hold on late for a 25-23 victory. The Americans raced to a 5-0 advantage in the third set and never allowed Dominican Republic close in winning 25-9.
“Dominican gets better and better every time we see them,” Drews said. “They are not a team to be taken lightly. The biggest change for us (in the third set) was cleaning up the little plays, coming back to focusing on our side and doing our job. I think it paid off in the third set.”
Drews converted 18 of 29 attacks into points and chipped in three blocks and two aces from her opposite position. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) produced eight kills on 17 swings and three blocks for 11 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) charted nine kills and an ace for 10 points.
“I feel pretty good,” Drews said. “I think I hit with a little more rhythm, and that is something that I have been working on – getting back to good. I am just really proud of our team responded after a tough loss last night. I thought we came in really focused today.”
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) contributed three kills on eight swings, three aces and two blocks for eight points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), who started just the final set, scored four kills on six attacks and an ace for five points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added two kills, one block and one ace for four points in the first two sets. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.
The U.S. Women return to the win column by sweeping Dominican Republic, improving to 7-1 in the World Cup and in second place.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was unofficially 67 percent positive on 15 reception attempts to go with nine digs. Bartsch-Hackley handled 27 receptions with a 48 positive reception percent with eight digs. Carlini led the team with 10 digs.
Carlini set Team USA to a 43 kill percent with a .275 hitting efficiency (44-16-102). In contrast, the American defense limited Dominican Republic to a 32 kill percent and .119 hitting efficiency (27-17-84).
Team USA held an 8-3 margin in aces and managed an 11-9 advantage in blocks. The Americans dominated on the offensive end with a 44-26 margin in kills. The U.S. committed 15 errors in the match to Dominican Republic’s 12.
The Americans will now have a travel day to Osaka, then train on Thursday before facing third-place Russia on Friday.
“This tournament is not an easy tournament,” Drews said. “It is a lot of back-to-back nights. So we will use the (off-days) wisely with recovery and team bonding.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside hitter, Washington and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was a sub in the final two sets.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
The U.S. started the opening set with a 3-0 lead with Drews scoring a kill and block followed by an Ogbogu block. Dominican sliced the gap to 3-2. Team USA extended its lead to 6-3 with kills from Drews and Bartsch-Hackley around a Dominican error. Bartsch-Hackley scored a kill and ace on each side of the technical timeout to jump the lead to 9-5. Dominican Republic scored consecutive blocks and capped with an ace to tie the set at 13-all on a 4-0 run. The U.S. responded with an Ogbogu kill and Drews block to go up 15-13, but Dominican Republic answered with two quick points to level the set at 15-all. The Americans extended the lead to 18-16 with a Drews kill and Washington block. Dominican Republic scored four unanswered points to take a 21-19 advantage. Larson and Drews connected for kills to level the set at 21-all. Team USA rallied to a 24-22 lead with kills from Drews and Bartsch-Hackley around a Dominican Republic error. The Americans capped the 4-0 run with a Larson ace at 25-22.
Ogbogu scored two kills around winners from Bartsch-Hackley and Drews to put the U.S. in front 4-1 in the second set. Dominican Republic cut the deficit to 4-3 with back-to-back points. Drews served an ace after a Dominican service error to push the American lead to 7-4. Dominican Republic scored two points out of the technical timeout to close to 8-7. Washington served consecutive aces after a Dominican error, Ogbogu slammed an overpass reception, Drews hammered a back-row attack and Ogbogu ended a sloppy rally with a block to extend the American lead to 14-7. Dominican Republic closed to 19-15 on consecutive points, then moved to within two at 22-20 on a 3-0 run. Dominican Republic inched closer to 23-22 on back-to-back points. Drews finished the set with a kill at 25-23.
Team USA erupted for a 5-0 lead in the third set with Drews scoring a block and ace in the run while Ogbogu downed two kills. The Americans raised the advantage to 12-3 with Washington scoring a block and kill after a Drew kill and Dominican Republic error. Blocks from Washington and Carlini around a Bartsch-Hackley kill widened the gap to 15-4. Team USA stretched the lead to 20-5 with Washington serving an ace with a kill, while Robinson scored two kills and block as part of the 5-0 run. After Dominican Republic scored consecutive points, Robinson hammered a kill and ace followed by an Ogbogu kill at 23-9. Drews scored the match winner at 25-9.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 23, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 3 in the world, lost to No. 2 China 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 on Monday in a battle of the final two undefeated teams in the FIVB World Cup in Sapporo, Japan.
Team USA falls to 6-1 and into second place in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans return to the court on Tuesday to face NORCECA rival Dominican Republic (played at 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday). The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
China raced to an 18-9 advantage in the opening set and went on to win 25-16. China used a 5-0 run to go up 18-12 in the second set and cruised to a 25-17 victory. China opened up a 12-7 advantage in the third set, then held off the Americans who closed to one point before winning 25-22.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) came off the bench and led Team USA with nine kills on 20 attacks and a block for 10 points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added eight kills and a block for nine points. Starting opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored six kills on 12 attacks, while outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) turned in five kills.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) totaled three kills and a block for five points, while outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) charted four kills. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) downed four kills and setters Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) and Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) each scored one point.
Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California), who entered as the libero midway through the second set, produced eight digs and handled 13 receptions with a 62 positive percent. Starting libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) handled 25 receptions with a 40 positive percent to go with five digs. Robinson was credited with a 62 positive reception percent on 13 chances. Larson was 57 percent positive on seven receptions.
The U.S. was held to a 36 kill percent for the match and .196 hitting efficiency (40-18-112). In contrast, China converted 46 percent of its attacks with a .337 hitting efficiency (42-11-92) according to the unofficial stats.
China held its errors to just 10 for the match while holding advantages of 11-6 in blocks and 5-1 in aces. The Chinese produced a 43-38 margin in kills.
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Washington and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Lowe started the final two sets. Bartsch-Hackley started the third set. Carlini, after being a sub in the first two sets, started the third set. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was a serving sub in all three sets. Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) was a sub in the third set.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
China gained the first two-point cushion of the first set at 6-4, then expanded the lead to 10-6 on three consecutive points. China increased its lead to 13-7 on another 3-0 run and went up 18-9. Team USA cut the gap to 18-11 with a Robinson kill and Lowe block. The Americans chipped away two points with a Robinson kill and China error at 19-13. However, China served an ace off the net to raise its lead to 21-13 and went on to win 25-16.
China picked up an early 6-3 advantage in the second set. Washington and Larson slammed kills to cut the gap to 7-6, but China answered with the next two points to resume a three-point margin at 9-6. The Americans responded with a Lowe kill and Larson block. Lowe downed consecutive kills to level the set at 10-all. China responded with two quick points to go back up 12-10. China went up 18-12 on a 5-0 scoring run. Trailing 23-14, Larson won a battle of the net and Carlini served an ace to close to 23-16 before China finished the set at 25-17.
The U.S. started the third set up 2-0 on a Larson joust winner and Lowe kill, but China scored the next two to tie the set. China reversed the lead at 5-4 on a USA error. Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe downed consecutive kills to put the U.S. in front 6-5. China went in front 12-7 with a 6-0 scoring run. Ogbogu and Drews slammed kills to slice the gap to 14-11. Team USA closed to two at 19-17 with a Larson kill after a China service error. The Americans moved to within one at 20-19 with an Ogbogu kill and China error. However, China answered with two quick points to go up 22-19. Drews collected consecutive kills to pull the USA to within one at 22-21. China reached match point at 24-21 on consecutive points and finished the set at 25-22.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 22, 2019) – Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored 30 points as the U.S. Women’s National Team held off Japan 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8 to improve to 6-0 in the FIVB World Cup in Sapporo, Japan.
Team USA, ranked third in the world, improves to 6-0 with 17 points in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans return to the court on Monday with a mega-battle against the world-number two China at 2 a.m. ET. The U.S. and China (6-0, 17 points) are the only remaining undefeated teams with the winner getting the upper hand on the path to gold with five remaining matches. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
After Japan saved two set points, the U.S. won the opening set 26-24 after enduring 16 ties and six lead changes with Bartsch-Hackley scoring the final two points. Japan used a decisive 9-1 run in the second set to take a 21-15 advantage to rally from down 14-12 and won 25-22 after the Americans saved four set points. The U.S. used a 5-1 scoring run to overcome a 15-14 third set deficit en route to winning 25-21. The U.S. scored the first four points of the fourth set, but Japan rallied from a 23-20 deficit to win 25-23 and prompting a deciding fifth set. Team USA bolted to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreaker and carried forth to a 15-10 victory.
“I think we feel really good about the win,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “It was a really tough match in a great environment for the home team. Japan is a great team. We scrapped both ways and it was good volleyball.”
Bartsch-Hackley notched 26 kills on 46 swings to go with three blocks and an ace to reach her 30 points, including five in the final set. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who subbed into the match late in the second set, contributed 18 points with 17 kills on 36 swings and a block. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) pocketed eight kills on 14 swings and a match-high seven blocks for 15 points.
“I think we were getting really good out-of-system balls,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “They were coming back with everything. Everything we would hit they would dig a lot of balls. That is really frustrating for us, but I think we did a good job at managing those frustrations.”
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) tacked on 13 kills and a block for 14 points. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) scored six kills on 14 swings, three blocks and an ace for 10 points on her birthday. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) tallied four kills and a block for five points in the opening two sets. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) turned in a kill and block for two points and outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Bartsch-Hackley handled 46 receptions with a 59 positive percent to go with nine digs. Robinson passed at a 51 positive percent on 35 chances and had nine digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) amassed 25 digs and was unofficially credited with an 83 positive reception percent on 12 chances. Poulter had 20 digs in the victory.
Team USA converted 42 percent of its attacks with a .312 hitting efficiency (73-19-173) as Poulter handled the setting duties. The Americans held Japan to a 38 kill percent and .238 hitting efficiency (71-26-189).
The Americans held a huge 17-4 block advantage and a narrow 76-71 margin in kills. Japan held a 3-2 edge in aces and benefitted from 25 Team USA errors while committing just 16 errors in the five-set loss.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Washington and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Hill was a sub in three sets and strong>Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) as a serving sub in the final two sets.
Now the attention turns to a pivotal match with undefeated China on Monday with the winner taking sole possession of first place.
“We are excited for tomorrow,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “Obviously China is an amazing team. I think we are going to have to do a quick recovery tonight and get a good sleep in and be ready for tomorrow.”
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
Japan scored three consecutive points to take a 10-8 advantage in the opening set. The U.S. leveled the set at 11-all with an Ogbogu block and Robinson kill, but Japan answered with consecutive points to go up 13-11. Bartsch-Hackley slammed back-to-back kills and Japan committed an error to present Team USA a 16-15 lead at the second technical timeout. Japan responded with two points out of the break to reverse the lead to its side at 17-16. Team USA returned to the lead at 19-18 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Ogbogu block. Japan responded with two points to go up 21-20. Robinson hammered back-to-back kills to break the 14th tie and gave Team USA a 22-21 advantage. Consecutive Japan errors gave Team USA set points at 24-22. Japan saved two set points to tie the set at 24-all. Bartsch-Hackley answered with a kill and block to win 26-24.
Japan gained the first two-point cushion of the second set at 9-7 on an ace. Team USA answered quickly with an Ogbogu kill and block around a Bartsch-Hackley block and Japan error to give the Americans an 11-9 lead. Japan squared the set at 14-all on consecutive points, then went into the lead 21-15 on a 9-1 run. Team USA saved four set points at 24-22 with three Lowe kills and a Washington block before Japan closed out the win at 25-22.
After Japan scored the first two points of the third set, Team USA answered with four straight with two Bartsch-Hackley kills and kills from Robinson and Lowe at 4-2. Japan tied the set at 6-all. Bartsch-Hackley collected consecutive kills to extend Team USA’s lead to 11-9. Japan scored three consecutive points to go up 14-13. The Americans responded to go up 17-15 following kills from Washington, Poulter and Lowe. Team USA raised its margin to 19-16 with kills from Lowe and Bartsch-Hackley. The U.S. opened up a four-point cushion at 21-17 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Ogbogu block. Japan knocked two points off the deficit at 21-19. Ogbogu and Robinson answered with consecutive kills and Bartsch-Hackley served an ace at 24-19. Team USA captured the set at 25-21 on an Ogbogu kill after Japan saved two set points.
Ogbogu scored the first two points of the fourth set with a kill and block, then Robinson and Lowe followed with kills to put USA up 4-0. Japan cut its deficit in half at 11-9 on an ace. The Americans answered with a Robinson kill and Japan error to go back up 13-9. Yet again Japan came back within two at 13-11. Team USA raised its advantage to 17-13 with blocks from Washington and Poulter. The Americans built its lead to 20-15 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Lowe block. Japan closed the gap to 20-19 with four straight points. Lowe and Hill converted consecutive kills to break the run and give the Americans a 22-19 advantage. Japan charged back to win 25-23 by winning the final five points.
Team USA bolted to a 5-0 lead in the decider with Ogbogu scoring a kill and block between a Lowe kill, Bartsch-Hackley and Japan error. Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe connected for kills to lift the American lead to 7-1. Lowe hammered a kill and Washington served an ace to raise the gap to 11-4. After Japan closed the gap to 11-6, Ogbogu, Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe nailed winners at 14-6. After Japan saved two match points, Robinson put down the final winner at 15-8.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2019) – Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) scored 15 points in sparking the U.S. Women’s National Team to dominating 25-22, 25-18,2 5-19 victory over Brazil on Thursday to conclude the first phase of the FIVB World Cup in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Team USA, ranked third in the world, improves to 5-0 and is in second place in the 12-team round robin World Cup. Brazil, ranked fourth in the world, falls to 3-2 overall. After two non-competition days, the Americans begin their second phase of the World Cup in Sapporo against host Japan on Sunday at 6:20 a.m. ET. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
The U.S. trailed for only point in any of the three sets when Brazil scored the first point of the match on a foot fault by the Americans that would have landed as a kill. However, Team USA bolted to a 10-3 advantage in the opening set and maintained control for a 25-22 victory. The Americans started the second set strong with a 9-2 advantage and cruised to the 25-18 victory. Team USA built an 8-3 lead in the third set, withstood a Brazilian challenge in the middle stages of the set and close out the match with a comfortable 25-19 victory.
Robinson collected 14 kills on 31 swings and a block for her team-leading 15 points. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) added 12 kills on 27 attacks and two blocks for 14 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) totaled six kills on eight swings, a team-best four blocks and two aces for 12 points.
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) pounded nine kills on 13 attacks to go with a block for 10 points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) converted eight of 17 attacks into points in the victory. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with an ace.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match,” Larson said. “We respect Brazil so much. We are going at another level. The more time we spend together, the better we are getting better. You are seeing it and I am so excited.”
Larson handled 37 of the team’s 54 receptions with an impressive 62 positive reception percent. She added six digs in the match. Robinson was 77 percent positive on 13 reception chances with seven digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was 75 percent positive on four chances. Poulter added eight digs from her setter position.
Poulter set Team USA to a 51 kill percent and a .376 hitting efficiency (50-13-98). The American defense held Brazil to a 40 kill percent and .245 hitting efficiency.
Team USA led in all three scoring phases of the game. The American offense provided a 49-39 advantage in kills and an 8-4 block margin. The U.S. held a slim 3-2 edge in aces.
Larson said Team USA leaving Hamamatsu with an unblemished 5-0 record is an accomplishment that included wins over Brazil (No. 4 in the world), Serbia (No. 1 in the world) and Netherlands (No. 7 in the world).
“Obviously there are so many great teams in this tournament,” Larson said. “I think ultimately we are just focusing on ourselves and how we can get better every day. We came in with that attitude and sticking together. We have 14 strong, and we are in it together. Anybody is ready to play and that is important.”
Gabi and Drussyla led Brazil with 12 points each.
“We respect them so much,” Larson said about Team USA’s long-time rival Brazil “Gabi is so incredible, great receiver and great attacker. We definitely had to show her respect. All around, we respect the whole team and coaching staff.”
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Washington and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) and Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) were serving subs in all three sets.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
Drews scored consecutive kills after an Ogbogu spike followed by a Brazil error to give the Americans a 4-1 lead. Drews and Ogbogu nailed back-to-back kills to extend the U.S. lead to 6-2. Robinson hammered consecutive kills and Drews followed with a block and Ogbogu served an ace to increase Team USA’s lead to 10-3. Brazil cut the deficit to 10-7 with four straight points. Washington collected back-to-back kills and Larson followed with a kill to build USA’s lead to 14-8. The American lead reached seven, 17-10, with a Poulter kill after a Brazil error. After Brazil scored back-to-back points, Team USA answered with kills from Drews and Robinson at 21-14. Team USA closed at the set at 25-22 on a Drews kill after Brazil saved three set point chances.
The U.S. scored the first four points of the second set with a Larson kill followed by three consecutive Ogbogu blocks. The Americans raised the lead to 9-2 with kills from Robinson and Drews and an Ogbogu ace as part of a 5-1 scoring run. Team USA extended its margin to 16-7 on a 4-0 run where Larson, Drews, Robinson and Ogbogu all scored kills. Larson raised the U.S. lead to 18-8 with two kills. Brazil closed to 20-15 on a 7-2 scoring run. Drews slammed a kill after a Brazil service error to raise the U.S. lead to 22-15. The Americans finished the set at 25-18 on a Drews kill.
The U.S. built an 8-3 lead in the third set on a 4-0 run with kills from Drews and Washington followed by a Robinson block and Brazil error. Brazil scored three straight out of the technical timeout to close to 8-6. Drews scored a kill and block to increase the USA lead to 12-8. Washington put up a block after a Brazil service error to extend the American lead to 15-10, but Brazil answered with two quick points to close to 15-12. Washington pounded a kill after two Brazil committed consecutive errors to lift Team USA’s lead to 18-12. Brazil trimmed the gap to 22-18 with consecutive points. Team USA reached match points with a Robinson kill and Brazil error. Robinson ended the set at 25-19 on a kill.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 18, 2019) – Outside hitters Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) and Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) each scored 16 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team past Netherlands 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 in a battle of undefeated teams on Wednesday during the fourth day of FIVB World Cup competition in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Team USA improves to 4-0 in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans conclude the first phase in Hamamatsu against Brazil on Thursday at 5 a.m. ET. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
The U.S. used a 5-0 run to take a 19-15 advantage in the opening set, then held on for a slim 25-23 victory. Team USA grabbed a 14-9 advantage on a 7-0 run in the second set, then scored the final three points of the set including two aces by Larson for a 25-18 victory. Holding a slim 16-15 lead in the third set, the Americans scored six unanswered points including two aces to open up a 22-15 advantage to win 25-19.
“I think we had a lot of patience today,” Robinson said. “Netherlands is a really great team. When they were firing and doing things really well, I think we just stayed patient and waited for our opportunity to score.”
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) provided the Americans five kills on eight attacks and a block for six points. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Illinois) served two aces to go with a block and kill for four points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) rounded out the scoring with three kills and a block for four points.
American libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was unofficially credited with an 85 positive reception percent with 27 errorless chances. Robinson was 45 percent positive on 11 reception chances to go with five digs. Larson was credited with 15 receptions and 45 positive percent to go with eight digs. Poulter had nine digs from her setter position.
Poulter set the U.S. to a 51 kill percent and .411 hitting efficiency (46-9-90). In contrast, the Americans limited the Dutch to a 46 kill percent and .309 hitting efficiency (39-13-84).
Team USA’s serve kept Netherlands’ offense off-balance all match, which resulted in a 7-0 ace advantage. The American offense managed a 46-39 kill advantage to offset Netherlands’ 7-5 edge in blocks. The U.S. held its errors to 14 for the match while benefitting from 14 Netherlands errors.
Outside hitters Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson each scored 16 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team past…
Posted by USA Volleyball on Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Lonneke Sloetjes led Netherlands with 10 points, and Robinson said one of the goals was to minimize her offensive outbursts.
“We tried to minimize her points,” Robinson said. “She is a fantastic player. I have been fortunate to have played with her in club, she is phenomenal.”
In last year’s FIVB World Championship, Netherlands rallied from two sets down to defeat Team USA (30-32, 15-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-9) in Nagoya, Japan, and knocking the Americans out of their gold-medal run.
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Washington and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) was a sub in the first and third sets, while Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was a sub in the first set.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
The U.S. built a 7-4 advantage in the opening set with Drews scoring a kill and ace around two Netherlands errors as part of a 4-0 run. Netherlands went in front 11-10 on a 5-1 scoring spurt. The teams traded side out until Washington pounded a slide and followed with a service winner giving Team USA a 16-15 lead at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Drews hammered a kill and Netherlands was called in the net to extend the USA lead to 18-15. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Larson scored a block to cap a 5-0 run at 19-15. Netherlands cut the gap to one at 20-19 with a 4-1 run. The Americans extended their lead to 22-19 with a Larson kill and Netherlands attack error. Netherlands closed to one at 23-22, but the American held on for the win at 25-23 on Robinson’s sixth kill of the set.
Netherlands scored three unanswered points to take a 5-2 lead early in set two. Team USA cut the deficit to 6-5 with a Netherlands error and Poulter overpass kill. The Americans took the lead at 14-9 with two kills from Ogbogu, one kill each from Drews and Robinson, a block from Ogbogu and Larson had two aces during the 7-0 run. Netherlands answered with three consecutive points to close to 14-12. Drews put up a block after a Netherlands service error to give the U.S. a 16-12 lead into the second technical timeout. Robinson slammed a kill and Washington put up a block to push the Team USA lead to 18-13. The Americans advanced their lead to 22-17 on a Robinson kill and Netherlands error. Team USA scored the final three points of the set including Larson with two aces for the 25-18 victory. Larson finished the set with seven points.
After serving the final two points for aces in the second set, Larson scored the first two points of the third set with kills. Netherlands took its first lead of the third set at 6-5, but they committed consecutive errors and Poulter put up a block to move USA in front 8-6. Netherlands leveled the set at 13-all after the teams traded several sideouts. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout leading 16-14 on a Washington kill and Netherlands error. The Americans increased their lead to 22-15 with a Larson kill, two Netherlands errors, two Poulter aces and Robinson kill. After Netherlands scored three straight to cut the gap to 23-19, the U.S. scored the final two points with a Drews kill and Netherlands attack error at 25-19.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated in the FIVB World Cup after defeating Argentina 25-21, 25-18, 18-25, 25-11 on Monday in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Team USA improves to 3-0 in the 12-team round robin World Cup. After an off day, the Americans challenge Netherlands on Wednesday at 1 a.m. ET in Hamamatsu before their first off day of the tournament that has 11 matches in 16 days. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
Highlights from today’s #USAVwnt victory over #Argentina in @FIVBVolleyball #FIVBWWCup day 3 action. @teamusa remains undefeated in three matches. Match Recap https://t.co/YpXEITuqyp pic.twitter.com/ioDwT46E5D
— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) September 16, 2019
The U.S. scored the first three points of the match and jumped its lead to 15-7 on a 5-0 run before holding on for a 25-21 first-set victory. After trailing 6-3 in the second set, Team USA used a 6-1 run to go up 9-7 and the Americans never trailed the rest of the set for a 25-18 victory. Argentina used a 9-1 run to take a 22-15 lead in the third and pushed to a 25-18 victory. The U.S. broke a 4-all tie in the fourth set with a 17-5 run taking a 21-9 lead en route to a 25-11 victory.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) sparked Team USA with 20 kills on 44 attacks, one block and one ace for 22 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) charted 13 kills on 34 swings, four blocks and two aces for 19 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed seven kills on 12 swings, a match-high five blocks and an ace for 13 points.
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) totaled 10 points, all on kills off 25 attacks. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) provided seven kills on 13 attacks and an ace for eight points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with three blocks and two aces for five points.
Karsta Lowe scored 22 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team past Argentina in four sets to remain undefeated…
Posted by USA Volleyball on Monday, September 16, 2019
Hill said the team regrouped from the third-set loss by wiping the slate clean to begin the fourth set.
“We just knew in the fourth set that we were starting 0-0 and we knew that we were stronger than we played before,” Hill said. “We just decided to take it one at a time and push, keep consistent serve pressure and that changed it for us.”
American libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was unofficially credited with a 56 positive reception percent on 18 chances and 11 digs. Hill was error-free on 28 receptions with a 50 positive reception percent and nine digs. Bartsch-Hackley was 54 percent positive on 24 receptions with seven digs. Carlini had 12 digs from her setter position, and Lowe had six digs as the opposite.
Carlini set Team USA to a 45 kill percent and .338 hitting efficiency (59-15-130). The American defense held Argentina to a 37 kill percent and .200 hitting efficiency (50-23-135).
Team USA held a 13-6 block advantage and 5-2 margin in aces. The American offense managed a 59-50 edge in kills.
The U.S. showcased its team depth as it used a completed different starting six plus libero in today’s match versus the first two matches of the World Cup.
“It was fun today,” Hill said. “I think we showed that USA has a deep bench. We are 14 players strong.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Lowe at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero.
Hill said the team is not looking too far in advance, but rather taking the long World Cup in shorter battles.
“We are just taking it one match at a time and be our best,” Hill said. “We have to bring it again in two days (against Netherlands).”
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
The U.S. started the opening set with a 3-0 lead including two Lowe kills. The U.S. broke a string of side-outs as Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill and Argentina committed an error at 10-6. Bartsch-Hackley hammered consecutive kills, Lowe followed with two kills and Argentina hit long to extend the U.S. lead to 15-7. Argentina stopped the 5-0 run with three consecutive points to close to 15-10. Lowe halted the run with a kill and Carlini blocked down an overpass to raise the Team USA lead to 17-10. Argentina went on a 4-0 run to close the deficit to 18-15, then moved to within two at 19-17. The Americans increased their lead to 21-17 on a Dixon kill and Argentina attack error.
Argentina scored three unanswered points to go up 5-2 in the second set. Hill and Bartsch-Hackley scored kills to close the deficit to 6-5, then the U.S. went in front 9-7 with Tapp scoring a kill and service winner around a Lowe kill and Bartsch-Hackley block. Team USA raised its margin to 12-8 with kills from Dixon and Lowe and Dixon put up a block. Argentina charged back to close to 12-11. Bartsch-Hackley scored a kill and ace around a Hill kill to push the American lead to 15-11, but Argentina came back with straight points to close to 15-13. Hill scored two kills around a Dixon ace to increase the U.S. lead to 18-13. Team USA expanded the lead to 23-16 with a Tapp kill and Dixon block around an Argentina error. Bartsch-Hackley hammered the final point at 25-18.
Argentina scored three consecutive points to stake a 5-3 advantage in the third set. Hill, Lowe and Bartsch-Hackley responded with kills to give the U.S. a 6-5 lead. Team USA went into the technical timeout leading 8-6 after a Carlini block. Argentina leveled the set at 11-all, then went on an 9-1 run to take a 22-15 advantage. Argentina finished the set with a 25-18 victory.
The U.S. broke a 4-all tie in the fourth set with four unanswered points including blocks from Bartsch-Hackley and Carlini around a Lowe ace and Tapp kill for an 8-4 advantage. Hill slammed a kill and Dixon put up a block after an Argentina service error to increase Team USA’s lead to 12-6. The Americans stretched the margin to 15-7 with consecutive Argentina errors and a Lowe kill. Dixon put up a block and was followed by kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe to give the Americans a double-digit lead at 18-8. Team USA extended the lead to 21-9 with Bartsch-Hackley scoring a kill and block around a Hill kill. The U.S. scored the final four points of the set with a Lowe kill, Bartsch-Hackley block, Tapp kill and Argentna error for a 25-11 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2019) – Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) scored 18 points off the bench to spark the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-15 victory over reigning World Champions Serbia on day two of the FIVB World Cup on Sunday in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Team USA improves to 2-0 in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans challenge Argentina on Monday at 1 a.m. ET in Hamamatsu before their first off day of the tournament that has 11 matches in 16 days. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on flovolleyball.tv.
Serbia came back from a 19-17 deficit in the opening set to win 25-23, scoring three of the final four points of the set. Team USA used a key 5-0 run breaking a 4-all tie in the second set and cruised to the 25-17 victory. The Americans bolted to an 8-3 advantage in the third set and never let Serbia into the set with a 25-16 victory. Although Serbia scored the first two points of the fourth set, Team USA dominated the rest of the way for a 25-15 victory.
“We have very strong respect for the Serbian women’s program,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They’ve had a lot of very strong results over the last four or five years. We know many of their top players aren’t here after the European Championship, but I was impressed with the match they played against Brazil last night. We approached this match knowing it would be very difficult. They beat us in the first set, but the team did a nice job adjusting the block and defense and we are happy with the result. Karsta Lowe came in and gave us some great energy today and some great power, and she helped us change the match after we lost the first set.”
Lowe agreed with Kiraly, saying adjustments to the block helped Team USA find their groove.
“I think that we started to find our groove, but it took a while,” Lowe said. “Once we made some little adjustments with our blocking, I think that made some big changes.”
Lowe, who did not play in the opening set, led all scorers with 18 points including 14 kills on 22 swings, three blocks and an ace. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) added 10 kills on 19 swings and a match-high six blocks for 16 points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) pocketed 13 kills on 21 swings, one block and one ace for 15 points.
“Every match I am ready for anything,” Lowe said in regards to making an impact coming off the bench. “Whatever help I can give to the team, whether on the bench, being a good set of eyes for Annie or whoever is in and telling them what I see. I just try to stay ready and be there in any capacity that I can.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 11 kills on 25 swings and an ace for 12 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) added eight kills on 13 swings and three blocks for 11 points. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) totaled three kills in only the first set and setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.
“It was a great match for us,” Larson said. “I thought both teams came out strong, but I think our block broke down in the first set. I thought we got our block and defense under control and started serving tough, and that’s what set the tone for the rest of the match.”
Robinson was unofficially credited with a 59 positive reception percent on 29 chances and seven digs. Larson was 52 percent positive on 21 chances. American libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was 50 percent positive on 12 chances and added eight digs. Lowe had six digs in the victory.
Poulter set Team USA to a 53 kill percent and .432 hitting efficiency (59-11-111). The American defense held the Serbians to a 45 kill percent and .255 hitting efficiency (49-21-110).
The American net defense provided a dominating 15-5 block advantage and a 59-49 edge in kills. Serbia held a 4-3 margin in aces. The U.S. benefited from 22 Serbia errors and held its own miscues to 15 for the match.
Lowe said the team is off to a good start with a good win over Serbia, but there is much more to accomplish in the 16-day tournament.
“It is only our second match and we are playing Serbia,” Lowe said. “It is a good start and we still have a lot more that we want to do.”
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) was a serving sub in all four sets as she had seven total serves.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
Serbia used a 5-1 run to take an 8-6 advantage into the opening set’s first technical timeout. The Americans answered with kills from Ogbogu and Larson around a Serbia error to take the lead at 9-8. Washington and Robinson powered down consecutive kills to lift the Americans in front 13-11. Serbia tied the set at 14-all with a block. Drews pounded consecutive kills providing Team USA a 17-15 edge. Serbia took a 21-19 lead on a 4-0 run that included two aces and two video challenges in its favor. Drews and Washington slammed back-to-back kills to quickly tie the set at 21-all. Serbia reached set points at 24-22 after a USA error.
The U.S. gained a four-point cushion at 8-4 in the second set as Washington put up two blocks after a Lowe kill and Serbia error. Out of the technical timeout, Robinson hammered a backrow kill to cap a 5-0 run at 9-4. Larson and Ogbogu downed consecutive kills and Serbia hit wide to extend the Team USA lead to 12-5. After Serbia cut the gap to 13-8, Lowe hammered two kills around a Robinson spike to yield a 16-8 American lead at the second technical timeout. Team USA built the lead to 18-9 on a Robinson kill and Washington block. Robinson and Larson produced kills around a Serbia error to give Team USA a 23-14 advantage. Lowe ended the set with a kill at 25-17.
Washington scored consecutive blocks after a Lowe kill to put the U.S. in front 4-1 in the third set. Team USA reached the technical timeout leading 8-3 after Robinson and Lowe pounded kills to follow Serbia’s third service error of the set. Serbia moved to within three at 10-7. The Americans forced Serbia to call timeout trailing 13-8 following an Ogbogu kill and Washington block. Washington picked up consecutive kills to extend the American lead to 15-9. Serbia called timeout after consecutive errors giving USA a 20-12 lead. An Ogbogu block after a Lowe kill jumped the U.S. lead to 22-13. Team USA scored the final two points of the set with a Lowe kill and ace for a 25-16 victory.
After Serbia scored the first two points of the fourth set, the U.S. went up 4-2 with three Serbia errors and an Ogbogu block. Robinson scored a kill and block and Lowe pounded a kill to raise the U.S. lead to 7-3. Team USA increased its lead to 11-7 with kills from Washington and Robinson, then Americans increased the gap to 13-8 with a Lowe kill and Ogbogu block. The U.S. lead reached six points after an Ogbogu kill and block at 15-9. Washington scored a kill and two blocks to inch the U.S. lead to 19-11. Team USA pushed the gap to 21-12 with a Washington kill and Poulter block. The Americans ended the set with Ogbogu scoring a kill and Lowe with a block at 25-15.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team opened the FIVB World Cup by over-powering Kenya 25-14, 25-20, 25-14 on Saturday in Hamamatsu, Japan.
The U.S. opened the match with a 9-0 advantage and went on to win the first set 25-14. Kenya stayed close in the second, trailing only 20-17 before the Americans finished off the set at 25-20. After Kenya closed to 13-10 in the third set, Team USA rolled off an 8-1 run to stake a 21-11 advantage en route to a 25-14 victory.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led Team USA with 14 points with 12 kills on 22 attacks and two aces. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) chipped in 10 kills on 22 swings and two aces for 12 points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) contributed 10 kills on 19 attacks, one block and one ace for 12 points.
“I think we are just trying to get better every day,” said Larson, who is serving as the American captain. “Obviously we were trying to come out with a lot of energy, and I think we did that. We kind of slowed down in the second set, but we finished strong in the third set. I am really proud of our team.”
Team USA continues the World Cup on Sunday against defending World Champion Serbia with a 1 a.m. ET match start. The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
“Serbia is a great team,” Larson said. “I have many friends from there. We are just excited to compete and get better. It will be a great match tomorrow.”
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) hammered eight kills on nine attacks to go with a team-leading four blocks for 12 points in the American win over Kenya. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) pocketed four kills on six swings. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who entered the final two sets as the opposite in the double switch, slammed three kills on four attacks. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with a block and ace for two points.
The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team opened the FIVB World Cup by over-powering Kenya 25-14, 25-20, 25-14 on…
Posted by USA Volleyball on Friday, September 13, 2019
Unofficially, Robinson handled 20 receptions without an error and a 65 positive reception percent. Larson was 64 percent positive on 14 chances and added nine digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was unofficially credited with a 55 positive reception percent on 11 chances to go with six digs. Poulter turned in seven digs.
Team USA converted 54 percent of its attacks into points with a .412 hitting efficiency (46-11-85) with Poulter handled the bulk of the setting. The Americans held Kenya to a 35 kill percent and .146 hitting efficiency.
The Americans held a 6-4 margin in blocks and 6-2 edge in aces. Team USA had a 47-29 advantage in kills. The U.S. held its errors to 13 for the match.
The World Cup is a 12-team round-robin tournament played over 16 days in Japan.
Team USA earned its bid to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in early August, and the World Cup in Japan serves precursor to a return trip 10 months from now.
“This is great preparation for us,” Larson said. “Being in Japan, this is good practice. We are just excited to be here. We love Japan.”
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) was sub in the final two sets as the setter in the double switch.
The U.S. opened the first set with a 9-0 lead on Poulter’s serve as Larson and Drews each scored two kills apiece. Kenya answered with four unanswered points at 9-4. Team USA answered with kills from Drews, Robinson and Ogbogu as part of a 4-0 run to go up 13-4. The American advantage reached 22-10 as Larson powered down two kills in a 4-0 run. Drews and Robinson scored kills on the final two points of set one for a 25-14 victory.
After trailing 5-3 in the second set, the U.S. charged in front 7-5 with blocks from Poulter and Larson around a Robinson ace. Kenya leveled the set at 7-all with consecutive points. The U.S. increased its lead to 14-10 on a 4-1 run that included two Drews kills and a Larson ace. Lowe powered down consecutive kills to expand the Team USA lead to 17-12. Kenya battled back to within three at 20-17. Robinson and Washington downed kills to end the set at 25-20.
The Americans reached the third set’s first technical timeout up 8-4 after a 4-0 that included kills from Washington, Drews and Robinson. Out of the break Robinson pounded two more kills and Drews served an ae to expand the American lead to 11-4 on an 8-0 run. Kenya ended the run with three unanswered points to close to 11-7 and moved to within three at 13-10. The Americans answered with a Larson block and Robinson back-row kill after a Kenya service ace to go in front 16-10 at the second technical timeout. Poulter served an ace out of the timeout to increase the lead to 17-10. Team USA reached a 21-11 lead after a Larson kill capped a 4-0 run. Lowe ended the match with a kill at 25-14.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 8, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, already with its 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games berth in hand, travels to Japan this month to take part in the 12-team FIVB World Cup – one of three tournaments among the triple crown major events in the four-year Olympic cycle.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have selected 14 players to compete for the World Cup title. All 14 American players have won at least one tournament title in 2019 with several having multiple gold medals in the year before the Olympics.
“We were very pleased to lock down a berth for the Tokyo Olympics in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Aug. 4, and now we’ve turned our sights toward World Cup,” Kiraly said. “Not only is this an opportunity to battle for a major title, it’s also a chance to push ourselves toward further improvements leading into the Olympic year of 2020. The Japan Volleyball Association always organizes great events, so we’re looking forward to fierce battles against the rest of the world.”
The U.S. opens the round-robin World Cup by playing five matches in Hamamatsu. Team USA’s first opponent is Kenya on Sept. 14 (played at 10 p.m. ET on Sept. 13), followed by defending World Champion Serbia on Sept. 15, Argentina on a Sept. 16, Netherlands on Sept. 18 and Brazil on Sept. 19.
The Americans travel to Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido to face host Japan on Sept. 22, followed by China on Sept. 23 and Dominican Republic on Sept. 24 (played at 11:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 23).
Team USA closes out the World Cup in Osaka as it faces Russia on Sept. 27, Cameroon on Sept. 28 and Korea on Sept. 29 (played at 10 p.m. ET on Sept. 28).
The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
The World Cup has traditionally been an Olympic Qualifier and hosted by Japan. However, with Japan also hosting the Tokyo Olympic Games, it could not host or compete in the World Cup as an Olympic qualifier as it already secured its berth into the Tokyo Games as the host. Hence, the World Cup is not serving as an Olympic qualifier in 2019 but still maintains importance as one of three current tournaments where international ranking points are secured (the FIVB World Grand Prix, which was discontinued in 2017, remains as a ranking tournament in the current Olympic cycle).
“The World Cup is one of the three major tournaments in international volleyball, and it’s a title that our USA Women have just fallen short of winning in previous editions,” Kiraly said. “We’ll play 11 matches in 16 days, so our challenge is to play the strongest, most consistent volleyball we’ve played over a very short but intense period.”
The U.S. will use a short training and acclimation period in Japan prior to the start of the World Cup. The Americans will train in Kurobe City Sept. 9-12 and be hosted by the Aqua Fairies, the local Japan V-League pro team in which American Simone Lee will compete for in 2019-20. Team USA will have an open practice on Sept. 10 at the Aqua Fairies training facility with an autograph session immediately after for the local community.
“We’re honored that Kurobe City will be hosting our team for the last few days of training camp, and excited to make the most of our brief stay,” Kiraly said.
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
The U.S. Women have been on a roll in 2019. The Americans won the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the premier annual international tournament, for the second year in a row. Team USA qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning the Tokyo Qualification Tournament Pool C in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana. Further, the Americans claimed gold at the Pan American Cup and the NORCECA Champions Cup.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 10, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team used a balanced offense with five players in double-figure scoring in defeating Dominican Republic 27-25, 25-17, 25-14 in a battle of undefeated teams to conclude Pool B of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Team USA is ranked second in the world and Dominican Republic is ranked 10th.
The U.S., now 3-0, advances directly to the semifinals on Saturday while Dominican Republic falls into the crossover quarterfinals on Friday. The tournament concludes on Sunday with the medal rounds.
All U.S. matches at the NORCECA Championship will be streamed on FloVolleyball.tv.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) lead the American offense with 16 points, including 15 kills on 34 attacks and a block. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) connected for 12 kills on 25 swings and a block for 13 points.
“I think everyone was bringing everything they had,” Lowe said. “The energy and intensity were really high. It was a lot of fun. It is always fun to play Dominican Republic. We are ready to go on to the semifinals.”
The U.S. Women swept Dominican Republic 27-25, 25-17, 25-14 to advance directly into the NORCECA Championship semifinals…
Posted by USA Volleyball on Thursday, October 10, 2019
Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) chalked up eight kills on 14 attacks and three blocks for 11 points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) powered down nine kills with an ace and block 11 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added 10 points with eight kills on 15 attacks, one block and one ace for 10 points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill and block for two points.
Hill handled 26 receptions with a 62 positive reception percent and four digs. Bartsch-Hackley was 50 percent positive on 20 receptions to go with 13 digs. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) turned in six digs and was 60 percent positive on five chances. Carlini added 10 digs and Lowe had six digs in the victory.
The Americans converted 47 percent of their attacks with a .372 hitting efficiency (53-11-113) behind the setting of Carlini. Team USA held Dominican Republic to a 31 kill percent and .183 hitting efficiency (32-13-104).
Team USA out-blocked Dominican Republic 8-3 and held a slim 2-1 margin in aces. The Americans offense dominated with a 53-32 kill advantage.
Lowe said the difference between the close first set and the final two sets was the “little things.”
“Controlling the passes, keeping off the net and controlling what we could control to enable us to run our offense,” Lowe said.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Lowe at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero.
Dominican Republic battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the opening set to take a 22-20 advantage on a 3-0 scoring run. The Americans responded with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Dixon block to tie the set at 22-all. The U.S. saved a set point and went into the lead at 25-24 on consecutive blocks by Tapp and Carlini. Bartsch-Hackley ended the set with two kills, her ninth of the set, for a 27-25 victory.
Team USA kept the momentum early in the second set taking a 6-0 advantage with Lowe providing two kills and block. The teams kept pace with one another until an American 3-0 run pushed the gap to 23-14. Dominican Republic saved two set points before the U.S. wont 25-17 on a Dixon kill.
After Dominican Republic tied the third set at 8-all, Hill answered with consecutive kills and Dominican followed with back-to-back errors to put the Americans up 12-8. Lowe scored back-to-back kills, Hill served an ace, Dixon put up a block and Lowe pounded a kill to push Team USA’s lead to 18-11. Dixon put the American lead at 20-12 with a kill and ace. Hill gave Team USA match points with a kill and block, then Tapp finished the set with a kill at 25-14.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 24, 2019) – The U.S. Women held off a challenge from the Dominican Republic and won the NORCECA Champions Cup with a 25-19, 25-17, 25-27, 25-22 victory on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The U.S. finished the tournament 3-0 while Dominican Republic concluded the four-team round-robin event 2-1 and in second place.
Opposite Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) led Team USA with 20 points on match highs of 14 kills on 27 swings and five blocks to go with one ace. She was selected as the tournament’s Best Spiker at the end of the night. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), named the most valuable player of the tournament, scored 14 points on nine kills, four blocks and one ace. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) had 13 points on seven kills, three blocks and three aces. She was honored with both Best Blocker and Best Server for the tournament.
Outside hitter Jones-Perry (West Jordan, Utah) contributed 11 kills on 26 attacks and two aces. Middle Jenna Rosenthal (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) scored 12 points with nine kills on 17 attacks and three blocks. Setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota) and Oluoma Okaro (Lakewood, California) each had one point.
American libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) charted 11 digs and had nine excellent receptions. Jones-Perry pocketed 22 excellent receptions on 42 chances and nine digs. Wilhite Parsons was credited with seven excellent receptions on 16 errorless chances and six digs. Seliger-Swenson had eight digs in the victory.
Seliger-Swenson set Team USA to a 43.0 kill percent and .306 hitting efficiency (52-15-121). The American defense limited Dominican Republic to a 34.6 kill percent and .125 hitting efficiency (47-30-136).
Tayyiba Haneef-Park, who was serving as U.S. head coach for the first time and went undefeated, knew her young team could not let up against their opponent.
“This whole tournament, Dominican Republic has been known for playing on their emotions, and just when you think that you’ve counted them out, they spring back,” Haneef-Park said. “They have a diverse roster and they’re able to put in a lot of key people to change the game, and they did that against us. We kind of lost our rhythm [in the third and fourth sets], serve and pass, but as soon as we found it again, we were able to inch our way back.”
Seliger-Swenson said Dominican Republic presented a big challenge in what amounted to the championship match as both teams entered with 2-0 records.
“They fought hard,” U.S. setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota) said of Dominican Republic. “In the end, we just fought harder. I’m really proud of the way that we battled. It wasn’t easy by any means. We just tried to stay composed and be USA good, and I think we did that.”
The United States led in attacks (52-47), blocks (15-7) and aces (7-2).
While Haneef-Park was making her debut as a head coach, she gave praise to the U.S. national team system.
“This win has less to do with the coaching and more to do about the team and what Karch (Kiraly) has put together … a testament to what he’s doing in the gym,” she said. “However, for me, it’s emotional … you don’t see too many benches that have women as head coach and assistant coach, and African-American women at that. It’s kind of a historical moment for (assistant coach) Michelle (Chatman) and me. It’s an honor to be here and to come out with a win.”
Yonkaira Pena Isabel led Dominican Republic with 16 points on 11 attacks, three blocks and two aces.
Dominican coach Marcos Kwiek said, “(In the third set) we did start playing more aggressively. We played at a higher level, and that was the difference. (In the fourth), we were neck and neck until the very end. There were just a couple tiny mistakes, and this game is unforgiving.”
U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team Roster for NORCECA Champions Cup
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
3 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Glenarden, Maryland, University of Florida)
7 – Ashley Evans (S, 6-1, Liberty Township, Ohio, Purdue University)
8 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Stewartville, Minnesota, University of Minnesota)
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)
15 – Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Litchfield Park, Arizona, University of Oregon)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Penn State)
22 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Papillion, Nebraska, University of Nebraska)
24 – Jenna Rosenthal (M, 6-6, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Marquette University)
25 – Oluoma Okaro (OPP, 6-1, Lakewood, California, Arizona State University)
Head Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Assistant Coach: Michelle Chatman, Brandon Directo
Statistician: Mike Gee
Team Manager: Jordan Kelly
Team Guide: Gabi Garbato
Physiotherapist: Melanie Luck
Women’s NORCECA Champions Cup Results
Aug. 22: Dominican Republic def. Puerto Rico, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13
Aug. 22: USA def. Canada, 18-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-20
Aug. 23: Dominican Republic def. Canada, 24-26, 25-23, 25-13, 25-20
Aug. 23: USA def. Puerto Rico 25-19, 25-16, 25-22
Aug. 24: Canada def. Puerto Rico, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-21
Aug. 24: USA def. Dominican Republic, 25-19, 25-17, 25-27, 25-22
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 2, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team was selected as one of three finalists for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Team USA Awards presented by Dow, Best of September, which recognizes the outstanding achievements of Team USA athletes and teams in the month of September.
Fans are invited to vote online for the U.S. Women at TeamUSA.org/Awards through midnight on Monday, Oct. 7. Votes received from NGB representatives and select members of the media account for 50 percent of the final tally, with the other half determined by online fan voting.
The U.S. Women earned the silver medal at the 2019 FIVB World Cup, finishing with a 10-1 record and improving their 2019 tournament record to 40-6. The Americans defeated top-ranked Serbia, No. 4 Brazil and No. 5 Russia during the 11-match, 16-day tournament played in Japan. The U.S. is the only country to have medaled in each of the last five World Cup events played in the year prior to Olympic Games.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We played a great tournament. All 14 of our players made really important and critical contributions to that. We had one disappointing loss to China – they are playing a very good tournament. But we have a lot to be excited about. We look forward to coming back here in way less than a year for the 2020 Olympics.”
The U.S. Women have one additional tournament in 2019, which is the biennial NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship. The zonal tournament is being held Oct. 8-13 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Women have won gold this year at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the Pan American Cup and the NORCECA Champions Cup. But the biggest highlight was qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning the Tokyo Qualification Tournament on home soil Aug. 2-4 in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana.
“I think this summer has been really exciting for our team with new and younger faces getting an opportunity to play at a high level,” said Kelsey Robinson, who was named World Cup Best Outside Hitter. “I think we have a lot of potential and room for growth. We have NORCECA to go back to and I think we can be a great team come 2020. We had the World Championship here last year and the World Cup this year and going into the Olympics [being here] is only going to help us with what to expect and to perform at the highest level.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 29, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 3 in the world, claimed silver at the FIVB World Cup by defeating Korea 25-21, 25-16, 16-25, 25-22 in Osaka to conclude the 12-team round robin event played over 16 days in Japan.
Team USA concluded the tournament with a 10-1 record, its sole loss being to gold-medalist China earlier in the round robin format. The Americans have now reached the podium in five consecutive World Cup events played in the year prior to the Olympic Games. The U.S. also earned silver at the 2011 World Cup and bronze at the 2003, 2007 and 2015 editions. No other country had medal in the previous four World Cups let alone now five in a row.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We played a great tournament. All 14 of our players made really important and critical contributions to that. We had one disappointing loss to China – they are playing a very good tournament. But we have a lot to be excited about. We look forward to coming back here in way less than a year for the 2020 Olympics.”
The 2019 World Cup podium will have China with gold, USA with silver and Russia with bronze regardless of the outcomes later today.
After seven ties and three lead changes early in the opening set, the U.S. used a 5-1 spurt to take a 13-10 advantage and never trailed the rest of the set for a 25-21 victory. Team USA used an 8-0 run to take a commanding 17-7 advantage in the second set and went on to win 25-16. Korea bolted to a 6-0 advantage in the third set and used a 7-0 run to go up 16-7 before winning the set 25-16. After trailing 4-2 early in the fourth set, the U.S. turned up the pressure with a 5-1 run to go up 7-5 and never allowed Korea to tie the set in winning 25-22.
“Well we saw Korea play great volleyball in this tournament, including yesterday in a very good win against Brazil,” Kiraly said. “So we knew this match was going to be very difficult. #10 does a very a nice job for them. She is the most important part of that – she drives them. I think we did a pretty good job of containing her.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led Team USA with 20 kills on 40 attacks, two blocks and two aces for 24 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) charted eight kills on 13 swings, a match-high seven blocks and an ace for 16 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) pocketed nine kills on 19 attacks and three aces for 12 points.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) turned in eight kills and a block for nine points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) added a block and kill for two points. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with two kills.
“First, hats off to Korea; they played a great match,” Robinson said. “They pushed up the service line and ran a speedy offense, so they really challenged us. But I’m really proud of my team and the way we responded in the fourth set to take the win.”
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) had 15 digs and handled 22 receptions with a 59 positive percent. Bartsch-Hackley turned in a 41 positive reception percent on 29 chances with six digs. Robinson was 39 percent positive on 23 receptions. Carlini added 12 digs in the match.
Carlini set Team USA to a 44 kill percent and .300 hitting efficiency (48-15-110). Korea converted 40 percent of its attacks with a .209 hitting efficiency (51-24-129).
Although Korea held a 51-48 advantage in kills, the Americans held margins of 11-9 in blocks and 6-4 in aces. Korea also committed 26 errors in the match, including 16 through the first two sets. The U.S. committed 20 errors over the four sets.
Kiraly said the team will continue to work to improve his reception game heading toward the Olympic Games next summer in Tokyo.
“We need to keep getting better in our receive-set-attack game when the other team is serving,” Kiraly said. “That is a big part of who we are and to continue to improve our service pressure. We are doing well at those things, but we need to get even better to get stronger.”
While Team USA has already won gold at FIVB Volleyball Nations League and Pan American Cup, qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games on home soil and now captured silver at the FIVB World Cup, Robinson said it has been a fun journey. Yet the season is not over yet as Team USA plays in the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship Oct. 8-13 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“I think this summer has been really exciting for our team with new and younger faces getting an opportunity to play at a high level,” Robinson said. “I think we have a lot of potential and room for growth. We have NORCECA to go back to and I think we can be a great team come 2020. We had the World Championship here last year and the World Cup this year and going into the Olympics [being here] is only going to help us with what to expect and to perform at the highest level.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero. Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) started the fourth set after subbing in the third set. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was a serving sub in all four sets while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) was a sub late in third set.
The U.S. reached a 5-3 advantage early in the first set as Ogbogu scored a kill and ace around a Korea error. Korea scored three unanswered points to go up 8-7 at the first technical timeout. The Americans returned to the lead at 13-10 with two Ogbogu kills, a Robinson kill and two Korea errors on a 5-1 run. Korea closed to within one at 15-14. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill after a Korea service error to extend the American lead to 18-15. Drews and Robinson downed kills to put U.S. in front 22-18 at a Korea timeout. Korea committed an attack error to push the Team USA advantage to 23-18. Korea chopped two points off the deficit at 23-20. The Americans finished the set at 25-21 on a Drews attack.
The U.S. started the second set up 2-0 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill after a Korea error. Team USA increased its advantage to 7-4 with kills from Washington and Bartsch-Hackley. Drews converted back-to-back kills, Bartsch-Hackley served an ace, Ogbogu put up three consecutive blocks and Korea hit wide to lift the American lead to 16-7. Out of the technical timeout, Bartsch-Hackley capped an 8-0 run with a kill at 17-7. Korea scored six of the next eight points to close to 20-13. The Americans jumped its lead to 21-13 with a Washington kill and Korea error. The U.S. closed out the set with a Drews block and Ogbogu overpass kill at 25-16.
Korea opened the third set with a 6-0 advantage. The U.S. stopped the run with a Drews kill and Korea error at 6-2, then moved to within two at 7-5 with kills by Drews and Robinson around a Bartsch-Hackley ace. Korea answered with back-to-back points to increase the lead to 9-5. Team USA responded with a Drews kill and Washington block to close to 9-7, but Korea again put down seven consecutive points to take a 16-7 lead. Carlini put up a block after a Korea service error to close to 17-10. Ogbogu blocked Korea after it had an attack error to close the U.S. to 20-14. Korea scored the final two points of the set for a 25-16 victory.
The teams traded two-point runs early in the fourth set where Korea took a 4-2 lead. Drews hammered a kill and Robinson followed with a block to tie the set at 4-all. Drews put the U.S. in front 7-5 with a kill and consecutive aces. Korea responded with back-to-back points to level the set at 7-all. Team USA extended the advantage to 9-7 with an Ogbogu kill and Korea error. Robinson hit a back-row kill, Dixon roofed a Korea attack followed by a Korea error to push the American lead to 13-9. Korea stopped the 3-0 USA run to close to 13-11, but Team USA went up by four at 15-11 with a Bartsch-Hackley ace after a Korea service error. Korea answered with two quick points to cut the deficit in half at 15-13. Ogbogu put up a block after a Korea error to extend the Team USA lead to 18-14. Korea moved to within two at 23-21. Ogbogu ended the match with a block at 25-22.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for 2019 FIVB World Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Marv Dunphy
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Leader: Jimmy Stitz
FIVB World Cup Schedule of U.S. Women’s National Team Matches
In Hamamatsu, Japan
Sept. 14: USA def. Kenya 25-14, 25-20, 25-14 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 15: USA def. Serbia 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-15 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 16: USA def. Argentina 25-21, 25-18, 18-25, 25-11 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 18: USA def. Netherlands 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 19: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-18, 25-19 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
In Sapporo, Japan
Sept. 22: USA def. Japan 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 23: USA lost to China 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 23: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-22, 25-23, 25-9 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
In Osaka, Japan
Sept. 27: USA def. Russia 24-26, 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 15-8 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 28: USA def. Cameroon 25-19, 25-15, 25-5 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
Sept. 29: USA def. Korea 25-21, 25-16, 16-25, 25-22 (FloVolleyball Video Replay)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 28, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team moved one step closer to the FIVB World Cup podium by dominating Cameroon 25-19, 25-15, 25-5 on Saturday in Osaka, Japan.
Team USA, ranked No. 3 in the world, improved to 9-1 overall in the 12-team round robin World Cup. The Americans are in second place and can finish with the silver by defeating Korea (6-4) on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on the World Cup final day (Sunday in Japan), or a Russia loss to either Kenya (played on Saturday) or Brazil (played on Sunday).
The FIVB World Cup matches will be streamed live on FloVolleyball.tv.
More history! #USAVwnt used a 12-2 block advantage in sweeping Cameroon 25-19, 25-15, 25-5 for its 9th FIVB World Cup win and clinching a podium finish for the fifth consecutive edition – the only country to do so.
Recap | https://t.co/o6dJ2Td7Nm pic.twitter.com/QK0ScoMQgI
— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) September 28, 2019
The U.S. built a 15-9 advantage in the opening set before Cameroon charged back to within one at 17-16, but it was all Team USA thereafter in a 25-19 victory finishing on an 8-3 run. The Americans raced to a 15-7 advantage in the second set and finished strong with a 25-15 win. Team USA opened the third set with a 10-0 run and ended the match with a 25-5 victory.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) led the U.S. with 14 kills on 22 attacks and three blocks for 17 points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) charted nine kills on 14 swings, four blocks and an ace for 14 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) pocketed 11 kills on 25 swings and a block for 12 points.
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) racked up seven kills on 11 attacks, one block and one ace for nine points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed seven kills and two blocks for nine points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill, block and ace for three points.
The U.S. Women, led by Karsta Lowe’s 17 points and Hannah Tapp’s 14, swept Cameroon for their 9th FIVB World Cup win….
Posted by USA Volleyball on Saturday, September 28, 2019
“We knew going into today’s game that Cameroon have some really talented athletes with strong arms and are very physical,” Hill said. “But we had to concentrate on our side of the net, blocking and just improving ourselves and we did a good job of that and took care of business. I think our strength as a team is that we’re 14-strong. Some of us have different roles, some of us are starting six, some come in to serve. I’m proud of us as a group because even if the roles are smaller, we think they are very important in their own ways and I think that’s why we’re strong. I think that’s going to help in going to Tokyo next year and developing that. We challenge each other constantly and that’s what makes it fun to be part of this group.”
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was unofficially credited with 10 digs and handled 16 receptions with a 31 positive percent. Hill was credited with a 50 positive reception on 14 chances to go with five digs. Bartsch-Hackley was 71 percent positive on seven receptions with four digs. Carlini was credited with nine digs from her setter position while Lowe had five digs.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach used seven different starters in today’s victory as compared to yesterday’s hard-fought win over Russia. Despite the roster juggling, Team USA clicked in all phases of the match.
“We are honored and privileged to have 14 special people here with us and who are all making important contributions in a very long and difficult tournament,” Kiraly said. “We have played 10 matches with one more against a very strong Korea tomorrow. We will need contributions from all 14 players.”
Carlini set the U.S. to a 54 kill percent and .484 hitting efficiency (49-5-91). The American defense held Cameroon to a 26 kill percent and .038 hitting efficiency (21-18-80).
Team USA’s defense produced a 12-2 block advantage while the American offense held a 49-21 margin in kills. Cameroon secured a slim 4-3 edge in aces. The U.S. held its errors to 12 for the match compared to Cameroon’s 11.
“For today, it was to continue our service pressure,” Kiraly said. “When we served really tough yesterday against Russia, it became easier.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Lowe at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero.
For the tournament finale, Kiraly sees the Americans facing another huge test against Korea, which upset Brazil on Saturday in four sets.
“We expect Korea to play the great volleyball that they played today against Brazil,” Kiraly said. “That is a really strong win. That is a difficult team and so we have lots of planning to do.”
Team USA is the only country to have medaled in each of the last four World Cups. The Americans won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The 2015 World Cup podium finishes replicated the 2016 Olympic Games results – China winning the event with Serbia claiming silver and USA bronze.
After Cameroon scored the first two points of the match, Team USA quickly tied the set at 2-all then went up 8-4 at the technical timeout with Tapp providing a kill and block around a Lowe kill and Cameroon error. Tapp slammed consecutive kills to push the American lead to 10-5. Lowe hammered back-to-back kills to raise the American lead to 15-9. Cameroon cut its deficit to 15-13 with four consecutive points. Cameroon closed to one at 17-16 on an ace. Hill answered with a kill and block followed by a Cameroon error to raise the Team USA lead to 20-16. Hill scored consecutive kills, Cameroon had an attack error and Lowe pounded a kill to push the American lead to 24-17. Cameroon saved two set points before Dixon finished the set with a kill at 25-19.
Lowe scored a kill and block followed by a Cameroon error to put Team USA up 3-0 to start the second set. The U.S. extended its lead to 7-3 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Cameroon error. Bartsch-Hackley scored kills around a Lowe spike to move Team USA’s lead to 10-4. Tapp put up a block and served an ace to yield a 12-5 American lead. Carlini and Dixon scored back-to-back kills to raise the lead to 14-7. Cameroon used a 4-1 run with two aces to close to 16-11. Tapp hammered three consecutive kills to give Team USA a 20-12 margin. Dixon scored a kill and block to present the Americans a 23-14 lead. Lowe ended the set at 25-15 with a kill after a Cameroon error.
Dixon scored three kills, Hill scored two kills and a block, Lowe added a kill and Carlini served an ace and Cameroon hit wide twice as Team USA started the third set with a 10-0 lead. Bartsch-Hackley scored consecutive kills, Dixon served an ace, Lowe added a kill and Cameroon committed consecutive errors to give the U.S. a 17-2 lead. Out of a Cameroon timeout, Lowe pounded a kill and Tapp added a block to cap a 9-0 American run at 19-2. Team USA reached set match point at 24-4 with Tapp scoring a block and kill, Hill following with a kill and Bartsch-Hackley securing another block. Lowe ended the set at 25-5 with a kill.
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BOSSIER CITY, Louisiana (Aug. 3, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is step away from claiming a berth into the 2020 Olympic Games, but it was not easy as Team USA used a deep bench to rally past Bulgaria 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-10 on Saturday evening on day two of the Tokyo Women’s Volleyball Qualification Tournament Pool C in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Team USA, ranked third in the world, hosts No. 11 Argentina on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. Sunday’s match can be watched live on NBC and streamed on NBC Sports website at http://bit.ly/19TWQTstream.
After the U.S. rallied from a 17-14 deficit in the opening set to tie it at 20-all, Bulgaria scored five of the final six points to win 25-21. The U.S. broke a 15-all tie in the second set by scoring 10 of the final 13 points to win 25-18. Bulgaria rallied from a 19-17 deficit in the third set to win 25-21. Team USA went up 13-9 in the fourth set and never let Bulgaria closer than two points in winning 25-20 and sending the match to the tiebreaker. Team USA scored six of the last eight points in the tiebreaker to solidify the victoy.
“I got to give Bulgaria a lot of credit,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They played a great game. #16 was all we could handle and more. We knew she was good, she had a very strong match. It took a while for us to get going. But Jordan Thompson came in and gave us a lift, and so did Kelsey Robinson. Eventually we started figuring things out. It was pretty rough, and we got pushed to the brink and I loved the response that our team had down 2-1.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) collected a Team USA-high 23 points with 18 kills on 37 attacks, three blocks and two aces. Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota), who started the final four sets, totaled 19 points with 18 kills on 47 attacks and a block. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) nailed 15 kills on 37 attacks and two aces.
“It was amazing. I am still trying to catch my breath and take it all in,” Larson said of coming back in such an important match. “It was a stressful match. There was a lot riding on the line. It was important for us to take away the win.”
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) chipped in five kills on nine attacks, four blocks and an ace for 10 points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), who started just the final two sets, scored 10 points in the match with six coming in the tiebreaking set.
“We brought Kelsey in for a little of bit of energy,” Kiraly said of the move to bring in Robinson. “It seemed like things were getting a little flat at the end of the third set. Kim Hill was playing very strong volleyball, but we were little for a little bit of spark. It doesn’t always happen, but Kelsey was able to do that.”
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) chalked up three blocks, two kills and an ace for six points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) notched two kills, two blocks and two aces for six points. Rounding out the scoring was opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) with three kills.
“I am really proud of our team. I am proud how we fought,” Robinson said. “Bulgaria played scrappy, swung high and made some great digs. It was a really challenging match. I am proud how every single person on the team made an effort to help.”
“It was fantastic,” Larson said of the team’s bench support in defeating Bulgaria. “Jordan Thompson, she is still in college, but she has some guts. I am really proud her. Kelsey was steady and did her job.”
Carlini set Team USA to a 45 kill percent and .360 hitting efficiency (73-14-164). Over the course of the final two sets, the U.S. converted 30 of 54 attacks for a 55.6 kill percent and .500 hitting efficiency. The American defense limited Bulgaria to a 42 kill percent and .309 hitting efficiency (74-21-175).
Team USA, the only country to medal in women’s indoor volleyball in each of the last three Olympic Games, seeks its 12th appearance in the Olympics. In its previous 11 Olympic Games, the Americans claimed silver medals in 1984, 2008 and 2012 along with bronze medals in 1992 and 2016.
Bulgaria started the opening set with an 8-4 advantage and held a four-point cushion to 13-9. Team USA put up consecutive blocks by Washington after a Drews slam to cut the gap to 13-12. Bulgaria raised its lead back to three at 17-14. The Americans pulled to within one with a Drews kill and Larson ace at 19-18. Hill connected for consecutive kills to put the U.S. into a 20-all tie. Bulgaria answered with three unanswered points for a 23-20 cushion. Bulgaria closed out the set with a 25-21 victory.
Bulgaria built an 8-4 margin early in set two. Trailing 10-6, the U.S. reeled off five straight points on Carlini’s serve that included two blocks from Dixon to give the Americans an 11-10 lead. Larson antd Thompson downed kills around a Dixon ace to yield a 15-13 American margin, but Bulgaria answered quickly to tie the set at 15-all. The U.S. took a three-point cushion on a Washington kill, Bulgaria centerline violation and Carlini block at 19-16. Dixon put up a block and Washington served an ace to extend Team USA’s lead to 22-17. Carlini served up an ace after a Dixon kill to give the U.S. a 25-18 victory.
The U.S. grabbed a 4-1 lead in the third set with Hill scoring a kill and ace followed by a Larson kill. Team USA went into the first technical timeout up 8-4 with kills from Thompson and Hill. Bulgaria went on a 7-1 run to stake a 13-11 advantage. Thompson nailed back-to-back attacks to level the set at 13-all. Bulgaria stretched its lead to 17-14 going into a USA timeout. Thompson hammered back-to-back kills, Dixon put consecutive blocks and Larson crushed one from the back row to reverse the lead to Team USA at 19-17. Bulgaria stopped the run with consecutive points to tie the set at 19-all, then scored the final five points for a 25-21 victory.
Larson knocked down back to back kills capping a 3-0 U.S. run putting it in front 8-6 at the fourth set’s first technical timeout. Thompson and Larson downed consecutive kills and Robinson put up a block to extend the lead to 13-9. After Bulgaria closed two, Washington and Thompson scored back-to-back points to put USA in front 16-12 at the second technical timeout. Thompson tallied consecutive kills to again create a four-point separation at 19-15. After Bulgaria closed to 21-19, Robinson hammered consecutive kills and Thompson put up a block to give Team USA set points at 24-19 advantage. Thompson finished the set with a kill at 25-20.
The U.S. reversed the lead in the set with a Washington block at 3-2. Team USA went into the court switch with a two-point cushion with kills from Carlini and Larson at 8-6. Larson followed with a block to extend Team USA’s lead to 9-6. Bulgaria answered with three straight to tie the set at 9-all. Thompson fired a kill and Robinson followed with a block, kill and overpass slam to lift Team USA into a 13-9 advantage. Larson followed with an ace to provide match points at 14-9. Robinson ended it with a kill at 15-10.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 26, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 3 in the world by the FIVB, have set its 13-player roster that will work to secure its 2020 Olympic Games berth at the 2019 Tokyo Women’s Volleyball Qualification Tournament being held Aug. 2-4 in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana.
For the Olympic qualifying tournament, U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have selected four outside hitters, four middles, two opposites, two setters and two liberos for the four-team round-robin Pool C.
Team USA will face Kazakhstan on Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. CT, followed by Bulgaria on Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. CT and Argentina on Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. CT.
The Tokyo Women’s Volleyball Qualification Tournament includes six pools of four team being staged in a round-robin format Aug. 2-4. The top 24 ranked teams, minus 2020 Olympic Games host Japan, are placed into the six pools using the serpentine system with pool winners claiming berths into the 2020 Olympics along with host Japan. The final five spots into the 2020 Olympics will be determined in early January through the five confederation zonal championships.
“It truly is a privilege and an honor to be playing for an Olympic berth inside our own country, so we’re super-pumped to play in Shreveport,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We are not taking anything for granted, or thinking that any opponent is less of a threat than others. Instead, we’re focusing all of our efforts into winning the first point of the tournament. Then we’ll reset, and focus on the next point. We are treating each of our three opponents with the utmost respect – Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and Argentina.”
Team USA has not faced Kazakhstan since 2014, while the Americans have seen both Bulgaria and Argentina in recent years. USA is 6-0 all-time against Kazakhstan, 14-1 versus Bulgaria and 21-0 against Argentina.
“We haven’t faced Kazakhstan in several years, so we have extra preparation homework to do,” Kiraly said. “Bulgaria has a couple of pin hitters who can be very tough to stop. We played them on their home court in Week One of Volleyball Nations League during May, where they put up strong resistance, and we’re expecting them to have a roster that is stronger than the one we saw then. And Argentina is traditionally one of the two best teams in South America.”
The U.S. is coming off its second consecutive FIVB Volleyball Nations League title, along with gold in the Pan American Cup. The Americans finished the 2019 VNL with a 16-3 record and rallied from two sets down to defeat Brazil in the gold-medal match on July 7 in Nanjing, China. Along with the title, Team USA captured the $1 million top prize.
“Our USA Women’s National Team has competed in two tournaments this season, Volleyball Nations League and Pan Am Cup,” Kiraly said. “Our people notched strong performances in both of those tournaments, winning the gold medal down in Peru at Pan Am Cup and also winning gold at Volleyball Nations League in China. But those gold medals mean very little now, with the slate clean and everyone sitting at zero wins and zero losses.”
The U.S. will have 12 of the 14 players who competed in the VNL Finals on the Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Tournament roster. Drews was named the most valuable player of the 2019 VNL. Washington and Courtney were both named to the 2019 VNL Dream Team as a middle and libero, respectively. Hill, the 2014 FIVB World Championship MVP, is the only player on the Olympic qualifier roster who did not compete at some point during the 2019 VNL campaign.
Team USA, the only country to medal in women’s indoor volleyball in each of the last three Olympic Games, seeks its 12th appearance in the Olympics. In its previous 11 Olympic Games, the Americans claimed silver medals in 1984, 2008 and 2012 along with bronze medals in 1992 and 2016.
Pool C Opponent Capsules:
Argentina
Argentina, ranked No. 11 in the world, made their first-ever Olympic Games appearance in 2016 and finished in ninth place. Argentina finished 19 out 24 countries at the 2018 FIVB World Championship, its sixth appearance in the event held every four years. Last year’s appearance marked the countries first time making back-to-back trips to the World Championship.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, ranked No. 16 in the world, finished with bronze in the 1980 Olympic Games, its only appearance in the event. Earlier this year Bulgaria finished in 16th place in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League after winning the 2018 Challenger Cup. Bulgaria placed 12th in last year’s FIVB World Championship, which included a second-round loss to the USA.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, ranked No. 23 in the world, is attempting to achieve its second Olympic Games appearance following a ninth-place finish in its debut in 2008. Kazakhstan placed 24th in the 2018 FIVB World Championship – its fourth consecutive appearance in the event held every four years. Kazakhstan had a best-ever 15th place finish in the World Championship in 2014.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for 2019 FIVB Tokyo Qualification Tournament Pool C
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Leader: Jimmy Stitz
2019 FIVB Tokyo Women’s Volleyball Qualification Tournament Pool C Schedule (all times CT)
Aug. 2
Argentina vs. Bulgaria, 3 p.m.
USA vs. Kazakhstan, 6 p.m. (live on Olympic Channel)
Aug. 3
USA vs. Bulgaria, 5 p.m. (live on Olympic Channel)
Kazakhstan vs. Argentina, 8 p.m.
Aug. 4
USA vs. Argentina, 1 p.m. (live on NBC)
Kazakhstan vs. Bulgaria, 4 p.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team got over first-set jitters and went on to beat Canada 18-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-20 on Thursday on opening day of the NORCECA Champions Cup at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center.
U.S. outside hitters Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) and Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) each finished with 17 points to lead Team USA. Wilhite Parsons collected 14 kills on 35 swings and three blocks while Rolfzen charted 11 kills on 28 attacks, three blocks and a team-high three aces. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) chipped in eight klils on 19 swings, three blocks and an ace for 12 points.
“Overall it felt great,” Wilhite Parsons said of winning the opening match. “I thought we had a lot of energy and fight in us. We worked out some kinks in the first set, but after that we stayed really patient and worked well as a unit. Sam, our setter, did a good job of mixing it up, and that helped a lot. It took pressure off the pins. Everyone I thought played really well and stepped up.”
Simone Lee (Menomoeee Falls, Wisconsin), playing opposite, toatled nine kills, one block and one ace for 11 points. Middle Jenna Rosenthal (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) tacked on six kills via 14 attacks, one block and one ace for eight points. Roni Jones-Perry, a sub in the final two sets, added two kills and setter Sam Seliger-Swenson rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) was credited with 15 excellent receptions on 24 chances while Wilhite Parsons had 22 excellent receptions on 37 chances and 10 digs. Rolfzen had a team-leading 12 digs, followed by Lee’s 11 digs.
Seliger-Swenson led Team USA to a 38.9 kill percent and .229 hitting efficiency (51-21-131). The American defense limited the Canadians to a 31.8 kill percent and .114 hitting efficiency (42-27-132).
The U.S. Women led Canada in attacks (51-42), blocks (11-10) and ace (6-4).
Tayyiba Haneef-Park, who won her head coaching debut with the U.S. Women after being a three-time Olympian with the squad, felt the team made adjustments from early errors.
“I think we had too many unforced errors,” Haneef-Park said. “We were out of our rhythm and once we started to just keep the ball in the court it created more out of system offense for them. I think we stepped up our serve and our pass, and it created a lot of difficulty for Canada. That was all part of our game plan. As long as we can stay true to keeping them out of system, we can put up a really good block and defense around it.”
All 12 matches of the NORCECA Champions Cup will be held in Sports Center 1 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. Admission is free and open to the public. All matches are also being live streamed on the
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 10, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had balanced scoring as it defeated Puerto Rico 25-18, 25-20, 25-27, 25-19 Wednesday in Chiclayo, Peru, to go 4-0 in Pan American Cup Pool B.
The U.S. advances directly to the semifinals on July 13.
“This was a good test for us,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. at the Pan American Cup. “Puerto Rico came out hot but we maintained our composure and produced a couple of good comebacks both in the first set and the second sets. The third set we simply made too many errors. Puerto Rico is too good of a team to give them a bunch of points. in the fourth set we did not completely resolved that issue, but it was better. When we made them play we were really good for a long time. We made it harder on ourselves than we needed to. But this team is still young in terms of matches played together. We really are getting better and are ready for a couple of good matches coming up in Trujillo.”
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Sante Fe, California) provided a match-high 17 points with 13 kills on 34 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) pocketed 16 points with 13 kills via 39 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) contributed 13 kills on 31 attacks and two blocks for 15 points.
“I think we did a lot of good things,” Rolfzen said. “I think we saw some areas that we may need some improving as well and I think that is a positive heading into the semifinals knowing we can see what we can better at.”
Middles Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) each totaled seven kills on 12 attacks and a match-high five blocks with one ace for 13 points. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with one kill and one block for two points.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) handled 21 receptions with a 57 positive reception percent. She also produced a team-high 20 digs in the victory. Kingdon Rishel also registered a 57 positive reception percent on 30 chances. Rolfzen was credited with 22 receptions and a 64 positive reception percent. Rolfzen and Hancock added nine digs apiece.
Hancock set Team USA to a 40 kill percent and .316 hitting efficiency (54-11-136). The American defense limited Puerto Rico to a 33 kill percent and .120 hitting efficiency (47-30-142).
With the semifinals looming and facing better teams, Rolfzen said it is time for the USA to control areas it can control on its own.
“I think one thing we can control is our serve, and so if we can be able to keep those in even if not a good toss,” Rolfzen said. “Keeping USA speed, controlling what we can control.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 10, 2019) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce its 12-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Team roster that will compete in the 2019 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship July 12-21 in Léon Guanajuato & Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The dozen players were selected from the 19-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team camp that started on July 5 following four months of tryouts across the country.
Jerritt Elliott, the head coach of the University of Texas, will serve as the WJNT head coach. He will be assisted by Paula Weishoff, head coach at Concordia University Irvine, and Jenny Hazelwood with Infinity Volleyball Club. Jon Wong, assistant coach with Bradley University, will serve as the technical coordinator.
“Our staff has been very busy since camp started July 5,” Elliott said. “We started out with 19 players and had to select our final 12 by July 8. From the moment the girls came together their personalities clicked and became a committed group very fast. Our staff has really enjoyed this talented group’s personalities.”
Elliott said the players made the task of cutting from 19 players to 12 a challenging task based on their work ethic and skills brought to the court.
“All the athletes made the cuts very difficult for our staff,” Elliott said. “It’s was hard but I’m proud of all the girls who came in and gave us great energy.”
The U.S. will be looking to reach the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship podium for the first time after two fourth-place finishes, the most recent in 2011.
“I know all of us are excited to represent USA against the best teams in the world,” Elliott said. “This is this age group’s Olympic Games and I’m confident this group will compete and represent our country with pride. We have had very little time to train but are excited to build over the next two weeks and gel as a team.”
The U.S. is placed in Pool A along with host country Mexico, Italy and Cuba. Italy is the only country from outside the NORCECA zonal region. The top two teams each of the four-team round robin pools will advance to the top eight and remain eligible for the gold medal.
Team USA opens against Italy on July 12 at 1:30 p.m. ET followed by Mexico on July 13 at 9 p.m. ET. The Americans conclude pool play on July 14 against Cuba at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Name (Position, Height, HS Grad Year, Club/Region, College, Hometown)
3 – Brooke Nuneviller (L, 5-11, 2018, Aspire VBC/Arizona Region, Oregon, Chandler, Ariz.)
4 – Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, 2020, Apex1/Southern California, Long Beach State, Long Beach, Calif.)
5 – Azhani Tealer (OPP, 5-10, 2019, Texas Image/North Texas, Kentucky, Grand Prairie, Texas)
6 – Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-1, 2018, Alliance/Southern, Texas, Brentwood, Tenn.)
7 – Jenna Wenaas (OH, 6-1, 2020, TAV/North Texas, Minnesota, Frisco, Texas)
9 – Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, 2019, Houston Juniors/Lone Star, Texas, Missouri City, Texas)
11 – Molly Phillips (M, 6-2, 2019, Texas Image/North Texas, Texas, Mansfield, Texas)
13 – Ella May Powell (S, 6-2, 2018, Ozark Juniors/Delta Region, Washington, Fayetteville, Ark.)
15 – Katie Clark (M, 6-3, 2018, TAV/North Texas, TCU, Arlington, Texas)
17 – Anna Dixon (OH, 6-3, 2019, KC Power/Heart of America, Kansas State, Louisburg, Kan.)
19 – Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, 2019, Laguna Beach VBC/Southern California, Stanford, Newport Beach, Calif.)
20 – Heather Gneiting (M, 6-6, 2018, Club V/Intermountain, BYU, Provo, Utah)
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (University of Texas)
Assistant Coaches: Paula Weishoff (Concordia Irvine) and Jenny Hazelwood (Infinity Volleyball Club)
Technical Coordinator: Jon Wong (Bradley University)
Head of Delegation: Coley Pawlikowski
FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship Pool A Schedule
July 12: USA vs Italy, 1:30 p.m. ET
July 13: USA vs Mexico, 9:30 p.m. ET
July 14: USA vs Cuba, 1:30 p.m. ET
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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)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 8, 2019) – Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) notched 16 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-11, 25-18, 25-19 victory over Mexico to improve to 3-0 in the Pan American Cup Pool B in Chiclayo, Peru.
Lowe tallied 10 kills on 20 attacks, a team-best four blocks and two aces for her 16 points. Outside hitter
“I like the way we came out for this match,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach of the U.S. squad at the Pan Am Cup. “Our team had an intensity that was palpable. They had their game faces on.”
Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) charted four aces, two blocks and two kills on three swings for eight points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) tacked on seven kills on 10 attacks in the victory. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) rounded out the scoring with five kills and an ace for six points.
“Today our match against Mexico, I think we came out strong. I think we started off serving pretty well. I think we can improve on back row a little bit more and holding a consistent serving throughout the game instead of going up and down. I think we can finish a little bit better as far as being clean, and build upon where we are.”
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) handled 15 receptions with a team-best 67 percent positive reception. Kingdon Rishel was unofficially credited with eight digs and added 17 receptions with a 53 positive reception percent. Rolfzen turned in seven digs.
Hancock set Team USA to a 53 kill percent and a .425 hitting efficiency (39-8-73). The American defense held Mexico to a 28 kill percent and .074 hitting efficiency (23-17-81).
“Each match we have some goals that we went to reach and we track those throughout the match,” Browning said. “Today the team came up with some good goals and worked really hard to achieve them. Those goals are meant to stretch us and they did tonight. They pushed us out of our comfort zone a little bit and it was good for us. Because of that I think we are a little bit better now than we were when we started this match and that is a big goal for us during the tournament. We want to get a little bit better every day.”
The U.S. out-blocked Mexico 11-0 and held a 10-1 margin in aces.
“I think our blocking, our defense overall, but mostly our blocking was really good,” Jones Perry said. “We did a good job at spreading our offense and attacking space. One thing we can do better is serving.”
Team USA raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set with Lowe scoring three of the points and the Americans never looked back as they reached a double-digit lead at 14-4. Hancock served three aces on a 6-0 run and scored six of her points in the opening set. The U.S. doubled up Mexico 10-5 in the second set, then traded points until scoring three straight to go up 20-13 and onto a 25-18 victory. After leading by a slim 11-10 margin in the third set, Team USA scored 10 unanswered points on Tapp’s serve that included three points from Kingdon Rishel.
Team USA concludes pool play on Wednesday against Puerto Rico (2-0) at 6 p.m. ET. The winner of Pool B advances directly to the semifinals on Saturday. The matches are scheduled to air on flovolleyball.tv.
“I think we need to be a little more attentive on our lineups on blocking and have quick hands over the net,” Hancock said on what it will take in facing Puerto Rico. “We need to clear up our communications in transition and our serve-pass game.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 9, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Brazil 25-21, 25-22, 25-17 in the Pan American Games pool play as both teams utilized young squads in Lima, Peru.
The U.S. will conclude its Pan Am Games on Saturday against a time and opponent to be determined.
“It was tough,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach of the U.S. Pan American Games team. “Brazil is very good and they played really well. Their attack was so strong today. We did a good job serving but their attack, even when they didn’t receive very well, served off and we had a hard time with that. What’s hard for us is that we didn’t play at our potential. We weren’t close to play the way we can. We never found a rhythm and we know we can play a lot better. We have another match tomorrow. We will regroup and be ready.”
Opposite Krystal Rivers (Birmingham, Alabama) led the U.S. with 13 points via 10 kills on 32 attacks and three blocks. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) chalked up 11 kills on 27 attacks and an ace for 12 points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed eight kills.
“We came out with a lot of intensity, but our execution wasn’t there,” Rivers said. “We had moments, but we just couldn’t stop them, especially in the first two sets they were at a high level. Brazil was steady and executed well.”
Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) scored a match-high four blocks to go with a kill for five points. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) charted three kills and a block for four points. Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana) tacked on four kills.
U.S. libero Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) was credited with a team-high 10 digs and had six excellent receptions on 18 reception chances. Wilhite Parsons added eight digs and Kingdon Rishel had nine excellent receptions on 39 chances.
The U.S. converted 37.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .224 hitting efficiency (37-15-98) behind the setting of Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota) and Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas). Brazil scored on 42.6 percent of its attacks with a .287 hitting efficiency (43-14-101).
Brazil held advantages in all three scoring phases: 43-37 in kills, 8-5 in blocks and 6-4 in aces. The Americans committed 18 errors to the Brazilians’ 14.
The U.S. started Kingdon Rishel and Wilhite Parsons at outside hitter, Alhassan and Tapp at middle, Rivers at opposite, Seliger-Swenson at setter and Curry at libero. Lilley started the third set. Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Viejo, California) and Cuttino were subs in the first two sets, while Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) was a sub in the third set.
Brazil started the opening set with a 3-0 advantage before the answered with a Rivers kill, Brazil error and Alhassan block to tie the set at 3-all. However, Brazil knocked out the next four points to stake a 7-3 advantage. After trailing 8-4, the U.S. cut the gap to 8-6 with a Wilhite Parsons kill and Rivers ace. Wilhite Parsons and Kingdon Rishel connected for consecutive kills to cut the gap to 9-8. Team USA went in front 11-10 with from Wilhite Parsons and Kingdon Rishel followed by a Brazil attack error. Brazil reversed the lead to its side at 13-12 with consecutive points, then extended the lead to 15-13. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout leading 16-15 with consecutive Tapp blocks after a Rivers kill. Brazil responded with a 6-1 run to build a 21-17 advantage. Wilhite Parsons pocketed consecutive kills to trim the gap to 21-19. Brazil scored the final two points for the 25-21 victory.
Brazil opened the second set with a 2-0 lead. Rivers and Tapp pocketed consecutive kills to tie the set at 5-all. Brazil scored consecutive points heading into the first technical timeout up 8-6. The U.S. squared the set at 11-all with a Rivers kill and Brazil error. Team USA went in front 14-13 on a Cuttino kill and Wilhite Parsons ace. However, Brazil answered with three consecutive points to go in front 16-14 at the second technical timeout and extended the advantage to 19-16. The Americans called timeout trailing 22-18. Out of the break, Rivers slammed a kill and served an ace to cut the gap in half at 22-20. Brazil finished the set at 25-22.
Trailing 4-2 in the third set, Alhassan delivered a kill and Rivers served an ace to tie the set at 4-all. Team USA went in front 6-5 with kills from Rivers and Alhassan. The Americans raised their advantage to 9-7 with consecutive Brazil errors. Brazil answered quickly to tie the set at 9-all, then went in front 15-10 on an 8-1 run. Brazil increased its margin to 19-11 with four straight points. Team USA cut the gap to 21-16 forcing a Brazil timeout, but could not get any closer in falling 25-17.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 7, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 in the Pan American Cup Pool B after the Americans swept Trinidad & Tobago 25-14, 25-15, 25-13 on Sunday in Chiclayo, Peru.
Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry (West Jordan, Utah) led Team USA with 14 points via 12 kills on 19 errorless attacks, one block and one ace. Opposite Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana) chipped in 12 kills on 20 attacks and a block for 13 points.
“Tonight’s match was fun,” Jones-Perry said. “It was good to be on the court wearing the USA jersey and playing next to the girls on the team.”
Jones, along with Team USA’s six other starters, were competing in their first international tournament match. She said the energy on the court was positive.
“I think that the energy was good,” Jones Perry said. “We didn’t get too high, but we definitely maintained good energy throughout. We trusted each other and we communicated well.”
“Tonight we started an entirely new lineup from Saturday’s match versus Colombia,” added Rob Browning, who is serving as the U.S. head coach at the Pan Am Cup. “All seven of our starters tonight made their international debut with the senior national team, and they did not disappoint in any way. This entire team has been working hard in preparation for this event, and we were all excited to watch these young athletes take the floor and represent USA so well. We will all remember this match for its historical significance as these amazing athletes go on to represent USA in what we hope is a long and successful career for all of them.”
Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Viejo, California) tallied 10 kills on 15 attacks and a block for 11 points. Middle Brionne Butler (Kendleton, Texas) contributed 11 points with seven kills on 10 attacks, a match-high three blocks and an ace for 11 points. Middle Jenna Rosenthal (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) pocketed four kills on six attacks, one block and one ace for six points. Setter Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.
Libero Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) handled a team-high 13 receptions with a 46 positive reception percent. Both Plummer and Jones-Perry were 50 percent positive on reception. Plummer had a team-high eight digs, while Curry added four digs.
Lilley set Team USA to a 63 kill percent and .507 hitting efficiency (45-9-71). The American defense held Trinidad & Tobago to a 27 kill percent and .036 hitting efficiency (15-13-56).
The Americans held a 9-3 advantage in blocks and a commanding 45-15 margin in kills. Both teams had three aces.
“I think our blocking, our defense overall, but mostly our blocking was really good,” Jones Perry said. “We did a good job at spreading our offense and attacking space. One thing we can do better is serving.”
Team USA opened the first set with an 8-3 lead and controlled the entire set to a 25-14 victory as the Trinidad & Tobago was able to score on its own serve just twice. In the second set the Americans charged out to a 6-1 advantage and led by as many as 12 at 22-10 before settling into a 25-15 victory. After the U.S. bolted a 9-2 lead in the third set, Trinidad & Tobago closed to four at 9-5. Team USA used an 8-0 run to push its advantage to 19-7 and finished the set at 25-13.
“Even given our youth and inexperience, our team tonight was more experienced than Trinidad & Tobago’s team and we overpowered and outplayed them from the first whistle.,” Browning said. “It was a good opportunity for us to push ourselves in some areas where we feel we need improvement.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2019) – A youthful U.S. Women’s National Team nearly came back from a two-set deficit to an experienced Argentina squad before falling 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 18-25, 15-10 on Wednesday to open the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
The U.S. returns to action on Thursday against Puerto Rico (0-1) at 3 p.m. ET before closing out pool play on Friday against Brazil at 1 p.m. ET.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) led the Americans with 15 kills on 38 attacks and three blocks for 18 points. Opposite Krystal Rivers (Birmingham, Alabama), who subbed into the match in the third set and started the final two sets, added 13 kills on 24 attacks and two blocks for 15 points. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) chalked up eight kills, four blocks and one ace for 13 points.
Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), who started the final three sets at outside hitter, provided eight kills and two blocks for 10 points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) contributed five kills and two blocks for seven points. Opposite Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana) pocketed four kills and a block in starting just the third set. Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Viejo, California) totaled two kills and a block for three points in starting the first two sets at opposite. Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
U.S. libero Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) totaled a team-high 14 digs and had 12 receptions in the match. Kingdon Rishel was credited with a 42.4 reception efficiency on 15 chances. Setter Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas) tallied 11 running sets on 46 total set attempts and six digs. Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minnesota) came off the bench to provide eight running sets on 76 chances.
Team USA out-blocked Argentina 15-12 and held a 56-51 margin in kills. The U.S. converted 35.2 percent of its attacks into points compared to Argentina’s 33.1 kill percent. However, Argentina built its early two-set advantage in the serve-receive game that netted a 7-1 ace advantage. Argentina also took advantage of 33 USA miscues to its own 22.
“I think our team played well at the end,” said Kingdon-Rishel, who is serving as captain of the U.S. Pan Am Games team. “We started a little bit slow, but we figured it out towards the last couple of sets. I’m proud of the way we fought. We made a lot of mistakes against a really good Argentina.”
USA defeated Argentina in the recent Tokyo Women’s Volleyball Qualification Tournament in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, to clinch its spot into the 2020 Olympic Games. However, the Americans has employed an entirely different 12-player roster at the Pan American Games in contrast to Argentina using all 12 players who also played in the Olympic qualifier.
After trailing 17-14 in the third set, Team USA caught fire with a 6-0 run to stake a 20-17 advantage en route to winning 25-20. The Americans cruised to the 25-18 victory in the fourth set. However, Argentina raced to a 7-2 advantage in the tiebreaker and held off Team USA, which had seven errors in the fifth set to Argentina’s one.
“Obviously it was a very good game,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach the USA team at the Pan Am Games. “Unlike Argentina, we started off bad. We recovered with some changes. In the end of the fifth set we had some errors, while Argentina didn’t. I am proud of my player for recovering from 0-2 and they finished well.”
The U.S. started Kingdon Rishel and Rolfzen at outside hitter, Alhassan and Tapp at middle, Plummer at opposite, Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas) and Curry at libero.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Colombia 25-17, 25-18, 25-21 on Saturday to open Pool B of the Pan American Cup in Chiclayo, Peru.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) led the U.S. with 18 points, all on kills via 35 attacks. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed 15 points for Team USA with 12 kills on 33 attacks, two aces and block. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) pocketed nine kills on 14 attacks and three blocks for 12 points.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) tacked on nine points with six kills on 14 swings and a block. Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) charted seven kills on 23 attacks and a block for eight points. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with two kills on four swings and an ace for three points.
“We started well, we did a good job, but we finished better,” Hancock said. “Colombia played with a good defense. The truth is that they played better than we expected. We are adapting to play together, but chemistry and team play was the best today.”
“I think we did not play as well as possible, but we played stable and this team (Colombia) is very good, does a lot of things well, prepared well for today’s game,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Pan Am Cup squad. “What we did well is that we maintained an appropriate and constant level. It’s the first game as a team for us, it’s the first time they’ve played together and I think they played well, especially when the game progressed, we improved.”
Kingdon Rishel was 46 percent positive on a team-high 28 receptions and added seven digs. Rolfzen was credited with a 70 positive reception percent on 20 chances. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) handled seven receptions with an 86 positive reception percent to go with 10 digs. Lowe and Hancock added 10 and nine digs, respectively.
Hancock set Team USA to a 44 kill percent and .317 hitting efficiency (54-15-123). The American defense limited Colombia to a 27 kill percent and .096 hitting efficiency (28-18-104).
The Americans out-blocked Colombia 8-5 and had a slim 3-2 margin in aces.
In a close opening set, the U.S. broke free from a close 16-14 advantage by scoring nine of the final 12 points as Adams scored the last three points while Lowe scored two late points. Colombia led 8-6 at the second set’s first technical timeout, but Team USA rolled off four straight points to grab a 10-8 lead and slowly widened its lead before scoring the final three points a commanding seven-point win. Columbia led 15-13 in the third set, but Kingdon Rishel scored a kill and ace around a Tapp block and Lowe kill for an 18-15 advantage. The U.S maintained momentum the rest of the set as Adams scored the final two points.
The U.S. faces Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET followed by Mexico on Monday at 6 p.m. ET Team USA concludes pool play on July 10 against Puerto Rico at 6 p.m. ET. The matches are scheduled to air on flovolleyball.tv.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is one win away from repeating as the FIVB Volleyball Nations League champions after defeating host China 25-11, 15-25, 25-17, 25-20 in the second semifinal on Saturday in Nanjing, China.
USA, now 15-3 overall in this year’s VNL, will face Brazil in the gold-medal match at 7:30 a.m. ET on Sunday riding an eight-match win streak. Brazil, which defeated the Americans in the preliminary round on June 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska, defeated Turkey 25-23, 25-15, 25-10 in today’s first semifinal. The VNL gold-medal match will air live on the Olympic Channel.
The U.S. Women, ranked No. 3 in the world, also defeated China in last year’s VNL semifinals. China, which has lost all four of its VNL matches to the USA dating back to the inaugural edition in 2018, is ranked No. 2 in the world.
The Americans started the opening set against China with a 6-1 advantage and built a 13-point advantage at 18-5 before winning 25-11. China flipped the switch in set two by charging to a 10-4 advantage and cruised to a 25-15 win as the Americans had 11 errors including seven service miscues. Team USA used a 3-0 run to take an 8-5 lead in the third set, then pushed the gap to 16-8 at the second technical timeout. The Americans scored seven of the final 10 points to win 25-17 after weathering China closing to within four at 18-14. After China scored four unanswered points to tie the fourth set at 19-all, the Americans answered with three straight point to go up 22-19 and went on to score six of the final seven points for a 25-20 victory.
“China gave us all we could handle after the first set where we came out pretty strong,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They had a really nice response and challenged us to find some different answers. Tori Dixon came in to give us a lift, as did Jordyn Poulter. It never felt that smooth this evening, but great teams have to figure out a way to make good things happen even if it doesn’t feel comfortable. Our team, all 14 of us, did a really nice job at that.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored 21 points to lead Team USA to victory. Drews had 16 kills on 31 swings, three aces and two blocks. Bartsch-Hackley powered down 14 kills on 28 attacks, four aces and three blocks. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) charted 14 kills on 24 swings and an ace for 15 points.
Bartsch-Hackley said “I am pumped” for the chance to play Brazil in the finals.
“I think Brazil is a great team, we match up well as we play very styles of volleyball,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “I am excited because I haven’t played Brazil in a long time, maybe last summer. I am pumped.”
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) served two aces and added a block for three points. Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed two blocks and a kill for three points. Both Poulter and Dixon started the final two sets. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) provided two blocks and a kill for three points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
According to unofficial stats, Team USA converted 46 percent of its attacks into points with a .325 hitting (52-15-114) efficiency behind the setting of Carlini and Poulter. In the final two sets with Poulter running the offense, the Americans had a .379 hitting efficiency (28-6-34). The U.S. limited China to a 34 kill percent and .183 hitting efficiency (39-18-115) for the match.
Bartsch-Hackley handled 35 receptions with a 46 positive reception percent to go with eight digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was unofficially credited with 14 digs and a 47 positive reception percent on 19 chances. Robinson was 92 percent positive on 12 receptions to go with eights digs. Poulter had seven digs in her two sets of action.
Kiraly said Team USA did not overlook China even the squad was missing some key components such as star Zhu Ting.
“We knew going into the match that China, even though they are missing some of their top players, has been playing some really inspired volleyball – and really good volleyball,” Kiraly said. “They beat Italy yesterday in four sets to move on to the semifinals. We knew we would have our hands full and they also had a very energetic and passionate crowd cheering them on.”
The Americans out-served the Chinese 10-4 and held a 12-7 block advantage. While the U.S. offense clicked with a 52-39 kill margin, the Americans had to overcome 23 errors – 15 of which came in the opening two sets.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Courtney at libero.
The U.S. scored the first two points of the match with a Bartsch-Hackley block and Drews kill. Team USA upped the lead to 5-1 with Bartsch-Hackley downing a kill and ace around a Drews kill. Out of a China timeout, Robinson added a kill at 6-1. China clipped two points off the deficit at 6-3. The U.S. moved into a 11-4 lead with two Robinson kills, China attack error and Drews ace off the net. Drews connected for consecutive kills and Washington pounded a slide to push the American lead to 14-5. Out of China’s second timeout, Bartsch-Hackley hammered a kill and Robinson served an ace to put Team USA up 16-5 at the second technical timeout. Washington put up a block and China was called for a rotation error to cap a 7-0 American run at 18-5. China scored four consecutive points to cut the gap to 18-9. The Americans answered with a 5-0 run as Bartsch-Hackley collected a kill and block between two kills from Ogbogu and one from Drews to give the USA a 24-10 lead. Drews scored the final point at 25-11 with a kill.
China started the second set with a 4-1 advantage. China jumped its advantage to 10-4 with a 4-0 run. The U.S. crept to within four at 11-7 with a Drews block after a failed China video challenge. China reached a six-point cushion again at 14-8 with a block, then extended the margin to 21-11 with a 5-0 spurt. China inched its lead to 23-12 and won 25-15.
China continued to be fire in the third set taking a 3-1 advantage. The U.S. stopped China’s 3-0 run with a 4-0 run of its own with two kills from Drews after two China errors to give the Americans a 5-3 lead. China quickly tied the set at 5-all. Ogbogu responded with a kill and block followed by a Drews ace to shift the U.S. to a 8-5 advantage at the first technical timeout. Team USA went up 11-6 with an Ogbogu block and two China attack errors. Bartsch-Hackley downed two kills around kills from Robinson and Drews to extend the USA lead to 16-8. China closed to four with four consecutive points at 18-14. The U.S. stopped the China run with kills from Robinson and Bartsch-Hackley at 20-14. China served an ace to creep to four at 21-17. The U.S. reached set points at 24-17 advantage on a China service error and rotation error followed by a Poulter block. Bartsch-Hackley quickly ended the set with a block at 25-17 to end the set at 25-17.
China took the first two-point cushion of set four at 4-2. The U.S. tied the set at 5-all with a Drews kill after a China service error. Team USA gained its first lead of set four at 10-8 with a Dixon block, Poulter ace and China error. Dixon placed another block and Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to extend the American lead to 12-9 at a China timeout. Drews served an ace after a China service error to lift the Americans up 15-11. China cut the deficit to one at 15-14 with three consecutive points. Robinson hammered kills on each side of the technical timeout to put Team USA up 17-14. Ogbogu and Drews inched the American lead to 19-15 with consecutive kills. China responded with four quick points to level the set at 19-all. Poulter served an ace between kills from Drews and Bartsch-Hackley to bring the U.S. to a 22-19 advantage. Barstch-Hackley ended the set and match at 25-20 with a kill and ace after a China service error.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 3, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team took a step closer to defending its FIVB Volleyball Nations League title by rallying to defeat Poland 21-25, 25-16, 25-15, 26-24 on Wednesday to open the Finals Round pool play in Nanjing, China.
Team USA will have Thursday off before facing Brazil on Friday at 3 a.m. ET in its three-team pool. If Brazil wins its opening Pool B match versus Poland on Thursday, both USA and Brazil advance to the VNL semifinals that begin on Saturday followed by the medal round on July 7. All USA matches in the VNL can be streamed through http://www.flovolleyball.tv. Later today China hosts Turkey in Pool A while Italy is idle in that group.
Poland rallied from an 18-16 deficit in the opening set by putting together a 6-1 run to take a 22-19 advantage en route to the 25-21 victory. Team USA built an early 7-3 advantage in the second set, and with four aces, sustained the advantage to win 25-16 and even the match at 1-1. Trailing 6-5 in the third set, the Americans used a 5-1 scoring run to stake a 10-7 lead and Team USA continued that momentum to win 25-15. The U.S. charged out to a 10-4 lead in the fourth set, but Poland rallied to gain set point at 24-23 with four unanswered points. However, the Americans responded with an ace and kill to end the set at 26-24.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led Team USA with 23 points, including 21 kills on 41 attacks, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) charted 15 kills on 30 attacks, two aces and two blocks for 19 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) added nine kills on 26 attacks and a team-high four aces for 13 points.
Drews said the team committed to being more aggressive on the serve after losing the opening set.
“We talked about service pressure,” Drews said before the team head back on the court for set two. “If we are going to error, let’s make some aggressive errors. Let’s really push them to be out of system, put their setter on the move or make their non-setters set. I think we did a better job of that as the match went on. We still were pretty high error in service, but I thought we were better at putting pressure on and getting them out of system.”
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) scored a match-high seven blocks to go with four kills on eight swings for 11 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) charted five kills on nine attacks and four blocks for nine points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with one kill and one block for two points.
According to unofficial stats, Team USA converted 47 percent of its attacks with Carlini setting the Americans to a .325 hitting efficiency (55-17-117). The U.S. held Poland to a 36 kill percent and .157 hitting efficiency (43-24-121).
U.S. libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) handled 25 receptions with a 58 positive reception percent. She also provided 11 digs on defense. Bartsch-Hackley added 10 digs and a team-high 27 receptions with a 44 positive reception percent. Robinson was credited with a 56 positive reception percent on 18 chances to go with seven digs. Carlini pocketed 12 digs in the victory from her setter position.
The U.S. out-served Poland 7-2 in aces, though it had 12 service errors. The Americans held a 15-13 margin in blocks and totaled a 55-43 advantage in kills.
Drews felt the crowd helped provide Team USA an extra lift in the Finals Round opener.
“It definitely feels like a Finals Week atmosphere,” Drews said. “There are some legs of VNL and some matches, that are a little quieter. I thought the atmosphere here was really great tonight and provided us some energy to feed off.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite and Carlini at setter. Courtney returned to the starting lineup at libero.
The U.S. scored the first two points of the opening set with a Drews kill and Robinson block. For the second time early in the first set, Drews downed a kill and Robinson followed with a block at 5-2. Poland rattled off three unanswered points to tie the set at 7-all. Team USA gained a two-point edge at 10-8 with kills from Ogbogu and Robinson. Poland grabbed its first lead at 13-12 with three consecutive points. The Americans answered with a Drews kill and Washington block to give Team USA a 14-13 lead. Consecutive Polish errors extended the American advantage to 18-16. Poland took the lead back at 19-18 with three points after a timeout, then raised its advantage to 21-19 leading to a Team USA timeout. Out of the break, Poland scored a third straight point as part of a 6-1 run to inch its lead to 22-19. Poland reached set points at 24-20 after a USA service error and attack error. Poland won the set at 25-21.
Team USA gained a 2-0 lead early in the second set with a Washington kill after a Poland error. The Americans raised their lead to 7-3 with consecutive Bartsch-Hackley aces after a Drews kill. Poland cut the gap in half at 7-5 with back-to-back points. Robinson and Drews connected for consecutive kills and Poland hit wide to lift the U.S. lead to 10-5. The U.S. jumped its lead to 13-7 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Washington block. Poland trimmed the deficit to 13-10 with three consecutive points. Drews hammered consecutive kills to put Team USA into the second technical timeout leading 16-11. The Americans extended their advantage to 18-12 with a Drews kill and Ogbogu overpass slam. Poland whittled the gap to 18-14 with back-to-back points. The U.S. answered with a Drews block after a Poland error to go up 20-14. Poland called its second timeout trailing 22-15 after a Robinson block and Drews ace. Washington gave USA set points at 24-16 with an overpass kill after a Poland error, then Robinson served the winner at 25-16.
The U.S. broke a string of 12 sideouts to start set three and gained its first lead at 7-6 with a Carlini kill and Bartsch-Hackley block. The Americans raised their lead to 10-7 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill, Poland error and Ogbogu block prompting a Poland timeout. Drews and Robinson connected for consecutive kills to extend the U.S. lead to 12-8. The Americans upped their margin to 16-10 with kills from Robinson and Bartsch-Hackley followed by a Washington block heading into the second technical timeout. Bartsch-Hackley and Drews downed kills and Poland hit long to push the American lead to 20-12. Drews, Robinson and Ogbogu pounded consecutive kills to shift the USA lead to set points at 24-14. Drews slammed an overpass kill to give Team USA a 25-15 victory.
Team USA started set four with a Washington block, Robinson ace and Drews kill to go up 3-0. Poland served an ace after a USA service error to cut the gap to 3-2. The U.S. raised its advantage to 6-3 with a Drews kill and Ogbogu block. The Americans reached the first technical timeout leading 8-4 on a Robinson kill after a Poland service error. Out of the break, Ogbogu hammered a kill and Bartsch-Hackley served an ace for a fourth straight American point at 10-4. Poland chipped three points off the deficit at 10-7. Team USA answered with an Ogbogu block and Robinson tip for a 12-7 American lead. Poland moved to within three at 12-9 with consecutive points. The U.S. inched its lead to 18-14 with a Drews kill and Ogbogu block. Poland again closed to within two at 19-17 following a block. Poland scored four straight points to take set point at 24-23. Team USA answered with a Poland service error and Bartsch-Hackley ace to give the Americans a 25-24 lead, then Robinson slammed a kill off the block for a 26-24 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 20, 2019) – Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) scored a match-high 20 points as the U.S. Women’s National Team ended the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round with resounding 25-13, 25-20, 25-17 victory over Thailand on Thursday in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The Americans, ranked third in the world, head in the VNL Final Six with a 12-3 record and 35 points. The Final Six takes place July 3-7 in Nanjing, China, with two pools of three determining the semifinal participants. All Team USA matches in the VNL will air live on flovolleyball.tv.
The U.S. and China finished the 15-match preliminary phase with identical 12-3 records and 35 points, but China won the tiebreaker with a 3.08 set ratio to Team USA’s 2.29 set ratio. Brazil and Italy, who each had chances to claim the best VNL record heading into the VNL Finals, both lost in five sets on the final day. Third-place Brazil (11-4, 35 points) lost to fifth-place Turkey (11-4, 32) and fourth-place Italy (11-4, 34 points) fell to seventh-place Belgium (8-7, 22 points) in five sets. Poland (9-6, 26 points) will enter the Finals as the sixth and final seed.
The U.S. Women showed balance in offense and diversity on the court all through the 15-match preliminary round, and the prelim finale was no different as five different players reached double-figure scoring. Lowe totaled 16 kills on 33 attacks and four blocks to reach 20 points for Team USA. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) added eight kills on 12 attacks and four blocks in the victory. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) charted 12 points with five kills on nine attacks and a match-high five blocks and two aces.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) also had a dozen points with nine kills on 20 attacks, two aces and a block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) pocketed nine kills on 21 attacks, one block and one ace for 11 points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with an individual kill on two attempts.
“Thailand is always so fun to play against,” Larson said. “I know many of the players, it is always a great time to play them.”
Carlini set Team USA to a 48 kill percent and .424 hitting efficiency (48-6-99). The American defense limited the Thai to a 33 kill percent and .173 hitting efficiency (34-16-104).
For the fourth match in a row, the U.S. used a different libero with Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa) suiting up in the position against Thailand. She handled 25 of the team’s 48 receptions with a 32 positive percent. Robinson added 14 receptions and a 50 positive reception percent. Larson was 67 percent positive on nine receptions.
Team USA height advantage at the net played a major part in the match, including a 15-2 margin in blocks. The Americans also had a 48-35 advantage in kills and a 5-3 edge in aces. The U.S. limited its errors to 10 for the match, while Thailand committed just seven.
“I am really proud of our team for blocking a lot and being consistent for a long time,” Larson said.
Larson said the team will now head home to “mentally prepare and try and to do our best to recover physically and mentally as well” to compete in the Final Six round.
“We are heading back to the States tomorrow morning and then will head to China the following week. We are excited to be participating in the Finals, and hopefully we can win again like last year.”
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Washington and Gibbemeyer at middle, Lowe at opposite, Carlini at setter and Foecke at libero.
The U.S. scored the first four points of the first set with kills from Lowe and Washington around a Thailand error and Washington followed with a block at 4-0. Out of a Thailand timeout, Robinson scored a block and kill followed by a Washington overpass kill to push the American lead to 7-0. Thailand scored twice out of the technical timeout to trim the gap to 8-3. Gibbemeyer got on the score sheet with a consecutive kill and block at 10-3. Gibbemeyer, Larson and Carlini hammered consecutive kills prompting Thailand to call timeout trailing 13-4. Robinson and Robinson slammed back-to-back kills to raise the Team USA lead to 15-5. The American margin reached 18-7 with a Larson kill and Washington block. Washington served an ace after a Thailand service error and Robinson followed with a kill and Thailand committed an error to march the American lead to 22-8. Thailand scored three consecutive points to close the gap to 23-12. Gibbemeyer ended the set with a slide kill at 25-13.
Lowe gave Team USA a 2-0 lead at the start of set two with a kill and block. The U.S. raised the advantage to 5-1 with two Lowe kills after a Washington block. Thailand quickly leveled the set at 5-all with four unanswered points. Thailand went into the lead for the first time at 10-9. Gibbemeyer, Lowe and Larson pounded kills to push Team USA in front 16-14 at the second technical timeout. Thailand squared the set at 17-all with back-to-back points. The Americans answered with a Lowe kill and Larson block to give them a lead at 19-17, but Thailand answered in tying the set at 19-all. Team USA broke the 12th tie of the set with a 3-0 run that included kills from Lowe and Robinson around a Larson ace at 22-19. Out of a Thailand timeout, Robinson and Lowe scored back-to-back kills for a 24-19 lead on a 5-0 run. Robinson ended the set with a kill off the block at 25-20.
The U.S. gained its first lead of the third set at 5-4 with a Gibbemeyer kill and Robinson ace. Washington and Lowe downed attacks to present Team USA with a two-point cushion at 8-6. Washington scored a kill and ace followed by a Lowe slam, two blocks from Gibbemeyer and a Robinson block to lift Team USA into a 15-8 advantage. Robinson downed a kill and Gibbemeyer followed with a kill and two blocks to raise the American lead to 19-9. After a Thailand service error, Robinson served an ace and Larson followed with a kill to propel to a 22-10 advantage. Thailand served an ace as part of a 3-0 run to close the gap to 22-13. After Thailand saved three match points, Team USA ended the set at 25-16 with a Larson kill.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #5 – Ekaterinburg, Russia
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule – U.S. Women’s National Team (All Times ET)
May 21: USA def. Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20
May 23: USA def. Bulgaria 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
May 28: USA def. Serbia 23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-21
May 29: USA def. Italy 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11
May 30: USA lost to Dominican Republic 25-10, 16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11
June 4: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-18
June 5: USA vs. Germany (at Lincoln, Nebraska), 8:30 p.m.
June 6: USA lost to Brazil 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20
June 11: USA lost to Turkey 25-15, 25-17, 27-25
June 12: USA def. Poland 21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-11
June 13: USA def. China 25-17, 25-22, 25-21
June 18: USA def. Russia 25-23, 25-17, 25-18
June 19: USA def. Netherlands 25-21, 23-25, 22-25, 28-26, 15-9
June 20: USA def. Thailand 25-13, 25-20, 25-17
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round – at Nanjing, China
July 3-7: China plus top five other countries in preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2019) – Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored 24 points and outside Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) served five aces including two in the deciding fifth set as the U.S. Women’s National Team saved two match points and rallied to defeat Netherlands 25-21, 23-25, 22-25, 28-26, 15-9 in second to last FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round match in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The Americans, ranked third in the world, are now 11-3 overall with 32 points in the VNL. Team USA closes out the VNL preliminary phase on Thursday at 7 a.m. ET against Thailand. The match will air live on flovolleyball.tv.
The U.S., which qualified for the VNL Finals July 3-7 China following Tuesday’s win over Russia, was one of five teams that started today with a 10-3 record. Brazil, China and the U.S. are now 11-3, while Italy and Turkey play each other later today. Poland claimed the sixth and final spot with a victory over Dominican Republic coupled with Belgium’s loss to Brazil.
The U.S. broke a 16-all tie in the opening set with five unanswered points for a 21-16 advantage en route to a 25-21 win. The Americans bolted to a 9-2 advantage in the second set, but Netherlands charged back to tie the set at 17-all and took the lead at 22-21 and went on to win 25-23. The third set was a battle of momentum swings as the Americans started up 4-0, then Netherlands came back to take the lead at 5-4 and raised the advantage to 9-6. Trailing 12-10, Team USA served two aces part of a 5-0 run to stake a 15-12 lead. Netherlands came back to level the set at 16-all and went in front 21-18 on a 4-0 run. The U.S. pulled even at 22-all, but Netherlands scored the final three points for a 25-22 victory. Team USA rallied from a 21-18 deficit in set four and saved two match points to win 28-26 and send the match to a tiebreaker. Robinson served two aces in a 6-0 run that gave Team USA a 7-3 advantage in the fifth set and the U.S. controlled the rest of the match for a 15-9 win.
“They pushed us, and I thought we pushed back,” Drews said. “I thought we made adjustments throughout the match and I’m really proud of that.”
Drews scored her 24 points with 20 kills on 41 attacks and four blocks. Outside hitter Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa) charted 18 kills on 41 attacks. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) collected 11 kills on 19 swings, two blocks and two aces for 15 points.
Robinson totaled 14 points in the match with eight kills, five aces and a block. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed eight kills on 13 swings, three blocks and an ace for 12 points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with three blocks and an ace for four points.
“I thought Kelsey Robinson did a really nice job at the service line after we had been missing,” Drews said of the adjustments made late in the fourth set. “And we just kept composed at the end, getting one point at a time realizing we can’t three or four points in one rally. I thought we did a really good job of staying composed and clawing out point-for-point.”
Lloyd set Team USA to a 43 kill percent and .301 hitting efficiency (66-20-153) in the victory. The Americans held Netherlands to a 38 kill percent and .246 hitting efficiency (64-23-167).
Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, who was the 2018 VNL most valuable player as an outside hitter and spot duty at opposite, played her first-ever international match at libero and was unofficially credited with a 43 positive reception percent on 35 chances and 11 digs. Foecke handled 43 of the team’s 92 receptions and added 14 digs, while Robinson was 71 percent positive on 14 chances with 12 digs.
The U.S. edged Netherlands in each of the scoring categories with a 13-11 margin in blocks, 9-8 edge in aces and 65-64 advantage in kills.
The U.S. started Foecke and Robinson at outside hitter, Dixon and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Lloyd at setter and Bartsch-Hackley at libero.
Drews scored a kill and block on consecutive points to give the Americans a 3-2 lead in the opening set, but Netherlands answered with two quick points to go back in the lead at 4-3. Netherlands used a 3-0 run to go into the first technical timeout leading 8-5. Dixon put up a block, Netherlands hit wide and Foecke put down a kill to tie the set at 9-all. Netherlands ended the run with two points of its own at 11-9. Team USA surged in front 13-12 with a Drews kill and Dixon ace around a Netherlands attack error. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout up 16-14 after a Netherlands service error and Ogbogu kill. Netherlands tied the set at 16-all on an ace. Consecutive Foecke kills and Ogbogu ace extended Team USA’s advantage to 19-16. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Ogbogu served a second straight ace and Foecke hammered a kill on a mega rally to push the American lead to 21-16. Netherlands stopped the run with consecutive points to pull to within 21-18. The U.S. won the set 25-21 on Netherlands fifth service error of the set.
The U.S. built a 3-0 lead early in set two with kills from Drews, Robinson and Foecke leading to a Netherlands timeout. Out of the break, Dixon put up a block to up the advantage to 4-0. Team USA extended its margin to 9-2 with two kills each from Ogbogu and Drews. Netherlands broke the 4-0 American run with a 5-1 spurt to slice the gap to 10-7. Drews and Dixon scored kills to inch Team USA’s advantage to 14-9, but Netherlands answered with three straight points to close to 14-12. The U.S. reached the second technical timeout up 16-12 with a Drews kill and Netherlands error. Out of the break Netherlands used a 5-1 run to tie the set at 17-all. Drews and Foecke scored consecutive kills to give Team USA a 19-17 advantage. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Ogbogu put up a block to raise the American lead to 20-17. Netherlands charged back to take the lead at 22-21 with four unanswered points. Netherlands won the set on back-to-back points at 25-23.
Dixon scored a kill and block and Drews followed with a kill and Netherlands was called for a center violation to give Team USA a 4-0 start to set three. Netherlands answered with its own 5-0 run to reverse the lead to its side at 5-4, then went up 8-5 on back-to-back USA errors followed by an ace. Drews roofed Netherlands and hammered a kill around a Netherlands error and Ogbogu followed with a slide kill to place Team USA in front 10-9 on a 4-0 run. Netherlands answered with three quick points to gain a two-point lead at 12-10. Robinson served two aces around an Ogbogu kill and block to lift the Americans in front 15-12 on a 5-0 run. Netherlands scored the first three points out of the second technical timeout to level the set at 16-all, then went in front 21-18 on four straight points that included two aces. Robinson ended the run with a kill and Netherlands hit long to put USA within one at 21-20. Foecke scored a kill on a dig overpass and Lloyd followed with a block to tie the set at 22-all. Netherlands scored the final three points for a 25-22 victory.
The Dutch started the fourth set with a 4-1 advantage. Drews banged two kills and Ogbogu slammed a slide as USA charged into the lead at 6-5. Netherlands stopped the run with four points of its own to take a 9-6 margin. Robinson served an ace after an Ogbogu kill to close the gap to 9-8. Netherlands raised its advantaged at 14-11 prompting a USA timeout. Out of the break Drews scored a kill and block to narrow the deficit to 14-13. Netherlands extended its lead to 19-16 at a USA timeout. Robinson scored two kills and Dixon had another to level the set at 21-all. The U.S. went in front 23-22 on back-to-back Netherlands errors. The Dutch saved a set point and reversed the lead to its side at 25-24. Team USA saved two match points and went up 27-26 on a Lloyd ace. The Americans won the set 28-26 on a Netherlands error.
Netherlands started set five with the first two points. Team USA went up 7-3 with two aces from Robinson around an Ogbogu kill, Lloyd block and two Dutch errors as part of 6-0 American run. Netherlands sliced the gap in half at 7-5. Lloyd roofed Netherlands and Dixon followed with a dink over the block to raise the American lead to 10-6. The U.S. advantage reached 12-7 on kills from Foecke and Drews going into Netherlands’ second timeout. Netherlands scored two points out of the break to move within three at 12-9. Team USA gained match points at 14-9 with kills from Robinson and Drews. Ogbogu won the final point at 15-9.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is heading back to the FIVB Volleyball Nations League Finals after it swept Russia 25-23, 25-17, 25-18 to start the final VNL preliminary round week Tuesday in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The Americans, ranked third in the world, are now 10-3 overall with 30 points in the VNL. Based on today’s victory and Poland defeating Japan, Team USA has qualified for the VNL Final Six to be held July 3-7 in Nanjing, China. The U.S. and VNL Finals host China will finish the 15-match preliminary round no lower than sixth place regardless of the final two match outcomes. USA is one of five teams currently with 10-3 records along with Brazil, Italy, Turkey and China.
The U.S. challenges the Netherlands on June 19 and Thailand on June 20 with both match times at 7 a.m. ET. All Team USA matches in the VNL matches are being streamed on flovolleyball.tv.
Team USA used big comebacks in the opening two sets and cruised in the third set. The U.S. rallied from a 17-12 deficit in the opening set to take a 20-19 advantage, but then needed to score the final four points to win the set 25-23 after trailing 23-21. Trailing 17-14, Team USA went on an 11-0 run to close out the set 25-17. The Americans built a 20-11 margin in the third set with a key 7-0 run and closed it out at 25-18.
“A lot of things here are not close to perfect, so this is what I would call a beautiful imperfect match of volleyball,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Whether it was the bus showing up 20 minutes later than scheduled to leave for the match, or not having either of our designated liberos available for action. And things were not particularly clean or easy, and in fact they were really unclean and uneasy in the first set. But our team was incredibly impressive how they battled and ground out and we stole one at the end (in the first set). So that made our work a lot easier. The team has a lot to be proud of, working hard for 4 and one-third weeks, locking in berth to go compete in the Final Six in China.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led Team USA with 16 points including 13 kills on 30 attacks and three aces. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 10 kills on 18 swings, one block and one ace for 12 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) reached double-digits with nine kills on 13 attacks and a block for 10 points.
“I thought we came out a little bit slow, but as the match went on we fought together really well and rode the wave nicely and finished strong,” Larson said. “I am really proud of our performance as the match went, we got better and better.”
Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) contributed four kills on 10 swings and four blocks for eight points. Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota), who started the final two sets after subbing in the first set, notched six points with five kills and a block. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) charted three kills on six attacks and a block for four points. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Carlini set the Americans to a 40 kill percent and .248 hitting efficiency (45-17-113). Team USA’s defense limited Russia to a 30 kill percent and .102 hitting efficiency (29-19-98).
“I am really happy about how our team played,” Carlini said. “Our first match in Russia, against Russia, it is not an easy environment to come into and play hard and win. I think overall, the match wasn’t perfect. As Karch would say, it was very imperfect volleyball, but we found a way to battle through it and work together and come out on top. I am really proud with how everyone communicated. It wasn’t the most orthodox of lineups and we had to change some things throughout the week. I thought we weathered the storm really well, especially in that first set. We battled back and continued to push. Great environment to play in, really cool to play in Russia against Russia. I am so proud of how this team battled.”
Unofficially, Bartsch-Hackley handled 28 of Team USA’s 55 receptions with a 57 positive reception percent to go with seven digs. Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), suiting up as the libero for the first time in 2019, was 75 percent positive on 12 receptions and had a team-best 14 digs. Larson added seven digs and a 62 positive reception percent on 13 chances. Carlini had eight digs in the victory.
“Jordan did a nice job settling us down,” Kiraly said. “I think this was one of our best passing matches of the 13 VNL matches. It was a well-managed effort.”
The American offense staged a 45-29 advantage in kills while Team USA held slim margins in blocks (8-7) and aces (4-3). The U.S. had 19 errors in the match to Russia’s 18.
Qualified Teams for VNL Final Six and Upcoming Matches:
Brazil (10-3, 31 points): vs. Belgium (6/20), at Turkey (6/20)
Italy (10-3, 31 points): at Turkey (6/19), vs. Belgium (6/20)
USA (10-3, 30 points): vs. Netherlands (6/19), vs. Thailand (6/20)
Turkey (10-3, 29 points): vs. Italy (6/19), vs. Brazil (6/20)
China (10-3, 29 points): vs. Bulgaria (6/19), vs. Serbia (6/20)
Race for Final Spot in VNL Final Six
Poland (8-5, 24 points): vs. Dominican Republic (6/19), vs. Korea (6/20)
Japan (7-6, 21 points): vs. Korea (6/19), vs. Dominican Republic (6/20)
Belgium (7-6, 20 points): vs. Brazil (6/19), vs. Italy (6/20)
Dominican Republic (7-6, 18 points): vs. Poland (6/19), vs. Japan (6/20)
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Robinson at libero.
Team USA went up 3-1 in the opening set after consecutive kills from Bartsch-Hackley, but Russia quickly went in front at 4-3 with three unanswered points. The Americans reversed the lead at 5-4 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Drews. Russia answered with its own 4-0 run for an 8-5 advantage at the first technical timeout. Consecutive blocks by Washington and Larson closed the gap to 8-7. Russia raised its advantage to 12-8 with a 4-1 run leading into a USA timeout. The Americans trimmed the deficit to 13-12 with kills from Thompson and Bartsch-Hackley around a Russia attack error. Out of a timeout, Russia went on a 3-0 run to bring the hosts to a 16-12 advantage at the second technical timeout. Russia extended the margin to 17-12 with an American attack error. Team USA stopped the run with an Ogbogu kill and two Russia attack errors to cut the deficit to 17-15. The Americans leveled the set at 19-all with kills from Washington and Bartsch-Hackley followed by a Russia attack error. The U.S. went in front at 20-19 with another Russia attack error capping a 4-0 run. Russia reversed the lead at 21-20 then gained a two-point cushion at 23-21. Team USA squared the set at 23-all on a Larson kill. Thompson gave Team USA set points at 24-23 with a block, then the Americans won 25-23 as Russia hit long.
Russia scored three unanswered points to stake a 5-2 advantage early in the second set. Bartsch-Hackley downed back-to-back kills to cut the gap to 5-4. Russia regained a three-point cushion at 7-4. Consecutive Russia errors and followed by a Bartsch-Hackley kill and ace put the U.S. in front 8-7 at the first technical timeout. Russia regained the lead at 11-10 on an American attack error, but it short-lived as Larson scored a kill and ace to put Team USA back in the lead at 12-11. Russia went on a 4-0 run to take a 17-14 advantage prompting USA’s second timeout. Bartsch-Hackley pulled the Americans even at 17-all with two kills around an ace, then Larson slammed two kills around a Russia error for a sixth straight USA point and 20-17 advantage. Carlini took an overpass for a kill, Russia committed an error, Washington put up consecutive blocks and Carlini closed it out with a block at 25-17 capping a 11-0 USA run.
The U.S. gained the first two-point cushion of the third set at 5-3 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Russia error. The Americans extended their lead at 7-4 with a Larson kill and Russia error. Team USA raised its margin to 9-5 with an Ogbogu kill and Russia error. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill after a Russia service error to climb the American lead to 12-7. Russia closed the gap to 13-11 with three unanswered points. Washington hammered two slides around a Larson kill to raise the Team USA lead to 16-11 at the second technical timeout. The Americans advantage reached 20-11 with a Bartsch-Hackley ace and Carlini overpass kill and two Russia error capping a 7-0 American run. Russia knocked two points off the deficit at 20-13. Ogbogu scored a kill and block to lift the American lead to 23-14. Russia saved three match points before Team USA won 25-18 on an Ogbogu kill through the middle.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (June 6, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Brazil 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20 Thursday evening to conclude its FIVB Volleyball Nations League homestand in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Americans, now 7-2 overall with 21 points, return to the road next week in Jiangmen, China, where they will face three teams all in the top six of the current rankings. The U.S., in third place, plays tournament-leader and 2018 VNL runner-up Turkey (8-1, 24 points) on June 11 followed by fifth place Poland (7-2, 20 points) on June 12. Both matches are at 4 a.m. ET. Team USA concludes the week in China against the host country (7-2, 20 points) on June 13 at 8 a.m. ET. All three matches are being streamed on flovolleyball.tv.
After 12 ties and three lead changes early in the opening set, Brazil went on a 7-2 scoring run to grab an 18-14 lead and went on to win 25-19. Brazil controlled much of set two, inching its way to a 15-10 advantage and scored the final five of six points for a 25-17 victory. Team USA built a 20-13 lead in the third set with a 9-3 run and held off Brazil’s late charge to win 25-22. After Brazil led 17-13 in the fourth set, the Americans closed to within one at 18-17. However, Brazil scored six of the final eight points for the 25-18 victory.
“First of all, Brazil just beat us,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They played a really solid match tonight. They passed at a very high level. They out-passed us, out-served us. They played really disciplined defense. My hats off to them on playing a really strong volleyball match.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led Team USA with 19 points with 16 kills on 38 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Middle Dana Rettke (Riverside, Illinois) added 13 kills on 21 attacks, three blocks and an ace for 17 points.
“Brazil came out hot, but I think we came out pretty slow,” Drews said. “That is completely on us. I think our defensive effort was not strong at the start. Karch called a couple aggressive timeouts early and rightfully so. When our effort is there, and we are reading and we are just moving and diving, we are so good when we are disciplined. I think the message of the first two sets was to get that discipline back. When we did that, the game got more open to us.”
Outside hitters Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) and Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa) totaled eight points all on kills. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) came off the bench to provide six kills on 10 attacks and two blocks for eight points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) pocketed six kills. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) tallied two kills and a block for three points, while middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added two kills.
The U.S. converted 43 percent of its attacks into points with a .290 hitting efficiency (59-29-138). In contrast, Brazil hit at a 49 percent with a .402 hitting efficiency (65-12-132) on the unofficial stats.
“On our side, we had troubles terminating,” Kiraly said. “We weren’t getting the ball to the floor much in the first and second sets, and we got out-worked. And that is not acceptable for USA, so that is why I called that timeout early in third. There will be plenty of times where we will might be out-scored on the scoreboard, but we can’t get out-efforted. The team did a nice job of picking it up in the last two. Mikaela came in and gave us some nice termination factor. We got some things going, and at least we were in the match after the third set. I am happy we made some adjustments and some improvements and upgrades, but not enough to win the match.”
Robinson was 55 percent positive receiving on 29 chances, while libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was 50 percent positive on 26 chances. Larson handled 14 receptions with a 50 positive percent. Larson was unofficially credited with 16 digs and Drews had seven digs in the match.
Brazil held edges in kills (64-61) and aces (4-2) while both teams had eight blocks. Brazil took advantage of 21 errors by Team USA to its own 11 mistakes.
With such a young squad, Team USA had no expectations of where it would be heading into week four.
“A big emphasis from point one of the season was no expectations,” Drews said. “We won last year, great. But we have a lot of new people who we are trying to get comfortable, so that is great as well. I can’t say we thought we would be one place or another. 7-2 is respectable and I am excited to build on that.”
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Dixon and Rettke at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero. Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California) alternated at libero in the third and fourth sets.
The U.S. took a 10-9 lead in the opening set with consecutive Robinson kills. Brazil took the lead back at 14-12 and went into the second technical timeout leading 16-13 on a 5-1 scoring run. Brazil raised its lead to 18-14 prompting a USA timeout. Brazil extended its advantage to 20-15 leading to the Americans second timeout. The U.S. chipped off two points with Drews scoring a kill and ace followed by a Rettke kill at 20-18. Brazil scored five of the final six points to win the set 25-19.
Brazil gained the first two-point cushion of the second set at 5-3. Team USA quickly tied the set at 5-all with a Drews kill and Robinson block. Brazil answered with back-to-back points at 7-5 and jumped the advantage to 11-8 on a block. Brazil notched three straight points to raise the advantage to 15-10. Out of the second technical timeout, the U.S. cut the gap to 16-13 with a Brazil service error and Poulter block. However, Brazil turned in three straight points to go up 19-13. Rettke stopped the run with a kill and Brazil followed with an error at 19-15. Brazil stretched the lead to set points 24-16 on four unanswered points. Brazil ended the set at 25-17.
Brazil jumped to a 4-2 advantage in the third set, but Team USA quickly tied it at 4-all with a Foecke kill and Rettke block. The U.S. took an 8-6 lead into the technical timeout on a Rettke ace and Ogbogu kill after a Brazil service error. The Americans stretched the lead to 10-7 with kills from Ogbogu and Larson. Brazil chipped the deficit to 10-9 with back-to-back points. The Americans extended their lead to 13-10 with a crowd-electrifying kill from Ogbogu followed by a slam from Foecke prompting a Brazil timeout. After the break, Foecke connected for another kill to lift the Americans to a 14-10 lead. The U.S. extended the lead to 18-12 with Rettke scoring a kill and block around a Larson kill leading to Brazil second timeout. Rettke and Poulter connected for consecutive kills to inch the U.S. lead to 20-13. Brazil knocked the gap down to 20-17 with four consecutive points leading into USA’s second timeout. Brazil narrowed the deficit to two at 21-19 with back-to-back points. Ogbogu and Rettke downed kills to give Team USA set points 24-20. Brazil saved two set points before Drews ended it with a kill at 25-22.
Brazil benefited from two consecutive USA errors to go up 6-4 in the fourth set. The U.S. leveled the set at 9-all with kills from Ogbogu and Drews, but Brazil answered with consecutive points to go up 11-9. Team USA called timeout trailing 14-11 after a Brazil ace. Brazil raised its advantage to 17-13 with points on each side of the second technical timeout. Drews sliced the gap to one at 18-17 with two kills around a block prompting a Brazil timeout. Brazil answered with three quick points to go back up by four, 22-18. Foecke and Rettke responded with kills to cut the gap in half at 22-20. Brazil reached match point 24-20 on back-to-back points, then won 25-20.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #3 – Lincoln, Nebraska
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24– Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule – U.S. Women’s National Team (All Times ET)
May 21: USA def. Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20
May 23: USA def. Bulgaria 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
May 28: USA def. Serbia 23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-21
May 29: USA def. Italy 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11
May 30: USA lost to Dominican Republic 25-10, 16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11
June 4: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-18
June 5: USA vs. Germany (at Lincoln, Nebraska), 8:30 p.m.
June 6: USA lost to Brazil 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 24, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, defeated defending ParaVolley world champions Russia twice on Friday in exhibition matches taking place in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Open National Championships at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio.
The U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball also won two matches to start its five-match exhibition series against Canada during the USA Volleyball Open National Championships.
Both USA teams continue action on Saturday with each playing two matches before wrapping up their respective series on Sunday.
Sitting Volleyball Exhibitions Schedule (Eastern Time)
Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Oklahoma) scored a Team USA-leading 18 points in the first match as the Americans won 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-17. In a bonus fifth set, the U.S. prevailed 15-13. Burkland converted 11 of her 23 attacks into points and added six aces and a block. Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) added 12 points in the victory, including eight kills, three blocks and an ace. Lora Webster (Point Lookout, New York) and Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) each totaled 11 points. Webster had nine kills on 16 attacks and a block, while Erickson chipped in nine kills and two blocks.
Burkland handled 18 receptions with a 61 positive reception percent, while libero Sydney Satchell (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) handed 13 receptions with a 46 positive percent in starting sets two and four.
As a team, the U.S. out-blocked Russia 17-15 and both teams served 13 aces. The setting of Kaleo Maclay (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Lexi Shifflett (Waseca, Minnesota) produced a 44 kill percent and .286 hitting efficiency (52-18-119) for Team USA. The American defense limited the Russians to a 34 kill percent and .153.
In the bonus fifth set, Nicole Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) scored three points, while Jillian Williams (Odem, Texas), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Illinois) and Tia Edwards (Skitatook, Oklahoma) all had two points in a balanced offense behind the setting of Annie Flood (Salem, Oregon), who set Team USA to a 37 kill percent in the bonus set.
Women’s Match 2 | Match Stats
Like its opening match of the day, Team USA rallied from a first set loss to defeat Russia 21-25, 25-17, 28-26, 25-15 in the afternoon contest. Erickson paved the way with 19 points with 15 kills on 32 swings, two blocks and two aces. Burkland contributed 10 kills, four blocks and three aces for 17 points. Holloway pocketed 10 kills on 22 attacks and five blocks for 15 points. Williams, who started all but the second set, tallied six blocks, three kills and two aces for 11 points.
Burkland was credited with a 45 positive reception percent on 22 chances. Libero Bethany Zummo (Dublin, California), who started the first and third sets, charted 18 receptions and a 44 positive reception percent. Satchel, who started the second and fourth sets at libero, produced a 58 positive reception percent on 12 chances.
The U.S. was out-blocked 21-19 and out-served 12-9 in aces, but committed 17 fewer attack errors. The Americans had a 36 kill percent and .236 hitting efficiency while holding the Russians to a 27 kill percent and .016 hitting efficiency.
The U.S. Men’s National Team won its morning match against Canada 28-26, 25-27, 22-25, 25-9, 15-9. The Americans rallied from a 21-17 deficit in the opening set to win. After losing the next two sets, Team USA stormed past Canada in sets four and five. The match represents the Americans’ first contest of 2019.
Zach Upp (Bartlett, Illinois) led all American scorers with 26 points including 13 kills on 26 attacks, seven aces on 18 serves and six blocks. James Stuck (New Kensington, Pennsylvania) chipped in 12 points with eight kills on 16 attacks, two blocks and two aces. Roderick Green (West Monroe, Louisiana) added 11 points including six kills, three blocks and two aces. Stephen Bracken contributed 10 kills on 16 attacks.
Upp held a 75 positive reception percent on a team-best 20 chances, while libero John Kremer (Buford, Georgia) had 13 receptions and a 77 positive percent. Travis Ricks (San Diego, California), who started at libero in sets two and four, was credited with a 78 positive reception percent on nine chances.
The Americans out-blocked Canada 14-11 and had an 11-8 ace advantage. The U.S. had a .280 hitting efficiency (47-17-107) and 44 kill percent in the victory. Canada was held to a 33 kill percent and .056 hitting efficiency (36-30-108).
In the afternoon contest, the U.S. Men swept Canada 25-15, 25-14, 25-16 to improve to 2-0 on the young season. Stuck led the way in the second match with 14 points, including eight kills on 14 swings, four blocks and two aces. Green charted six kills on 11 errorless attacks, three blocks and two aces.
Eric Duda (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) scored four aces, three kills and two blocks for nine points. He recorded a 67 positive reception percent on nine chances.
Team USA held advantages of 9-2 in aces and 11-10 in blocks. The Americans converted 38 percent of their attacks with a .205 hitting efficiency (28-13-73). Canada was held to a 22 kill percent and negative .029 hitting efficiency (15-17-68).
U.S. Women’s National Sitting Volleyball Team
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1– Lora Webster (M, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 – Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3 – Lexi Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
5 – Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6 – Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, N.C.)
7 – Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
10 – Sydney Satchell (L, 5-1, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
11 – Jillian Williams (OPP, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 – Emma Schieck (OH, 5-8, Statesville, N.C.)
13 – Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14 – Kaleo Maclay (S, 5-6, Honolulu, Hawaii)
15 – Annie Flood (S/OPP, 5-8, Salem, Ore.)
16 – Nicole Nieves (M, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 – Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coaches: Michelle Goodall, Jon Aharoni
U.S. Men’s National Sitting Volleyball Team
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 – Travis Ricks (L, 5-7, San Diego, California)
2 – Dan Regan (M, 6-0, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Nick Dadgostar (OH/S/DS, 6-0, Sydney, Nebraska)
4 – Ben Aman (OH, 6-5, Tacoma, Washington)
5 – Eric Duda (OH, 6-5, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
7 – Stephen Bracken
8 – James Stuck (M, 6-5, New Kensington, Pennsylvania)
11 – Roderick Green (M, 6-3, West Monroe, Louisiana)
12 – Patrick Young (OH, 6-4, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
13 – Charlie Swearingen (OH, 6-3, Gulfport, Mississippi)
14 – John Kremer (L, 5-9, Buford, Georgia)
15 – Chris Seilkop (OH/MB, 6-6, Deland, Florida)
16 – Josh Smith (OPP/S, 6-2, Riverside California)
17 – Zach Upp (OPP, 6-5, Bartlett, Illinois)
18 – J Dee Marinko (OH, 6-4, Norman, Oklahoma)
Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coaches: Joe Skinner and Kyle Homeyer
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 23, 2019) – Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) scored 16 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-20, 25-16, 25-21 victory over host Bulgaria on Thursday evening to conclude the opening week of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
The U.S., now 3-0 in the 2019 VNL, resumes action next Tuesday in Conegliano Venato, Italy, as it takes on Serbia on May 28, Italy on May 29 and Dominican Republic on May 30.
“I am really impressed with how this group worked and learning, and working together in all the various combinations we have put on the court so far,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We came here not having any expectations. We didn’t get a lot of time of training together, and that is not unusual. Almost every team had little time to train and prepare. A lot of teams are playing with some new faces and younger players that involve a lot of learning. We are really proud of the way this group battled and pursued every ball and every rally relentlessly. Lots of great effort, and that is one of the few things we can control.”
Wilhite Parsons powered down 11 kills on 26 attacks while adding three blocks and two aces. Middle Dana Rettke (Riverside, Illinois), who is still in college at University of Wisconsin, added 12 points with seven kills on 13 swings and a team-best five blocks.
Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota), who has one year remaining at University of Cincinnati, totaled 11 points with nine kills on 25 attacks and two aces. Outside Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa), who just graduated from Nebraska, contributed eight kills on 16 attacks, two blocks and an ace. She will not be available next week in Italy as she is getting married a week from Saturday. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) turned in six kill son 10 attacks and three blocks for nine points. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Poulter set the Americans to a 42 kill percent and .323 hitting efficiency (39-9-93). Meanwhile, the American defense limited the Bulgarians to a 32 kill percent and .094 hitting efficiency (34-24-106).
Wilhite Parsons handled a team-leading 22 receptions with a 45 positive reception percent. Foecke was credited with a 41 positive reception percent on 17 chances. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) charted 13 receptions and a team-leading 62 positive reception percent.
“I thought our match with Bulgaria went really well,” Courtney said. “We went through a little adversity because we didn’t play our best match of volleyball. But with a young group, I thought we did a really good job of turning it around when we needed to, stopping their runs when we needed to. This whole week has been really fun to get to know the girls on a different level other than being in the gym. They are super great, super young, they are quirky and funny. So it has been really cool to see everybody and to get to know everybody.”
Team USA’s defense at the net frustrated Bulgaria as the Americans held a 14-3 margin in blocks. Further, the Americans enjoyed advantages of 41-35 in kills and 5-4 in aces.
“Next week we face three very quality opponents next week in Serbia, Italy and Dominican Republic,” Kiraly said. “We will certainly be tested there a lot. Unfortunately, we will not be able to take Mikaela Foecke with us. We were certainly excited to do that, but she has bigger and more important things to do as she is getting married a week from Saturday.”
The U.S. broke a 3-all tie in the opening set with a 6-1 run to go up 9-4. Bulgaria leveled the score at 11-all on a 7-2 run. Team USA scored four unanswered points on back-to-back Bulgarian errors, a Wilhite Parsons ace and Rettke block put the Americans in front 18-14. Foecke served an ace after a Bulgaria error to lift the U.S. advantage to 23-18, only to Bulgaria to claw back to within three at 23-20. The U.S. closed out the set with a kill and block from Thompson at 25-20.
Team USA went up 9-4 early in set two, breaking a 4-all with two kills from Rettke, two Thompson aces and Foecke kill. Bulgaria sliced three points off the deficit to close to 10-7. Rettke answered with consecutive blocks to go up 12-7. After Bulgaria pulled to within 13-10, Foecke hammered back-to-back kills to regain a five-point cushion at 15-10. Bulgaria rallied to within one at 17-16 with four straight points. Thompson and Wilhite Parsons answered with back-to-back kills and Bulgaria committed three consecutive errors to put USA up 22-16. Foecke scored a sixth straight USA point on a back-row attack, then Rettke gave USA set point at 24-16 with a block. Bulgaria committed an error on set point as USA closed the set on an 8-0 run.
The traded points early in the third set until the U.S. rattled three straight points to go up 11-8 with kills from Ogbogu and Wilhite Parsons around a Bulgaria error. Bulgaria squared the set at 16-all with back-to-back points out of the second technical timeout. Wilhite Parsons answered with a kill and block to push the Americans in front 18-16. Rettke pounded a kill between two Bulgaria errors to put the U.S. up 21-17. Foecke ended the match with a block at 25-21.
The U.S. started Poulter at setter, Wilhite Parsons and Foecke at outside hitter, Thompson at opposite, Rettke and Ogbogu at middle. Courtney was the libero. Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California), who is a rising senior at BYU, was a sub in the first and third sets making her international debut.
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
As part of the VNL, Team USA will then host No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. All three matches in Lincoln will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #1 in Bulgaria
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Aimee Miyazawa
Team Manager: Matjaz Hafner
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule – U.S. Women’s National Team (All Times ET)
May 21: USA def. Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20
May 23: USA def. Bulgaria 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 21, 2019) – Even with a young starting lineup with three players making their FIVB debuts, the U.S. Women’s National Team blanked Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22 on Tuesday in Ruse, Bulgaria, to open the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. Team USA never trailed in any of the three sets.
The U.S. faces long-time rival Japan on May 22 at 10 a.m. ET before concluding the opening week round robin on May 23 against host Bulgaria at 1:30 p.m. ET. All VNL matches are available on flovolleyball.tv
“USA just finished beating Belgium in our first match of Volleyball Nations League in year two,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I am really impressed with this group. We have got a lot of youth here with four players making their national team debuts. Their poise, calm and consistency was particularly impressive. Also impressive was Jordyn Poulter, one of our young setters, having great confidence in Dana Rettke in setting her at 23-22 in the third set. Just fun to see all the contributions that people were able to make. We were 14 players strong and whether people got onto the court or not, everybody was adding a lot of value. That is what we are trying to do – add up to a lot more than 14 players out there. And they did a lot to do that.”
According to unofficial stats, opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored a match-high 19 points including 14 kills on 23 swings and five aces on 21 serves. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) totaled 15 points with 11 kills on 23 swings, two blocks and two aces. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) contributed eight kills on 14 swings with just one error to go with one block for nine points.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) pocketed eight kills on 21 attacks in the victory. Middle Dana Rettke (Riverside, Illinois) used her 6-8 height over a smaller Belgium squad to score six kills on eight errorless attacks and two blocks.
USA setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) set Team USA to a 52 kill percent and .378 hitting efficiency (47-13-90). The American defense held Belgium to a 32 kill percent and .175 hitting efficiency (26-12-80).
“Our first match of the VNL is over, and we came out on top with a 3-0 sweep of Belgium,” Poulter said.” I am really proud how the team rallied throughout the match. I thought we kept the pressure on them for most of the match and held a very steady composure. I am excited to get the VNL underway and looking forward to playing Japan tomorrow.”
American libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) handled 14 receptions with a 43 positive percent. Wilhite Parsons was credited with a 47 positive reception percent on 19 chances. Kingdon Rishel charted 15 errorless receptions with a 40 positive reception percent.
The U.S. had a 7-4 advantage in aces, while Belgium held a 7-5 margin in blocks.
The U.S. built a 17-14 advantage, but Belgium clawed back to within a tie at 21-all on an ace. Team USA broke a 23-all tie with a Belgium error and a Drews searing kill for the match at 25-23. Drews finished the opening set with seven kills. In the second set, Drews served five aces in a 13-0 run leading the Americans to a 17-3 start en route to a 25-8 victory. The U.S. reached a 16-11 lead in the third set, but Belgium rallied to tie the set at 21-all on an ace. The Americans scored four of the final five points, including an overpass kill by Wilhite Parsons on match point 25-22.
The U.S. started Poulter at setter, Kingdon Rishel and Wilhite Parsons at outside hitter, Drews at opposite, Rettke and Ogbogu at middle. Courtney was the libero. Poulter, Rettke and Ogbogu were making their FIVB debuts. Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa), also making her USA debut, was a serving sub in the first and third sets.
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
As part of the VNL, Team USA will then host No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. All three matches in Lincoln will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 13, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 25-player roster for the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the premier annual international volleyball tournament. Team USA won the inaugural Volleyball Nations League last year.
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
Each country can designate 14 players from the 25-player roster to compete in each preliminary week and the Final Six. Rosters can change each week upon discretion of the coaching staff.
The U.S. Women hosts No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6. All matches will be played at the 15,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tournament all-session tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Tuesday, June 4
Brazil vs. Germany, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Korea, 7:30 p.m. CT
Wednesday, June 5
Korea vs. Brazil, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m. CT
Thursday, June 6
Germany vs. Korea, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Brazil, 7:30 p.m. CT
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
32 – Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Indianapolis, Indiana)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
strong>Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans/Aimee Miyazawa
Team Manager: Matjaz Hafner (Weeks 1 and 2), Jeff Wanderer (Week 3), Christine Fung (Week 4), Jimmy Stitz (Week 5)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Training Team defeated Canada 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 15-9 on Saturday in Murrieta, California, to split a two-match exhibition series.
For the second night in a row, outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry (West Jordan, Utah) led the U.S. with 19 points, which came on 17 kills and two blocks with converting 41 percent of her attacks. She also handled 39 of the team’s 76 receptions. Danielle Cuttino (Indianapolis, Indiana) turned in 16 points on nine kills and a match-high seven blocks from her opposite position.
“What a nice turnaround for this team tonight,” said Rob Browning, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Pan American Cup Training Team, in regards to the Americans rebounding after being swept by Canada the day before. “(Friday’s) match with Canada was rough in just about every way, but this team showed a lot of maturity by pulling itself together and moving forward after last night’s lackluster performance. They settled down and played how they are capable of playing against a polished Canada team with some big-time attackers. We did everything better tonight, which is a huge step forward for this young team as it prepares for Pan Am Cup and the Pan Am Games.”
Outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) chipped in eight kills, two blocks and an ace for 11 points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) converted six of her 12 attacks into kills and added three blocks for nine points.
Setter Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas), who still has collegiate eligibility at University of Kentucky, set Team USA to a 40 kill percent and .230 hitting efficiency. She added three individual kills on three swings and an ace for four points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) pocketed five kills on 13 swings in the victory, while Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) totaled four points as the double-sub opposite in all five sets.
Libero Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) was credited with a 53 positive reception percent on 17 reception chances. Rolfzen was 59 percent positive on 17 receptions.
The 14 players are competing for Pan American Cup roster spots along with a handful of other American players currently training in Anaheim. The Pan American Cup will take place July 4-15 in Lima, Peru. Team USA has won the annual event the past two years.
Later this month the U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Training Team will hold an intrasquad scrimmage on June 28 at Irvine Valley College’s Hart Gym. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT after the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team intrasquad match at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door, which open one hour prior to the event.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Exhibitions versus Canada
Player (Pos, Height, College, Hometown)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
7 – Sam Seliger-Swenson (S, 5-11, Minnesota, Minnetonka, Minnesota)
10 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
26 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
29 – Kathyrn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Stanford, Aliso Viejo, California)
30 – Madison Lilley (S, 5-11, Kentucky, Overland Park, Kansas)
32 – Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Indianapolis, Indiana)
34 – Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, BYU, West Jordan, Utah)
37 – Sherridan Atkinson (OPP, 6-5, Purdue, Long Beach, California)
38 – Jenna Rosenthal (M, 6-6, Marquette, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
40 – Brionne Butler (M, 6-4, Texas, Kendleton, Texas)
41 – Gabby Curry (L, 5-8, Kentucky, Buford, Georgia)
Head Coach: Rob Browning
Assistant Coaches: Laurie Corbelli, Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Technical Coordinator: Justin Chang
Team Leader: John Xie
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 1, 2019) – USA Volleyball has announced its 30-player preliminary roster for the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the premier annual international volleyball tournament. Team USA won the inaugural Volleyball Nations League last year.
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. Each of the 12 core countries hosts at least one round-robin pod. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
The U.S. Women hosts No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6. All matches will be played at the 15,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Tuesday, June 4
Brazil vs. Germany, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Korea, 7:30 p.m. CT
Wednesday, June 5
Korea vs. Brazil, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m. CT
Thursday, June 6
Germany vs. Korea, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Brazil, 7:30 p.m. CT
The 30-player roster will be trimmed to 25 players by May 11. Each country can designate 14 players from the reduced 25-player roster to compete in each preliminary week and the Final Six. Rosters can change each week upon discretion of the coaching staff.
U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12– Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
26 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
28 – Krystal Rivers (OPP, 5-11, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama)
31 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
32 – Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Indianapolis, Indiana)
34 – Tita Akiu (L, 5-3, Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team stunned host China with a convincing 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 victory on Thursday to conclude its fourth week of FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round action in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans, ranked third in the world, are now 9-3 overall with 27 points in the VNL, while second-ranked China falls to 9-3 with 26 points. The U.S. plays its fifth and final preliminary round week in Ekaterinburg, Russia, where it will challenge host Russia on June 18, Netherlands on June 19 and Thailand on June 20. All Team USA matches in the VNL matches are being streamed on flovolleyball.tv.
With the victory, Team USA strengthened its chances of advancing to the VNL Finals July 3-7 in Nanjing, China. The Americans are in fourth place in the 16-team league heading into the final preliminary week, but they are only one match behind leaders Turkey and Italy in the loss column. The top five teams plus China advance to the Final Round.
The U.S. started the match strong with an 8-2 lead in the opening set and pushed the margin to 16-8, then weathered a 5-0 China run closing the gap to 17-14 before winning the set 25-17. Team USA used a key 6-0 run in the second set to reach at 16-11 advantage and went on to win 25-22. China overcame a 12-8 deficit in the third set to take the lead at 17-15, but the U.S. stormed back to win 25-21 with 10 of the final 14 points.
“Our team put together a really nice effort,” Kiraly said. “Our coaches put together a great scouting plan and our players executed it. It was by far our best and cleanest match of the tournament, even though we have had lots of good things happen in this tournament and some disappointing things also. This is a nice way to end the China leg of Volleyball Nations League.”
Team USA’s outside hitters posed problems for the Chinese all evening as Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) and Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) combined for 40 points with 20 apiece. Bartsch-Hackley totaled 17 kills on 33 swings, two aces and a block in the victory. Robinson was dominating on offense with 18 kills on 26 attacks, one block and one ace. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) added 13 kills on 24 attacks.
“I thought the team came out today and played really well together,” Robinson said. “There was a lot of fire from both the people on the court and the people off the court. Everyone was working together to help us ultimately win. I thought the middles did a really great job of getting up in transitions and Mary Lake did a really nice job of handling a lot of tough serves and put our offense in system.”
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) chipped in three kills on six attacks, three blocks and three aces for nine points. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) added eight points with six kills on 12 swings and two blocks. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill and ace for two points.
Carlini set Team USA to a 56 kill percent and .465 hitting efficiency (57-10-101) in the lopsided victory. The American defense held the Chinese to a 39 kill percent and .289 hitting efficiency (35-9-90).
“Lauren Carlini really pushed the speed of our offense,” Kiraly said. “We got all three of our pin hitters, Kelsey, Bartschy and Annie – got them some great daylight.”
Unofficially, Bartsch-Hackley was credited with a 48 positive reception percent on a team-leading 25 chances. Libero Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California) handled 24 receptions with a 42 positive percent to go with 12 digs. Robinson hand nine digs and produced a 58 positive reception percent on 12 chances.
“Mary Lake filled in for Megan Courtney really well this week,” Kiraly said. “Mary has a lot to be proud of as Megan is working through some health issues.”
The Americans held advantages of 7-3 in blocks and 7-4 in aces to go with a 58-37 margin in kills. Team USA dominated despite giving China 16 points on errors and the host committed just three for the entire match.
“The middles – Chi and Haleigh – also did a really nice job of executing the game plan right down to the last point of the game where we really concentrated our blocking attention on one of the world’s best players, Zhu Ting, and ended the match with a stuff block on her,” Kiraly said.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Lake at libero.
China was led by its superstar Zhu Ting’s 13 points.
The U.S. scored the first four points of the match with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and ace, Ogbogu block and China error. China chipped two points off the deficit at 4-2. However, Ogbogu and Drews answered with kills, followed by an Ogbogu ace and China attack into the net to stretch the American lead to 8-2 at the technical timeout. Out of the break, China scored consecutive points to narrow the gap to 8-4. Bartsch-Hackley and Drews connected for back-to-back kills and Ogbogu added a block to extend the American lead to 13-6. Bartsch-Hackley scored an overpass kill and served an ace to give Team USA a 16-8 advantage at the second technical timeout. China used a 3-0 run to close the gap to 16-11 prompting a USA timeout at 16-11. China scored a fourth straight point at 16-12. Robinson slammed a kill and followed with an ace to raise the Team USA lead to 20-14. The U.S. advantage extended to 22-15 on kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Carlini. Bartsch-Hackley slammed back-to-back kills to give Team USA set points at 24-16. Bartsch-Hackley ended the set with a kill at 25-17.
The U.S. gained a three-point cushion at 5-2 in the second set on two Robinson kills and Ogbogu ace. China leveled the set at 7-all on a 4-1 scoring run. China regained the lead at 9-8 with consecutive USA errors. Robinson pounded consecutive kills and Drews followed with a kill to reverse the lead to Team USA at 13-11. Out of a China timeout, Ogbogu served an ace, Robinson put up a block and Drews hammered a kill to run the streak of USA points to six putting it up 16-11 at the second technical timeout. The Americans extended their advantage to 18-12 with a Drews kill and Robinson overpass slam. China cut into the deficit with consecutive points at 18-14. Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson collected consecutive kills prompting China to call timeout trailing 22-16. China came out of the break with back-to-back points to narrow the gap to 22-18, then moved to within three at 23-20 leading to a USA timeout. China saved two set points before the Americans closed the set at 25-22 on a China service error.
Robinson scored consecutive kills to give the U.S. a 4-3 margin in the third set. China changed the lead for the third time in the third set with consecutive points at 6-5. Bartsch-Hackley gave the Americans the lead back at 8-7 with a kill and block on back-to-back plays. Ogbogu put up another block out and Carlini served an ace out of the first technical timeout to extend the U.S. lead to 10-7. Team USA extended the gap to 12-8 with kills from Drews and Robinson. China moved back to within one at 13-12 with a 4-1 scoring run. China level the set at 14-all with an American error. China went into the second technical timeout leading 16-15 after an ace that trickled off the net, then upped the lead to 17-15 on a 3-0 run. Team USA tied the set at 17-all with a Washington kill and China error. Drews and Bartsch-Hackley slammed kills to reverse the lead to the Americans at 19-18. Team USA extended its advantage to 21-19 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson prompting China to call timeout. The Americans reached match points with kills from Drews and Robinson at 24-21. Carlini blocked the final point for a 25-21 victory.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #4 – Jiangmen, China
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule – U.S. Women’s National Team (All Times ET)
May 21: USA def. Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20
May 23: USA def. Bulgaria 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
May 28: USA def. Serbia 23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-21
May 29: USA def. Italy 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11
May 30: USA lost to Dominican Republic 25-10, 16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11
June 4: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-18
June 5: USA vs. Germany (at Lincoln, Nebraska), 8:30 p.m.
June 6: USA lost to Brazil 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20
June 11: USA lost to Turkey 25-15, 25-17, 27-25
June 12: USA def. Poland 21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-11
June 13: USA def. China 25-17, 25-22, 25-21
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team snapped a two-match FIVB Volleyball Nations League losing streak, overcoming a slow start to defeat Poland 21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-11 on Wednesday in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans are now 8-3 overall with 24 points, while Poland falls to 7-4 record with 20 points. The U.S. concludes fourth week of preliminary matches on Thursday at 8 a.m. ET against host China. All Team USA matches in the VNL matches are being streamed on flovolleyball.tv.
The U.S. led the opening set 12-9 in the early stages, but Poland scored the final four points to win 25-21. The U.S. scored three unanswered points late in the second set to take a 24-22 lead and went on to win 25-23. Team USA broke a 10-all tie in the third set with five unanswered points, and had two other 4-0 runs to control the third set with 25-15 victory. The Americans raced out to an 8-2 lead in the fourth set and closed out the match with a dominating 25-11 victory.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led the American offense with 20 kills on 41 swings and an ace for a match-high 21 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) added 15 kills on 36 attacks and two blocks for 17 points. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) claimed 16 points with nine kills on 14 swings, four blocks and three aces.
“I think the best thing we did to reset was to just come together and figure out that we didn’t need to be perfect,” Ogbogu said about the difference in today’s match and yesterday’s three-set loss to league-leader Turkey. “I think you saw in this match that we did a lot of good, and sometimes where it wasn’t so good. But just knowing that we can be USA good and our good was good enough helped to relieve some pressures so that some of us could play really free.”
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) tacked on 10 points with eight kills on 21 attacks, one block and one ace. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) totaled five kills on nine swings, three blocks and an ace for nine points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill, block and ace for three points.
The U.S. converted 46 percent of its attacks with a .298 hitting efficiency (57-20-124) on Carlini’s setting. The American defense held Poland to a 34 kill percent and .177 hitting efficiency (44-21-130).
Bartsch-Hackley had a 50 positive reception on a team-best 28 chances based on the unofficial stats. She also produced nine digs in the victory. Robinson was credited with a 58 positive reception percent on 12 chances to go with 10 digs. Libero Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California) handled 27 receptions with a 44 positive percent and added eight digs.
Team USA controlled each of the scoring categories, especially after the first set. The Americans had a 7-4 ace advantage and a 58-44 kill margin. The U.S. had a slim 11-10 lead in blocks. After having eight errors in the opening set, the U.S. committed just eight total over the next three sets.
Ogbogu said her experience playing in the Polish league this past winter made today’s match even more exciting.
“I know a lot of the players on the Polish side,” Ogbogu said. “I played in the Polish League this season. It is fun to play against people I know.”
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Robinson at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Dixon at middle, Drews at opposite, Carlini at setter and Lake at libero.
Now Team USA’s attention turns to playing this week’s host China on Thursday.
“I know tomorrow will be crazy loud and really exciting,” Ogbogu said. “The biggest thing is just taking it all in and being grateful to be in a place like this, playing in front of their home crowd. I am excited for a lot battle, and also some scrappy defense because I know it will be good on both sides.”
The U.S. scored the first two points of the match with a Drews kill and Ogbogu block, but Poland leveled the first set at 2-all. Robinson downed an overpass after a Poland service error to put the USA in front 4-2. Poland answered with four straight points to take a 6-4 advantage. Team USA tied the set at 7-7 on a Dixon kill and Bartsch-Hackley block. The Americans regained the lead at 9-8 with kills from Drews and Bartsch-Hackley. The U.S. raised its lead to 12-9 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Ogbogu soft block around a Poland error. After a timeout, Poland trimmed the gap to one at 12-11. Bartsch-Hackley and Drews scored back-to-back kills to extend the Team USA lead to 14-11. Poland used a 4-1 run to even the set at 15-all. The Americans built a two-point cushion at 17-15 with a Robinson kill and Drews ace, but the lead was short-lived as Poland scored the next two points to tie the set at 17-all. Poland served an ace then blocked Team USA to take a 20-18 advantage. Out of an American timeout, Bartsch-Hackley hammered a kill and Poland committed an error to square the set at 20-all. Poland scored the final four points of the opening set to win 25-21.
Ogbogu put up a block after a Poland service error to give the Americans an early 4-2 lead in the second set. Team USA raised its lead to 8-4 with kills from Ogbogu and Drews around a Dixon block. Out of the technical timeout Poland scored four of the next five points to trim the gap to 9-8. Robinson claimed a kill and Bartsch-Hackley won a joust to increase Team USA’s lead to 11-8. Poland answered with five straight points to take a 13-11 advantage. The Americans tied the set at 15-all with an Ogbogu kill and Robinson block alongside Ogbogu. Poland raised its lead to 18-16 following an American error. Robinson tied the set with a kill and ace at 19-all leading to a Poland timeout. Out of the break Carlini put up a block and Drews followed with a kill to place the Americans in front 21-19. Poland answered with two blocks after an American service error to take the lead back at 22-21. Dixon scored a kill and ace around a Poland error to give the U.S. set points at 24-22. Ogbogu scored the winner at 25-23.
Poland scored four unanswered points to stake a 4-1 lead in the third set. Drews connected for consecutive kills to narrow the gap to 5-4. Ogbogu served an ace after Drews’ fourth kill of the set to tie the score at 6-all. Team USA went into the first technical timeout up 8-7 after kills from Robinson and Carlini. The Americans extended their lead to 13-10 with an Ogbogu kill, Carlini ace and Bartsch-Hackley block. Out of a Poland timeout, Drews hammered a kill and Ogbogu placed a block to lift the U.S. lead to 15-10. Ogbogu served an ace after a Robinson kill to shift the U.S. lead to 18-12. Out of a Poland timeout, Ogbogu served a second straight ace and Robinson powered a kill through the block to extend the advantage to 20-12. Poland sliced two points off the deficit at 21-15. Bartsch-Hackley answered with two kills around a Drews kill to give the Americans a 24-15 lead, then the U.S. won the final point at 25-15.
The U.S. used a 5-0 run to take a 5-1 lead in the fourth set with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Ogbogu around three Poland errors. Team USA scored three consecutive points with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Drews around a Poland error to go into the technical timeout leading 8-2. Drews slammed a kill and Poland committed an error to raise the American lead to 10-3. Drews pounded off the block after a Poland error to stretch the American lead to 12-4. Dixon downed a winner and Carlini followed with a block to push the American lead to 15-6. Bartsch-Hackley slammed two kills around a Drews kill to provide Team USA an 18-7 advantage. Poland scored consecutive points for the first time in set four to trim the gap at 19-10. Robinson dinked a kill over the block between two Poland error to place the Americans up 22-10. Team USA reached match points with a Drews kill and Dixon block at 24-11, then Bartsch-Hackley finished it with a back-row kill at 25-11.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 10, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Training Team will host Canada in a pair of friendly exhibition matches this weekend as both teams prepare for the upcoming Pan American Cup.
The opening exhibition match is scheduled for June 14 at Tustin High School in Tustin, California. The series concludes on June 15 at Murrieta Mesa High School in Murrieta, California. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.
General admission is $10, while youth 10-and-under, seniors 60-and-over and military with identification are admitted for $7. Tickets available at the door starting at 5:30 p.m. PT. For the June 15 match, tickets can also be bought in advance by clicking here.
The U.S. 14-player roster includes a mix of veterans, recent college graduates and athletes with remaining collegiate eligibility.
Lee and Tapp have already made appearances in this year’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League during the first two weeks. They, along with Adams and Cuttino, remain eligible for the final VNL preliminary week and the Final Six Round.
Rob Browning, head coach at Saint Mary’s College (California), will serve as head coach of the U.S. Pan American Cup Team. He will be assisted by 1984 Olympian Laurie Corbelli and three-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park. Justin Chang will be the technical coordinator for the team, and John Xie will serve as team leader.
The Pan American Cup will take place July 4-15 in Lima, Peru. Team USA has won the annual event the past two years.
Later this month the U.S. Women’s Pan American Cup Training Team will hold an intrasquad scrimmage on June 28 at Irvine Valley College’s Hart Gym. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT after the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team intrasquad match at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door, which open one hour prior to the event.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Exhibitions versus Canada
Player (Pos, Height, College, Hometown)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
7 – Sam Seliger-Swenson (S, 5-11, Minnesota, Minnetonka, Minnesota)
10 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
26 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
29 – Kathyrn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Stanford, Aliso Viejo, California)
30 – Madison Lilley (S, 5-11, Kentucky, Overland Park, Kansas)
32 – Danielle Cuttino (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Indianapolis, Indiana)
34 – Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, BYU, West Jordan, Utah)
37 – Sherridan Atkinson (OPP, 6-5, Purdue, Long Beach, California)
38 – Jenna Rosenthal (M, 6-6, Marquette, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
40 – Brionne Butler (M, 6-4, Texas, Kendleton, Texas)
41 – Gabby Curry (L, 5-8, Kentucky, Buford, Georgia)
Head Coach: Rob Browning
Assistant Coaches: Laurie Corbelli, Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Technical Coordinator: Justin Chang
Team Leader: John Xie
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 11, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Turkey 25-15, 25-17, 27-25 on Tuesday to open the fourth week of FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round matches in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans fall to 7-3 overall with 21 points, while VNL leader Turkey improves to 8-1 overall with a maximum 27 points. The U.S. returns to the court against Poland on Wednesday at 4 a.m. ET, followed by a Thursday match up against host China at 8 a.m. ET. All Team USA matches in the VNL matches are being streamed on flovolleyball.tv.
Turkey started strong with an 8-2 advantage in the opening set and cruised to a 25-15 victory. Turkey used a 10-3 spurt to take a 21-12 lead and finished the set at 25-17. Team USA trailed 22-19 in the third set and save three match points before Turkey prevailed 27-25 in the third set.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) led the U.S. in scoring with eight points, all on kills. Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota), who subbed in the second set and started the third, provided seven kills on 12 attacks. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) contributed five kills on nine attacks.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) and middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas), who both started only the third set, tallied four points apiece. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota), outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) and opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) scored three points each. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
According to the unofficial stats, U.S. converted 34 percent of its attacks into points with a .213 hitting efficiency (37-14-108) behind the setting of Lloyd and Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), who started the final set. In contrast, Turkey converted 51 percent of its attacks with a .379 hitting efficiency (48-12-95).
Larson produced a 59 positive reception percent on 17 chances, while Bartsch-Hackley was 73 percent positive on 11 chances. Robinson had seven digs and a 62 positive reception percent on eight chances. Libero Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California) handled 34 of the team’s 70 receptions with a 38 positive percent.
Team USA scored on its serve just 13 times in the match, seven of which came in the third set. Turkey dominated all three scoring phases with a 49-33 margin in kills, 8-4 blocking advantage and a 7-1 lead in aces. The Americans limited their errors to 11 in the match, while Turkey committed 15.
Team USA and Turkey played three times in last year’s inaugural VNL, and all three matches went five sets. Turkey won the preliminary round match, while the U.S. won the Final Six group match and the gold-medal match to win the title.
The U.S. started Larson and Robinson at outside hitter, Gibbemeyer and Washington at middle, Lowe at opposite, Lloyd at setter and Lake at libero.
Turkey was led by 19-year-old sensation Ebrar Karakurt’s 23 points.
Turkey used a 4-0 run to open the first set with a 5-1 advantage, then raised the margin to 9-2 with another 4-0 run. Team USA shaved two points off the lead with a Washington kill and Gibbemeyer block at 11-6, but Turkey answered with two points to go back up 13-6. The U.S. called timeout down 19-12 after consecutive Turkey points. Turkey scored the final three points of the set for a 25-15 victory.
Turkey reached a 4-1 advantage early in the second set. Team USA sliced the gap to 6-5 with kills from Low and Washington. Turkey served an ace to head into the first technical timeout leading 8-5. The U.S. called timeout trailing 10-6 after Turkey scored two straight points. Turkey extended its lead to 15-8 with a 4-0 run. After the U.S. saved three set points, Turkey won 25-17.
Ogbogu put up a block and Thompson slammed a kill to give the U.S. a 7-6 lead in the third set. However, Turkey scored three consecutive points giving it a 9-7 advantage. Team USA leveled the set at 10-all with an Ogbogu kill and Turkey error. Turkey raised its margin to 12-10 with a block. Turkey reached the second technical timeout up 16-13 following a block. The Americans answered with an Ogbogu block and Thompson overpass kill after a Turkey service error to level the set at 16-all. Bartsch-Hackley scored consecutive kills, the second on a 37.1 mega rally, to give the Americans the lead at 18-17. Turkey answered with two straight points to reverse the lead at 19-18, then extended the margin to 22-19 on a 3-0 run. The U.S. sliced the gap to 22-21 on a Thompson kill and Turkey attack error. Team USA saved two match points with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Ogbogu at 24-all. Ogbogu saved a third match point with a block, but Turkey won the match on its fourth chance at 27-25.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (June 4, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, playing at home for the first time in this year’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League, overcame a slow start to defeat Korea 19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-18 Tuesday in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Americans, now one of three teams with a 6-1 overall record and 18 points, return to the court on Wednesday against Germany followed by a Thursday match with Brazil. Both matches begin at 7:30 p.m. CT and can be viewed online at www.flovolleyball.tv.
Korea, now 1-6 in the tournament, started the first set on fire with a 7-1 advantage and took advantage of seven American miscues to win 25-19. The momentum shifted to the U.S. in the second set as the Americans raced to a 12-3 lead and won the set 25-15 with five aces. As lopsided as the first two sets were, Team USA prevailed in the third set where 17 ties occurred after the Americans fell behind 6-3 and ultimately winning 25-22. The Americans controlled the fourth set, building their lead up to eight points before settling in for a 25-18 victory.
“I am not quite sure how to explain the slow start – that is now two matches in a row with a slow start,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “This one, part of it can be explained by being super excited – we don’t get to play on home court much. This is really friendly confines, there is lots of family and great fans. It is easy to get a little overly-activated. Eventually we got some of that energy out and settled down.”
U.S. middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) led the American offense with 16 points where she posted 13 kills on 18 attacks, two aces and a block. Outside Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), who grew up in nearby Hooper, Nebraska, and played her collegiate volleyball in Lincoln at Nebraska, added 13 points with nine kills, three aces and a block. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed six kills on 14 swings, three blocks and an ace for 10 points.
Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who started the first three sets at opposite, added eight kills and an ace for nine points. Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota), who subbed in the third set and started the final set, pocketed nine kills on 17 swings. Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa), who just got married on Saturday, returned to her University of Nebraska roots to post eight kills and an ace for nine points. Setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with three kills, three aces and a block for seven points.
Unofficially, Poulter set Team USA to a 38 kill percent and .298 hitting efficiency (54-12-141). The American defense limited Korea to a 36 kill percent and .262 hitting efficiency (47-13=130).
Foecke was credited with a 55 positive reception percent on 28 chances on the unofficial stats. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) 18 digs and a 50 positive reception percent on handling 28 attempts. Larson had 11 digs in the win, while Foecke had eight digs.
With its passing going well, the U.S. was able to run the middles that helped account for 26 points in offense.
“It is a focus of ours to get our middles going, and we had tremendous passing between Megan Courtney at the libero spot and Jordan and Mikaela,” Kiraly said. “That was our best passing match in VNL this year. It gives us more of an opportunity to run our middles.”
In contrast, the American consistently put the Koreans out of system after the first set, and that was a major difference in the match.
“The Koreans rely on their passing system and try to run a lot of combos,” Larson said. “The fact we were able to get them out of system with serving pressure I think it took a lot of pressure off us defensively and made our job easier.”
Team USA held an 11-3 ace advantage in putting tremendous pressure on the Korean’s offense. The Americans out-attacked Korea 56-49 in kills as both teams had six blocks. The U.S. had 22 errors in the match compared to Korea’s 21, where all but one came in the final three sets.
Team USA had great support of its home crowd, helping them rally from the opening set loss.
“It is great to be back (in the USA),” Larson said. “We are really honored to be a part of this tournament and be at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln again. The fans came out and showed their support, and that was great for us.”
The U.S. started Larson and Foecke at outside hitter, Dixon and Ogbogu at middle, Drews at opposite, Poulter at setter and Courtney at libero.
Korea earned the first four points of the opening set, then stretched the advantage to 7-1. The Americans called their second timeout of the set trailing 12-5. Out of the break Team USA cut the gap to 12-7 with a Korea error and Poulter ace. Korea reached the second technical timeout leading 16-9 on back-to-back points. Poulter and Foecke connected for consecutive kills to trim the American deficit to 12-17. Korea gained the two points back to lead 20-13. Ogbogu claimed a block and kill to cut the gap to 21-16. Dixon placed back-to-back blocks after an Ogbogu kill to slice the deficit to 23-19. Korea stopped the run with back-to-back points to win 25-19.
Ogbogu started a 6-0 run with consecutive kills followed by three Korean errors and capped by two Larson aces to give the U.S. an 8-2 advantage early in the second set. Team USA raised its advantage to 12-3 with a Foecke kill, Korean error, Ogbogu ace and Drews kill. The Americans extended the lead to 14-4 with a Dixon kill and Drews ace. Korea chipped two points off the deficit at 14-6, then moved to within seven at 16-9. After a Korea service error, Ogbogu tapped over an overpass and Poulter served an ace to give Team USA a 19-9 lead. Korea knocked two points off its deficit at 21-13, but the Americans regained a 10-point lead at 23-13 with back-to-back Korea errors. Larson ended the set with a tip to win 25-15.
Korea grabbed an early 6-3 lead in the third set. Poulter and Drews ended the run with kills to cut the American deficit to 6-5. Team USA leveled the set at 7-all with a Larson kill after a Korea service error. The teams traded the next 19 points until Korea scored consecutive points prompting a USA timeout trailing 18-16. The Americans quickly leveled the set at 19-all with a Poulter kill and Foecke ace prompting a Korean timeout. Dixon hammered a slide out of the break yielding a 20-19 Team USA lead. Korea answered with consecutive points to reverse the lead to its side at 21-20. Ogbogu gave the U.S. a 23-22 lead on an overpass kill after a Korean service error. Out of Korea’s second timeout, Thompson slammed an overpass to present the Americans set points 24-22 and Korea followed with an attack error to give U.S. a 25-22 victory.
The U.S. went on a 6-1 run to stake a 6-2 advantage in the fourth set on two kills each from Thompson and Foecke around an Ogbogu ace. Korea scored back-to-back points to close to 8-6. Dixon answered with a block and ace to extend the American lead to 10-6. Thompson and Larson connected for consecutive kills to inch the margin to 12-7, but Korea chipped away to 13-10 after a block. Team USA reached the second technical timeout holding a 16-11 advantage after a Korea error. The Americans stretched their lead to 19-12 with kills from Dixon and Thompson around a Poulter block. Thompson and Ogbogu downed kills to push the margin to 21-13. Korea notched back-to-back points to cut the gap to 21-15. Poulter served an ace after an Ogbogu kill to push USA to a 23-15 lead. Ogbogu had the winning slam at 25-18.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team returns to Lincoln, Nebraska, to play Korea, Germany and Brazil June 4-6 as part of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have chosen a balance of veteran players to compete alongside younger athletes getting their first real taste of FIVB competition – and turning some heads on the court with a strong start in the early stages of the VNL.
Each country can designate 14 players from the 25-player overall roster to compete in each preliminary week and the Final Six. Rosters can change each week upon discretion of the coaching staff. Larson, Robinson, Lloyd, Dixon and Gibbemeyer are making their 2019 VNL debuts in Lincoln.
The U.S. Women host No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6. All matches will be played at the 15,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena. The U.S. matches start at 7:30 p.m. CT in the round robin format, while the non-USA match is at 4:30 p.m. CT each day.
Team USA is in second place in the 16-team VNL. The Americans, 5-1 in the VNL with 15 points, won their first five matches before losing to zonal rival Dominican Republic in a heart-breaking five-set loss. While using a young roster, the U.S. has already defeated the gold and silver medalists from the 2018 FIVB World Championships in this year’s VNL in Serbia and Italy.
The American roster heading to Lincoln includes Olympians Larson, Robinson and Lloyd as the veteran cornerstones. All three players did not participate in the opening two weeks of VNL as a means to recover from a long overseas professional season. Larson and Robinson competed on separate teams in Turkey, while Lloyd played with a club in Brazil.
Meanwhile, the U.S. roster has youth on sides that continues to earn roster spots into week three of VNL. Foecke and Poulter finished their collegiate eligibility at Nebraska and Illinois this past fall. Rettke still has two years of college eligibility remaining at Wisconsin, while Thompson and Lake will be seniors this fall at Cincinnati and BYU, respectively. All five made their FIVB debuts in the opening week of the VNL and have been key parts on why Team USA is 5-1 in the early going.
Rettke ranks third in scoring for Team USA with 47 points, including 11 blocks. Ogbogu has contributed 44 points through six matches, while Thompson has notched 35 points. Foecke, who missed this past week’s three VNL matches in Italy as she was married this weekend, has collected 22 points with two starts.
Drews leads the USA in scoring through six matches with 72 total points, ranking 15th overall despite not playing in all six matches. She is also leading the Best Spiker category with a 51.3 kill percent. Kingdon Rishel has added 63 points for the Americans.
The VNL includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
The U.S. won the inaugural VNL last year going 17-2 overall and defeating Turkey in the gold-medal match. The Americans played their three VNL home matches last year in Lincoln at the Devaney Center on the University of Nebraska campus.
Team USA is familiar with Pinnacle Bank Arena as it won the 2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament in the facility. The U.S. has played other recent events in nearby Omaha, including the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals and the 2013 NORCECA Continental Championship, both events the Americans won.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #3 – Lincoln, Nebraska
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Mikaela Foecke (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, West Point, Iowa)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to NORCECA zonal rival Dominican Republic 25-10, 16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11 on Thursday in Conegliano, Italy, and suffered its first loss in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
The U.S., now 5-1 with 15 points in the 2019 VNL, resumes action on home soil in Lincoln, Nebraska, next week. The Americans host Korea on June 4, followed by Germany on June 5 and Brazil on June 6. All three matches have start times of 7:30 p.m. CT at Pinnacle Bank Arena. University of Nebraska alums Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson are expected to return to the USA lineup in Lincoln as part of the 14-player roster. Tickets can be purchased by
The U.S. was the last remaining undefeated team in the VNL, and is now in second place heading into Lincoln. Dominican Republic is now 3-3 with eight points for ninth place in the VNL. The VNL has 10 teams at or above .500 through the first six matches.
Dominican Republic broke a 6-all tie with a 17-3 run, including a 10-0 spurt, to win 25-10. The U.S. used a 3-0 run in the second set to take an 8-6 advantage and continued that momentum the rest of the set for a 25-16 victory. Dominican Republic used a 4-0 run to break a 7-all tie and finished out the set strong with a 25-19 victory. The U.S. scored eight of the final 10 points of the fourth set to win 25-19 and force the tiebreaking fifth set. Dominican Republic built a 12-9 lead in the fifth set on the strength of a 4-0 run, then closed out the match with the final three points for a 15-11 victory.
Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) led the American offense with 16 points, including 14 kills on 26 attacks, one block and one ace. Middle Dana Rettke (Riverside, Illinois) charted 10 kills on 21 swings, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) added 11 points with nine kills and two blocks.
Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who came in to start the final two sets at opposite, contributed 10 kills on 18 attacks and a block for 11 points. Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota) provided 10 kills and a block for 11 points. Outside Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) totaled three blocks, one ace and two kills for six points. Outside Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) started the final two sets and scored five kills. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) started the final two sets and added one kill and one ace. Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with a block and ace.
The Team USA setting combination of Hancock and Poulter led the Americans to a 36 kill percent as a team and a .206 hitting efficiency (59-25-164). In contrast, Dominican Republic converted 43 percent of its attacks into points with a .306 hitting efficiency (58-17-134).
Libero Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California), who was making her first-ever start for Team USA, handled 25 receptions with a 40 positive percent in the first three sets. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), who started the final two sets, was 80 percent positive on 10 receptions.
USA had a 61-56 advantage in kills, but Dominican Republic held margins of 15-10 in blocks and 8-5 in aces. The U.S. also committed 21 errors in the match to Dominican Republic’s 14.
The U.S. started Poulter at setter, Wilhite Parsons and Kingdon Rishel at outside hitter, Thompson at opposite, Ogbogu and Rettke at middle. Lake was the libero.
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
Dominican Republic erupted for a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but Team USA came back to tie the set at 4-all with a Kingdon Rishel kill between two Dominican Republic errors. Dominican Republic jumped its lead to 11-6 with three blocks as part of a 5-0 run, then extended the gap to 13-7 on an ace. Dominican Republic reached a 15-point lead at 24-9 on a 10-0 run. Dominican Republic won the set 25-10 with a block.
Rettke and Ogbogu scored consecutive kills and Poulter put up a block to give the Americans an 8-6 margin at the first technical timeout of the second set. Thompson powered down consecutive kills to raise the American lead to 12-9. Team USA stretched its advantage to 17-12 with an Ogbogu block and Poulter overpass kill after a Dominican service error. Poulter served an ace after an Ogbogu kill to inch the American lead to 19-13. Ogbogu connected for consecutive kills to extend the U.S. lead to 21-14. Thompson placed a monster block between two Dominican errors to give the U.S. set points at 24-15. Team USA finished the set at 25-16 on a Dominican attack error.
Wilhite Parsons starts the third set with a block and ace to give Team USA a 2-0 lead, only to have Dominican Republic tie the set at 4-all. Dominican Republic launched a 5-0 run to take an 11-7 advantage. Ogbogu, Kingdon Rishel and Rettke scored three straight kills to close the Americans to within one at 13-12. Dominican Republic rebuilt its lead to four with three straight points prompting a USA timeout trailing 17-13. Dominican Republic served an ace to raise its margin to 19-14. Team USA whittled the gap to 20-17 with kills from Wilhite Parsons and Thompson. Dominican Republic answered with an ace to raise the margin to 22-17. Ogbogu and Kingdon Rishel downed kills to slice the deficit to 22-19. Dominican Republic scored consecutive aces to close out the set with a 25-19 victory.
The U.S. grabbed a 3-1 lead to start the fourth set, but Dominican answered by tying it at 3-3. The Americans responded with kills from Drews and Lee and Ogbogu followed with an ace for a 6-3 American lead. Dominican stopped the run with consecutive points to close to 6-5. Rettke hammered back-to-back kills to push the Americans to an 8-5 lead at the technical timeout. Dominican Republic scored back-to-back points to cut the gap to 8-7. Rettke served an ace after a Drews kill to extend the U.S. lead to 11-8. Dominican Republic pulled to within one at 16-15 with consecutive points, then tied the set at 17-all. Team USA responded with kills from Drews, Hancock and Kingdon Rishel to lift the Americans in front 20-17 at a Dominican Republic timeout. The Americans extended their lead to 22-18 with a Kingdon Rishel block and Lee power slam. Lee and Drews scored back-to-back kills to give Team USA set points at 24-19. Drews promptly ended it with a kill at 25-19.
Dominican Republic scored four straight points to stake a 6-3 lead early in the fifth set. Lee hammered a kill to stop the run and Dominican Republic followed with a miscue and Rettke put up a block putting the set square at 6-all. Out of the break, Drews slammed a kill to present the USA a 7-6 lead on a 4-0 run. Dominican Republic scored four unanswered points to take a 12-9 advantage. The U.S. answered with a Kingdon Rishel kill and Ogbogu block to close USA to 12-11. Dominican Republic reached match points at 14-11. Dominican Republic closed out the set and match at 15-11 with a 3-0 run.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Week #2 in Italy
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Dana Rettke (M, 6-8, Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
24 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
27 – Mary Lake (L, 5-7, BYU, Palm Springs, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Aimee Miyazawa
Team Manager: Matjaz Hafner
FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule – U.S. Women’s National Team (All Times ET)
May 21: USA def. Belgium 25-23, 25-8, 25-22
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20
May 23: USA def. Bulgaria 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
May 28: USA def. Serbia 23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-21
May 29: USA def. Italy 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11
May 30: USA lost to Dominican Republic 25-10, 16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 29, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated host Italy 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11 on Wednesday at Conegliano, Italy, in a battle of the final two undefeated teams in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
The U.S., now 5-0 with 14 points in the 2019 VNL, resumes action next on May 30 against NORCECA zonal rival Dominican Republic (2-3, 6 points) at 11 a.m. ET. The match can be streamed live on flovolleyball.tv. Italy, the runners-up in the 2018 FIVB World Championship, is now 4-1 with 12 points in this year’s VNL. The Americans have now beat the first- and second-place teams from the 2018 FIVB World Championships in the first two VNL days in Conegliano, Italy. The U.S. beat world champion Serbia on Tuesday.
Team USA used a 6-0 run in the opening set to take a 17-12 advantage and cruised to a 25-22 victory. Italy responded with a convincing 25-17 victory in which it used a 5-0 run to build an early 9-4 lead. The U.S. rallied from a 20-17 deficit in the third set to tie it at 21-all, but Italy came away with the 25-23 victory. The Americans raced to an 8-2 lead in the fourth set with a 7-0 run and held on for a 25-19 win. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored seven points for Team USA in the tiebreaking set as the Americans raced to a 5-2 advantage and never trailed.
“It wasn’t the cleanest volleyball on either side,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “But the most important thing was how our USA team, 14 strong and far more in California working hard for upcoming weeks in this tournament or other tournaments this year, worked. It was a group effort and really proud in how this group battled so hard for each other and celebrated each other’s successes.”
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) led the U.S. with 19 points via 18 kills on 30 attacks and a block. Outside hitter Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), seeing her first action in the VNL, collected 13 points with 11 kills and two blocks after a slow start to the match. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) tallied eight kills on nine swings, two blocks and two aces for 12 points.
“Beating Italy in this gym is an amazing feeling,” Ogbogu said. “I hope we all realize this is a team that got silver at World Championship. Although they did not have their complete team (tonight), they really battled and showed us what it means to fight. I am just glad that our team pulled this one out. We were very resilient. I am just excited for what else USA can bring. USA really showed its grit today and what they are about.”
Drews, who only started the final two sets after being a double sub in sets two and three, finished with six kills on 15 attacks, three blocks and an ace for 10 points. Opposite Jordan Thompson (Edina, Minnesota) charted six kills and two blocks in starting the first three sets. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) contributed four kills and a block for five points. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) scored a kill and ace for two points, while setter Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) rounded out the scoring with an ace as the double-sub setter in sets two and three.
“I am really proud with how this group the way they fought through,” Kiraly said. “This was a chance for Simone Lee to run us at outside. After a slow start I am really impressed with her ability to continue to make more and more positive and solid. She was a big part in helping us win in the fourth and fifth sets. Annie Drews came in and was huge in reserve, helping out Jordan Thompson after Jordan did the same for Annie last week. They are a nice pair of opposites in terms of helping each other out.”
With Hancock starting and Poulter spelling her in the double-sub, Team USA converted 42 percent of its attacks into points with a .273 hitting efficiency (54-19-128). The Americans held the Italians to a 40 kill percent with a .230 hitting efficiency (61-26-152).
Kingdon Rishel handled a team-high 37 receptions with a 43 positive reception percent and chipped in 11 digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was unofficially credited with a 57 positive reception percent on 23 chances. She added eight digs in the victory.
Although Italy held huge advantages in kills (62-54) and aces (9-5), errors were its downfall. The Italians committed 33 errors in the match compared to the Americans’ 21. Team USA also had an 11-9 margin in blocks.
The U.S. started Hancock at setter, Lee and Kingdon Rishel at outside hitter, Thompson at opposite, Ogbogu and Washington at middle. Courtney was the libero. Mary Lake (Palm Springs, California) was a defensive specialist in the match
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, includes 15 pool play matches for each country spread over five consecutive weeks with four pods of four teams competing in round-robin action every week. The top five teams from the preliminary round will compete in the VNL Final Six along with host China from July 3-7 with the winner receiving $1 million.
As part of the VNL, Team USA will then host No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. All three matches in Lincoln will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
The U.S. went up 4-2 in the opening set with two Ogbogu kills and two Italy errors. Washington put up a block between kills from Lee and Thompson to raise the American lead to 7-3. Italy ended the U.S. 3-0 run with a 4-0 run of its own to level the set at 7-all. Kingdon Rishel ended the run with a kill and Ogbogu followed with a block at 9-7. Italy took its first lead at 12-11 on three straight USA errors. Thompson downed a kill and put up two blocks around two Italy errors to shift the lead to Team USA at 16-12 at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Ogbogu served an ace to raise the lead to 17-12. Italy cut the deficit to 17-14 with consecutive points. Hancock served an ace after an Ogbogu kill and Italy committed an attack error to extend Team USA’s lead to 23-17. Italy sliced the deficit to 23-20 on a 3-0 run capped by an ace. Italy saved two set points before the Americans finished the set 25-22 on a service error.
Italy moved out to a 9-4 lead early in the second set on five unanswered points. Italy advanced its advantage to 17-10 with a 3-0 run capped by an ace. Thompson stopped the run with a kill and Poulter followed with an ace to close the gap to 17-12. Italy closed out the set on an ace at 25-17.
Team USA took a 3-1 lead in the third set with an Ogbogu kill and two Italy errors, but Italy answered quickly tying the set at 3-all with an ace off the net. Italy committed consecutive errors and Kingdon Rishel and Lee hit through the block to put the U.S. in front 7-3. Italy used a 4-1 run to move to within one at 8-7. Italy ran off four straight points to take the lead at 12-10. Consecutive Italy errors put the Americans into a 14-all tie. Italy forced USA into a timeout trailing 18-15 on an Italy 3-0 run. Kingdon Rishel answered with consecutive kills to cut the deficit to 18-17. Italy quickly answered with two points to regain a three-point lead at 20-17. Ogbogu put up a block after a Kingdon Rishel kill to move Team USA to within one at 20-19. The Americans leveled the set at 21-all with a Kingdon Rishel kill and Ogbogu block. Italy responded with two points to go up 23-21. Italy closed out the set at 25-23.
The U.S. rushed to an 8-2 lead in the fourth set using two points each from Lee and Washington and three Italian errors as part of a 7-0 run. Italy committed consecutive errors to extend the American lead to 11-4. Italy trimmed the deficit to 11-6 with a block. Ogbogu pounded an overpass after an Italian service error to return USA in front by seven, 14-7. The U.S. advantage reached 18-10 with a Lee kill and Italy error. Italy answered with a 3-0 run to slice the deficit to 18-13. Washington and Lee recorded consecutive kills and Hancock put up a block to inch the lead to 22-14. Italy clawed back to within 22-17 with a 3-0 run.
The U.S. scored the first three points of the tiebreaker with a kill and block from Drews around an Italy error. Italy answered with two quick points to narrow the gap to 3-2. The Americans raised their lead to 5-2 with a Lee kill after an Italian service error. Italy cut the deficit to 5-4 after a USA error. Drews served an ace to follow a Lee kill to prompt Italy to call timeout trailing 7-4. Italy served an ace to move to within one at 7-6. In another trade of two points, the U.S. went up 9-6 with a Hancock kill after an Italian service error. Drews ignited the U.S. to a 13-9 advantage with a block and kill, then finished the set at 15-11 with her seventh point of the set.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 12, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has invited 17 players to participate in a spring training block held March 16-23 in Anaheim, California – host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – at the American Sports Centers.
All 17 athletes will be evaluated for additional training this summer with the full U.S. Women’s National Team with the opportunity to make international rosters including the Pan American Games and Pan American Cup.
The training group includes 10 athletes with collegiate eligibility remaining. For these athletes, the training block serves as an extended tryout in compliance with NCAA rules.
Selected middles include Rachael Kramer (University of Florida), Avie Niece (University of Washington), Dana Rettke (University of Wisconsin) and Tionna Williams (University of Wisconsin). Outside hitters are Leah Edmond (University of Kentucky), Mikaela Foecke (University of Nebraska), Yossiana Pressley (Baylor University), Jacqueline Quade (University of Illinois) and Kadie Rolfzen (U.S. Women’s National Team).
Setters invited to the extended tryout are Sydney Hilley (University of Wisconsin), Madison Lilley (University of Kentucky), and Samantha Seliger-Swenson (University of Minnesota). Opposites in the spring training block are Taylor Bannister (LSU), Oluoma Okaro (Arizona State University) and Jordan Thompson (University of Cincinnati). The two liberos are Reyn “Tita” Akiu (University of Hawaii) and Justine Wong-Orantes (U.S. Women’s National Team).
“For those of us on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, every day we get to work with dedicated people pursuing mastery is a great day,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re pumped for the opportunity to work with this group, and excited to see how they all develop over the next several years. Finally, a gratitude shout out: for all those people with remaining college eligibility, a big thank you to all of their college programs whose support made this training camp possible.”
Notes:
Name (Position, College, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
Reyn “Tita” Akiu (L, University of Hawaii, 5-3, 0, Honolulu, Hawaii)
Taylor Bannister (OPP, LSU, 6-5, 2, Missouri City, Texas)
Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, 2, Lexington, Kentucky)
Mikaela Foecke (OH, University of Nebraska, 6-3, 0, West Point, Iowa)
Sydney Hilley (S, University of Wisconsin, 6-0, 2, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota)
Rachael Kramer (M, University of Florida, 6-8, 1, Phoenix, Arizona)
Madison Lilley (S, University of Kentucky, 5-11, 3, Overland Park, Kansas)
Avie Niece (M, University of Washington, 6-0, 1, Bellevue, Washington)
Oluoma Okaro (OPP, Arizona State University, 6-1, 0, Lakewood, California)
Yossiana Pressley (OH, Baylor University, 6-0, 2, Cypress, Texas)
Jacqueline Quade (OH, University of Illinois, 6-2, 1, Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Dana Rettke (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-8, 2, Riverside, Illinois)
Kadie Rolfzen (OH, WNT/University of Nebraska, 6-4, 0, Papillion, Nebraska)
Samantha Seliger-Swenson (S, University of Minnesota, 5-11, 0, Minnetonka, Minnesota)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 6-4, 1, Edina, Minnesota)
Tionna Williams (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-2, 0, Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Justine Wong-Orantes (L, WNT/University of Nebraska, 5-6, 0, Cypress, California)
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COLORADO SPRINGS Colo. (March 31, 2019) – The U.S. women’s snow volleyball team of Karissa Cook, Emily Hartong, Katie Spieler and Allie Wheeler took the silver medal at the first ever FIVB World Tour event in Wagrain, Austria.
It was the second straight medal for the snow team, which won the gold in December in Moscow. Prior to Moscow, none of the four had played snow volleyball before.
The U.S. women lost, 19-17, 15-8 in the final to a Russian team that included two players – Anna Romashova and Olga Filina – from the team the U.S. beat in the Moscow final.
In the first set of the final, the Russians had a 14-7 lead, but the U.S. women scored the next seven points to tie the score. The U.S. then missed two set points before Russia closed the set at 19-17.
In the semifinal, the U.S. women beat a team from Czech Republic, 15-7, 15-9.
Both the U.S. women and the U.S. men’s snow volleyball team of Chase Frishman, Travis Mewhirter, Chris Vaughan and Eric Zaun will head to Italy for the next FIVB World Tour event on April 4-7 in Kronplatz/Plan de Corones. They will be joined there by a second U.S. men’s team – Troy Field, Maddison McKibbin and Riley McKibbin.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 25, 2019) – Members of the U.S. Women’s National Team helped lead Eczacibasi to the Turkish Cup while five Team USA players are still in the hunt for the coveted European Champions League title heading into the semifinals.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Which U.S. Women’s National Team player was the first NCAA student-athlete to make the AVCA All-American first-team roster in both indoor and beach volleyball during the same academic year?
AKINRADEWO WITH HISAMITSU SPRINGS IN JAPAN: Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Twitter, Instagram) has returned to Hisamitsu Springs of the Japanese V-League this winter. Hisamitsu Springs, which finished the Japan V-League in first place overall, dominated NEC Red Rockets 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 on March 24. Akinradewo totaled five kills on seven attacks, three aces and a block for nine points. Hisamitsu Springs finished the Final 8 with an undefeated 7-0 record and now will await the Final 3 winner of second-place Toray Arrows and JT Marvelous two-match playoff this weekend.
LARSON AND GIBBEMEYER WITH ECZACIBASI IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Twitter, Instagram) and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram) are competing with Eczacibasi in the Turkish League this winter. Larson is serving as the team’s captain. In the European Champions League, Eczacibasi was on the verge of reaching the semifinals after winning the first home-and-home quarterfinal round match against Imoco Volley Conegliano. However, the Italian side charged back to win the second match 25-21, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21 on March 19 to force a golden set. In the one set playoff, Conegliano took control and won 15-10 to earn its spot into the semifinals. Larson tallied 11 points in the match with nine kills on 48 swings, one block and one ace. She handled 35 of the team’s 99 receptions with a 66 positive percent. Gibbemeyer added eight kills on 22 swings and an ace for nine points. In the Turkish Cup, Eczacibasi clipped Nilufer 25-20, 25-13, 25-23 in the quarterfinals on March 22. Gibbemeyer provided seven kills on 14 errorless attacks, three blocks and an ace in the victory. Larson did not play in the match. Eczacibasi rallied past Galatasaray 25-11, 22-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-8 in the Turkish Cup semifinals on March 23. Larson pocketed 16 points with 15 kills via 27 attacks and an ace. She was credited with a 57 positive reception percent on 28 chances. Gibbemeyer claimed seven points with five kills on 15 swings and two blocks. Eczacibasi rallied to defeat Fenerbahce 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-20 on March 24 to win the Turkish Cup. Larson piled up 16 points with 11 kills on 24 swings, four aces on 23 serves and a block. She was credited with a 70 positive reception percent on 27 chances. Gibbemeyer started the first two sets before leaving the match with tactical moves that involved limits on foreigners on the court at the same time. During her time on the court, she converted all four of her attacks into points with two aces on seven serves for six points. The Turkish Cup title match was Eczacibasi’s fourth contest in six days. In the Turkish League playoffs, Eczacibasi faces Kameroglu Beylikduzu in the home-and-home quarterfinal round with matches on March 28 and March 30.
ROBINSON WITH VAKIFBANK IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California, Twitter, Instagram, Website) is playing club volleyball with VakifBank in the Turkish professional league and European Champions League this winter. In European Champions League, VakifBank bounced back from a disappointing five-set loss to Russia’s Dinamo Moscow in their opening quarterfinal home-and-home series to win a 25-19, 25-16, 25-8 at home on March 20 and secure a spot in the semifinals. Robinson notched seven kills on 21 swings, two blocks and an ace for 10 points. She added a 50 positive reception percent on six chances. Robinson said: “I’m so happy. I think we put so much energy and focused into this game tonight. I think it shows. We came out ready to go and I am just really proud of every single part of my team.” VakifBank, which has reached the Champions League semifinals for the seventh time in a row, challenges Italy’s Igor Gorgonzola Novara in a home-and-home semifinal round series between April 2-11. VakifBank has won 38 of its last 40 Champions League matches, along with four titles in the last 10 years. In the Turkish Cup, VakifBank swept Besiktas 25-22, 25-20, 25-13 in the quarterfinals on March 22. Robinson, starting just the opening two sets, contributed eight kills on 17 swings with a 50 positive reception percent on eight chances. In its third match in four days, VakifBank fell to Fenerbahce in a hard-fought 17-25, 25-21, 25-21, 29-31, 15-13 match in the Turkish Cup semifinals. Robinson picked up 11 points in the loss, including nine kills on 26 attacks and two blocks. She was credited with a 55 positive reception percent on 31 chances. In the Turkish League playoffs, VakifBank leads Nilufer 1-0 in the home-and-home quarterfinal round series with the return match on March 28. Robinson has launched her own website, nomandplay.com on her passions for play, travel and food. In addition, Robinson has created her vlog on what it is like to be an American citizen and play professional volleyball overseas. To watch her vlogs, click here.
DREWS AND LEE WITH BEYLIKDUZU IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana, Twitter, Instagram) and Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Twitter, Instagram) are competing with Kameroglu Beylikduzu Voleybol Ihtisas alongside fellow American setter Kelly Hunter in the Turkish League for the 2018-19 season. Beylikduzu will face top-seeded Eczacibasi in the Turkish League home-and-home quarterfinals on March 28 and March 30.
HILL, LOWE WITH CONEGLIANO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram) and opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California, Instagram) are playing for Imoco Volley Conegliano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. In the European Champions League, Conegliano recovered from an opening quarterfinal loss to Eczacibasi to win the return match 25-21, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21 on March 19 to set up a golden set to determine which team advanced to the semifinals. In the golden set, Conegliano used an 8-2 run to stake a 12-7 advantage and went on to win 15-10. Hill, who was named most valuable player of the match, scored 25 points with 23 kills on 48 attacks and two blocks. She handled 20 receptions with an 80 positive percent. Lowe, who was a sub in the opening set before starting the rest of the match, added 19 points with 16 kills on 41 swings and three blocks. Conegliano will now face Turkey’s Fenerbahce in the Champions League semifinal round with home-and-home matches held between April 2-11. In the Italian Serie A1, Conegliano lost to Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia 25-15, 17-25, 15-25, 28-26, 16-14 on March 24 with several of its regular starters sitting out the match with the regular season title already secured. Both Hill and Lowe did not play in the match. Conegliano (19-4, 58 points), which remains in first place with a six-point lead, concludes the regular season on March 30 against fourth-place Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio (15-8, 45 points).
BARTSCH-HACKLEY, CARLINI WITH NOVARA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram) and setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram) are playing for Igor Gorgonzola Novara in the Italian Serie A1 and the European Champions League this winter. In the European Champions League, Novara defeated Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart 25-14, 25-22, 16-25, 18-25, 16-14 on March 21 to earn its first-ever berth into the semifinals after sweeping the quarterfinal home-and-home series. Novara had secured its spot after winning the first two sets of the match. Bartsch-Hackley tallied 12 kills on 18 swings, three aces and a block in just the first two sets before coming out of the match with advancement secured. She handled 16 receptions with a 69 positive percent. Bartsch-Hackley, who was most valuable player of the match, said: “We are happy and proud, our target was to achieve a spot in the semifinals and we made it by playing very good in the first two sets. Now we look forward to playing VakifBank. They have amazing players and we expect to play two very tough games. We will push ourselves and practice hard to get ready for such important matches.” Carlini set Novara to a .309 hitting efficiency in the first two sets while scoring two kills on two swings and a block. Novara, which is 8-0 in Champions League action in 2018-19, now faces Turkey’s VakifBank in the home-and-home semifinals to be played April 2-4. In the Italian Serie A1, Novara edged Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo 25-15, 25-18, 18-25, 23-25, 15-12 on March 24. Carlini set her team to a 49 kill percent and added an ace in starting the first four sets. Bartsch-Hackley, who started the fifth set after being a sub in the third and fourth sets, tallied two kills on four swings and handled 12 receptions with a 50 positive percent. Novara (17-6, 52 points), which has sewn up second place, concludes the regular season on March 30 against sixth-place Pomi Casalmaggiore (14-9, 40 points).
ADAMS AND HANCOCK WITH TEAM MONZA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, Twitter, Instagram) and setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma, Twitter, Instagram) are playing for Saugella Team Monza in the Italian Serie A1 and CEV Challenge Cup this winter. In the CEV Challenge Cup, Team Monza opened its home-and-home championship round series with a dominating 25-15, 25-23, 25-17 sweep over Aydin BBSK on March 20. Team Monza rallied from an 8-0 deficit in the second set to win by two points. Adams claimed 13 points in the victory with nine kills on 14 swings and four blocks. Hancock added two kills and two blocks for four points while setting Team Monza to a 43 kill percent. Team Monza can win the Challenge Cup title at home with a win over Aydin BBSK on March 27. In the Italian Serie A1, Team Monza was idle this past week. Team Monza (15-8, 45 points), which is in a virtual tie for fourth place in the Italian Serie A1, concludes the regular season versus ninth-place Zanetti Bergamo (10-13, 31 points).
COURTNEY AND HANNAH TAPP WITH BERGAMO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Libero/outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio, Instagram) and Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram) are playing for Zanetti Bergamo in the Italian Serie A1 during the 2018-19 pro season. Bergamo upset third-place Savino Del Bene Scandicci 25-22, 28-26, 25-16 on March 23. Tapp collected 11 points with eight kills on 12 attacks and three blocks. Courtney added eight kills on 24 swings and a 78 positive reception percent on a team-high 27 chances. Bergamo (10-13, 31 points), now in ninth place, closes out the regular season on March 30 against fifth-place Saugella Team Monza (15-8, 45 points).
WASHINGTON WITH BRESCIA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado, Twitter, Instagram) is playing for Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Brescia defeated regular season champions Imoco Volley Conegliano 25-15, 17-25, 15-25, 28-26, 16-14 on March 24. Washington did not play in the match. Brescia (10-13, 30 points), now in 10th place, will conclude the regular season on March 30 against third-place Savino Del Bene Scandicci (17-6, 47 points).
WHITNEY WITH FILOTTRANO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Opposite Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey, Twitter, Instagram) is playing for Lardini Filotrrano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Filottrano lost to Il Bisonte Firenze 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 on March 24. Whitney totaled 17 points with 16 kills on 38 attacks and an ace. Filottrano (5-19, 14 points), in 11th-place, concludes the regular season on March 30 versus 12th-place Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri (3-20, 9 points).
LLOYD WITH PRAIA CLUBE IN BRAZIL: Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California, Instagram) is playing for Praia Clube in the Brazilian Superliga this winter. Praia Clube also has former U.S. Women’s National Team member Nicole Fawcett playing at opposite. As the third seed in the playoffs, Praia Clube opened its best-of-five quarterfinal round series with Fluminense with a 25-23, 25-17, 25-19 victory on March 18. Lloyd set Praia Clube to a 48 kill percent and .352 hitting efficiency while tacking on three individual points with one kill, one block and one ace. Fawcett totaled seven kills on 15 swings in the victory. Praia Clube went up 2-0 in the series on March 21 with a 25-15, 25-15, 25-21 victory in Rio De Janeiro. Lloyd set her team to a 45 kill percent and .300 hitting efficiency while putting up four blocks and one ace for five points. Fawcett charted 14 points with 12 kills on 24 attacks and two aces. Praia Clube can close out the series on March 25.
WILHITE PARSONS, PAIGE TAPP, RIVERS AND McCAGE WITH MTV STUTTGART IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram), middles Molly McCage (Spring, Texas, Twitter, Instagram) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram), opposite Krystal Rivers and setter Madi Bugg are playing for Allianz MTV Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga. All but Bugg played for the U.S. Women in the 2018 season. In the European Champions League, Stuttgart failed to advance out of the quarterfinals after losing to Italy’s Igor Gorgonzola Novara 25-14, 25-22, 16-25, 18-25, 16-14 on March 21. Novara won both matches of the home-and-home series. Tapp led Stuttgart with 12 points after totaling six kills on 15 attacks and a match-high six blocks. McCage added 11 points on six kills via 15 attacks, four blocks and an ace. Rivers chipped in seven points with kills on 20 attacks and a block. Wilhite Parsons pocketed five points in two sets with two kills, two aces and a block. Bugg came on to start the final three sets and recorded two aces and a kill. In the German Bundesliga, Stuttgart fell to SC Potsdam 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 19-25, 17-15 on March 23 to conclude the regular season. Wilhite Parsons tallied 18 points with 13 kills on 50 attacks, three blocks and two aces. She was credited with a 48 positive reception percent on 21 chances. Tapp, who started the final four sets, added a match-high seven blocks to go with two kills for nine points. Rivers, who was a sub in three sets, tacked on two kills on four swings. McCage, who started just the opening set, scored one kill. Bugg, who started the entire match, set Stuttgart to a 31 kill percent and added three kills and one block for four individual points. Stuttgart (20-2, 59 points), which had already secured first place in the regular season before the final match, heads into the playoffs as the top seed.
BENSON WITH DRESDNER IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona, Twitter, Instagram) is playing for Dresdner SC in the German Bundesliga this winter. Dresdner closed out the regular season with a 19-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-13 victory over Straubing on March 23. Benson handled 24 of the team’s 61 receptions with a 50 positive percent. Dresdner (14-8, 45 points) heads into the playoffs as the third seed.
OGBOGU WITH CHEMIK POLICE IN POLAND: Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas, Twitter, Instagram) is playing for Chemik Police in the Polish League and European Champions League this winter. In the Polish Orlen Liga, Chemik Police, (19-3, 57 points) has advanced to the semifinal round as the top seed, and will await the winner of the quarterfinal round series of fourth- and fifth-place seeds.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Kim Hill was named AVCA All-America First-Team in both indoor and beach volleyball in the 2011-12 academic year while playing for Pepperdine University.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 4, 2019) –
The U.S. Women, which won the inaugural 16-team event last year and the $1 million top prize, will host No. 9 Korea on June 4, No. 13 Germany on June 5 and No. 4 Brazil on June 6. All matches will be played at the 15,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tournament all-session tickets can be purchased by clicking here, while single day tickets will go on sale Feb. 25.
Tuesday, June 4
Brazil vs. Germany, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Korea, 7:30 p.m. CT
Wednesday, June 5
Korea vs. Brazil, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m. CT
Thursday, June 6
Germany vs. Korea, 4:30 p.m. CT
USA vs. Brazil, 7:30 p.m. CT
The U.S. and Brazil have had a long-standing rivalry with tremendous respect for each other’s program over the last four decades, including facing each other in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games gold-medal match. The two powerhouses have played each other 50 times since 2008 and the U.S. has won 22 of the matches.
The U.S. opened the inaugural Volleyball Nations League last May on the Nebraska campus and went on to win the first-ever VNL title with a 17-2 overall record.
Unlike last year, this year’s Team USA domestic matches shift to the third week in the five-week long preliminary round schedule. Karch Kiraly, head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team, feels the later dates on the schedule will be an advantage in drawing even larger support from the Lincoln-Omaha area.
“We had a fabulous time beginning our first-ever preliminary week of FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Lincoln last year, so we couldn’t be happier to do it all over again in 2019,” Kiraly said. “The community and fan support were great for our first experience. Since this year’s version will be held after the school year has ended for most students, we look forward to having even more families and young’uns cheering our women on as we battle for another world title.”
Larson and Robinson starred in Husker scarlet and cream uniforms winning all-American honors before joining the U.S. Women’s National Team. Larson is a two-time Olympic medalist as an outside hitter, including silver at the 2012 London Games and bronze at the 2016 Rio Games. Robinson, who was part of the 2016 Olympic bronze-medal team with Larson, transitioned to libero during last year’s VNL from her typical outside hitter role and became one of the top liberos in the world.
Team USA Meet-and-Greet and VIP Tickets
A unique ticket opportunity for the event includes a Team USA Meet-and-Greet for $250 (plus taxes and fees, no refunds) on June 2 from 3-4 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena. In addition to the meet-and-greet, the plan includes a chalk talk with Kiraly, a greeting from Larson, an autograph session with all the U.S. Women in Lincoln for the matches, a chance to watch the U.S. Women practice the afternoon of June 2 immediately after the meet-and-greet, a mini volleyball and an event program.
“We are extremely excited to welcome back the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team for the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League event,” said Derek Bombeck, sales development manager for the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We love the opportunity to showcase Lincoln, its exceptional facilities as well as a very strong volleyball fan base. We appreciate the partnerships with USA Volleyball for allowing us to host another international competition right here in Lincoln. We look forward to the event and invite visitors from near and far to come and support Team USA on their journey to another VNL title.”
The VNL, a 16-country league for both genders, is in its second season after replacing the FIVB World Grand Prix starting in 2018. The VNL, a joint venture between the FIVB and IMG, serves as the premier annual international women’s tournament. The VNL is comprised of 12 core teams and four challenger teams who will compete in a round-robin format. Each country will play 15 pool play matches with each core country hosting at least one round-robin pod. China, hosts of the VNL Final Six July 3-7, will face the top five teams after the preliminary round with the $1 million prize at stake.
The U.S. Women are familiar with the Lincoln community. Along with hosting the 2018 VNL preliminary week in Lincoln, the Americans hosted and won the 2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament, an event also played at the Pinnacle Bank Arena. The U.S. defeated Dominican Republic on the final night of the event with over 10,000 fans in attendance on a frigid, snowy evening in early January 2016.
2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
(country listed first in each pool is the host)
Week 1: May 21-23
Pool 1: Poland, Italy, Thailand, Germany
Pool 2: Bulgaria, Japan, Belgium, USA
Pool 3: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Russia, China
Pool 4: Serbia, Netherlands, Turkey, Korea
Week 2: May 28-30
Pool 5: Italy, USA, Dominican Republic, Serbia
Pool 6: Turkey, Germany, Russia, Japan
Pool 7: China, Belgium, Thailand, Korea
Pool 8: Netherlands, Brazil, Poland, Bulgaria
Week 3: June 4-6
Pool 9: China, Italy, Japan, Netherlands
Pool 10: USA, Korea, Germany, Brazil
Pool 11: Thailand, Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Turkey
Pool 12: Belgium, Serbia, Russia, Poland
Week 4: June 11-13
Pool 13: Italy, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia
Pool 14: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Dominican Republic
Pool 15: Japan, Serbia, Thailand, Brazil
Pool 16: China, USA, Poland, Turkey
Week 5: June 18-20
Pool 17: Turkey, Belgium, Italy, Brazil
Pool 18: China, Germany, Bulgaria, Serbia
Pool 19: Russia, Thailand, Netherlands, USA
Pool 20: Korea, Japan, Poland, Dominican Republic
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 19, 2018) – The U.S Women’s National Team used a 10-1 block advantage and 7-2 margin in aces to defeat to host Japan 25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23 on Friday in Yokohama to finish in fifth place in the FIVB World Championship.
Quick Sets
Both the Americans and Japanese finished third in their respective Third-Round three team pools to fall into the fifth-place classification match. Earlier today Italy and Serbia defeated China and Netherlands, respectively, in the semifinals and will play for the championship on Saturday.
The Americans commanded a 9-3 lead early in the first set, only to have Japan come back to tie the set at 16-all. However, Team USA answered with three unanswered to take a 20-17 lead and won the set 25-23. In the second set, the U.S. used a 6-1 run take a 16-9 advantage and cruised to a 25-16 victory. Team USA came back from a 19-16 deficit in the third set to tie the set at 20-all, but Japan scored two quick points and sided out to a 25-23 victory. The third set saw 13 ties before Japan prevailed. The Americans rallied from a 12-10 deficit in the fourth set with a 6-0 run that lifted them to a 14-10 advantage, then held on for a 25-23 victory after leading by as many as six at 18-12.
“It is always an honor and thrill to play against the great Japan team, in Japan, with a gym full of spectators,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I congratulate them on a great tournament, and the organizers for doing a such a good job organizing the World Championships. Our team had some very disappointing losses. I am really proud of the way our team came back from those and fight hard to close out the tournament with a win.”
U.S. captain Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) echoed Kiraly’s assessment on the atmosphere of playing Japan in Japan.
“I just want to thank you to the Japanese fans,” Larson said. “This atmosphere is so cool, they do such a great job of hosting this tournament. We are so lucky to be part of this tournament.”
Hill notched 25 points with 22 kills on 54 swings, two blocks and an ace. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) contributed 17 points with 14 kills on 30 swings and three blocks. Larson charted 10 kills on 33 swings, one block and one ace for 12 points from her outside hitter position.
“I thought it was a great game,” Larson said. “I thought Japan played really well. But I was really proud of our team for staying committed to the game plan and executing well. We just wanted to come out strong and just play our volleyball. I think that is always important for us, for whatever situation we are in. Again, I am really proud of our team for coming out strong and sticking with it.”
Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) pocketed nine kills on 18 attacks and two blocks for 11 points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled 10 points with eight kills on 15 swings, one ace and one block. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) tallied four aces, two kills and a block for seven points. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who was a serving sub in the first two sets and played briefly in the front row in the third set, rounded out the scoring with two kills on five attacks. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all four set, racking up eight total serves where the Americans won four points.
U.S. libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) had a 62 positive reception percent on eight chances and added 12 digs. Larson was 41 percent positive on 44 service receptions to go with 16 digs. Hill added 12 digs and a 48 positive reception percent on 23 chances. Hancock provided 13 digs and Lowe was credited with eight.
The U.S. converted 41 percent of its attacks with a .341 hitting efficiency as Hancock handled 122 of the team’s 154 total set attempts. The American defense limited the Japanese to a 38 kill percent and .270 hitting efficiency.
Along with its dominance in blocking and serving, the U.S. managed a 67-57 advantage in kills over the Japanese. The host nation took advantage of 28 American errors and limited its own miscues to 14 for the match. The U.S. held a 64-54 edge in digs.
Japan was led by Risa Shinnabe’s 16 points followed by Sarina Koga’s 15.
Despite the disappointment of losing the opportunity to defend Team USA’s World Championship won back in 2014, Larson said it was important to finish on a high note.
“I thought at times we played really well,” said Larson, referring to a 7-0 start to the World Championship and some exciting play in two five-set losses in the Third Round dropping the team to the fifth-place match. “Obviously, it was disappointing losing last round. All in all, I thought we finished strong. I think that is the main, key point that we got to take away. But there are a lot of areas we can work on.”
Japan will also be hosting the 2019 FIVB World Cup and the 2020 Olympic Games, and Larson said she and her teammates are excited to return.
“We are excited,” Larson said. “We love coming here. Japan does a great job (of hosting events).”
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Adams at middle, Lowe at opposite, Hancock at setter, Robinson at libero.
The U.S. opened the first set with a 2-0 lead thanks to consecutive Japanese errors. The Americans raised their lead to 8-3 with three Hill kills around an Akinradewo kill. Out of the first technical timeout break, Akinradewo placed a block at 9-3 to cap a 5-0 run on Lowe’s serve. Japan cut the deficit to 10-6 with consecutive points, then moved to within three at 12-9. Japan continued to charge back into the set with consecutive points at 13-11. Team USA reached the second technical timeout leading 16-12 with kills from Hill and Lowe. Japan answered with three four points out of the break to level the set at 16-all. The Americans ended the streak with an Akinradewo block and kill around a Japan attack error to yield a 19-16 U.S. lead. Team USA stretched the margin to 21-17 with a Larson kill and Japan error. Japan saved two set points before hitting long to give the Americans a 25-23 victory.
Hancock served consecutive aces to start the second set for a 2-0 American lead. Hill and Lowe connected for back-to-back kills to raise the U.S. lead to 5-2. Team USA extended the advantage to 7-3 with consecutive Hill kills. Japan sliced the deficit to 7-5 with consecutive points. The U.S. inched its lead to 13-8 with kills from Adams, Lowe and Hill prompting a Japanese timeout. Larson served an ace out of the break to cap the 4-0 run at 14-8. The Americans reached the second technical timeout leading 16-9 after kills from Lowe and Hill. Team USA upped its lead to 18-10 with a Japan service error and Akinradewo block. The Americans continued the pressure with kills from Hill and Larson at 20-11. Japan shaved two points off the deficit at 21-14. Larson canned consecutive kills at 23-14. Team USA capped the set at 25-16 with a Japan service error.
Team USA earned a 2-0 lead to start the third set with an Adams kill and Hancock ace, but Japan came back to tie the set at 3-all. Japan took its first lead in any set at 5-4 on consecutive points, then raised its advantage to 7-5 as part of a 4-1 run. Out of an American timeout, Akinradewo pounded a kill and Hill served an ace to level the set at 7-all. Japan built a 10-8 lead after a video challenge reversal, but kills from Adams and Lowe knotted the set again at 10-all. After trading sideouts for 11 points, the U.S. went into the second technical timeout leading 16-15 on a Japan service error and Larson block. However, Japan came out of the break with four consecutive points to take a 19-16 advantage. Team USA ended the run with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe to close to 19-18 prompting a Japan timeout. The Americans leveled the set at 20-all with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe. Japan answered with back-to-back points to place them in front 22-20. Japan sided out to a 25-23 victory.
Japan went on a 5-1 run to gain a 5-2 advantage early in the fourth set. Adams scored a kill and ace and Hill followed with an overpass kill to tie the set at 5-all. Japan resumed a two-point edge at 9-7. The Americans ran off four straight with kills from Larson, Lowe and Hill followed by a Hancock ace to reverse the lead to the U.S. at 12-10. After a Japan timeout, Adams and Larson hammered consecutive overpasses to push the American lead to 14-10 on a 6-0 run. Team USA extended the lead to 18-12 with kills from Adams, Lowe and Hill. Japan knocked three points off the gap at 19-16. The Americans pushed forward to a 22-17 lead with an Akinradewo kill and Larson block. Japan answered with three quick points to move to within two at 22-20. Japan saved two set points before Hill slammed the winner at 25-23.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for Team USA
First-Round Pool C at Kobe, Japan (All Time Eastern)
Sept. 29: USA def. Azerbaijan 29-27, 25-21, 25-21
Sept. 30: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-12, 25-11
Oct. 2: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18
Oct. 3: USA def. Thailand 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11
Oct. 4: USA def. Russia 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 15-11
Second Round at Osaka, Japan (Must finish top 4 in Pool C to advance)
Oct. 7: USA def. Bulgaria 25-16, 25-17, 25-11
Oct. 8: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 25-17, 25-18
Oct. 10: USA lost to China 25-17, 26-24, 25-18
Oct. 11: USA lost to Italy 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16
Third Round at Nagoya, Japan (Must finish top 3 in Second Round to advance)
Oct. 14: China def. USA 25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9 (Pool H)
Oct. 14: Serbia def. Japan 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 (Pool G)
Oct. 15: Netherlands def. USA 30-32, 15-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-9 (Pool H)
Oct. 15: Italy def. Japan 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-13 (Pool G)
Oct. 16: Serbia def. Italy 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23 (Pool G)
Oct. 16: China def. Netherlands 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-17 (Pool H)
Final 5-6 at Yokohama, Japan (Two Third Place Teams from Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19: USA def. Japan 25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23
Semifinals and Medal Rounds in Yokohama, Japan (top two finishes in both Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19: Serbia def. Netherlands 25-22, 26-28, 25-19, 25-23 (Semifinal)
Oct. 19: Italy def. China 25-18, 21-25, 25-16, 29-31, 17-15 (Semifinal)
Oct. 20: Netherlands vs. China (Bronze-Medal Match), 3:10 a.m. ET
Oct. 20: Serbia vs. Italy (Gold-Medal Match), 6:20 a.m. ET
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 23, 2018) – After winning gold in both its 2018 tournaments and playing five competitive friendly exhibition matches this summer, the U.S. Women’s National Team has turned its full attention toward defending its FIVB World Championship title captured back in 2014.
The FIVB Women’s World Championship, played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in the first-round Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top three teams from the two second round pools move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
The preliminary roster includes eight players with Olympic Games experience: Adams, Akinradewo (two Olympics), Hill, Larson (two Olympics), Lowe, Lloyd, Murphy and Robinson. Further, Dixon was part of the 2014 World Championship gold-medal team.
Team USA, ranked second in the world, is 26-4 during the 2018 season, and two of the losses were without the core veterans competing.
“So far in 2018, our program appears to be on a good path,” Kiraly said. “We’ve had some good results, lots of players and staff have made important contributions, but ultimately those things don’t give us even one extra point at the World Championship. We’re going to have to go out and fight our hardest, every single play, to earn 25 points before the other team does.”
The U.S. Women opened the 2018 season by winning the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League (rebranded event replacing the long-standing World Grand Prix) and the $1 million top prize. The U.S. went 17-2 in the tournament, including a 10-match win streak in the preliminary round (nine sweeps) that included wins over No. 1 China and No. 4 Brazil. In the Final 6 Round, the Americans defeated Turkey and Serbia to avenge both their prelim losses, then went on to defeat China in the semifinals and repeated a five-set win over Turkey in the gold-medal match. Bartsch-Hackley emerged as a star on the rise after earning the most valuable player of the VNL, while Tori Dixon was chosen best blocker.
The U.S. Women also won the Pan American Cup with a younger roster due to overlap in training and competition with the Volleyball Nations League. After a slow start in pool play that included a four-set opening win over Trinidad & Tobago followed by a five-set loss to Cuba, Team USA found its groove by sweeping Puerto Rico to conclude pool play before downing Colombia in the quarterfinals. The Americans topped then-undefeated Canada in the semifinals, then rallied from a two-set deficit to defeat host Dominican Republic in the title match. Carlini was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
Team USA won all four matches friendly exhibition matches with Brazil in a tour of Brazil in mid-August.
Although Team USA has had much success in 2018, Kiraly said there is room to improve and strengthen areas of its game heading into the World Championship.
“Leading up to World Championships, our training focus will be to improve some important aspects of our game, aspects that were not as strong as they needed to be during VNL,” Kiraly said.
While history reflects the U.S. Women won the most recent World Championship, the team enters this year’s World Championship not thinking of the past but with a clean slate.
“We are not defending anything,” Kiraly said. “We won the last World Championship, and that was nice, but that’s ancient history, and that result has no bearing on this year’s tournament. Now we are on the new and fresh process – along with many other strong teams that have high hopes – of attempting to win a totally separate tournament, the 2018 World Championship.”
The Americans captured the 2014 World Championship title in Italy, marking their first triple crown title (Olympic Games, FIVB World Championship, FIVB World Cup). However, Team USA has been among the favorites to win most tournaments in this century. The U.S. has medaled in each of the last three Olympic Games, winning silver in 2008 and 2012 before finishing with bronze in 2016. Team USA is the only women’s indoor volleyball team to have reached the podium in each of the last three Olympic Games.
U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster for FIVB World Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
22 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
25 – Chiaka Ogbobu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 18, 2018) – Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) scored a match-high 26 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-23, 18-25, 26-24, 25-13 victory over Brazil on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro to conclude its four-match exhibition tour with a 4-0 record.
The U.S. won all four of its matches against Brazil using four different starting lineups as all 14 Americans on the travel roster had at least one start. Team USA’s focus now turns to defending its FIVB World Championship as it heads to Japan at the end September.
USA vs. Brazil Exhibition Tour Series
The U.S. used a 5-0 run to overcome a 21-19 deficit in the opening set to win 25-23, a set that had seven lead changes. Brazil scored six unanswered points in the second set to take a 22-17 advantage and scores nine of final 10 points for 25-18 victory. Team USA scored the final three points of the third set on Kingdon Rishel winners to win 26-24. Team USA had taken a 13-8 lead after the score was tied 6-all, but Brazil had rushed into the lead at 19-18 on an 11-15 run. The Americans ended the match on a 16-6 run to win the fourth set 25-13.
Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) reached 26 points with 22 kills on 42 swings, two aces and two blocks. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) contributed 23 points with 19 kills on 36 attacks, two aces and two blocks. Middle Chiaka Ogbobu (Coppell, Texas) pocketed 11 points with five kills on eight errorless attacks to go with a team-best six blocks.
“I thought it was a difficult game,” Drews said. “It was very point-to-point. The lead changed many times. Every time we play Brazil, I think we learn so much about ourselves and our weakness and ways we can get better. They really challenge us. We really commend them and thank them for this last week and getting both teams better. It has been a lot fun.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who started the final two sets, added six kills on 22 swings and a block for seven points. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) served three aces in the match to go with two kills on four attacks and a block for seven points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) tacked on three kills and and a block for four points. Outside hitter Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) tallied two kills in the victory while playing just the first two sets. Lauren Carlin (Aurora, Illinois), who was part of the double-sub with Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) in the first two sets, rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was credited with an 69 positive reception percent on 13 receptions, in addition to five digs. Kingdon provided a 44 positive reception percent on 25 chances, along with 10 digs. Bartsch-Hackley added 18 receptions with a 44 positive percent. Lee was credited with six digs and handled a team-leading 25 receptions with a 44 positive percent. Hancock totaled 10 digs in the victory.
Hancock set the Americans to a 42 kill percent and .254 hitting efficiency (59-23-142) for the match. Meanwhile, the American defense limited Brazil to a 35 kill percent and .181 hitting efficiency (39-19-110).
“It is definitely a great feeling to win,” Drews said of getting four wins against Brazil on the road. “When you bring a young group, I think it is really rewarding to win.”
Drews feels the bigger takeaway from the week in Brazil was not the wins, but getting the younger players ready for the next stage as Team USA prepares to defend its FIVB World Championship.
“I think the bigger focus was getting people playing time who may not have played much during Volleyball Nations League, getting some of our younger players comfortable,” Drews said. “I think four matches gave us a good chance to do that. Get a lot of people playing time, and see what we need to get better at.”
Team USA out-blocked Brazil 13-7 and held a slim 8-7 margin in aces. The American offense secured a 59-39 advantage in kills during the match, thanks in part to a 45 positive reception as a team. In contrast, the Brazilians were positive on 41 percent of their receptions.
Gabi paced the Brazilians with 19 points and Tandara added 10 points in the loss.
The U.S. started Dixon and Ogbogu at middle, Kingdon Rishel and Lee at outside hitter, Drews at opposite and Hancock at setter. Courtney was the libero for the match.
Ogbogu and Kingdon Rishel scored consecutive overpass kills to go in front 2-1 in the opening set. Kingdon Rishel served an ace after a Drews kill to expand the American lead to 4-2, but Brazil answered with three straight points to regain the lead at 5-4. Dixon put up a block after a Brazil miscue to yield a 6-5 American lead. Drews scored a kill and ace on back-to-back plays to build the U.S. lead to 8-6. Brazil responded with four unanswered points to gain the lead at 10-8. Dixon and Hancock hammered kills to square the set at 11-all. Kingdon Rishel launched a kill to put the Americans in front 13-12. Ogbogu and Drews slammed consecutive kills to increase the U.S. advantage to 15-13. Brazil tied the set at 16-all with back-to-back points, then went in front 18-17 as part of a 4-1 scoring run. Brazil picked up a two-point cushion at 21-19 with back-to-back points. Ogbogu put up a block after a Brazil attack error to tie the set at 21-all, then Hancock served an ace to put the Americans in front 22-21. Out of a Brazil timeout, Team USA extended its lead to 24-21 as Brazil hit wide and Ogbogu scored a block. Brazil saved two set points before Drews ended it with a kill at 25-23.
Hancock opened the second set with an ace for a 1-0 USA lead. Lee and Drews slammed kills to extend the Team USA lead to 4-2. Brazil scored five unanswered points to stake an 8-5 lead. Kills by Dixon, Drews and Kingdon Rishel after two Brazil errors put the Americans in front 10-8. Brazil squared the set at 10-all with back-to-back points. Kingdon Rishel scored a block and kill to again put the U.S. in a two-point cushion at 12-10. Brazil scored three straight points to take the lead back at 14-13. Carlini served an ace after a Drews kill to reverse the lead to the USA at 17-16. Brazil answered with six consecutive points to take the lead at 22-17. Brazil served an ace to get to set point, 24-18, then won immediately on at American attack error at 25-18.
Drews pounded a kill and Ogbogu followed with a block to give the Americans a 3-2 lead. Kingdon Rishel hammered a kill off the block to raise the American lead to 5-3. Brazil tied set at 6-all. Kingdon Rishel and Bartsch-Hackley downed consecutive kills to gain a two-point edge at 8-6, then the U.S. raised the margin to 10-7 after a Brazil error. Drews canned back-to-back kills to extend the American lead to 12-8 prompting a Brazil timeout. Out of the break, Drews scored a third straight kill to increase the Team USA lead to 13-8. Brazil broke the run with four unanswered points including two aces to close to 13-12. Kingdon Rishel and Drews stopped the run with back-to-back kills to extend Team USA’s lead to 15-12. Brazil narrowed its deficit to 17-16 with consecutive kills, then went in front 19-18 with three unanswered points. Hancock served an ace after Ogbogu placed a block to give the Americans a 21-20 advantage. Brazil answered with two straight points to take the lead at 22-21. Kingdon Rishel scored a kill and block to reverse the score to Team USA at 25-24. Kingdon Rishel then ended the set with another kill at 26-24.
Kingdon Rishel scored a kill and Ogbogu added a block to give the Americans a 3-2 lead in the fourth set. Ogbogu and Kingdon Rishel slammed back-to-back kills to raise he USA lead to 5-3. Kingdon Rishel tipped over a kill, Dixon followed with a block and Kingdon Rishel served an ace to extend the American lead to 9-5 prompting a Brazil timeout. Out of the break Brazil chopped two points off the deficit at 9-7. Consecutive Brazil attack errors, a Bartsch-Hackley joust winner and Ogbogu slide put the Americans back up by six, 13-7. Drews hit a winner and Ogbogu followed with a block to extend Team USA’s lead to 15-8. Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon notched consecutive kills to raise the American lead to 18-10. Drews served an ace between two Kingdon Rishel kills to place the USA in front 21-11. Bartsch-Hackley tapped over for a kill and Brazil hit wide to give the U.S. match points at 24-13. Bartsch-Hackley ended the set quickly with a block at 25-13.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 16, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team overcame a two-set deficit to defeat host Brazil 15-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 17-15 on Thursday in Uberaba during the third of four exhibition matches between the two powerhouse countries.
Team USA now has won the first three matches in the exhibition tour. The fourth and final match of the series will be played Aug. 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET in Rio de Janeiro in Maracanazinho, the famed venue that also hosted the 2016 Olympic Games volleyball matches where Team USA won bronze.
Brazil controlled the opening set from the start, taking a 16-7 advantage en route to a 25-15 victory. Brazil scored the first four points of the second set before the Americans tied the set at 5-all. After Brazil rolled to a 16-10 lead, the U.S. answered with an 11-4 run to take a 21-20 advantage only to have Brazil come back for the 25-23 victory.
Although the U.S. lost the second set, that late momentum was pivotal as it carried over into the final three sets. Team USA overcame a 15-12 deficit in the third set with a 9-3 run, then went on to win 25-21. The Americans sent the match to a fifth set by winning a close fourth set 25-23 after trailing 22-21 late in the set. The U.S. opened up a 6-1 advantage in the tiebreaker and reached match point 14-11 before Brazil saved three straight points. The Americans completed the comeback with consecutive points to win 17-15.
USA vs. Brazil Exhibition Tour Series
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) tallied 18 points with 15 kills on 43 swings and three blocks to help the American attack. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) supplied 17 points with 15 kills on 38 swings and two blocks. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) provided 15 points in the victory with nine kills on 24 swings, five blocks and an ace.
Outside hitter Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) contributed eight kills on 29 swings, one blocks and one ace for 10 points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted six kills on 12 swings, two blocks and an ace for nine points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) provided two blocks and two aces for four points in the victory. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) pocketed four kills on six errorless swings and one block in the double-sub during the first four sets. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), who was part of the double-sub with Drews, rounded out the scoring with two aces on 12 serves in her limited action on the court.
Lee handled 51 of Team USA’s 100 receptions with a 43 positive reception percent, while adding eight digs. Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) added 25 receptions with a 64 positive reception percent, along with a team-leading 10 digs. Kingdon Rishel was credited with a 55 positive reception percent on 22 chances.
With Carlini as the starting setter and Hancock running the offense in the double sub, Team USA converted 37 percent of its attacks with a .208 hitting efficiency (57-25-154). Carlini had 112 of Team USA’s 153 set attempts, while Hancock had 17 set attempts. The American offense got better as the match went on following a 24 kill percent in the opening set. Meanwhile, Brazil lost the match despite having a 44 kill percent and .234 hitting efficiency (64-30-145).
The U.S. held a 16-10 block advantage for the match, including seven blocks in the fourth set. Brazil held a 64-57 margin in kills and both teams served seven aces..
Gabi led Brazil with 21 points and Tandara added 18 points.
The U.S. started Gibbemeyer and Adams at middle, Kingdon Rishel and Lee at outside hitter, Lowe at opposite and Carlini at setter. Benson was the libero for the match. For the third straight match, U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly mixed up the starting lineup as now all 14 American players competing in Brazil have at least one start in the three matches.
Team USA elected not to travel a handful of veteran Olympic athletes (Foluke Akinradewo, Kim Hill, Jordan Larson, Carli Lloyd, Kelly Murphy, Kelsey Robinson), allowing younger players and others returning from injury the opportunity to compete and be evaluated for the upcoming FIVB World Championship roster.
The FIVB Women’s World Championship, played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top six teams from the second round move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
Brazil reached a 12-6 advantage in the opening set, then stretched the advantage to 16-7. Carlini served an ace to put the U.S. within seven at 20-13. Brazil continued to click through to a 25-15 victory.
Brazil scored the first four points of the second set, but Lowe downed a kill and Adams put up consecutive blocks to cut the gap to 4-3. Team USA tied the set at 5-all with an Adams block and Lee kill. Brazil answered with three straight points to stake an 8-5 lead. After Brazil upped its lead to 11-7, the U.S. sliced two points off with kills from Gibbemeyer and Lowe at 11-9. Brazil raised its lead to 16-10 on a 5-1 scoring run. Adams served an ace to narrow the gap to 18-15 in a 3-0 run that included a Lee kill. Hancock served an ace followed by a Drews kill at 20-18. Team USA roared back into a tie at 20-all following consecutive Gibbemeyer blocks. Lee gave the Americans the lead at 21-20 as part of an 11-4 run. Brazil regained the lead at 23-21 with three straight points. Brazil sided out to a 25-23 victory.
Brazil started the third set with a 2-0 advantage, but the U.S. rallied to a 3-all tie with consecutive Brazil errors. The Americans gained a 7-4 edge following four straight Brazil errors. Brazil answered with three straight points to level the set at 8-all, then took the lead back at 11-10. Brazil extended its lead to 15-12 on three unanswered points. A Lee kill, Drews block and Hancock ace squared the set at 15-all. The U.S. reversed the lead at 18-17 with a Kingdon Rishel kill and Brazil error. Team USA expanded its advantage to 21-18 with back-to-back Brazil errors followed by an Adams block. Team USA finished the set at 25-21 with a Lowe kill and Lee block.
Team USA took its first lead of the fourth set at 5-4 following a Gibbemeyer kill and Lee ace, but Brazil bounced back into the lead at 8-5 with four straight points. Brazil raised its margin to four at 10-6. Consecutive Lowe kills cut the gap in half at 10-8. The Americans sliced the deficit to 12-11 with an Adams kill and Brazil attack error, then moved into a tie at 13-all with a Gibbemeyer kill and Brazil error. Brazil answered with back-to-back points for a 15-13 lead. Drews and Kingdon Rishel tallied back-to-back kills to level the set at 16-all. Team USA took the lead at 18-17 with a Kingdon kill and Carlini ace. Out of a Brazil timeout, Kingdon Rishel pounded a kill to lift the American lead to 19-17. Brazil roared back into the lead at 20-19 with three unanswered points. Team USA went in front 23-22 with a Kingdon Rishel kill and Gibbemeyer block. Out of a Brazil timeout, Gibbemeyer put up another block to give the Americans set point 24-22. Gibbemeyer finished the set at 25-23 with a kill.
The U.S. started the fifth strong with an opening Lowe kill and consecutive Kingdon Rishel slams to go up 3-0. Adams and Lee provided kills followed by a Brazil error to extend the American lead to 6-1. Brazil stopped the run with consecutive points to slice the gap to 6-3. The U.S. extended the lead to 9-4 with a Gibbemeyer kill and Brazil attack error. Out of its timeout, Brazil knocked two points off its deficit to close to within 9-6. Brazil continued to claw back into the set, moving to within 12-10 prompting a USA timeout. Brazil saved three match points to tie the set at 14-all. Team USA won the match on a Kingdon Rishel kill and Gibbemeyer ace for a 17-15 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 15, 2018) – On the brink of elimination from the FIVB World Championship title chase, the U.S. Women’s National Team were unable to hold on to a 2-0 lead in falling to the Netherlands 30-32, 15-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-9 in the Third Round pool play in Nagoya, Japan.
Quick Sets
The U.S. lost both of its Third Round (Final Six) pool matches in five sets, including a match against China in which the Americans led 2-1 after three sets. Team USA will face Japan, the Pool G third-place team, in the 5th/6th place match on Oct. 19.
Netherlands, which came out of the Second Round Pool E as the top seed with an 8-1 record, raced out to a 9-2 lead in the opening set and led 18-11, but the Americans rallied to tie the set at 24-all. Team USA saved six set points and won the marathon opener 32-30 on its fourth set point chance. The Americans built an early 8-3 lead in the second set, then pushed out to a 16-8 margin on a 6-0 run before cruising into a 25-15 victory. In the third set, Netherlands broke a 16-all tie with a 6-2 run to take a 22-18 advantage in winning the set 25-22. Netherlands erupted for an 11-5 lead in the fourth set and forced the fifth set with a 25-15 victory. Netherlands used a 4-0 run to take a 5-2 lead in the tiebreaker and won the final set 15-9.
“It was a great battle. We fought hard to come back in the first set,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Ultimately the result is very disappointing. They made some changes and we wasted chances in the third set. You have to be good at converting those chances against a team like the Netherlands.”
U.S. outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored a team-high 17 points, all on kills via 42 swings, off after not starting the match. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) also came off the bench in the first set to score 14 kills on 31 swings and a block for 15 points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled 13 points with nine kills on 15 swings and four blocks.
Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) added 12 points with 11 kills on 20 attacks and a block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed nine kills and two aces for 11 points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) scored two kills on five swings in starting the first set and as a sub in the final three sets. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was unofficially credited with 17 digs and a 43 positive reception percent on 14 chances. Larson handled a team-leading 34 receptions with a 44 positive reception percent to go with nine digs. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with a 55 positive reception percent on 33 chances and 16 digs. Lowe had nine digs and Hancock eight.
Both teams converted 39 percent of their attacks, but Netherlands produced a .250 hitting efficiency (63-23-160) to the Americans’ .241 hitting efficiency (61-23-158) in unofficial stats.
Earlier this year the Americans defeated Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 during the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round on May 23 in Toyota Japan. Overall, the U.S. is 35-11 against Netherlands dating back to 1983, having won the previous eight matches including the 2016 Olympic Games bronze-medal match. The last time the Netherlands defeated Team USA was in the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix.
Netherlands held advantages in every scoring category: 63-62 in kills, 11-7 in blocks and 10-2 in aces.
Netherlands’ Lonneke Sloetjes amassed a match-high 38 points, including 32 kills on 69 attacks. Celese Plak came off the bench to start the final three sets in providing 16 points.
“I’m proud of my team,” said Netherlands Head Coach Jamie Morrison, who was an assistant coach for Kiraly at the 2016 Olympic Games where Team USA won bronze. “We continue to find ways to win in difficult situations. We had people come off the bench today and do a good job. We continue to make history and we are not finished yet. I told the team before the third set to take it one point at a time. It was a change of mentality and three substitutions that made the difference. We have a very deep team. We have versatile depth. Sloetjes is one of the top three players in the world.”
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Adams at middle, Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), along with Lowe and Bartsch-Hackley, came into the first set and led the comeback victory along with the second-set victory. They started the final four sets. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all five sets.
Netherlands grabbed a 9-2 lead early in the opening set as part of a 7-0 run that included two aces. Lloyd and Adams put up consecutive blocks to close the gap to 10-5, but Netherlands resumed a seven-point lead at 12-5 with another ace. The Dutch reached the second technical timeout leading 16-8. Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe hammered consecutive kills to slice the deficit to 17-11. Akinradewo and Lowe slammed kills and Adams put up a block to move the USA to within 18-14 at a Dutch timeout. Out of the break, Netherlands committed an error to bring Team USA within 18-15. Netherlands ended the 4-0 American run with consecutive points to extend the lead to 20-15. Team USA moved to within 22-20 with an Adams kill, Akinradewo block and Netherlands error. The Americans closed to within one at 24-23 with a Lowe kill after a Dutch service error. Out of a Netherlands timeout, the U.S. tied the set at 24-all with a Dutch attack error. Team USA took its first lead at 25-24 on a Netherlands attack error. Netherlands saved a set point and went back in front at 26-25 with a block. Akinradewo and Bartsch-Hackley ended the marathon set at 32-30 with consecutive kills.
The U.S. bolted to a 3-0 lead in the second set with a Larson ace and Lowe block after the Dutch opened with a service error. The Americans raised the advantage to 8-3 with a Larson kill between a Dutch service and attack error. Netherlands clipped two points off the deficit at 8-5, then moved to within two at 10-8. Team USA answered with three Lowe kills around two Bartsch-Hackley kills and Netherlands attack error to extend the lead to 16-8 on a 6-0 run into the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Bartsch-Hackley scored a third straight kill and seven overall American point to go up 17-8. Netherlands cut two points off the American lead at 19-12. Team USA answered with an Akinradewo kill after a Dutch error to increase the advantage to 21-12. Lowe scored the final two points on kills for a 25-15 victory.
Netherlands reached a two-point cushion at 4-2 early in the third set. However, Akinradewo tied the set at 5-all with a kill after a Netherlands error. The Dutch went into the first technical timeout leading 8-6. The U.S. took the lead at 11-9 with two Bartsch-Hackley kills, an Adams kill and Dutch error. Netherlands tied the set at 13-all with an ace off the net, then went into the at lead 16-15 at the second technical timeout. The Dutch increased their lead to 18-16 with consecutive points, then extended the advantage to 22-18 on a 3-0 run. Netherlands reached set points at 24-19 with two straight points. Team USA saved three set points with an Akinradewo kill and two Dutch errors. Netherlands won the set at 25-22.
Team USA scored the first two points of the fourth set with a Larson kill and Adams block, but Netherlands quickly tied the set at 2-all. The Dutch used an 8-1 run to take a 11-5 lead. The Americans chipped two points off the deficit at 12-8 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Dutch error. The Dutch answered with three points to go up 15-8. Out of the second technical timeout, the U.S. scored three straight points with a Larson kill, Murphy block to close to 16-12. However, Netherlands answered with three straight for a 19-12 advantage. The Dutch increased the lead to 24-14 with four straight points, then won the set at 25-15.
After Netherlands scored the first point of the fifth set, Bartsch-Hackley downed a kill and Netherlands committed an error to give the USA a 2-1 lead. The Dutch answered with four straight points to go up 5-2. Netherlands stretched the advantage to 9-5 with consecutive blocks, then moved up by six at 13-7. Netherlands won the match with a 15-9 victory.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for Team USA
First-Round Pool C at Kobe, Japan (All Time Eastern)
Sept. 29: USA def. Azerbaijan 29-27, 25-21, 25-21
Sept. 30: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-12, 25-11
Oct. 2: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18
Oct. 3: USA def. Thailand 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11
Oct. 4: USA def. Russia 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 15-11
Second Round at Osaka, Japan (Must finish top 4 in Pool C to advance)
Oct. 7: USA def. Bulgaria 25-16, 25-17, 25-11
Oct. 8: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 25-17, 25-18
Oct. 10: USA lost to China 25-17, 26-24, 25-18
Oct. 11: USA lost to Italy 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16
Third Round at Nagoya, Japan (Must finish top 3 in Second Round to advance)
Oct. 14: China def. USA 25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9 (Pool H)
Oct. 14: Serbia def. Japan 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 (Pool G)
Oct. 15: Netherlands def. USA 30-32, 15-25, 25-22, 25-15, 15-9 (Pool H)
Oct. 15: Italy vs. Japan, 6:20 a.m. (Pool G)
Oct. 16: Italy vs. Serbia, 3:10 a.m. (Pool G)
Oct. 16: Netherlands vs. China, 6:20 a.m. (Pool H)
Final Classification Match (at Yokohama)
Oct. 19: USA vs. TBA (5th-6th Place Match), 6:20 a.m. ET
Semifinals and Medal Rounds in Yokohama, Japan (top two finishes in both Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19-20
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 14, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Brazil 29-27, 25-23, 25-18 Tuesday in the two rivals’ second exhibition match of a four-match tour taking place in Brazil.
The U.S. fell behind 3-0 to open the first set, but quickly regained composure to take the lead at 10-8 and battled down the stretch for a 29-27 victory on its fifth set-point chance. The Americans battled back from a 19-15 deficit in the second set to win 25-23. Team USA opened the third set with advantages of 5-0 and 8-2 and cruised to the 25-18 victory.
USA vs. Brazil Exhibition Tour Series
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly inserted five new starters into the lineup after its series-opening win on Sunday, and the end result was the same.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led Team USA with 15 points via 13 kills on 22 swings and a block. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) chipped in 11 points with nine kills on 25 swings, one ace and one block. Middle Chiaka Ogbobu (Coppell, Texas) contributed nine points with five kills on 14 attacks and a match-high four blocks.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel (Phoenix, Arizona) pocketed six points by slamming six kills on 12 attacks to go with two blocks for eight points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) chalked up six kills on 11 errorless attacks to go with a block for seven points. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who was the opposite in the double-sub with setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) in all three sets, tallied three kills on three errorless swings to go with two blocks for five points in her limited action. Hancock added an ace and kill for two points, while starting setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) handled eight receptions with a 88 positive reception percent. She was credited with a team-best seven digs in the match. Bartsch-Hackley added 29 receptions with a 41 positive percent, followed by Kindgon Rishel’s 36 positive reception percent on 25 chances and five digs.
Carlini, with Hancock coming in as the double-sub setter, led Team USA to a 48 kill percent and .318 hitting efficiency (42-14-88). Carlini had 66 set attempts, while Hancock had 12. The American defense limited Brazil to a 42 kill percent and .156 hitting efficiency (42-25-96).
The Americans out-blocked Brazil 12-8 and held a slim 3-1 margin in aces. Team USA managed a 42-40 edge in kills. As a team, the U.S. had a 45 positive reception percent to Brazil’s 34 percent.
Brazil’s Tandara led all scorers with 16 points. Teammate Amanda chipped in 12 points.
The U.S. started Dixon and Ogbogu at middle, Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon Rishel at outside hitter, Drews at opposite and Carlini at setter. Courtney was the libero for the match.
Brazil opened the first set with a 3-0 lead, but Team USA rolled into a tie at 7-all. The U.S. continued its charge with a 3-0 run to take a 10-8 advantage. After Brazil tied the set at 10-all, the Americans pushed its lead to 13-10 prompting a Brazil timeout. Brazil leveled the set at 15-all and went back in front at 17-16. Lowe put up a block to put the Americans back in front at 19-18. However, Brazil answered with three straight to stake a 21-19 advantage. Bartsch-Hackley landed a kill and Ogbogu placed a block to tie the set at 21-all. Ogbogu added another block to shift the lead into Team USA’s favor at 23-22. Drews scored consecutive kills to give the U.S. a 29-27 victory in the opening set.
Brazil gained a 6-3 advantage in the second set, but the U.S. responded with two Kingdon Rishel kills, Drews ace, Dixon kill and two Brazil errors to forge ahead 9-6 on a 6-0 run. Brazil stopped the run with three consecutive points to level the score at 9-all, then went in front at 11-10. Brazil raised its margin to 15-13, then moved up to 19-15 with three unanswered points. Team USA trimmed the gap to 19-17 with a Hancock ace after a Brazil service error. Kingdon Rishel and Lowe connected for consecutive kills and Dixon followed with a block to square the set at 20-all. Ogbogu scored a block after a Brazil error to place the Americans in front 23-22. Ogbogu claimed the set winner with a block after a Bartsch-Hackley kill for the 25-23 victory.
Team USA scored the first five points of the third set with consecutive Brazil errors, two Kingdon Rishel kills and an Ogbogu kill. The U.S. raised its lead to 8-2 with a Dixon kill and Brazil error, but Brazil came back with three consecutive points to slice the gap to 8-5. The U.S. extended its lead to 12-6 with two Bartsch-Hackley kills and Brazil error. Brazil trimmed its deficit to 15-12 with three unanswered points. Lowe and Bartsch-Hackley collected back-to-back kills to inch the American lead to 18-13. Lowe pounded a kill and Carlini followed with an ace to extend the U.S. lead to 21-15. Out of a Brazil timeout, Bartsch-Hackley pounded an overpass kill followed by a Brazil error to raise the American advantage to 23-15. Brazil stopped the run with three consecutive points to close Brazil to 23-18. Drews scored the final two points on blocks to give U.S. a 25-18 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 14, 2018) – In a rematch of the top two teams in the world, the second-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team lost its second match to top-ranked China in four days, this time a 25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9 setback to open the FIVB World Championship Third Round Pool H opener on Sunday in Nagoya, Japan.
Quick Sets
The U.S. concludes its Third Round pool play on Monday at 3:10 a.m. ET against Netherlands, which holds an 8-1 overall record in this World Championship. The Americans are in a must win situation against the Dutch. A Team USA 3-0 or 3-1 win would place the Americans into the semifinals, while a 3-2 win forces the China-Netherlands match concluding the Third Round to determine which of the three teams advance to the semifinals.
The U.S. led China 19-16 in the opening set, but the Chinese used a key 5-1 run to take a 22-20 advantage to win 25-22. Team USA used a 5-1 run to establish a 15-11 advantage in the second set and went on to a 25-19 victory that included 12 points from the middles in the set. The Americans used a 6-0 run to take a 17-12 lead in the third set and cruised to a 25-20 victory. After the U.S. scored three straight to tie the fourth set at 12-all, China answered with a 5-0 run to establish a 17-12 advantage. Team USA rallied to tie the set at 22-all, but China scores final two points for a 25-23 victory. In the tiebreaker, China propelled itself to a 13-7 advantage on four unanswered points to move on to a 15-9 victory.
“I want to congratulate China on a really hard-fought win,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I am very proud of our team with the way we battled. We came up a little short, but we are excited about the opportunity to come back tomorrow against the Netherlands.”
U.S. outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) led the Americans with 24 points via 22 kills on 54 swings and two blocks. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) added 16 kills on 27 attacks and two blocks for 18 points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 16 kills on 44 swings and a block for 17 points.
“Definitely, it was such a disappointing match, but I am really proud of our group,” Akinradewo said. “We put together a great match. We were aggressive from the start. We were making great defensive moves and our offense was going. Just a few things here and there could have switched it in our direction. Overall, I am really proud of our team. Obviously, China is a really strong team. I am just excited to bounce back tomorrow against Netherlands.”
“Obviously we wish we would have won this match,” Larson said. “But I am really proud of our group for hanging tough. I thought there was lots of opportunities to win this match. I am looking forward to tomorrow.”
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) compiled 12 kills on 17 swings and three blocks for 15 points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) put up four blocks in the loss. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) tacked on four kills in the loss, while opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) rounded out the scoring with three points with a kill, a block and ace.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California handled 31 receptions with a 52 positive percent to go with 14 digs. Hill was credited with a 49 positive reception percent on a team-best 35 receptions and had 10 digs. Larson handled 27 receptions with a 41 positive percent and had 13 digs.
Team USA converted 42 percent of its attacks into points with .301 hitting efficiency (70-20-166) as Lloyd placed 114 of the team’s 167 total sets. China was held to a 39 kill percent and .241 hitting efficiency (65-25-166).
“It was a very excellent match today,” China Head Coach Jenny Lang Ping said. “USA had very quick moves. There were many things that we should learn from this match.”
The U.S. held a 70-65 advantage in kills, but China’s 15-13 edge in blocks and 5-1 margin in aces paid off in the end. China committed just 21 errors in the five-set match to the Americans’ 23. China also held a 48-41 lead in digs.
Chinese star Zhu Ting led all scorers with 25 points, while Yan Ni added 13. Li Yingying, only 18 years of age, started the final two sets and provided 12 points.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Adams at middle, Murphy at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Lowe started the fifth set for Murphy after being a sub in the first and fourth sets. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was a sub in all five sets. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all but the second set. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) was a serving sub in the second set.
The U.S. knows China well, and the two teams have had a history of matches in the World Championship. The Americans defeated China in four sets in the 2014 World Championship gold-medal match. Up to that point, China had won the three previous World Championship meetings in 1986, 1990 and 2006. China now leads the World Championship series with the Americans 5-4.
Overall, China leads the all-time world-level series (Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Volleyball Nations League, World Grand Champions Cup) 39-31. The U.S. defeated China twice during the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, including a four-set win in the semifinals. Outside of the world-level competitions, Team USA has hosted China in the 2015 USA Volleyball Cup where both teams won two matches. Since 1983, China leads the all-time series 93-47 including non-FIVB and Olympic Games matches.
The U.S. focus now turns to defeating Netherlands on Monday. The Americans have already faced Netherlands once this year in Japan, a 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 U.S. victory during the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round on May 23. Larson scored a match-high 18 points in the victory. Overall, the U.S. is 34-11 against Netherlands dating back to 1983, having won eight consecutive matches in the series. The last Netherlands victory was in the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix.
The U.S. took a 4-1 lead in the opening set after consecutive Chinese errors and a Hill block. China scratched two points off the deficit at 4-3, but a Murphy kill and China error lifted the American lead to 6-3. China pulled to within one at 7-6 on consecutive points, then leveled the set at 8-all with two points out of the first technical timeout. The U.S. gained a three-point cushion at 14-11 with a Murphy kill, Akinradewo block and China error. The Chinese scored four unanswered points to take its first lead of the set at 20-19. China reached a two-point cushion at 22-20. China scored the final two points for a 25-22 victory.
The U.S. scored three straight with a Murphy kill followed by two Hill slams to take a 4-1 advantage in the second set. China closed to within one at 6-5 with back-to-back points, then tied the set at 7-all. The U.S. answered with a Larson kill and Adams block to go up 9-7. Team USA stretched the lead to 13-9 with an Adams kill and two Chinese errors. China took two points off the deficit at 13-11. The Americans answered with blocks from Akinradewo and Lloyd to take a 15-11 lead, but China responded with two quick points to slice the deficit to 15-13. The U.S. jumped its lead to 17-13 with an Akinradewo kill and Chinese attack into the net. The Americans extended the advantage to 19-14 with a Larson kill and Chinese error. Team USA inched its lead to 21-15 with a Larson kill and Adams block. China trimmed the gap to 22-18 with consecutive points. Akinradewo hammered consecutive kills to give the Americans a 25-19 victory.
The third set saw the teams trading points until Akinradewo put up a block and Adams followed with a block to give the Americans a 6-4 cushion. Team USA reached the first technical timeout leading 8-5 with a Larson kill after a Chinese error. China came out of the break with three consecutive points to level the set at 8-all. China took the lead at 11-10 with an ace after a USA service error. Team USA answered with three straight as Akinradewo scored a kill and block after a Hill kill to prompt China to call timeout trailing 14-12. Akinradewo hammered two more kills for four straight points and putting the Americans into the second technical timeout up 16-12 on a 5-0 run. Larson slammed a kill to yield a 17-12 American leading for the final point of a 6-0 run. China cut the gap to 18-15 with consecutive points, then moved to within three at 22-19. Akinradewo and Hill hammered kills to give the Americans set points at 24-19. Hill ended the set with a kill at 25-20.
China built a 4-2 lead in the fourth set following an ace. Team USA came back to tie the set at 5-all with an Akinradewo kill and block. China took a two-point cushion at 9-7 with points on each side of the first technical timeout. China extended its lead to 12-9 on back-to-back USA errors. Team USA moved to within one at 12-11 with a Hill kill after a China error. Out of a China timeout, Hill ended a marathon rally with a kill to tie the set at 12-all. China ended the American 3-0 run with five straight points of its own to go up 17-12. Adams picked up a kill and block to close the gap to 19-16. The Americans moved to within two at 20-18 with consecutive China errors. Team USA tied the set at 22-all with two Hill kills around a Lowe ace to prompt China to call timeout. However, China scored the final two points to win 25-23.
China gained the first two-point cushion of the fifth set with consecutive points at 6-4. China reached the side switch leading 8-5 after a block. China stretched the advantage to 11-7 on back-to-back points prompting a USA timeout. The American deficit went to 13-7 as China scored a third and fourth straight points. China scored the winner at 15-9.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 12, 2018) – In a show of its depth, the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Brazil 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 25-16 on Sunday morning in front of 7,411 fans in Brasilia, Brazil, to open a four-match exhibition series going through Aug. 18.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who earned the most valuable player award during the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in which Team USA won along with the $1 million top prize, scored 16 points with 14 kills on 36 swings, one ace and one block. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Sante Fe, California), playing in just her second match for Team USA since winning bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, notched 15 points, all on kills via 31 swings.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), one of two Olympians on the 14-player USA roster on the Brazil tour, contributed 14 points with nine kills on 11 swings, three blocks and two aces. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) pocketed 11 points with six kills on 16 swings, three blocks and two aces. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) tacked on 11 points with seven kills on 19 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was a sub in all four sets, powered down 10 kills on 15 swings in her limited action.
Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with four points through one kill, two blocks and an ace. She, along with Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) as the double-sub setter in all four sets, led Team USA to a 47 kill percent and .364 hitting efficiency (62-14-132).
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), who was tested at libero at the end of last year against Brazil in the USA Volleyball Cup against Brazil and during the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup, handled 17 receptions with a 53 positive reception percent as she is coming back from an ACL injury suffered early in her club season last September. She was also credited with 10 digs. Bartsch-Hackley handled 50 of the Americans’ 77 receptions with a 48 positive reception percent, and added a team-best 11 digs.
Team USA out-blocked Brazil 12-6 and edged out the host 7-5 in aces. The Americans held a 62-52 kill advantage over Brazil, which converted just 39 percent of its attacks for points with a .185 hitting efficiency (52-27-135).
Brazil was led in scoring by Tandara and Gabi with 15 points apiece.
The U.S. started Adams and Gibbemeyer at middle, Bartsch-Hackley and Wilhite at outside hitter, Lowe at opposite and Hancock at setter. Courtney was the libero for the match.
In the opening the set, the U.S. overcame a slow start with a 6-1 scoring run, including consecutive blocks from Bartsch-Hackley, Gibbemeyer and Hancock, to take a 10-9 advantage. Team USA inched its margin to 18-13 with consecutive kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Drews and went on to win 25-19. The U.S. established a 10-7 advantage with two consecutive aces by Gibbemeyer, and the Americans held on to the lead en route to a 25-18 victory with two final kills from Bartsch-Hackley. Brazil battled back from a 10-7 deficit in the third set to take a 15-14 advantage. However, the Americans responded with a 6-2 run to stake a 22-18 lead with Wilhite, Drews and Lowe each scoring twice. Brazil bounced back to tie the set at 22-all and eventually went on to win 28-26. In the fourth set, Team USA held a slim 6-5 margin before using an 11-4 run to take a commanding 17-9 advantage and going on to win 25-16.
The FIVB Women’s World Championship, played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top six teams from the second round move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 11, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, the defending FIVB World Champions, dropped its second consecutive match of the FIVB World Championship 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16 to Italy on Thursday in Osaka, Japan, which put the Americans in a wait-and-see mode on whether they advance to the Third Round (Final Six).
Quick Sets
Entering the match, the U.S. needed to win the contest or have Russia lose to China later in the day. Both Italy and China had already secured two of Pool F’s three berths into the Third Round (Final Six) based on results from Wednesday, which included China defeating the USA in three sets.
China prevailed 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20 over Russia, which ticketed the Americans into the Third Round. Team USA opened the 2018 World Championship with seven consecutive victories before losing to China and Italy. The Americans would have been the first reigning World Champion to finish outside the top six in the next World Championship if they did not qualify for the Third Round.
Italy (9-0) closed out the Second Round as the only undefeated team remaining in the 24-team World Championship. China (8-2) will advance as the second-seeded team out of Pool F. Team USA will be the third seed from Pool F.
Based on the drawing of lots of the Third Round, below are the pools for the Final Six. The U.S. will play China on Sunday, Oct. 14, followed by Netherlands on Monday, Oct. 15. Both matches are scheduled for 3:10 a.m. ET.
Italy built a 9-4 lead over the U.S. in the opening set on a 7-1 run and cruised to a 25-16 victory. Italy back from a 21-18 deficit to win 25-23 by scoring seven of the final nine points. Team USA opened the third set with an 8-4 advantage, and after Italy came to within one at 12-11, the Americans did not allow Italy to score on its serve the rest of the way for a 25-20 victory. Italy established a 7-3 lead in the fourth set and eased into the 25-16 victory.
“(Italian) Coach Davide has been doing a very nice job and I respect his work. We are quite disappointed with this loss.” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Volleyball is played by human beings who are not perfect – thank God for that. Both China and Italy played really nice, strong volleyball and put us in difficult positions.”
U.S. outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) scored a team-high 14 points, all on kills from 26 attacks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) charted 11 kills on 30 attacks and a block for 12 points as she started the final three sets. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) added six kills and three blocks for nine points.
“I think it is obviously a very disappointing loss for us,” Akinradewo said. “You don’t want to go into a match and allow another team dictate your destiny. Hats off to Italy. I think they are playing a really disciplined block defense. We got ourselves in some situations where we got stuck in some rotations. I think Italy played well, and we definitely didn’t play our best.”
Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed five kills on 10 swings and a block for six points. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who started at outside and moved to opposite in the final two sets, scored three kills and a block for four points. Sett Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) tallied a kill and block, while opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) pocketed two kills on three attacks in starting the second set. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) scored two kills, while both Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Sarah Wilhite Parson (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) rounded out the scoring with an ace each.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 29 of the team’s 82 receptions with a 38 positive percent. She added 13 digs in the match. Hill was 63 percent positive on 19 chances, and Larson handled 27 receptions with 12 digs. Bartsch-Hackley was unofficially credited with seven digs and a 43 positive reception percent.
The U.S. converted 35 percent of its attacks into points with a .233 hitting efficiency (45-25-129). The Italians converted at a 42 percent clip and had a .273 hitting efficiency (54-19-128).
Italy’s offense and defense both dominated with a 54-44 kill advantage and 15-7 block margin. The Italians out-served the Americans 6-2 and had a 57-50 dig margin.
Italy sensation Paolo Egonu led all scorers with 33 points via 25 kills on 50 swings, five blocks and three aces. Miryam Sylla added 22 points on 16 kills via 33 attacks, four blocks and two aces.
Italy holds a 6-3 record against the Americans in previous World Championship matches, including the last six meetings. Italy had defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the 2002 gold-medal match for its only World Championship title, as well as during the first match of the 2014 Third Round opener before Team USA won three consecutive to win its first-ever World Championship.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and GIbbemeyer at middle, Lowe at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Hill started the final three sets at outside hitter. Murphy started in place of Lowe to start the second set, then Bartsch-Hackley started at opposite the final two sets.
Italy scored five straight points to stake a 7-3 margin early in the opening set. The Italians stretched their lead to 9-4 with points on each side of the first technical timeout. Team USA cut the gap to 10-7 with a kill and block from Gibbemeyer. Italy raised its lead to six at 14-8 with three unanswered points. The Americans chipped the deficit down to 14-10 with a Lowe kill and Italian error. The Italian lead inched to 17-11 with back-to-back points around the second technical timeout. Italy continued its climb to the win, going up 22-14 with consecutive points. Larson slammed a kill and a Bartsch-Hackley block narrowed the gap to 22-16. Italy scored the final three points for a 25-16 victory.
After Italy scored the first two points of the second set, Murphy slammed a kill and Italy hit long to tie the set at 2-all. The U.S. went in front 4-3 with an Akinradewo block and Italy error. Team USA gained a two-point cushion at 6-4 with an Akinradewo kill and Italian error. The Americans reached the first technical timeout up 8-5 with a Larson kill after an Italian service error. Italy came out of the break with consecutive points to close to 8-7, then tied the set at 10-all. Team USA took a two-point edge 14-12 with a Hill kill and Akinradewo block heading into an Italian timeout. Out of the break, Italy hit long to push the American lead to 15-12. Italy scored back-to-back points to narrow the gap to 15-14. Team USA resumed its three-point cushion at 18-15 with a Lloyd kill and Hancock ace. Italy picked up five straight points to take a 23-21 advantage. Team USA saved one set point on a video reversal but Italy finished the set at 25-23.
The U.S. jumped to a 2-0 lead in the third set with an Italian service error and Hill kill, but Italy answered with two points to tie the set at 2-all. The Americans responded with a 3-0 run including a Bartsch-Hackley kill around two errors at 5-2. Team USA went into the first technical timeout up 8-4 on back-to-back Italy errors. The American lead was cut in half at 8-6 on consecutive Italy points. Italy closed to within one at 12-11 with two straight points. Team USA answered with an Akinradewo block and Hill kill to raise the lead to 14-11. The Americans stretched their lead to 17-13 with an Akinradewo kill and Gibbemeyer block. The U.S. reached set points at 24-19 with an Akinradewo kill and Italy error. Larson ended the set with a kill at 25-20.
Italy scored three straight to take a 4-2 advantage in the fourth set, then increased its margin to 7-3 with another 3-0 run. The U.S. sliced the deficit to 7-5 with a Hill kill and Italian error. Italy increased its margin to 11-7 with back-to-back points, then extended the advantage to 15-9 on a 3-0 run. Italy increased its lead to 17-10 with points on each side of the second technical timeout. Italy ran off four unanswered points to stake a 21-11 lead. Wilhite Parsons served an ace to narrow the gap to 21-13. Italy closed out the set at 25-16.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 10, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team suffered its first loss at the FIVB World Championship as China, ranked No. 1 in the world, swept the Americans 25-17, 26-24, 25-18 in a second round Pool F match on Wednesday in Osaka, Japan.
Quick Sets
The U.S. concludes the World Championship second round versus Italy on Wednesday at 3:10 a.m. ET and will need a victory to automatically qualify for the third round (Final Six). Otherwise, the Americans will need assistance from the Chinese to defeat Russia in their final second round match to conclude the day’s action.
Earlier today Italy secured its spot into the third round by defeating Russia 3-1. China moved into second place with its sweep of the USA, which falls to third place. Russia is in fourth place, but must get help from the Italians in defeating the U.S. in order to take the third and final spot into the third round from Pool F.
The U.S. overcame an early 8-4 deficit to tie the set at 10-all, but a 6-0 run propelled China to a 23-15 advantage en route to a 25-17 win. The U.S. rallied from a 21-18 deficit in the second set to take a 23-22 advantage, but China scored four of the five final points to win 26-24. China raced to a 12-6 advantage in the third set and cruised to a 25-18 victory.
“I want to congratulate China for playing a very strong volleyball match today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They were stronger than we were in lots of phases. Our team is looking forward to a chance to get back on the court tomorrow against a very good Italy team in the next match in this group.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) led the Americans with 14 points via 12 kills on 30 attacks, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who started the final two sets, tallied eight kills on 24 swings and an ace for nine points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who started the final set after being the double-sub opposite in the first two sets, provided nine kills on 15 swings in the match.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult match,” Larson said. “Obviously we respect China very much. They played very well today. I think we also competed very hard today. I am really proud our team for fighting through some tough moments.”
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted six kills on 14 swings and a block for seven points in starting the first two sets. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) pocketed seven kills on 13 swings. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) tallied three kills in starting the first set. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) scored a block and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) rounded out the scoring with a kill as a sub in the third set.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 18 receptions with a 56 positive reception percent to go with 13 digs. Bartsch-Hackley had 32 errorless receptions with a 41 positive percent and eight digs. Larson added six digs.
The U.S. converted 39 percent of its attacks into points with a .254 hitting efficiency (46-16-118). China converted 50 percent of its attacks into points with a .439 hitting efficiency (49-6-98).
China out-blocked Team USA 9-3 for the match and held a slim 3-2 margin in aces. The Chinese also had a 49-46 edge in kills, along with a 47-43 advantage in digs.
Zhu Ting led the Chinese with 19 points on 17 kills via 32 attacks, one block and one ace. Gong Xiangyu added 14 points in the victory.
In its last meeting with China in the World Championship, Team USA defeated China in four sets in the 2014 gold-medal match. Overall, the U.S. had won six of its previous eight meetings with China in world-level matches (FIVB or Olympic Games).
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) at middle, Murphy at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the setter in the double-sub in all three sets. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in the final two sets.
China scored the first three points of the opening set. The U.S. sliced the deficit to 4-3 with kills from Murphy and Hill. China went into the first technical timeout leading 8-4 on a 3-0 run. The U.S. came out of the timeout with a Larson kill and Lloyd block to reduce the deficit to 8-6. Hill and Larson connected for consecutive kills to edge to within 9-8. Team USA tied the set at 10-all with a Larson kill and China error. China gained a 15-12 advantage on a 4-1 scoring run, then upped its lead to 23-15 on a 6-0 run. The U.S. closed to 23-17 with a Murphy block after a China service error. However, China scored the final two points for the 25-17 victory.
China picked up the first two-point cushion of the second set at 4-2, then went into the first technical timeout leading 8-5. The U.S. came out of the break with kills from Larson and Bartsch-Hackley to close to 9-7. The Americans leveled the set at 9-all with kills from Larson and Bartsch-Hackley. China won a video challenge reversal and followed with an ace to go up 11-9. The U.S. tied the set at 13-all with kills from Akinradewo and Larson prompting a China timeout. China built a three-point edge at 20-17 with three consecutive points. The U.S. trimmed the lead to 21-20 with a Lowe kill and China error, then Bartsch-Hackley tied the set at 21-all with an ace off the net. The Americans went in front 23-22 with kills from Larson and Lowe prompting a China timeout. China answered with consecutive points to gain set points at 24-23, then won 26-24 on its second set-point chance.
China scored four consecutive points to take a 5-1 margin in the third set. Team USA cut the gap to 7-5 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Larson, but China scored points on each side of the first technical timeout to return to a four-point edge at 9-5. China extended its lead to 12-6 with three consecutive points. The Americans cut the gap to 12-8 with a Larson block and China attack error. China increased its advantage to 18-11 with three straight points, then went up 21-13. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill after a China error to close the gap to 23-17. China finished off the set at 25-18.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for Team USA
First-Round Pool C at Kobe, Japan (All Time Eastern)
Sept. 29: USA def. Azerbaijan 29-27, 25-21, 25-21
Sept. 30: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-12, 25-11
Oct. 2: USA def. Korea 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18
Oct. 3: USA def. Thailand 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11
Oct. 4: USA def. Russia 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 15-11
Second Round at Osaka, Japan (Must finish top 4 in Pool C to advance)
Oct. 7: USA def. Bulgaria 25-16, 25-17, 25-11
Oct. 8: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 25-17, 25-18
Oct. 10: USA lost to China 25-17, 26-24, 25-18
Oct. 11: USA vs. Italy, 3:10 a.m. ET
Third Round at Nagoya, Japan (Must finish top 3 in Second Round to advance)
Oct. 14-16 (two pools of three teams)
Semifinals and Medal Rounds in Yokohama, Japan (top two finishes in both Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19-20
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 9, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continues preparation for defending its FIVB World Championship by traveling to South America for a four-match friendly exhibition tour against Brazil.
Brazil will host Team USA with the first match on Aug. 12 in Brasilia. Both teams will travel to Uberaba for contests on Aug. 14 and Aug. 16. The series concludes on Aug. 18 in Rio de Janeiro, where the U.S. earned bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in the famed Maracanazinho Arena. While each match will be broadcast on Brazilian television, there are no plans to video stream the matches according to the Brazilian Volleyball Federation press office.
The Team USA roster includes Bartsch-Hackley, the most valuable player of the recently concluded FIVB Volleyball Nations League in which the Americans won gold and the $1 million top prize. She will also serve as team captain in Brazil. The Americans will have two Olympic bronze medalists from the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro – Adams and Lowe.
Along with the VNL, the U.S. won gold at the Pan American Cup this summer. Carlini was named most valuable player of the Pan Am Cup, which also included Benson, Lee, Ogbogu and Wilhite on the roster. Other athletes such as Courtney and Lowe are coming back from an extended period off the court and participated in a recent joint training block and exhibition match against Japan.
The Brazil exhibition matches will allow the U.S. coaching staff to blend elements from the VNL and the Pan Am Cup rosters along with other athletes to prepare for the upcoming World Championship.
“Brazil runs a truly legendary program in the women’s international world, and we are honored to travel there to compete in several different cities,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “With such passionate and knowledgeable fans, there is no better atmosphere in which to battle, so we expect to be pushed to the limit, and to learn a lot about ourselves and our game. It will be a great opportunity for us to grow, and to significantly enhance our preparation for the World Championship.”
The FIVB Women’s World Championship, played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top six teams from the second round move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Brazil Exhibition Tour
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
11– Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
25 – Chiaka Ogbobu (M, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Technical Coordinator: Matthew Choi
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 8, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Turkey 25-21, 25-17, 25-18 on Monday afternoon in Osaka to remain undefeated in the FIVB World Championship with a 7-0 record.
Quick Sets
After trailing 4-1 early in the opening set, the U.S. crawled back into the set that included 10 ties and five lead changes. The Americans used a key 5-0 scoring run to stake a 21-16 advantage and went on to win 25-21. Team USA commanded an early 7-2 lead in the second set with a 6-0 scoring run, then pushed into a 25-17 victory. The Americans used a 7-2 run to overcome a 9-8 deficit and take a 15-11 lead in the third set and carried the advantage through to a 25-18 victory.
“It was a really good match. Turkey is always a great opponent to play,” U.S. setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) said. “They play with a lot of fire and energy. I think our team did a good job coming out with urgency and playing good volleyball.”
“We are incredibly fortunate to have 14 players here and others who are not here who we trust to make good plays in matches like today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Whoever we have on the floor, we don’t necessarily want to depend on the one player. We try to have an offense that is more evenly distributed. It is more difficult for opponents to plan for.”
“This is my first World Championship, and I am happy to be here,” Lloyd said. “It is a great honor to be a part of this program. World Championship is an amazing event. We are excited to be here. It is a really tough competition and we are trying to take it one match at a time. This has been awesome. Japan is putting on an amazing event, thank you for all you are doing. See you at the next match.”
U.S. opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) led all scorers with 12 points as she recorded six kills on 14 swings, three blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) chipped in 10 points with eight kills on 19 swings and two blocks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed 10 kills on 30 attacks in the victory. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) pocketed seven kills on nine attacks and three blocks for 10 points.
Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted five kills in the victory. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), the double-sub opposite in all three sets, tallied four kills on nine attacks in her limited time on the court. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the setter in the double-sub all three sets, rounded out the scoring with an ace on seven serves.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was unofficially credited with nine digs and a 64 positive reception percent on 14 chances. Hill was 52 percent positive on 21 service receptions while adding six digs. Larson handled 13 receptions with a 46 positive percent to go with five digs.
Lloyd set the Americans to a 42 kill percent and .337 hitting efficiency (40-8-95) with 53 of the team’s total set attempts. Hancock added 20 set attempts. The U.S. held Turkey to a 35 kill percent and .140 hitting efficiency (35-21-100).
Team USA held an 8-2 margin in blocks and a 4-3 edge in aces for the match. The Americans limited their errors to 16 for the match and used 23 Turkish errors in the victory. The U.S. defense held a slim 28-27 dig advantage, as well as a 40-35 kill lead.
Turkey’s Zehra Gunes led her team with nine points and Meliha Ismailoglu added seven points.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Gibbemeyer at middle, Murphy at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all three sets.
Earlier this year the Americans played Turkey three times during the FIVB Volleyball Nations League and all three matches went five sets. Turkey prevailed in the first meeting on May 16 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Team USA won the second match in the Final Six playoffs after trailing two sets. The Americans then rallied to defeat Turkey in five sets in the gold-medal match.
After a day off, the U.S. will now face China on Oct. 10 at 6:20 a.m. ET in a key battle for qualification to the third round. China entered today with one loss in its opening six matches and are within striking distance of a third-round berth. Team USA has already defeated China twice this year in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League – once in the preliminary round and later in the semifinals.
“I know we just have to play good USA volleyball,” Larson said about Team USA’s upcoming opponents in China on Wednesday and Italy on Thursday. “I am sure we are going to have a good game plan going into that. Our hope is to just play the best we can.”
Kiraly said China will be a formidable opponent with one of the top international players in Zhu Ting. But for now, Team USA will enjoy Monday’s win over Turkey before moving on to China.
“First of all, we know China is a great team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They are led by one of the strongest international players around in Zhu Ting. But I think I would like to take a few minutes to enjoy this win before we start thinking about China in over two days from now.”
FloVolleyball.tv, a subscription streaming service, will stream all FIVB World Championship matches in the United States per an exclusive rights deal signed with the FIVB. To purchase a FloVolleyball.tv subscription, click here. To see the full World Championship schedule that FloVolleyball.tv will stream, click here.
Turkey scored four consecutive points to stake a 4-1 lead in the opening set. Team USA stopped the run with a Gibbemeyer kill and Turkey error to close to 4-3. However, Turkey upped its lead to 6-3 with its second ace of the set. Murphy served an ace after an Akinradewo kill to cut the gap to 6-5. Team USA knotted the set at 7-all with back-to-back Turkish errors, then the Americans went into technical timeout leading 8-7 on a Hill back-row kill. Turkey came out of the break with two points to reverse the lead to its side at 9-8. The U.S. went back into the lead at 11-10 with a Gibbemeyer kill and Turkey error. However, Turkey took the lead back at 13-11 with three consecutive points. Murphy put up a block after a Turkish service error to tie the set at 13-all. The Americans reached the second technical timeout leading 16-15 with a Murphy kill and Hancock ace. Team USA extended its lead to 19-16 with two Lowe kills after a Turkish service error. Out of a Turkey timeout, Turkey hit into the net and Hill cranked a back-row kill to lift the Americans to a 21-16 advantage. Turkey stopped the run with consecutive points to close to 21-18. Hill ended the set with a kill at 25-21.
The U.S. built an early 7-2 lead in the second set on a 6-0 run that included two Murphy aces, a kill and bock from Akinradewo and a Hill kill. Turkey answered with three consecutive points to trim the gap to 7-5. Larson hammered consecutive kills to raise the American lead to 10-6. Team USA inched its lead to 12-7 with a Hill kill after a Turkey service error. Murphy and Hill scored back-to-back kills to lift the U.S. lead to 15-9. The U.S. scored kills from Akinradewo and Hill around the second technical timeout to raise the advantage to 17-10. Out of a Turkey timeout, Akinradewo put up a block and Lowe followed with a kill to extend the American lead to 19-10 on a 4-0 scoring run into Turkey’s second timeout. Out of the break, Turkey scored back-to-back points to move to within 19-12. Turkey closed to within five at 21-16 with three consecutive points. Larson stopped the run with consecutive kills to raise the Team USA lead to 23-16. The U.S. ended the set with a Murphy kill and Turkey error at 25-17.
Turkey gained a 3-1 lead early in the third set. The U.S. took the lead at 6-4 with Murphy kill winning a mega rally then Turkey having two errors followed by an Akinradewo block to cap a 4-0 run. Team USA reached the first technical timeout with an Akinradewo kill and Larson block at 8-5. Turkey came out of the break with four consecutive points to retake the lead at 9-8. Out of an American timeout, Larson slammed consecutive kills and Turkey committed back-to-back errors to put the Americans up 12-9 prompting a Turkey timeout. The U.S. jumped its lead to 14-10 with a Hill kill after a Turkey service error to prompt Turkey’s second timeout. Team USA stretched the lead to 18-13 with kills from Hill and Akinradewo. Turkey trimmed the American lead to 19-16 with back-to-back points. Hill slammed a kill before back-to-back blocks from Murphy and Larson that gave the Americans a 22-16 lead. Back-to-back Turkey errors ended the match with a 25-18 Team USA win.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 7, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated in the FIVB World Championship by defeating Bulgaria 25-16, 25-17, 25-11 to start off the second round Pool F on Sunday afternoon in Osaka.
Quick Sets
The U.S. opened the first set with a 4-0 lead, and after Bulgaria closed to within two at 11-9, the Americans reeled off 11 of the next 13 points to take a 22-10 advantage and went on to win 25-16. Team USA bolted to a 12-4 advantage in the second set and cruised into the 25-17 victory. The U.S. gained a 4-0 advantage early in the third set and carried the momentum to a 25-11 victory.
“It was a really good game, a good team effort,” U.S. setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) said. “We had a lot of urgency, energy and fun.”
U.S. outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) led all scorers with 13 points, including 12 kills 29 attacks and a block. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) charted 11 kills on 16 swings and an ace for 12 points. Outside hitter and captain Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed nine points with seven kills on 24 attacks and two aces.
“Our main focus coming into this game was to have an attack mentality,” Larson said. “We had a great game plan going into this game and we served well, which created a lot of defensive opportunities for us. I am really proud of our team and obviously this is a great win but we have a long ways to go. Definitely it has not been easy. I think six wins is awesome. Those have not been six easy wins. Our focus through this whole tournament is to get better every single match and I think we have done that. We hope we can keep it going all tournament.”
Lloyd chalked up six points including four kills on four attacks, one block and one ace. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted five kills and a block for six points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed four kills on seven attacks and an ace for five points. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the double-sub setter in all three sets, added two aces on nine serves. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), the double-sub opposite in all three sets, rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was unofficially credited with six digs and a 100 positive reception percent on eight chances. Larson totaled a team-best 11 digs and handled 15 receptions with a 47 positive percent. Hill turned in a 33 positive reception percent on 15 chances to go with eight digs. Lloyd had five digs in the victory.
With Lloyd handling the bulk of the setting with 51 of the team’s 92 set attempts, Team USA converted 44 percent of its attacks into points with a .384 hitting efficiency (44-6-99). The American defense limited Bulgaria to a 33 kill percent and .208 hitting efficiency (32-12-96).
“We have great respect for the team from Bulgaria,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We watched them play in their first group and they played very strong volleyball, so we expected a real battle today. Our team executed a good game plan and we are happy to get another victory. I think a big part of our game plan was attacking very hard with our serving and we caused problems for Bulgaria. We figure the harder we can work now, the more energy we will have for the three other great opponents – Turkey tomorrow, China and Italy.”
The U.S. out-served Bulgaria 7-1 in aces, while Bulgaria had a slim 4-3 block margin. The Americans held a 44-32 advantage in kills, as well as a 38-31 dig margin.
Bulgaria was led by Nasya Dimitrova’s 11 points and Miroslava Paskova added nine points.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Lowe at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. In addition to Hancock and Murphy coming off the bench, Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all three sets.
The last time the U.S. face Bulgaria in the World Championship was during the 2014 edition during the second round, which resulted in a 3-0 win for the Americans.
The U.S. will now turn its attention to Turkey, which finished third in its first round Pool B. The Turks lost to Russia earlier on Sunday, but have proven to be a formidable opponent for the Americans this year. After Turkey won a five-set match in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round, the U.S. came back to defeat Turkey in the VNL Final Six pool play in five sets and again in the VNL gold-medal match in another five-set thriller.
“Turkey is a great opponent for us,” Lloyd said. “We played them a few times in Volleyball Nations League. They are a scrappy team. They play with a lot of energy. We are excited to play them. It is always fun to play against them. Expect a good match.”
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Team USA opened the first set with a 4-0 lead as Larson slammed a kill before serving an ace, then Hill and Lowe followed with kills prompting a Bulgaria timeout. The Americans extended their lead to 7-2 with a Bulgarian service error and Lowe ace. Bulgaria scored consecutive points at 7-4, then pulled to within two at 9-7. The U.S. extended its lead to 16-9 with a Dixon kill, blocks from Hill and Gibbemeyer and two Bulgaria errors as part of a 5-0 run into the second technical timeout. Hancock served an ace after a Gibbemeyer kill to put the Americans up 18-10 at Bulgaria’s second timeout. Out of the break, Gibbemeyer and Murphy scored kills and Hancock added a second ace at 21-10. Gibbemeyer capped the 6-0 run with a kill at 22-10. Bulgaria ended the run with a 4-0 run of its own to close to 22-14. Hill ended the set with a back-row kill at 25-16.
The U.S. started the second set with a 3-0 advantage as Hill slammed a kill and Bulgaria committed consecutive errors. Bulgaria answered with two quick points to narrow the deficit to 3-2. Team USA responded with a 4-0 run starting with a Bulgaria error, a Dixon ace and kills from Lowe and Hill to give the Americans a 7-2 advantage. The Americans increased their lead to 10-3 with kills from Hill and Lowe followed by a Bulgaria error. Lloyd tallied a kill and block to push the American lead to 12-4. Bulgaria put up three consecutive points to cut the gap to 12-7. Lowe pounded consecutive kills and Hill followed with a kill to extend the American lead to 18-10. Out of the break, Bulgaria hit outside the antenna to lift the American lead to 19-10. Bulgaria took two points off the deficit at 20-13, but Team USA got the two points back on Bulgaria errors at 22-13. Larson and Hill scored kills to give the Americans set points at 24-14. After Bulgaria saved three set points, the U.S. won 25-17 on a Bulgaria service error.
The Americans rushed out to a 4-0 margin in the third set with two kills from Hill and one from Lowe after Bulgaria served out. Bulgaria came back to within two at 6-4. The U.S. stretched its lead to 11-6 with a Lloyd ace and Lowe kill. Bulgaria called timeout trailing 13-7 after its service error and Dixon kill. The U.S. extended the gap to 16-8 with kills from Dixon and Lowe around a Bulgaria error. Out of the second technical timeout, Bulgaria hit wide to cap a 4-0 U.S. run at 17-9. The U.S. advantage reached double-digits with a Lowe kill and Bulgaria error at 19-9. Consecutive Bulgaria errors and a Larson block inched the U.S. to 22-10. Larson scored consecutive kills and Bulgaria committed an error to yield an American 25-11 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 4, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team captured a hard-fought 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 15-11 victory over Russia in a battle of undefeated teams on Thursday to close out the FIVB World Championship Pool C first round in Kobe, Japan.
Quick Sets
Russia opened the first set with a bang, taking an 18-9 advantage, then held on for a 25-19 victory. Team USA built a 19-12 advantage in the second set, but needed crucial blocks down the stretch to win 25-20 to even the match. The third set witnessed 17 ties and Russia coming back from three-point deficits twice to level the set, but the Americans eventually prevailed 26-24. Russia controlled the fourth set in establishing an 18-7 lead and close out the set at 25-12.
Team USA recovered from its disastrous fourth set by scoring the first three points of the fifth set and scorched to a 10-4 advantage. Russia climbed back into the set with a 7-2 run to within 13-11, but the Americans finished the set with the final two points for a 15-11 victory. Six different Americans scored in the final set.
“Russia started the match out very strong and pushed us on our heels,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I really like the way that our team responded and had great fighting spirit;. Even after a disappointing fourth set we came back strong in the fifth set.”
“Russia is a very strong team, we knew that coming in,” U.S. captain Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska said. “We knew they would be serving tough. They are a great blocking defense team. We knew we had to hit high. I am just really proud of our team for grinding through some tough times. We are just trying to be better every day. Obviously to win this whole thing would be an honor. But it is a tough tournament to win. We are just trying to get better every single day.”
Both Team USA and Russia had already qualified for the second round, which takes place Oct. 7-11 in Osaka. Pool F will combine the top four teams from first round Pools B and C into one group and play crossover matches. Each team carries over their first round records and standings points to the second round. The top three teams from Pool F advance to the third round (final six).
Pool F is comprised with USA, Russia, Thailand and Azerbaijan advancing from Pool C, while Pool B will be represented by Italy, China, Turkey and Bulgaria. Team USA opens against Bulgaria on Oct. 7 at 12:25 a.m. ET, followed by Turkey on Oct. 8 at 12:25 a.m. ET. After a day off, the Americans face China on Oct. 10 at 6:20 a.m. ET and ends the second round versus Italy on Oct. 11 at 3:10 a.m. ET.
“It is not going to be easy,” Larson said of facing the likes of Italy, China, Turkey and Bulgaria in the next round. “They are great teams, so it is fun to compete against the best. They are some of the best and we are excited to play. It is going to be a long tournament and we have to be ready for anything. I think we are showing our resiliency and our fight, and I think that is important as we continue in the tournament.”
FIVB World Championship First-Round Pool Standings (Top Four in Each Pool Advance)
Hill collected her 19 points with 16 kills on 44 swings, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Larson contributed 16 points with 15 kills coming from 32 swings and an ace as the two starting outsides combined for 35 points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) pocketed 16 points with 12 kills on 21 swings and a team-leading four blocks.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted 14 points with 11 kills on 25 attacks and three blocks. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who was the opposite in the double sub the first four sets before starting the fifth in place of Murphy, added eight kills on 18 swings and a block for nine points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota), getting her first action of the tournament, picked up five kills on 12 attacks, two blocks and an ace for eight points. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) served two aces as the serving sub in all five sets. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) scored a key block in the fifth set, while Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a kill in limited action in the fourth set.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 15 receptions with an impressive 87 positive percent. She added 12 digs in the victory. Hill was credited with a 54 positive reception percent on handling 48 of the team’s 100 receptions. Larson handled 34 receptions with 50 positive percent to go with 15 digs.
The U.S. converted 41 percent of its attacks into points with a .247 hitting efficiency (66-26-162) as Lloyd had 116 setting attempts. Meanwhile, Russia converted 48 percent of its attacks for points including a .372 hitting efficiency (71-16-148), but only converted 26 percent of its attacks in the decisive set.
Russia held a 15-13 edge in blocks to offset Team USA’s 5-4 margin in aces. Both team kept their errors low for a five-set match with the Russians committing 11 and the Americans 14. Russia maintained a 51-43 dig margin.
Russia’s Nataliya Goncharova scored 36 points in the loss, while teammates Kseniia Parubets and Irina Fetisova added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
The U.S. had won 10 of the past 11 matches against Russia in world-level competition (Olympic Games and FIVB events). The U.S. is now 6-6 against Russia in World Championship matches, including two victories in the most recent event held in 2014.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Gibbemeyer at middle, Murphy at opposite, Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the double-sub setter in the first three sets.
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Russia scored the first three points of the opening set then extended the advantage to 8-3 with three straight points into the first technical timeout. Russia upped its lead to 10-4 prompting a USA timeout. The Russia advantage reached eight at 13-5 with three consecutive points. Team USA scored its first consecutive points with a Larson kill and Russia error to cut the gap to 13-7. Russia scored three unanswered points to go up 18-9. The U.S. stopped the run with kills from Murphy and Lowe at 18-11. The Americans closed to 19-13 with a Russia error and Akinradewo block prompting a Russia timeout. Out of the break, Hill served an ace to cut the deficit to 19-14. Lowe and Larson connected for consecutive kills to narrow the gap to 21-17. Russia scored the final two points to win 25-19.
Team USA used back-to-back points including an Akinradewo block to go up 2-1 in the second set. The Americans raised the lead to 4-2 with kills from Hill and Akinradewo. Russia tied the set at 6-all with consecutive points, then went into the first technical timeout leading as part of a 4-1 scoring run. The lead was short-lived as Larson and Murphy slammed kills and Hill put up a block to give the Americans a 10-8 advantage. Murphy and Hill hammered kills to lift the Americans to a 12-9 advantage. Lowe slammed an overpass and Larson pounded a kill after a Russia service error to place the Americans into the second technical timeout with a 16-11 margin. The Americans upped the lead to 19-12 with a Russia service error, Lowe kill and Wilhite Parson ace heading into a Russia timeout. Russia closed to within five at 20-17 following a 4-0 run. The U.S. reached set points with back-to-back blocks from Akinradewo and Lloyd. Team USA ended the set with a block by Akinradewo at 25-20.
The teams traded the first 11 points of the third set until Russia scored back-to-back points at 7-5. However, Team USA scored its first consecutive points of the set with kills from Murphy and Hill to tie the set at 7-all. The U.S. picked up its first lead of the third set at 10-9 with an Akinradewo kill and Lowe block. Team USA gained the first two-point cushion of the third set at 13-11 after kills from Lowe and Larson. Out of a Russia timeout, Lowe downed an overpass for a 14-11 lead. Russia answered with three consecutive points to level the set at 14-all, the 11th tie of the set. The U.S. gained a three-point edge at 18-16 with kills from Gibbemeyer and Hill around a Wilhite Parsons ace heading into a Russia timeout. Russia sliced the gap to 20-19 with back-to-back points. Russia went in front 22-21 with three unanswered points. Team USA answered with an Akinradewo kill and Russia error to go up 23-22. Team USA won the set 26-24 with a Murphy kill and Russia error.
Russia bolted to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set. Russia reached a four-point cushion at 7-3, then extended the margin to 10-4 with three straight points. Team USA stopped the run with a Murphy kill and Larson ace to close to 10-6. Russia stretched its lead to 16-7 on a 5-0 run heading into the second technical timeout. Out of the break Russia scored its seventh and eighth straight points to go up 18-7. Akinradewo and Hill tallied kills to narrow the gap to 18-9. Russia extended the lead to 22-9 with four straight points. Russia capped the set at 25-12.
The U.S. awoke from its slumber by scoring the first three points of the tiebreaker as Lowe and Hill downed kills around a Gibbemeyer ace. Russia closed the deficit to one at 4-3. The Americans stretched their lead to 8-3 with kills from Akinradewo, Lowe and Hill around a Lloyd block. Larson and Hill extended the lead to 10-4 with consecutive kills. Russia scored four consecutive points to narrow the gap to two at 13-11. The Americans ended the Russians’ hope with an Akinradewo kill and Russia error to win the set at 15-11.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 3, 2018) – In an epic battle of offensive firepower versus a stifling defense, U.S. Women’s National Team edged Thailand 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11 on Wednesday to remain undefeated in the FIVB World Championship Pool C first round taking place in Kobe, Japan.
Quick Sets
Team USA concludes its first-round schedule on Thursday against undefeated Russia (4-0, 11 points). Both teams have already qualified for the second round, which takes place Oct. 7-11 in Osaka.
In the tiebreaking set, the Americans broke the fifth tie of the set at 6-6 with three unanswered points to stake a 9-6 advantage, then outscored Thailand 4-1 to cap the set at 15-11.
Akinradewo said the team refocused in the fifth set and do what it does best. The message U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly gave in the huddle before the start of the tiebreaker was just be ‘USA good.’
“Just to do us, USA good,” Akinradewo said of Kiraly’s strategy. “I think when we can go back to focusing on our side and what we can do, just staying calm and patient through it all we are successful. We were able to do that in the last set.”
Team USA controlled the opening two sets. The U.S. rushed to a 12-4 lead in the opening set against Thailand that included three blocks, then withstood a Thailand 5-0 run to close to 19-14 before winning 25-17. Bartsch-Hackley scored 10 points in the opening set for Team USA. The Americans used a 10-1 lead in the second set to take a 14-6 advantage and cruised to a 25-16 victory.
However, the Thailand defense stiffened in sets three and four and its own offense came to life. Thailand rallied from a 15-12 deficit, thanks to a 5-0 run to take a 22-18 lead and held off the Americans at 25-23. The fourth set had 13 ties, and with the U.S. leading 18-16, Thailand scored nine of the final 12 points to win 25-21.
“We knew from the start that Thailand is a great team with an incredible defense,” Akinradewo said. “We knew it could be a potentially long night. I think we came out strong from the start, and they increased their service pressure, they were passing better and doing a lot of combos.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) collected 23 points for the Americans with 17 kills on 46 swings, five blocks and an ace. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) notched eight kills on 16 attacks, a match-high seven blocks and two aces. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled 14 points with eight kills on 16 swings, three blocks and three aces.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted 14 points with 13 kills on 32 swings and an ace. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) pocketed nine kills on 32 attacks and a block. Hill, who played in just the fifth set in place of Bartsch-Hackley, provided three kills on eight attacks and a key ace. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) turned in two kills on five swings as the double-sub opposite in the first three sets. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was unofficially credited with 17 digs and turned in a 58 positive reception percent on 24 chances. Larson added 15 digs and a 46 positive reception percent on 26 chances. Bartsch-Hackley contributed 12 digs and 30 receptions as part of a 43 reception percent. Lloyd added 11 digs from her setter position.
Team USA attacked at a 37 percent with a .292 hitting efficiency (59-84-161) on the unofficial stats. Thailand was slightly better on converting attacks into points at 38 percent, but its hitting efficiency was .237 (66-25-173) in part due to 25 attack errors.
“I thought we came out really strong to start the match,” Larson said. “Obviously Thailand is a very strong team so we were expecting them to come at us hard and they did in the third and fourth sets and definitely in the fifth. I am really proud of our team for coming out with a win. There is still lots of chances to get better.”
The U.S. held an 8-2 margin in aces along with its 17-4 advantage in blocks. Thailand managed a 65-60 kill advantage and 59-43 dig margin.
Ajcharaporn Kongyot led Thailand with 23 points but went down with an injury late in the fourth set. Pleumjit Thinkanow and Malika Kanthong each added 14 points.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside hitter, Adams and Akinradewo at middle, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the setter in the double-sub in the first three sets. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in all but the second set.
The U.S. is now 21-1 against Thailand in major world-level matches. Earlier this year Thailand finished 15th in the 16-team FIVB Volleyball Nations League in which Team USA captured gold. The Americans defeated host Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 during the VNL preliminary round.
After a long battle with Thailand, the U.S. will now face an undefeated Russia in the final match of the first round in Kobe.
“We know a battle with Russia is always going to be a tough one,” Akinradewo said. “They have really strong, aggressive attackers and blockers. Just like tonight, it is potentially going to be a long one. But as long as we focus on our side, I think we can do a good job.”
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The U.S. opened the first set with a 2-0 advantage on a Murphy kill and Thailand error. Bartsch-Hackley scored two blocks and Akinradewo added another block after a Murphy ace to put the Americans in front 8-2 at the first technical timeout. Bartsch-Hackley hammered a kill for her fifth point of the set and Thailand followed with an error to put the U.S. in front 10-3. Akinradewo and Adams slammed consecutive kills to prompt Thailand to call timeout trailing 12-4. Thailand chipped three points off the deficit with a 3-0 run at 12-7. Team USA went into the second technical timeout leading 16-8 after a 3-0 run that included kills from Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley. The U.S. extended the lead to 19-9 with two Bartsch-Hackley kills around a Thailand attack error. Thailand used a 5-0 run to close to 19-14 prompting a USA timeout. Bartsch-Hackley stopped the run with a kill and Akinradewo followed with a block to lift the Americans to a 21-14 advantage. The Americans reach a 23-15 lead with a Bartsch-Hackley ace. The U.S. won the set 25-17 on a Thailand service error.
Thailand scored the first two points of the second set. The U.S. tied the set at 3-all with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Akinradewo. Team USA used a 3-0 run to take a 7-5 advantage with an Akinradewo block followed by two Thailand errors. The Americans built its lead to 10-6 with Larson and Adams pounding kills followed by an Akinradewo ace leading into a Thailand timeout. Out of the break, Larson downed a kill, Akinradewo served her second ace and Adams put up two blocks to cap a 7-0 run placing the U.S. in front 14-6. The Americans reached the second technical timeout leading 16-7 after a Larson kill. Thailand cut the deficit to 17-10 with back-to-back points. Team USA answered with three straight with Murphy and Akinradewo scoring kills before Adams served an ace at 20-10. Thailand narrowed the gap to 22-15 on a 4-1 run. The U.S. reached set points at 24-15 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Lowe. Team USA won the set 25-16 on a Lowe kill.
Thailand grabbed a 3-1 lead to start the third set. Adams answered with a kill and two aces to yield a 4-3 American lead. The U.S. reached the first technical timeout leading 8-5 on a 3-0 run including a Bartsch-Hackley block and Larson kill. Out of the break, Akinradewo hit a slide to stretch the lead to 9-5. Thailand cut the deficit to 9-7 on consecutive points. After 12 consecutive side outs, Thailand scored consecutive points to close to within one at 15-14. Out of the second technical timeout, Thailand scored three consecutive points to take a 17-16 lead. The Americans quickly regained the lead at 18-17 on a Thailand service error and Adams block. Thailand answered with five straight points to gain the lead back at 22-18. The Americans stopped the run with kills from Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley to narrow the gap to 22-20. The U.S. saved set points with a block from Bartsch-Hackley and kill by Akinradewo, but Thailand finished the set at 25-23.
Thailand placed the first two points on the scoreboard in the fourth set, but the Americans tied the set up quickly with a Murphy kill and Thailand error. Team USA went in front 7-5 with a kill and block from Akinradewo after a Bartsch-Hackley kill. Thailand answered with consecutive points to square the set at 7-all. Thailand took the lead back at 12-11 starting a video challenge reversal. The U.S. reversed the lead to its side at 15-14 with an Akinradewo block and Thailand attack error. Murphy crushed consecutive kills to lift the U.S. to a 17-15 advantage at a Thailand timeout. Thailand scored five straight to swing the lead to its side at 21-18. Bartsch-Hackley connected for consecutive kills to close the gap to 22-21. Thailand scored the final three points to win 25-21.
Team USA scored the first two points of the tiebreaker with a Thailand service error and Akinradewo block. Thailand answered with consecutive points to tie the set at 2-2. The teams traded points until Murphy scored a block and kill to put the Americans up 8-6 at the court switch. The Americans added to the lead 9-6 with a Thailand error. Thailand chipped the deficit to 10-9 on consecutive points. Team USA extended its lead to 13-10 with a Hill ace after a Thailand service error. The Americans closed out the set 15-11 with an Akinradewo block and Hill back-row kill.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 2, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team overcame a slow start against the Republic of Korea to win 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18 on Wednesday in Kobe, Japan, to remain undefeated in the FIVB World Championship Pool C.
Quick Sets
With the victory over Korea, Team USA leads Pool C with a 3-0 record and has qualified for the second round with two matches remaining in the first round. The top four teams in each of the four six-team first-round pools advance to the crossover second round. Pool C will face the top four teams from Pool B in the second round Oct. 7-11 in Osaka. Second round teams will carry over first-round records and points.
“It is exciting,” said U.S. captain Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) on the U.S. qualifying for the second round. “it is one of our goals to continue through this tournament and be here for a long time. But we still have two matches in the first round, so I think it is important for us to keep getting better and focus on those two matches.”
“I want to congratulate Team Korea,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They played with great fighting spirit and they played really hard and had lots of strong serving pressure, but our team responded well. I don’t know if either team played their best but both teams played very hard. Every time we put the uniform on in the world championship, it will be a challenge.”
Korea used a 7-0 run to take an early 11-4 lead in the opening set and denied the Americans a comeback in a 25-19 victory. Team USA started the second set with a 10-4 advantage thanks to three blocks and two aces, then held on to the lead for a 25-21 victory. The Americans trailed 6-2 in the third set, but erupted for a 9-2 scoring run to establish an 18-14 advantage en route to winning 25-21. The U.S. built a 14-10 lead in the fourth set, then held off Korea in the end with a 5-0 run to cap a 25-18 victory.
“Korea came out strong,” Larson said. “We knew they were a great team. I am really proud of my team for fighting through it. They had some great servers. I thought we did a good job of managing that throughout the game.”
Murphy, who came off the bench in the opening set and started the final three sets, paced the American offense with 19 points via 17 kills on 28 swings, one block and one ace. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted seven kills on 12 swings, a match-high five blocks and two aces for 14 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) chalked up 10 points with seven kills on 17 attacks, two aces and a block. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) totaled 10 points, all on kills.
“I think tonight’s game was a good team effort,” Adams said. “We had many people coming off the bench ready to fill a role where they were needed. Korea is a tough team, and they throw a very good offense at us. It called for a lot of scrappy play and communication on the team. I think we did a good job responding as a team to what Korea threw our way, and I am proud of our effort tonight.”
Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), who started the final three sets at outside hitter, pocketed nine kills on 28 attacks in the victory. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) notched six kills on 14 swings in the opening set. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) produced four kills while setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added one kill and one block for two points. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the double-sub setter in all four sets, and Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) rounded out the scoring with an ace apiece.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) tallied 16 digs and a 69 positive reception percent on 16 chances. Lloyd produced a team-leading 21 digs and Larson chipped in 19 digs. Hill handled a team-leading 34 receptions with a 44 positive percent and added 16 digs.
The U.S. converted 38 percent of its attacks into points with a .256 hitting efficiency (60-19-160) behind the setting of Lloyd and Hancock. The American defense held the Koreans to a 33 kill percent and .214 hitting efficiency (51-18-154).
While Korea led in both blocks (10-8) and aces (8-7), the U.S. held a sizable 61-50 margin in kills. The Americans secured 18 points on Korea errors and committed just 17 mistakes of their own.
The U.S. has now defeated the Republic of Korea in each of its last 11 head-to-head meetings in major world-level events.
Korea’s Park Jeongah scored a match-high 26 points in the loss and Kim Yeon Koung chipped in 17 points.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside hitter, Adams and Dixon at middle, Lowe at opposite and Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero. Murphy and Larson started the final three sets. Wilhite was a serving sub in all four sets and totaled seven serves.
Earlier this year Korea finished 12th in the 16-team FIVB Volleyball Nations League in which Team USA captured gold.
Korea scored eight unanswered points, including two aces, to take an early 11-4 advantage in the opening set. The U.S. broke the run with kills from Hill and Bartsch-Hackley to close the gap to 11-6. However, Korea scored three straight points to extend the lead to 14-6. Adams and Bartsch-Hackley hammered kills to bring Team USA within 14-8. Bartsch-Hackley downed consecutive kills to narrow the deficit to 20-16. Adams and Bartsch-Hackley nailed consecutive kills and Korea hit long to cut the gap 20 21-18.
The U.S. scored the first two points of the second set with a Korea error and Murphy block, Korea answered with consecutive points to tie the set at 2-all. Murphy followed with a block and two kills, then Adams put up a block to produce an American 6-2 lead. Team USA reached the first technical timeout leading 8-3 with an ace by Adams after a Korea attack error. Murphy served an ace after a Korea service error to push the advantage to 10-4. Korea chipped three points off the deficit at 10-7. Team USA extended its lead to 13-7 with kills from Hill and Larson around a Korea attack error. Dixon served consecutive aces after a Larson kill to put the Americans in front 16-8 at the second technical timeout. The U.S. inched the lead to 18-9 with a Larson kill and Korea error, but Korea used a 5-1 run to move within five at 19-14. Hill and Dixon slammed kills to push the lead to 22-15. Korea served an ace as part of a 3-0 run to cut the deficit to 22-18. Korea saved two set points but served long to give the Americans a 25-21 victory.
Korea ran off three straight points to grab a 4-1 advantage to start set three, then pushed the lead to 6-2 to prompt a USA timeout. Murphy, Dixon and Hill pounded consecutive kills to close the gap to 6-5 leading to a Korea timeout. Korea gained a three-point edge at 9-6 following a block. The U.S. tied the set at 12-all with kills from Adams and Murphy around a Korea attack error. The U.S. went into the lead at 14-13 with a Hancock ace after a Murphy kill. Team USA reached the second technical timeout leading 16-14 after a Dixon kill and Korea back-row attack error. Out of the break, Korea hit into the net and Lowe scorched an attack at 18-14. Larson picked up consecutive kills to grow the lead to 20-15 at Korea’s second timeout. Team USA extended the lead to 22-16 with an Adams kill and Murphy block. Korea sliced the deficit to four at 23-21 with four consecutive points. Murphy and Dixon closed out the set with kills at 25-21.
Korea scored the first two points of the fourth set, but then committed consecutive errors to level the set at 2-all. The U.S. went in front 6-4 with a Dixon kill, Lloyd block and Korea error. Korea stopped the 3-0 run with consecutive points to level the set at 6-all. The Americans reached the first technical timeout leading 8-6 after a Hill kill and Dixon block. Adams and Murphy hammered kills to lift the American lead to 12-9 at a Korean timeout. Adams served an ace after a Hill kill to extend the American lead to 14-10. Korea cut the lead to 15-14 following a video challenge reversal, ace and kill. The U.S. responded with kills from Dixon and Hill around the second technical timeout to take a 17-14 lead. Wilhite Parsons served an ace around three Murphy kills and a Korea error to close out the set with a 5-0 run and 25-18 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 30, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team over-powered Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-12, 25-11 on Sunday on day two of the FIVB World Championship Pool C in Kobe, Japan.
Quick Sets
The U.S. opened the first set with an 11-5 advantage on a 5-0 run, then put together nine unanswered points to stake a 23-10 advantage en route to a 25-11 win. Team USA bolted to an 8-4 lead in the second set, then used a 7-0 run to forge ahead 17-7 as the Americans won the third set comfortably at 25-12. The U.S. used a late 10-1 run in the third set take a 23-10 advantage in the 25-11 victory.
U.S. outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led all scorers with 15 points on 10 kills via 18 swings, three blocks and two aces. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added four kills on seven swings, five aces and four blocks and four blocks for 13 points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) pocketed nine points with six kills on 14 swings, two blocks and an ace.
“Our team did a very nice job of taking care of our side of the net and not worrying about the other team, and executing our game plan,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We were serving very tough and I like how everybody has been able to contribute so much early in this tournament.
“I think we feel really good,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “We have been training really hard as a team and playing each other a lot for a lot of weeks in a row. It is nice to play someone other than ourselves. I think yesterday (Saturday versus Azerbaijan), there was a lot of emotion and a little nerves. We are excited to be here. We are really happy and I think we have calmed a little bit and really comfortable.”
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) collected eight points with four kills on eight attacks and four aces. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted six kills on eight swings in the victory. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) contributed two aces on as many attacks, one block and one ace for four points. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), who was used as the double-sub opposite with setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) in the first and third sets, rounded out the scoring with two kills on six swings and a block.
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was unofficially credited with six digs and five excellent receptions with a 60 positive percent. Wilhite handled 16 of the team’s 31 receptions with a 44 positive percent. Bartsch-Hackley tallied nine receptions and four digs. Hancock was credited with a team-best eight digs from her setter position.
Hancock had 38 set attempts while Lloyd added 11. Team USA turned in a 55 kill percent and .469 hitting efficiency (35-5-64) for the match. The American defense held Trinidad & Tobago to a 36 kill percent and .100 hitting efficiency (25-18-70).
“I thought we came out and were pretty disciplined,” Hancock said. “We made some adjustments. We had some good blocking lineups and some good serving runs early. We spread our offense pretty well and we are trying to get all cylinders going. We are just preparing one day at a time.”
The U.S. dominated the service game with a 13-0 ace margin to go with an 11-3 advantage in blocks. The Americans also held a 22-14 edge in digs.
Trinidad & Tobago was led by Channon Thompson’s eight points followed by Krystle Estelle’s seven points.
The U.S. started Bartsch-Hackley and Wilhite at outside hitter, Adams and Dixon at middle, Lowe at opposite and Hancock at setter, Courtney at libero. Through two matches of the World Championship, the U.S. has now started 13 of its 14-player roster.
Trinidad & Tobago is making its first-ever World Championship appearance.
Team USA’s second match will be against another team it will have limited knowledge about before facing them. However, Wilhite Parsons was on the Pan American Cup squad the defeated Trinidad & Tobago earlier this summer.
FloVolleyball.tv, a subscription streaming service, will stream all FIVB World Championship matches in the United States per an exclusive rights deal signed with the FIVB. To purchase a FloVolleyball.tv subscription, visit click here. To see the full World Championship schedule that FloVolleyball.tv will stream, click here.
The U.S. took a 4-2 lead in the opening set with a Lowe block and Trinidad & Tobago error. Bartsch-Hackley downed consecutive kills to put the Americans up 8-5 at the first technical timeout. Out of the break, Adams and Lowe blocked Trinidad & Tobago followed by a Bartsch-Hackley kill to raise the lead to 11-5. Trinidad & Tobago scored back-to-back points to narrow its gap to 12-8. Team USA went into the second technical timeout up 16-10 after a Wilhite Parsons kill and Dixon block. Out of the break, the Americans extended the lead to 23-10 with three Wilhite Parson aces, Dixon block, two Bartsch-Hackley kills and Trinidad & Tobago error.
Trinidad & Tobago took its first lead of the match at 4-3 in the second set with consecutive points. The U.S. answered with five unanswered points to take an 8-4 lead with a kill and block from Dixon, ace from Lowe and kill by Wilhite Parsons. Trinidad & Tobago stopped the run with consecutive points to narrow the deficit to 8-6. The Americans answered with a Dixon block and Trinidad & Tobago attack error to go up 10-6. Trinidad & Tobago called timeout trailing 12-7 after Dixon served an ace. Out of the break Adams slammed two kills, Hancock put up a block and served an ace to put the Americans up 16-7. Out of the second technical timeout, Lowe hammered a kill to inch the lead to 17-7. Trinidad & Tobago scored three straight points to cut its deficit to 18-11. Bartsch-Hackley served an ace as part of a 3-0 run that included a Lowe kill to prompt Trinidad & Tobago to call timeout trailing 21-11. Out of the break, Lowe pocketed another kill and block at 23-11 as part of a 5-0 run.
Team USA took an 8-4 lead in the third set with kills from Bartsch-Hackley, Adams and Hancock around a Dixon ace. The Americans doubled up Trinidad & Tobago 10-5 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and service winner from Hancock. Bartsch-Hackley scored a kill and ace to shift the American lead to 12-6. Trinidad & Tobago cut two points off the deficit at 13-9. Team USA reached the second technical timeout up 16-9 with a Lowe kill followed by two Trinidad & Tobago errors. The Americans inched their lead to 23-10 with a Murphy kill, three Trinidad & Tobago errors, Bartsch-Hackley block, Dixon kill and Wilhite Parsons ace. Dixon finished the set with a kill and ace at 25-11.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 29, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, opened the defense of its FIVB World Championship title won in 2014 by defeating Azerbaijan 29-27, 25-21, 25-21 on Saturday afternoon in Kobe, Japan.
Quick Sets:
Azerbaijan scored four unanswered points to take a 19-15 lead in the opening set and reached set point at 24-21. However, the Americans rallied to tie the set, then saved a total of five set points before winning 29-27 on its second set point opportunity. Team USA jumped to an 8-3 lead in the second set, but Azerbaijan battled back to within two at 13-11 before the Americans brought back control en route to winning 25-21. The U.S. recovered from a 10-7 deficit in the third set with a 4-0 run to take an 11-10, then used a 6-2 scoring run to close out the match with a 25-21 victory.
Team USA outside hitter duo of Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) paced the American offense. Hill had 11 kills on 29 attacks and a block for a team-leading 12 points, while Larson contributed 10 kills on 27 attacks and a block for 11 points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added 11 points with eight kills on 20 attacks, two aces and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) pocketed 10 points with eight kills on 15 swings, one block and one ace.
“I thought they came out strong in the first set and tested us,” Larson said. “I am proud of our team for handling the adversity. It was a great start for us in our pool and hopefully we can continue that through tomorrow.”
“One thing is we didn’t know the players well on the Azerbaijan side,” Akinradewo said. “They were a very strong, tall and aggressive team. It took a little time for us to settle down.”
Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), the double-sub at opposite in all three sets, turned in seven points with six kills on nine attacks and a block. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) provided two kills on as many attacks and two blocks for four points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) charted three kills on seven swings and a block for four points. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the setter in the double-sub in all three sets, pocketed two kills on two attempts. Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), a serving sub in all three sets, tallied two aces on six total serves.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was credited with a 67 positive reception percent on 15 chances and added 12 digs based on unofficial stats. Larson handled 24 receptions with a 42 positive percent and Hill added 23 receptions with a 39 positive percent. Defensively, Lloyd had a team-leading 15 digs and Larson had 12 digs. Murphy tacked on 10 digs.
Lloyd handled 80 sets and helped the Americans to a 44 kill percent and a .316 hitting efficiency (50-14-114). The American defense limited Azerbaijan to a 39 kill percent for the match.
The U.S. held an 8-5 block advantage to offset Azerbaijan’s slim 6-5 margin in aces. The Americans held a 50-39 advantage in kills and a 36-25 edge in digs.
Azerbaijan’s Polina Rahimova led all scorers with 23 points, while Jana Kulan added 13 points in the loss.
The U.S. started Larson and Hill at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Dixon at middle, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter, Robinson at libero.
Azerbaijan was 3-0 against the United States in the all-time series, including a win in the 2006 World Championship.
Team USA’s second match will be against another team it will have limited knowledge about before facing them. However, Wilhite was on the Pan American Cup squad the defeated Trinidad & Tobago earlier this summer.
“We have a limited amount of knowledge on Trinidad & Tobago,” Akinradewo said. “Our goal is always to focus on our side. So what we can do to improve each and every match, one point at a time. It is a good time to improve tomorrow.”
FloVolleyball.tv, a subscription streaming service, will stream all FIVB World Championship matches in the United States per an exclusive rights deal signed with the FIVB. To purchase a FloVolleyball.tv subscription, visit click here. To see the full World Championship schedule that FloVolleyball.tv will stream, click here.
Azerbaijan took the first two-point cushion of the opening set at 4-2 with three unanswered points, then raised the gap to 6-3 on an ace. Akinradewo downed two kills around a Azerbaijan attack into the net to level the set. Team USA took the lead back at 7-6 on a Larson kill capping a 4-0 run. Larson rolled a kill over the block and Akinradewo served an ace to extend the Americans’ lead to 9-7. However, Azerbaijan squared the set at 9-all. Murphy drilled a kill after an Azerbaijan error to put the U.S. up 11-9, but it was short-lived as Azerbaijan tied the set at 11-all. Azerbaijan grabbed the lead back at 15-13 with three straight points. Team USA leveled the set at 15-all with an Akinradewo kill and Azerbaijan error. Azerbaijan scored four unanswered points, including two aces, to gain a 19-15 cushion. Lowe scored back-to-back kills to cut the deficit in half at 19-17. Out of an Azerbaijan timeout, Lowe nailed her third straight kill to close the gap to 19-18. Azerbaijan reached set point at 24-21 on a block. Team USA saved two set points on an Azerbaijan service error and Wilhite ace at 24-23. The Americans tied the set at 24-all with Wilhite’s second straight ace. Akinradewo put up a block and Lloyd powered down an overpass kill to go up 27-26. Team USA won the match on a Larson kill and Dixon block at 29-27.
Team USA opened set two with a 2-0 lead on a Larson kill and Lloyd ace. After an Azerbaijan service error, Murphy hit a line shot to extend the American lead to 4-1. The U.S. stretched its lead to 8-3 with a Murphy ace and Hill kill after an Azerbaijan service error. The U.S. built its lead to 11-5 with an Akinradewo kill and Lloyd block. Azerbaijan cut the deficit to 13-11 with four unanswered points. The U.S. ended the streak with back-to-back points on a Hill kill after an Azerbaijan error to go up 15-11. Team USA increased its lead to 18-12 with a Hill kill and block followed by an Azerbaijan ace. The American lead was cut to 18-14 on consecutive Azerbaijan points. The U.S. had its lead sliced to 23-20 on an Azerbaijan ace. Akinradewo ended the set with a kill at 25-21.
Azerbaijan reached a two-point cushion early in the third set at 4-2. Murphy put up a block and followed with an ace to knot the set at 4-all. Team USA went in front 6-5 with a Hill kill and Azerbaijan error. Azerbaijan answered with three consecutive points to go up 8-6 at the first technical timeout, then extended the margin to 10-7 on a USA attack error. Team USA squared the set at 10-all with a Lloyd kill followed by consecutive Dixon blocks prompting an Azerbaijan timeout. Out of the break, Larson pounded a kill for a fourth straight point to give the Americans an 11-10 advantage. The U.S. broke a string of side outs with consecutive kills from Murphy and Hill to raise the American lead to 19-17. Azerbaijan answered with back-to-back points to level the set at 19-all. Hill and Murphy slammed back-to-back kills to again put the U.S. in front by two at 21-19. The U.S. extended its lead to 23-20 with a Murphy kill and Lloyd block. The U.S. reached match-point at 24-21 with an Azerbaijan attack error, the Akinradewo powered down the winner at 25-21.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 21, 2018) – Experience blended with youth dominates the 14-player U.S. Women’s National Team roster that will defend its FIVB World Championship title won four years ago. And yet, that title four years ago – let alone the two tournament gold medals won in 2018 – mean little when the World Championships begins Sept. 29 in Japan.
The preliminary roster includes eight players with Olympic Games experience: Adams, Akinradewo (two Olympics), Hill, Larson (two Olympics), Lowe, Lloyd, Murphy and Robinson. Further, Dixon was part of the 2014 World Championship gold-medal team along with Adams, Akinradewo, Hill, Larson, Murphy and Robinson. Hill was selected the most valuable player of the 2014 World Championship in just her second year of international competition.
The FIVB Women’s World Championship, played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in the first-round Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top three teams from the two second round pools move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
FloVolleyball.tv, a subscription streaming service, will stream all FIVB World Championship matches in the United States per an exclusive rights deal signed with the FIVB. To sign-up for a FloVolleyball.tv subscription, click here. USAV members will receive a 20 percent discount code to the subscription service (either for a month or year) via a direct email message. To see the full World Championship schedule that FloVolleyball.tv will stream, click here.
The Americans captured the 2014 World Championship title in Italy, marking their first triple crown title (Olympic Games, FIVB World Championship, FIVB World Cup). However, Team USA has been among the favorites to win most tournaments in this century. The U.S. has medaled in each of the last three Olympic Games, winning silver in 2008 and 2012 before finishing with bronze in 2016. Team USA is the only women’s indoor volleyball team to have reached the podium in each of the last three Olympic Games.
Team USA, ranked second in the world, is 26-4 during the 2018 season with two tournament titles under its belt.
“So far in 2018, our program appears to be on a good path,” Kiraly said. “We’ve had some good results, lots of players and staff have made important contributions, but ultimately those things don’t give us even one extra point at the World Championship. We’re going to have to go out and fight our hardest, every single play, to earn 25 points before the other team does.”
The U.S. Women opened the 2018 season by winning the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League (rebranded event replacing the long-standing World Grand Prix) and the $1 million top prize. The U.S. went 17-2 in the tournament, including a 10-match win streak in the preliminary round (nine sweeps) that included wins over No. 1 China and No. 4 Brazil. In the Final 6 Round, the Americans defeated Turkey and Serbia to avenge both their prelim losses, then went on to defeat China in the semifinals and repeated a five-set win over Turkey in the gold-medal match. Bartsch-Hackley emerged as a star on the rise after earning the most valuable player of the VNL, while Tori Dixon was chosen best blocker.
The U.S. Women also captured the Pan American Cup title with a younger roster due to overlap in training and competition with the Volleyball Nations League. After a slow start in pool play that included a four-set opening win over Trinidad & Tobago followed by a five-set loss to Cuba, Team USA found its groove by sweeping Puerto Rico to conclude pool play before downing Colombia in the quarterfinals. The Americans topped then-undefeated Canada in the semifinals, then rallied from a two-set deficit to defeat host Dominican Republic in the title match. Carlini was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
Team USA won all four matches friendly exhibition matches with Brazil in a tour of Brazil in mid-August.
While history reflects that the U.S. Women won the most recent World Championship, the team enters this year’s World Championship not thinking of the past but with a clean slate.
“We are not defending anything,” Kiraly said. “We won the last World Championship, and that was nice, but that’s ancient history, and that result has no bearing on this year’s tournament. Now we are on the new and fresh process – along with many other strong teams that have high hopes – of attempting to win a totally separate tournament, the 2018 World Championship.”
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for Team USA
First-Round Pool C at Kobe, Japan (All Time Eastern)
Sept. 29: USA vs. Azerbaijan, 3:10 a.m.
Sept. 30: USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 12:40 a.m.
Oct. 2: USA vs. Korea, 6:20 a.m.
Oct. 3: USA vs. Thailand, 6:20 a.m.
Oct. 4: USA vs. Russia, 6:10 a.m.
Second Round at Osaka, Japan (Must finish top 4 in Pool C to advance)
Oct. 7-11
Third Round at Nagoya, Japan (Must finish top 3 in Second Round to advance)
Oct. 14-16 (two pools of three teams)
Semifinals and Medal Rounds in Yokohama, Japan (top two finishes in both Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19-20
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# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
On Rachael Adams: “Rachael is one of four strong middles who help lead our block and defense, and who are helping push our team to new heights, including a gold medal at the inaugural Volleyball Nations League. We all have the imperative to improve, and she continues to log extra, ‘deep’ work while pursuing mastery, and adding nuance to her game.”
On Foluke Akinradewo: “Foluke is such a strong presence with USA. Her professionalism and pursuit of mastery infects every corner of the USA program. In addition, she’s been exerting her style of leadership more, which is a real positive since she commands great respect from her teammates.”
On Michelle Bartsch-Hackley: “Bartschy’s having her best year yet with USA, including making a huge positive impact with an MVP performance during the first-ever Volleyball Nations League tournament – and her versatility was big during some key moments in that tournament.”
On Megan Courtney: “Megan has worked extremely hard returning to play after a knee injury last year, so the whole program was happy to see her back in action in Brazil during our August tour there. Now she’s looking to take her game beyond where it was prior to her injury, and making great strides.”
On Tori Dixon: “We played with four really strong middles during Volleyball Nations League, and they all took turns making contributions. Tori’s biggest turn was during Finals Week, where she again proved to be a rock-steady performer and presence for this program. That consistency has been a hallmark of her game ever since she arrived in this gym.”
On Lauren Gibbemeyer: “Gibb is having her best USA season ever, playing at a high level, which allowed her to be a strong performer during Volleyball Nations League, among all four of our highly skilled middles. She also brings a unique intensity and fire to our program, every day, every drill.”
On Micha Hancock: “Micha is a fierce competitor and leader, and those qualities helped her stay prepared for her moments of competitive opportunity during Volleyball Nations League, including helping us change the course of some critical matches. She’s also having a tangible effect on the high level of training in our gym.”
On Kim Hill: “Kim continues to make big contributions in every way and every phase toward the team’s performance and has worked hard to build greater strength and depth in certain technical areas – all of which allows her to contribute even more. She has also taken on more responsibility as a leader, and she’s effective because she’s such a trusted teammate.”
On Jordan Larson: “Jordan continues to make her presence felt throughout our program, in a fierce and positive way. One way she does that is in playing a lead role in bringing and demanding a consistently high level of effort and execution in training, every play, every day. She’s also expanded her leadership skillset and taken on additional responsibilities as USA captain this season.”
On Carli Lloyd: “Carli’s patience and perseverance really paid off for her and USA earlier this year as she drove our team’s offense all the way to a Volleyball Nations League gold medal. Few people have a real understanding of all the work that goes into pursuing excellence, therefore few people would appreciate all that she does to pursue greatness.”
On Karsta Lowe: “After taking a break from volleyball, Karsta has returned with a deeper perspective and greater clarity about what she values most. This has allowed her to make significant changes, and help raise the level of play in our training gym. We are all looking forward to her return to FIVB competition.”
On Kelly Murphy: “Ever since her first FIVB tournament in 2013, Murph has earned great trust from her teammates with her steady and consistent play, her unflappable demeanor and her composure when the competition heats up. After taking a break to graduate from college, she picked up right where she left off.”
On Kelsey Robinson: “We asked something special of Kelsey just two matches into the first-ever Volleyball Nations League – to change positions from outside hitter to libero, for the good of the team. She willingly and selflessly embraced the challenge and helped us win a gold medal. As with so many of our people, she’s now toiling to raise her game to new heights.”
On Sarah Wilhite: “Sarah has earned significant opportunities to compete this season, including helping lead USA to the gold medal at the Pan American Cup. She has worked very hard to improve parts of her game, allowing her to help her team more, and making her one of the team’s most improved players.”
CAN THEY REPEAT: The U.S. won its first FIVB World Championship in 2014 since the competition began in 1952. Now Team USA has a target on its back as the defending champions of the event held every four years. The Americans begin their World Championship quest Sept. 29-Oct. 4 in Kobe, Japan, with first-round opponents Azerbaijan, Trinidad & Tobago, Korea, Thailand and Russia. The World Championship concludes Oct. 20 in Yokohoma.
CONVERTED LIBEROS: The U.S. Women’s National Team has converted Kelsey Robinson and Megan Courtney, both outside hitters in college and early in their national team and professional careers, to libero within the last year. Courtney made an ‘experimental switch’ to libero at the end of August 2017 for the USA Volleyball Cup and FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in September 2017. However, she injured her ACL playing outside hitter in her second day of training at outside hitter with her pro club in Poland last year. She returned to the court and played libero in two exhibition matches versus Brazil in August 2018. Robinson’s switch to libero happened more abruptly – starting at outside hitter in the second match of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, then moving to libero in the third match the following day. With her as the starting libero, Team USA was 16-1 and won the VNL gold medal.
KARSTA LOWE BACK IN 2018: After the 2016 Olympic Games and playing in the short pro season in China, Karsta Lowe elected to take 2017 off from the National Team and went back to college to concentrate on her master’s degree at the University of Southern California. Ultimately, Lowe informed the coaching staff in late spring 2018 that she wanted to return to the National Team and began training again the first week of May.
STILL IN SEARCH OF OLYMPIC GOLD: The U.S. Women’s National Team has been one of the most storied volleyball programs in the world, yet it has not come away with gold at the Olympic Games and has just one major title win – 2014 FIVB World Championship. The Americans have medaled in the last three Olympic Games, including falling to Brazil in the 2008 and 2012 gold-medal match and finishing with bronze in 2016.
Rachael Adams (Middle, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Foluke Akinradewo (Middle, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Outside Hitter, Champaign, Illinois)
Megan Courtney (Libero, Dayton, Ohio)
Tori Dixon (Middle, Burnsville, Minnesota)
Lauren Gibbemeyer (Middle, St. Paul, Minnesota)
Micha Hancock (Setter, Edmond, Oklahoma)
Kim Hill (Outside Hitter, Portland, Oregon)
Jordan Larson (Outside Hitter, Hooper, Nebraska)
Carli Lloyd (Setter, Bonsall, California)
Karsta Lowe (Opposite, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Kelly Murphy (Opposite, Wilmington, Illinois)
Kelsey Robinson (Libero, Manhattan California/Bartlett, Illinois)
Sarah Wilhite Parsons (Outside Hitter, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the Pan American Cup gold-medal match by defeating Canada 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19 in the semifinals on Friday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. will go for gold on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET against host Dominican Republic, which swept Brazil in the second semifinal. The match can be viewed live on FloVolleyball.tv. Team USA has won the Pan Am Cup five times in the first 16 editions – including four of the past six years (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017). Dominican Republic has won the event in 2014 and 2016 as part of its four total titles. The Pan Am Cup gold-medal match will feature USA versus Dominican Republic for the fifth time in six years.
The U.S. bolted to a 12-7 advantage in the opening set, then continued the charge to a 25-18 victory that included eight blocks. Team USA opened the second set with a 4-0, but Canada charged back to take a 10-9 advantage. The Americans used four unanswered points to take a 16-13 advantage and built the lead to 19-15, but Canada rallied again to take the lead at 23-22 and went on to win 25-23. The U.S overcame a 12-9 deficit in the third set to take a 19-16 advantage, but Canada stormed back into the lead at 22-21 with four straight points. However, Team USA scored four of the five final points of the set to win 25-23. The Americans rushed out to a 16-8 advantage in the fourth set and won the set 25-19.
“We salute an amazing team of Canada,” said Jon Newman-Gonchar, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Women at the Pan Am Cup. “We knew it was going to be a challenging match. We prepared for them but they still found solutions. We came here for a purpose and tomorrow we are going for it.”
Team USA used a balanced scoring attack against Canada, which relied heavily on two players for its point production. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) collected 13 points with nine kills on 20 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) contributed 13 kills on 37 attacks. Outside hitter Adora Anae (Punaluu, Hawaii) pocketed seven kills on 28 swings to go with four blocks and two aces.
Opposite Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey) tallied 10 points with five kills, three blocks and two aces. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas), who started the first three sets, put up a match-high seven blocks to go with two kills. Setter Lauren Carlini added two kills on six attacks and three blocks. Middle Molly McCage (Spring, Texas) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) was credited with eight digs and three excellent receptions. Anae and Wilhite had 10 excellent receptions on 27 apiece. Anae added seven digs.
Carlini was credited with 13 running sets on 97 total set attempts in leading the U.S. to a 30.5 kill percent and .172 hitting efficiency (39-17-128). The American defense held Canada to a 32.6 kill percent and .101 hitting efficiency (45-31-138).
“Canada is an amazing team,” said Carlini, who is serving as team captain of the U.S. squad at the Pan Am Cup. “They forced us to adjust and our team responded as we came back after the second set.”
Team USA dominated the net with a 21-9 block advantage as five Americans had at least three blocks in the match. Canada held a 7-5 margin in aces, along with a 45-39 advantage in kills. However, the Americans benefited from 33 Canadian errors and held their own mistakes to 24 for the match.
Canada was led in scoring by Kiera Van Ryk’s 18 points followed by Alexa Gray’s 16.
“It is disappointing to lose,” Canadian captain Megan Cyr said. “(The USA) put a lot of pressure and were aggressive. The United States sided out well and blocked a lot of balls.”
The U.S. started Anae and Wilhite at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Whitney at opposite, Carlini at setter and Benson at libero. McCage started the fourth set after being a sub in the third. Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) started the third set at libero, but Benson came back into the match late the third set and started the fourth. Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) was a serving sub in the fourth set.
Canada gained an early 3-1 lead in the opening set, but the U.S. quickly tied the set at 3-all with a Wilhite kill after a Canada service error. Washington put up a block to provide the U.S. a 5-4 advantage. Washington scored two kills and block, then Canada hit long as Team USA went up 10-6 on a 4-0 run on Wilhite’s serve. Washington put up a block and Wilhite hit a back-row kill to prompt Canada to call timeout trailing 12-7. Out of the block, Ogbogu added two blocks to extend the Team USA lead to 14-7. Canada ran off four straight points to cut the deficit to 14-11. Ogbogu put up a block to place the Americans in front 16-11 at the second technical timeout. Whitney added a block out of the break to raise the lead to 17-12. Anae served an ace. Canada committed an error and Ogbogu put up a block to inch the American lead to 21-12. Canada closed to 23-17 on a 4-1 scoring run. The U.S. closed out the set at 25-18 on a Canada service error.
The U.S. went in front 4-0 to open the second set with kills by Whitney and Anae and two blocks by Ogbogu. Canada leveled the set at 7-all with a 7-2 run. Canada went in front 10-9 on a U.S. attack error. Wilhite slammed two kills and Anae hit a back-row kill as the Americans went into the second technical timeout up 16-13 on a 4-0 run. Canada scored two points out of the break to close to within one, 16-15. Wilhite downed a kill and Anae put up a block prompting Canada to call timeout trailing 18-15. The U.S. scored a third straight point at 19-15 on a Canada attack error. Anae put up a block to extend the American lead to 21-16. Canada answered with four consecutive points to close to 21-20, then took the lead back at 23-22. Canada won the set 25-23 on a service ace.
Canada jumped to a 2-0 lead in the third set, but Wilhite tied it with a kill at 2-all after a Canada service error. Team USA went in front 5-4 with a Washington block and Canada attack error. Ogbogu put up a block after a Canada service error to place the Americans in front 8-6 at the technical timeout. Canada with on a 7-1 run to stake an 12-9 advantage. Anae served an ace after a Canada service error to close the American deficit to 12-11. The U.S. tied the set at 14-all with a Washington kill and Canada red card, then went into the second technical timeout up 16-15 on a Washington block after a Canada service error. Anae added to the lead at 17-15 with a kill off the block. Team USA raised the advantage to 19-16 with a Washington kill and Canada attack error. Canada sliced the gap to 19-18 following a U.S. attack error. The Americans answered with an Ogbogu kill and Canada error to go up 21-18. Canada responded with four consecutive points to take the lead back at 22-21. The U.S. answered with kill from Whitney and Wilhite to the reverse the lead to Team USA, 23-22. Canada then hit long to give Team USA a two-point cushion at 24-22. The Americans ended the set at 25-23 on a Wilhite kill.
The U.S. took a 4-2 lead in the fourth set with two Whitney aces after a Wilhite kill ending a long rally. Canada came back to take the lead at 5-4 with three unanswered points. Washington hammered an overpass kill around four Canada errors to put the Americans back in front at 9-5 on a 5-0 run on Wilhite’s serve. Team USA raised its advantage to 11-6 with a Washington kill and Anae block. Out of a Canada timeout, Carlini put up a block, Canada hit long and Washington served an ace to extend the margin to 14-6. Canada sliced two points off the deficit at 14-8. Team USA went into the second technical timeout up 16-8 after an Anae kill and Whitney block. Canada scored four consecutive points to chip away the gap to 16-12. Anae downed a kill and McCage blocked Canada, forcing it into a timeout trailing 18-12. Team USA jumped the lead to 20-13 with a Wilhite kill and Canada error. Canada closed to 21-17. Washington scored a kill and block to raise the American advantage to 23-17. Washington gave Team USA match points at 24-18 with a kill. McCage ended the match with a cross-court winner at 25-19.
U.S. Women’s National Team Pan American Cup Roster
# – Name (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, University of Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, University of Nebraska, Cypress, California)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, University of Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Krystal Rivers (OPP, 5-11, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama)
10 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State University, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-2, University of Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Adora Anae (OH, 6-1, University of Utah, Punaluu, Hawaii)
15 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State University, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
18 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-4, Penn State University, Norwood, New Jersey)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, University of Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
22 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, University of Texas, Spring, Texas)
24 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, University of Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
25 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, University of Texas, Coppell, Texas)
Head Coach: Jon Newman Gonchar (associate head coach at University of Arkansas)
Assistant Coach: Alisha Glass Childress (2016 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team bronze medalist)
Assistant Coach: JJ Van Niel (associate head coach at University of Southern California)
Technical Coordinator: Natalie Morgan (assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University)
Team Manager: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Salvador Vallejo
Pan American Cup Schedule
Pool B
July 8: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 21-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-15
July 9: USA lost to Cuba 18-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-13
July 10: USA def. Puerto Rico 25-22, 25-21, 25-14
Pan American Cup Playoff Schedule
July 11: USA def. Colombia 25-12, 25-17, 25-17 (Quarterfinals)
July 13: USA def. 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19 (semifinals)
July 14: USA vs. Brazil/Dominican Republic semi winner (gold-medal match)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will host Japan in a joint training block at the end of July, including a friendly exhibition match on July 27 at Tustin High School in Tustin, California, as part of the 2020 Olympic Games Two-Year Out Celebration.
The USA-Japan exhibition match will have first serve at 7 p.m. PT. General admission is $10, while tickets for youth 10-and-under, seniors 60-and-over and military with identification are $7. Tickets go on sale at Tustin High School Gym one hour prior to the match.
Japan will be training July 22-29 at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim – official host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – as part of the 2020 Olympic Games Two-Year Out Celebration. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games start on July 24.
Earlier this month the U.S. Women captured the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League title and the $1 million top prize that goes along with the gold medals. Team USA’s focus now shifts to preparing to defend its FIVB World Championship title won back in 2014 in Italy. Like the 2020 Olympic Games, Japan is hosting the 2018 World Championship, an event held every four years.
“Having won a total of six Olympic medals, including gold in the inaugural volleyball event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Japanese National Team is one of the premier international women’s programs,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re enthusiastic about their visit for two primary reasons: 1) they last visited us for training and competition in 2013, over five years ago; and 2) they’ll be visiting exactly two years before the Opening Ceremonies of the 2020 Olympic Games, a Games at which we naturally aspire to qualify and compete at the highest level.”
Team USA’s training over the next two months leading up the World Championship will bring together the rosters used for the Volleyball Nations League and invited players from the Pan American Cup team, along with a few other athletes who have been in the gym training and rehabbing injuries.
The U.S. Women open the FIVB World Championship on Sept. 29 against Azerbaijan.
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for U.S. Women’s National Team
First Round Pool C – Kobe, Japan
Sept. 29: USA vs. Azerbaijan, 3:10 a.m. ET
Sept. 30: USA Vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 12:40 a.m. ET
Oct. 2: USA vs. Korea, 6:20 a.m. ET
Oct. 3: USA vs. Thailand, 3:10 a.m. ET
Oct. 4: USA vs. Russia, 6:10 a.m. ET
Second Round – Nagoya or Osaka, Japan
Oct. 7-11
Third Round – Nagoya, Japan
Oct. 14-16
Semifinals and Finals – Yokohoma, Japan
Oct. 19-20
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, is one victory away from making history in the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League as it defeated top-ranked China 25-23, 25-20, 18-25, 25-18 in the semifinal round Saturday in Nanjing, China.
The U.S. Women, which finished the VNL 15-match round-robin preliminary round in first place with a 13-2 record, will now meet Turkey in the gold-medal match on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET. The match will be streamed on flovolleyball.tv. Earlier today Turkey upset Brazil 25-23, 25-23, 25-22 in the semifinals to reach the gold-medal match.
The U.S. is now 16-2 overall in the inaugural Volleyball Nations League with 12 of the victories in straight sets.
China used two 5-0 runs to build a 15-9 advantage in the opening set, but the U.S. rallied back to win 25-23 including three blocks to close out the set. The Americans gained a 15-9 lead in the second set. Unlike China in the opening set with an identical lead, the U.S. weathered a storm in which the Chinese moved to within two at 19-17 to win 25-20. After trailing 7-3 in the third set, China used a 12-3 run to propel it to a 25-18 victory. The Americans inched their way to a 16-10 advantage in the fourth set, and never let the host Chinese back into the match with a 25-18 victory.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), Team USA’s leading scorer in the tournament, led the Americans with 24 points with 22 kills on 55 swings and two blocks. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) was on fire offensively with 13 kills on 22 swings and a block. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) tacked on 10 kills on 26 swings, two blocks and an ace for 13 points.
Akinradewo feels the long preliminary schedule helped the Americans to come back from the third-set loss. During the 15-match preliminary round, the U.S. utilized 12 different starting lineups and needed to comeback in several tough situations.
“I think in general, it has been a long tournament,” Akinradewo said. “We have had a lot of battles, a lot of tough situations. I think we put ourselves in positions to be ready for that, to regroup, to bring more energy. I think that helped us out in the fourth set.”
Outside Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), who came off the bench and started the fourth set, sparked the U.S. offense after losing the third set. She contributed 10 points – all in the fourth set – with nine kills on 19 swings and an ace. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed five kills on 16 attacks, three blocks and an ace for nine points.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) totaled six points with four kills, one block and one ace. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was the opposite in the double sub with setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) in all four sets, charted three kills on six swings. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) accounted for 13 receptions with a 62 positive percent. Bartsch-Hackley handled a team-leading 41 receptions with a 56 positive percent. Hill had a 75 positive reception percent on 12 chances.
The American offense converted on 41 percent of its attacks with a .293 hitting efficiency (66-19-160) as Lloyd and Hancock directed the attack. Team USA limited China to a 40 kill percent and a .279 hitting efficiency (54-16-136).
Akinradewo said the team is more than just the six players inside the white lines, and it takes all 14 players to win.
“We are all 14 strong,” Akinradewo said. “Whether we are on the court or not, they are bringing a lot of energy.”
Team USA held a 10-7 margin in blocks to go with a 66-55 advantage in kills. Both teams served four aces. China benefited from 20 American errors and limited its own mistakes to 13. The U.S. held a 48-41 margin in digs and a 22-19 edge in excellent receptions.
China’s star Zhu Ting, the 2016 Olympic Games most valuable player, led her squad with 18 points, while Li Yingying came off the bench to provide 14 points in starting just the fourth set.
USA and Turkey split a pair of five-set matches in which Turkey led 2-0 in each contest. In the first meeting, Turkey won 3-2 on USA soil in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Americans opened the Final Six Pool B trailing Turkey 2-0 before rallying for a 3-2 win this past Wednesday.
“We are facing a really tough Turkish team,” Akinradewo said. “They have surprised a lot of people in this tournament. They come with a lot of energy. (Turkish Head Coach Giovanni Guidetti) does a really good job coaching them. It will take a lot of focus and a lot of energy on our side, staying patient to have a good match tomorrow.”
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside, and Akinradewo and Dixon at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
The U.S. took a 4-2 lead with kills from Bartsch-Hackley, Murphy and Akinradewo. China rattled off five unanswered points to take an 8-5 advantage into the technical timeout. Bartsch-Hackley scored consecutive kills out of the timeout to close the American deficit to 8-7. China notched five straight points to stake a 15-9 advantage. Team USA cut two points off the deficit with a China service error and Bartsch-Hackley overpass kill at 15-11. The Americans sliced the gap to 18-16 with two kills from Drews around a Bartsch-Hackley back-row kill. China rebuilt a four-point cushion at 20-16 with back-to-back points. Team USA answered with kills from Akinradewo and Bartsch-Hackley and a China error to close to within 20-19. The U.S. squared the set at 22-all with a Dixon kill followed by an ace by Larson. The Americans went in front 24-23 with blocks from Dixon and Murphy, then Akinradewo finished it at 25-23 with another block.
China scored the opening two points of the second set. Team USA used a 3-0 run to take a 4-3 advantage with a Dixon block and two Akinradewo kills. Akinradewo slammed consecutive kills and China hit long to yield an 8-5 American lead. The U.S. extended its lead to 11-7 with a Larson kill and China error. Dixon hammered a kill and Bartsch-Hackley followed with a winner to prompt China to call timeout down 14-9. Out of the timeout, Bartsch-Hackley downed an attack at 15-9. The American advantage stretched to 18-11 with consecutive Akinradewo kills. China closed the deficit to 18-14 with a 3-0 run, then moved to within three at 19-17 on a 3-0 run. The Americans rebuilt its margin to four at 22-18 with kills from Larson and Murphy. Out of a China timeout, Murphy put up a block to extend the U.S. lead to 23-18. Team USA won the set 25-20 on a China service error.
The U.S. gained its first lead of the third set at 3-2 with a Dixon kill and Bartsch-Hackley block. The Americans advanced their lead to 7-3 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill, Lloyd block and consecutive China errors. China responded with a 6-0 run, including two aces, to take a 9-7 advantage. Team USA answered with an Akinradewo block after a China service error to level the set at 9-all. However, China upped its lead to 15-10 on a 6-1 scoring run. Team USA trimmed the gap to 15-12 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Dixon. China scored points on each side of the second technical timeout to raise its lead to 17-12. China raised its margin to six at 21-15. China reached set points at 24-17. China finished the set at 25-18.
The U.S. gained a 2-1 lead in the fourth set with kills from Hill and Murphy, then went up 6-3 with consecutive kills from Hill and an ace from Murphy. The Americans raised their advantage to 9-5 with two points around the technical timeout. Team USA extended its margin to 12-7 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Hill. Out of a China timeout, China committed a net violation to give the Americans a 13-7 lead. Out of the second technical timeout, China scored back-to-back points for the first time in the set to close to 16-12. Team USA responded with kills from Akinradewo and Dixon to move the advantage back to six, 18-12. The Americans extended their lead to 20-13 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill after a China service error. The Chinese scored three straight to close the gap to 20-16. Bartsch-Hackley ended the run with a kill and Murphy followed with a cross-court winner for a 22-16 American lead. Team USA reached match points with a Hill kill and Dixon ace at 24-17. The Americans ended the set at 25-18 on a Hill kill.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 29, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, advanced into the FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Six semifinals with a 29-27, 25-22, 25-19 sweep over third-ranked Serbia to conclude Pool B on Friday in Nanjing, China.
The U.S. Women, which finished the VNL 15-match round-robin preliminary round in first place with a 13-2 record, will now face China in the semifinals on Saturday at 7:45 a.m. ET. challenging opponent in Saturday’s semifinal. The other semifinal pits Pool A winner China against Pool B’s second-place Turkey at 3 a.m. ET preceding the USA-China match. During the preliminary phase, the U.S. defeated Brazil (3-1) and China (3-0) on back-to-back days on June 6-7 in China.
As the Final Six pools aligned, Team USA was set to meet Turkey and Serbia in Pool B – the only two opponents that beat the Americans during the preliminary round. On Wednesday, the Americans recovered from a 2-0 deficit to win a thrilling five-set match over Turkey. Serbia, which defeated Team USA in the 2016 Olympic Games semifinal, had snapped Team USA’s 10-match VNL win streak with a 3-1 victory on June 12. The U.S. is now 15-2 overall in the inaugural Volleyball Nations League with 12 of the victories in straight sets.
The U.S. built a 13-6 lead over Serbia in the opening set with a 10-2 run. After trailing 16-8, Serbia responded with a 13-4 run to take the lead at 21-20. The Americans saved one set point, then won the set 29-27 on its fourth set point chance. Team USA overcame a 20-18 deficit in the second set and scored the final three points to take the set 25-22. The U.S. charged to a 14-6 advantage in the third set, then withstood a Serbia charge to within two (15-13) to win 25-19.
“We love playing against the great teams in the world,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Serbia is certainly one of those great teams that we have a great deal of respect for, for the players, their coaches and their program. Whether we win or lose, we learn a lot because the two teams push each other and make things difficult. This was a good learning moment, and we are very happy to advance to tomorrow’s semifinals.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) paced the American attack with 16 points. She tallied 14 kills on 32 swings and two aces. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted nine points with eight kills on 25 swings and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) contributed five kills on nine swings and a team-leading four blocks for nine points.
Bartsch-Hackley, Team USA’s leading scorer for the tournament with 224 points and 32 in the Final Six, gives credit back to her teammates to allow her to play loose.
“I think my teammates are trusting me a lot, which is really nice for me so that I can play free at all points in time,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “I think my teammates are.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) scored eight kills on 20 attacks. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) provided two kills on two attacks and three blocks for five points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed three kills on eight attacks and block. The double-sub of Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with two and one point, respectively.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) charted a team-leading 63 positive reception percent on 19 chances. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with a 53 positive reception percent on a team-best 30 chances.
Lloyd and Hancock set the American offense to a 43 kill percent and .229 hitting efficiency. Team USA held Serbia to a 41 kill percent and .202 hitting efficiency.
Although Serbia out-blocked the U.S. 13-9 and held a 44-42 advantage in kills, Team USA benefited from 25 errors. Meanwhile, the U.S. limited its errors to nine for the match. The Americans was credited with a 27-22 margin in digs and 3-2 edge in aces.
Bartsch-Hackley noted the difference between Wednesday’s five-set thrilling win over Turkey and today’s match against Serbia really came down to being patient.
“I think we were really patient, which (Wednesday) we were not patient very much,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “I think we learned a lot (on Wednesday against Turkey). We seem to learn a lot from Turkey every time we play them. We learned a lot from that match and we improved.”
Knowing how it had come back from a 2-0 deficit on Wednesday, Team USA was not about to let off the pedal after going up 2-0 versus Serbia with a spot into the VNL semifinals on the line.
“Every team is good here, and I think we proved that yesterday being down 0-2 and coming back,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “I think it is more fun for us to just keep going at them really hard when we are up. I think we play a lot more free when that happens.”
Serbian star opposite Tijana Boskovic had a monster performance with 27 points via 25 kills on 45 swings and two blocks as the only player in double-digit scoring.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside, and Akinradewo and Dixon at middle. Robinson served as the libero. Drews and Hancock were used as double subs in the first two sets, while Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was a serving sub in all three sets.
Serbia scored three unanswered points to take a 3-1 advantage early in the opening set. Murphy slammed a kill off the block and Bartsch-Hackley followed with a block to tie the set at 3-all. Team USA took the lead at 6-4 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill, Serbia error and Akinradewo block. The Americans went into the first technical timeout leading 8-5 with an Akinradewo kill and Bartsch-Hackley ace. Out of the break, the U.S. raised its margin to five with another Bartsch-Hackley ace and Murphy kill at 10-5. Bartsch-Hackley drilled a back-court kill and Dixon put up a block to extend Team USA’s advantage o 12-6. Out of Serbia’s second timeout, Larson hit a cross-court winner to push the lead to 13-6. Dixon hammered a kill and Serbia committed an error to build the American lead to 15-8. Serbia sliced five points off its deficit at 16-13. Bartsch-Hackley ended the 5-0 Serbia run with a kill and Akinradewo followed with an overpass kill at 18-13. Serbia took the lead at 21-20 with six unanswered points. Dixon slammed a kill to save one set point and the Americans went in front 25-24 with a Serbia attack error. On its fourth set point chance, the U.S. won the set 29-27 with a Dixon block.
Team USA went up 2-0 to start the second set with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Murphy. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout leading 8-5 with an Akinradewo kill. Serbia closed to within one at 9-8 following a block. Larson slammed a kill and Murphy formed a block for an 11-8 American lead. Serbia answered with consecutive points to close to 11-10, then knotted the score at 12-all. Serbia gained its first lead of the set at 14-13 and then pushed it to 15-13 as part of a 3-0 run. Team USA quickly tied it at 15-all with a Serbia service error and Hancock ace. The U.S. took the lead back with consecutive Drews kills at 17-16. Serbia swung the lead to its side at 20-18 with three consecutive points. The Americans responded with a Lloyd kill and Serbia error to tie the set at 20-all, then Larson gave the Americans the lead back at 21-20. Out of a Serbia timeout, Team USA inched its cushion to two at 22-20 with a Serbia error capping an American 4-0 run. Serbia answered with wo unanswered points to level the score at 22-all. The Americans picked up set points at 24-22 with a Serbia service error and Bartsch-Hackley kill. Team USA finished the set on its first chance at 25-22 with a Serbia net violation.
The Americans started the third set with a 3-0 lead with a Serbia service and attack error followed by a Bartsch-Hackley overpass kill. Serbia stopped the run with two straight points to cut the deficit to 3-2. Team USA raised its lead to four with a Serbia service error and consecutive Akinradewo blocks at 6-2. The Americans extended their lead to 9-4 with a Serbia service error and Bartsch-Hackley back-row kill. Akinradewo and Dixon roofed Serbia on consecutive attacks to raise the U.S. lead to 11-5. Team USA built its margin to 13-6 with two Serbia errors. Serbia closed to 14-11 with four unanswered points, then moved to within two at 15-13. Team USA raised its cushion back to four at 20-16 with a Larson kill and Serbia attack error. Bartsch-Hackley hammered a cross-court winner, then Akinradewo and Bartsch-Hackley slammed consecutive overpass kills at 24-18. Bartsch-Hackley finished the set with a winner down the line at 25-19.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 27, 2018) – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored 21 points off the bench as the U.S. Women’s National Team opened up the FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Six with a thrilling 17-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 15-11 come-from-behind victory over Turkey on Wednesday in Nanjing, China.
The U.S. Women, which finished the 15-match round-robin preliminary round in first place with a 13-2 record, will now face Serbia on Friday at 3 a.m. ET to conclude its three-team Pool B Final Six round. Serbia opens its Final Six schedule against Turkey on Thursday at 3 a.m. ET. The opposite pool has host China, Brazil and Netherlands. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals on Saturday with the medal-round matches on Sunday.
From the outset, it appeared the USA-Turkey match was going to be déjà vu from the May 16 preliminary round meeting between the two teams as Turkey won the first two sets before the Americans rallied to force the fifth set. Unlike the first meeting, the Americans won the tiebreaker on Wednesday, avenging one of its two losses in the preliminary round. Following the preliminary round setback to Turkey, Team USA reeled off 10 straight wins until Serbia ended the run on June 12 in Argentina. Turkey and Serbia are the only teams to defeat the Americans in the preliminary round.
Turkey used an 11-3 run after trailing 12-11 in the opening set to take a 21-14 lead and went on to win 25-17. Similar to the opening set, Turkey rallied from a 12-10 deficit in the second set with a 13-3 run to stake a 23-15 advantage and finished the set at 25-21. The U.S. broke a 12-all tie in the third set with a key 4-0 run and carried on for the 25-21 victory. The Americans raced to a 10-4 lead in the fourth set and controlled the final points for a 25-15 victory. Team USA used a 4-0 run to break an 8-all tie in the fifth set to roll to a 15-11 victory in the tiebreaker.
Bartsch-Hackley, who started only the final three sets, tallied 19 kills on 41 swings, one block and one ace for her 21 points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) crushed 15 kills on 28 attacks, one block and one ace for 17 points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) charted 14 points with eight kills on 34 attacks and five aces including two in a 4-0 run in the critical tiebreaker that broke an 8-all tie. She added a block in the victory.
“It was a great comeback,” Larson said. “Obviously Turkey is a very strong. I think we were waiting for things to happen instead of taking control of our side and really focusing on that. I think that is what you saw in sets three, four and five.”
The Team USA victory required contributions from other key players coming off the bench. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) came off the bench to start the final three sets and pocketed eight kills on 12 swings and four blocks to help spark the comeback. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) turned in five kills on 17 attacks and a block for six points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) scored four kills on eight swings and a block for five points.
Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) provided five kills on 13 attacks. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), who also sparked the rally taking over the setter spot for Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) midway through the third set, added two kills. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) was credited with 40 receptions and a 62 positive reception percent. Bartsch-Hackley held a 54 positive reception percent on 24 chances. Hill added 15 receptions and a stellar 80 positive reception percent.
After the first two sets, Team USA started to win the serve-receive battle and that helped turn the tide.
“I think we upped our serving pressure, so they got into some passing trouble,” Larson said. “We made a few more digs, and that definitely helped us.”
The U.S. converted 41 percent of its attacks into points with a .261 hitting efficiency (64-23-157) behind the setting of Lloyd and Hancock. However, over the course of the final two sets with Hancock setting, the Americans converted 63.6 percent of its attacks with a .545 hitting efficiency (28-4-44). The American defense limited Turkey to a 36 kill percent and .219 hitting efficiency (53-22-147).
The American offense held a 66-54 advantage in kills and a slim 7-6 edge in aces. Turkey tallied a 12-10 block margin.
Larson’s key scoring run in the tiebreaker came after what she felt could have been a better individual performance.
“I definitely could have been better in a lot of aspects,” Larson said. “But I just tried to be consistent and get back to what I am good at. I thought I increased the serving pressure there toward the end, and that definitely helped the team relax a bit.”
Turkey was led by Meliha Ismailoglu’s 18 points and Ed Erdem Dundar’s 14 points.
Larson said there is a lot to learn from the match with Turkey heading into its match with Serbia on Friday.
“Obviously there is a lot reflection of what we can do better,” Larson said. “But I think it is great that we are able to grind it out in the first match and we can only get better from here.”
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Hill and Larson at outside, and Akinradewo and Gibbemeyer at middle. Robinson served as the libero. Bartsch-Hackley and Dixon started the final three sets, and Hancock started the final two sets after being a sub in the first three sets. Drews was a double-sub in the first two sets.
The U.S. scored three straight to take a 5-3 lead in the opening set with a Murphy kill and ace followed by a Hill kill. However, Turkey answered with four consecutive points to take the lead back at 7-5. Akinradewo and Larson pounded consecutive kills to square the set at 8-all. Gibbemeyer and Larson tallied kills to push the Americans in front 10-9. Turkey returned to the lead at 14-12 with three straight points. Turkey went into the second technical timeout up 16-13 on an overpass kill, then extended the lead to 17-13 out of the break. Turkey increased its margin to 22-14 with five straight points, then cruised into the win at 25-17.
Turkey scored the first three points of the second set. Team USA quickly tied the set at 3-all with a Hill kill and two Larson aces. Hill followed with a block to put the Americans in front 4-3. The U.S. extended its lead to 6-4 with a kill and block by Murphy. Turkey answered with two quick points to tie the set at 6-all, then went into the technical timeout up 8-7 following a USA error. The Americans reversed the lead with kills by Hill and Larson at 9-8. Team USA raised its lead to 12-10 with a Murphy kill and Turkey error. However, Turkey came back to tie the set at 12-all including a video challenge point. Turkey went back in front 14-13 with two straight points, then built its margin to 19-14 with a 5-0 run. Turkey extended its lead to 23-15 on a 4-0 run. A Bartsch-Hackley kill and Akinradewo block sliced the gap to 23-17. Larson hammered a kill between two Turkey errors to close the gap to 24-20. Team USA saved a fourth straight set point with a Larson block at 24-21 before Turkey won 25-21.
Larson scored an ace, Murphy hammered a kill between two Turkey errors to give the Americans a 4-1 lead in the third set. Turkey answered with consecutive points to trim the gap to 4-3. Team USA rebuilt a three-point cushion at 6-3 with a Murphy kill and Turkey error. The U.S. went into the first technical timeout up 8-4 with kills from Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley. Out of the break, Turkey scored back-to-back points to cut the gap to 8-6. Turkey scored three unanswered points to level the score at 11-all. The Americans picked up a four-point cushion at 16-12 with a Murphy kill, Dixon block and two Turkey errors at the second technical timeout. Dixon picked up consecutive blocks to raise the American lead to 18-13. Turkey cut the deficit to 19-16 with back-to-back points. Turkey moved to within two at 22-20 on a U.S. error. Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley scored kills on the final two points of the set for a 25-21 victory.
Bartsch-Hackley rolled a kill and Dixon slammed an overpass to lift the Americans into a 3-2 lead in the fourth set. The U.S. stretched its lead to 6-3 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley, Dixon and Hancock prompting a Turkey timeout. The U.S. doubled-up Turkey at the first technical timeout at 8-4 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Dixon. Out of the break, Dixon put up a block and Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to inch the lead to 10-4. Turkey broke the 4-0 American run with two points of its own to close to 10-6. Bartsch-Hackley slammed consecutive kills, Turkey hit wide and Akinradewo pounded an overpass to raise the American advantage to 16-8 at the second technical timeout. Bartsch-Hackley tallied a kill and block followed by a Dixon block to increase the Team USA lead to 20-10. Out of a Turkey timeout, Turkey hit long and Bartsch-Hackley pounded a kill for a 5-0 run for the Americans at 22-10. Turkey scored four unanswered points to move within 22-14. Hancock scored on a setter dump and Turkey hit long to give the Americans the fourth set 25-15.
Turkey scored the first two points of the fifth set with consecutive USA errors. Team USA quickly tied the set at 2-all with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Akinradewo. Bartsch-Hackley and Dixon hammered kills to yield a 4-3 American lead. Team USA gained a two-point cushion at 10-8 with a Larson ace after a Turkey service error. Out of Turkey timeout, Larson served another ace and Murphy crammed a cross-court winner through the block to inch the American lead to 12-8. Bartsch-Hackley gave U.S. match points with a kill at 14-10, then finalized the set at 15-11 with a kill.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 14, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had five players in double-figure scoring in dominating Argentina 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 on Thursday in Santa Fe, Argentina, to close out the 15-match FIVB Volleyball Nations League round-robin preliminary round in first place.
The Americans, ranked second in the world, concludes the preliminary phase with a 13-2 record and 40 points. Argentina ended the tournament with a 1-14 record and in last place of the 16-team tournament.
Team USA finished ahead of second-place Serbia (12-3, 37), third-place Brazil (12-3, 35 points), fourth-place Netherlands (12-3, 34 points) and fifth-place Turkey (11-4, 35 points). All five teams will compete in the Finals Round June 27 to July 1 with host country China (7-8, 22 points) in Nanjing. Based on the serpentine seeding system, the Americans will have Serbia and Turkey in their Finals Round pool. Those two teams were the only countries to defeat the U.S. in the VNL this year.
The U.S. built up a 15-9 margin in the opening set and never let Argentina into the set with a 25-15 victory that netted a 20-9 kill advantage for the Americans. Team USA broke a 4-all tie in the second set with a 4-0 run, and never let off the gas to win 25-14 as the Americans have eight blocks in the set. After trailing 6-3 in the third set, the U.S. used a 6-1 run to stake a 9-7 lead and cruised to the final win at 25-15.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) tallied team-leading 13 points for the Americans. Drews reached her total with eight kills on 14 swings, a team-leading four blocks and an ace. Bartsch-Hackley, Team USA’s leading scoring in the 15-match preliminary, had 12 kills on 23 attacks and an ace. Midde Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed six kills on nine swings, three blocks and two aces for 11 points.
“I think we had a really good match all the way around,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “We wanted to end this really long tournament with a really good match. I think we did that, and we are ready to go on.”
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) pocketed 10 points with seven kills on 12 attacks, two blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) reached double-figure scoring with eight kills on 20 swings and two blocks. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), who started the final two sets after coming in as part of the double sub with Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) in the first set, tallied two aces, one block and an ace for four points. Murphy chipped in two kills on two swings, while starting setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 13 receptions with a 62 positive reception percent without an error. Hill was credited with a 50 positive reception percent on 20 chances.
The setting combination of Hancock and Lloyd allowed the Americans to convert 53.0 percent of their attacks into points. The U.S. defense limited Argentina to a 27.7 kill percent for the match.
Team USA dominated at the net with a 13-3 block advantage and 44-23 margin in kills. The Americans also produced a 7-3 edge in aces. The U.S. limited its errors to 15 for the match.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside, and Dixon and Adams at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
Argentina’s Anahi Florencia Tosi led her squad with seven points.
After the U.S. played 15 matches in five different countries over the course of five weeks, Team USA is ready to get home and recharge for the Finals Round.
“I think we are going to take one match at a time,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “Right now we are really excited to go home, and to restart and get a little bit of training at home. Then we will go one match at a time.”
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. earned an early 2-0 lead in the opening set with a Drews kill and Argentina error. Team USA upped its lead to 5-2 with a Lloyd block after an Argentina service error. The Americans raised their lead to 12-8 with an Argentina attack error, then went up 15-9 on a 3-0 run capped by a Dixon kill. Adams inched the margin to seven at 17-10 with a kill out of the middle. Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley hammered back-to-back kills to yield a 19-11 Team USA margin. Out of an Argentina timeout, Hill slammed a kill from the back row to extend the lead to 20-11. Drews scored two kills around a Hill kill to produce a 23-12 American advantage. Argentina scored back-to-back points to narrow the gap to 23-14. Team USA finished the set at 25-15 on a Drews block.
Bartsch-Hackley scored back-to-back kills and Drews hammered a kill to give the U.S. a 3-1 margin in the second set. Argentina leveled the score with a kill and an ace off the net at 3-all. Dixon and Hancock put up back-to-back blocks, Drews served an ace and Hill scored a block to yield an 8-4 American lead at the first technical timeout. Dixon scored a block and ran a slide kill to perfection to push the Team USA lead to 10-5. Argentina sliced the gap to 11-7 following a block. The Americans advanced the advantage to 13-8 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Hancock ace. Out of an Argentina timeout, Hancock served a second ace to place the score at 14-8. Bartsch-Hackley powered down a kill and Adams scored a block to place the Americans in front 16-9 at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Hill scored a kill and block to extend the lead to 18-9 on a 4-0 run. Out of an Argentina timeout, Drews slammed a fifth unanswered point at 19-9. Argentina scored consecutive points to drop the American advantage to 22-14. Bartsch-Hackley and Adams scored the final two points on kills at 25-14.
Argentina took a 3-1 advantage in the third set with an ace. Adams answered with a monster kill and ace to quickly level the score at 3-all. Argentina answered with three straight points to stake a three-point cushion at 6-3. Hill scored two kills after a Dixon point to square the set at 6-all. Team USA went into the first technical timeout leading 8-7 with consecutive Bartsch-Hackley spikes. Hancock won a joust out of the break to extend the lead to 9-7. Dixon scored a kill and two aces to stretch the lead to 12-8. Consecutive Argentina errors shifted the advantage to 14-9 for the Americans. Drews and Hill kills gave the U.S. a 16-10 lead at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Bartsch-Hackley nailed an ace to up the advantage to 17-10. A Drews block and Dixon kill after an Argentina service error raised the American lead to 20-11. Argentina committed an error and Drews put up a block for a fifth straight USA point at 22-11. Argentina knocked two points off the deficit at 23-14 following an ace. Team USA closed out the set and match at 25-15 on a Dixon kill.
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA def. Germany 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA def. Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
June 5: USA def. Russia 25-14, 25-18, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 6: USA def. Brazil 25-23, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 7: USA def. China 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 12: USA lost to Serbia 30-28, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18 (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 13: USA def. Korea 25-13, 25-23, 25-19 (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 14: USA def. Argentina 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 27-July 1: FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round (Host China + Top 5 Teams)
At Nanjing, China
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Serbia 30-28, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, snapping its 10-match win streak in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Tuesday afternoon in Santa Fe, Argentina.
The Americans, ranked second in the world, fall to 11-2 overall in the 15-match round-robin preliminary round. Team USA can clinch the top spot in the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round with wins in its final two matches, or a combination of one win and a loss by second-place Brazil (11-2, 31 points). Serbia, now 10-3 overall with 31 points, remains in third place and solidified its spot into the VNL Finals Round. The top five teams in the preliminary round will join host China in the Finals Round set for June 27 to July 1 in Nanjing, China.
The U.S. Women, which used its 10th different starting lineup in 13 VNL matches, face Korea on June 13 (4:40 p.m. ET) before concluding the preliminary round against Argentina on June 14 (7:40 p.m. ET). Korea (5-7, 12 points) enter its match with Argentina (0-12, 0 points) ranked 12th in the standings, while the hosts are ranked 16th.
The U.S. rallied from a 23-20 deficit in the opening set and had two set points, but Serbia took the win at 30-28 on its fifth set point attempt. Team USA overcame deficits of 9-2 and 18-12 in the second set to win 25-23. Serbia built an 8-2 lead in the third set, and this time did not allow the Americans back into the set with a 25-20 victory. Serbia cruised in the final set after building an 18-10 advantage en route to winning 25-20.
U.S. outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored a match-high 26 points with 22 kills on 43 swings, three blocks and an ace. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) added 11 points with seven kills on 21 swings and four blocks. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) tallied 10 points, all on kills from 29 swings.
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) totaled nine points with eight kills and an ace. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted six blocks, one ace and one kill for eight points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) provided two blocks and a kill for three points. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with one kill and one block for two points as a sub in sets two and four.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) held a 67 positive reception percent with 18 chances without an error. Bartsch-Hackley handled a team-best 50 receptions with a 44 positive percent, while Hill added 26 receptions with a 54 positive reception percent.
Serbia converted 39.5 percent of its attacks into points and held the high-powered American offense to a 32.7 kill percent.
Team USA held a 16-10 advantage in blocks and both teams served three aces. However, Serbia’s consistent attacks off the fingers of the Americans resulted in a 60-50 advantage in kills. Serbia also took advantage of 27 American errors to their own 23.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside, and Akinradewo and Adams at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
Serbia’s Bojana Milenkovic scored a team-best 17 kills on 37 swings and six blocks for 23 points. Ana Bjelica added 20 kills on 49 swings and Jelena Blagojevic contributed 14 kills and an ace for 15 points.
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
Bartsch-Hackley scored the first point of the match and Adams followed with a block to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead in the opening set. Hill pounded a kill and Akinradewo put up a block around a Serbia error to push the American lead to 7-3. Serbia went on a 7-1 run to take a 12-10 advantage. Serbia advanced its lead to 14-11 with back-to-back points. The U.S. used a 4-0 run with a Hill kill and three straight Serbia errors to take a 15-14 advantage. Serbia answered with back-to-back points to grab a 16-15 lead at the second technical timeout. Serbia gained a two-point cushion at 21-19 to break a string of sideouts, then pushed the advantage to 23-20. Team USA trimmed the gap to 23-22 with a Hill kill and Lloyd block. The U.S. saved two set points with a Serbia service error and Bartsch-Hackley kill to level the score at 24-all. The U.S. scored a third straight point with a Serbia error to put the Americans up 25-24. Serbia reversed the lead to 26-25 with consecutive points. Team USA picked up its second set point with a Serbia service error and Bartsch-Hackley kill. Serbia saved a set point to earn its fifth try at the set at 29-28, then won the set at 30-28.
Serbia picked up an early 5-1 edge in the second set, then pushed the margin to 9-2 with a 4-0 run. Akinradewo scored a kill and followed with consecutive blocks to cut the gap to 10-6. Bartsch-Hackley added a kill to the 4-0 run at 10-7 prompting a Serbia timeout. Serbia upped its lead to 14-9 on consecutive USA errors. Serbia reached the second technical timeout leading 16-10. Bartsch-Hackley notched a kill Akinradewo formed a block after a Serbia service error to cut the gap to 18-15. Akinradewo won a joust and pounded a slide to slice the deficit to 18-17 as the USA ran off five straight points prompting a Serbia timeout. Serbia hit wide to level the score at 18-all. Team USA went in front 20-19 as Adams blocked a Serbia attack to end a mega rally. Team USA gained a two-point cushion at 22-20 with a Lloyd joust winner and Serbia attack error. Serbia scored back-to-back points to square the set at 22-all. Team USA won the set at 25-23 with a Drews kill and Adams ace.
Serbia served consecutive aces to start the third set with a 2-0 lead, then went up 5-1 on three straight points. Serbia reached the first technical timeout up 8-2 on three unanswered points. Bartsch-Hackley downed consecutive kills to slice the American deficit to 9-5. Serbia answered with consecutive points at 11-5, then inched the lead to 14-7. Bartsch-Hackley served an ace and Adams put up a block after a Serbia service error to cut the gap to 14-10. However, Serbia answered with three straight points to build a 17-10 advantage. Adams and Murphy scored consecutive blocks to chip the American deficit to 17-12. Serbia responded with back-to-back points to stake a 19-12 lead. Akinradewo slammed a kill and Serbia hit wide to cut the gap to 19-14, but Serbia answered two points of its own at 21-14. Bartsch-Hackley downed a back-row kill and Hill followed with an ace to put the score at 21-16. Trailing 23-16, the U.S. scored on a Serbia error and Bartsch-Hackley block to cut the deficit to 23-18. Team USA saved two set points but lost 25-20.
Serbia earned a three-point cushion early in the fourth set at 5-2 with three straight points. Serbia went into the first technical timeout with an 8-4 margin. The U.S. cut the deficit in half at 9-7 on consecutive Serbia errors. Serbia upped its lead back to four points at 12-8, then used a 5-0 run to push the lead to 18-10. Drews hammered consecutive kills and Serbia committed an error to close the gap to 18-13. Serbia stopped the run with three consecutive points at 21-13. Bartsch-Hackley saved two match points with kills and Serbia committed consecutive errors at 24-18. Serbia finished the set at 25-18.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League June 12-14
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Women’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA def. Germany 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA def. Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
June 5: USA def. Russia 25-14, 25-18, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 6: USA def. Brazil 25-23, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 7: USA def. China 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 12: USA lost to Serbia 30-28, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18 (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 13: USA vs. Korea, 4:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 14: USA vs. Argentina, 7:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 27-July 1: FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round (Host China + Top 5 Teams)
At Nanjing, China
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ANAHEIM, California (July 25, 2018) – Past. Present. Future. It may be cliché, but that is how the U.S. Women’s National Team is moving on from its recent successes.
While winning gold at both the FIVB Volleyball Nations League and Pan American Cup earlier this month, Team USA learned things that it needs to improve upon today to get better for the future with the upcoming FIVB World Championship being the next major carrot dangling in front of them.
The U.S. are hosting Japan this week in a joint training block mainly in Anaheim – the official host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Volleyball Teams – with a friendly exhibition match scheduled for Friday at Tustin High School in Tustin, California. For the fans, the 7 p.m. match will be the last time to see the Americans suited up on home soil before playing the World Championship in Japan at the end of September.
Foluke Akinradewo, a two-time Olympic medalist who is aiming for a third Olympic Games roster, said it is great to have Japan training alongside Team USA in Anaheim this week as part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games Two-Years-Out Celebration. However, she feels having the hosts of the 2018 FIVB World Championship as your training partner two months before it starts is just as important for the near future.
“I think it is such an honor to have Japan here this week, especially seeing the 2020 Olympic Games will be in Tokyo,” Akinradewo said. “They have a really strong team. Defensively, they are always pursuing the ball. They are the kind of team you can never take it easy with. To get the reps against them before meeting them again in World Championships is great.”
The U.S. Women open their title defense of the FIVB World Championship in the first-round Pool C in Kobe, Japan. Team USA will face Azerbaijan, Trinidad & Tobago, Korea, Thailand and Russia in its first-round matches held Sept. 29 to Oct. 4. The championship culminates on Oct. 20 in Yokohama.
The Americans have already established a line of success in 2018. Team USA captured the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League gold medal on July 1, finishing with an overall record of 17-2. During the five-week, 15-match preliminary round that took them to five countries on three continents, Team USA overcame a challenging 1-1 start at home in Lincoln, Nebraska, to rattle off 10 consecutive wins en route to going 13-2 overall heading into the Final Six. In the championship match, the U.S. rallied to defeat Turkey – a team that defeated them in Lincoln and pushed the Americans to a five-set match in the Final Six pool play.
The VNL gold also provided some teachable moments for the Americans in which they can learn from in the future. The team realizes it cannot rest on those laurels as it is now a tournament in the past.
“I think it is a little bit of both,” Akinradewo said on winning gold and learning from the VNL experience before moving on. “It is nice to know we can play at a high level, having only been together a couple weeks before the VNL and for some players only three days before the start. Knowing we can build upon that and do well in that tournament. At the same time, the VNL showed a lot of areas where we have weaknesses. In the next couple months, we are going to be working on that and trying to improve to be at our best at the start of the World Championships.”
While the VNL pinpointed some of the team’s weaknesses, Akinradewo also said it showed the team’s strengths at the same time.
“Our passers. I think that was a big part of our strengths,” Akinradewo said. “Kelsey (Robinson) as libero, I think she has done an exceptional job and kind of stabilized us in the back line. I think we saw some great things from our outsides with the connections with Carli (Lloyd). Michelle Bartsch-Hackley did an amazing job. Just in general it is great knowing we have depth in that area. I think overall, as a team, we are really good at adjusting at moments when things are not going well. Like how do we react and adjust to make it matter. I think we just have a great team atmosphere, and that showed a lot.”
Being adaptable at all times was also a key strength for the U.S. Women during the VNL, and it can only prove to be beneficial in the biggest tournament of the year – the World Championship. Being adaptable to countries playing different styles in a 13-match tournament over the course of 22 days was key in 2014 when it won the World Championship, and also again this year in the VNL.
“We didn’t have a lot of time together before the VNL started,” Akinradewo said. “Everything was learning on the fly, taking one match at a time and building upon that.”
After its exhibition match with Japan on Friday, Team USA will continue to learn on the fly next month as it gets another competition opportunity prior to playing in the World Championship. The U.S. will travel to Brazil for a four-match exhibition series. The two teams will meet on Aug. 12 in Brasilia, followed with two matches in Uberaba on Aug. 14 and Aug. 16. The exhibition series concludes on Aug. 18 in Rio de Janeiro.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 6, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had its record-setting 25-set win streak snapped on Wednesday against Brazil, but more importantly were able to extend its overall match win streak to nine by defeating the Brazilians 25-23, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18 in a battle of the top two teams in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans, which sit atop the VNL standings with a 10-1 record and 31 standings points, will face China on June 7 (7:30 a.m. ET). China is ranked No. 1 in the world and are reigning Olympic champions, and the Americans are ranked second in the world. Brazil, ranked fourth in the world, falls to 9-2 overall in the Volleyball Nations League. Coupled with China’s victory over Russia later in the day, the U.S. Women have qualified for the six-team Finals Round taking place June 27 to July 1 in Nanjing, China.
The U.S. overcame a 15-12 deficit in the opening set using a 5-1 run to take a 17-16, then went on to win a 25-23 nail-biter. Team USA overcame a late 22-20 deficit in the second set and saved two set points to grab its own set point at 26-25, but Brazil won 28-26 on its third set-point chance to end the Americans’ record string of 25 straight set wins. Team USA overcame a 16-13 deficit in the third set and scored the final four points to win 25-21. After trailing 5-3 in the fourth set, the U.S. used a pivotal 11-3 run to gain a commanding 14-6 advantage and cruised to the 25-18 victory.
The U.S. has now won nine consecutive world-level major tournament matches for the first time since a run of nine straight wins in the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix. Brazil entered the match riding a nine-match win streak after losing its Volleyball Nations League opener to Germany.
Team USA received balanced scoring against Brazil with four players in double-figure scoring. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted 16 points with eight kills on 16 swings and a match-high eight blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added 15 kills on 35 swings and a block for 16 points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) contributed nine kills on 20 swings and four blocks for 13 points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) pocketed 12 points with 11 kills via 36 swings and an ace.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who started the first two sets, turned in seven kills on 15 swings and an ace. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), who replaced Drews in the last two sets, tallied seven kills on 12 swings and a block in sparking the Americans after their first set loss in nine matches. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added three kills on five swings. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), a serving sub in three of the four sets, rounded out the scoring with an ace on five serves.
After losing the second set, the U.S. Women made some adjustments on defense and in the service game.
“We just had to refocus and make some changes on defense,” Larson said in regards to coming back after the second set loss. “I thought we were in system a little bit more, and our serving pressure definitely picked up a lot more. That helped us rebound and come back stronger in the third set.”
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 29 receptions with a 48 positive reception percent. Hill passed 39 of the team’s 85 receptions with a 59 positive percent. Larson was credited with a 71 positive reception percent on 17 chances.
Lloyd set the Americans to a 43.2 kill percent (60-139). The U.S. held Brazil to a 34.1 kill percent (47-138).
The Americans held a 60-47 kill advantage and a 14-11 block margin. The Brazilians held a slim 4-3 edge in aces. The U.S. committed 28 errors in the match to Brazil’s 23.
The U.S. and Brazil are both expected to reach the Finals Round based on results through the 11th of 15 preliminary round matches. Larson said the Americans would look forward to a rematch if it were to happen.
“We really respect the Brazilian Federation and their team,” Larson said. “Obviously a win is a win. It is always fun to compete. I don’t think there is an edge, but I am just excited for another opportunity to play them. They are a great team, a fun competitor to play against.”
Brazil had won 10 of the last 12 world-level tournament matches against the United States.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Larson and Hill at outside, and Akinradewo and Gibbemeyer at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
Brazil was led by Ana Carolina Da Silva’s 15 points and Amanda Francisco added 12 points.
Now on a nine-match win streak, Team USA’s focus shifts to host China. The Chinese are already in the VNL Finals Round as the host country, and will be looking to put on a show for their fans.
“We are excited about playing China,” Larson said. “I think it will be an amazing crowd, and we are just excited to be here in China. It has been a tough week so far, but we are excited for tomorrow.”
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. earned an early 2-0 lead in the opening set with a Drews kill after a Brazil error, but Brazil quickly answered with three straight to take a 3-2 advantage. Brazil took a four-point advantage at 11-6 with five unanswered points. Larson and Hill downed consecutive kills and Brazil hit wide to close the gap to 12-10. Lloyd scored on a second touch and Brazil was called for an error to close the U.S. deficit to 15-14. Team USA tied the set at 15-all with an Akinradewo kill to cap a 3-0 American run. Larson hammered a cross-court winner and put up a block on consecutive plays to put the U.S. in front 17-16 at a Brazil timeout. Out of the break, Hill scored from the back row to give the U.S. a two-point cushion at 18-16. Brazil tied the set at 19-all with back-to-back points. Drews slammed a kill and Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to give the U.S. a two-point cushion at 23-21. Brazil knotted the score again at 23-all. Akinradewo served an ace to give the Americans a set point and Brazil hit long to give Team USA a 25-23 win.
Gibbemeyer put up a block and Brazil hit consecutive errors to yield an early 3-0 American lead in set two. Brazil quickly answered with three straight points to square the set at 3-all, pushed the advantage to 7-4 on a 7-1 run that included two blocks and two aces. Drews served an ace after a Brazil error to close the deficit to 8-7. Brazil expanded its lead to 11-8 on consecutive USA errors. Team USA tied the set at 12-all as Lloyd put up a block and Larson followed with a kill and Brazil hit long. The U.S. Americans went in front 14-13 with a Drews kill and Brazil error. Brazil reversed the lead to its side at 15-14. Drews hammered a kill and Akinradewo followed with a block to shift the lead to the Americans at 17-16. Brazil answered with consecutive points to again take the lead at 18-17, then upped the margin to 20-18 on a block. Team USA tied the set at 22-all on a Gibbemeyer block after a Larson kill. After a Brazil timeout, Hill slammed a kill to put the Americans in front 23-22. But Brazil was the first to reach set point at 24-23 in reversing the lead. Akinradewo downed a kill and put up a block to save a second set point and place the Americans in front 26-25. Brazil saved the set point and went in front 27-26 on back-to-back points, then won 28-26.
The U.S. opened up a 4-1 lead in the third set with kills from Hill, Murphy and Larson. Brazil chipped two points off the deficit at 4-3. Akinradewo pounded a slide after a Brazil error to the lift the Team USA lead to 6-3. Brazil scored four unanswered points to secure a 7-6 advantage. Brazil raised its margin to 10-7 on a 7-1 run. Brazil stretched its margin to 12-8 on back-to-back points. Murphy and Hill connected for consecutive kills to cut the gap in half at 15-13 before Brazil went into the second technical timeout leading 16-13. Akinradewo scored on a kill and block, then Larson scored on a kill to put the Americans in a tie at 16-all. Brazil gained a two-point cushion at 18-16 through the use of a video challenge. The U.S. tied the set again at 18-all with an Akinradewo kill and Gibbemeyer block. The Americans went in front 19-18 with a Brazil attack error. Team USA grabbed a two-point cushion at 21-19 with kills from Larson and Murphy. Brazil quickly tied the set again at 21-all. The U.S. answered with kills from Larson and Murphy to put the Americans in front 23-21. Team USA reached set point at 24-21 on a Brazil error, then won 25-21 on a Gibbemeyer kill.
Brazil was the first team to score on its own serve in the fourth set to go up 5-3. Team USA knotted the score at 5-all with an Akinradewo block and Hill ace, then went up 8-5 on three consecutive Brazil attack errors as part of a 5-0 American run. Brazil scored back-to-back points out of the first technical timeout to cut the gap to 8-7. Larson collected a kill and block, and Brazil hit long to increase the American lead to 11-7. Lloyd put up a block for a fourth straight point to build a 12-7 American lead. Murphy extended the American lead to 14-8 with a kill prompting a Brazil timeout. Gibbemeyer slammed a kill to lift the Americans to a 16-9 advantage at the second technical timeout. Brazil chipped two points off the deficit with consecutive points at 16-11. The Americans regained a seven-point lead at 18-11 with a Murphy kill and Brazil error. Larson put down a kill and Brazil hit long to put the USA at match point, 24-16. Team USA finalized the match at 25-18 on a Brazil service error.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 5, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, broke a 37-year-old record when it defeated fifth-ranked Russia 25-14, 25-18, 25-18 on Tuesday in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans, which sit atop the VNL standings with an 9-1 record and 28 standings points, will face Brazil on June 6 (4 a.m. ET) and host China on June 7 (7:30 a.m. ET) while in China. Brazil is ranked fourth and China is ranked No. 1. Russia, ranked fifth the world, falls to 6-4 overall.
The U.S. opened a 15-9 lead in the first set, but Russia charged back with a 4-0 run. Team USA answered immediately with a 6-0 run and comfortably won the set 25-14 on a 10-1 scoring run. The Americans broke open a close second set with a 7-2 run to take a 21-15 advantage en route to winning 25-18. The U.S. overcame a 13-10 deficit in the third set and scored the final eight points for a 25-18 victory.
“Every win is important in this tournament,” U.S. setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) said. “We are really happy with this 3-0 win. Russia is a great opponent. We had a really strong game plan coming in. We knew we needed to serve tough and just to be aware that they are a big blocking team. I think we did a really good job handling that.”
The U.S. has now won eight consecutive world-level major tournament matches for the first time since a run of nine straight wins in the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix. Further, Team USA won its eighth straight 3-0 match in world-level competition for the first time. The Americans had won seven straight set victories from 1978 to 1981 that includes contests in the 1978 FIVB World Championship and 1981 FIVB World Cup.
“Throughout the whole tournament we have been really focused on the process of our next opponent, preparing for what is ahead and not looking at any matches forward,” Lloyd said. “We have been really good at dialing in a game plan, and playing one point at a time. I think that is showing every time we show up on the court.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led the American offense with 13 kills on 20 attacks to go with two aces and a block. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) charted nine points with five kills on 12 swings and four blocks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) pocketed nine points with seven kills on 20 attacks and two aces.
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) contributed seven kills on 11 attacks and an ace for Team USA. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted six points with four kills on five swings, one block and one ace. Lloyd totaled five points with two kills on as many swings, two aces and a block. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), who was part of a double-sub with Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) in all three sets, rounded out the scoring with one kill and one block.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled six receptions with a 67 positive reception percent and being a digging machine in transition. Bartsch-Hackley had 18 receptions with a 39 positive percent, and Hill was credited with a 71 positive reception percent on 17 chances.
Lloyd set the American offense to a 52.0 kill percent. Team USA limited Russia to a 30.5 kill percent.
Team USA led in all three scoring skills with a 39-32 margin in kills, and 8-4 advantages in both blocks and aces. The Americans held a 43-35 advantage in digs. The U.S. limited its errors to eight for the match and took advantage of 22 errors by Russia.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Hill at outside, and Adams and Dixon at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
Russia was led in scoring by Kseniia Parubets 12 points and Irina Voronkova added 10 points.
The previous two world-level major tournament matches between Russia and the United States were won 3-2 by USA, both after the Russians had won the opening set. The last time Russia beat the United States in a five-setter in a world level major tournament match was in the 2007 World Grand Prix.
Team USA’s focus now shifts Brazil, which was in second place in the VNL heading into its match today with China.
“We know this week is a really tough week of volleyball,” Lloyd said. “These are some of the best teams in the world. We are going to be really focused on one point at a time, and we are really excited to play both Brazil and China. We know they are going to be tough opponents, but we are ready to battle and have fun doing it.”
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. took a 2-0 lead in the opening set with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Drews, but Russia quickly knotted the set at 2-all. Team USA regained a two-point cushion at 4-2 with an Adams kill and Russia error. Consecutive Russia errors lifted the American lead to 6-3. Team USA stretched the advantage to 9-5 with a Hill kill and Russia error. The U.S. increased its lead to 15-9 with three consecutive Russia errors. Russia cut the gap to 15-13 on a 4-0 run that included consecutive aces. Hill served an ace and Dixon powered down a kill out of the second technical timeout to push the American lead to 18-13. Murphy added a block for a fourth straight point and Russia was called for an illegal attack to yield a 20-13 American lead. Hill served a second ace in the 6-0 run to extend the U.S. advantage to 21-13. Bartsch-Hackley hit cross-court winner after a Russia error to give the U.S. set point, then Dixon promptly served an ace for a 25-14 victory.
The U.S. scored the first consecutive points of the second set at 5-4 following an Adams block and Bartsch-Hackley kill. Adams powered down a kill and block and Bartsch-Hackley followed with a block to extend the American lead to 8-5 at the first technical timeout. Drews connected for a kill after the break to up the lead to 9-5 on a 4-0 American run. Russia sliced the gap in half at 9-7 and then moved to within one at 11-10. Lloyd served an ace after a Murphy kill to put the Americans in front 16-13 at the second technical timeout. Russia hit wide out of the break and Drews followed with a kill to push the U.S. lead to 18-13. Adams served an ace after a Drews kill to prompt Russia to call timeout down 21-15. Bartsch-Hackley won the final two points on kills at 25-18.
Russia took a 3-1 lead in the third set with consecutive blocks, then stretched the advantage to 6-3. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill and Lloyd put up a block to close the gap to 7-6. Russia regained its three-point cushion at 9-6. Team USA tied the set at 13-all with kills from Hill, Bartsch-Hackley and Dixon. The U.S. took a 16-15 lead into the second technical timeout with a Bartsch-Hackley kill after a Russia error. Lloyd served an ace out of the break to stake a 17-15 advantage. However, Russia leveled the set at 17-all with an ace off the net, then reversed the lead to its side at 18-17 on a 3-0 run. Team USA regained the lead at 20-18 with blocks from Drews and Adams around a Russia attack error. Adams and Drews combined for a block for a fourth straight point to prompt Russia to call timeout down 21-18. The Americans increased the gap to 23-18 with consecutive aces from Bartsch-Hackley. Adams put up a block and Hill finished the match with a kill to score a 25-18 victory as the U.S. ended the set on an 8-0 run.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Cuba 18-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-13 on Monday during the second day of the Pan American Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The match ended at 1:15 a.m. local time after starting nearly five hours late due to heavy rains in the host city that delayed the start of two matches.
The U.S., now 1-1 in Pool B, concludes the preliminary round on Tuesday against Puerto Rico at 6 p.m. ET. The quarterfinals are set for July 11 with the winners advancing to the semifinals on July 13. The medal round concludes the tournament on July 14. FloVolleyball.tv will stream all the matches and available in the United States via a subscription service.
The U.S. built an 11-5 lead in the opening set with a 6-1 run, but needed a 4-0 run to close out the set for a comfortable 25-18 victory. The Americans built a 14-8 advantage, but Cuba charged back to tie the set at 16-all. Cuba then used a five-point run to take a 23-20 advantage and went on to win 25-22. Team USA went up 4-0 to start the third set, but Cuba climbed into the lead at 14-13. Trailing 20-18, Cuba scored four straight to go on to win 25-23. Team USA bolted to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set and did not let Cuba in front as the Americans pulled away after Cuba closed to within 7-5. Cuba fell behind 6-2 in the tiebreaker, but answered to tie the set at 7-all. The Cubans scored the final four points of the match, overcoming a 13-11 deficit to win 15-13.
Outside hitter Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) led Team USA with 18 points on 15 kills, two blocks and an ace. Opposite Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey) added 17 points with 13 kills, two blocks and two aces. Middle Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colorado) contributed 16 points with eight kills, four blocks and four aces. The trio are all Penn State products that combined for 51 points.
Outside hitter Adora Anae (Punaluu, Hawaii) pocketed 14 kills in the loss. Middle Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas) tallied five kills, four blocks and an ace for 10 points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) totaled five points with two kills, two blocks and an ace. Opposite Krystal Rivers (Birmingham, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with four kills as a sub in the first and fourth sets.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) handled eight receptions with a 62 positive percent after taking over the position in the third set. Starting libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with 14 receptions.
The U.S. converted 47 percent of its attacks into points with a .296 hitting efficiency (64-24-135) with Carlini handling the bulk of the setting chores. Meanwhile, the American defense limited the Cubans to a 35 kill percent and .185 hitting efficiency (43-20-124).
The USA held a 14-12 block advantage while Cuba had a 10-9 ace advantage including the match point. The American offense generated a 61-42 margin in kills, but Cuba took advantage of 32 U.S. errors to its own 24.
Cuba’s Regla Rainierys Gracaia Gonzalez, Diaris Perez Ramos and Sulian Caridad Matienzo Linares all had 15 points in the match.
The U.S. started Lee and Anae at outside hitter, Ogbogu and Washington at middle, Whitney at opposite, Carlini at setter and Wong-Orantes at libero. Rivers and Jordyn Poulter (Aurora, Colorado) were double-subs in the first and fourth sets.
The U.S. opened the match with a 3-0 lead with kills from Ogbogu and Lee around a Carlini ace. Cuba trimmed the gap to 3-2 following an ace. Washington tipped over the Cuba block to push the Americans to a 7-4 advantage. Out of the first technical timeout, Washington put up a block followed by kills from Anae and Carlini to extend the U.S. lead to 11-5 prompting a Cuba timeout after the 4-0 run. Cuba chipped two points off the deficit to 11-7. Washington picked up a kill and ace to put the Americans in front 13-7. Cuba moved to within three at 14-11 with three unanswered points. Team USA reached the second technical timeout leading 16-11 with a Whitney kill and Ogbugu block. Cuba sliced the deficit to 17-14 with consecutive points. Rivers and Lee put down kills to lift the Americans to a 20-15 advantage. Cuba downed two kills to pull within three, 20-17. Ogbogu put up a block after a Rivers kills to extend the American cushion to 23-18. Whitney gave Team USA set points at 24-18 with a kill, then Cuba committed an error to give the U.S. a 25-18 victory.
The U.S. started the second set with a 2-0 lead with kills from Ogbogu and Anae, but Cuba answered quickly to tie the set at 2-all. Lee picked up a kill and ace to place the U.S. in front 7-5. The Americans raised their lead to 10-6 with consecutive Cuba errors and a Washington ace leading into a Cuba timeout. Out of the break, Ogbogu put up a block for fourth consecutive USA point at 11-6. The Americans raised the margin to 14-8 with a Lee overpass kill, but Cuba answered with four consecutive points to cut the gap to 14-12. Cuba tied the set at 16-all with three straight points out of the second technical timeout, including two aces. Team USA created a two-point cushion at 20-18 with a Lee kill and Whitney block going into Cuba’s second timeout. Cuba went in the lead at 23-20 with five unanswered points. Anae and Lee slammed kills to close the U.S. to within one at 23-22. Cuba finished the set at 25-22 with the final two points.
The U.S. grabbed a 4-0 lead to start the third set with kills from Lee and Washington between two Cuba errors. However, Cuba scored three straight to close within one at 4-3. Washington and Lee hammered kills to build the American lead to 7-4. Cuba scored three straight out of the first technical timeout to level the score at 8-all. Anae and Whitney responded with kills to rebuild a two-point U.S. cushion at 10-8. Cuba tied the score again at 11-all, then went in front 14-13 on an American error. Anae scored a kill between two Cuba error to lift Team USA in front 18-16. Cuba scored four unanswered points to stake a 22-20 advantage. Trailing 23-21, Carlini and Washington put up consecutive blocks to end long rallies and tie the set at 23-all. However, Cuba scored the final two points for a 25-23 victory.
Whitney and Washington scored consecutive kills and Ogbogu served an ace to give the Americans a 4-1 advantage early in set four. Out of a Cuba timeout, Whitney connected for another kill at 5-1. Cuba cut the gap to 7-5 with an ace. The U.S. raised its lead 13-5 with a Carlini block, three Washington aces and Carlini overpass kill. Cuba stopped the 5-0 run with consecutive points to close to 13-7. Anae hammered a kill and Lee put up a monster block to put the U.S. in front 16-8 at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Lee hammered a kill to extend the American advantage to 17-8. Washington put up two big blocks, Whitney served an ace and Cuba hit long to inch the Team USA lead to 22-10 on a 4-0 run. Cuba erased two off the deficit at 22-12. Washington hit through the Cuba block to give USA set points at 24-12, then U.S. won 25-13 on a Cuba service error.
Whitney slammed a kill and put up a block to give the Americans an early 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker. Whitney extended the lead to 6-2 with a kill, an ace and back-row kill as she scored five of Team USA’s six points. Cuba cut the deficit in half at 6-4. Cuba tied the set at 7-all with three unanswered points. Team USA answered with a Lee kill and Cuba error to gain a two-point cushion at 9-7. Cuba responded with two points of its own to tie the set at 9-all, then went in front 11-10. Whitney hammered back-to-back kills to reverse the lead to the Americans at 12-11, then Lee gave the U.S. a two-point separation at 13-11 with a kill. However, Cuba scored the final four points of the set to win 15-13.
U.S. Women’s National Team Pan American Cup Roster
# – Name (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, University of Illinois, Aurora, Colorado)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, University of Nebraska, Cypress, California)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, University of Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Krystal Rivers (OPP, 5-11, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama)
10 – Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Penn State University, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-2, University of Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Adora Anae (OH, 6-1, University of Utah, Punaluu, Hawaii)
15 – Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Penn State University, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
18 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-4, Penn State University, Norwood, New Jersey)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, University of Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
22 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, University of Texas, Spring, Texas)
24 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, University of Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
25 – Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, University of Texas, Coppell, Texas)
Head Coach: Jon Newman Gonchar (associate head coach at University of Arkansas)
Assistant Coach: Alisha Glass Childress (2016 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team bronze medalist)
Assistant Coach: JJ Van Niel (associate head coach at University of Southern California)
Technical Coordinator: Natalie Morgan (assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University)
Team Manager: John Xie
Athletic Trainer: Salvador Vallejo
Pan American Cup Schedule
Pool B
July 8: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 21-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-15
July 9: USA lost to Cuba 18-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-13
July 10: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 6 p.m. ET
Pan American Cup Playoff Schedule
July 11: Quarterfinals
July 13: Semifinals
July 14: Medal Round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had four players in double-digit scoring in defeating host Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action on Thursday in Bangkok.
The U.S. improves to 8-1 overall with 25 points for first place in the Volleyball Nations League standings. Team USA has now won seven straight matches in straight sets. The Americans will have stiff challenges in week four when they face Russia on June 5, Brazil on June 6 and host China on June 7 in Jiangmen, China.
Team USA broke a 3-all tie against Thailand in the opening set with a 4-0 run and the Americans cruised comfortably to a 25-10 victory that included five aces. Thailand trailed 18-11 in the second set, but came back to within two at 19-17, but couldn’t get any closer as the Americans won 25-21. The U.S. led 8-3 in the third set, but Thailand scored six unanswered points to take a 9-8 advantage. However, the Americans found fire again taking a 15-11 lead on a 7-2 run en route to an easy 25-16 victory.
“The win is good, but we know this is a very long tournament,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We are three weeks into the Volleyball Nations League, but we have a very difficult week coming up with Russia, Brazil and China. So it is important to conserve our energy.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) led Team USA’s balanced scoring attack with 15 points on the strength of nine kill son 18 swings, four aces and two blocks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was on fire with 13 kills on 18 swings. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) contributed nine kills on 18 swings, two blocks and an ace for 12 points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) added eight kills on nine attacks, one block and one ace for 10 points.
“What an awesome environment it was to play here,” Larson said. “We always enjoy coming to Bangkok and the Thailand Volleyball Association did a great job in hosting this event. It was just a great match to be a part of and I’m really proud of our team. We’re continuing to work on some things and we’re getting better everyday. We have a tough team coming up, but I’m confident with our team and I’m excited to keep going.”
Middle Foluke Akinradewo pocketed eight points with six kills on 10 attacks, one block and one ace. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) served two aces in the victory. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), who was a double sub in all three sets with Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), rounded out the scoring with two kills on four attacks.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 12 serves with a 67 positive reception percent. Hill added 18 receptions with a 56 positive reception percent, while Larson was credited with a 50 positive reception percent on 14 chances.
Lloyd set the Americans to a stellar 61.0 kill percent as the U.S. out-killed Thailand 47-28. The U.S. had just six attack errors and 12 total errors for the match. Thailand was limited to a 34.1 kill percent.
Team USA had a 9-4 ace advantage to keep Thailand’s offense out of system. The U.S. also produced a 6-4 edge in blocks. U.S. also won the defensive battle with a 19-10 dig margin.
Kiraly said the team always enjoys coming to Thailand in front the sell-out crowd.
“The more energy in the hall, the better,” Kiraly said. “We love playing in Thailand against Thailand. The people are so excited about volleyball, about their team. That is the best possible atmosphere to play in.”
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Hill and Larson at outside, and Akinradewo and Gibbemeyer at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
Thailand’s Onuma Sittirak had eight points to lead her team in scoring.
Team USA’s attention now turns to week four in China where many after marked it on their calendars as the top pool in the inaugural Volleyball Nations League.
“We got a really tough one next week with three really good teams starting with Russia, followed by Brazil and then host China – already the host of Finals Week. Each one of those matches will be a very strong test for us.”
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
Larson served an ace after a Hill backrow kill to give the U.S. an immediate 2-0 lead in the opening set. Thailand leveled the score at 3-all. Akinradewo scored three points around a Drews ace to give the Americans a 7-3 advantage. Hill and Larson slammed back-to-back kills to extend the American lead to 9-4. Akinradewo pounded a kill and Larson put up a block to force Thailand to call timeout down 11-5. Gibbemeyer scored a kill and block around a Drews block followed by consecutive Lloyd aces to increase the margin to 16-6 on a 5-0 run. Larson and Gibbemeyer connected on kills followed by a Larson ace to produce a 19-7 Team USA advantage. Out of a Thailand timeout, Drews pounded a kill off the Thailand block and Hill downed an overpass for a point to increase the U.S. lead to 21-7 to cap a 6-0 run. Thailand scored three straight to cut the deficit to 23-10. Hill scored the set winner on a kill at 25-10.
Larson opened the second set with three consecutive service winners to give the Americans a 3-0 lead. Thailand cut the gap to 3-2 following an ace. Hill slammed a kill and Thailand hit into the net to increase the American lead to 7-4. Larson back-to-back kills to lift the U.S. to a 9-5 lead. Gibbemeyer landed a slide between two Thailand errors to inch the Team USA to 13-7. After a Thailand timeout, Gibbemeyer put up a block to push the lead to 14-7. Thailand served an ace to slice the gap to 14-9. After trailing 18-11, Thailand clawed to within two at 19-17. Murphy ended the Thailand run with a kill and Drews followed with a cross-court winner at 21-17. Team USA finished the set at 25-22 on a Hill kill after Thailand saved two set points.
The U.S. went up 5-1 with a Gibbemeyer kill and ace around Drews getting a block and kill. Drews and Jordan connected for kills to put the U.S. in front 8-3 at the first technical timeout. Thailand rolled off six unanswered points to take a 9-8 lead. Larson ended the run with a kill and Akinradewo served an ace to put the American in front 10-9. Thailand reversed the lead again with back-to-back points to go up 11-10. Larson answered with a kill and Gibbemeyer followed with a quick kill out of the middle and added a block for a 13-11 American lead. Drews scored a fourth and fifth straight point on kills to lift the Team USA lead to 15-11. The U.S. went up 21-14 as Hill scored a kill between two Thailand errors. Out of a Thailand timeout, Akinradewo downed a kill for a fourth straight USA point at 22-14. Larson scored the final two points of the set for a 25-16 victory.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League May 29-31
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Women’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA def. Germany 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA def. Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
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LINCOLN, Neb. (May 17, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team changed things up a bit Thursday evening and bounced back from a tough five-set loss by defeating Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Americans, ranked second in the world, are now 2-1 in the inaugural 16-team Volleyball Nations League that is spread out over five consecutive preliminary round weeks. With its one domestic round completed, Team USA embarks on a four-week venture outside the United States starting next Tuesday in Toyota, Japan. The U.S. faces host Japan on May 22 at 6 a.m. ET, followed by the Netherlands on May 23 at 2:30 a.m. ET and Belgium on May 24 at 2:30 a.m. ET.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly deviated from the norm Thursday as he inserted Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) into the starting lineup, not as an outside hitter, but her first start with the national team at libero.
“We had been having some trouble in our service reception and we wanted to stabilize in that department,” Kiraly said. “I think we did pretty well at that. The Italians were doing a really nice job of bringing some smoke at us – hitting some really hard jump spin serves and we don’t see that a lot in our gym because we are so much jump floats. It took our passers a little while to adjust and eventually they controlled those hard serves in the way we needed to.”
Robinson helped stabilize the first touch and provided great defense to get the U.S. better offensive opportunities. She finished the match with 21 receptions and a 52 positive reception percent.
“It is so exciting to be on the court for me in any way that I can do that,” Robinson said. “To have that opportunity and do something that I do well – passing and play defense – It was definitely a challenge that Karch put me up to. I was stoked to be out there.”
Robinson didn’t have much of a chance to get nervous in playing libero for the first time in Red, White and Blue. She found out less than 12 hours earlier in the day that Kiraly was shifting her role on the team, at least for this match.
“I found out this morning. Nothing like a little surprise in the morning,” Robinson said. “I was excited. I knew it could be a possibility. I have played libero professionally for my club teams as they have asked me. It is something that I know that I have in my tool belt. But is always a surprise when I have to do it.”
Kiraly had a simple reason on putting Robinson on the court at libero.
“Because she is a world-class receiver,” Kiraly said. “She was one of the best passers at the Rio Olympics. Even though almost two years later, it is her first competition she has had a chance to play for us as she had some rest early in 2017 and then had a scheduling conflict and she couldn’t play for us in the World Grand Champions Cup.”
Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) led the offense with nine kills on 21 swings, two blocks and two aces for 13 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) totaled six kills on 15 attacks, two blocks and an ace for nine points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added seven kills on 17 swings and two blocks for nine points.
Home state hero Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) pocketed seven kills on 26 attacks and an ace for eight points. Both Larson and Robinson played collegiately at the University of Nebraska.
“We just knew that we needed to come out with a sense of urgency,” Larson said. “I think we did that. We were attacking from the beginning. I think we had a little bit of lull in the third set. We came out stronger. I am proud of our team bouncing back today after a disappointing loss.”
Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) contributed seven points with six kills on 12 attacks and a block from her middle position. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) chipped in two kills and a block from her setter position. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with two kills on three attacks as a sub in the second and third sets.
Team USA benefited from 23 errors from Italy and limited its own miscues to eight for the match. The Americans held an 8-5 blocking advantage and both teams had 39 kills. As a team, the U.S. converted 39 of its 96 attacks for a 40.6 kill percent with Lloyd at setter.
Italy had a trio of players have nine points as Anastasia Guerra and Marina Lubian had eight kills and an ace apiece while Camilla Mingardi added seven kills, one block and one ace.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson on the outside, Dixon and Akinradewo at middle, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Robinson was making her first-ever start at libero for Team USA.
Now the U.S. begins three consecutive weeks in Asia followed by a trip to South America for its Volleyball Nations League preliminary round schedule. The Americans depart for Toyota, Japan on Friday where they will meet the host country, Netherlands and Belgium.
“We are going to play three more great teams in Japan, three more great challenges,” Kiraly said. “Japan plays a very a different style. That is one of the beautiful things about international women’s volleyball. From team to team, country to country there is an incredibly different style. We have to make adjustments from one match to the next.”
Team USA built an early 9-5 advantage in the opening set, then pushed the lead to 15-10. Italy sliced two points off its deficit at 15-12. Larson downed a back-row attack to extend the American margin to 19-14. Italy charged back to within two at 19-17. Lloyd slammed a kill out of system and Dixon followed with a block to give the U.S. set points at 24-20. The Americans closed out the set at 25-21.
Lloyd put up two straight blocks after a Murphy kill to yield a 5-2 USA lead early in the second set. Hill served an ace and Italy hit long to push the U.S. into the first technical timeout leading 8-4. Out of the break, Larson hit an off-speed winner for a third straight point at 9-4. Murphy hit through the Italy block and the visitors hit long prompting the Italians to call timeout trailing 13-7. Hill sliced an ace in front of the Italian defense to inch the lead up to 17-10. Akinradewo and Dixon hammered back-to-back kills and Italy was called for a back-row attack to extend the American lead to 20-11. Italy chopped off four points of its deficit at 21-16 as USA calls timeout. Dixon and Bartsch-Hackley found the court on attacks to put the USA at set points 24-17. Akinradewo powered down the final point of the set for a 25-18 win.
Dixon and Murphy scored the first two points of the third set, but Italy answered with five straight to grab a 5-2 advantage. Team USA tied the set at 5-all as Dixon put up a block after two Italian errors. Italy stopped the run with a kill and ace to build a two-point cushion at 7-5. Italy extended its lead to 12-8 after a block leading to a USA timeout. USA clawed back into a tie at 14-all after consecutive Italian attack errors. Dixon formed a monster block and served an ace on back-to-back points then Murphy hammered a kill to produce a USA an 18-15 lead. After Italy closed to 22-20, Dixon powered down a kill to get USA to 23-20. Larson served an ace at 24-20 to get USA’s first match point. Bartsch-Hackley had the winner at 25-21.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (May 16, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped a rare match on home soil as Turkey edged the Americans 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 in a tight five-set match Wednesday on day two of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League being held in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Americans, ranked second in the world, fall to 1-1 in the Volleyball Nations League while Turkey improves to 2-0. The U.S. will meet seventh-ranked Italy (0-2) on Thursday as the Volleyball Nations League pool in Lincoln concludes.
“Turkey is a really good team – we are a good team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Battles like that will happen a lot. This was only match number two. I liked how our team responded down 2-0 and came storming back. We even had a swing to go up 15-14, but didn’t quite put it down to the floor. Turkey played really good volleyball and we are thankful because teams will bring a lot of good at us and that will make us better.”
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) led the Americans with 19 points via 15 kills on 49 swings, three blocks and an ace. Middles Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) both contributed 12 points. Dixon had eight kills, three blocks and an ace, while Gibbemeyer totaled seven kills, four blocks and an ace.
Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), who came in as a sub in the second set and started the final three sets at outside, pocketed seven kills on 24 attacks and an ace. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored seven kills and a block for eight points in the first two sets. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who gave the U.S. a lift off the bench, tallied six kills and a block.
Outside Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) notched four kills, two blocks and an ace for seven points in playing the first two sets. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added five kills in starting the third and fourth sets. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with three blocks and a kill.
Turkey won the battle in all the scoring skills with a 62-60 margin in kills, a 20-17 block advantage and an 8-5 lead in aces.
“Turkey played a very disciplined game,” Kiraly said. “They are very well coach. They are young, they never stopped coming at us. We have a target on our chest and so those kinds of matches are good for us.”
Meryem Boz charted 15 kills and two aces for Turkey’s team-leading 17 points. Seyma Ercan, Eda Erdem Dundar and Zehra Gunes all contributed 16 points for a Turkey balanced attack. Gunes produced a match-high eight blocks.
The U.S. started Hill and Robinson on the outside, Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Drews at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Wong-Orantes was the libero for the match.
Now the U.S. attention turns toward Italy and Larson feels the squad will bounce back after a tough loss at home.
“Italy has some good players here, but we need to focus mainly on our side and kind of figure out what is going on,” Larson said. “I am confident that we will have a great match tomorrow.”
The U.S. overcame a 16-14 deficit in the opening set with a 3-0 run to take a 17-16 lead on a Lloyd setter dump. Turkey regained the lead at 19-18. The lead shifted back to the USA on an American triple block prompting Turkey to call timeout down 20-19. Drews hammered back-to-back kills to yield a 22-20 U.S. advantage at Turkey’s second timeout. Turkey leveled the set again at 23-all. After the U.S. had three set points, Turkey came back to earn its first set point at 27-26. Turkey won the set 28-26 on an American attack error.
Hill put up a monster block to produce a 7-4 lead for Team USA early in the second set. Turkey used a 6-0 run to stake itself to a 14-11 advantage. The Americans chipped two points off the deficit at 14-13 with a Drews kill and Turkey error, but Turkey used a 4-0 run to extend the lead to 17-13. Turkey expanded its margin to 21-15 on an ace. Turkey ended the set at 25-19.
Turkey went up 4-2 early in the third set, but the Americans charged into the lead at 7-5 after a Hill block, Turkey attack error and Dixon block. Turkey squared the set at 8-all on an ace. Team USA put together an 9-0 run on Lloyd’s service, starting with Gibbemeyer nailing back-to-back points and Turkey hit long on consecutive plays to place the Americans in front 12-8. After a Turkey timeout, Larson slammed a kill and Turkey committed another error for a fifth and sixth straight point at 14-8. Gibbemeyer and Hill blasted consecutive kills extending the lead to 17-8. Turkey chipped away at the lead with an 7-1 spurt to close the gap to 18-15. The American advantage was trimmed to 20-19. Hill and Larson scored back-to-back kills and Turkey hit consecutive errors to extend the American lead to 24-19. Turkey saved one set point, but then hit wide to give the U.S. the win at 25-20.
Turkey scored three unanswered points to take a 3-2 lead in the fourth set. Hill and Murphy slammed consecutive kills to switch the lead to USA at 4-3. Hill served an ace off the net and Dixon hit a slide winner to inch the U.S. lead to 8-5. Turkey scored consecutive points out of the technical timeout to trim its deficit to 8-7. Team USA used a 4-0 run as Murphy hit a kill off the block and Turkey committed back-to-back errors to move the American lead to 13-8. Turkey trimmed the gap to 13-11 on a 3-0 run. Murphy scored a kill followed by a Hill block to put the Team USA advantage at 18-13. The American lead was erased at 20-all as Turkey rolled on a 7-2 spurt. Turkey put up a block to take the lead at 22-21. Team USA reversed the lead in its favor at 23-22 on consecutive Turkey errors. Turkey served an ace to reach match point at 24-23. Team USA saved the match point and earned its own set point at 25-24 on a Turkey attack error. Bartsch-Hackley put up a monster block to give the U.S. the set at 26-24.
Turkey scored three unanswered points to grab a 3-1 lead in the fifth set. Gibbemeyer served an ace after a Turkey service error to knot the score at 3-all. Turkey gained a two-point cushion again at 6-4. Larson slammed a kill and Lloyd followed with a block to square the set at 7-all. Turkey answered with three consecutive points to establish a 10-7 advantage. Turkey extended the lead to 12-8. Trailing 13-9, Gibbemeyer and Bartsch-Hackley scored back-to-back kills to cut the gap in half a 13-11. The U.S. saved two match points prompting Turkey to call timeout leading 14-13. Lloyd put up a block to save a third match point and tie the set at 14-all. The Americans had a swing to go up 15-14, but couldn’t convert and Turkey won 16-14.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 8, 2018) – They’re back!
The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, opens the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League May 15-17 in Lincoln, Nebraska, by having its seven active Olympians all back on the court together for the first time since earning bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.
The seven Olympians will form a solid core for the 14-player Volleyball Nations League roster which will compete at the Devaney Center on the University of Nebraska campus. Team USA hosts No. 22 Poland on May 15, followed by No. 12 Turkey on May 16 and No. 7 Italy on May 17. All three USA matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. CT after the conclusion of the non-USA match at 5 p.m.
Team USA will have two-time Olympic medalist and Nebraska Husker alum Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) serving as team captain. She will be joined at outside hitter by Olympians Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), as well as Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois). Robinson also played her senior year of college with the Huskers.
“It is awesome playing close to home in Lincoln,” said Larson, who grew up about 45 minutes from Lincoln. “We had the 2016 Olympic Qualifier (in Lincoln), and it was such a great atmosphere. We are excited to come back and get another opportunity to play in front of the Husker fans.”
The U.S. roster will also be deep in the middle. Two-time Olympic medalist Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) and 2016 Olympian Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) will share time with Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota). Olympian Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) are the two opposites selected to the Volleyball Nations League opening week roster.
Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and the 2017 USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year, will be joined by Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) at setter. The selected liberos are Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Husker alum Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California).
“This first section of the Volleyball Nations League is huge for us to get our crew back together and work out the kinks from everybody being out of the country (for their pro leagues),” Larson said. “I am excited for our chances, and I am excited to be back.”
Drews has had the opportunity play in Devaney Center, but as part of the visiting team with Purdue University. Now she is anxious to be part of the home team with the fans rooting her on.
“I have played in the Devaney Center a couple times in college,” Drews said. “I have won there, and lost there. I will say this, it is an intense environment. It is super fun, really loud. Nebraska is known to have loud and proud fans.”
Wong-Orantes has already played in many memorable matches inside the Devaney Center wearing Husker scarlet and cream, and now she gets the opportunity represent her country in the building wearing red, white and blue.
“It really is a cool atmosphere to be in,” Wong-Orantes said. “Every view in Devaney is an awesome view. I know the Nebraska fans will be pumped up. I don’t doubt them for a second that they will show up to watch USA.”
The FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) is in its first year replacing the long-standing FIVB World Grand Prix. The VNL has five consecutive weeks of preliminary round matches where 16 teams play in one of four round-robin pools each week around the world.
Per FIVB regulations, the roster can be changed each week of the preliminary round so long as the players were listed on the 21-player expanded roster. Each country must declare its 14-player roster two days before the start of each week’s round-robin competition.
The U.S. will embark on an extensive road trip for the rest of the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round. The Americans travel to Toyota, Japan, to face host and No. 6 Japan, No. 8 Netherlands and No. 13 Belgium in matches held May 22-24. For the third week, Team USA challenges No. 9 Dominican Republic, No. 13 Germany and No. 16 Thailand May 29-31 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Americans remain in Asia for week four, which will be one of the most anticipated pools on the schedule. The U.S. will face top-ranked China, No. 4 Brazil and No. 5 Russia June 5-7 in Jiangmen, China. Team USA concludes pool play June 12-14 in Sante Fe, Argentina, against the No. 3 Serbia, No. 10 Korea and No. 11 Argentina.
The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will be played June 27 to July 1 in Nanjing, China. The top five teams in the preliminary round will join China to form the six-team Final Round field.
Team USA finished the 2017 season with an 18-8 record in which many first- and second-year players saw success with expanded playing time. The U.S. did not play a single match with all seven of its returning Olympians on the roster as many took time off early in the season, while other veterans took additional time off during the season-ending tournament.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League May 15-17
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield, Park, Arizona)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
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ANAHEIM, California (April 27, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team connected with the next generation of superstars Friday morning as the USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championships (GJNC18) started at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The U.S. Women train in Anaheim, the official host city for both the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams for the last decade. But today, they shifted practice about two miles – from the American Sports Centers to the Anaheim Convention Center – so more players participating in the GJNC18 could watch them train and later in a 30-minute autograph session.
“It was really cool. It was a great environment,” said U.S. Women’s National Team setter Carli Lloyd, who earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and was named the 2017 USA Volleyball Female Indoor Athlete of the Year. “We actually had the stands pretty full, so it is nice to play in front of girls who are hopefully aspiring to go to the next level, play at a higher level. We had a lot of fun today.”
The training session brought back many memories from their own club days. And along the way, seeing some coaches from their own club and college days.
“We have seen a lot of friendly faces here because a lot of us came up through playing club volleyball,” Lloyd said. “Coaches who we played with or against in club or college are here (either recruiting or coaching).”
Yet, the training session was ultimately made to connect the U.S. Women’s National Team with the current club players about to head off to college themselves.
Grace Gilles, Eden Mahdavi, Meredith LaVine and Addison Althoff, all players with Minnesota One competing the 18 Patriot Division, shared they loved getting to watch the National Team players while on a break from their own matches at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Being they are from Minnesota, they have had the opportunity to watch many of the current National Team players compete in college. Below are some of the rapid fire, collective responses they shared during the National Team training session.
“It looks like they are very competitive.”
“But at the same time, it is so relaxing to watch.”
“They are a very clean, controlled team. They make it look easy.”
“I am just fan-girling.”
“I just remember watching the college game, especially between Minnesota and Wisconsin. I have been watching Sarah Wilhite the past four years. She has gotten so much better. Now seeing her on the National Team is so cool.”
First Alliance 18 Black, which is competing in the 18 American Division, went through the autograph line after the training session and thought the entire experience will have a positive influence on their own futures. Below are some of the comments that came from the team.
“It was so cool. It has always been a dream to be on the U.S. National Team.”
“It is very motivational. It is just one of those things watching them play, it just makes you excited to play. It makes you love the sport even more.”
“What is nice is they get to see some of their hometown heroes (Kelly Murphy and Lauren Carlini). A couple of (the National Team) girls played in the area where First Alliance is at, and it is nice to see somebody, miles from where they grew up, now playing on an international arena.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 7, 2018) – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) led the U.S. Women’s National Team in scoring for the seventh time in 12 FIVB Volleyball Nations League matches as the Americans stunned the world’s No. 1 team China 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 on Thursday in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans, ranked second in the world, will take an 11-1 record and a 10-match win streak into the fifth and final Volleyball Nations League preliminary round week in Argentina. Team USA, which qualified yesterday for the Volleyball Nations League six-team Finals Round June 27-July 1 in Nanjing, China, continues to lead the 16-team pack with three preliminary round matches left on the schedule. China, the reigning Olympic Champions, fall to 6-6 overall in the VNL.
The U.S. Women close out the preliminary round next week in Santa Fe, Argentina, where they will face Serbia on June 12 (4:40 p.m. ET), Korea on June 13 (4:40 p.m. ET) and host Argentina on June 14 (7:40 p.m. ET).
The U.S. used a 6-2 run to gain an early 12-7 advantage in the opening set, then controlled the rest of the 25-20 set victory. Team USA won a closely contested second set by claiming the final two points for a 25-22 victory. The Americans trailed 20-15 in the third set, but came back to score the final 10 points on Bartsch-Hackley’s serve to win 25-20.
“I think we played really well. We are just really focusing on ourselves and taking one point, one ball at a time,” Bartsch-Hackley said.
Bartsch-Hackley scored her 18 points with 16 kills on 32 attacks and two aces. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) charted nine kills on 15 swings and two blocks for 11 points. Outside Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) tallied 10 kills on 20 attacks and a block for 11 points.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) recorded eight kills on 17 swings and an ace for nine points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) contributed five points with a team-leading four blocks and a kill. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) pocketed two aces, one block and one kill for four points. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was the double-sub with Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) in all three sets, turned in four kills on six attacks in her limited action in the front court. Both Drews and Hancock were on the court for the final 10 points of the match as the double-sub worked to perfection.
Libero Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) had a 77 positive reception percent on 13 chances and provided many stellar digs. Bartsch-Hackley handled a team-leading 27 receptions with a 52 positive percent. Larson was credited with a 41 positive reception percent on 22 chances.
Lloyd and Hancock set the American offense to a 49 kill percent and .390 hitting efficiency. The Team USA defense held China to a 35.6 kill percent and .176 hitting efficiency. The American defense netted a 46-35 margin in digs.
The U.S. held a 49-36 advantage in kills and an 8-5 margin in blocks. China held a 6-5 edge in aces. Both teams committed 14 errors.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Bartsch-Hackley and Larson at outside, and Akinradewo and Dixon at middle. Robinson served as the libero.
The U.S. Women have now won eight of their last 11 matches versus China playing inside China in world-level tournaments.
China’s star outside hitter Zhu Ting netted 14 points in the loss, while Liu Xiaotong added 11 points.
With Korea, Serbia and Argentina on the horizon, Team USA has time to continue fine tuning their systems. But as Bartsch-Hackley said, it will take a lot before even getting there to have that opportunity to play again.
“We have a really long travel going to Argentina, then we go home for a week,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “We are excited about Argentina, but first we have to get there – 48 hours. But after that, we will be excited to compete again.”
Team USA will return to China in just over two weeks for the Finals Round, and the team is ready to play again in front of the Chinese fans.
“We are really excited to come back to China and get an opportunity and play again,” Bartsch-Hackley said. “We love competing, and we are learning a lot about this new group. I think it has been really fun.”
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. took its first lead of the opening set at 5-4 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Akinradewo block, then Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to push the lead to 6-4. Larson and Murphy scored consecutive kills and Lloyd followed with an ace to build a 10-6 American advantage. Larson and Murphy again combined for back-to-back kills to lift Team USA to a 12-7 margin heading into a China timeout. China cut the gap to 16-13 with consecutive points out of the technical timeout. The rebuilt a five-point cushion at 19-14 with a Dixon kill and China attack wide. Akinradewo put up a block and Larson scored a back-row kill to extend the American lead to 22-16 at China’s second timeout. China scored back-to-back points out of the timeout to cut the gap to 22-18. The U.S. won the set 25-20 with a Lloyd block.
Lloyd opened the second set with an ace for the early advantage. China took the lead at 3-2 with an ace. Bartsch-Hackley answered with consecutive kills to reverse the lead to USA at 4-3. China responded with two straight points to collect a 5-4 lead, then gained a two-point cushion at 7-5. Akinradewo put up a block to end a long rally and Murphy put down a kill to give the Americans a 12-11 lead. China came back to take the lead at 15-14 on an ace. The U.S. reached the second technical timeout leading 16-15 with kills from Drews and Dixon. The U.S. took a two-point cushion with a Drews kill and Dixon block at 18-16. Team USA stretched the gap to three at 21-18 with a Murphy kill and China attack error. China cut the deficit to a single point at 22-21 prompting a Team USA timeout. Team USA ended the set with an Akinradewo kill and Lloyd block at 25-22.
The U.S. started quickly in the third set with a 2-0 lead, but China came back to tie the set at 3-all. The Americans answered with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Murphy ace at 5-3. China quickly answered with back-to-back points to level the score at 5-all. The Americans went into the first technical timeout leading 8-6 with consecutive Larson kills. Out of the break, China went on a 7-1 scoring run to stake an 13-9 advantage. Bartsch-Hackley put up a block and Murphy hit off the block after a China error to cut the gap to 13-12. The Americans leveled the set at 14-all with a Dixon kill and China attack error. China stopped the run with back-to-back points to take a 16-14 edge at the second technical timeout. China went on a 4-0 run to stake a 20-15 advantage. Bartsch-Hackley and Larson scored consecutive kills and China had back-to-back attack errors the to close the deficit to 20-19. Out of a China timeout, Drews scored a kill down the line and Bartsch-Hackley scored from the back-row to cap a 6-0 run and give the Americans a 21-20 advantage. China attacked wide and Larson downed a kill to put the Americans up 23-20. Bartsch-Hackley scored an ace for a ninth straight point to put the Americans at match point 24-20. Team USA won the final point, the 10th in a row, at 25-20 on a video challenge overturned of a China attack.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League June 5-7
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Women’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA def. Germany 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA def. Thailand 25-10, 25-22, 25-16 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
June 5: USA def. Russia 25-14, 25-18, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 6: USA def. Brazil 25-23, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 7: USA def. China 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 (at Jiangmen, China)
June 12: USA vs. Serbia, 4:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 13: USA vs. Korea, 4:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 14: USA vs. Argentina, 7:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 27-July 1: FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round (Host China + Top 5 Teams)
At Nanjing, China
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 12, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has athletes on three continents competing for playoff titles before they come back to the Team USA gym this spring.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What country has the U.S. played the most matches against in the last three years (2015-17)?
EUROPEAN CEV CUP STREAMS: Two European CEV Cup semifinal matches featuring U.S. Women’s National Team players will stream live on laola1.tv this week.
AKINRADEWO WITH JAPAN V-LEAGUE’S HISAMITSU SPRINGS: Two-time U.S. Olympic medalist Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Instagram, Twitter) is playing middle for Japan V.League’s Hisamitsu Springs this winter. Hisamitsu Springs dominated JT Marvelous 25-9, 25-20, 25-21 on March 10 to start the V.League’s two-match championship series. Hisamitsu Springs had gone undefeated through the regular season with a 21-0 record, then won its first four matches of the Playoff 6 Round. However, JT Marvelous defeated Hisamitsu Springs in the final round robin match of the Playoff 6 round to gain automatic entry into the championship finals and forcing Hisamitsu Springs into the two-match Playoff 3 round (semifinals). Akinradewo contributed 10 kills on 17 errorless attacks, two aces and a block for 13 points in the victory. Hisamitsu Springs can sweep the two-match series when the teams meet again on March 17 in Tokyo.
LARSON, ADAMS WITH ECZACIBASI IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Instagram, Twitter), a two-time Olympic Games medalist, and middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, Instagram, Twitter), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, are playing professionally with Eczacibasi in the Turkish League for the 2017-18 season. In the Turkish League, Eczacibasi swept its two-match quarterfinal round series with Nilufer following a 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 victory on March 7. Larson turned in eight points with seven kills on 19 swings and an ace. She added eight receptions in the victory. Adams did not play in the match. To watch a replay of the match, click here. In CEV Cup action, Eczacibasi meets Germany’s SSC Palmberg Schwerin in the semifinal home-and-home round with matches on March 13 and March 20.
ROBINSON WITH VAKIFBANK IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California, Instagram, Twitter, Website), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, is playing club volleyball with VakifBank in the Turkish professional league this winter. In the Turkish League, VakifBank swept its quarterfinal round best-of-three series with Besiktas following a 25-16, 25-12, 25-21 victory on March 6. Robinson hammered eight kills on 13 swings to go with one block and one ace for 10 points. She was credited with a 60 positive reception percent on 15 chances. To watch a replay of the match, click here. In European Champions League action, VakifBank will face Switzerland’s Volero Zurich in a home-and-home quarterfinal round series on March 22 and April 5. Robinson has launched her own website, www.nomandplay.com, on her passions for play, travel and food. To read her blog on the top 10 things to do while visiting Rio de Janeiro, click here.
GIBBEMEYER WITH NOVARA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: U.S. Women’s National Team middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) is playing her 2017-18 professional season with Igor Gorgonzola Novara in the Italian Serie A1. In the Italian Serie A1 regular season finale, Novara swept 11th-place Sab Volley Legnano 25-20, 25-16, 25-21 on March 10. Gibbemeyer tallied two kills on seven errorless attacks in the victory. With the win coupled with Imoco Volley Conegliano’s loss, Novara moved into first place and earn the top seed into the playoffs with a 17-5 record and 51 points. Novara will face eighth-seeded Il Bisonte Firenze (8-14, 27 points) in the best-of-three quarterfinals with matches on March 17 and March 25. If necessary, the tiebreaker match is set for March 28. In the European Champions League, Novara has advanced to the quarterfinal home-and-home series where it meets Turkish rival Galatasaray on March 21 and April 5.
HILL WITH CONEGLIANO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, is playing for Imoco Volley Conegliano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. In its Italian Serie A1 regular season finale, Conegliano lost for the third time in a row in league action as seventh-place Mycicero Volley Pesaro won 19-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 on March 10. Hill did not suit for the match. American teammate Simone Lee tallied four kills in the loss after coming off the bench in the second set and starting the rest of the way. Conegliano dropped from first to third in the final standings with the loss, having finished the regular season with a 17-5 record and 50 points. Conegliano challenges sixth-seeded Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena (12-10, 33 points) in the best-of-three quarterfinal round series with matches on March 18 and March 25. If necessary, the tiebreaker will be played March 28. In the European Champions League, Conegliano has moved on to the quarterfinal home-and-home round where it meets Russia’s Dinamo Kazan on March 21 and April 4.
CARLINI WITH SCANDICCI IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter), who played her first year with the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is playing her first pro season with Savino Del Bene Scandicci in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Scandicci rallied to defeat fourth-place Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio 24-26, 20-25, 25-13, 26-24, 15-10 on March 10 to end the regular season. Carlini set her team to a 41 kill percent with a .393 hitting efficiency over the final three sets. She added three points with one kill, one block and one ace. Scandicci concluded the regular season with an 18-4 record and 50 points and squeezed into second place. Scandicci had the fewest losses in the regular season, but Novara took the regular season title with 51 standings points. Scandicci meets seventh-seeded Mycicero Volley Pesaro (10-12, 32 points) in the best-of-three quarterfinal round series, which has opening matches on March 18 and March 25. If necessary, the tiebreaker is set for March 28.
DIXON, HANCOCK WITH MONZA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter), an alternate to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team, and U.S. Women’s National Team setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma, Instagram, Twitter) are playing for Saugella Team Monza in the Italian Serie A1 this winter after missing the 2016-17. Team Monza edged Foppapedretti Bergamo 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 15-13 on March 10 to end the regular season. Team Monza trailed 12-10 in the tiebreaker before scoring five of the last six points. Dixon contributed 12 points in the win with 10 kills on 21 attacks, one block and one ace. Hancock set the team to a 36 kill percent and added four kills on nine swings and an ace. Team Monza concluded the regular season with a 13-9 record and 37 points for fifth place. Team Monza will face fourth-seeded Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio (12-10, 39 points) in the best-of-three quarterfinal with matches on March 17 and March 25. If necessary, the tiebreaker is set for March 28.
BARTSCH-HACKLEY, WILHITE WITH ITALY’S UNET E-WORK BUSTO ARSIZIO: Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter), both outside hitters for the U.S. Women’s National Team, are playing their 2017-18 pro season for Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio in the Italian Serie A1. Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio defeated Pomi Casalmaggiore 22-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-18 on March 5 to start the week. Bartsch-Hackley tallied 12 kills on 36 swings, four aces on 20 serves and two blocks for 18 points in a well-rounded performance. She added a 78 positive reception percent while handling 27 of the team’s 59 receptions. Wilhite did not play in the match. Busto Arsizio lost to Savino Del Bene Scandicci 24-26, 20-25, 25-13, 26-24, 15-10 on March 10 to conclude the regular season. Bartsch-Hackley scored a team-best 20 points with 19 kills on 42 swings and an ace. She handled 41 of the team’s 98 receptions with an 85 positive percent. Wilhite started the third set, handling four receptions with a 50 positive percent. Busto Arsizio finished the season with a 12-10 record and 39 points for fourth place. Busto Arsizio will meet fifth-seeded Saugella Team Monza (13-9, 37 points) in the best-of-three quarterfinal round. The first two matches are on March 17 and March 25, and if necessary, the tiebreaker will be on March 28.
DREWS WITH CASALMAGGIORE IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana, Instagram, Twitter), who played her first season with the U.S. Women’s National Team, is currently playing for Pomi Casalmaggiore in the Italian Serie A1 after transferring from Sab Volleyball Legnano. Casalmaggiore lost to Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio 22-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-18 on March 5 in its second to last regular season match. Drews totaled 10 points with nine kills on 37 swings and a block. Casalmaggiore lost to Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena 17-25, 20-25, 25-21, 26-24, 15-10 on March 10 to conclude the regular season. Drews notched 18 points with 15 kills on 53 swings and three aces. Casalmaggiore ended the regular season with a 6-16 record and 23 points for ninth place.
LLOYD WITH BARUERI IN BRAZIL: Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California, Instagram), a 2016 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist, joined Hinode Barueri of the Brazil Superliga in January after successfully recovering from an injury during the 2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup. Barueri lost to fourth-seeded Volei Nestle Osasco 25-23, 28-30, 28-26, 25-17 on March 11 to start the best-of-three quarterfinal round series. The second match of the series is on March 17, and if necessary, a tiebreaking third match will be played March 20.
KINGDON WITH KOREA V-LEAGUE’S IBK: Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Hermosa Beach, California, Instagram, Twitter), a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, is playing her second consecutive professional season with IBK of the Korea V-League. IBK defeated GS Caltex 21-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-19 on March 6. Kingdon scored 32 kills on 60 attacks, one block and one ace for a match-high 34 points. IBK dominated KGC 25-22, 25-13, 25-19 on March 11. Kingdon charted 14 kills on 30 swings, two blocks and one ace for 17 points in the victory. IBK (21-9, 61 points), now in second place, challenges Hyundai on March 17 in its next league match.
McMAHON WITH SOVERATO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: U.S. Women’s National Team opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio, Instagram) is playing for Volley Soverato in the Italian Serie A2 this winter. Soverato defeated then-seventh-place Golem Olbia 25-15, 25-17, 20-25, 25-13 on March 7. McMahon carried 11 points in the victory with 10 kills on 26 swings and a block. Soverato lost to Conad Olimpia Teodora Ravenna 22-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-18 on March 11. McMahon collected 12 points with 11 kills on 35 swings and a block. Soverato (17-10, 48 points), which is in seventh-place place, plays last-place Golden Tulip Volalto Caserta on March 18 in its next league match.
PAIGE TAPP, McCAGE WITH ALLIANZ MTV STUTTGART IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Middles Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) and Molly McCage (Spring, Texas, Instagram), who were part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, are playing professionally this winter with Allianz MTV Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga. In the German Bundesliga regular season, Stuttgart lost to SSC Palmberg Schwerin 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-10, 15-12 on March 10 to conclude the regular season. However, Stuttgart finished first in the regular season standings as it had wrapped up the two spot in its next to last match of regular season. Tapp turned in 12 kills on 29 attacks, a team-high four blocks and an ace for a team-best 17 points. McCage did not play in the match. Stuttgart, which ended the regular season with a 17-3 record and 53 points, will meet eighth-place Rote Raben Vilsbiburg in the quarterfinals this weekend. In the CEV Cup, Stuttgart faces Minchanka Minsk in the semifinal home-and-home series on March 13 and March 20.
BUGG WITH DRESDNER IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Setter Madi Bugg (Apex, North Carolina, Instagram), who was part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing in the German Bundesliga with Dresdner SC this winter. Dresdner blanked Erfurt 25-11, 25-21, 25-12 on March 10 to conclude the regular season. Bugg set her team to a 49 kill percent and .377 hitting efficiency (30-7-61) while adding two aces on 11 serves. With the victory, Dresdner moved into second place in the standings with a 17-3 record and 50 points. Dresdner will challenge seventh-place SC Potsdam in the quarterfinals this weekend.
AMBER ROLFZEN WITH BEZIERS IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Middle Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska, Instagram), who was part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing with Beziers in the French League this winter. Beziers lost to RC Cannes 16-25, 25-20, 25-20, 27-25 on March 10 in the French Cup title match. Beziers (16-3, 48 points), now in second place behind RC Cannes, takes on 11th-place 11th-place Evreux (6-14, 17 points) in its last regular season match on March 17.
DANNEMILLER WITH MULHOUSE IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Setter Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio, Instagram, Twitter), a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing for ASPTT Mulhouse in the French League this winter. Mulhouse (14-6, 42 points), which is in third place, resumes French League action on March 17 against fifth-place Le Cannett (13-7, 33 points).
BENSON WITH VANDOEUVRE NANCY IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona, Instagram, Twitter), who was part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing for Vandoeuvre Nancy in the French professional league this winter. Nancy (8-12, 23 points), now in eighth-place place, concludes the French League regular season on March 17 against fourth-place St. Raphael (10-10, 33 points).
TRIVIA ANSWER: The U.S. has played China 14 times over the last three years, the most of any other country during the same period. Team USA holds an 8-6 record against China in the last three years.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 3, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continues to stream-roll through FIVB Volleyball Nations League competition with seven consecutive sweeps. However, Team USA will have a much stiffer slate of opponents this week in Jiangmen, China.
The Americans, which sit atop the VNL standings with an 8-1 record and 25 standings points, will face Russia on June 5 (4 a.m. ET), Brazil on June 6 (4 a.m. ET) and host China on June 7 (7:30 a.m. ET) in the most anticipated week of pool play in the five-week preliminary schedule. Brazil, ranked No. 4 in the world, is second in the standings with an 8-1 record and 24 points. Russia, ranked fifth in the world, is sixth in the VNL with a 6-3 record with 17 points. China, ranked No. 1 in the world, has compiled a 5-4 record and 16 points while using a younger roster through the first three weeks as it has already qualified for the VNL Finals Round as the host country.
“We face our toughest week of Volleyball Nations League so far, with three high-quality opponents in Russia, Brazil and then host China,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Each one of those programs has a great history of success internationally, and each match will be a great test for us.”
The U.S. coaching staff has elected to keep the same roster it used the past two weeks in Japan and Thailand where the Americans outscored opponents 450-332 in six matches. The U.S. has limited opponents to just 18.4 points per set in the past two weeks (18.6 points per set over seven-match win streak).
Team USA has shifted its starting lineup consistently through the first nine matches of the Volleyball Nations League. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), who has seen time at both outside and opposite, is the top American scorer with 107 points (91 kills, 7 blocks, 6 aces) and ranks 18th overall in scoring. She has led the U.S. in scoring in five of the nine matches. Bartsch-Hackley is third in the VNL Best Spiker race with a 45.96 kill percent, and fifth in Best Receiver with a 17.23 efficiency percent.
Outside Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) ranks 28th in scoring with 90 points (69 kills, 8 blocks, 13 aces). She leads all VNL players with a 0.43 ace average per set. Outside Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) has 87 points (77 kills, 7 blocks, 3 aces) for 31st in the VNL. She has converted 44.51 percent of her attacks for sixth in Best Spiker. Hill ranks first in the Best Receiver category with 22.39 efficiency percent.
Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) ranks first in Best Setter with a 14.37 running sets average per set. Ironically, she is also third in Best Digger with 1.53 digs per set from her setter position. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) is the team’s best blocker with a 0.56 block average per set for 14th in VNL.
Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), who shifted from outside hitter to libero in the third match of the VNL, ranks fourth in digs with 1.53 digs per set. She also has a 14.29 reception efficiency for seventh-best in VNL.
Brazil is led by Tandara Caixeta, who ranks second in scoring with 178 points (157 kills, 9 blocks, 12 aces). She ranks fourth in Best Spiker with a 45.91 kill percent and sixth in Best Server with a 0.36 ace average. Brazil has two of the top four blockers in the VNL with Ana Beatriz Correa ranking second with 0.85 blocks per set and Adenizia Da Silva with 0.76 blocks per set. Roberta Ratzke is fifth in setting with 8.09 running sets average and is eighth in serving with 0.33 aces per set.
Russia’s Irina Vronkova has 138 points (110 kills, 15 blocks, 13 aces) for sixth in scoring. She is also second in Best Spiker with a 48.25 kill percent and fourth in serving with 0.39 aces per set. Natalia Malykh is 10th in Best Spiker with a 42.35 kill percent with 72 kills on 170 swings. Russia’s top blocker is Irina Fetisova with 0.61 average per set for 13th overall. Tatiana Romanova is averaging 5.39 running sets average for 11th overall and has 0.33 aces per set for ninth overall.
China’s Xiaotong Liu holds 89 points (72 kills, 8 blocks, 9 aces) for 29th in scoring in the VNL. Ni Yan is 17th in blocking with 0.50 blocks per set. Xia Ding averages 4.05 running sets per set for 17th overall.
Following the U.S. and Brazil in the overall standings is Serbia in third place with an 8-1 record and 23 points. Team USA plays Serbia in the fifth and final week of the preliminary round. Netherlands is fourth in the standings with a 7-2 record and 20 points. Turkey, the only team to defeat the U.S., is fifth in the standings with a 6-3 record and 19 points.
The VNL Finals Round will have China and the top five teams competing in Nanjing, China from June 27 to July 1.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League June 5-7
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2018) – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) scored 19 points to lead the second-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 victory over Dominican Republic in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action on Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. improves to 7-1 overall with 22 points for first place in the Volleyball Nations League standings. Team USA has now won six straight matches in straight sets. The Americans face host pool host Thailand on Thursday at 7 a.m. ET.
The U.S. broke a 10-all tie in the opening set with three consecutive points to take a 13-10 lead, then pushed out to as much as a seven-point lead before winning 25-20. Dominican overcame a 16-12 deficit in the second set to take a 21-19 advantage, but Team USA rallied late to win 25-23 with the final two points. The Americans used a 4-0 run to break a 19-all tie in the third set en route to winning 25-21.
Bartsch-Hackley registered 14 kills on 33 swings, four aces and a block for 19 points at her outside hitter position. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) turned in 16 kills on 26 attacks in the American victory. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted nine kills on 11 swings to go with a block and ace for 11 points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) totaled 10 kills on 19 swings.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied two kills, one ace and one block for four points. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), both used in the double-sub in all three sets, rounded out the scoring with a kill and ace, respectively.
Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) handled 14 receptions as part of a 50 positive reception percent. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Hancock led the Americans to a 51.3 kill percent on the match. The Team USA defense limited Dominican Republic to a 42.6 kill percent. The American offense netted a 60-43 advantage in kills and a 7-5 margin aces. Dominican Republic registered an 8-3 lead in blocks. The U.S. committed 10 errors in the match to Dominican’s 14.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Hill and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, and Adams and Gibbemeyer at middle. Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) served as the libero.
Dominican Republic was led by Brayelin Martinez and her 19 points, while Yonkaira Pena Isabel added seven points.
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. opened the first set with an early 3-1 lead, and Dominican Republic came back to tie the set at 6-all. Team USA answered with three consecutive points to take 9-6 lead capped by a Bartsch-Hackley block. Dominican Republic leveled the score at 10-all with a 4-1 run. Murphy and Gibbemeyer slammed kills after a Dominican error to push the U.S. lead to 13-10. The Americans pushed to 15-11 with a Dominican error and Gibbemeyer ace. Hancock served an ace after the second technical timeout to extend the U.S. lead to 17-12. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill and Gibbemeyer put up a block to inch the Team USA lead to 22-16. Bartsch-Hackley and Hill scored back-to-back kills to give U.S. set points at 24-17. Dominican saved three set points before the Americans finished the set at 25-20 on a Murphy kill.
The U.S. rattled off four unanswered points capped by two Hill kills and to take a 4-1 lead in the second set. Hill slammed a kill and Dominican hit wide to extend the Team USA advantage to 6-2. Bartsch-Hackley and Hill scored back-to-back kills to move the American lead to 9-4 at a Dominican timeout. Dominican Republic closed the deficit to 10-9 with two aces on a 4-0 run prompting a Team USA timeout. Murphy and Gibbemeyer nailed back-to-back kills to increase the American lead to 12-9, only to have Dominican score two straight to close to 12-11. Hill scored two kills around a Murphy slam to trigger a 15-11 USA lead. Dominican went on a 6-1 run to take the lead at 18-17. Dominican extended the lead to 21-19. Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill then served a winner to square the set at 21-all. Team USA took the lead back with a Dominican service error and Murphy block at 23-22. Murphy gave the U.S. set point and Lloyd followed with a block for a 25-23 U.S. victory.
Bartsch-Hackley scored consecutive back-row kills to give the Americans a 3-1 lead in the third set. Dominican Republic tied the set at 3-all on an American rotational fault, then went up 6-4 on three straight points. Dominican extended its lead to 10-7. Murphy scored consecutive kills and Hill followed with a kill to tie the set at 10-all. The U.S. went up 13-10 on consecutive Dominican errors and a Bartsch-Hackley ace as part of a 6-0 run. Dominican scored three straight points to knot the score at 14-all. Dominican went back in front at 18-17. Bartsch-Hackley collected back-to-back kills to reverse the lead to the U.S. at 19-18. Team USA gained a three-point cushion at 22-19 on kills from Murphy kill and Bartsch-Hackley around a Dominican error. Out of a Dominican timeout, Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to push the U.S. lead to 23-19. Team USA won the set 25-21 on a Hill kill.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League May 29-31
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Women’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA def. Germany 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA vs. Thailand, 7 a.m. ET (at Bangkok, Thailand)
June 5: USA vs. Russia, 4 a.m. ET (at Jiangmen, China)
June 6: USA vs. Brazil, 4 a.m. ET (at Jiangmen, China)
June 7: USA vs. China, 7:30 a.m. ET (at Jiangmen, China)
June 12: USA vs. Serbia, 4:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 13: USA vs. Korea, 4:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 14: USA vs. Argentina, 7:40 p.m. ET (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2018) – The second-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team used a balanced scoring attack to sweep Belgium 25-11, 25-18, 25-17 in FIVB Volleyball Nations League action on Thursday in Toyota, Japan.
Team USA improves to 5-1 overall in the 16-team round-robin Volleyball Nations League. With the victory, the Americans will close out the second preliminary round week assured of sitting atop the league standings with 16 points. Belgium falls to 2-4 overall and with six points. The U.S. has won four consecutive matches in straight sets.
The U.S. resumes week three of five as round-robin format with the Americans challenging Germany at 4 a.m. ET, Dominican Republic on May 29 at 4 a.m. ET and Thailand at 7 a.m. ET.
The U.S. used a seven-point run to break a 7-all tie in the opening set to stake a 14-7 advantage, then never looked back in winning 25-11. Team USA broke a 13-all tie with four consecutive points to grab a 17-13 lead, then cruised to the 25-18 victory. The Americans started the third set with a 5-0 advantage and cruised to a 25-17 score in the final set.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois) charted 14 points with 12 kills on 27 attacks and two blocks. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) totaled 12 points starting with 10 kills on 21 swings and two blocks. Outside Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) hammered eight kills on 21 swings, two aces and a block or 11 points.
Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed 10 points with five kills on eight swings, four blocks and an ace. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) hit a stellar six-of-seven and added two blocks for eight points. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) all rounded out the scoring with one point each.
Lloyd set the Americans to a 44.8 kill percent for the match. The U.S. dominated the stats with a 44-24 margin in kills and a 11-2 average in blocks. Both teams served three aces and committed 17 errors.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Drews at opposite, Larson and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, and Adams and Gibbemeyer at middle. Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California) served as the libero.
Celine Van Gestel recorded a team-best 10 points in the loss. No other player scored more than four points in the match.
The Volleyball Nations League utilizes a five-week preliminary round robin schedule where all 16 teams play each other. The Volleyball Nations League Final Round will have host China joining the top five teams from the preliminary standings.
The U.S. jumped out to a 3-0 start in the opening set with Larson serving an ace and Drews hammering two kills. Belgium cut the gap to 3-2 with consecutive points and leveled the score at 6-all. Team USA broke a 7-all tie with seven consecutive points to go up 14-7. The Americans rattled off three straight points to extend their lead to 17-8, then pushed their advantage to double digits at 19-9. Team USA closed out the set at 25-11.
The Americans pushed out to an early 5-2 lead in the second set. The U.S. downed four unanswered points to extend the margin to 11-6. Belgium squared the set at 11-all on five consecutive points. Team USA broke a 13-all tie with four consecutive points to grab a 17-13 lead. The Americans reached a 21-15 margin with three consecutive points. The U.S. completed the second set with a 25-18 victory.
Team USA built an early 5-0 advantage in the third set, then inched its margin to 11-4. Belgium sliced two points off its deficit at 11-6, but the U.S. responded with three straight points to extend the margin to 14-6. The Americans reached a 10-point cushion at 22-12. The U.S. closed the set at 25-17.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League May 22-24
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Women’s FIVB Volleyball Nations League Schedule
U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
May 15: USA def. Poland 28-26, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 16: USA lost to Turkey 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 24-26, 16-14 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 17: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
May 22: USA def. Japan 25-20, 25-16, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 23: USA def. Netherlands 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 24: USA def. Belgium 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 (at Toyota, Japan)
May 29: USA vs. Germany, 4 a.m. ET (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 30: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 4 a.m. ET (at Bangkok, Thailand)
May 31: USA vs. Thailand, 7 a.m. ET (at Bangkok, Thailand)
June 5: USA vs. Russia, TBA (at Jiangmen, China)
June 6: USA vs. Brazil, TBA (at Jiangmen, China)
June 7: USA vs. China, TBA (at Jiangmen, China)
June 12: USA vs. Serbia, TBA (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 13: USA vs. Korea, TBA (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 14: USA vs. Argentina, TBA (at Santa Fe, Argentina)
June 27-July 1: FIVB Volleyball Nations League Final Round (Host China + Top 5 Teams)
At Nanjing, China
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 19, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has set its 26-player preliminary roster for the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League that officially opens the 2018 season.
Per FIVB regulations, the 26-player preliminary roster will be trimmed to 21 players by May 5, which every week’s 14-player roster must be selected from. Each country must declare its 14-player roster two days before the start of each week’s round-robin competition.
“Our 2018 eligibility roster contains a blend of experience and youth,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “From returning Olympic medalists to people barely out of college, we’re thrilled to see how this group comes together during a challenging five weeks of preliminary competition, and thrilled to be preparing for the first-ever Volleyball Nations League.”
Additional players will be training at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim throughout the summer in preparation for the Pan American Cup that takes place in July and the season-ending FIVB World Championship that starts Sept. 29 in Japan.
The FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) is in its first year replacing the long-standing FIVB World Grand Prix. The VNL has five consecutive weeks of preliminary round matches where 16 teams play in one of four round-robin pods each week around the world.
The U.S. Women, ranked second in the world by the FIVB, open the FIVB Volleyball Nations League against No. 22 Poland on May 15, followed by No. 12 Turkey on May 16 and No. 7 Italy on May 17. All three USA matches begin at 7 p.m. CT. The matches will be played at the Devaney Center on the University of Nebraska campus.
The U.S. roster includes seven Olympians who won bronze at the 2016 Rio Games, including Adams and Akinradewo at middle, Hill, Larson and Robinson at outside, Lloyd at setter and Murphy at opposite. Further, Larson, Robinson, Wong-Orantes and Rolfzen all concluded their collegiate careers at the University of Nebraska.
The U.S. will embark on an extensive road trip for the rest of the Volleyball Nations League preliminary round. The Americans travel to Toyota, Japan, to face host and No. 6 Japan, No. 8 Netherlands and No. 13 Belgium in matches held May 22-24. For the third week, Team USA challenges No. 9 Dominican Republic, No. 13 Germany and No. 16 Thailand May 29-31 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Americans remain in Asia for week four, which will be one of the most anticipated pools on the schedule. The U.S. will face top-ranked China, No. 4 Brazil and No. 5 Russia June 5-7 in Jiangmen, China. Team USA concludes pool play June 12-14 in Sante Fe, Argentina, against the No. 3 Serbia, No. 10 Korea and No. 11 Argentina.
T
he Volleyball Nations League Final Round will be played June 27 to July 1 in Nanjing, China. The top five teams in the preliminary round will join China to form the six-team Final Round field.
Team USA finished the 2017 season with an 18-8 record in which many first- and second-year players saw success with expanded playing time. The U.S. did not play a single match with all seven of its returning Olympians on the roster as many took time off early in the season, while other veterans took additional time off during the season-ending tournament.
U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster for FIVB Volleyball Nations League
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Hermosa Beach, California)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH/L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield, Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (MB, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
22 – Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
25 – Chiaka Ogbogu (OH, 6-2, Texas, Coppell, Texas)
27 – Caroline Knop (L, 5-8, Florida, Pasadena, California)
28 – Krystal Rivers (OPP, 5-11, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama)
29 – Lexi Dannemiller (S, 5-11, Michigan, West Chester, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 10, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, lost to No. 4 Brazil 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 on Sunday on the final day of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Nagoya, Japan.
Team USA ended the tournament with a 3-2 record with seven standings points. With the victory, Brazil ended the tournament with a 3-2 record and 11 standings points to take the silver medal. China entered the final day having already secured the gold medal based on its lead in standings points ahead of the Americans. Team USA chances for bronze now hinges on the results of the final match between Japan and China. If China wins, the Americans will earn the bronze medal.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. At the most recent edition held in 2013, the U.S. lost to Brazil in the opening match then went on to win its final four matches to win silver behind the eventual champions from Brazil.
Standings:
1. China 4-0 (11 pts) – GOLD – plays later today against Japan
2. Brazil 3-2 (11 pts) – SILVER
USA 3-2 (7 pts) – bronze if China defeats Japan
Japan 2-2 (6 pts) – bronze if Japan defeats China
Russia 2-3 (7 pts)
6. Korea 0-5 (0 pts)
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) and opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) scored team-leading 12 points for the Americans. Larson had 10 kills on 25 swings, one block and one ace. Drews had nine kills on 27 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), who started in the final three sets, totaled six kills, two aces and a block for nine points coming off the bench. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) produced seven kills on 15 swings, one block and one ace for nine points.
Brazil used two 5-1 scoring runs to stake a 20-14 advantage in the opening set en route to winning 25-20. Brazil overcame a 22-20 deficit in the second set by scoring five of the final six points for a 25-22 victory. Team USA opened the third set with a 6-2 advantage, but Brazil quickly mounted a 6-1 run to take an 8-7 advantage and continued to charge toward the 25-19 victory.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) turned in three kills on five swings and a block for four points in two sets. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) added two kills and a block in starting the first set. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota), who started the final set in place of Adams, tacked on one block and one kill. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with a block.
Larson picked up eight digs to lead the American defense, while libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) tallied four digs and five excellent receptions on nine errorless chances. Bartsch-Hackley had 19 excellent receptions on 36 chances.
Team USA converted 37.3 percent of its attacks with a .245 hitting efficiency (38-13-102) as Carlini had 19 running sets on 54 set attempts and Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), who started the third set, had 11 running sets on 31 sets. In contrast, Brazil converted 51.2 percent of its attacks with a .372 hitting efficiency (44-12-86).
The U.S. held a 9-8 edge in blocks and both teams served five aces. However, Brazil took advantage of 18 American errors and had a 44-38 margin in kills. In addition, the South Americans kept the offense in gear with a 43-23 dig advantage on defense.
Less than two weeks ago, the U.S. and Brazil played in the USA Volleyball Cup, a two-match exhibition series with both teams winning one match. The Americans won the first match in three sets on Aug. 27 (a bonus fourth set was played and won by Brazil), while the South Americans won the second match 3-1 on Aug. 29 in Anaheim – host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams.
Brazil was led in scoring by Gabi and Tandara with 16 points apiece.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Adams and Akinradewo at middle, Drews at opposite and Carlini at setter. Courtney was the starting libero mainly handling passing duties and shared the spot with Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) who was in for defense.
The U.S. went in front 4-2 with a Hill kill followed by a Drews ace and Akinradewo block. However, Brazil rallied with a 5-1 run to take a 7-5 advantage. Brazil extended its margin to 14-11 with back-to-back points. Brazil went on a 5-1 run to stake an 20-14 advantage. Team USA answered with a 3-0 run with a Drews kill, Brazil error and Bartsch-Hackley ace to close to 20-17. Brazil reach set points at 24-19 on back-to-back points and won the set 25-20 after the U.S. saved one set point.
Brazil took the first two-point cushion of the second set at 5-3, then pushed the margin to 7-4 after a U.S. error. After the first technical timeut, a Larson kill and ace around a Bartsch-Hackley block knotted the score at 8-all. The teams traded side outs until Brazil scored consecutive points going into the second technical timeout with a 16-14 advantage. The U.S. leveled the score at 16-all with a Drews kill and Akinradewo block, then Bartsch-Hackley hit an off-pace kill to push the Americans in front 17-16 on a 3-0 run heading into a Brazil timeout. Brazil reversed the lead at 20-19 after a video challenge. The U.S. answered with a 3-0 run with Akinradewo scoring a kill and ace around a Brazil error at 22-20. Brazil immediately tied the set at 22-all after its timeout. Brazil reached set points at 24-22 with its third and fourth straight points. The Brazilians won the set 25-23.
The Americans broke a 2-all tie in the third set with a 4-0 run thanks to a Brazil service error and attack error, Drews kill and Bartsch-Hackley ace at 6-2. Brazil quickly answered by taking the lead at 8-7 on a 6-1 run. Brazil expanded its lead to 12-8 on four straight points. Brazil went into the second technical timeout up 16-11. The U.S. sliced the gap to 16-13 on a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Brazil error. However, Brazil raised its advantage back to four at 19-15 with consecutive points. The Americans rolled off two unanswered points to close to 19-17 with kills from Larson and Gibbemeyer. Brazil responded with a 4-1 run taking a commanding 23-18 advantage and went on to win 25-19.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Brazil def. Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12
Sept. 5: China def. USA 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17
Sept. 5: Japan def. Korea 25-23, 25-21, 26-24
Sept. 6: China def. Brazil 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 23-25, 19-17
Sept. 6: USA def. Korea 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Sept. 6: Russia def. Japan 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 28-26
Sept. 8: USA def. Russia 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 15-9
Sept. 8: China def. Korea 25-14, 25-4, 25-12
Sept. 8: Japan def. Brazil 25-18, 25-27, 25-15, 16-25, 15-6
Sept. 9: China def. Russia 25-20, 25-18, 25-20
Sept. 9: Brazil def. Korea 25-15, 25-10, 25-23
Sept. 9: USA def. Japan 22-25, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21, 15-12
Sept. 10: Russia def. Korea 25-19, 25-16, 25-21
Sept. 10: Brazil def. USA 25-20, 25-23, 25-19
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 9, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, rallied to defeat host Japan 22-25, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21, 15-12 on Saturday on the second to last day of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Nagoya, Japan.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Team USA, now 3-1 with seven standings points, concludes the tournament against No. 4 Brazil on Sunday (1:40 a.m. ET). Japan (2-2, 6 points) ends the tournament against China (4-0, 11 points), which through the results of today, has already won the Grand Champions Cup gold medal. A USA win versus Brazil on Sunday earns the Americans the silver medal, but a loss could potentially drop them completely off the podium depending on the outcome the China-Japan match.
Earlier today tournament leader China (4-0, 11 points) swept Russia (1-3, 4 points) 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 to secure at least a medal heading into the final day of the competition on Sunday. With the USA-Japan match extending to a fifth set, China guaranteed itself of the gold medal regardless of Sunday’s outcomes based on standings points. Brazil (2-2, 8 points) blanked Korea (0-4, 0 points) 25-15, 25-10, 25-23 to remain in contention for a medal though they are now locked out gold with China’s win.
Standings:
1. China 4-0 (11 pts)
2. USA 3-1 (7 pts)
3. Brazil 2-2 (8 pts)
4. Japan 2-2 (6 pts)
5. Russia 1-3 (4 pts)
6. Korea 0-4 (0 pts)
Television: Every match of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup will be televised lived in the United States on The Olympic Channel, along with multiple replays of the matches.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led the Americans with 22 points via 19 kills on 41 swings and three blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) tallied 18 points with 15 kills on 50 attacks and three blocks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed 17 points in the victory with 15 kills on 51 swings and two blocks.
Japan built a 10-3 lead early in the opening set, and although the U.S. closed to within one at 15-14, the hosts held off the Americans for the 25-22 victory. After Japan closed to 17-16 in the second set, Team USA held off the charge by scoring eight of the last 13 points for a 25-21 victory. The U.S. overcame an early 11-7 deficit in the third set and took a 15-14 lead, but the rest of the set saw the lead change several times before Japan won 28-26 after saving two set points. The U.S. used a 10-2 run including seven straight points in to overcome a 6-3 deficit in the fourth set and won 25-21 after Japan saved three set points. Although Japan scored the first two points of the tiebreaking set, the Americans charged in front at 3-2 and never trailed the rest of the way in winning 15-12.
“We love playing Japan in Japan. It is a tremendous volleyball atmosphere – very few things are like that on the planet,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “It is always an honor to play a match like this against a team with an incredible fighting spirit. And we are also very proud of our fighting spirit and patience. We knew it was going to take a lot of hard work and smart play to beat a very good team. We came out on top by a little.”
Middles Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) each sported 14 points in the match. Dixon had 10 kills on 21 swings and four blocks, while Gibbemeyer pocketed 12 kills on 24 swings, one block and one ace. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added seven points with a team-best four blocks, two kills and an ace. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), a serving sub in all five sets, rounded out the scoring with an ace.
“Japan is an amazing team and they played a great match,” Lloyd said. “I am really proud of our patience today. It took a lot of patience, a lot of long rallies and a lot problem solving to win this one. We are happy with it. We will look forward to a next big battle tomorrow.”
Larson totaled a team-best 19 digs and Hill added 14 digs. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) added eight digs and 14 excellent receptions on 23 chances, while libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) charted seven digs. Larson was credited with 23 excellent receptions on 48 chances, while Hill had 14 excellent receptions on 32 errorless chances.
Lloyd, who had 13 digs, was credited with 60 running sets on 160 total set attempts in leading the U.S. to a 37.8 kill percent and .301 hitting efficiency (73-15-193). The Americans limited the Japanese to a 32.8 kill percent and .172 hitting efficiency (63-30-192).
The U.S. held a 17-11 block margin with its height advantage, while Japan’s serve netted a 5-3 ace edge. The Americans managed a 73-63 kill advantage.
Lloyd, who is the U.S. captain, complimented the Japanese squad and their fans who make playing in Japan so special.
“I just think it is a wonderful experience to be in a gym where there is such positive energy,” Lloyd said. “You can just tell all the fans love volleyball. I felt really, really grateful to be there because it doesn’t happen all the time. The spirit of Japan – they don’t give up. They are such a great volleyball team. They have a long tradition of volleyball. To be a part of that in this gym, was really, really special for us.”
Mami Uchiseto led Japan with 17 points and Yurie Nabeya added 15 points coming off the bench.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Drews at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Courtney was the starting libero mainly handling passing duties and shared the spot with Wong-Orantes who was in for defense.
Japan started the opening set with a 6-1 advantage. Japan extended its margin to 10-3 with three unanswered points. Lloyd put up a block and Drews hit cross-court to narrow the gap to 11-6. Team USA sliced the gap to 12-8 with a Larson kill and Japanese attack error. The Americans continued the charged back at 13-11 as Hill pounded a kill followed by a Drews kill and Gibbemeyer ace heading into a Japan timeout. The U.S. Americans closed to within one at 15-14 with back-to-back kills from Hill and Drews. Japan extended the advantage to four points at 19-15 on a 4-1 run, then raised the margin to 22-17. Team USA sliced the deficit to 23-20 with a Dixon block and Larson kill. The U.S. saved two set points with a Dixon kill and Japan error at 24-22, but the host nation won the set at 25-22.
Larson scored consecutive kills after a Japan error to give the Americans a 6-4 lead in the second set. However, Japan scored two points out of the technical timeout to tie the set at 8-all. Team USA tallied three consecutive points with a Gibbemeyer kill and two Japan errors to go up 11-8. Japan answered with back-to-back points to close to within one at 11-10. The Americans regained a three-point cushion at 15-12 as Hill and Larson pounded kills to the floor. Japan closed to within one at 17-16. The U.S. regained a three-point cushion at 20-17 with a Gibbemeyer block and Japan error. The U.S. extended its lead to 22-18 with kills from Drews and Hill. Japan answered with back-to-back points to cut the gap in half at 22-20. The U.S. reached set points at 24-20 after Hill slammed a winner followed by a Lloyd block. Larson blocked the set winner at 25-21.
Japan scored the first three points of the third set, but the U.S. chipped two off the deficit with a Gibbemeyer kill and Japan error at 3-2. Japan increased its advantage to 11-7 on a 4-1 run. A Larson kill, Lloyd block and Gibbemeyer kill cut the American deficit to 14-13 heading into a Japan timeout. Out of the break, the U.S. scored a fourth and fifth straight points on back-to-back Japan errors to take a 15-14 lead. Japan answered with consecutive points to go into the second technical timeout up 16-15, then extended its margin to 18-16. Team USA responded with three quick points with two kills from hill around a Gibbemeyer kill to take a 19-18 advantage. Japan regained the lead at 22-21 prompting USA to call a timeout. Larson and Hill slammed kills to reverse the lead to the Americans at 23-22 leading to a Japan timeout. Japan reversed the lead again and took set point at 24-23. The Americans saved the set point with a Japan service error and earned its first set point at 25-24 with a Lloyd block. Japan saved two set points and picked up its second set point in reversing the score to 27-26. Japan won the set at 28-26 on its second set point chance.
Japan gained a three-point cushion at 6-3 in the fourth set. The U.S. cut the gap to 6-5 with a Dixon kill and Japan error. Team USA used a 7-0 run to take the lead at 13-8 with a Gibbemeyer kill, Lloyd ace, two Japan attack errors, a Drews kill and two Gibbemeyer blocks. Japan sliced the gap to 15-11 with consecutive points. Drews and Hill connected for consecutive kills to extend the American lead to 17-11. Lloyd put up a block after a Japan attack error to extend the American lead to 20-13. Japan answered with back-to-back points on USA errors to close to 20-15. Larson blocked Japan and Bartsch-Hackley came off the bench to serve an ace to give the Americans a 22-15 lead. Japan served an ace to cut the deficit to 23-18. Japan saved three set points before the U.S. won the set 25-21 on a Gibbemeyer kill.
Japan took a 2-0 lead early in the fifth set, but the Americans responded with three straight kills from Drews and Hill around a Japanese error to give the U.S. a 3-2 lead. Dixon and Larson downed kills to extend the American lead to 6-4. A Gibbemeyer kill and block extended the U.S. lead to 10-7. Japan chipped to within one at 10-9 with back-to-back points. Drews and Lloyd score back-to-back kills to put the U.S. in front 13-10. Hill gave the U.S. match point at 14-11 with a kill, then the Americans won 15-12 on a Larson kill.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Brazil def. Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12
Sept. 5: China def. USA 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17
Sept. 5: Japan def. Korea 25-23, 25-21, 26-24
Sept. 6: China def. Brazil 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 23-25, 19-17
Sept. 6: USA def. Korea 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Sept. 6: Russia def. Japan 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 28-26
Sept. 8: USA def. Russia 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 15-9
Sept. 8: China def. Korea 25-14, 25-4, 25-12
Sept. 8: Japan def. Brazil 25-18, 25-27, 25-15, 16-25, 15-6
Sept. 9: China def. Russia 25-20, 25-18, 25-20
Sept. 9: Brazil def. Korea 25-15, 25-10, 25-23
Sept. 9: USA def. Japan 22-25, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21, 15-12
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 8, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, utilized a balanced offense with key players coming off the bench in rallying to defeat No. 5 Russia 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 15-9 on Friday on the third day of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Nagoya, Japan.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Team USA, now 2-1 with five standings points, faces host and No. 6 Japan on Saturday (6:15 a.m. ET) before concluding the tournament against No. 4 Brazil on Sunday (1:40 a.m. ET).
Later today top-ranked and tournament-leader China (2-0, 5 points) plays No. 10 Korea (0-2, 0 points) and Japan (1-1, 3 points) hosts Brazil (1-1, 4 points).
Television: Every match of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup will be televised lived in the United States on The Olympic Channel, along with multiple replays of the matches.
Team USA had six players score at least nine points led by outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida), who both had 18 points. Hill totaled 14 kills on 33 swings and four aces in the victory. Akinradewo added 12 kills on 20 attacks, three blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) pocketed 16 points, all coming on kills from 44 swings.
The U.S. rallied from a 22-18 deficit in the opening set to within one at 23-22 before Russia sided out to win 25-23. The Americans broke an 18-all tie in the second set by scoring seven of the final 10 points for a 25-21 victory. Team USA opened the third set with a 5-1 advantage, but two 8-1 runs by Russia put them up 17-10 and they held on for a 25-19 victory to go up 2-1. The U.S. used a 5-0 run to help the Americans rally from a 16-13 deficit in the fourth set to win 25-21. Team USA scored the first four points of the tiebreaking set and went up 11-5 after two aces from Hill en route to winning 15-9.
“It was tough because Russia is a great team.” Akinradewo said. “They are very aggressive and with tall players and good block and attack. Today it really took a big team effort and I am really happy for our team. I don’t think there was necessary any key points. I think a lot of people came in and made good changes. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Carli Lloyd did a great job. This tournament is about getting back each and every match.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) tallied 15 points with 13 kills on 30 attacks and two blocks. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in seven kills on 14 swings, two aces and a block for 10 points. Both Drews and Adams started and played only the first three sets. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), who was a serving sub in the first two sets before taking over at opposite in the fourth and fifth sets, scored eight kills on 18 swings with a block in her first extended time at opposite for the Americans. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed four kills on six attacks with two blocks for six points, including the final two points of the match.
“Our number-one goal is to always be learning, and hungry to improve,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “That is the only way you can achieve special things like winning the Olympic Games or World Championships. We have a culture of learning and we will have a lot of learning going on this trip, some failures and successes but that is all part of this process. It is early in the four-year cycle, we have much, much to learn. We have accomplished some, but we have very much more work to come.”
Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) started the first four sets with two aces before yielding to Lloyd (Bonsall, California) midway through the fourth set. Lloyd rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Larson led the back-row defense with 16 digs, while Hill added 14. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) charted seven digs with 11 excellent receptions on 16 chances, while libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) added three digs in limited action on defense. Hill was credited with 25 excellent receptions on 61 of the team’s 100 total receptions, while Larson had 12 excellent receptions on 20 errorless chances.
The U.S. converted 44.9 percent of its attacks into points with a .293 hitting efficiency (75-26-167) as Carlini was credited with 60 running sets on 130 total set attempts. Lloyd, after coming in midway through the fourth set to provide an added spark, turned in nine running sets on 19 chances. The Americans held the Russians to a 38.7 kill percent for the match with a .277 hitting efficiency (60-17-155).
Did You Know: Two-time Olympic Games medalist Jordan Larson will have her University of Nebraska jersey (#10) retired on Sept. 29 as the Huskers host University of Minnesota. She will be the eighth Nebraska volleyball player to have her jersey retired and first since 2004 Olympian Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf in 2011.
Although Russia held a 16-9 margin in blocks using its height advantage, the Americans out-served the Europeans with an 11-8 ace advantage. The U.S. also held a 75-60 margin in kills and 60-52 edge in digs.
Russia was led in scoring by star opposite Nataliya Goncharova’s 27 points while outside hitter Tatiana Kosheleva added 25 points.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Adams and Akinradewo at middle, Drews at opposite and Carlini at setter. Courtney was the starting libero, though she shared the position in the final four sets with Wong-Orantes.
For its next opponent, the U.S. recognizes that Japan poses some different challenges than what Russia provided.
“It is always fun to play Japan, and it is also a little frustrating because they are good at defense,” Akinradewo said. “So it will be a matter of being patient.”
Kiraly echoed Akinradewo’s thoughts.
“Japan runs a very fast offense, so we don’t have much time to respond,” Kiraly said. “We try to run that kind of offense too, so it is good that we practice against that. But Japan also plays great defense, and we know we will have some really long rallies. It is difficult to play your hardest through a long rally when you are tired, but we have to do that.”
The U.S. scored the opening three points of the first set as Drews opens with a kill followed by an ace by Adams and Hill tip over the block. However, Russia came back to score the next five points to take a 5-3 advantage. Russia extended its lead to 7-4, but the Americans answered with a 3-0 run to tie the set at 7-all with consecutive Akinradewo kills followed by a Larson slam. Russia scored back-to-back points go up 9-7. Team USA reeled off a 4-0 run to take a 13-11 advantage with two Drews kills, and Adams block and kill. Russia responded to take the lead at 15-14 on a 4-1 run. Russia scored four straight points to take a four-point cushion at 20-16. Trailing 22-18, the Americans cut the gap in half at 22-20 with kills from Larson and Drews. Team USA moved to within one at 23-22 with a Russia service error and Akinradewo. However, Russia sided out to a 25-23 victory.
After the teams traded points early in the second set, the U.S. scored five straight points to take an 8-4 advantage into the first technical timeout at Akinradewo pounded a kill, followed by two Russia errors, Drews kill and Larson kill. Russia rolled off three straight to close to 9-8 and tie the set at 11-all as part of a 7-3 run. Russia went back in front at 14-13. Team USA answered by going back in front 16-14 on two kills from Larson after an Akinradewo slam. Russia came out of the technical timeout with the first two points to tie the set at 16-all. The Americans regained a two-point cushion at 20-18 on a Hill kill and block. The U.S. expanded its lead to 23-19 on kills from Hill and Larson. Hill served an ace to give Team USA set points at 24-20, then Akinradewo hammered the winner at 25-21.
The U.S. started the third set up 4-0 as Adams and Hill slammed kills followed by an Adams ace and Russia error. Russia went on an 9-2 run to take an 9-7 advantage. Team USA tied the set at 9-all on a Carlini ace, but Russia answered with its second 8-1 run of the set to assume a 17-10 margin. The U.S. cut the gap to 17-12 on a Hill kill and Russia error. The Americans continued the charge back to move to within 19-15 on a Russia error and Hill ace. A Russia error and Drews block cut the deficit to 21-18. Russia won the final three points of the set to win 25-19.
Bartsch-Hackley and Hill had back-to-back kills to give the Americans a 4-3 lead in the fourth set. The U.S. went on a 3-0 run with a Bartsch-Hackley kill, Russia error and Akinradewo block to grab a 7-4 advantage as a part of a 5-1 run. Russia answered with back-to-back points to slice the deficit to 7-6. The U.S. expanded its lead to 10-7 with Akinradewo scoring a kill and ace. Russia rallied to take the lead at 14-12 on a 7-2 run. Russia went into the second technical timeout leading 16-13. The U.S. went back in front 20-18 on a 5-0 run that included a Bartsch-Hackley kill and two Akinradewo aces. The Americans went up 23-20 and went on to win 25-21 with Bartsch-Hackley scoring the final two kills.
The U.S. took a commanding 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker with kills from Gibbemeyer and Bartsch-Hackley, and back-to-back Russia errors. Team USA expanded its lead to 6-1 following a Hill block and Russia error. Russia scored three unanswered points to close to within two at 6-4. Akinradewo slammed a kill followed by a Lloyd setter dump and consecutive Hill aces to yield an 11-5 margin for the Americans as part of a 4-0 run. Russia closed the gap to 11-8 that included back-to-back aces of its own. Larson downed back-to-back kills to give the U.S. a 13-8 advantage. Team USA won the set 15-9 with Gibbemeyer scoring a kill and block.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Brazil def. Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12
Sept. 5: China def. USA 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17
Sept. 5: Japan def. Korea 25-23, 25-21, 26-24
Sept. 6: China def. Brazil 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 23-25, 19-17
Sept. 6: USA def. Korea 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Sept. 6: Russia def. Japan 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 28-26
Sept. 8: USA def. Russia 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 15-9
Sept. 8: China def. Korea 25-14, 25-4, 25-12
Sept. 8: Japan def. Brazil 25-18, 25-27, 25-15, 16-25, 15-6
Sept. 9: Russia vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Brazil vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: USA vs. Japan (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 6, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, used a balanced offense with five players in double-figures scoring to sweep Korea 25-22, 25-20, 25-16 on Wednesday on the second day of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Thursday is a travel day for all six teams as they transfer from Tokyo to Nagoya for the final three days of the tournament. Team USA faces No. 5 Russia on Friday (11:40 p.m. ET on Thursday), followed by host and No. 6 Japan on Saturday (6:15 a.m. ET) and No. 4 Brazil on Sunday (1:40 a.m. ET).
Earlier today, China (2-0, 5 points) defeated Brazil (1-1, 4 points) 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 23-25, 19-17 in a thrilling five-set match to remain undefeated. Later today, host Japan plays Russia.
Television: Every match of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup will be televised lived in the United States on The Olympic Channel, along with multiple replays of the matches.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) scored a USA-best 13 points with 11 kills on 20 attacks and two blocks. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in 12 points with six kills on 13 swings, a team-best four blocks and two aces. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) notched nine kills on 16 attacks, two blocks and an ace.
The U.S. scored the final three points of the opening set in breaking a 22-all tie to go up 1-0. The Americans used a key 4-0 run in the second set to stake an 18-13 advantage en route to winning 25-20. After Korea rallied from an 11-5 deficit to move to within 13-11 in the third set, Team USA pushed hard in the final stages to win 25-16 by scoring 12 of the final 17 points.
“Watching Korea against Japan last night, we had great respect for how hard they fight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They have great fighting spirit. We knew we would have to work very hard. We also learned from one of our very first rallies, was one of the longest rallies. They play great defense and we a very nice challenge today against a very good Korea team.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) contributed 11 points with eight kills on 26 swings, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) charted 10 kills on 17 attacks and an ace. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), making her first start in an FIVB competition, rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was credited with a team-high seven digs to go with eight excellent receptions on nine errorless chances. Larson added a team-leading 11 excellent receptions on 19 chances to go with seven digs. Hill chipped in 10 excellent receptions on 29 chances.
The U.S. converted 47.4 percent of its attacks with a .368 hitting efficiency (45-10-95) as Carlini was credited with 40 running sets on 76 total set attempts. In contrast, Korea was held to a 34.9 kill percent and .174 hitting efficiency (38-19-109).
The U.S. controlled the net and service line with advantages of 10-4 in blocks and 5-1 in aces. The Americans held a 45-38 margin in kills as both teams committed 15 errors for the match.
“This was a much better match for us tonight,” U.S. captain Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) said. “I am really happy the way we responded and we came out and fought through the whole match. Korea is a great opponent. They play really awesome defense and it caused us to have a lot of patience throughout every rally. I think we did a really good job at that.”
Korea’s Jaeyeong Lee led all scorers with 15 points.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Adams and Gibbemeyer at middle, Drews at opposite and Carlini at setter. Courtney was the libero for the match. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) was a serving sub in the first set and was the only substitution made in the match for the USA.
Korea opened the match with the first two points on consecutive blocks, but the U.S. evened the set at 2-all following a Drews kill ending a long rally. Korea stretched its lead to 9-6 on consecutive points, but the U.S. cut the gap back to one at 9-8 with consecutive Adams kills. Team USA rattled off a 5-0 run to take a 13-10 lead on three Korea errors and back-to-back blocks from Drews and Adams. Adams downed a kill and served an ace to extend the Americans’ lead to 15-11. Korea chipped two points off the deficit at 15-13. Korea squared the set at 18-all on a 4-1 run. The U.S. responded with a 3-0 run to take a 21-18 advantage with Adams scoring a kill and block followed by a Larson kill. Korea charged back into a tie at 22-all on a 4-1 run. After an American timeout the U.S. scored the final three points at 25-22 as Kim collected back-to-back kills and Gibbemeyer finished it with a block.
The U.S. opened a 5-3 lead in the second set with back-to-back kills from Gibbemeyer. However, Korea charged into the lead at 7-6 on a 4-1 run. Team USA went on a 3-0 run to take a 9-7 lead, but Korea answered with back-to-back points to level the score at 9-all. Adams put up a block and Hill followed with a kill to push the Americans up 12-10. Gibbemeyer started a 4-0 American run with a kill followed by a Larson spike, Hill ace and Gibbemeyer block to give Team USA a 18-13 advantage. Team USA stretched its lead to 20-14 on a Korea back row attack error, but Korea charged back to within three at 23-20. However, the U.S. scored the final two points with kills from Drews and Gibbemeyer to win 25-20.
Team USA grabbed a 4-1 lead early in the third set as Hill slammed a kill to cap a 3-0 run. Out of a timeout, Korea sliced the gap to 4-3 with consecutive points. The Americans answered with back-to-back kills to take a 6-3 lead. The U.S. went into the first technical timeout up 8-4 after a Larson tip over the block. Team USA extended its lead to six at 11-5 with a Larson block and kill around a Gibbemeyer ace. Korea rallied to within two at 13-11 on a 3-0 run prompting a USA timeout. The U.S. increased its lead to 17-12 on a 3-0 run as Hill downed back-to-back kills and Drews ace. The Americans continued to roll by increasing their lead to 22-14 on a 3-0 run including a Gibbemeyer kill, Adams block and Korea error. Team USA cruised the rest of the way for a 25-16 victory as Larson scored the final point.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Brazil def. Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12
Sept. 5: China def. USA 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17
Sept. 5: Japan def. Korea 25-23, 25-21, 26-24
Sept. 6: China def. Brazil 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 23-25, 19-17
Sept. 6: USA def. Korea 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Sept. 6: Japan vs. Russia (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 8: USA vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: China vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: Japan vs. Brazil (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Russia vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Brazil vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: USA vs. Japan (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 5, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, lost to 2016 Olympic Games champion China 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17 on Tuesday on the opening day of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Team USA faces No. 10 Korea on Sept. 6 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) in Tokyo. Following an off-day to travel to Nagoya, the Americans face No. 5 Russia on Sept. 8 (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7), followed by host and No. 6 Japan on Sept. 9 (3:15 a.m. PT) and No. 4 Brazil on Sept. 10 (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9).
Earlier today, Brazil defeated Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12 to start the tournament. Later today, host Japan plays Korea.
Television: Every match of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup will be televised lived in the United States on The Olympic Channel, along with multiple replays of the matches.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored 13 points with 12 kills on 14 swings and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) chipped in 12 points with 10 kills on 19 attacks, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 10 kills on 28 attacks and an ace for 11 points.
The U.S. benefited from two 4-0 runs in the opening set to stake leads of 14-9 and 23-17 en route to winning 25-18. China answered in the second set by jumping to a 17-9 advantage and went on to win 25-18. China scored 14 of the last 19 points of the third set to win 25-14. China used a 5-1 run to move into the fourth set’s second technical timeout up 16-11 and went on to win 25-17.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), making her first FIVB-tournament start, tallied nine kills on 25 attacks in playing the first three sets. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) recorded six kills and two aces for eight points in starting the first three sets. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), who started the fourth set, tallied two kills and an ace for three points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) charted two blocks, but missed most of the third set due to injury. Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), a sub in all four sets, recorded a block. Opposite Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey) rounded out the scoring with a kill in starting the fourth set.
Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) had a U.S.-best eight digs to go with six excellent receptions on 11 chances. Hill was credited with 15 excellent receptions on 31 chances. Larson turned in nine excellent receptions on 27 opportunities to go with seven digs.
Lloyd was credited with 25 running sets on 81 total set attempts while Carlini added eight running sets on 19 total set attempts. The setting pair led the Americans to a 41.3 kill percent and .240 hitting efficiency (50-21-121). In contrast, the Chinese converted 47.9 percent of their attacks and limited their hitting errors to nine as part of a .402 hitting efficiency (56-9-117).
China’s height created offensive woes for the U.S. at times resulting in a 13-5 block advantage. The Chinese also held a 7-5 edge in aces to go with a 56-50 kill margin.
China’s Zhu Ting led all scorers with 21 points with 16 kills on 28 attacks, four blocks and an ace. Zhang Changning added 18 points that included 13 kills, four blocks and an ace for the Chinese.
The U.S. started Hill and Larson at outside hitter, Adams and Akinradewo at middle, Drews at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Courtney was the libero for the match.
During the FIVB World Grand Prix, the U.S. and China split a pair of matches with the Americans winning the first match 3-0 before the Chinese came back to win 3-2 the following week.
The opening set saw 13 straight side out points to start the match before the U.S. went into the first technical timeout up 8-6 with a kill from Drews and an unforced Chinese attack error. Drews added another kill out of the break to extend the gap to 9-6. China trimmed the deficit to 10-9 with back-to-back points. The Americans answered with a Hill kill and ace followed by a Larson kill and Akinradewo block to extend the Team USA lead to 14-9 as part of a 4-0 run. China closed to within two at 16-14 with consecutive points out of the second technical timeout. The Americans went on a 4-0 run with a Hill kill, Lloyd block, and two Chinese errors to go up 23-17 and went on to in 25-18.
China scored three unanswered points to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, then grabbed a 7-3 advantage on another 3-0 run. China ran up its margin to 13-6 on a 4-0 run. After China raised its lead to 17-9, Team USA cut the deficit to 17-11 with a China service error and Hill ace. However, China never allowed the Americans to get back into the set by winning 25-18.
China started the third set with a 3-0 lead in which Lloyd was injured on the first point and Carlini came in for her. Akinradewo and Larson connected for consecutive kills to cut the gap to 3-2, but China answered with a 3-0 run to stake a 6-2 margin with an ace and block. The Americans responded with a 3-0 run including a Larson tip and Akinradewo ace to close to 6-5. China rolled off four unanswered points to take a 10-5 advantage. Adams started a 3-0 run with a kill followed by a Hill overpass kill and Larson ace to close the Americans to within 11-9. Out of its timeout, China scored three unanswered points to regain a five-point cushion at 14-9 prompting a U.S. timeout. China stretched its lead to 19-11 on three straight points and cruised to the 25-14 victory.
China maintained the momentum in the fourth set with an early 3-0 lead, but the U.S. cut it down to 3-2 with kills from Akinradewo and Whitney. China extended its lead to 5-2 with consecutive points. Team USA narrowed the deficit to 5-4, but China went into the first technical timeout holding a three-point edge at 8-5. Team USA closed the gap to one at 11-10 with a Chinese error and Adams block. However, China pushed ahead 16-11 with a 5-1 run going into the second technical timeout. Out of the break, the U.S. cut the gap to 16-13 with an Adams kill and Bartsch-Hackley ace. However, China scored three quick points to up its lead to 19-13. China eased into the victory at 25-17.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Brazil def. Russia 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-12
Sept. 5: China def. USA 18-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17
Sept. 5: Japan vs. Korea (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Brazil vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: USA vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Japan vs. Russia (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 8: USA vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: China vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: Japan vs. Brazil (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Russia vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Brazil vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: USA vs. Japan (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 3, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has selected its 14-player competition roster for the upcoming FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (WGCC) being held Sept. 5-10 in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Team USA, ranked No. 2 in the world, opens the event with matches against top-ranked China on Sept. 5 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) and No. 10 Korea on Sept. 6 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) in Tokyo. Following an off-day to travel to Nagoya, the Americans face No. 5 Russia on Sept. 8 (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7), followed by host and No. 6 Japan on Sept. 9 (3:15 a.m. PT) and No. 4 Brazil on Sept. 10 (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9).
Television: Every match of the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup will be televised lived in the United States on The Olympic Channel, along with multiple replays of the matches.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly has selected a roster that includes five Olympians who won bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Middles Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida), outside hitters Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), and setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) were part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team that won bronze in Rio.
Lloyd and Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) will serve as setters for Team USA at the WGCC. Joining Hill and Larson as outside hitters on the roster are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) and Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona). American middles for the WGCC are Adams, Akinradewo, Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota). Team USA opposites selected for the WGCC are Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) and Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey). Liberos are Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California).
Kiraly said the recently completed USA Volleyball Cup that included two exhibition matches against Brazil in Anaheim, provided the team some valuable lessons heading into the WGCC.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to get tested by five really good teams in six days at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup,” Kiraly said. “Our two exhibition matches against Brazil confirmed that we still have more work to be done, integrating the veterans who did not get the chance to compete in Grand Prix. We look forward to the chance to improve the consistency of our execution and our systems.”
The vast majority of the WGCC roster carries over from the core unit that competed in the FIVB World Grand Prix this summer. With just two Olympians – Lloyd and Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) on the team and mostly first- and second-year players, Team USA qualified for the World Grand Prix Finals Round with a 6-3 record. The Americans finished fifth overall after losses to Serbia and Italy in the Finals Round pool play.
As a final tune-up for the WGCC, the U.S. hosted Brazil in the two-match USA Volleyball Cup exhibition series on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29. The Americans swept Brazil in the opening match (a bonus fourth set was played with Brazil winning) of the series with Adams, Akinradewo, Hill and Larson making their 2017 season debuts. However, Drews stole some of the Olympians thunder by scoring a team-leading 21 points through the course of the four sets (18 in the official three sets of the match). Larson and Adams added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
In the second match, Brazil won 3-1 as Drews came off the bench in third set to score a team-leading 15 points. Akinradewo added 13 points, followed by Larson with 12 points.
During the USA Volleyball Cup, Kiraly continued to experiment with his roster by having Courtney – who led the U.S. in passing statistics during the World Grand Prix as an outside hitter – shift into the libero jersey and started both matches. She started both matches for the U.S. at libero.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Consultant Coaches: Sander Cohen, John Crawley
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule
Sept. 5: Russia vs. Brazil (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) – at Tokyo
Sept. 5: USA vs. China (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) – at Tokyo
Sept. 5: Japan vs. Korea (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Brazil vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: USA vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Japan vs. Russia (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 8: USA vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: China vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: Japan vs. Brazil (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Russia vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Brazil vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: USA vs. Japan (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (10:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (Aug. 29, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team learned a few things Tuesday evening as it lost to Brazil 26-24, 25-18, 19-25, 25-15 to split a pair of USA Volleyball Cup matches in the Anaheim Convention Center Arena. Anaheim serves as the official host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams.
On Sunday, the U.S. swept Brazil 25-21, 25-14, 29-27 before the South Americans won a bonus fourth set 25-22. Both the U.S. Women and Brazil will head to Japan later this week to compete in the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup, a six-team round-robin tournament from Sept. 5-10. The tournament serves as the final event for the Americans in 2017.
U.S. Women’s Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly feels the team’s level of consistency during the final match of the USA Volleyball Cup was not a surprise against Brazil, and that the team will need to work on that heading into the World Grand Champions Cup.
“I think we learned that it is an inconsistent process,” Kiraly said. “We probably looked a little better on Sunday than today. Brazil served better today and put us in some passing troubles. We had a lot of misconnections, which I am not completely surprised at because our players have not been working together that much at the same time with the group traveling to World Grand Prix. Our offense wasn’t clicking particularly well, and we will have to clean that up a bit starting with better passing and we only have a few training sessions to do that before we start World Grand Champions Cup on Tuesday against China.”
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) came off the bench to start the final two sets and scored a team-best 15 points with 12 kills on 21 attacks and three blocks. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) tallied nine kills on 20 attacks, three blocks and an ace for 13 points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added 10 kills on 37 swings, one block and one ace for 12 points.
“Our slide really struggled tonight. A bright spot was when Annie (Drews) came in, we got her going behind the setter,” Kiraly said. “But we were having troubles connecting between setter and hitter on the slide. That is out of character for us. But we will be fine.”
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) added eight points with kills and three blocks, while outside Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) contributed eight points, all on kills from 10 attacks. Opposite Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey), making her National Team debut and starting the first two sets, tallied seven kills in the match. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) pocketed three kills and an ace for four point in starting the first two sets. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) started the first two sets and scored two kills before Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) started the final two sets.
Though the U.S. lost the final match of the USA Volleyball Cup, Lloyd is still excited about the potential the team has for the future starting with the World Grand Champions Cup that begins next week.
“I learned that we have a ton of potential but we have a lot of work to do still, and I am excited about that. The moments when we lose our serve-and-pass game a little bit, it is pretty obvious. Brazil came out and served tough tonight and that put us in some trouble. I am excited to get in the gym tomorrow and for us to learn from this and as a group get better. I think we have a lot of upside.”
Hill ended up handling a team-best 35 receptions with a 63 positive percent, while Bartsch-Hackley was credited with a 59 positive reception percent on 32 chances. As a team, the Americans were 60 percent positive on 89 receptions. Libero Megan Courtney totaled 15 receptions with a 60 positive reception percent in her second National Team start at libero.
Brazil out-blocked Team USA 14-9 and held a slim 5-4 edge in aces. Both teams converted 38 percent of their attacks. The Americans held a .174 hitting efficiency (56-30-149), while Brazil held a .246 hitting efficiency (49-17-130) as the U.S. committed 30 attack errors.
The U.S. overcame a 20-15 deficit in the opening set and had a set point before Brazil came back to win 26-24 with the final three points. Brazil broke a 9-all tie in the second set with a 6-0 run to take a 15-9 advantage, then went on to win 25-18. Team USA went up 9-2 in the third set and never let up in winning 25-19. Brazil responded by going up 12-6 early in the fourth set and cruised into the victory at 25-15.
The USA Volleyball Cup was initiated in 2013 and the U.S. Women have played in the event every year since except for 2016 due to a constricted Olympic year schedule. Team USA hosted Japan in the inaugural event in 2013, followed by Brazil in 2014 and China in 2015. During the 2014 USA Volleyball Cup, the Americans defeated Brazil in all four matches of the series with two matches in Southern California and two matches in Hawaii.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Cup.
After Brazil took an 8-4 lead into the first technical timeout of the opening set, the U.S. went in front 10-9 on a 6-1 run capped by consecutive blocks from Larson and Adams. Brazil answered with a 7-3 run to take a 16-13 lead into the second technical timeout. The U.S. called timeout after falling behind 20-15. The U.S. cut the deficit to 20-19 on a 4-0 run capped by an Adams block. Larson leveled the score at 21-all with an ace, then Adams put up her third block of the set to put Team USA in front 22-21. The Americans reached set point at 24-23 on a Brazil service error, but the South Americans scored the final three points to win 26-24.
Brazil grabbed an early 6-2 advantage in the second set. After falling behind 9-5, the Americans leveled the score at 9-all on a 4-0 run that including a Lloyd overpass kill, Hill ace and Akinradewo block. Brazil answered with six unanswered points to stake a 15-9 advantage. Team USA sliced an 18-12 deficit down to 19-15 following an Akinradewo kill. Brazil raised its lead to seven at 23-16 on a 3-0 run, then won the set 25-18.
Drews started the third set with three kills and block to give the Americans 4-0 lead. Bartsch-Hackley connected for consecutive kills and Akinradewo put up a block followed by a kill to increase the American lead to 9-2. Team USA reached the second technical timeout leading 16-7 on an Akinradewo kill. Drews connected for an ace off the tape after a Bartsch-Hackley kill to extend the American lead to 18-8. Brazil narrowed the deficit to 21-15 heading into a USA timeout. The U.S. finished the set at 25-19 with a Drews kill.
Brazil took a 12-6 lead in the fourth set on back-to-back aces as part of a 5-0 run. Brazil stretched its advantage to 18-9 and went on to win 25-15.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for USA Volleyball Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 27, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team was already a strong team this summer with young players carrying the load. So when four Olympic veterans made their 2017 debuts Sunday versus fourth-ranked to open the USA Volleyball Cup in Anaheim, the second-ranked Team USA got even stronger.
What resulted was the U.S. Women sweeping Brazil 25-21, 25-14, 29-27 with Olympians Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida), Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) giving the American fans a lot to cheer about inside the Anaheim Convention Center Arena. The teams played a bonus fourth set.
But rookie Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) kind of stole the thunder from her veteran Olympic teammates. She totaled 18 points with 14 kills on 26 attacks, three blocks and an ace during the official three sets of the match. Including the bonus set, she tallied 21 points. Larson chipped in 15 points with 12 kills on 24 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Adams pocketed 11 points in the official three-sets with nine kills on 12 swings and two blocks.
The U.S. used a 6-3 run to break a 15-all tie in the opening set and capture the win at 25-21 as Larson and Drews each compiled five points on a combined 8-of-13 hitting. Drews added eight points in the second set as Team USA rolled to a 25-14 victory. In the third set, the Americans held off three Brazil set points before gaining the upper hand and winning 29-27 on its second match-point opportunity.
The second USA Volleyball Cup match with Brazil will air live on NBC Sports Network. USA Volleyball premier partner adidas will have a premium giveaway item to the first 500 fans through the gate for Tuesday’s match. Fans can also bring Sunday’s match ticket to Tuesday’s match for a 50 percent discount for the final USA Volleyball Cup match.
Hill tacked on nine kills on 20 attacks, while Akinradewo scored five kills on nine swings. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a kill, ace and block for three points. She also set Team USA to a 53 kill percent and .404 hitting efficiency (50-12-94).
Hill was credited with a 67 positive reception percent on a team-best 27 chances. Libero Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) handled 11 receptions with a 45 positive percent. Larson added a 79 positive reception percent on 14 chances.
Did You Know: Rookie Megan Courtney played outside hitter at Penn State and with the U.S. Women’s National Team in her first two tournaments. But she has made the adjustment to be a libero for the USA Volleyball Cup and made her first appearance Sunday wearing the off-color team jersey.
Both teams had eight blocks and three aces, but the U.S. held Brazil to a 45 kill percent and .288 hitting efficiency. The Americans had a 64 positive reception percent for the match, while Brazil was credited with a 42 positive reception percent.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Cup.
Playing in Anaheim: The U.S. Women will be playing an international match for the first time in Anaheim since moving its training headquarters there in 2009. The squad hosted Bulgaria in a pre-2012 Olympic Games exhibition match in nearby Anaheim Hills, California. Last December USA Volleyball extended its partnership with the City of Anaheim to serve as the official host city of the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Volleyball Teams through the 2020 Olympic quadrennial.
About USA Volleyball Cup: The USA Volleyball Cup was initiated in 2013 and the U.S. Women have played in the event every year since except for 2016 due to a constricted Olympic year schedule. Team USA hosted Japan in the inaugural event in 2013, followed by Brazil in 2014 and China in 2015. During the 2014 USA Volleyball Cup, the Americans defeated Brazil in all four matches of the series with two matches in Southern California and two matches in Hawaii.
USA-Brazil Rivalry Renewed: The U.S. and Brazil had competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games gold-medal match with the Brazilians winning both times. Until the 2016 Olympic Games, Team USA’s final match in four straight Olympics were losses to Brazil – including the bronze-medal match in 2000 and quarterfinal round in 2004. The two rivals have played 26 times since 2011 with the USA holding a 15-11 edge. Six of the 26 matches have been in tournament gold-medal matches. Since 1983, USA and Brazil have played 116 times with Brazil leading the series 68-48.
Brazil in Second USA Volleyball Cup Appearance: Brazil also participated in the USA Volleyball Cup in 2014 where the U.S. won all four matches.
1992 Olympic Games 25th Anniversary Recognition: Several members of Team USA’s 1992 Olympic Games bronze medalists on both the women’s and men’s teams will be present to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their accomplishments in Barcelona.
Olympian Crossover Support: Several U.S. Olympians will be in the house showing crossover support for their Team USA family at the USA Volleyball Cup. In addition to the 1992 Olympians, two-time Olympic beach volleyball medalist April Ross will be in attendance on Tuesday. Tayyiba Haneef-Park, a three-time Olympian, and 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Kawika Shoji will also be at the match rooting on Team USA. All three are current members of the USA Volleyball Board of Directors. Liane and Gary Sato, who both have been part of past Olympic Games, are expected to be in attendance.
Upcoming: Both the U.S. and Brazil will have little time to rest following the USA Volleyball Cup as they head to Japan for the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (WGCC) being held Sept. 5-10 in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for USA Volleyball Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)</strong.#>
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA will go for gold at the FIVB Beach World Championships as April Ross and Lauren Fendrick take on the title match on Saturday, while Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena enter the quarterfinals.
Olympians April Ross/Lauren Fendrick will face Germany for the FIVB Beach World Championships gold medal on Saturday morning, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Fellow Rio Olympians, Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena will play Russia in the men’s quarterfinals at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. Brooke Sweat and Summer Ross tied for fifth after falling in their Friday quarterfinal against Germany.
In their first match of the day, A. Ross/Fendrick topped Canada’s Brandie Wilkerson/Heather Bansley in straight sets, 21-16, 21-10.
“Every win feels good and obviously nothing is guaranteed,” said Fendrick following their quarterfinal win. “We are still working and focused.”
It was only a matter of hours between their quarterfinal match against Canada, to their semifinal match against Canada’s Sarah Pavan/Melissa Humana-Paredes. Before the semifinal, A. Ross said, “A lot of times in the second match (of the day), knock on wood, you sometimes feel better. Hopefully that continues.”
The duo hit their stride early in the tournament, winning their pool 3-0 to secure the first women’s team berth into the Round of 32. Despite that record, the pair needed three sets to win both their Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.
“There’s a lot of intensity and for sure we are getting in a rhythm,” A. Ross said. “That one day off was good for recovery and put a little hitch in our giddy-up. Now with three days of competition in a row, we’re feeling pretty good in rhythm.”
In the semifinal match, USA overcame Canada’s Pavan/Humana-Paredes in a hard-fought three setter, 19-21, 21-16, 15-11. The U.S. rallied in the second and third sets to earn the victory, against Pavan’s seven blocks to USA’s one. A. Ross/Fendrick’s side-out and five ace serves aided their effort in the win.
“Actually that’s not the first time that fast start has happened in this tournament to us,” said A. Ross. “We learn what they are doing in that time period and we don’t freak out, we don’t panic. We know we can play defense, we know we can serve, so we know if we believe and just stay in it, and keep chipping away that we’re going to have a chance.”
This will mark a personal best finish for Fendrick at the World Championships. A. Ross previously won the event in 2009 with Jennifer Kessy.
Not to be outdone, Dalhausser and Lucena had a tremendous day as well on Friday. The pair went the distance against Australia, beating Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann 21-14, 19-21, 16-14 in a very closely played matchup.
“Nick played great,” Dalhausser told the FIVB. “Definitely the intensity helped. We’re always going to stick together. Anytime I would make a mistake, he’d be like, ‘come on, let’s go’ instead of getting angry at me. We’re kind of playing with house money right now, so we’ll see what happens.”
“Usually we can coast with no emotion and kind of play through a game,” added Lucena. “But in those situations you can’t, you have to leave it all out there. If they were going to beat us, I wanted them to get our best, so I was trying to get our best out of Phil. That’s probably my best side-out game of the tournament, which is good timing.”
Dalhausser/Lucena won their pool 3-0, and have notched two wins in the elimination bracket since then. This is their first FIVB Beach World Championships together as a partnership. They will play Russia’s Nikita Liamin/Viacheslav Krasilnikov in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
.@NicklucenaFSU saves the match ball! Heat is on at the #RedBullBeachArena! #FIVBWorldChamps #BeachVolleyball @usavolleyball pic.twitter.com/La1lUSCsaa
— Beach Volleyball (@FIVBBeach) August 4, 2017
Sweat and S. Ross earned their fifth-place finish after first going 2-1 in pool play, and following with two victories in the elimination rounds. Their run ended in the quarterfinals against 2016 Olympic gold medalists Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst of Germany, 21-15, 21-14.
“It wasn’t our game, I got dug on a lot of rallies and they ended up winning the rally,” said S. Ross. “They played really well, we didn’t play well and the combo showed in the score. We had so many good games here and I’m excited. This is a good way to finish this FIVB Tour.”
“It’s so fun to play an event like this. Bummed to end like this, but it was an incredible experience.” @BaSweat pic.twitter.com/IFesZySWii
— USAV Beach (@USAVBeach) August 4, 2017
Team USA standings at the finish of play on Aug. 4:
Fendrick/Ross, play Germany for the gold medal
Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena, play Russia in the quarterfinals
T5th Brooke Sweat/Summer Ross, lost to Germany in the quarterfinal
T9th Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes, eliminated by Germany in the Round of 16
T17th Emily Day/Nicole Branagh, lost to Lauren Fendrick/April Ross in the Round of 32
T17thCasey Patterson/Theo Brunner, eliminated by Austria in the Round of 32
T17th Jake Gibb/Taylor Crabb, lost to Australia in the Round of 32
T17th John Hyden/Ryan Doherty, fell to Latvia in three sets in the Round of 32
| 2017 FIVB Beach World Championships roster | ||||||
| Athletes | Coach | Entry | ||||
| Brooke Sweat | Summer Ross | Main Draw | ||||
| Lauren Fendrick | April Ross | Jon Daze | Main Draw | |||
| Kelly Claes | Sara Hughes | Jose Loiola | Main Draw | |||
| Emily Day | Nicole Branagh | Marcio Sicoli | Main Draw | |||
| Phil Dalhausser | Nick Lucena | Jason Lochhead | Main Draw | |||
| Casey Patterson | Theo Brunner | Rich Lambourne | Main Draw | |||
| Jake Gibb | Taylor Crabb | Marcio Sicoli | Main Draw | |||
| John Hyden | Ryan Doherty | Ty Tramblie | Main Draw | |||
| Staff | ||||||
| Sean Scott | Team Lead/Video | |||||
| Aimee Miyazawa | USAV Beach Head Athletic Trainer | |||||
| Anthony Darmiento | USAV Strength and Conditioning | |||||
| Kevin Pierce | Sports Medicine, DC DACBSP | |||||
| Elmo Agatep | Team Doctor, M.D. | |||||
| Tyler Widdison | Scout | |||||
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 3, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Italy 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21 on Thursday and were eliminated from the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round taking place in Nanjing, China.
The Americans, one of six teams playing in the Finals Round with two three-team pools, were in a must-win situation to advance to Saturday’s semifinal round. A 3-0 or 3-1 win would have guaranteed a berth in the semifinals, while a 3-2 win would have kept their hopes alive depending on Friday’s Italy-Serbia match.
The top two teams in each three-team pool advances to the semifinals on Saturday. The World Grand Prix, in its 25th year, is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. The World Grand Prix Finals awards first place with $600,000, followed by $300,000 for second place, $200,000 for third place, $100,000 for fourth place, and $50,000 for fifth and sixth place.
The U.S. Women return to the court at the end of August when they host Brazil at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena as part of the USA Volleyball Cup on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who came off the bench in the opening set and started the final three for Team USA, scored a team-best 16 points with 15 kills on 39 swings and a block. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) added 13 points with seven kills on 17 attacks, a team-high five blocks and an ace. Outside Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) contributed eight points with four kills, two blocks and two aces.
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed five kills and an ace for six points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) scored four kills on 11 attacks and a block while playing just the opening set. Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), who started the final three sets in place of Kingdon, earned five kills in the loss. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added three points from her opposite position in the first set. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a kill and block for two points.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with 14 digs and 18 excellent receptions on 22 chances. Bartsch-Hackley tallied 30 excellent receptions on 37 chances, while Courtney was credited with 13 excellent receptions on 20 chances. Lloyd had 14 digs from her setter position.
The U.S. converted 33.3 percent of its attacks with a .182 hitting efficiency (44-24-132) behind Lloyd’s 14 running sets on 96 total set attempts. Italy converted 38.5 percent of its attacks into points with a .231 hitting efficiency (55-22-143). Italy out-blocked the U.S. 13-10 for the match as both teams had four aces. Italy held a 55-44 kill advantage.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon at outside hitter and Murphy at opposite. Wong-Orantes was the libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was part of the double-sub with Drews in the opening set. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in the final three sets.
Kindgon had a kill and block to give the Americans a 2-0 lead to start the first set, but Italy with eight of the next nine points to grab an 8-4 advantage at the first technical timeout. Italy continued to push ahead with a 5-1 run out of the technical timeout for a 13-5 advantage. Trailing 16-7 at the second technical timeout, the U.S. rolled off four straight including an ace by Gibbemeyer to close to 16-11. Drews put up a block to close the American deficit to 19-15. Team USA clawed to within 20-17 with consecutive Italian errors. However, Italy launched a 3-0 run to establish a 23-17 advantage and went on to win 25-21 after the Americans saved three set points.
The Americans picked up a 6-1 lead early in the second set which included a Dixon ace and Bartsch-Hackley block. The U.S. reached the technical timeout up 8-2 with a Drews back-row kill and Italian attack error. Italy came out of the break with five straight points to trim the gap to 8-7, then took the lead 11-10 on a 9-2 run. The U.S. responded with a Courtney kill between two Italian errors to stake an American 13-11 advantage. Italy knotted the set again at 14-all. The U.S. reached the second technical timeout up 16-14 following a Gibbemeyer block. Italy came out of the break with the next three points to regain the lead at 17-16. Team USA answered quickly by retaking the lead at 18-17 on a Drews kill. Gibbemeyer gave the U.S. a two-point cushion at 20-18 with a block, but Italy came back to level the score at 20-all. In trading runs, the U.S. went up 23-20 with kills from Drews and Dixon around an Italian error. The U.S. evened the match by winning the set 25-22 on an Italian service error.
The U.S. scored the first two points of the third set all on Italian errors, but the Italians scored six of the next seven points to take the lead at 6-3. Italy scored back-to-back aces to go up 9-4. Trailing 12-6, the U.S. cut the deficit to 12-8 with a Dixon kill and Bartsch-Hackley block. However, Italy jumped its lead to 15-8 with three straight. The U.S. trimmed the deficit to 22-18 with a Gibbemeyer kill and Bartsch-Hackley block heading into an Italian timeout. The Americans moved to within three at 23-20 with an Italian error and Bartsch-Hackley ace. The U.S. saved two set points with a Drews kill and Italian error to close to 24-22 but Italian closed it out at 25-22.
Italy earned the first three points of the fourth set, but the U.S. benefitted from two Italian errors to close to 3-2. Italy went into the technical timeout leading 8-4. Out of the break, Drews downed a kill and Gibbemeyer slammed an overpass to cut the gap to 8-6. Team USA evened the set at 10-all with Bartsch-Hackley scoring a kill and block around a Drews kill. The Americans went in front 11-10 on an Italian error. Italy went back in front 13-12, but the U.S. went into the second technical timeout up 16-15 with kills from Bartsch-Hackley and Lloyd. Out of the break, the U.S. increased its advantage to 17-15 for a two-point cushion. Italy scored six straight points to take the lead back at 23-19, then won the match 25-21.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Finals
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Indiana, Purdue)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. William Briner
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Schedule
Aug. 2: Serbia def. USA 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 18-25, 15-11
Aug. 2: China def. Brazil 25-22, 25-17, 29-27
Aug. 3: Italy def. USA 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21
Aug. 3: Brazil vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: Serbia vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: China vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 1, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 2, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Bronze-Medal Match, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Gold-Medal Match, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 18, 2017) – After winning its first four matches at the FIVB World Grand Prix, the U.S. Women’s National Team dropped two hard-fought five set matches to Italy and China at Macau last weekend. As a result, the Americans head into the third and final preliminary round weekend with a 4-2 record and stand in third place among the 12 teams in World Grand Prix Group 1.
The U.S. made the long trek from Macau, China, to Cuiaba, Brazil, for matches against The Netherlands on July 20 at 4:10 p.m. ET, followed by Belgium on July 21 at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Americans conclude the preliminary round against defending World Grand Prix champions and host Brazil at 9:10 a.m. ET on July 23. All three matches are scheduled air live on NBC affiliate The Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD).
TV Schedule for July 20-23
July 20: USA vs. Netherlands – live on Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) at 4:10 p.m. ET
July 21: USA vs. Belgium – live Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) at 4:10 p.m. ET
July 23: USA vs. Brazil – live Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) at 9:10 a.m. ET
Serbia and Netherlands are at the top of the standings with 5-1 records and 15 points. The U.S. is one of four teams with a 4-2 record in the World Grand Prix, but has a three-point lead in the standings over Italy and China based on losing both sets in five. Japan also has a 4-2 record, but in sixth place with three victories have been extended to five sets and not gaining any points for their losses.
At the conclusion of the nine-match preliminary round, the top five teams in the standings will join host China for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round set for Aug. 2-6 in Nanjing, China. If China is in the preliminary round top five, the sixth-place team joins the elite field.
The Netherlands, 5-1 in the tournament with 15 points, is ranked second in the standings though with an identical record as leaders Serbia. The USA-Netherlands match is a reunion of sorts as former U.S. Women’s National Team assistant coach Jamie Morrison now serves as head coach for the Dutch. Netherlands’ only loss was a five-set heartbreaker to Japan in the third match of the tournament. The Dutch have not played a team in the top five of the current standings with sixth-place Japan being the highest team.
Belgium is winless in six matches in this year’s World Grand Prix, but two of its losses have come to the top two teams – Serbia and Netherlands. Belgium’s other four losses have come at the hands of teams ranked from seventh to 11th place. The European side did extend Dominican Republic to five sets in its most recent outing on July 16.
Brazil is in unfamiliar territory with a 3-3 and in seventh place record heading into the final weekend of the World Grand Prix. The Brazilians have traded 3-0 wins against leader Serbia, but dropped matches to Thailand (1-5) and Japan (4-2) to conclude last weekend’s matches in Japan.
Moving along to the third weekend, U.S Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly has elected to keep the same 14-player roster intact that has been used for the first six matches. The setters include captain and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma). At opposite, Kiraly has selected 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio). Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) will share libero.
Team USA outside hitters selected to compete in Brazil are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota). The four middles selected for the USA roster in Brazil all hail from Minnesota and are alumni of the University of Minnesota. Veterans Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) join twins Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) at middle.
Bartsch-Hackley and Murphy rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in scoring through the first six matches with 95 and 94 points. Bartsch-Hackley leads all World Grand Prix players in serving with 0.56 aces per set. Kingdon ranks 10th overall in scoring with 85 points, and is second in kill percent at 47.0. Murphy is third in kill percent at 45.2. Wong-Orantes has 1.96 digs per set for seventh-best in the World Grand Prix.
With three matches remaining in the preliminary round, every result becomes more important. Among the teams in contention for the Finals Round, Italy (4-2) faces Turkey, Dominican Republic and host Thailand – all teams ranked in the bottom two-thirds for the standings. China (4-2) faces leader Serbia, sixth-place Japan and ninth-place Russia, while Japan (4-2) challenges Serbia, fifth-place China, and Russia. Brazil, which is one win out of the top five, has third-place USA, second-place Netherlands and last-place Belgium.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #2
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Standings
Country – Record / Pts
1. Serbia – 5-1 / 15
2. Netherlands – 5-1 / 15
3. USA – 4-2 / 13
4. Italy – 4-2 / 10
5. China – 4-2 / 10
6. Japan – 4-2 / 9
7. Brazil – 3-3 / 9
8. Dominican Republic – 3-3 / 9
9. Russia – 2-4 / 9
10. Thailand – 1-5 / 4
11. Turkey – 1-5 / 4
12. Belgium – 0-6 / 1
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13
July 16: USA lost to China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA vs. Netherlands, 4:10 p.m. ET
July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 4:10 p.m. ET
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 16, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to reigning Olympic Games champion China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11 to conclude its second FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend in Macau.
The U.S., now 4-2 after consecutive five-set losses to China and Italy after defeating both teams in three sets last week, has a long journey to Cuiaba, Brazil, for upcoming matches versus Netherlands on July 20, Belgium on July 21 and host Brazil on July 23 in the third and final World Grand Prix preliminary weekend. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women.
The U.S. had three players score at least 21 points in the five-set heartbreaker. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) totaled a team-high 23 points with 22 kills on 37 attacks and a block. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted 20 kills on 39 swings and two blocks for 22 points. Outside hitter Michelle Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) added 21 points with 17 kills on 43 attacks and a team-best four aces.
Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed eight kills on 15 swings and three blocks for 11 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed seven kills on 13 swings and an ace for eight points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with two blocks and a kill for three points.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with a team-high 14 digs and 19 excellent receptions on 20 errorless chances. Barstch-Hackley turned in 27 excellent receptions on 41 chances to go with nine digs. Kingdon had 18 excellent receptions on 27 chances.
Lloyd produced 36 running sets on 99 total chances and Hancock added 12 running sets on 24 chances. The U.S. converted 50.3 percent of its attacks into points with a .344 hitting efficiency (76-24-151).
China managed advantages of 14-8 in blocks and 6-5 in aces to offset the Americans’ 75-70 margin in kills. Team USA limited China to a 48.6 kill percent and .373 hitting efficiency (69-16-142).
China’s Yuan Xinyue tallied a team-best 21 points while 2016 Olympic Games most valuable player Zhu Ting and Gong Xiangyu added 19 points each. Zhu did not play against the Americans in the first meeting last week.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, Gibbemeyer and Dixon at middle, and Wong-Orantes at libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was a serving and back-row sub in all five sets and served nine times, while Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) served seven times as a sub in all sets. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was a back-row sub in all five sets.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
In the opening set, the Americans reached a two-point cushion at 22-20 with consecutive points, but the Chinese moved back into the lead with set points at 24-23 with three unanswered points. The U.S. saved two set points and took the lead back at 26-25 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and China error. The Americans finish off the set at 27-25.
Trailing 17-11 in the second set, the Americans clawed back to within two at 19-17 with consecutive Bartsch-Hackley kills. China moved the lead back to five at 22-17. A successful video challenge by the USA started a three-point run to prompt China to call timeout with its lead down to 22-20 following a Gibbemeyer block. The U.S. saved two set points with a Kingdon kill closing the gap to 24-23, but China closes the set at 25-23.
China reached a 13-9 advantage in the third set with consecutive aces in a 3-0 run. The Americans used a 3-0 run to slice the deficit to 17-16. China won a video challenge that would have tied the set at 18-all and went on a 3-0 run to take a 20-17 advantage. China extended its margin to 22-18. Team USA narrowed the gap to 22-20, but that was the closest the USA would get as China won 25-21.
The U.S. used three consecutive points to assume an 11-10 advantage in the fourth set. China swung the lead to its side at 15-12 with a 4-0 run and pushed the margin to four at 18-14. Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon slammed kills to put the USA within one at 20-19 and the Americans tied it at 21-all on a Kingdon kill. Out of a China timeout, the U.S. took the lead at 22-21 on a Murphy kill as part of a 6-1 run. Team USA reached set points 24-22 and won the set 25-23.
China scored three unanswered points to stake a 6-3 lead in the fifth set and reached the side switch maintaining its three-point cushion at 8-5. The U.S. used the mini break to cut the deficit to 8-7 with a Dixon kill and Gibbemeyer block. China pushed its margin to 13-9 with three consecutive points and completed the set at 15-11.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #2
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13
July 16: USA lost to China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA vs. Netherlands, 4:10 p.m. ET
July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 4:10 p.m.
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 15, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13 on Saturday on the fifth day of competition at the FIVB World Grand Prix in Macau, China.
The U.S falls to 4-1 in the FIVB World Grand Prix and was the last remaining undefeated team. The Americans, who also lost for the first time all season in 13 matches, conclude the second weekend of preliminary action on July 16 when they face host China at 3:30 a.m. ET in Macau. Last Sunday the Americans swept the Chinese in Kunshan, China. Italy (3-2), which lost to Team USA last week in three sets, had swept host China on Friday. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) scored 20 points, all coming on kills via 38 swings. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) totaled 16 kills on 41 swings, three blocks and an ace for 20 points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted 14 points with nine kills on 31 swings, three aces and two blocks.
Middles Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) scored five points each. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who was the opposite in the double sub all five sets, pocketed five kills on 11 swings. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the setter in the double sub in all five sets, served two aces. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block.
TV Schedule for July 15-16
USA vs. Italy – Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) on July 15 at 2 p.m. ET
USA vs. China – Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) on July 16 at Noon ET
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) compiled 20 digs and 17 excellent receptions on 24 attempts in the match. Bartsch-Hackley
was credited with 17 excellent receptions on 24 attempts to go with eight digs. Lloyd and Kindgon each had 17 digs.
Lloyd was credited with 44 running sets on 98 chances, while Hancock had 11 running sets on 19 chances. The U.S. had a 38.5 kill percent and .270 hitting efficiency (57-17-148). The Americans held the Italians to a .262 hitting efficiency (65-23-160) with a 40.6 kill percent.
Italy held advantage in kills (65-57), blocks (12-8) and aces (10-7), which helped offset its 34 errors in the match compared to Team USA’s 13 for the entire contest.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, Gibbemeyer and Dixon at middle, and Wong-Orantes at libero. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was a sub in the final four sets. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in the first set.
The U.S. scored two straight to take its first lead of the opening set at 7-6, only to have Italy score three in a row to go up 9-7. The Americans leveled the score at 10-all, but Italy notched three straight to go up 14-11. Italy extended its lead to 19-14. The U.S. cuts a 23-19 deficit down to two point at 23-21, but Italy scores the final two of three points for a 25-22 victory.
The Americans charged out to a 4-1 advantage in the second set. Italy notched four straight to take the lead at 7-6 following back-to-back aces. Team USA reversed the lead to its side at 10-9, only to see Italy take the lead again at 12-11. Two kills from Kindgon and one from Murphy as part of a 6-0 run placed the Americans in front 18-13. Italy chipped away at the deficit to move to within 21-19. Team USA sided out the final points to win 25-22.
Trailing 16-14 at the second-technical timeout in the fourth set, the U.S. scored three consecutive points capped by a Murphy kill to take the lead at 17-16. Out of its timeout, Italy used a 6-1 run to take a 22-18 advantage. Dixon downed a kill to cut the gap to 23-21, but Italy scored the final two points for a 25-21 victory.
The U.S. rattled off eight unanswered points to go up 11-4 in the fourth set. The Americans reached a double-digit lead at 17-7. Team USA never allowed Italy to make a run as it won 25-13 and force a fifth set.
Italy scored three straight to take a 6-4 advantage in the fifth set. However, the U.S. answered with back-to-back points to square the set at 6-all on a McMahon kill. Momentum shifted back to Italy as it took a 9-6 lead with three unanswered points. The U.S. clawed back into a tie at 13-all, but Italy scored the final two points for the 15-13 victory.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 14, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12 on Friday on the fourth day of competition at the FIVB World Grand Prix in Macau, China.
The U.S., now the only undefeated team in the World Grand Prix at 4-0, returns to action on July 15 when it faces Italy at 2:30 a.m. ET in Macau followed by host China on July 16 at 3:30 a.m. ET. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) led Team USA with 17 points via 11 kills on 42 swings, four aces and two blocks. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) charted 12 kills on 35 attacks. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) chipped in 11 points with nine kills on 15 attacks, one block and one ace.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) tallied 11 kills on 34 attacks. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), who sparked the U.S. off the bench in starting the final two sets, contributed three aces and a block. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who was the opposite in the double set in three of the four sets, charted three kills on four sets in her reserve role.
Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), a sub in the second set, tallied two aces in limited action. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) rounded out the scoring with a kill each.
Bartsch-Hackley was credited with a team-leading 16 digs and 16 excellent receptions on 24 serves. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) added 15 digs and 15 excellent receptions on 17 chances. Hancock was credited with 11 digs and 34 running sets on 62 total set attempts. Lloyd turned in 22 running sets on 48 total set attempts. Kingdon had 22 excellent receptions on 28 attempts.
With the setting combination of Hancock and Lloyd, the U.S. converted 31.6 percent of its attacks with a .184 hitting efficiency (48-20-152). The Americans held a 10-2 margin in aces to help offset Turkey’s 7-4 edge in blocks. Team USA limited Turkey to a 24.0 kill percent and .100 hitting efficiency (36-21-150).
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, Gibbemeyer and Dixon at middle, and Wong-Orantes at libero. Hancock and middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) started the final two sets. McMahon was a sub in all but the second set. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was a sub in the second and third sets.
The U.S. used a 4-1 run with three kills from Kindgon to take a 7-5 lead, but Turkey answered quickly to retake the lead at 9-8. The Americans regained the lead at 15-13 with two McMahon kills around a Turkey error. The U.S. extended its lead to 19-16 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Turkey error. Kingdon and Murphy scored consecutive kills to increase the American lead to 21-17. Team USA reached set points 24-18 on a 3-0 run, but Turkey saved three set points before the Americans capped the set at 25-21 on a service error.
Turkey gained an early 4-1 lead in the second set and reached the first technical timeout with an 8-3 advantage. The U.S. trimmed the gap to 10-8 with a 3-0 run capped by a Lloyd overpass kill. The Americans continued to charge back to within one at 12-11 with three unanswered points on Hancock’s serve. Turkey answered with three straight to gain a 15-11 advantage. The Americans closed to within one at 15-14 with Bartsch-Hackley scoring a kill and ace around a Turkey error. Turkey won a challenge and served an ace to break the run and take a 17-14 advantage. Wilhite served consecutive aces and Murphy dinked over the block to present the Americans an 18-17 lead. The U.S. increased its lead to 20-18 with Turkey committing consecutive errors. Turkey scored four unanswered to gain a 24-22 advantage. Team USA saved two set points to knot the score at 24-all on a Hancock ace. Turkey finished the set at 26-24 on a block.
Team USA used a 3-0 run to stake a 7-5 advantage in the third set. However, Turkey scored three unanswered to go into the first technical timeout leading 8-7. Dixon aced Turkey and Bartsch-Hackley put up a block to reverse the lead to Team USA at 11-9. Kingdon powered down a kill to increase the American lead to 15-12. Out of the technical timeout, Dixon put up a block and slammed a kill to raise the gap to 18-13. Turkey closed to 20-19 with a 6-2 scoring run. Hancock served two aces in a 5-0 run to give the Americans a 25-19 victory.
The U.S. used a 7-1 run to assume a 10-4 advantage to start the fourth set. Kills by Dixon and Batsch-Hackley, a Hancock block and two Turkey errors increased Team USA’s lead to 17-7 on a 5-0 run. A Tapp kill, Kingdon overpass kill and Turkey error gave the U.S. a 22-10 advantage. Dixon slammed a kill to give the Americans match points at 24-12 and the U.S. closed the match at 25-12 on a Turkey attack error.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #2
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 16: USA vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ET
July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 12, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team passed a major test last weekend in China as it opened the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round with a 3-0 record and victories over No. 1 China, No. 5 Russia and No. 8 Italy.
The Americans are now 11-0 on the season, which includes going undefeated at the Pan American Cup held in June. However, the true test was how the squad would hold up against some of the world’s best programs at the World Grand Prix with only two returning Olympians and nine players with one year or less of experience playing for Team USA.
The U.S. quieted some of the concerns for the youthful roster by beating Russia in a bumpy five-set match to start the tournament, then sweeping both Italy and defending Olympic Games champion China. Although all three of the U.S. opponents also utilized rosters heavy on young, non-Olympians, the round-robin group still represented some of the best programs in the world.
And the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Team USA, one of only two undefeated countries in the 12-team World Grand Prix Group 1, travels to Macau, China, for the second weekend of the premier annual international tournament. The Americans face No. 12 Turkey (1-2) on July 14 at 4 a.m. ET, followed by rematches against Italy (1-2) on July 15 at 2:30 a.m. ET and China (2-1) on July 16 at 3:30 a.m. ET.
TV Schedule for July 14-16
USA vs. Turkey – NBC Sports Network on July 14 at 6 a.m. ET
USA vs. Italy – Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) on July 15 at 2 p.m. ET
USA vs. China – Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) on July 16 at Noon ET
Last week Turkey lost to tournament-leader Serbia 3-0 and Brazil 3-2 around a four-set win over Belgium. Italy lost to both the U.S. and China last weekend before edging Russia in five sets. China beat Italy and Russia before falling to the U.S. to conclude last weekend’s group.
Fun Fact: Macau holds a special place in the U.S. Women’s National Team history as the team won the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix title in the autonomous region on the south coast of China. Macau is known as the “Las Vegas of Asia” with its giant casinos and malls.
Moving along to the second weekend, U.S Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly has elected to keep the same 14-player roster intact for the matches in Macau. The setters include captain and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma). At opposite, Kiraly has selected 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio). Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) will share libero.
Team USA outside hitters selected to compete in Macau are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota). The four middles selected for the USA roster in Macau all hail from Minnesota and are alumni of the University of Minnesota. Veterans Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) join twins Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) at middle.
Fun Fact: Not only did Tori Dixon, Lauren Gibbemeyer, Hannah Tapp, Paige Tapp and Sarah Wilhite all play for the University of Minnesota, the five were trained through Northern Lights Volleyball Club in Burnsville, Minnesota, before heading off to college.
Murphy is the Americans’ leading scorer with 47 points, including 19-point performances against Russia and China. She ranks sixth overall in scoring in the World Grand Prix, as well as eighth in blocking with a 0.64 set average. Dixon, who tore her ACL in January 2016, made a successful return to FIVB action as she turned in 13 points against China and a team-best 10 points against Italy in two stats. Bartsch-Hackley has reached double-figure scoring the first three World Grand Prix matches with 37 total points, including 17 against Russia. She has compiled an 88.7 reception efficiency percent for third best in the tournament, while Benson is fourth in the category with an 82.1 efficiency percent.
Kingdon has racked up 30 points in the first three contests. Lloyd, who has started all three matches, has set Team USA to a .313 hitting efficiency. Gibbemeyer ranks ninth in blocking with a 0.64 blocking average.
Over the course of the first three World Grand Prix matches, the U.S. has out-blocked opponents 30-23 and held a 23-17 advantage in aces. The U.S. has three of the top six servers in the tournament with Bartsch-Hackley and Lloyd tied for third with 0.45 aces per set and Dixon with 0.36 aces per set.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #2
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Standings
Place – Country – Record / Pts
1. Serbia – 3-0 / 9
2. USA – 3-0 / 8
3. Netherlands – 2-1 / 7
4. Dominican Republic – 2-1 / 6
5. Brazil – 2-1 / 5
6. China – 2-1 / 5
7. Japan – 2-1 / 4
8. Turkey – 1-2 / 4
9. Italy – 1-2/ 2
10. Russia – 0-3 / 3
11. Thailand – 0-3 / 1
12. Belgium – 0-3 / 0
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA vs. Turkey, 4 a.m. ET (TV: NBC Sports Network at 6 a.m. ET on July 14)
July 15: USA vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET (TV: Olympic Channel at 2 p.m. ET on July 15)
July 16: USA vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET (TV: Olympic Channel at Noon ET on July 16)
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ET (TV: Live on Olympic Channel)
July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m. (TV: Live on Olympic Channel)
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET (TV: Live on Olympic Channel)
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 17, 2017) – After finishing the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix in fifth place with a relatively young roster, the U.S. Women’s National Team will have the luxury to add Olympic experience for the upcoming USA Volleyball Cup matches against Brazil on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29, followed by the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (WGCC) being held Sept. 5-10 in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan.
The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 20-player preliminary roster for the WGCC. The vast majority of the U.S. preliminary roster carries over from the core unit that competed in the FIVB World Grand Prix this summer. With just two Olympians on the team and mostly first- and second-year players, Team USA qualified for the World Grand Prix Finals Round with a 6-3 record. The Americans finished fifth overall after losses to Serbia and Italy in the Finals Round pool play.
“During the 2017 World Grand Prix, our USA Team fought hard and learned valuable lessons, much like our team did in 2013 – both experiences forced us to do tons of learning in a concentrated few weeks of competition,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “The disappointing way we finished Grand Prix both those years drove us further in our hunger for improvement.”
The U.S. has the opportunity to add veteran leadership on the court for the USA Volleyball Cup and WGCC with the addition of Olympians Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) and Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) at outside hitter and Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) and Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) at middle on the WGCC preliminary roster. The Olympian quartet were afforded time to rest this summer after a long Olympic cycle followed directly by the professional club season this past winter and spring.
“For the upcoming World Grand Champions Cup, we have the possibility of incorporating several players with Olympic and World Championship experience who did not compete in World Grand Prix, players like Jordan, Foluke, Kim and Rachael,” Kiraly said. “That kind of experience can be very beneficial for any team, certainly for ours. Whichever 14 people we travel with, we look forward to more great competition and learning in Japan.”
As a final tune-up for the WGCC, the U.S. will host Brazil at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena as part of the USA Volleyball Cup. The U.S. Women are ranked No. 2 in the world, while Brazil is ranked No. 4. The opening USA Volleyball Cup match on Aug. 27 has a 4 p.m. PT first serve, while the Aug. 29 match has a 7:30 p.m. PT start. The second match will air live on NBC Sports Network. The Americans also hosted Brazil in a four-match USA Volleyball Cup in 2014.
Fun Fact 1: The U.S. Women will be playing in the Anaheim Convention Center Arena for the first time since moving its training headquarters there in 2009. The squad hosted Bulgaria in a pre-2012 Olympic Games exhibition match in Anaheim Hills, California. Last December USA Volleyball extended its partnership with the City of Anaheim to serve as the official host city of the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Volleyball Teams through the 2020 Olympic quadrennial.
Following the World Grand Prix, the squad resumed training on Aug. 14 after a week break. Kiraly and the coaching staff will use the next week of training in Anaheim – host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – to finalize the 14-player travel roster for the USA Volleyball Cup and WGCC. Setters on the preliminary roster are Olympian Carli Lloyd(Bonsall, California), Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma). Opposites are Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) and Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey). Liberos are Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California).
Fun Fact 2: Justine Wong-Orantes, who is from Cypress, California, and prepped at Los Alamitos High School, will have the chance to wear the Red, White and Blue in international competition playing in her home county – Orange County. She also played club volleyball at nearby Mizuno Long Beach.
Outside hitters on the WGCC preliminary roster are Olympians Hill and Larson, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota). Middle are Olympians Adams and Akinradewo, Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota), Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota), Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, California).
Along with the quartet of Olympic veterans, other players on the preliminary WGCC roster who did not compete in the World Grand Prix are Carlini, Wopat and Whitney.
The WGCC is a six-team, round robin event held in the first year of each Olympic quadrennial. Team USA opens the event with matches against China on Sept. 5 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) and Korea on Sept. 6 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) in Tokyo. Following an off-day to travel to Nagoya, the Americans face Russia on Sept. 8 (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7), followed by host Japan on Sept. 9 (3:15 a.m. PT) and Brazil on Sept. 10 (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9).
Preliminary Roster for USA Volleyball Cup and FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
13 – Carly Wopat (M, 6-2, Stanford, Santa Barbara, California)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
22 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Schedule (times subject to change)
Sept. 5: Russia vs. Brazil (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) – at Tokyo
Sept. 5: USA vs. China (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 4) – at Tokyo
Sept. 5: Japan vs. Korea (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Brazil vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: USA vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 5) – at Tokyo
Sept. 6: Japan vs. Russia (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Tokyo
Sept. 8: USA vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: China vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 7) – at Nagoya
Sept. 8: Japan vs. Brazil (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Russia vs. China (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: Brazil vs. Korea (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 8) – at Nagoya
Sept. 9: USA vs. Japan (3:15 a.m. PT) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: Korea vs. Russia (8:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: USA vs. Brazil (11:40 p.m. PT on Sept. 9) – at Nagoya
Sept. 10: China vs. Japan (3:15 a.m.) – at Nagoya
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 9, 2017) – Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) scored 19 points to lead second-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team past reigning Olympic Games champion China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21 to conclude the first preliminary round weekend of the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix in Kunshan, China. The match will air on Universal HD on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
The U.S., now 3-0 at the end of the first World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend, returns to action on July 14 when it faces Turkey at 4 a.m. ET in Macau. China took its first loss in three 2017 World Grand Prix matches. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women.
Murphy, one of two 2016 Olympic bronze medalists competing in the match, tallied 16 kills on 29 attacks and three blocks for her 19 points. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added 11 kills on 16 attacks and two blocks for 13 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville) pocketed 10 points with eight kills and two blocks.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed nine kills on 14 attacks in the victory. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted three kills and three blocks for six points. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who was the opposite in the double-sub in all three sets, tallied three kills on seven attacks. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Kindgon was credited with 21 excellent receptions on 22 chances. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California), making her first FIVB World Grand Prix action, tallied 20 excellent receptions on 21 attempts. Bartsch-Hackley added 17 excellent receptions on as many attempts.
The U.S. converted 48.1 percent of its attacks into points with a .346 hitting efficiency (50-14-104). The American defense limited the Chinese to a 37.1 kill percent and .207 hitting efficiency (43-19-116). Team USA held a 10-6 advantage in blocks to offset China’s 3-1 margin in aces. The Americans also held a 50-43 edge in kills. Both teams limited their errors for the match with China committing 14 and the USA 13.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Murphy at opposite, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside, Gibbemeyer and Dixon at middle, and Wong-Orantes at libero. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the setter in the double-sub in all three sets. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a serving sub in the first two sets. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was a sub in the third set.
China built an early 6-3 advantage in the opening set, but the U.S. charged back to tie the set at 7-all following a Dixon block. The Americans took their first lead of the set at 20-19 on a Dixon kill of the block and extended the lead to 21-19. Team USA reached set points at 24-21 on a Bartsch-Hackley kill and ended the set at 25-22 on a Gibbemeyer block.
The U.S. reached second set’s first technical timeout leading 8-6 after a Dixon kill and Gibbemeyer block. The Americans stretched their lead to 13-9 with kills from Kindgon and Murphy as part of 3-0 run. Team USA reached the second technical timeout leading 16-11 with a McMahon kill. China closed the gap to 23-22 on a 4-0 run but the U.S. won the final two points to win 25-22 with Bartsch-Hackley kill and Lloyd ace.
To start the third set, the U.S. bolted to a 4-0 lead with two Murphy kills and capped by a Kingdon kill. China used an 8-2 run to take the lead back at 11-9. The Americans answered with four consecutive points, including two blocks from Murphy, to regain the lead at 13-11. The momentum swung back to China as it netted three straight points to take the lead at 14-13. Trailing 20-19, the U.S. scored three unanswered points to grab a 22-20. The U.S. scored three of the final four points to take the set 25-21.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #1
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA vs. Turkey, 4 a.m. ET
July 15: USA vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 16: USA vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 21: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ET
July 22: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 7, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team used an 11-2 run in the tiebreaker to rally from an 8-3 deficit to defeat Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11 on Friday to open its 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix schedule in Kunshan, China.
The U.S. returns to action on Saturday against Italy at 3 a.m. ET, followed by facing host China on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET in FIVB World Grand Prix action. The matches can be watched live on NBC Sports online. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), one of two Olympic bronze medalists from 2016 on the roster, scored a team-best 19 points with 15 kills on 26 swings and four blocks. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) charted 17 points with 13 kills on 32 swings and four aces. Outside hitter Madison Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona), playing in her first FIVB tournament, totaled 10 kills on 27 swings, four blocks and an ace for 14 points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed six kills on 13 swings, two blocks and two aces for 10 points.
Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota), playing in her first tournament for the USA, pocketed nine points with three kills, four aces and two blocks. Opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who was part of the double-sub in all four sets, tallied five kills on 13 swings off the bench. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), who earned bronze at 2016 Olympics, provided four aces and a block in the victory.
Amanda Benson (Litchfield, Arizona), also making her first FIVB tournament appearance, was credited with 25 excellent receptions on 26 attempts, while Bartsch-Hackley had 26 excellent receptions on 29 chances.
The U.S. started Llody at setter, Murphy at opposite, Gibbemeyer and Tapp at middle, and Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon at outside hitter. Benson was the libero for the match. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) started the fifth place in place of Bartsch-Hackley as a backrow specialist, a role she played as a sub in the first four sets. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the setter in the double-sub in all five sets.
Team USA converted 42.7 percent of its attacks with a .274 hitting efficiency (53-19-124). For the match, the Americans held a 15-9 advantage in aces and a slim 13-12 margin in blocks. The U.S. offense also held a 55-42 edge in kills. Team USA committed 35 errors for the match to Russia’s 29. The Russians were held to a 38.9 kill percent and .176 hitting efficiency (42-23-108).
In the opening set, Hancock served two aces off the bench to tie the set at 9-all. Russia moved back in front by four at 16-12 at the technical timeout, only to Bartsch-Hackley cut the gap to 16-14 with a kill and ace out of the break. Russia widened its lead to 20-15, but the U.S. answered with three unanswered to close to 20-18. Russia did not allow the U.S. any closer in finishing out the set at 25-22.
Hannah Tapp hit a slide to start a 4-0 run that put the USA in front 9-5 in the second set. After Russia closed to 9-7, Tapp hit a quick and Bartsch-Hackley served consecutive aces to push the American lead to 12-7. Team USA raised its advantage to 15-8 following a Murphy kill, Russia attack error and Gibbemeyer block. The U.S. increased its lead to 21-13 on consecutive Russia errors before holding off Russia’s late charge to win 25-19 on a Kindgon kill.
Russia started the third set with an 8-1 advantage as the European’s service put pressure on the Americans. The U.S. answered with two Kingdon kills and two Gibbemeyer blocks to close to 8-5. Team USA closed the gap to 10-9 as Bartsch-Hackley slammed a kill as part of a 3-0 run. Out of a Russia timeout, Lloyd served an ace to level the score at 10-all. Russia took a 20-18 advantage, but the Americans tied the score at 21-all with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Russia error. The U.S. took the lead at 23-22 with kills from Kingdon and Murphy. Russia saved two set points and gained its first set point at 26-25 and didn’t waste time in winning 27-25.
Russia inched out to a 6-3 lead in the fourth set. However, two Russia errors and Murphy kill leveled the score at 6-all. Out of a Russia timeout, Tapp downed a kill to yield a 7-6 American lead. The U.S. increased its lead to 9-7 with a Kingdon overpass kill. Russia tied the set at 9-all on an ace. Team USA gained a four-point cushion at 13-9 with a Murphy kill, Tapp service winner, Gibbemeyer kill and Russia error. U.S. raised its lead to 21-14 as Lloyd served two aces capping a 4-0 run. Tapp and Murphy scored points to widen the margin to 23-15 and Team USA finished out the set at 25-16.
Russia gained a 5-2 lead early in the fifth set and went into the court switch leading 8-3. The U.S. sliced the gap to 8-7 with a Gibbemeyer block, Russia attack error, and kills from Tapp and Bartsch-Hackley. Murphy leveled the score at 9-all with a cross-court winner. Bartsch-Hackley, Murphy and Kingdon connected for consecutive kills to lift the U.S. in front 12-10. Tapp put up a block to force Russia to call timeout trailing 13-10. Out of the break, Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to cap a 5-0 run and give USA match point at 14-10. Murphy finished the set with a cross-court winner at 15-11.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #1
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET
July 9: USA vs. China, 7 a.m. ET
At Macau, China
July 14: USA vs. Turkey, 4 a.m. ET
July 15: USA vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 16: USA vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 21: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ET
July 22: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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Team USA has a demanding FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round schedule that takes them to China the first two weeks followed by Brazil for the third weekend. In their opening weekend, the Americans face powerhouses No. 5 Russia on July 7, No. 8 Italy on July 8 and No. 1 China on July 9 in Kunshan, China. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament that commenced play in 1993.
For the first weekend of action, U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have chosen a 14 player roster that includes two setters, two liberos, two opposites, four middles and four outside hitters. The setters include captain and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), who was named the 2017 Pan American Cup most valuable player, best setter and best server after leading the team to gold. She was playing in just her second international event for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
At opposite, Kiraly has selected 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio). Murphy started all eight matches of the Olympic Games, while McMahon turned in the highest scoring performance for the USA at the 2017 Pan Am Cup as she tallied 27 against Puerto Rico. Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) will share libero duties during the first three matches of the World Grand Prix.
Team USA outside hitters selected to compete in Kunshan are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota). Bartsch-Hackley is the only outside in the quartet with FIVB tournament experience as she helped the U.S. claim silver at the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix. Both Kingdon and Courtney were part of last month’s Pan Am Cup gold-medal performance. Wilhite, the 2016 AVCA Division I National Player of the Year, will see her first international action in a USA uniform.
The four middles selected for the USA roster in Kunshan all hail from Minnesota and are alumni of the University of Minnesota. Veterans Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) add FIVB experience into the lineup, while both Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) are making their first FIVB appearances. Dixon is making her first tournament appearance since suffering an ACL tear in January 2016 that derailed her dreams of making the 2016 Olympic Team. Gibbemeyer was an alternate to the 2016 Olympic roster. Paige was part of the Americans’ gold-medal performance at the 2017 Pan Am Cup, while Hannah is making her international debut.
The FIVB World Grand Prix Group one has 12 teams competing in three consecutive preliminary round weekends with pods of four teams competing in different locations. Each team can make changes to its roster each week,
so long as the players were on the preliminary roster submitted late this spring.
The U.S. preliminary schedule doesn’t get easier July 16-18 in Macau as it has rematches with China and Italy after a match-up against improving Turkey, ranked No. 12 in the world. To end the nine-match preliminary schedule, the Americans travel to Cuiaba, Brazil, to face No. 7 Netherlands, No. 16 Belgium and Brazil. To advance to the World Grand Prix Finals in Nanjing, China, Team USA must finish among the top five teams other than host China in the preliminary standings. The U.S. has won the World Grand Prix six teams, second most behind Brazil.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
Team USA is 8-0 to start the 2020 Olympic quadrennial’s first season. After defeating Canada in an exhibition on June 13, the U.S. won all seven matches during the Pan American Cup held June 17-25 in Peru. Only six players on the 14-player roster had ever suited up for the U.S. Women’s National Team, and only one player (Bartsch-Hackley) had played in more than just one tournament for the Red, White and Blue entering the tournament.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #1
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA vs. Russia, 3 a.m. ET
July 8: USA vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET
July 9: USA vs. China, 7 a.m. ET
At Macau, China
July 14: USA vs. Turkey, 4 a.m. ET
July 15: USA vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 16: USA vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 21: USA vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ET
July 22: USA vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.ET
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 2, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team battled to a fifth set before losing to Serbia 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 18-25, 15-11 to start the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round on Wednesday afternoon in Nanjing, China.
The Americans, one of six teams playing in the Final Six with two three-team pools, complete their pool on Thursday by facing Italy at 3 a.m. ET. Team USA can directly qualify for the semifinals on Saturday with either a 3-0 or 3-1 win over Italy. The match will air live on the Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD).
The top two teams in each three-team pool advances to the semifinals on Saturday. The World Grand Prix, in its 25th year, is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. The World Grand Prix Finals awards first place with $600,000, followed by $300,000 for second place, $200,000 for third place, $100,000 for fourth place, and $50,000 for fifth and sixth place.
After losing the first two sets and trailing 14-7 in the third set, Team USA rallied to win the third set 25-23 with an 18-9 run. The Americans then cruised to win the fourth to force the tiebreaker. Serbia used a 5-1 run in the fifth set to take an 11-7 advantage en route to winning 15-11.
The USA-Serbia match was the first meeting between the two teams since the Serbian’s five-set win over the Americans in the 2016 Olympic Games semifinals, though Team USA is vastly different at the World Grand Prix with only two Olympians while Serbia had four Olympic starters back and nine Olympians from its silver-medal team.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), who sat out the final two preliminary round matches, led the U.S. in scoring with 17 points as she totaled 14 kills on 34 swings and three blocks. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) charted 15 points with a team-leading six blocks and four aces to go with five kills. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was not on the U.S. roster for any of the preliminary round matches, came off the bench to start the final three sets and scored 10 kills on 26 swings.
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) added six kills on 16 attacks, two aces and a block for nine points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) chipped in six kills in starting the first three sets. Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), who started the final two sets for Kingdon after being a sub in the first three sets, charted four kills and two blocks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with four kills.
U.S. libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) tallied 19 digs to lead the Americans. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with 21 excellent receptions on 26 chances, while Courtney had 19 excellent receptions on 32 chances to go with 11 digs off the bench. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added 18 digs. Kingdon was 13-of-16 on passing.
The U.S. converted 34.3 percent of its attacks with a .133 hitting efficiency (49-30-143) with setter Lloyd handling 105 total set attempts. In contrast, Serbia connected for a 42.6 kill percent with a .255 hitting efficiency (60-24-141).
The U.S. held a 6-4 edge in aces, while Serbia out-blocked the Americans 15-12 to offset its 15 service errors. Serbia held a slim 79-75 advantage in digs.
During the nine-match preliminary round, the U.S. finished second with a 6-3 record behind leader Serbia’s 7-2 record.
The U.S. started Lloyd at setter, Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Bartsch-Hackley and Kingdon at outside hitter and Murphy at opposite. Wong-Orantes was the libero. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) was a sub in the final three sets, while Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) was the setter in the double-sub in the first two sets.
Serbia won the first two points of the match, but the U.S. tied the opening set at 2-all with the next two points. Trailing 6-4, the U.S. rolled off four straight with a Bartsch-Hackley block, Kingdon kill and Dixon ace and after a Serbia service error to give the Americans an 8-6 advantage at the technical timeout. Out of the break, the Americans scored a fifth unanswered point to take a 9-6 advantage. Serbia charged back to level the score at 10-all. Kingdon slammed a kill and Serbia hit wide to yield an American 13-11 lead. Serbia squared the set at 15-all before Batsch-Hackley put up a block to put the Americans up 16-15 at the second technical timeout. Serbia tallied three unanswered points with consecutive blocks to assume a 19-17 advantage, then upped its lead to 21-18. Murphy slammed a kill and Bartsch-Hackley downed a back-row attack to slice the deficit to 22-21. Serbia answered with back-to-back points to reach set points at 24-21 and went on to win 25-22.
After trading points to start the second set, Dixon and Gibbemeyer connected for back-to-back kills for the U.S. to take a 6-5 advantage. Serbia scored consecutive points to grab the lead back at 8-7. Gibbemeyer served three aces as part of a 5-0 run to reverse the lead to the Americans at 12-8. Serbia stopped the run with five straight points of its own to take the lead back at 13-12. The U.S. gained the lead back at 15-14 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill after a Serbia service error. Serbia went into the second technical timeout leading 16-15 and increased its advantage to 18-16 on a 4-1 run. Serbia cruised to the 25-17 second set victory with seven straight points.
Serbia jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set. Drews had four kills in a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 7-6. Serbia built the lead back to 14-7 with a 6-0 run. Team USA leveled the score at 15-all on a Drews kill, two aces by Dixon, a Serbia attack error and blocks from Lloyd and Gibbemeyer on a 6-0 run. The U.S. went in front 18-17 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and Courtney block. Courtney put up a second block to increase Team USA’s lead to 21-19. Serbia knotted the score at 21-all with back-to-back points. However, the U.S. rattled three points with two Serbia errors and a Dixon kill to give the Americans set points at 24-21. Serbia saved two set points before the U.S. won 25-23 on a Bartsch-Hackley kill.
The U.S. gained an 8-3 advantage in the fourth set on a 5-0 run with three Bartsch-Hackley kills and two Serbia errors. Team USA extended its lead to 15-8 with a Bartsch-Hackley kill and two Serbia errors. The Americans increased the margin to 17-9 with points on each side of the second technical timeout. Serbia sliced the gap to 18-13 with three straight points. The Americans answered with four straight points from two Courtney kills, Dixon overpass kill and Serbia error at 22-13. Team USA went on to win 25-18 after Serbia saved three set points.
Serbia grabbed a 2-0 lead to start the tiebreaker, but the Americans answered quickly to level the score at 2-all. Serbia took another two-point cushion at 6-4 on a block. Courtney slammed a kill and Serbia had a miscommunication on the set to level the score at 6-all. However, Serbia reached the side switch with consecutive kills at 8-6. Serbia raised its advantage to 11-7 on a 5-1 run. Team USA cut the deficit in half at 11-9 with a Drews kill and Serbia centerline violation. Serbia did not allow the U.S. any closer in winning 15-11.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Finals
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Indiana, Purdue)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. William Briner
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Schedule
Aug. 2: Serbia def. USA 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 18-25, 15-11
Aug. 2: China def. Brazil 25-22, 25-17, 29-27
Aug. 3: USA vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 3: Brazil vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: Serbia vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: China vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 1, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 2, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Bronze-Medal Match, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Gold-Medal Match, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 31, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has reached the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals (Final Six) for the third time in as many years and will aim for its seventh title in the event that takes place Aug. 2-6 in Nanjing, China. The World Grand Prix, in its 25th year, is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament.
Team USA, which finished second in the nine-match preliminary round to gain one of the five spots in the Final Six to play alongside host China, will face preliminary round leader Serbia (7-2, 22 points) on Aug. 2 followed by fifth-place Italy (6-3, 16 points) on Aug. 3. Both matches will air live on The Olympic Channel at 3 a.m. ET.
The opposite side of the pool includes China (5-4, 13 points), third-place Brazil (6-3, 18 points) and fourth-place Netherlands (6-3, 17 points). All six pool play matches will air live on The Olympic Channel, while the semifinals on Aug. 5 and the medal matches on Aug. 6 will air later in the day on The Olympic Channel.
The World Grand Prix Finals awards first place with $600,000, followed by $300,000 for second place, $200,000 for third place, $100,000 for fourth place, and $50,000 for fifth and sixth place.
The U.S. concluded the World Grand Prix preliminary round with a 6-3 record and 19 points. Brazil, the reigning World Grand Prix champions and holder of a record 11 event titles, finished third ahead of fourth-place Netherlands, while Italy was fifth in the preliminary round. Brazil was in a must-win situation over the United States on the final day of the preliminary round to even qualify among the Final Six. While Japan finished sixth ahead of China, the host Chinese advance as host of the Final Round. All five teams from second place to sixth place in the final preliminary standings ended with 6-3 records, one win behind leader Serbia.
Team USA has faced four of the other competitors in the World Grand Prix Final Six during the preliminary phase, only missing the opportunity to play Serbia. The Americans held a 3-3 record against the Final Six teams during the preliminary round. They split a pair of matches with both Italy and China, defeated Netherlands and lost to Brazil.
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Six Field Against Each Other
FUN FACT 1: The U.S. is the only team to not have suffered a loss in the preliminary round to a country that did not make it to the Final Six.
U.S Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly has elected to make one change to the team’s 14-player roster that remained the same throughout the three weekends of the preliminary round. The setters include captain and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma). At opposite, Kiraly has selected 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and has called in Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) in place of Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio). Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) will share libero.
Team USA outside hitters selected to compete in China are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota). The four middles selected for the USA roster in China all hail from Minnesota and are alumni of the University of Minnesota. Veterans Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) join twins Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) at middle.
FUN FACT 2: China has proven to be good for Team USA during recent World Grand Prix Final Rounds. The U.S. has won the last three Finals Rounds held in cities within China or autonomous cities of China. The Americans captured the 2010 and 2012 titles in Ningbo sandwiched around Macau in 2011. Team USA also won the 2001 title in Macau after winning the 1995 event in Shanghai. The Americans’ only other World Grand Prix title came in 2015 as they hosted the event in Omaha, becoming the first host country to ever win the World Grand Prix.
BY THE STATS
Through the nine-match preliminary round schedule, Murphy was the Americans’ leading scorer with 133 points for sixth place overall. Kingdon ranked 11th with 126 points, followed Bartsch-Hackley one spot behind with 118 points despite not playing the last two matches against Belgium and Brazil. Murphy and Kingdon were third and fourth, respectively in best spiker with kill efficiencies of 44.75 and 44.31.
Gibbemeyer led the U.S. blocking with 0.54 per set, or ninth overall. Bartsch-Hackley produced 0.46 aces per set for second in the preliminaries, while Dixon was 10th with a 0.27 ace average. Lloyd ranked seventh in setting with 4.68 running sets per set despite sharing the setting duties with Hancock mostly in the double sub. Wong-Orantes averaged for 2.57 digs per set for fourth best in the preliminary round.
FUN FACT 3: China has been part of all 25 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round. Brazil has reached the World Grand Prix Final Round every year since missing out in 2003.
Out of the 14-player U.S. roster, only four players have experience in the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals. Murphy is set to compete in her fourth FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round. After being a part of the 2013 squad that reached the Final Six, she helped the U.S. win gold in 2015 and silver in 2016. Dixon and Gibbemeyer were part of the 2015 World Grand Prix gold-medal team. Lloyd was the backup setter during the 2016 World Grand Prix silver-medal team.
FUN FACT 4: The 2016 Olympic Games medalists are all represented in the 2017 World Grand Prix Final Six. China won gold at last year’s Olympics, while Serbia finished second, the Americans third and Netherlands fourth. Brazil finished in a tie for fifth at the Olympics. Italy earned ninth place in Rio.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Finals
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Indiana, Purdue)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Doctor: Dr. William Briner
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Schedule
Aug. 2: USA vs. Serbia, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 2: Brazil vs. China, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 3: USA vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 3: Brazil vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: Serbia vs. Italy, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 4: China vs. Netherlands, 7:30 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel live)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 1, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 5: Semifinal 2, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Bronze-Medal Match, 3 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 p.m. ET)
Aug. 6: Gold-Medal Match, 8 a.m. ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 p.m. ET)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 23, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team ended the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship in seventh place after rallying past Bulgaria 25-16, 19-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-9 on Sunday afternoon in Cordoba, Mexico.
The contest was a rematch of the final Top 8 round-robin pool match on July 20 in which the U.S. lead 2-1 before Bulgaria came back to win in five sets. With the victory, the U.S. snapped a four-match losing streak.
“What an exciting match to finish the World Championships!” U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Head Coach Laurie Corbelli said. “Bulgaria relies heavily on its pin hitters and we were able to slow them down with an exceptional defensive effort. Our block was at its best today and our floor defense and serve receive both got better and better as the match went on. The team is thrilled to finish seventh in the world and we appreciate the support from all of the USA Volleyball fans!”
Middle Ronika Stone (San Jose, California) led the Americans with 20 points via 14 kills on 22 attacks, four aces and two blocks. Middle Brionne Butler (Kendleton, Texas) added 13 points with 11 kills on 13 swings and two blocks. The middle combination combined for hitting 25-for-35 on the day.
Opposite Regan Pittman (Spring Hill, Kansas) contributed nine points with six blocks and three kills. Outside hitter Paige Hammons (Louisville, Kentucky) pocketed six kills on 13 attacks in starting the final three sets after subbing in the second set. Setter MacKenzi Welsh (Bolingbrook, Illinois) chipped in four kills on five swings, one block and one ace in starting the final three sets and subbing in the second set.
Outside hitter Leah Edmond (Lexington, Kentucky), who was not available for yesterday’s match, contributed six kills on 21 attacks in the first three sets. Outside hitter Thayer Hall (Moore, South Carolina) charted three kills, one block and one ace for five points. Setter Norene Iosia (Torrance, California) rounded out the scoring with four aces and a kill.
Libero Tiffany Clark (Naperville, Illinois) was credited with 14 digs and five excellent receptions on 15 chances. Hammons added six excellent receptions on 22 chances.
“We stayed focused and smooth out at the end of the match,” Clark said. “It’s great to end the tournament with a win.”
Welsh turned in 20 running sets on 47 set attempts while Iosia had 11 running sets on 37 chances. The setting combination led the U.S. to a 46.2 kill percent and .308 hitting efficiency (48-16-104). The American defense limited Bulgaria to a .113 hitting efficiency (41-28-115) with a 35.7 kill percent.
The U.S. net defense consistently stopped the Bulgaria offense during the match as the Americans held a 12-4 block advantage and had a 48-41 kill margin. Bulgaria managed a 13-10 ace advantage. Both teams had 33 errors for the five sets.
The Americans started Butler and Stone at middle, Hall and Edmond at outside hitter, Pittman at opposite and Iosia at setter. Tiffany Clark (Naperville, Illinois) started at libero. Gabby Curry (Buford, Georgia) was a sub in all five sets.
After both teams struggled early in the first set with serve-receive, the Americans reached the first technical timeout leading 8-5. The U.S. went on a 9-2 run to establish a 17-7, 10-point cushion. Bulgaria cut its deficit to 18-13. The Americans answered by scoring seven of the last 10 points for a 25-16 victory. Stone scored 10 points in the opening set as the U.S. held a 5-0 advantage in blocks.
Bulgaria nabbed an 8-3 lead at the first technical timeout in the second set. After trailing 9-3, the U.S. closed the gap to 15-13. However, Bulgaria quickly upped its lead to 21-16.
The U.S. overcame an early 7-5 deficit in the third set by scoring three straight to take an 8-7 lead into the first technical timeout. Bulgaria reversed the lead at the second technical timeout out as it led 16-14. The European side increased its margin to 22-17 and closed the set at 25-19.
The U.S. broke a 3-all tie in the fourth set and grabbed an 8-5 lead heading into the first technical timeout. Team USA increased its advantage to 11-6. The Americans charged forward to a 16-8 lead at the second technical timeout. Team USA ended the set at 25-16 to send the match to a deciding fifth set.
After trailing 2-1 in the fifth set, Iosia had a six-point service run to put the Americans in front 7-2. The U.S. jumped the lead to 11-4 and went on to win 15-9.
U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
# – Name (Position, 2017 Club/College, Height, Hometown, Region)
1 – Brionne Butler (M, University of Texas, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Lone Star)
2 – Tiffany Clark (L, University of Wisconsin, 5-11, Naperville, Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 – Thayer Hall (OH, Upward Stars, 6-3, Moore, South Carolina, Palmetto)
4 – Paige Hammons (OH, University of Florida, 6-2, Louisville, Kentucky, Pioneer)
5 – Regan Pittman (M, University of Minnesota, 6-5, Spring Hill, Kansas, Heart of America)
6 – Holly Carlton (OPP, University of North Carolina, 6-7, Sterling, Virginia, Chesapeake)
8 – Ronika Stone (OPP, University of Oregon, 6-2, San Jose, California, Northern California)
11 – Norene Iosia (S, University of Hawaii, 5-11, Torrance, California, Southern California)
12 – MacKenzi Welsh (S, University of Michigan, 6-1, Bolingbrook, Illinois, Great Lakes)
14 – Gabby Curry (L, University of Kentucky, 5-9, Buford, Georgia, Southern)
15 – Rachael Kramer (M, University of Florida, 6-8, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona)
17 – Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, Lexington, Kentucky, Pioneer)
Head Coach: Laurie Corbelli (head coach at Texas A&M University)
Assistant Coach: Blake Rawlins (head trainer at Top Select Volleyball Academy)
Assistant Coach: Jay Van Vark (assistant coach at Grand Canyon University)
Team Leader: Tom Pingel (USA Volleyball High Performance)
Athletic Trainer: Ronni Beatty-Kollasch (University of Minnesota)
2017 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U20 World Championship
Pool C at Boca del Rio, Mexico
July 14: USA lost to Brazil 25-10, 25-12, 24-26, 25-22
July 15: USA def. Cuba 31-29, 25-19, 25-23
July 16: USA def. Serbia 22-25, 10-25, 26-24, 25-23, 17-15
Pool F (Top 8 Gold Bracket) at Cordoba, Mexico
July 18: USA lost to China 23-25, 30-28, 25-15, 10-25, 15-13
July 19: USA lost to Japan, 2 p.m. ET 25-18, 25-22, 25-17
July 20: USA lost Bulgaria 16-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12
Classification 5-8 Match at Cordoba, Mexico
June 22: USA lost to Poland 25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20
7th-Place Classification Match at Cordoba, Mexico
June 23: USA vs. Bulgaria
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 23, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Brazil 25-20, 25-13, 16-25, 25-18 in the final FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round match for both teams on Sunday in Cuiaba, Brazil.
While Team USA had already qualified for the World Grand Prix Final Round with its win over Belgium on Friday, Brazil was in a must-win situation to reach the six-team Final Round and have a chance to defend its 2016 title. The top five teams in the preliminary round plus host China advance to the World Grand Prix Final Round to be held Aug. 2-6 in Nanjing, China. The six-team field has been set with the USA and Brazil joining preliminary winner Serbia, Italy, Netherlands and host China.
The U.S. concluded the World Grand Prix preliminary round in second place with a 6-3 record and 19 points. Win or lose against Brazil, the Americans could not have gone up or down in the standings. Brazil also ended the preliminary phase with a 6-3 record and 18 points. Brazil finished third ahead of fourth-place Netherlands, while Italy was fifth in the preliminary round. While Japan finished sixth ahead of China, the host Chinese advance as host of the Final Round. All five teams from second place to sixth place in the final preliminary standings ended with 6-3 records, one win behind leader Serbia.
Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) tallied 12 points in the loss with nine kills on 24 swings, two blocks and an ace. Outside Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), getting her second straight start, also had 12 points with 10 kills on 24 attacks and two blocks. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) chalked up four kills on nine attacks, three blocks and three aces for nine points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) collected 10 points with nine kills and a block.
Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) turned in a team-best five blocks to go with two kills for seven points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona), who started the first two sets, tallied four kills and two blocks. Outside Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), who came in for Kingdon in the final two sets after subbing the first two sets, added four kills on eight swings and an ace for five points. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Notes Outside the Box Score
Murphy was credited with a team-best 15 digs, while libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) turned in 14 excellent receptions on 30 chances.
Lloyd had 32 running sets on 86 total set attempts as the U.S. converted 38.2 percent of its attacks with a .182 hitting efficiency (42-22-110). In contrast, Brazil held a .300 hitting efficiency (55-19-120) with a 45.8 kill percent.
Brazil dominated the offensive side with a 55-42 kill advantage and a slim 17-15 block margin as both teams made it difficult for their opposing team to score. Both teams served six aces in the match.
The U.S. started Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Kingdon and Courtney at outside hitter, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Wong-Orantes was the libero for the match. Hancock was a sub in the first three sets, while Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) was a sub in the second set.
FIVB World Grand Prix Field Against Each Other
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
Brazil opened the first set with a 4-1 advantage, but the U.S. tied the set at 4-all with a Dixon block and Kingdon kill. Team USA took a 6-5 advantage on a Courtney slam and advanced the lead to 7-5 on a 6-1 run. Brazil scored three unanswered to take an 8-7 lead into the technical timeout. The U.S. called timeout trailing 12-9. Brazil increased its lead to 14-10, but the Americans answered with three straight to close to within one at 14-13. Brazil raised its advantage back to four points at 18-14 following consecutive blocks. Brazil increased the gap to 22-16 on another two blocks in a 4-0 run. Brazil closed out the set at 25-20.
Brazil notched the first three points of the second set. Murphy downed a kill off the block and Gibbemeyer served an ace to cut the gap to 3-2. After Brazil upped its lead to 5-2, Murphy connected for a kill and Dixon and Kingdon followed with blocks to tie the set at 5-all. Again, Brazil answered with seven unanswered points to stake a 12-5 advantage. Team USA stopped the run with a Kingdon kill and Brazil error to slice the gap to 12-7, but Brazil stormed back to a 15-7 lead. Brazil ended the set at 25-13.
The U.S. took a 2-1 lead in the third set with a Gibbemeyer ace, then extended its lead to 6-2 with two Dixon overpass kills and a Brazil error. Out of a Brazil timeout, Lloyd powered down a kill to send the advantage to 7-2. Out of the technical timeout, Courtney put up a block and Wilhite served an ace to push the American lead to 10-3. Brazil sliced three points off the deficit at 10-6. Dixon and Courtney responded with kills to jump the lead to 12-6. A Gibbemeyer block and Courtney kill lifted the U.S. margin to 14-7. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout up 16-8 after a Murphy block. Gibbemeyer scored a block and ace on back-to-back plays to prompt Brazil to call timeout down 18-9. Brazil whittled its deficit to 21-15. Hancock served an ace to give the U.S. set points at 24-17 and Gibbemeyer finished the set with a kill at 25-18.
The U.S. took an early 3-0 lead in the fourth set with a Gibbemeyer block and Murphy kill after a Brazil error. Brazil scored three straight to level the set at 5-all, then took a 9-6 lead as part of a 9-3 run. Brazil served an ace to extend its lead to 11-7, but the U.S. closed the gap to 11-10 with a Courtney block and overpass kill through a joust. Brazil regained five-point cushion at 15-10 after a USA error and two blocks. Brazil served an ace out the second technical timeout and put up a block to increase its lead to 18-11. Brazil cruised into the final at 25-18.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #3
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13
July 16: USA lost to China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA def. Netherlands 25-15, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21
July 21: USA def. Belgium 25-14, 16-25, 25-19, 26-24
July 23: USA lost to Brazil 25-20, 25-13, 16-25, 25-18
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
Serbia, USA, Netherlands, Brazil Italy and China will compete in 6-team field
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 21, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a coveted spot into the six-team FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round by defeating Belgium 25-14, 16-25, 25-19, 26-24 in the second to last match of the preliminary round held Friday afternoon in Cuiaba, Brazil.
The U.S., now with a 6-2 record and 19 points, concludes the preliminary round against host Brazil on Sunday at 9:10 a.m. ET. Brazil (5-3), which has won the World Grand Prix a record 11 times, is still in jeopardy of not making the Final Round without a win against the Americans. The match is scheduled to air live on NBC affiliate The Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD).
The U.S. is currently in first place through in the preliminary standings, though second-place Serbia (6-1, 18 points) has played one fewer matches. The top five teams in the preliminary round plus host China advance to the World Grand Prix Final Round to be held Aug. 2-6 in Nanjing, China.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) charted a team-best 18 points with 16 kills on 38 swings and two blocks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) provided 14 kills on 27 swings and a block for 15 points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed seven kills on 17 attacks, a team-best four blocks and an ace for 12 points.
“I think the key for us was just staying focused on our side of the net,” Murphy said. “We knew they were going to come out and fight, and they did. As soon as we thought we had a comfortable lead, they came back and started pushing. We just needed to stay on the gas pedal. I think we fought all the way to the end because they pushed us. It was definitely a tough match for us, but a good win.”
Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) pocketed 10 kills on 17 swings in the victory. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) charted three blocks and an ace for four points. Middle Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) turned in three kills on 10 swings and an ace for four points. Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), the opposite in the double sub all four sets, tallied two kills on five attacks and a block. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), the setter in the double sub all four sets, rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Notes Outside the Box Score
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) charted a team-high 17 digs and added five excellent receptions on 15 chances. Courtney was credited with a team-leading 21 excellent receptions on 31 chances to go with 11 digs.
Team USA converted 45.2 percent of its attacks into points with a .330 hitting efficiency (52-14-115) as Lloyd was credited with 26 running sets on 82 total set attempts. In contrast, the American defense limited Belgium to a 40.0 kill percent and .216 hitting efficiency (50-23-125).
The U.S. held slim margins in kills (52-50) and blocks (11-8) while both teams had four aces. Belgium committed five more errors in the match, 25-20.
The U.S. started Hannah Tapp and Gibbemeyer at middle, Kingdon and Courtney at outside hitter, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Orantes-Wang was the libero for the match.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
The U.S. started the opening set with a 4-0 run that included kills from Murphy and Courtney followed by two Belgium errors. Out of a Belgium timeout, Murphy slammed another kill to extend the scoring run to 5-0. Team USA reached the opening technical timeout with an 8-3 advantage. The Americans held a 16-10 margin at the second technical timeout. Kingdon sliced a kill through the block and McMahon scored a kill and block as part of a 6-0 scoring run on Wilhite’s serve to raise the American advantage to 21-10. Belgium saved two set points before the Americans closed the set at 25-14 on a Kingdon tip.
Belgium scored six straight to take an 11-6 lead in the second set. Gibbemeyer slammed a key and ace to slice the gap to 14-11, but Belgium went back into a five-point cushion 16-11 at the technical timeout. Out of the break, Belgium extended its lead to 17-11 with an ace. Another Belgium ace widened the score to 20-13. Lloyd served an ace to narrow the American deficit to 22-16, but Belgium worked its way to a 25-16 victory with the final three points.
The U.S. built an early 2-0 lead in the third set with a Kingdon kill and Courtney block, but Belgium came back to level the score at 3-all. Courtney laid down three straight kills to lift the Americans in front 7-3. A Gibbemeyer block and Kingdon kill extended the lead to 9-4. Belgium whittled the gap to 10-8, but a Murphy kill and Belgium error moved the USA to a 12-8 margin. Team USA reached the second technical timeout with a 16-12 lead on a Hancock ace. Belgium answered with two straight to cut the lead to 16-14. The U.S. jumped its lead to 21-17 prompting a Belgium timeout. Out of the break, Courtney sliced a kill to increase the lead to 22-17. Murphy slammed a kill down the line and Gibbemeyer put up a block to close the set at 25-19.
The U.S. reeled off five straight capped by a Tapp kill and Murphy block to take 6-3 lead in the fourth set. Tapp served an ace to yield an American 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout. After Belgium trimmed the lead to 8-6, the U.S. answered with seven unanswered including two Lloyd blocks on Murphy’s serve to assume a 15-6 margin. After trailing 16-7 at the second technical timeout, Belgium charged back to within two at 19-17 on a 10-3 run. Kingdon ended the run with a kill at 20-17. Belgium fully came back from its nine-point deficit to tie it at 23-all. Belgium saved one match point, but a video challenge couldn’t save the second one as the U.S. won 26-24.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #3
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13
July 16: USA lost to China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA def. Netherlands 25-15, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21
July 21: USA def. Belgium 25-14, 16-25, 25-19, 26-24
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 20, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team moved one step closer to qualifying for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round by defeating then-second-place Netherlands 25-15, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21 to open the third and final FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend on Thursday afternoon in Cuiaba, Brazil.
The U.S., now with a 5-2 record and 16 points, returns to action on Friday afternoon when it faces winless Belgium (0-7) at 4:10 ET. Team USA concludes the preliminary round against host Brazil on Sunday at 9:10 a.m. ET. Both matches are scheduled to air live on NBC affiliate The Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD).
With the victory, the U.S. leapfrogged into first place in the standings though Serbia (5-1, 15 points) has played one less match. A win over Belgium on Friday will secure Team USA’s spot into the Final Round. The top five teams in the preliminary round plus host China advance to the World Grand Prix Final Round to be held Aug. 2-6 in Nanjing, China.
Upcoming TV Schedule
July 21: USA vs. Belgium – live Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) at 4:10 p.m. ET
July 23: USA vs. Brazil – live Olympic Channel (formerly Universal HD) at 9:10 a.m. ET
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), who dominated the final set with seven points, turned in a personal international career-high 23 points with 18 kills on 40 swings, three aces and two blocks. She entered the match as the top server in this year’s World Grand Prix. Middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) chipped 11 kills on 19 swings, six blocks and three aces for 20 points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed 15 kills on 36 attacks and two aces for 17 points.
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) chalked up 12 kills on 27 attacks, one block and one ace for 14 points. Middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) contributed four kills and two blocks for six points. Rounding out the scoring with one point each were setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) and reserve pin hitter Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota).
Notes Outside the Boxscore
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with a team-high 22 digs to go with six excellent receptions on 10 chances. Kingdon turned in 16 excellent receptions on 26 chances and 11 digs, while Bartsch-Hackley added 12 excellent receptions on 36 chances with 12 digs. Lloyd pocketed 15 digs.
The U.S. converted 41.4 percent of its attacks into points with a .283 hitting efficiency (60-19-145) as Lloyd was credited with 13 running sets on 103 total set attempts. The American defense limited Netherlands to a 32.0 kill percent and .207 hitting efficiency (48-17-150).
Team USA out-blocked Netherlands 13-9 and held a 10-7 margin in aces. The Americans also enjoyed a 60-48 advantage in kills. The Americans committed 23 errors in the match to the Dutch’s 17.
The U.S. started Dixon and Gibbemeyer at middle, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside hitter, Murphy at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Wong-Orantes was the libero for the match. Wilhite was as sub in the first three sets, while Hancock was a sub in the first two sets. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) was a back-row sub in all but the second set.
For USA’s next match opponent, Belgium is winless in seven matches in this year’s World Grand Prix, but two of its losses have come to the top two teams entering the final weekend – Serbia and Netherlands. Belgium’s other five losses have come at the hands of teams ranked from seventh to 11th place. The European side did extend Dominican Republic to five sets in its most recent outing on July 16.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, with four of the titles coming in the last seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). In the last two editions, the Americans have won gold in 2015 and reached the gold-medal match in 2016 before losing to 11-time champion Brazil. The U.S. and Brazil have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
The U.S. reached the opening set’s first technical timeout leading 8-6, then pushed the gap to 12-9 prompting Netherlands to call timeout. Team USA continued the pressure by reaching the second technical timeout with a 16-10 advantage. Out of the break Bartsch-Hackley put up a block to increase the lead to 17-10. Team USA upped the lead to 19-11 with a Dixon ace. The U.S. cruised into the set victory at 25-15 as Murphy scored the final two kills of the set.
Netherlands took a 5-1 lead to start the second set. Team USA sliced the deficit to a single point at 6-5 after a Murphy ace. Kingdon served an ace between kills from Dixon and Bartsch-Hackley to give the Americans an 8-7 advantage at the technical timeout. Murphy slammed a kill to stretch the lead to 12-10. Dixon took a quick middle attack to extend the American lead to 15-12. Netherlands closed to one at 15-14 with an ace off the net. Dixon downed back-to-back kills to increase the American lead to 20-16. Netherlands responded with a 5-1 run to take the lead at 22-21, prompting a USA timeout. After a Netherlands service error, Bartsch-Hackley hit a kill off the block to yield a 23-22 American lead. Netherlands switched the lead to its side and gained the first set point at 24-23 on an ace. Netherlands finished the set at 25-23 on an American error.
In the third set, Netherlands advanced its lead to 15-12 with an ace off the net. Kingdon came up with a kill and block and Dixon followed with a block to tie the set at 16-all. Murphy scored a fourth straight point with a kill giving Team USA a 17-16 lead. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Murphy hammered another kill to push the gap to 18-16 on a 5-0 run. Netherlands answered with consecutive kills to level the score at 18-all. Kills from Murphy and Bartsch-Hackley gave the U.S. a 22-20 edge. Netherlands tied the set at 23-all. After a Lloyd block, Dixon put up another block to five the U.S. a 28-26 victory on its fourth set point chance.
Netherlands bolted to an 8-3 advantage in the fourth set. Two Bartsch-Hackley kills around a Netherlands error trimmed the USA’s deficit to 9-7. Netherlands raised its advantage to 14-9 with three straight points. A Murphy kill, Dixon block and Netherlands attack error cut the gap to 14-12. The U.S. tied the set at 15-all with consecutive Kingdon kills. Netherlands regained a two-point cushion at 17-15 with points on each side of the technical timeout. Bartsch-Hackley scored three straight with two kills and a block to give the Americans an 18-17 lead. Team USA stretched its margin to 20-18 with two more Bartsch-Hackley kills leading to Netherlands calling timeout. Out of the break, Bartsch-Hackley nailed a third straight kill to extend the lead to 21-18. Bartsch-Hackley served an ace to give the Americans match point at 24-20. Team USA capped the match at 25-21 on a Kingdon kill.
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Weekend #3
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
2017 U.S. Women’s Schedule in FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round
At Kunshan, China
July 7: USA def. Russia 22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11
July 8: USA def. Italy 25-21, 25-22, 25-19
July 9: USA def. China 25-22, 25-22, 25-21
At Macau, China
July 14: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: USA lost to Italy 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13
July 16: USA lost to China 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11
At Cuiaba, Brazil
July 20: USA def. Netherlands 25-15, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21
July 21: USA vs. Belgium, 4:10 p.m. ET
July 23: USA vs Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round
At Nanjing, China
Aug. 2-6
China plus top five other finishers from FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 25, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, using a bevy of young and promising athletes, claimed the 16th Pan American Cup championship by defeating a veteran-laden Dominican Republic squad 25-16, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23 on Sunday evening in Canete, Peru.
The Americans finished the tournament with a 7-0 record and handed Dominicans their only set losses of the tournament as both teams entered the contest undefeated. Team USA now has a record five Pan American Cup titles, breaking a three-way tie with Dominican Republic and Cuba who each have four titles. The U.S. has won the tournament four times since 2012 (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, along with 2003). Only Dominican Republic has won the title during the same time period as it earned gold in 2014 and 2016.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) scored a team-best 21 points with 16 kills on 44 swings, three blocks and two aces. Opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who was selected best opposite of the tournament, added 18 points with 13 kills on 32 swings, three blocks and two aces. Middle Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) scored a personal tournament best 13 points with eight kills on 22 attacks, four blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) contributed 13 points with 11 kills on 33 swings and two blocks in the victory.
Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) pocketed nine points with five kills on nine swings and four blocks. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was the opposite in the double sub in all four sets, chipped in four points, all kills coming on eight errorless attacks. Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) rounded out the scoring with one kill and one ace for two points.
Hancock, who was named the most valuable player of the tournament along with best server and best setter, was credited with 38 running sets on 103 total set attempts in helping the U.S. to a 38.2 kill percent and .250 hitting efficiency (58-20-152). Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), who was the setter in the double-sub all four sets, compiled nine running sets on 21 chances.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) was credited with 16 excellent receptions on 24 errorless chances to go with 15 digs. Bartsch chipped in 14 digs and 19 excellent receptions on 27 chances.
The Americans held a 16-8 block advantage over the Dominican Republic, in addition to a 6-3 margin in aces. The U.S. held a 58-52 edge in kills as it limited a 33.6 kill percent and .174 hitting efficiency (52-25-155).
Carlini, Hancock, Kingdon, Alhassan, Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress) all were part of last year’s bronze-medal-winning Pan Am Cup team, but have had little time training with the top U.S. team until this year. Meanwhile, Tapp, Drews, Benson, McMahon, Molly McCage (Spring, Texas) and Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) were playing in their first international tournament for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Beri Dwyer
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. def. Colombia 25-8, 25-19, 29-27
June 19: U.S. def. Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12
June 20: U.S. def. Mexico 25-13, 25-15, 25-13
June 21: U.S. def. Argentina 27-25, 25-14, 25-23
Quarterfinals
June 23: Puerto Rico def. Cuba 25-23, 25-22, 25-17
June 23: Peru def. Argentina 20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 15-9
Semifinals
June 24: Dominican Republic def. Puerto Rico 25-18, 25-21, 25-19
June 24: USA def. Peru 25-14, 25-17, 27-25
Medal Rounds
June 25: Puerto Rico def. Peru 25-22, 13-25, 27-25, 25-15 (bronze medal match)
June 25: USA vs. Dominican Republic 25-16, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23 (gold medal match)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 24, 2017) – Opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) scored 10 of her match-high 16 points in the opening set to spark the U.S. Women’s National Team past host Peru 25-14, 25-17, 27-25 in the Pan American Cup semifinals on Saturday evening in Canete, Peru.
The U.S., 6-0 in the tournament, will now face Dominican Republic (6-0) in the Pan Am Cup gold-medal match on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Dominican Republic defeated Puerto Rico 25-18, 25-21, 25-19 in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Both Team USA and Dominican Republic have each won a tournament-best four Pan Am Cup titles, and Sunday’s winner will break a current three-way tie (including Cuba). The Americans have won the tournament three since 2012 (2012, 2013, 2015 along with 2003), while the Dominicans have won the event twice in the last three years (2014 and 2016, along with 2008 and 2010).
McMahon totaled 13 kills on 27 attacks, two blocks and an ace for 16 points in the victory. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) chipped in six kills on eight attacks, a match-high five blocks and an ace for 12 points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed 10 points with six kills on 16 attacks, three blocks and an ace.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) pocketed nine points with seven kills on 30 swings and two blocks. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) turned in six points with three aces, two kills on three swings and a block. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) recorded five points with four kills on 16 attacks and a block. Middle Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) notched four kills on 12 swings and a block for five points.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) secured 13 digs and handled nine receptions with seven being excellent. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with 12 excellent receptions on 25 chances and eight digs. Kingdon pocketed eight digs and eight excellent receptions on 19 chances.
The U.S. converted 37.5 percent of its kills with a .250 hitting efficiency (42-14-112) as Hancock turned in 22 running sets on 62 set attempts, while Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) added 11 running sets on 29 chances. The U.S. dominated the net and service line with a 15-4 block advantage and 6-0 margin in aces. Team USA held a 42-31 edge in kills. Peru benefited from 21 American errors in the match while holding its own mistakes to 14 for the match.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly did not alter his starting lineup in any of the three sets. Starters were Hancock at setter, Alhassan and Tapp at middle, Bartsch and Kingdon at outside hitter, McMahon at opposite and Benson at libero. The double-sub combination of Carlini at setter and Drews at opposite was utilized in all three sets, while Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) was a serving sub in all three sets.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Beri Dwyer
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. def. Colombia 25-8, 25-19, 29-27
June 19: U.S. def. Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12
June 20: U.S. def. Mexico 25-13, 25-15, 25-13
June 21: U.S. def. Argentina 27-25, 25-14, 25-23
Quarterfinals
June 23: Puerto Rico def. Cuba 25-23, 25-22, 25-17
June 23: Peru def. Argentina 20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 15-9
Semifinals
June 24: Dominican Republic def. Puerto Rico 25-18, 25-21, 25-19
June 24: USA def. Peru 25-14, 25-17, 27-25
Medal Rounds
June 25: Puerto Rico vs. Peru, 4 p.m. ET
June 25: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 6 p.m. ET
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 21, 2017) – Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) led the U.S. Women’s National Team in scoring for the second night in a row as the Americans defeated Argentina 27-25, 25-14, 25-23 on Wednesday in Canete, Peru, to finish out the Pan American Cup Pool A with an undefeated record.
By winning the pool with a 5-0 record, the U.S. advances directly to Saturday’s semifinals and bypasses the quarterfinals on Friday. Argentina finished pool play with a 3-2 record and in third place.
Drews notched 14 kills on 33 swings and two blocks for a match-high 16 points. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) pocketed 10 kills on 32 attacks and an ace for 11 points. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) contributed seven kills on 19 swings and a block for eight points.
Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) charted six kills on 19 swings and a block for seven points. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) scored five points with two kills, two aces and a block. Middle Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) added five points on two blocks, two aces and a kill. Rounding out the scoring was opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), who had three kills on five attacks as the double-sub in all three sets.
Libero Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) was credited with nine digs and a team-leading nine excellent receptions on 16 total chances. Kingdon led the backrow with 10 digs, while Bartsch-Hackley chipped in six excellent receptions on 24 chances and eight digs.
The U.S. converted 37.4 percent of its attacks with a .243 hitting efficiency (43-15-115) as Hancock was credited with 21 running sets on 75 set attempts. The Americans held a 43-34 advantage in kills, along with a 7-5 blocking edge and a 5-4 margin in aces. The U.S. limited its errors to 19 for the match while holding Argentina to a 29.3 kill percent and .121 hitting efficiency (34-20-116).
The U.S. used the same starters throughout the match with Hancock at setter, Alhassan and Tapp at middle, Kingdon and Bartsch-Hackley at outside hitter and Drews at opposite. Benson was the libero throughout the match. Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) was the setter in the double-sub in all three sets. Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) was a sub in all three sets.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)>
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)>
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Beri Dwyer
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. def. Colombia 25-8, 25-19, 29-27
June 19: U.S. def. Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12
June 20: U.S. def. Mexico 25-13, 25-15, 25-13
June 21: U.S. def. Argentina 27-25, 25-14, 25-23
Semifinals
June 24: Pool A 1st place vs. Quarterfinal Winner
June 24: Pool B 1st place vs. Quarterfinal Winner
Medal Rounds
June 25: Bronze medal match (semifinal losers), 4 p.m. ET
June 25 Gold Medal match (semifinal winners), 6 p.m. ET
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 19, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) scored 27 points as the Americans rallied in the fifth set to defeat Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12 in the Pan American Cup Pool B on Monday evening in Canete, Lima, Peru.
The U.S. improves to 3-0 in the Pan American Cup, which is a 12-team tournament broken up into two six-team preliminary round pools. The U.S. will face Mexico on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET before concluding the group stage against Argentina on June 21 at 8 p.m. ET. Through the third day of pool play, the U.S. and Argentina are the lone undefeated teams in Pool A. Dominican Republic and host Peru are undefeated in Pool B.
Team USA won the opening two sets, only to have Puerto Rico bounced back to even the sets up sending the match to a fifth-set tiebreaker. The Americans trailed 11-9 in the fifth set, but rattled off four unanswered points to take a 13-11 advantage en route to winning 15-12 by scoring six of the final seven points of the match.
McMahon totaled 24 kills on 46 swings, two blocks and an ace for her match-high 27 points. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) chipped in 14 points with nine kills on 17 attacks and match-leading five blocks. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois) pocketed 12 kills on 27 attacks and a block for 13 points.
Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) contributed eight points with four aces, two blocks and two kills. She now has 23 aces in three Pan Am Cup matches in 2017. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona), who started just the third and fourth sets, turned in seven kills on 19 swings and a block for eight points. Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was a sub in the first, third and fourth sets, added six kills on 12 attacks and a block for seven points.
Outside hitter Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) and middle Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) were credited with three kills and block for four points each. Middle Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota), who started the fourth set, tallied one kill and setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) rounded out the scoring with one ace as a sub in the first four sets.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) produced a team-best 13 digs to go with seven excellent receptions. Bartsch added a team-best 14 excellent receptions on 41 chances. Newcombe charted seven excellent receptions on 21 errorless chances. Hancock was credited with 17 running sets on 106 total set attempts, while Carlini had two running sets on 21 set attempts.
Behind the setting combination of Hancock and Carlini, the U.S. converted 43.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .275 hitting efficiency (67-25-153). The U.S. defense limited Puerto Rico to a .257 hitting efficiency (61-22-152) and a 40.1 kill percent.
The U.S. held a slim 14-13 margin in blocks and both teams served six aces. The Americans managed a 67-61 kill advantage. Puerto Rico took advantage of 28 U.S. errors and limited its own miscues to 22 on the match.
Puerto Rico was led by Daly Santana’s 26 points and Marie Victoria Pilar added 19 points.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Leader/Assistant Coach:Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Beri Dwyer
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. def. Colombia 25-8, 25-19, 29-27
June 19: U.S. def. Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12
June 20: U.S. vs. Mexico, 6 p.m. ET
June 21: U.S. vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. ET
Quarterfinals
June 23: Pool A and Pool B 2nd and 3rd-place crossovers
Semifinals
June 24: Quarterfinal Winners
Medal Rounds
June 25: Bronze medal match (semifinal losers), 4 p.m. ET
June 25 Gold Medal match (semifinal winners), 6 p.m. ET
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 18, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team improved to 2-0 at the Pan American Cup following a 25-8, 25-19, 29-27 victory over Colombia in Pool A action Sunday afternoon in Canete, Lima, Peru.
The Pan American Cup is a 12-team tournament broken up into two six-team preliminary round pools. The U.S. will face Puerto Rico on June 19 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Mexico on June 20 at 6 p.m. ET and Argentina on June 21 at 8 p.m. ET. Pool B, being played in Lima, has Canada, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, host Peru and Trinidad & Tobago.
Opposite Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), who was a sub in all three sets, provided a team-high nine points with eight kills on 14 attacks and a block. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) tallied eight aces against Colombia to bring her two-day tournament ace total to 19. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley charted eight kills on 10 errorless swings, while opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) totaled four kills on 13 attempts and three blocks for seven points.
“Today’s match has allowed us to know each other better,” said Hancock, who is serving as captain of the U.S. Women in the Pan Am Cup. “We have been working in our service game and the score was close because we failed in little things. But those are details that we will fix to keep growing.”
Middle Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) pocketed four kills on five attacks and a block for five points, matching outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) who had five kills on 10 errorless attacks in the victory. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arirzona) and middles Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) and Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) each popped in four kills. Outside hitter Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) tacked on two kills and an ace for three points. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois) and middle Molly McCage (Spring, Texas) each scored one point to round out the scoring.
The U.S. started Hancock at setter, McMahon at opposite, Alhassan and Rolfzen at middle, Bartsch-Hackley and Newcombe at outside hitter. The starters started all three sets with the exception of Kingdon replacing Bartsch-Hackley in the third set. Except for the two liberos – starter Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) and Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) who started the second and third sets – everyone on the 14-player roster scored at least one point in the match.
Benson was credited with seven digs and had a team-best 14 reception attempts, while Wong-Orantes had four digs in her one set of action. Courtney had five excellent receptions on 13 chances, while Bartsch-Hackley added four excellent receptions on eight total chances.
“I liked the fight Colombia put up today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “That made us to give a better effort. The match was interesting and we rotated our players because we feel good with anybody on the court. This competition gives us the chance to see the development of different players.”
The U.S. out-blocked Colombia 6-3 and held a 9-1 ace margin. The Americans, who had .375 hitting efficiency (44-8-96) with a 45.8 kill percent, held a 44-29 advantage in kills. Carlini was credited with 14 running sets on 43 chances, while Hancock turned in 11 running sets on 32 set attempts.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Leader/Assistant Coach:Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Beri Dwyer
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. def. Colombia 25-8, 25-19, 29-27
June 19: U.S. vs. Puerto Rico, 8 p.m. ET
June 20: U.S. vs. Mexico, 6 p.m. ET
June 21: U.S. vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. ET
Quarterfinals
June 23: Pool A and Pool B 2nd and 3rd-place crossovers
Semifinals
June 24: Quarterfinal Winners
Medal Rounds
June 25: Bronze medal match (semifinal losers), 4 p.m. ET
June 25 Gold Medal match (semifinal winners), 6 p.m. ET
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 17, 2017) – Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) scored 13 points and was one shy of her own Pan American Cup single-match record in aces to lift the U.S. Women’s National Team to a convincing 25-9, 25-16, 25-11 victory over Venezuela Saturday afternoon to open the 16th Pan American Cup in Canete, Peru.
The Pan American Cup is a 12-team tournament broken up into two six-team preliminary round pools. The U.S. will face Colombia on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, followed by Puerto Rico on June 19 at 8 p.m. ET, Mexico on June 20 at 6 p.m. ET and Argentina on June 21 at 8 p.m. ET. Pool B, being played in Lima, has Canada, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, host Peru and Trinidad & Tobago.
Hancock totaled her 13 points with 11 aces on 21 serves and two aces on as many attempts. In her only other tournament appearance for the U.S. Women’s National Team, she set ace records for a match and tournament at the 2016 Pan American Cup as she tallied 12 aces in the 2016 bronze-medal match to finish with 50 aces for the tournament.
Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland), who has one year remaining at University of Florida, contributed eight points with six blocks, one kill on two attacks and an ace. Opposites Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) and Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) had matching seven points in the victory. McMahon started the first two sets with five kills on 15 swings and two blocks, while Drews started the third set and turned in seven kills on 10 attacks. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois pocketed three kills on nine swings, two aces and one block for six points.
Outside hitter Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) provided four kills on eight errorless attacks and a block for five points in starting the first two sets. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) tacked on three kills on three swings, one block and one ace for five points. Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) scored two kills on three swings and two block for four points. Middle Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) had four kills on six attacks in the victory. Both Courtney and Tapp started the final set. Rounding out the scoring was middle Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) with one kill on four attacks in starting the first two sets.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with four digs and three excellent receptions on four errorless chances. Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), who started the third set in place of Hancock, had five running sets on 20 errorless chances as Hancock provided four running sets on 26 chances.
The setting combination of Hancock and Carlini led the U.S. to a 51.6 kill percent and .371 hitting efficiency (32-9-62). Team USA held a 13-5 block advantage and commanding 15-2 margin in aces behind Hancock’s serving. The Americans limited Venezuela to a 27.0 kill percent and negative .016 hitting efficiency (17-18-63).
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan Am Cup
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
2 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
6 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
16 – Molly McCage (M, 6-3, Texas, Spring, Texas)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Team Manager/Assistant Coach:Jon Newman-Gonchar (team manager)
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
16th Pan American Cup Schedule and Results for U.S. Women
Pool A
June 17: U.S. def. Venezuela 25-9, 25-16, 25-11
June 18: U.S. vs. Colombia, 4 p.m. ET
June 19: U.S. vs. Puerto Rico, 8 p.m. ET
June 20: U.S. vs. Mexico, 6 p.m. ET
June 21: U.S. vs. Argentina, 8 p.m. ET
Quarterfinals
June 23: Pool A and Pool B 2nd and 3rd-place crossovers
Semifinals
June 24: Quarterfinal Winners
Medal Rounds
June 25: Bronze medal match (semifinal losers), 4 p.m. ET
June 25 Gold Medal match (semifinal winners), 6 p.m. ET
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 12, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has announced its 14-player roster for its June 13 international friendly with Canada as both teams prepare for the upcoming Pan American Cup being staged June 17-25 in Peru.
Team USA will host Canada at JSerra Cathlolic High School at 7 p.m. PT in San Juan Capistrano, California. Tickets are $7 for kids 10-and-under and adults 60-and-over, or $10 for everyone in between.
The American squad will consist of two setters, two liberos, two opposites, five outside hitters and four middles. The setters include captain Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois). The liberos will be Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California). The opposites are Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio).
The outside hitters selected for the Canada match are Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Maryville, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) and Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California). The middles are Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland), Hannah Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota), Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota) and Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska).
“We are beginning week seven, and we are really excited,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said about the start of the National Team season. “It has been a really good training block to get people more on the same page. We got to play four Red-Blue matches during that time. Now the next step is that we get to play a different country across the net. We are really excited to get after it against Canada, and a couple days later to depart for Peru to begin our first tournament of the cycle, the Pan American Cup.”
Kiraly said that instead of playing an early season tournament in May or early June, the ability to train together for six weeks has been invaluable to the team’s development.
“Sometimes we play a tournament like Montreux, but this year we opted not to just because we know we have so many young players,” Kiraly said. “We wanted the players to have a better initiation, a more thorough indoctrination into what we are trying to do and how we go about our business.”
With 30 athletes in the Team USA gym located in Anaheim, California – host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – there has been no shortage of competition. In addition to the 14 players playing against Canada and heading to Pan American Cup later this week, 16 other athletes are in the gym training and preparing for the FIVB World Grand Prix that starts in early July.
“It is always good to have people pushing each other – pushing each other on the same side of the net, and honoring each other by competing really hard across the net,” Kiraly said. “We have lots of new faces in here, people who have spent very little time in here.”
The U.S. roster for the Canada match, as well as the roster that will head to the Pan American Cup later this week, blends mostly young talent with zero international experience to some with limited training and a couple who have been with the team for a few years but not cracking the most elite tournament rosters. Carlini and Hancock, who played at last year’s Pan Am Cup but have had little time training with the top U.S. team, gives Kiraly flashbacks to 2013 when the team had so many new faces and later played key roles later in the Olympic quad.
“This is a much more thorough experience for both Lauren and Micha, along with many others in their same shoes,” Kiraly said. “People who have never really been here before. It reminds me of four years ago when Kim Hill had never been in the gym, same with Kelly Murphy and Rachael Adams. We had a number of people who were brand new and very quickly started figuring things out. The ultimate example was Kim Hill. After just a year and half with the team, Kim led us with an MVP performance to gold at the FIVB World Championship.”
The younger players are not the only ones having a chance to shine against Canada and later the Pan Am Cup. Bartsch and Newcombe have been in the Team USA gym in the past and have suited up in international tournaments for the U.S. Now they get a chance to provide a veteran presence while some of the top athletes who have competed in the Olympics are taking some time off this summer.
“We have some players who are taking some time off, and have earned that right,” Kiraly said. “In that position, people like Jordan Larson, Kim Hill, Kelsey Robinson, Rachael Adams – this is really a big year for recharging, recovery, regeneration, both physically and mentally. As a result, it is a really exciting year of opportunity for others in that position, whether it is someone like Michelle Bartsch or Sonja Newcombe who have some experience here, or others who have had less experience such as Megan Courtney or Madi Kingdon who played at Pan Am Cup last year but who haven’t really had much experience in our gym. Or like Sarah Wilhite, who just came off a college player of the year performance and another very strong season at Minnesota with Hugh McCutcheon.”
Even with the youth and new faces having such a big presence in the early going of the National Team’s training in Anaheim, Kiraly is excited about the possibilities the team can provide. And he would love nothing more to have rough decisions when the veterans return to the gym.
“We have a wide variety of people here,” Kiraly said. “And we are very excited about the chances for all of them. We would love nothing more than to see all of them crush it and hit and grand slam and make our choices difficult. We love to see them all develop hugely over the next few years.”
The Pan Am Cup, slated for June 17-25, is in its 16th year as teams from NORCECA (North America, Central America and Caribbean) and South America confederations compete for the title. The Americans have won the event three of the past five years with mainly a younger roster to gain international experience. The 12-team Pan American Cup has two six-team preliminary round pools that will play a full round-round schedule.
Team USA is part of Group A with matches against Venezuela on June 17, Colombia on June 18, Puerto Rico on June 19, Mexico on June 20 and Argentina on June 21. Group B includes Canada, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago. After an off day on June 22, the quarterfinal round will take the second- and third-place teams from both groups and play crossover matches to determine which two teams will advance to the June 24 semifinals to join the respective pool winners. The tournament concludes on June 25 with the medal-round matches and other classification matches.
In just over three weeks, the U.S. Women will embark on its FIVB World Grand Prix schedule that takes them to China in the first two rounds, followed by Brazil to conclude the nine-match, three weekend preliminary schedule. In their opening weekend, the Americans face powerhouses No. 5 Russia, No. 8 Italy and No. 1 China in Kunshan, China from July 7-9. The U.S. preliminary schedule doesn’t get easier July 16-18 in Macau as it has rematches with China and Italy after a match-up against improving Turkey, ranked No. 12 in the world. To end the nine-match preliminary schedule, the Americans travel to Cuiaba, Brazil, to face No. 7 Netherlands, No. 16 Belgium and Brazil. Should the U.S. earn a spot in the top five, the Americans will advance to the Final Round in Nanjing, China.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for June 13 vs Canada
# – Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-3, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
17 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
18 – Sonja Newcombe (OH, 6-1, Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
19 – Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
20 – Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
21 – Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
26 – Amber Rolfzen (M, 6-3, Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
27 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Florida, Glenarden, Maryland)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 1, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball team will renew its long-standing rivalry with Brazil as part of a two-match USA Volleyball Cup series played Aug. 27 and Aug. 29 at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena.
The U.S. is ranked No. 2 in the current FIVB world ranking after earning bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games. Brazil, which lost to eventual 2016 Olympic Games champion China in a five-set match in the quarterfinals in Rio, is ranked No. 4 in the world.
“Brazil has built one of a handful of legendary programs in international volleyball, and this year’s USA Volleyball Cup matches will be a wonderful opportunity for American fans to see both programs live,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Every time we square off across the net, it’s a battle – both teams test each other, and learn, and we cherish experiences like that. We’ll see you in August!”
The USA Volleyball Cup opening match will have first serve at 4 p.m. PT on Aug. 27, while the Aug. 29 match will start at 7:30 p.m. PT. Tickets for the matches will go on sale in early May.
Anaheim serves as the official host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Volleyball Teams.
“Anaheim and the greater hospitality community is looking forward to welcoming Brazil to the heart of Southern California,” Sports Anaheim Vice President of Sports Development Roy Edmondson said. “The City of Anaheim is proud to watch two of the most prestigious women’s volleyball nations face head-to-head in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s home city, Anaheim.”
The U.S. and Brazil had competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games gold-medal match with the Brazilians winning both times. Until the 2016 Olympic Games, Team USA’s final match in four straight Olympics were losses to Brazil – including the bronze-medal match in 2000 and quarterfinal round in 2004.
The two rivals have played 24 times since 2011 with the USA holding a 14-10 edge. Six of the 24 matches have been in tournament gold-medal matches. Since 1983, USA and Brazil have played 114 times with Brazil leading the series 67-47.
The USA Volleyball Cup was initiated in 2013 and the U.S. Women have played in the event every year since except for 2016 due to a constricted Olympic year schedule. Team USA hosted Japan in the inaugural event in 2013, followed by Brazil in 2014 and China in 2015. During the 2014 USA Volleyball Cup, the Americans defeated Brazil in all four matches of the series with two matches in Southern California and two matches in Hawaii.
The USA Volleyball Cup will serve as final preparations for both Team USA and Brazil before they compete in the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. The event is a six-team round-robin event played over the course of six days from Sept. 5-10. Other countries participating in the season-ending World Grand Champions Cup are China, Russia, host Japan and Korea.
The U.S. Women officially begins their summer training block on May 1, though some players will start to train before that date and others will not arrive until a few weeks afterwards due to their pro club seasons still in competition.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Cup.
Most Recent U.S. Women vs. Brazil Matches
July 10, 2016: Brazil def. USA 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-21, 28-26 in Pan American Games (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 20, 2015: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 15-11 in Pan American Games (pool play)
Oct. 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-18, 29-27, 25-20 in FIVB World Championship (semifinals)
Oct. 5, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Championship (pool play)
Aug. 15, 2014: Brazil def. USA 29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
Aug. 10, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-20, 25-22, 29-27 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
July 12, 2014: USA def. Brazil 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 22-25, 27-25, 25-27, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 6, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 5, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 25-19 in USA Volleyball Cup
Nov. 12, 2013: Brazil def. USA 26-24, 26-24, 25-20 in FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
Aug. 28, 2013: Brazil def. USA 25-19, 25-12, 25-10 in FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round
June 15, 2013: USA def. Brazil 25-11, 25-20, 25-22 in Pan American Cup (semifinals)
Aug. 11, 2012: Brazil def. USA 11-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17 in Olympic Games (gold-medal match)
July 30, 2012: USA def. Brazil 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21 in Olympic Games (pool play)
July 20, 2012: USA def. Brazil 28-30, 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-11 in Pan Am Cup (gold-medal match)
June 27, 2012: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 13-25, 15-13 in FIVB World Grand Prix Finals (pool play)
June 17, 2012: USA def. Brazil 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
Nov. 4, 2011: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19 in FIVB World Cup
Aug. 28, 2011: USA def. Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 in FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round (gold-medal match)
Aug. 26, 2011: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 in FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round (pool play)
July 5, 2011: Brazil def. USA 28-30, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11 in Pan American Cup (pool play)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (updated May 16, 2017) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce its U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team Europe Tour (CNT-Europe) roster comprised of current collegiate players who will train and compete in Europe from July 5-16.
Middles selected to the elite CNT-Europe squad are Corissa Crocker (University of Michigan, Brighton, Michigan), Claire Kiefer-Wright (University of Michigan, South Pasadena, California) and Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette University, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin). The outside hitters name to the roster are Symone Abbott (Northwestern University, Northville, Michigan), Courtney Schwan (University of Washington, Auburn, Washington), Carlyle Nusbaum (Lipscomb University, Overland Park, Kansas) and Jaali Winters (Creighton University, Ankeny, Iowa).
The two opposites selected to the CNT-Europe Tour are Kelsie Payne (University of Kansas, Austin, Texas) and Taylor Mims (Washington State University, Billings, Montana). The setters are Kristen Gengenbacher (University of San Diego, Quincy, Illinois) and Taira Robins-Hardy (Brigham Young University, Waimanalo, Hawaii). The libero will be Jesse Earl (Auburn University, Indianapolis, Indiana). Brittany Witt (Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska) was originally selected the libero, but was moved to the CNT-Thailand Tour roster due to that program’s libero removing herself from consideration.
University of Cincinnati Head Coach Molly Alvey will serve as the CNT-Europe head coach. She will be assisted by North Carolina State University Assistant Coach Nicki Holmes.
The CNT-Europe squad, one of three teams within the U.S. Collegiate National Team program, will compete in the 13th Annual European Global Challenge July 11-14 in Pula, Croatia, after training and friendly matches in Europe. Prior to the Global Challenge, the CNT-Europe squad will tentatively train in Maribor, Slovenia, with friendly matches versus various National Teams.
The CNT-Europe roster includes four players with experience within the U.S. Collegiate National Team program. Rosenthal and Schwan were members of the 2016 CNT-China Tour roster, while Gengenbacher and Winters were part of the 2016 CNT-Indianapolis program. Further, Payne was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team last summer competing in the Pan American Cup.
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
Symone Abbott (OH, Northwestern University, 6-1, 1, Northville, Michigan)
Corissa Crocker (M, University of Michigan, 6-3, 3, Brighton, Michigan)
Jesse Earl (L, Auburn University, 5-8, 1, Indianapolis, Indiana)
Kristen Gengenbacher (S, University of San Diego, 5-9, 1, Quincy, Illinois)
Claire Kiefer-Wright (M, University of Michigan, 6-1, 1, South Pasadena, California)
Taylor Mims (OPP, Washington State University, 6-3, 2, Billings, Montana)
Carlyle Nusbaum (OH, Lipscomb University, 5-10, 2, Overland Park, Kansas)
Kelsie Payne (OPP, University of Kansas, 6-3, 1, Austin, Texas)
Taira Robins-Hardy (S, Brigham Young University, 6-2, 1, Waimanalo, Hawaii)
Jenna Rosenthal (M, Marquette University, 6-6, 2, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
Courtney Schwan (OH, University of Washington, 6-1, 1, Auburn, Washington)
Jaali Winters (OH, Creighton University, 6-2, 2, Ankeny, Iowa)
Head Coach: Molly Alvey (head coach at University of Cincinnati)
Assistant Coach: Nicki Holmes (assistant coach at North Carolina State University)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (updated March 3, 2017) – The annual U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts will take place March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The tryout will evaluate 238 athletes from 84 colleges and 10 high schools from across the country for spots on the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Collegiate National Team program. Further, select athletes born in 1998 or 1999 are also competing for spots on the 2017 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team.
The breakdown for the tryout includes 62 middles, 54 liberos, 51 outside hitters, 41 setters and 30 opposites.
A vast majority of the current U.S. Women’s National Team athletes have participated in past open tryouts. As an example, Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), an alum of Pepperdine University, took part in the 2013 open tryout, was asked to train with the team in May 2013, started much of the 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix and by 2014 earned the most valuable player award at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in which Team USA won for the first time. Hill would go on to help Team USA win bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly will direct the entire tryout process. The list of athletes attending the tryout can be viewed at the bottom of this release.
The tryout will involve four sessions with three waves per session. Friday’s first session goes from 2-8 p.m. MT, while Saturday’s sessions are at 8 a.m. (focus on serve/receive and individual work) and 2 p.m. (middle-centered and out-of-system focus). The final session on Sunday begins at 7:30 a.m. MT with tournament style play, along with 16-18 athletes selected by the U.S. Women’s National Team staff to participate in a “USA” training session. The Sunday session wraps up at 10:30 a.m. MT.
Selected athletes for the U.S. Women’s National Team may begin their training in Anaheim, California, as early as the spring of 2017, or when an athlete’s scholastic or professional club season has concluded.
The U.S. Collegiate National Team program has three competition options:
Selections for the U.S. Collegiate National Teams will be made by the end of March.
U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout Participants
Updated: March 3 at 8:35 a.m. MT
Liberos (54)
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Friday Wave Time)
N56 – Akiu, Tita (Texas Tech University, Libero, 6pm)
N26 – Anderson, Lauren (Lipscomb University, Libero, 6pm)
N1 – Avila, Katherine (Ball State University, Libero, 4pm)
N27 – Bates, Kelli (University of Wisconsin, Libero, 6pm)
N10 – Beckley, Sophie (University of Minnesota, Libero, 6pm)
N51 – Benson, Amanda (University of Oregon, Libero, 4pm)
N28 – Blanco, Lauren (Youngstown State University, Libero, 2pm)
N29 – Boswell, Julia (Air Force, Libero, 2pm)
N30 – Butters, Emily (Missouri State University, Libero, 4pm)
N3 – Clark, Tiffany (University of Michigan, Libero, 4pm)
N2 – Cox, Jamye (Michigan State University, Libero, 2pm)
N4 – Curry, Gabby (University of Kentucky, Libero, 2pm)
N5 – Dirige, Alexis (Washington State University, Libero, 6pm)
N11 – Dixon, Brianne (Missouri State University, Libero, 2pm)
N31 – Donnelly, Brandi (University of Illinois, Libero, 4pm)
N32 – Dusek, Ashley (University of Kentucky, Libero, 4pm)
N33 – Earl, Jesse (Auburn University, Libero, 4pm)
N12 – Elattrache, Nicole (Duke University, Libero, 2pm)
N13 – Ellis, Kayla (Oregon State University, Libero, 2pm)
N14 – Ezell, Aubrey (University of South Carolina, Libero, 2pm)
N15 – Fraase, Alivia (University of North Dakota, Libero, 4pm)
N16 – Garda, Madeline (Bowling Green State University, Libero, 2pm)
N34 – Garrick, Victoria (University of Southern California, Libero, 2pm)
N35 – Goehner, Alyssa (University of Minnesota, Libero, 6pm)
N24 – Hahn, Claire (University of Texas, Libero, 6pm)
N17 – Halm, Camry (The Ohio State University, Libero, 6pm)
N6 – Harward, Hailey (Long Beach State University, Libero, 4pm)
N18 – Hellman, Sarah (Air Force, Libero, 2pm)
N36 – Hillegas, Hali (Iowa State University, Libero, 2pm)
N52 – Kahakai, Savanah (University of Hawaii, Libero, 4pm)
N7 – Laker, Mary (Brigham Young University, Libero, 6pm)
N19 – Lawmaster, Lindsey (Long Beach State University, Libero, 4pm)
N20 – LeGrand, Raegan (University of Southern California, Libero, 2pm)
N37 – Lishman, Dallas (Pepperdine University, Libero, 6pm)
N25 – Litzau, Lauren (University of Minnesota, Libero, 6pm)
N50 – Martin, Makenna (University of Arizona, Libero, 6pm)
N53 – McCoy, Catherine (University of Texas, Libero, 6pm)
N38 – McDonald, Maeve (Miami University (OH), Libero, 4pm)
N39 – Morton, Katarina (Kennesaw State University, Libero, 2pm)
N40 – Nelson, Alyssa (Cabrillo College, Libero, 6pm)
N41 – Olsen, Annika (University of Iowa, Libero, 2pm)
N8 – Payne, Kori (Brunswick High School, Libero, 6pm)
N42 – Pence, Courtney (Illinois State University, Libero, 4pm)
N43 – Peters, Brooke (Purdue University, Libero, 2pm)
N44 – Rounsaville, Autumn (University of Texas, Libero, 6pm)
N22 – Sauer, Molly (University of Louisville, Libero, 4pm)
N45 – Seman, Angela (University of Pittsburgh, Libero, 2pm)
N54 – Snuka, Penina (University of Arizona, Libero, 4pm)
N46 – Sponcil, Sarah (Loyola Marymount University, Libero, 4pm)
N47 – Swanson, Kate (Yale University, Libero, 2pm)
N48 – Thomas, Brittany (Lipscomb University, Libero, 2pm)
N49 – Tillis, Regina (Louisiana State University, Libero, 2pm)
N23 – Witt, Brittany (Creighton University, Libero, 6pm)
N9 – Worley, Samantha (Iolani School, Libero, 6pm)
Middles (62)
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Friday Wave Time)
B66 – Abu, Naghede (University of Colorado, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B49 – Agbaji, Orie (University of Texas, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B50 – Anderson, Rachel (Western Kentucky University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B51 – Bass, Majesti (University of Georgia, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B52 – Bastianelli, Alison (University of Illinois, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B12 – Bennett, Jasmine (University of Louisville, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B53 – Brown, Kazmiere (University of Kentucky, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B13 – Buford, Kayla (University of Minnesota, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B44 – Butler, Brionne (University of Texas, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B14 – Condon, Samantha (Oakland University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B55 – Crocker, Corissa (University of Michigan, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B15 – Dahlberg, Elizabeth (Westmont College, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B16 – Davis, Krysteena (Oakland University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B17 – Dooley, Faith (University of North Dakota, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B18 – Edwards, Kaity (University of San Diego, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B4 – Fields, Maclaine (Harvard University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B19 – Forbes, Jennifer (Marymount University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B20 – Fricano, Taylor (University of North Carolina, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B56 – Fry, Samantha (University of Notre Dame, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B21 – Garvelink, Alyssa (Michigan State University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B5 – Gates, Madeleine (UCLA, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B6 – Gross, Jasmine (Pepperdine University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B22 – Haneline, Kayla (University of Northern Iowa, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B1 – Harris, Deja (San Diego State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B23 – Heineck, Piper (Air Force, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B24 – Hillyer, Kirstie (Colorado State Volleyball, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B45 – Jackson, Tiana (Florida State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B57 – Janota, Jessica (University of Iowa, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B58 – Johnson, Morgan (University of Texas, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B25 – Kearney, Kaitlyn (North Carolina State, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B26 – Keene, Jaelyn (Illinois State University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B27 – Kiefer-Wright, Claire (University of Michigan, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B28 – King, Darrielle (University of Florida, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B46 – Kramer, Rachael (University of Florida, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B47 – Langs, Sarah (Texas Christian University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B29 – Legros, Annayka (Coastal Carolina University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B59 – Line, Alison (Illinois State University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B7 – Lofton, Deyshia (Indiana University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B30 – Lohman, Molly (University of Minnesota, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B60 – Martin, Claire (Washington State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B31 – McKenzie, Loren (American University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B61 – Mitchem, Annie (University of Hawaii, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B62 – Mohler, Blake (Purdue University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B33 – Murray, Ashley (Long Beach State University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B34 – Murray, Hailey (University of Maryland, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B35 – Murtagh, Madison (University of Southern California, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B36 – O’Neill, Kelsey (University of Pittsburgh, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B63 – Ogbogu, Chiaka (University of Texas, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B38 – Picha, Addison (University of San Diego, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B48 – Pittman, Regan (University of Minnesota, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B39 – Reid, Abigail (Florida Atlantic University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B40 – Rosenthal, Jenna (Marquette University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B8 – Sandbothe, Elle (Kansas State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B9 – Stone, Ronika (University of Oregon, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
B41 – Stutz, Meredith (Miami University (OH), Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B64 – Vail, Jordan (University of North Dakota, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B2 – Varcolla, Sarah (Youngstown State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B10 – Wilhite, Brennan (Cathedral Catholic High School, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B11 – Williams, Deja (Peachtree Ridge High School, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B3 – Witherspoon, Amber (Syracuse University, Middle Blocker, 6pm)
B32 – Wright, Lynsey (Missouri State University, Middle Blocker, 2pm)
B65 – Wylie, Tarah (Pepperdine University, Middle Blocker, 4pm)
Opposites (30)
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Friday Wave Time)
R97 – Abbott, Symone (Northwestern University, Opposite, 2pm)
R85 – Asdell, Elizabeth (Indiana University, Opposite, 2pm)
R76 – Atkinson, Sherridan (Purdue University, Opposite, 4pm)
R83 – Bedart-Ghani, Yaasmeen (University of Texas, Opposite, 6pm)
R82 – Coyle, Reghan (University of Iowa, Opposite, 2pm)
R75 – Fanning, Shelly (Baylor University, Opposite, 6pm)
R74 – Gaskin, Angel (University of Maryland, Opposite, 2pm)
R96 – Goodsel, Brooklyn (Ball State University, Opposite, 2pm)
R95 – Green, Amanda (University of Louisville, Opposite, 6pm)
R94 – Hanna, Jasmine (Colorado State University, Opposite, 4pm)
R73 – Hegarty, Katherine (SMU, Opposite, 4pm)
R81 – Joachim, Taylor (University of Colorado, Opposite, 6pm)
R80 – Laufenberg, Madison (University of North Carolina, Opposite, 2pm)
R99 – Little, Baylee (San Diego State University, Opposite, 2pm)
W13 – Loschen, Elizabeth (University of South Dakota, Opposite, 4pm)
R93 – Mahlke, Katherine (University of Michigan, Opposite, 4pm)
R92 – Miksch, Abigail (Air Force, Opposite, 6pm)
B61 – Mims, Taylor (Washington State University, Opposite, 2pm)
R79 – Payne, Kelsie (University of Kansas, Opposite, 4pm)
R91 – Pennington, Elizabeth (Air Force, Opposite, 6pm)
W17 – Plock, Emily (Southeast Polk High School, Opposite, 2pm)
R78 – Principato, Kayla (University of Denver, Opposite, 4pm)
R90 – Rapacz, Izabella (Temple University, Opposite, 2pm)
R89 – Schoenlein, Casey (Washington State University, Opposite, 2pm)
W18 – Shields, Mikayla (University of South Carolina, Opposite, 4pm)
R88 – Swartz, Lauren (Michigan State University, Opposite, 6pm)
R77 – Thompson, Jordan (University of Cincinnati, Opposite, 4pm)
R87 – Toliver, Holly (Michigan State University, Opposite, 2pm)
R86 – Varga, Alexis (Illinois State University, Opposite, 6pm)
R98 – Wilkinson, Marysa (Creighton University, Opposite, 6pm)
Outside Hitters (51)
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Friday Wave Time)
W5 – Ardila, Athena (Weston High School, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W21 – Badowski, Ally (Indiana University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W56 – Bailey, Brooke (The Ohio State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W1 – Bandel, Darien (Oakland University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W23 – Bittinger, Kelsey (Kent State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W42 – Borup, Taylor (University of North Carolina, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W24 – Boyer, Anaiah (Kennesaw State University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W25 – Boyle, Shannon (Sacramento State, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W46 – Brown, Julia (North Carolina State, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W8 – Burse, Jada (University of Kansas, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W43 – Carlson, Brynn (Cretin-Derham Hall HS, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W9 – Cobb, Ytae (Pensacola State College, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W27 – Dailey, Catherine (Yale University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W10 – Edmond, Leah (University of Kentucky, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W28 – Fuller, Lauren (University of San Diego, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W47 – Granato, McKenna (University of Hawai’i, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W22 – Hackett, Lauren (California Baptist University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W6 – Hammons, Paige (Sacred Heart Academy, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W2 – Hardeman, Leah (Coastal Carolina University, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W11 – Hart, Alexis (University of Minnesota, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W29 – Hill, Emily (Mississippi State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W48 – Johnson, Lily (Missouri State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W30 – Jones-Perry, Veronica (Brigham Young University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W31 – Kloth, Taryn (Creighton University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W49 – Kranda, Brooke (Michigan State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W12 – Lanier, Khalia (University of Southern California, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W50 – Marshall, Mary-Kate (Oregon State University, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W7 – Martin, Jasmyn (University of Minnesota, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W14 – May, MacKenzie (Wahlert Catholic High School, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W15 – McLean, Brittany (University of Minnesota, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W16 – Miller, McKenna (Brigham Young university, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W32 – Nobley, Sierra (Boise State University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W33 – Nusbaum, Carlyle (Lipscomb University, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W34 – Reuter, Kasey (University of Iowa, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W35 – Rigdon, Madison (University of Kansas, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W36 – Rusek, Olivia (Miami University (OH), Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W51 – Scambray, Tia (University of Washington, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W37 – Schultejans, Alyssa (Kansas State University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W58 – Schwan, Courtney (University of Washington, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W3 – Scoles, Julia (University of North Carolina, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W38 – Shebby, Frankie (University of Colorado, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W52 – Smith, Alexa (University of Colorado, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W44 – Sokolowski, Mia (University of Florida, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W19 – Spann, Justine (University of Colorado, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W20 – Ssozi, Denise (Air Force, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W39 – Tekavec, Kristi (Florida Atlantic University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
W57 – Wettersrom, Sydney (University of Michigan, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W54 – White, Micaya (University of Texas, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W40 – Williams, Stephanie (University of Pittsburgh, Outside Hitter, 4pm)
W41 – Winters, Jaali (Creighton University, Outside Hitter, 6pm)
W55 – Woodford, McKenna (Washington State University, Outside Hitter, 2pm)
Setters (41)
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Friday Wave Time)
P87 – Akeo, Lynzi (University of Pittsburgh, Setter, 2pm)
P94 – Arnautou, Frances (Yale University, Setter, 6pm)
P93 – Botkin, Brooke (University of Southern California, Setter, 2pm)
P92 – Brisack, Victoria (Indiana University, Setter, 2pm)
P66 – Burkert, Brianne (Florida State University, Setter, 2pm)
P91 – Carlton, Holly (University of North Carolina, Setter, 2pm)
P86 – Dailey, Olivia (University of Kentucky, Setter, 6pm)
P85 – Dixon, Sarah (Kansas State University, Setter, 6pm)
P69 – Donovan, Mary (University of Georgia, Setter, 6pm)
P84 – Evans, Ashley (Purdue University, Setter, 4pm)
P99 – Filley, Alexa (Auburn University, Setter, 4pm)
P83 – Gengenbacher, Kristen (University of San Diego, Setter, 4pm)
P38 – Griffin, Sydney (University of North Dakota, Setter, 4pm)
P81 – Harris, Monique (Iowa State University, Setter, 2pm)
P80 – Havili, Ainise (University of Kansas, Setter, 4pm)
P65 – Hughes, Taylor (The Ohio State University, Setter, 4pm)
P64 – Huskey, Cheyenne (University of Florida, Setter, 6pm)
P68 – Iosia, Norene (University of Hawaii, Setter, 2pm)
P79 – Iruegas, Marlena (Concordia University at Texas, Setter, 2pm)
P78 – Jessen, Brittany (University of South Dakota, Setter, 6pm)
P97 – Kurtz, Kennedy (Sacramento State, Setter, 6pm)
P77 – Leonard, Nicole (University of Southern California, Setter, 2pm)
P90 – Lilley, Madison (Blue Valley West High School, Setter, 4pm)
P63 – McDaniel, Madison (Rice University, Setter, 2pm)
P62 – Nelson, Taylor (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Setter, 4pm)
P89 – Nicholson, Kristyn (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Setter, 2pm)
P88 – Orr, Gabrielle (University of Iowa, Setter, 6pm)
P75 – Owens, Melissa (Texas Tech University, Setter, 6pm)
P74 – Pickrell, Kylie (North Carolina State, Setter, 6pm)
P73 – Piedimonte, Kristina (Kennesaw State University, Setter, 2pm)
P61 – Porter, Rebecca (North Carolina State, Setter, 6pm)
P96 – Raskie, August (University of Oregon, Setter, 4pm)
P60 – Robins-Hardy, Taira (Brigham Young University, Setter, 6pm)
P72 – Sato, Blossom (Mississippi State University, Setter, 2pm)
P71 – Seaman, Amber (Ball State University, Setter, 2pm)
P70 – Seliger-Swenson, Samantha (University of Minnesota, Setter, 6pm)
P82 – Smith, Taylor (University of Maryland, Setter, 2pm)
P95 – Tashima, Taylor (Northwestern University, Setter, 4pm)
P59 – Weatherless, Jordan (Illinois State University, Setter, 6pm)
P76 – Welsh, Amanda (University of Texas-Arlington, Setter, 6pm)
P67 – Welsh, MacKenzi (University of Michigan, Setter, 4pm)
Administration
Tom Pingel (USAV Head Administrator/Evaluator)
Bill Kauffman (USAV Media Relations/Photography)
Sam Hubbard (USAV Admin)
Lizzy Briones (Evaluator/USAV Admin)
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Nicki Holmes (Admin/Evaluator)
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Jay VanVark (Admin/Evaluator)
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Karch Kiraly (Head Coach)
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Tama Miyashiro (Assistant)
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David Hunt (Assistant)
Ronni Beatty-Kollasch (ATC)
Jeff Liu (DataVolley Lead)
Court Coach
Keith Barnett
Fabian Ardila
Garrett Bitter
Chris Duenow
Billy Ebel
Taylor Scott Hartley
Matt Johann
Shige Okubo
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Evaluators
Jerritt Elliott
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Mark Hardaway
Dennis Janzen
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 18, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team’s bid to win its first-ever Olympic gold came up two points short in the semifinals on Thursday as it fell to Serbia 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13 in Rio de Janeiro with one of its prime starters on the bench midway through the second set due to an injury.
Team USA, having been on the doorstep at gold with silver-medal finishes in the last two Olympic Games and in 1984, will regroup in an effort to win the bronze on Saturday at noon ET against the loser of the second semifinal between Netherlands and China. Aside from Olympic silver medal finishes in 1984, 2008 and 2012, Team USA earned bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games.
“First of all I want to congratulate Serbia on winning the match and the right to play for a gold medal here in Rio de Janeiro,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They played a great match. I also want to congratulate our team. We are incredibly proud of the way we battled through some real adversity today, falling down 2-1 and all that was going on and putting ourselves into a position where we could make that win possible. Then Serbia made some great plays down the stretch. They earned a victory that they certainly should be very proud of.”
“Congratulations to Serbia,” U.S. captain Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) said. “They played a phenomenal match. That’s the best I’ve seen them play defense. The seemed to have a solid game plan. They are a great team.”
U.S. middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored a team-high 14 points with eight kills on 16 attacks and six blocks. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who was a double-sub in the second and third sets before starting the final two sets, tallied 13 points, all kills on 21 swings. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 12 points with nine kills on 26 attacks, two blocks and an ace.
The Americans are now 18-3 in their last 21 Olympic Games matches dating back to Aug. 13, 2008. Prior to today’s setback, the only two USA Olympic losses were to Brazil in the gold-medal matches of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Serbia, playing in only its third Olympic Games, will be playing in the gold-medal match for the first time on Saturday against the winner of Netherlands and China.
Team USA came back from a 16-14 deficit in the opening set, scoring three unanswered points breaking an 18-all tie en route to a 25-20 victory with seven of the final nine points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) had six points in the opening set, including three of the team’s six blocks. However, Akinradewo went down with an injury early in the second set and Serbia raced out to a 7-3 lead and never allowed the Americans back into the set, winning 25-17. Serbia continued the momentum into the third set with an early 8-1 lead and hung on for a 25-21 victory to go up 2-1 in sets.
“It took everybody,” Dietzen said on Team USA scrapping back into the match. “We’re two of the best teams in the world and we are going to expose all the weaknesses. I love the way that girls can come off the bench and be called to do any number of things. It was tough when Foluke went down. I think we were a little distracted there for a second just because we care so much for her. Obviously we wanted to turn this around for her and for everybody that’s a part of this program. We have a chance in the next 48 hours to do so.”
Team USA regained composure in the fourth set with some personnel changes and used a 10-4 scoring run to establish a 17-10 advantage in the fourth set and forced the tiebreaker with a 25-16 victory. In the tiebreaking fifth set, Serbia battled back from a 9-6 deficit to win 15-13.
“This one stings for sure,” Dietzen said. “But we had a great example set for us. Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross responded really well after their semifinal loss so we plan to take that same approach. Of course, yes, the next hour or so there is some grieving. But then we will see after 10 p.m. tonight who we will face in the bronze-medal match. We’re going after the bronze. That’s our next goal.”
U.S. libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) said both team fought to the bitter end.
“They came at us hard and we had to push back and forth a couple times,” Banwarth said. “They just had a little bit more at the end.”
“We left everything out there,” Larson said. “Foluke came down with something with her knee and I thought we did a good job rallying around each other. Serbia is a great team. We stuck with them. We are excited for another chance to medal, and that is what we came here to do. Again, congratulations to Serbia.”
USA defeated Serbia 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19 earlier in this Olympic Games pool play on Aug. 10. Serbia came away with a hard-fought five-set win at the 2015 FIVB World Cup in its last victory over the Americans.
Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), who started the fourth and fifth sets at outside hitter, pocketed eight points with six kills on 20 attacks and two blocks. Before coming out of the match early in the second set, Akinradewo had scored eight points with five kills on seven attacks and three blocks. Dietzen, who came in for the injured Akinradewo, scored five points in the match. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Delaware) totaled five points with four kills and a block. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), rounded out the scoring with two points as she started the first two sets.
“Every one of our players made a significant contribution to this challenge that we fought through,” Kiraly said. “They should hold their heads high and be proud. Karsta came in and did a really nice job. Christa came in and did really well. Right now this loss is deeply disappointing. It cuts deep, it is very painful. But that is okay. When you care that much, it is going to. We are going to process that some. We get some time to grieve. We signed up to do some difficult things. We are going to come back hard in 48 hours and fight for a bronze medal.”
Team USA converted 39.1 percent of its attacks into points with a .211 hitting efficiency (50-23-128) as setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) was credited with 39 running sets on 97 set attempts. Meanwhile, the American defense limited Serbia to a 37.2 kill percent and .140 hitting efficiency (48-30-129).
Banwarth was credited with a team-high nine digs and added six excellent receptions on 24 chances. Larson added a team-best nine excellent receptions on 28 chances and five digs. Robinson held seven excellent receptions in the loss.
Team USA out-blocked Serbia 17-16, but the Serb service gain netted an 8-2 ace advantage in keeping American offense out of sync especially early in the match. USA held a 50-48 margin in kills for an offensive advantage. Errors plagued both teams with the Americans committing 29 and Serbia 32.
“Serbia was doing a nice job of creating problems for us,” Kiraly said. “There was a whole slew of things that we were looking to solve. We look to be problem solvers on the court. We adjusted our lineup. We adjusted it again. We adjusted it again. I am proud of the way our team worked through a series of adjustments. But ultimately I got to congratulate Serbia. They made the plays needed to finish out the match.”
The Americans swept Japan 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday to reach the semifinals. Team USA advanced to the quarterfinals as Pool B’s top seed after finishing the preliminary round with a 5-0 record for the second consecutive Olympic Games.
Since the U.S. lost to Italy in the 2014 FIVB World Championship Finals Round pool play on Oct. 8, Team USA has won six tournaments including that very World Championship. The U.S. holds an overall 71-10 record since that loss.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
After Serbia scored the opening point of the match, Murphy hit a winner and Akinradewo put up a block to give the Americans a 2-1 lead in the first set. Akinradewo and Larson downed back-to-back kills to increase Team USA’s lead to 4-2. After a Serbia service error, Larson put up a block to extend the U.S. lead to 11-8. However, Serbia came back with two blocks in a 3-0 run to level the score at 11-all prompting a Team USA timeout. Serbia went back into the lead at 13-12 after winning a long rally and extended its advantage to 14-12 on a 3-0 run. The U.S. promptly ended Serbia’s 6-1 run with an Adams block and Larson kill to tie the set at 14-all. Serbia answered with a kill and block to build its cushion to 16-14. Consecutive Serbia errors knotted the set at 16-all. Team USA went back in front at 19-18 with a Hill kill and Serbia error, then Akinradewo put up a monster block for a 20-18 advantage going into a Serbia timeout. Out of the timeout, Akinradewo hammered a slide to extend Team USA’s lead to 21-18. Akinradewo slammed a kill and followed with a block to give the U.S. a 23-19 lead. The U.S. finished the set at 25-20 with an Adams block, Team USA’s sixth of the set.
Serbia scored the first two points of the second set and built a 7-3 advantage with an ace prompting a Team USA timeout. Team US chipped two points off the deficit with an Adams block and Serbia attack error at 12-10. Serbia answered with three straight points raise its cushion to five at 15-10 prompting USA to call timeout. Consecutive Serbia errors cut the American deficit to 17-14, though it answered with four straight to raise its margin 21-14. Serbia scored an ace and put up a block to lift the advantage to 24-15. Team USA saved two set points before Serbia ended the set at 25-17.
Serbia scored the opening two points of the third set to continue momentum from the second set and raised its advantage to 8-1. Team USA ended the 6-0 run with a Serbia net fault and followed with a Robinson kill and Adams overpass slam to chip the lead to 8-4. Serbia responded with two straight to go back up 10-4. The Americans clawed to within 13-9 with a Murphy block after a Serbia service error. Larson served an ace off the net following a Serbia service error to trim the gap to 14-11. Serbia rebuilt its lead to 16-11 with a block. Adams slammed an overpass following a Serbia attack error to move the deficit back to three at 16-13. Serbia moved to a five-point cushion at 20-15 on two USA errors. Team USA cut the gap back to three at 21-18 with a Dietzen kill and Serbia back row attack error. Lowe slammed back-to-back kills to move Team USA within two at 22-20. However, Serbia took the next two points to get set points at 24-20. Serbia won the set 25-21 on a USA service error.
Team USA gained a 7-4 lead in the fourth set on consecutive kills from Larson followed by a block from Dietzen. Serbia closed to one at 7-6 with an ace. However, Team USA responded with a Larson block between two Serbia errors to push the American lead to 10-6. Out of a Serbia timeout, Dietzen scored a block for a fourth straight USA point at 11-6. Robinson put up a kill and block on consecutive plays to extend the American lead to 14-8. Team USA extended the lead to 17-10 with consecutive Serbia errors, but the gap was cut to 17-13 with a 3-0 Serbia run. Adams ended the run with a kill and Hill followed with an ace to lift the Americans in front 19-13. Lowe slammed a kill after a Serbia service error to inch the lead to 21-14. Lowe hammered back-to-back kills and Robinson picked up a block to raise the gap to 24-15. Team USA won the set 25-16 on a Serbia service error.
Lowe scored back-to-back back-row kills to give the Americans the first two-point edge at 5-3 after the teams traded points to start the fifth set. Adams put up a monster block at 6-4 preventing Serbia from tying the set. Lowe scored consecutive kills to inch the American lead to 9-6. Lowe scored another block at 11-8 that could have trimmed Serbia’s deficit to two. Serbia finally pulled back to within two at 11-10 prompting a Team USA timeout. Serbia tied the tiebreaker at 12-all on a USA error, then aced to go up 13-12. Serbia earned match point at 14-13 on a USA serving error, then ended the set at 15-13.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 16, 2016) – Familiarity with an opponent can be a double-edged sword, but that didn’t stop the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, in defeating No. 5 Japan 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 in the quarterfinal round of the Rio Games on Tuesday afternoon at Maracanazinho Arena to advance to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive Olympic Games.
Team USA will challenge Serbia in the semifinals on Thursday at a time to be announced after the conclusion of the four quarterfinal matches. Serbia shutdown Russia 25-9, 25-22, 25-21 after the American victory over Japan.
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) scored a match-high 15 points with 12 kills on 29 attacks, two aces and a block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) contributed 14 points in the victory with 12 kills on 21 swings and two aces.
“It is huge,” Larson said of getting the victory in the nerve-racking knock-out quarterfinal round. “I think we did a nice job of just putting pressure on them. We knew they would defend us well. They came back there in the third set, but that is just what they do. We stayed patient and we stayed doing us, and that was the most important thing.”
The Americans are 18-2 in their last 20 Olympic Games matches dating back to Aug. 13, 2008. The only two losses have been to Brazil in the gold-medal matches of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
The U.S. used a 6-1 run to establish an 11-7 advantage in the opening set and continued to roll to the 25-16 victory. In a close second set, Japan came back from a 22-19 deficit to tie the score at 22-all only to have the Americans finish out the set with a 25-23 victory as Larson scored three kills after the tie. Team USA went on a 16-7 run to take a 20-13 lead in the third set, but Japan scored seven straight points to level the set at 20-all. The Americans regrouped to score five of the last seven points, including two points from Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) coming off the bench, to win 25-22.
“We don’t go into any match expecting to win,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “There are at least two benefits to that. One is that we know we have to really work hard, do not expect to win the next point. We know we have to go out and earn it rather than thinking it will happen on its own. And then when we do accomplish something that we do not expect, we can derive a lot more satisfaction and increase our overall level of satisfaction, not just in volleyball but in life.”
The U.S. has now won 13 consecutive matches against Japan during the current Olympic quadrennial as the two teams played their 224th total match against each other since 1983. Japan still holds a slim lead in the all-time series, 113-111.
“It is good and bad, obviously,” Larson said on competing against a team that Team USA is so familiar with. “We know a lot about them, they know a lot about us. But I think we did a good job at being consistent and being us.”
“We always enjoy playing Japan,” U.S. captain Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) said. “They always expose different weaknesses. I think we both do that. They are always a wonderful defensive team. I’m sure you’ve seen tonight it takes four, five, six swings to put the ball down against them. That’s always a great challenge for us. We always enjoy playing them.”
That long-standing tradition of competing against Japan has built a high degree of mutual respect from both the programs. Kiraly said the history of the Japanese program has helped push the Americans to be their best.
“First of all we have tremendous respect for the Japanese program,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Their players, their coaching staff, their long tradition – we won’t ever forget that it was in Tokyo, Japan, where indoor volleyball was first brought into the Olympic program and where it will return in four years. So that is all really special things that we cherish. We also love playing against a team like that that plays the best team defense in the world, they play with great fighting spirit and never gives up. That pushes us to our limit and ultimately we bring out the best in each other.”
American middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) has been a steady offensive threat through the first six matches of the Olympic Games, and that was no different against Japan as she piled up 10 points with seven kills on 13 swings and a team-leading three blocks. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) tacked on nine points, all kills coming on 16 attacks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added five points in the victory. Lowe, who was the opposite in the double-sub in all three sets, finished the match with three kills and an ace all in critical situations. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with an ace.
The U.S. converted 48.5 percent of its attacks into points with a .412 hitting efficiency (47-7-97) as Glass, the tournament’s leading setter, was credited with 28 running sets on 65 total chances. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California), the setter in the double-sub in all three sets, registered five running sets on seven attempts. In contrast, the American defense held Japan to a 36.9 kill percent and a .243 hitting efficiency (38-13-103).
Even as a setter, Glass led the U.S. in digs with 11 and libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) added seven digs to go with six excellent receptions on 10 chances. Larson pocketed a team-best 10 excellent receptions on 25 chances and seven digs.
The Americans enjoyed advantages in every scoring category including 6-2 in aces and 5-2 in blocks. The U.S. managed a 47-38 margin in kills and held their total errors to 17 for the match to Japan’s 19.
“I think we have to continue to remind ourselves (to be patient) because it is frustrating playing against a great defensive team like Japan,” Dietzen said. “It takes four or five swings sometimes for us to put the ball down. So that’s a tribute to that program. In general, I thought we handled that pretty well. We were patient. We’re excited to be one step closer and we will wait this afternoon to find out who we face.”
Team USA advanced to the quarterfinals as Pool B’s top seed after finishing the preliminary round with a 5-0 record for the second consecutive Olympic Games. The U.S. has finished with the silver in each of the past two Olympics Games.
In the first quarterfinal match today, Netherlands defeated Korea 25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 25-20 to earn the first of four spots in Thursday’s semifinal matches. Later today Russia meets Serbia and host Brazil faces China in quarterfinal round matches that will complete the medal round field.
Team USA defeated Japan 3-0 earlier this year during the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round contested on June 18 at Long Beach, California. Entering the match with Japan, the Americans were undefeated in 12 matches against the Japanese in the 2016 Olympic quadrennial. The last time Japan had topped the U.S. was during the final match of the 2011 FIVB World Cup round robin event that prevented the Americans from winning their first-ever World Cup title.
Since the U.S. lost to Italy in the 2014 FIVB World Championship Finals Round pool play on Oct. 8, Team USA has won six tournaments including that very World Championship. The U.S. holds an overall 71-9 record since that loss.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
The U.S. scored three unanswered to take a 4-1 advantage with kills from Hill and Akinradewo around a Japan error. Japan responded with four straight points to take a 6-5 lead. Adams and Murphy stopped the run with kills to reverse the lead to Team USA at 7-6. The Americans stretched the lead to 10-7 with two Adams kills around a Japan error. Larson served an ace for a fourth straight point at 11-7 prompting a Japan timeout. The American lead increased to 15-9 with kills from Hill and Akinradewo around a Japan error causing Japan to call its second timeout. Hill served an ace after a Japan fault o give the Americans an eight-point advantage at 18-10. Team USA’s lead reached nine points at 22-13 with a Larson kill and Japan error. The U.S. reached set points on an Adams kill and Japanese attack error at 24-15. Team USA capped the set at 25-16 with an Akinradewo block.
Team USA built a 3-1 lead in the second set with consecutive kills from Hill, Akinradewo and Larson. Japan came back to take the lead 7-6 with three unanswered points. Japan extended the advantage to 9-7 following an American attack error. Hill put up a block after a Japan error to square the set at 9-all. Adams and Murphy slammed back-to-back kills to push the Americans back in front 13-12. Team USA reached a two-point cushion at 16-14 with two Japan errors, but the Japanese quickly answered with three straight to take an 18-17 lead. Akinradewo put up consecutive blocks to stop the run and yield a Team USA 19-18 lead at a Japan timeout. Hill served an ace out of the timeout give the U.S. a two-point cushion at 20-18. Larson hammered a kill off the block following a Japan service error to inch the American lead to 22-19. Japan scored three straight to knot the score at 22-all prompting a USA timeout. Larson responded with two straight kills to give the Americans a 24-22 lead. Larson finished out the set with a kill at 25-23.
Japan established an early 4-2 lead in the third set. Team USA leveled the set at 6-all with kills from Larson and Hill, then went ahead 7-6 on a Japan attack into the antenna. Team USA inched the lead two at 9-7 with kills from Adams and Murphy. Hill gave the U.S. a 12-8 lead with two power slams following a Japan error. Out of a Japan timeout, Hill scored a third straight kill building the American lead to 13-8. Japan trimmed the gap to 14-11 with consecutive points. Glass served an ace after a Larson kill to extend the Team USA lead to 17-12. Out of a Japan timeout, Murphy put up a block to increase the American lead to 18-12. Larson served an ace after dinking over the Japan block to send the USA in front 20-13. Japan erased the entire deficit with a 7-0 run to level the set at 20-all. Lowe subbed into the match and promptly ended the run with a kill giving Team USA a 21-20 edge. Lowe gave the Americans a 23-21 lead with an ace off the net after a Hill kill. Hill slammed a kill to give USA set points at 24-21. Akinradewo ended the set at 25-22 with a slam after Japan saved one match point.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 11, 2016) – The 2016 U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team continues to make history: in the latest rankings released by World ParaVolley – the sport’s international governing body – the U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history.
The U.S., previously ranked No. 2, traded places with China after defeating the former worldwide No. 1 for gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September.
“Receiving the world No. 1 ranking for the first time is ‘icing on the cake’ to the gold medal the team earned in Rio,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said. “It is a reflection of the high level the team has consistently played at the whole quad, especially in the last year and a half. If we would not have won the Intercontinental Cup in March we would not have earned the No. 1 ranking even though we won the gold medal in Rio. Obtaining the No. 1 ranking will put a target on our backs, but at this point in the team’s development we will be proud of wearing it. It means our work is not finished and we have much more to do!”
The U.S. now tops the list with 5,350 ranking points. China is second with 5,200. Brazil improves one spot to worldwide No. 3 after winning bronze at the Rio Games. Ukraine, which lost to Brazil in the bronze medal match, sits fourth while Netherlands rounds out the top five countries on the women’s side.
China has long been the world’s top-ranked team. China won every Paralympic gold medal since Women’s Sitting Volleyball was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 2004, prior to the U.S. victory in Rio, as well as the 2010 and 2014 world championships.
The new ranking is the second time the U.S. Women improved their placement this calendar year. In March, the team was ranked No. 3 before the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup. After defeating China for gold at the tournament, the U.S. supplanted then-No. 2 Ukraine to move up one spot ahead of the Paralympics.
The U.S. Men also improved their overall world ranking following the Paralympics: the team moved up one spot to No. 8, passing Russia after an eight-place finish at the Paralympics. Iran and Brazil maintained the top two spots in the Men’s Sitting Volleyball rankings.
The U.S. Sitting Teams are enjoying a break from training following the Paralympic Games and return to practice on Monday in preparation for the 2017 season.
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WASHINGTON D.C. (Sept. 28, 2016) – The U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Team capped a historic year Wednesday night when the team was named “Best Paralympic Team” Presented by Dow at the Team USA Awards. The team was nominated after the U.S. Women defeated China 25-12, 25-12, 25-18 in the gold medal final of the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games earlier this month to win the first-ever gold medal by a U.S. Paralympic volleyball team.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team finished 2016 with a remarkable 21-3 record. The team’s only loss in official competition came against China in pool play at the Paralympics; the other two losses came against Russia during a five-match exhibition series at the 2016 USA Volleyball Open National Championships.
In addition to winning gold at the Paralympics, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team won gold at the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup in Anji, China in March, defeating China 3-1 in the gold medal match. The team also won the Dutch Tournament, a round-robin event in early July, dropping just one set China in the six-match sweep.
Following the gold medal win at the Paralympics, Captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) was named Tournament MVP and “Best Receiver.” Erickson finished with 54 kills, seven blocks and four aces for 65 points. Teammate Lora Webster (Point Lookout, New York) was named “Best Blocker,” dominating the net with 19 total blocks and 38 rebounds, leading all players in both categories.
The U.S. Women outscored their opponents 407-225, winning sets by an average of 11.07 points. Additionally, the team tallied 189 kills, tied with Brazil for the second most in the whole tournament. China led with 202 kills. At the net, the U.S. Women consistently out-blocked opponents, totaling 51 blocks with an additional 106 block-rebounds, 24 more than the next closest team (China, 92 block rebounds).
The U.S. previously won bronze (2004) and silver (2008, 2012) at the Paralympic Games, facing off with long-time rival China in both the 2008 and 2012 gold medal finals. Since women’s sitting volleyball was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 2004, China had won gold each Games.
Ranked No. 2 in the world, the U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team beat out other “Best Paralympic Team” nominees U.S. Men’s Goalball, U.S. Wheelchair Rugby and both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Teams. The results were decided by 50 percent fan vote and 50 percent vote by Paralympic National Governing Bodies.
Other winners were:
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
Press Officer: Karen Patterson
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Sept. 15, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team will play for history on Saturday in the 2016 Paralympic Games gold medal final after defeating host-nation Brazil 25-13, 28-26, 25-18 Thursday night.
The U.S. faces longtime rival China for gold on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the match live at . Since women’s sitting volleyball was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 2004, China has won gold every time. The U.S. lost to China in the finals both in 2008 and 2012, and hopes to alter the result on Saturday.
“It feels so amazing to know I’m going to be playing in my first Paralympic gold medal final! It honestly feels amazing because we’ve worked so hard to get here,” Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) said after the match.
Nieves had a four-point serve run late in the second set to put the U.S. ahead 22-17 after the teams traded leads multiple times early in the set. Following a shaky service performance earlier in the tournament, the 5-10 middle blocker said she was relieved to have consistent serving.
“I really was just focused on keeping it in. The first few matches the crowd noise got to me a little so I gave myself more time,” Nieves said.
The U.S. raced ahead of Brazil early in Set 1, capitalizing on Brazilian errors and controlling the set with strong serving. Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) rallied off a six-point service run to put the U.S. ahead in the set with a lead it never surrendered.
In Set 2, the U.S. took a 24-20 lead, but Brazil stormed back to tie it at 24-24. Captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) blocked a serve to tie the set at 26-26; a Lora Webster (Point Lookout, New York) put the U.S. ahead and the Americans took a 2-0 lead on a Brazilian attack error.
“When we needed to step it up and compete, we did that and made it happen,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said. “I told them after we won, it really takes a great team to win in an atmosphere like that even when you’re not playing well.”
Erickson led the U.S. in the win with 14 points (11 kills, three blocks). Webster (nine points: four kills, four blocks, one ace) and Holloway (eight kills) led the balanced U.S. attack which saw five players with at least four kills.
As Set 3 began, Brazil built on the momentum gained from closing the gap in the previous set, jumping out to an 8-3 lead. Scrappy defense and kills by Holloway and Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Oklahoma) brought the score within one, but Brazil continued to pull ahead.
The U.S. took the lead for good at 10-9 on a Nieves tip kill, pushing the lead as the match went on behind strong defense led by Erickson and Kanahele with eight digs each.
“Our defense kept us in the match,” Hamiter said. “Now it’s over and we can take the next step.”
The U.S. will regroup quickly on Friday, preparing for a gold medal final date with China. Since the 2008 Paralympic Games, the U.S. and China have played in five gold medal finals, including both the 2010 and 2014 World Championships. China holds a 4-1 record in those matches; the U.S.’s single gold came earlier this year at the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup.
For Kanahele, member of the 2012 silver-medal winning U.S. squad, the opportunity to play China is the matchup the team wanted.
“We’ve played them so much and we know each other so well, so we know it will be a tough fight,” Kanahele said. “But we didn’t quite do enough against them (in pool play), so we’ll be looking to play our best match.”
On Sunday, China defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the closest match of the women’s Paralympic sitting volleyball tournament.
U.S. Starters vs. Brazil
Middle blockers: Lora Webster, Michelle Schiffler
Outside hitters: Katie Holloway, Monique Burkland
Opposite: Heather Erickson
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Brazil
Kills: Heather Erickson 11, Katie Holloway 8, Monique Burkland 4, Nicky Nieves 4, Lora Webster 4, Kaleo Kanahele 1
Blocks: Webster 4, Nieves 3, Erickson 3, Burkland 2
Aces: Burkland 3, Nieves 2, Webster 1
Digs: Erickson 8, Kanahele 8, Holloway 7, Burkland 4, Webster 3, Nieves 2, Bethany Zummo 1
Assists: Kanahele 21, Webster 3, Nieves 2, Erickson 1
U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1. Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, New York)
2. Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3. Alexis Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4. Michelle Schiffler (OH/MB, 6-0, Lake Wales, Fla.)
5. Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6. Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, NC)
7. Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
10. Kari Miller (L, 5-6, Washington D.C.)
13. Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14. Kaleo Kanahele (S, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16. Nicky Nieves (MB, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17. Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Team Leader: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coaches: Cara Lang and Lazaro Beltran
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
Press Officer: Karen Patterson
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Pools
Pool A: Brazil, Ukraine, Netherlands, Canada
Pool B: China, United States, Iran, Rwanda
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Schedule
All times EDT
Sept. 9
Brazil def. Canada, 25-7, 25-12, 25-14
Ukraine def. Netherlands, 21-25, 22-25, 25-13, 26-24, 15-12
Sept. 10
China def. Rwanda, 25-3, 25-8, 25-6
USA def. Iran, 25-17, 25-13, 25-9
Sept. 11
Netherlands def. Canada, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-22
Brazil def. Ukraine, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14
Sept. 12
Iran def. Rwanda, 25-10, 25-19, 25-18
China def. USA, 25-17, 14-25, 14-25, 28-26, 15-13
Sept. 13
Brazil def. Netherlands, 25-18, 25-15, 25-21
Ukraine def. Canada, 25-20, 25-19, 25-16
Sept. 14
USA def. Rwanda, 25-10, 25-8, 25-3
China def. Iran, 25-16, 25-19, 25-11
Sept. 15
Women’s 7th-8th Classification: Canada def. Rwanda, 25-21, 25-15, 25-20
Women’s 5th-6th Classification: Iran def. Netherlands, 25-21, 25-13, 23-25, 15-25, 15-13
China def. Ukraine, 25-14, 25-23, 25-20
USA def. Brazil, 25-13, 28-26, 25-18
Sept. 17
Women’s bronze medal match, Ukraine vs. Brazil, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s gold medal match, China vs. USA, 6 p.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Sept. 14, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world, will face 2016 Olympic Games champion China and Italy twice during the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Group 1 preliminary round, as announced by the FIVB on Wednesday.
Team USA, which has won the World Grand Prix six times with four of the titles coming since 2010, opens the three-weekend preliminary round phase in China with matches against Russia, Italy and the host Chinese from July 7-9. The Americans remain in China for the second weekend and will play Turkey, Italy and China from July 14-16. The U.S. will make the long trek to Brazil for the final preliminary round weekend July 21-23 when it will face Netherlands, Belgium and Brazil.
The tournament is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. The 2017 edition marks the first major event following the 2016 Olympic Games in which the Americans finished with the bronze medal.
The World Grand Prix Group 1 has 12 teams each playing nine matches in the preliminary round. Each weekend has three sites of four teams playing round-robin matches. The cities and venues for each preliminary round site will be confirmed at a later date.
The top five teams through the preliminary phase plus the to-be-announced Final Round host country will compete Aug. 2-6 for the World Grand Prix title.
According to the FIVB, participating teams will have to feature eight players out of 14 from the last World Grand Prix and six players out of 12 from the last Olympic Games. Teams will register 21 players six weeks before the beginning of the competition, bringing that list down to 18 players four weeks before the beginning of the competition and down to 14 players at two days before the start of play.
The U.S. captured the silver medal in the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix, which Brazil won in an exciting five set match in Bangkok, Thailand. The Americans split with China in the preliminary round and again during the Finals Round pool play.
The World Grand Prix Council also confirmed next year’s competition will feature a record prize money of $600,000 and a record number of teams – increasing from 28 in 2016 to 32 in 2017. Group 2 will expand to 12 team and Group 3 remaining at eight teams.
2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Group 1
July 7-9
Pool A1 (in Turkey): Belgium, Belgium, Turkey, Serbia
Pool B1 (in China): China, Italy, Russia, USA
Pool C1 (in Netherlands): Dominican Republic, Japan, Netherlands, Thailand
July 14-16
Pool D1 (in Japan): Brazil, Japan, Serbia, Thailand
Pool E1 (in China): China, Italy, Turkey, USA
Pool F1 (in Russia): Belgium, Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Russia
July 21-23
Pool G1 (in China): China, Japan, Russia, Serbia
Pool H1 (in Thailand): Dominican Republic, Italy, Thailand, Turkey
Pool I1 (in Brazil): Belgium, Brazil, Netherlands, USA
FIVB World Grand Prix Group 1 Finals
Aug. 2-6 – Site TBA
2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Group 2
July 7-30
Teams: Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico
2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Group 3
July 7-23
Teams: Algeria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Sept. 14, 2016) – The U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team cruised into the semifinals Wednesday morning, defeating Rwanda 25-10, 25-8 , 25-3 in the final match of pool play.
If China defeats Iran this afternoon, the U.S. will finish second and faces Brazil in Thursday’s first semifinal at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The win provided the U.S. an opportunity to reset after a long, disappointing 3-2 loss to China Sunday evening. Behind strong, consistent serving – five players had service runs of at least four points – the U.S. controlled the pace of the match.
Setter Lexi Shifflett (Waseca, Minnesota) led the U.S. in Set 3 with a 19-point service run which included a team-high eight aces. The U.S. recorded 20 aces to two serve errors, causing Rwanda to often play out of system.
“My shoulder is definitely a little sore, but I just kept placing the serves where I wanted,” Shifflett said.
Shifflett and Michelle Schiffler (DeLand, Florida) led the U.S. with 10 and nine points, respectively. Shifflett added one block and one kill, while Schiffler had a team-high eight kills with one ace. Head Coach Bill Hamiter evenly distributed playing time among the 12-player roster; all players but libero Bethany Zummo (Dublin, California) scored at least one point.
“I wanted them to come out and continue to execute point by point. We made a few mistakes, but overall our energy was up and the intensity was good,” Hamiter said. “It was great to see some good play out of the bench. I was trying to create a good balance where everyone is ready to play tomorrow if we need them.”
The U.S opened the match with an early service run by starting setter Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Oklahoma); Kanahele went on a 9-0 run to give the U.S. a 13-2 lead early in the match. The Americans capitalized on Rwanda unforced errors, committing just four errors to Rwanda’s 16.
Set 2 saw more consistent play from the entire team; Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Oklahoma) recorded three of her six kills in the set at the Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) and Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) put together service runs to increase the lead.
The U.S. will face a talented Brazilian team that has defeated all its opponents in straight sets, winning sets by an average of 9.4 points. The U.S. and Brazil scrimmaged each other to a draw earlier in the tournament
“We’ve been starting to prepare for them since before the tournament began,” Holloway said. “They’re a really good team and they want it really bad so the noise and the energy is going to provide that much more pressure on us, and that will force us to play our best and play well. For us it’s all great for our game.”
U.S. Starters vs. Rwanda
Middle blockers: Lora Webster, Michelle Schiffler
Outside hitters: Katie Holloway, Monique Burkland
Opposite: Heather Erickson
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Rwanda
Kills: Michelle Schiffler 8, Katie Holloway 6, Monique Burkland 6, Heather Erickson 5, Nichole Millage 3, Lora Webster 3, Nicky Nieves 1, Lexi Shifflett 1, Kari Miller 1, Kaleo Kanahele 1
Blocks: Webster 2, Shifflett 1, Nieves 1
Aces: Shifflett 8, Kanahele 3, Burkland 3, Nieves 2, Nichole Millage 2, Tia Edwards 1, Katie Holloway 1
Digs: Shifflett 1, Edwards 1, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1, Webster 1, Miller 1
Assists: Shifflett 7, Kanahele 7, Holloway 2, Edwards 1, Webster 1, Schiffler 1, Burkland 1, Millage 1, Bethany Zummo 1, Erickson 1
U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1. Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, New York)
2. Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3. Alexis Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4. Michelle Schiffler (OH/MB, 6-0, Lake Wales, Fla.)
5. Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6. Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, NC)
7. Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
10. Kari Miller (L, 5-6, Washington D.C.)
13. Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14. Kaleo Kanahele (S, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16. Nicky Nieves (MB, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17. Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Team Leader: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coaches: Cara Lang and Lazaro Beltran
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
Press Officer: Karen Patterson
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Pools
Pool A: Brazil, Ukraine, Netherlands, Canada
Pool B: China, United States, Iran, Rwanda
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Schedule
All times EDT
Sept. 9
Brazil def. Canada, 25-7, 25-12, 25-14
Ukraine def. Netherlands, 21-25, 22-25, 25-13, 26-24, 15-12
Sept. 10
China def. Rwanda, 25-3, 25-8, 25-6
USA def. Iran, 25-17, 25-13, 25-9
Sept. 11
Netherlands def. Canada, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-22
Brazil def. Ukraine, 25-19, 25-20, 25-14
Sept. 12
Iran def. Rwanda, 25-10, 25-19, 25-18
China def. USA, 25-17, 14-25, 14-25, 28-26, 15-13
Sept. 13
Brazil def. Netherlands, 25-18, 25-15, 25-21
Ukraine def. Canada, 25-20, 25-19, 25-16
Sept. 14
USA def. Rwanda, 25-10, 25-8, 25-3
Iran vs. China, 1 p.m.
Sept. 15
Women’s 7th-8th Classification, Canada vs. Rwanda, 12:30 p.m.
Women’s 5th-6th Classification, Iran vs. Netherlands, 2:30 p.m.
Semifinal 1, China vs. Ukraine 5:30 p.m.
Semifinal 2, USA vs. Brazil 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17
Women’s bronze medal match, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s gold medal match, 6 p.m.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Sept. 10, 2016) – The U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team’s campaign to win gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games began with a 25-17, 25-13, 25-9 win against Iran on Saturday afternoon.
Seeded third at the Paralympic Games and ranked No. 2 worldwide, the U.S. was led by Captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) and Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
The match began slowly as the teams traded shots and points. Head Coach
“The crowd was energized no matter what, so it was just exciting to have that much energy for anything sitting volleyball, so it made me happy,” Holloway said.
The U.S. pulled away late in the Set 1 on a series of kills by Erickson and Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Oklahoma) and strong blocking by Lora Webster (Point Look, New York). Webster led the U.S. with three blocks and seven rebounds on 13 attempts.
The U.S. clinched Set 1 on an Iran attack error, but the scrappy No. 6 seeded Iranians came out firing in Set 2, capitalizing on U.S. mistakes to keep the score close.
“I feel like the unforced errors helped keep them in the game, but we weren’t stressed out about it. I believe in this team and the way they can compete,” Hamiter said. “I felt toward the middle of that second set we started executing much, much better even though I still felt we were making a few too many errors, I thought they were hustle errors rather than execution errors and I’ll take that any day.”
Iran tied the second set 12-12, but a Burkland kill followed by a nine-point service run by Erickson gave the U.S. a 22-13 lead and a Set 2 win. Burkland added her own eight-point service run in Set 3 as Holloway recorded six of her 11 kills in the set.
“I’m a spot server, so for me, I don’t really realize it (when I’m on a run), I just go back and do it,” Erickson said of her successful serving. “It’s more, ‘just get it in!’ and let the team play because we’re great on defense so if I can put it in we’re good.”
Hamiter took advantage of the team’s consistency late in the match, using all 12 players on the roster in the win. Starting setter Kaleo Kanahele tallied 21 assists, with an additional six assists from Lexi Shifflett (Waseca, Minnesota). Libero
The U.S. next faces long-time rival China on Monday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The teams battled for the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic gold medals, with China claiming victory each time. However, the U.S. has defeated China all three times the teams have met this year, including in the gold medal final at the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup in March.
Earlier on Saturday, China defeated Rwanda 25-3, 25-8, 25-6.
U.S. Starters vs. Iran
Middle blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside hitters: Katie Holloway, Heather Erickson,
Opposite: Monique Burkland
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Libero:Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Iran
Kills: Erickson 12, Holloway 11, Burkland 10, Nieves 2, Kanahele 1, Michelle Schiffler 1
Blocks: Webster 3, Erickson 2, Nieves 1, Holloway 1, Kanahele 1, Burkland 1
Aces: Erickson 2, Burkland 2, Holloway 1
U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1. Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, New York)
2. Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3. Alexis Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4. Michelle Schiffler (OH/MB, 6-0, Lake Wales, Fla.)
5. Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6. Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, NC)
7. Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
10. Kari Miller (L, 5-6, Washington D.C.)
13. Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14. Kaleo Kanahele (S, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16. Nicky Nieves (MB, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17. Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Team Leader: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coaches: Cara Lang and Lazaro Beltran
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
Press Officer: Karen Patterson
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Pools
Pool A: Brazil, Ukraine, Netherlands, Canada
Pool B: China, United States, Iran, Rwanda
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Schedule
All times EDT
Sept. 9
Brazil def. Canada, 25-7, 25-12, 25-14
Ukraine def. Netherlands, 21-25, 22-25, 25-13, 26-24, 15-12
Sept. 10
China def. Rwanda, 25-3, 25-8, 25-6
USA def. Iran, 25-17, 25-13, 25-9
Sept. 11
Canada vs. Netherlands, 2:30 p.m.
Brazil vs. Ukraine, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 12
Rwanda vs. Iran, 9 a.m.
USA vs. China, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 13
Netherlands vs. Brazil, 10 a.m.
Ukraine vs. Canada, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 14
USA vs. Rwanda, 9 a.m.
Iran vs. China, 1 p.m.
Sept. 15
Women’s 7th-8th Classification, 12:30 p.m.
Women’s 5th-6th Classification, 2:30 p.m.
Semifinal 1, 5:30 p.m.
Semifinal 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17
Women’s bronze medal match, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s gold medal match, 6 p.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 5, 2016) – When the 2016 Paralympics begin Sept. 7 with the Opening Ceremony, the U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Team will have one goal on its mind: Make Paralympic history.
The U.S. Women are seeking the program’s first Paralympic gold medal after earning medals at each of the three previous Paralympic Games. China has won gold every Paralympics since women’s sitting volleyball was introduced in 2004.
The U.S. Women made their Paralympic debut in 2004, shocking the world with a bronze medal finish. The fledgling program gained strength and momentum in the ensuing four years, battling China for gold at the 2008 Games, but bringing home a silver medal. In London, the U.S. Women hoped to complete the medal cycle but once again fell to China in the gold medal final.
To the casual observer, China, ranked No. 1 worldwide since 2004, may seem favored to win a fourth consecutive gold medal. However, the U.S. Women hold a 6-4 record against their rivals since 2014, and have topped the Chinese in all three meetings this year, including winning gold at the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup in Anji, China in March.
“We’ll continue to push the confidence factor against China,” Women’s Sitting Head Coach Bill Hamiter said. “We know we’ve played well against them when they’re at their best, and we shouldn’t back down from playing them.”
Leading the U.S. are four-time Paralympian Lora Webster (Phoenix, Arizona), and three-time Paralympians Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington), team captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Illinois) and Kari Miller (Washington D.C.).
Erickson was named MVP and “Best Spiker” at the Intercontinental Cup, also receiving a 2016 ESPY nomination for “Best Female Athlete with a Disability.” The trio of Webster and Holloway packs a powerful punch that forces an opponent’s defense to elevate its game. However, any success will require contributions from the entire roster.
“We’re looking for consistent play from everyone,” Hamiter said. “We know the abilities of our athletes and we want them to use those as abilities as consistently as possible. If we play at our level, we give ourselves a good chance of winning every match.”
The No. 2-ranked U.S. Women will meet China in pool play along with No. 9 Iran and No. 13 Rwanda; the latter two are making their Paralympic debut. Host-nation Brazil automatically received the top seed for the tournament, putting China, seeded No. 2, and third-seeded U.S. together in Pool B.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team begins its Paralympic competition on Sept. 10 against Iran, a team it defeated 3-0 at the Intercontinental Cup in March. Despite the sweep, Hamiter expects a tough, scrappy opponent. Although the Iranian women’s team is less experienced, the country has a rich history in sitting volleyball: The Iranian men have medaled in every Paralympic Games since 1988, with five gold medals.
“The (women’s team) knows how to play, how to coach and their players are well-versed in the game. They’re very smart players and they play with a lot of heart. They’re not going to let easy balls go down,” Hamiter said of the U.S.’s first opponent. “We saw a lot of positive things from them in March and we’ll have to be at our best and make sure we play really good defense.”
The U.S. Women face China on Sept. 12 and finish pool play against Rwanda on Sept. 14. The top two teams advance to the semifinals in a crossover match against the top two seeded teams from Pool A, comprised of Brazil, Ukraine, Canada and Netherlands, which replaced Russia following the International Paralympic Committee’s ban of the Russian delegation.
Brazil and Ukraine are the top-seeded teams in Pool A and are likely candidates to advance to the medal round. However, worldwide No. 5 Netherlands and Canada are not too be overlooked.
U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1. Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, New York)
2. Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3. Alexis Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4. Michelle Schiffler (OH/MB, 6-0, Lake Wales, Fla.)
5. Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6. Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, NC)
7. Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
10. Kari Miller (L, 5-6, Washington D.C.)
13. Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14. Kaleo Kanahele (S, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16. Nicky Nieves (MB, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17. Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Team Leader: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coaches: Cara Lang and Lazaro Beltran
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
Press Officer: Karen Patterson
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Pools
Pool A: Brazil, Ukraine, Netherlands, Canada
Pool B: China, United States, Iran, Rwanda
2016 Paralympic Games Women’s Sitting Volleyball Schedule
All times EDT
Sept. 9
Brazil vs. Canada, 5:30 p.m.
Ukraine vs. Netherlands, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 10
China vs. Rwanda, 9 a.m.
USA vs. Iran, 1 p.m.
Sept. 11
Canada vs. Netherlands, 2:30 p.m.
Brazil vs. Ukraine, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 12
Rwanda vs. Iran, 9 a.m.
USA vs. China, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 13
Netherlands vs. Brazil, 10 a.m.
Ukraine vs. Canada, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 14
USA vs. Rwanda, 9 a.m.
Iran vs. China, 1 p.m.
Sept. 15
Women’s 7th-8th Classification, 12:30 p.m.
Women’s 5th-6th Classification, 2:30 p.m.
Semifinal 1, 5:30 p.m.
Semifinal 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17
Women’s bronze medal match, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s gold medal match, 6 p.m.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 14, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, overcame a slow start with an uncharacteristic number of errors to defeat No. 3 China 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19 Sunday evening in Rio de Janeiro to conclude the Olympic Games Pool B undefeated in five matches and earn the group’s top seed heading into the quarterfinal round.
Team USA will face Japan, the fourth-place team in Pool A, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at a time to be announced. The Americans, who are in search of their first Olympic Games gold medal in women’s volleyball, finished pool play with a 5-0 record for the second consecutive Olympic Games. The U.S. has finished with the silver in each of the past two Olympics Games.
“Coming into this Olympic Games, our group looked like it would present many, many challenges and that is exactly what it has done,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “From our start with Puerto Rico all the way to China today, I think every team in this group is better because we all challenged each other so much. So now four of our teams are excited to move on to see what happens in two days in the quarterfinals.”
Earlier today Netherlands edged Serbia in a five-set thriller, which meant Team USA needed to win just two sets against China to earn Pool B’s top seed based on tiebreakers. At the same time, the Netherlands/Serbia result locked in China as the No. 4 seed and Serbia as the No. 3 seed prior to the USA-China outcome.
The top four teams from the two six-team pools advance to the quarterfinals with the top seeds crossing over to play the opposite pool’s fourth seed. A drawing of lots following pool play will determine crossover matches for the pool’s second- and third seeds.
Team USA had four players score in double figures against China led by outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), who had 18 points with 15 kills on 34 attacks, two aces and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) contributed 15 points with 13 kills on 23 attacks and two blocks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) pocketed 13 points with 11 kills on 28 swings and two aces.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), who was a sub in the first two sets, provided a huge spark in starting the final two sets with 11 kills on 22 swings and just two errors to go with a block and ace for 13 points.
“We have played China what feels like a thousand times, so you know the opponent, what they are good at, what they are not,” Robinson said. “Our team played really well, especially when they pushed back. Just taking it one point at a time. That is all we had to do.”
China built an early 17-11 lead in the opening set as the Americans were plagued by errors, but Team USA closed the gap to 21-20 before falling 25-22. China took advantage of nine U.S. errors in the set and added five blocks. Team USA, using the late momentum from the first set, settled down in the second set in establishing a 17-10 lead and kept the pressure going for a 25-17 victory. After China closed four-point deficit down to 17-15 in the third, the Americans responded by quickly regaining the four-point cushion and finishing the set with a 25-19 victory.
“I thought we missed quite a few serves in the first set, but we came out stronger in the second – just serving it and keeping the ball in making China play a little bit,” Larson said. “The more we got them out of system, the less we had to worry about their middles. I thought we did a nice job of handling that.”
“I think we got off to a slow start,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team captain Christa Dietzen(Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) said. “But (U.S. head coach) Karch (Kiraly) said it best. He said ‘We have a chance to rewrite the match in the middle of the first set, and our team responded well. I think we have been able to respond well this whole tournament. We are team that handles adversity, and we have certainly faced a lot of adversity in this pool and will continue to heading into the quarterfinal round. We are excited to face our next opponent.”
Even after clinching Pool B’s top spot into the quarterfinals with its second set victory, Team USA didn’t let up in the fourth set in racing to a 13-5 advantage. However, China used an 8-2 rally to close within 15-13, but it wasn’t enough as Team USA scored six of the final eight points for a 25-19 victory.
Dietzen pocketed six points in the victory after not starting the opening set. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), who started the first two sets, amassed five points in the victory. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) and middle Rachael Adam (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled two points each, while Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Team USA converted 46.0 percent of its attacks into points with a .336 hitting efficiency (63-17-137) as Glass was credited with 51 running sets on 102 total set attempts. In contrast, the American defense limited the Chinese to a .244 hitting efficiency (48-18-123).
Larson led the U.S. in digs with 14, along with 10 excellent receptions on 21 errorless chances. Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was credited with nine digs and five excellent receptions on 17 chances. Robinson contributed eight excellent receptions on 23 chances and six digs.
Although China held an 11-7 block advantage with five coming in the opening set, the Americans were otherwise dominant on the offensive end with a 63-48 kill advantage and 5-3 edge in aces. After the U.S. committed nine errors in the opening set, it limited its total errors to 18 for the match while benefitting from 22 Chinese errors.
Entering the Olympics, Kiraly felt it would be difficult for any team to go undefeated in Pool B. But now says the results from the pool play are essentially washed away and teams start anew in the quarterfinal round.
“At the beginning, I wasn’t at all convinced that anyone could go undefeated,” Kiraly said. “These are the teams, China, Netherlands, Serbia, Italy with long histories of success. We are happy to come out first, to come out undefeated. And that counts for nothing now except for our quarterfinal bid, and maybe a face an opponent who did not do as well in other group. But all the teams coming from that group are also very strong.”
Robinson said that going 5-0 in pool play does give Team USA one major advantage besides getting the top seed.
“I think we have a lot of team momentum,” Robinson said. “I think everybody is rested and ready to go.”
Including its four-set win over China in the World Championship title match, the U.S. is 7-4 in the last 11 meetings with China.
Since the U.S. lost to Italy in the 2014 FIVB World Championship Finals Round pool play on Oct. 8, Team USA has won six tournaments including that very World Championship. The U.S. holds an overall 68-9 record since that loss.
USA is 17-2 in its last 16 Olympic Games matches dating back to Aug. 13, 2008. The only two losses have been to Brazil in the gold-medal match of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
After the opening points of the first set were marred by service and hitting errors, China took the lead at 5-3. Team USA’s mistakes continued to mount as China took a 12-9 advantage on the Americans’ sixth error of the set. After an American timeout, the U.S. cut the gap to 12-11 with a China error and Lowe block. China answered with five consecutive points to establish a 17-11 advantage. Adams stopped the run with a kill and China followed with a hitting error to cut the deficit to 17-13. Larson served an ace after a Chinese service error to narrow the American deficit to 18-15. Adams put up a block and Murphy followed with a cross-court winner to close the gap to 19-17. Akinradewo slammed a kill and Larson came back with a block to cut the gap to a single point at 21-20. However, USA had a hitting error and China served an ace to extend its lead to 23-20 and made the lead hold up for a 25-22 first set victory.
Hill hammered three kills and Akinradewo hammered two kills to put the Americans up 5-2 early in the second set. Out of a China timeout, the Americans increased the lead to 6-2 with a China error. However, China knocked two points off the deficit at 6-4. Team USA jumped the lead to five points at 10-5 with three consecutive Larson kills, then China committed an error at 11-5 for a fourth straight USA point. Robinson put up a solo block in her first rotation to the front to extend the American lead to 14-7. Dietzen hammered a kill and Akinradewo followed with a block to inch Team USA’s lead to 16-8. China shaved two points off the American lead at 16-10. Akinradewo crushed a winner and Robinson served an ace to move the American lead to 19-11, but China recorded the next two points to pull within six at 19-13. China scored two unanswered points to close to 21-15. Murphy killed off the China block to raise the American lead to 23-16. Dietzen gave the Americans set point 24-16 with a block. After China saved on set point, Robinson ended it with a kill at 25-17.
Robinson scored back-to-back kills to give the Americans their first lead of the third set at 2-1. China reversed the lead to 5-3 with three unanswered points. Larson answered with back-to-back kills to level the score at 5-all, then Larson stuffed China to give the U.S. a 6-5 lead. China came back with the next two points to lead 7-6. Dietzen scored a block to even the set and China hit into the net to give the U.S. an 8-7 lead. Larson slammed a kill off the block and aced China to extend the American lead to 10-8. Back-to-back China errors pushed the American lead to 12-9. Akinradewo tipped over the China block twice in a row to extend Team USA’s lead to 14-10. China won a successful video challenge and followed immediately with an ace to cut the gap in half at 17-15. Dietzen and Robinson extended Team USA’s lead back to four at 18-14 with consecutive kills. China hit wide to give the Americans set points at 24-19, then Dietzen ended the set at 25-19.
Team USA opened a 4-2 lead in the fourth set at Robinson slammed a kill followed by a Murphy ace. The Americans extended the lead to 9-4 with consecutive China errors followed by a Larson kill. Following a China timeout, the U.S. scored a fourth straight point with another China error at 10-4. Murphy scored back-to-back kills to extend the American lead to 13-5. China closed to within two at 15-13 on an 8-2 run. Akinradewo ended the spurt with a kill capping a long rally, and Murphy followed with an ace to yield an American 17-13 advantage. However, China cut the deficit in half to within two at 19-17. Glass won a joust at the net and Larson slammed a kill to put the Americans back in front by four, 21-17. Murphy hit a winner and China hit long to give the Americans a 23-18 lead. Team USA closed out the match with consecutive kills by Murphy and Robinson for the 25-19 victory.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 12, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 the world, was energized by its bench play Friday after as it defeated Italy 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20 during the Olympic Games Pool B being staged at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiero, Brazil.
The Americans, now 4-0 in Pool B with 11 points and in first place, conclude pool play against the world’s No. 3 China on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Team USA, though already qualified for the Aug. 16 quarterfinals following its victory over Serbia on Wednesday, is aiming to grab the top seed from Pool B.
Earlier today China lost to Serbia 25-19, 25-19, 25-22 to fall to 2-2 with seven points. Serbia is now in second place with a 3-1 record and nine points. Serbia challenges fourth-place Netherlands on the final day of pool play prior to the USA’s match against China. A Team USA win will secure the top spot in the Pool B heading into the quarterfinals. However, an American loss to China means Sunday’s Serbia versus Netherlands winner could slip into the top seed despite having lost to the U.S. earlier this week based on tiebreakers.
The top four teams from the two six-team pools advance to the quarterfinals with the top seeds crossing over to play the opposite pool’s fourth seed. A drawing of lots following pool play will determine crossover matches for the pool’s second- and third seeds.
Team USA had four players in double figures scoring against Italy and another three players with at least six points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) chipped in a team-high 14 points with 13 kills on 22 attacks and a block. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed 12 kills on 32 swings and a key ace for 13 points in the victory. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) pocketed 10 points with nine kills on 13 swings and a block.
Team USA broke an 11-all tie in the opening set with a 7-3 scoring run to open up an 18-14 advantage en route to a 25-22 victory. The Americans used a 6-1 spurt to build a 13-7 lead in the second set, but Italy cut its deficit to one at 17-16. The U.S. used a late 4-0 scoring run to win the set 25-22. Italy charged out to a 16-8 lead in the third set, but had to withstand a furious American comeback to win the set 25-23 and send the match to a fourth set. With the score tied 20-all in the fourth set, Team USA scored the final five points of the set for the 25-20 victory.
The American bench provided the spark in the third and fourth sets as Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) started the fourth set after serving as the double-sub opposite early on. She turned in 12 points, all kills on 21 swings. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), who has been a back row specialist in the first three matches of the Olympic Games, came into the front row mid-way through the third set and quickly made a difference with eight kills on 17 attacks and a block.
“I take a lot of pride in being able to be a spark plug and energy maker,” Robinson said. “Me and Karsta and everyone in the box, we all have the built up energy and ready to go. Typically I just think if I can pass well and be in system, that is my job – maybe to turn a couple balls on defense. Alisha was getting me getting me good one-on-ones and made it easy to score.”
Outside Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) collected seven points with five kills, one block and one ace. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) tallied six points with five kills and a block. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) scored two kills and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Washington) rounded out the scoring with an ace in her serving specialist role.
The U.S. converted 43.7 percent of its attacks with a .278 hitting efficiency (66-24-151) as Glass was credited with 45 running sets on 96 set attempts and Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added five running sets on 10 chances as the setter in the double-sub. In contrast, Team USA’s defense held Italy to a 34.6 kill percent and .197 hitting efficiency (44-19-127).
“Everybody had really nice contributions today,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We have a team that has a lot of people who have played a lot over the last two, three seasons. We have a great deal of trust in them to come in. Kelsey was really good off the bench, Karsta was good off the bench. One of Courtney’s job is to be ready to come in and serve some tough serves off the bench with the ace and the near ace. And once we took Kim out, she was ready to be a serving sub and she came in and served an ace. We needed every one of those points in the fourth set. Carli made some amazing plays when it was her chance. And Christa Dietzen, who did not get in the game but serves as our captain, provides some really valuable leadership during the timeouts and generally throughout the match. Even when people do not get in the match, they make an impact.”
Team USA libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied a team-high 10 digs and had 11 excellent receptions on 15 chances. Larson was credited with 13 excellent receptions on 29 errorless chances.
Italy out-blocked the Americans 14-5, but Team USA’s offense clicked otherwise as it held a 66-44 kill advantage. The U.S. also held a slim 3-1 ace margin. Both teams committed errors at a high rate as the Americans had 30 and Italy 24.
Robinson, Glass and Adams all played on the Italian club team Conegliano this past winter that won the Italian Serie A1 championship that included three members of the Italian Olympic Team. And that provided some extra motivation for the team.
“I know them all pretty well,” Robinson said. “It is fun to play people you know, familiar faces.”
Since the U.S. lost to Italy in the 2014 FIVB World Championship Finals Round pool play on Oct. 8, Team USA has won six tournaments including that very World Championship. The U.S. holds an overall 67-9 record since that loss. During that run, Team USA is 2-0 against Italy including a win in the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals round robin.
USA is 16-2 in its last 16 Olympic Games matches dating back to Aug. 13, 2008. The only two losses have been to Brazil in the gold-medal match of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
The U.S. gained a 4-1 lead early in the opening set as Italy committed three straight errors. Italy answered with two straight points to close the gap to 4-3. Hill slammed a kill and Italy hit wide for its fourth error of the set at 6-3. Italy sliced its deficit to one at 9-8. Hill responded with two straight kills to lift the Americans in front 11-8, only to have Italy score three straight to level the score at 11-all. However, Italy committed consecutive errors to give the U.S. a 13-11 advantage. Akinradewo ended a long rally with an acrobatic looking kill to stretch the American lead to 15-12. Adams slammed a kill and Larson followed with a block to extend Team USA’s lead to 18-14. Italy cut the deficit in half at 22-20 prompting a USA timeout. Team USA ended the set at 25-22 with a Larson hammer off the block.
After Italy scored the first point of the second set, Team USA reversed the lead to its side at 3-1 with a Murphy kill between two Italian errors. The Americans stretched their lead to 5-2 with a Hill kill and Italian error. However, Italy closed to within one at 7-6. Team USA responded with kills from Adams and Larson to regain a three-point cushion at 9-6. The American upped their lead to 13-7 with consecutive kills from Adams, Murphy and Hill followed by a Larson kill leading into an Italian timeout. Out of the break Italy went on a 4-1 run to close the gap to 14-11. Italy continued to charge back and closed to one at 17-16. Team USA got its four-point cushion back at 22-18 with kills from Adams and Hill around a Murphy block. Out of an Italian timeout, the U.S. scored a fourth straight point at 23-18 with an Italian error. Italy shaved closed to 24-22 and saved a set point before the Americans won 25-22 on a service error.
Italy took a 4-1 advantage in the third set and increased its margin to 8-3 with four unanswered points. Italy continued the momentum taking a 12-5 lead into Team USA’s second timeout. Italy extended its advantage to 16-8 before Akinradewo and Robinson scored kills around an Italian error to cut the deficit to 16-11. Out of an Italian timeout, Robinson scored another kill to narrow the deficit to four at 16-12. After Italy scored back-to-back points, Akinradewo slammed a kill and Adams hit on overpass to move to within three 18-15. Italy scored back-to-back points again, but the USA answered with kills from Murphy and Lowe to put the score at 20-17. Lowe connected for consecutive kills to whittle the American deficit it 21-19. Team USA cut the deficit to 23-22 with a Robinson kill and Italy attack error, but the Americans couldn’t complete the comeback as Italy won 25-23.
After Italy scored the first point of the fourth set, Lowe answered with a kill and Robinson put up a block to put the Americans in front 2-1. Italy bounced back to take a 4-3 advantage and built a two-point cushion at 6-4. Team USA responded with an Akinradewo kill tied the set at 6-all with an Italian error. The Americans went back into the lead with a Robinson kill and consecutive Lowe winners at 11-9. Italy bounced back to tie the score again at 12-all. The Americans answered with a Robinson kill and Hill ace to move in front 14-12, only to have Italy score the next three points to take a 15-14 lead. Team USA went back into the lead with consecutive Italian errors at 17-16. The Americans gained a two-point cushion at 19-17 with a Lowe kill and Italian error. Out of an Italian timeout, Italy committed another error to extend the American lead to 20-17. However, Italy came back to score the next three points to close to level the set again at 20-20. Robinson and Lowe hammered back-to-back kills to yield a 22-20 margin for the Americans. Akinradewo put up a block out of Italy’s second timeout to lift the Americans in front 23-20. Thompson served an ace to give the Americans match points at 24-20 and Italy promptly had an attack error at 25-20.
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BANGKOK, Thailand (July 8, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, received balanced scoring using multiple lineups in defeating second-ranked China 25-21, 26-24, 25-22 Friday evening in the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round being held in Bangkok and moves into the semifinals on an eight-match win streak.
Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) led a quartet of Americans in double-figure scoring as she totaled 12 points with 12 kills on 28 attacks and just four errors. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in six blocks, four kills on 10 swings and an ace for 11 points.
“Karch had told Carli and I to stay ready, be ready for anything,” Lowe said of coming off the bench along with three other players to start the second set. “I just tried to come in prepared and bring a lot of energy. Kind of over energy and over communicate, which is key when you throw a bunch of new players on the floor. I think that was a huge for us.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch (Maryville, Illinois), playing in her first career FIVB World Grand Prix match, contributed 11 points with nine kills on 20 swings and just two errors, one block and one ace in starting the final two sets. She echoed Lowe’s sentiment on being ready for whenever her number is called to enter the match.
“Karch had talked to us a little bit before just to be ready for anything, and that is part of the rule on this team – to be ready for the unexpected and to go in at any time,” Bartsch said of playing and contributing in her first FIVB match. “I think the team that came in did a really good job. We practice with so many girls and our roster is so deep, and it is good to a part of it.”
After the match, Bartsch couldn’t hide her excitement to compete in the World Grand Prix.
“It is an awesome tournament to be here in Thailand,” Bartsch said of playing and contributing to the victory over China. “They have amazing fans and the crowd is loud. Even if Thailand isn’t here, they love volleyball. It is pretty cool. I am just happy to be here and be a part of it.”
Middle Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) pocketed 10 points with seven kills on 15 swings against one error and three blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), who started and played in just the first set, charted six kills on 11 errorless attacks and an ace for seven points. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) added six points on four kills via 10 errorless attacks and two blocks in starting and playing just the first set.
Team USA, the defending World Grand Prix champions, will play Russia on Saturday in its semifinal match at 7 a.m. ET. Russia finished second in the opposite pool as the Americans.
The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament now in its 24th edition. All USA matches during the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals can be watched live on nbcsports.com/live. The USA-China match can be seen on Universal HD at 8 p.m. ET on Friday.
China reached a 10-6 lead in the opening set after a 5-0 run, but Team USA responded quickly with a 6-0 run as part of a 13-4 run taking a 19-14 advantage en route to the 25-21 victory. China picked up an early 6-1 lead in the second set, but it was completed gone by 9-all in the set. The rest of the set was a see-saw affair as China went up 17-14, then trailed 23-21 before saving two set points. However, USA’s 10th block produced the set winner at 26-24. Team USA built a 10-3 lead in the third set and held off a late China rally to win the final set 25-22.
“We didn’t always play the best volleyball, or the cleanest volleyball,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “But I really like how our team responded and found some place to bring things back in control. That is a big part of how we play. It is just making good play after good play.”
“I thought our team, which was down by some strings of points specifically in the second responded really well by chipping its way back,” Dietzen said. “We focused a lot of on what we were doing on our side of the net. I like the way that anyone can come in off the bench and perform. I am really excited for Michelle Bartsch and her very first match in World Grand Prix. I love that any number of players can come in and perform for us.”
Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) tallied three kills on six attacks in the victory. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) tallied a kill and block for two points, while setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with a block in starting the final two sets.
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa), playing her first World Grand Prix match since June 19 in Long Beach, California, posted 17 excellent receptions on 29 chances and three digs, while Bartsch added six excellent receptions on 13 chances. Larson was a perfect five-for-five on excellent receptions. Robinson charted a team-high seven digs and libero Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, California) added six digs. Banwarth served as the libero as Team USA received served, while Hagglund was the libero when Team USA served.
The U.S. offense converted 40.0 percent of its attacks into points with a .287 hitting efficiency. Lloyd turned in 33 running sets on 62 set attempts. Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan), who started just the first set, added 18 running sets on 26 set attempts. The American defense limited the Chinese to a .224 hitting efficiency (41-13-125) and 32.8 kill percent.
Team USA held a 14-9 advantage in blocks to offset China’s 5-3 margin in aces. The Americans held their errors to 12 for the match while China committed 13.
USA and China met twice in this year’s World Grand Prix preliminary round with each winning once. China won the first match in four sets in Ningbo, China. However, Team USA swept China on June 26 in Hong Kong to secure the top seed into the World Grand Prix Finals round. Both teams ended the preliminary phase with 8-1 records, but the Americans won the tiebreaker based on standings points won. Overall, today’s match was the 36th meeting between the two countries in the 24-year history of the World Grand Prix competition.
Team USA will meet China on the final day of pool play in the 2016 Olympic Games, yet they expect that team in Rio to be much different than the one it just played in Bangkok as several top Chinese players did not make the trip.
The U.S. has now won 23 of its last 25 World Grand Prix matches with both losses at the hands of China in pool play in 2014 and 2015. Overall, the Americans have won their last eight World Grand Prix matches.
The World Grand Prix serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. All but Thailand competing in the World Grand Prix Finals have qualified for the Olympic Games next month.
The U.S. opened the first set with a 3-0 lead as Larson and Hill hammered kills after an opening Chinese service error. China answered with consecutive points including a block to cut the gap to 3-2 and leveled the set at 5-all on a USA error. China continued the pressure as it scored five straight to take a 10-6 advantage with two consecutive blocks after an ace leading to a Team USA timeout. Dietzen picked up a block after a successful USA video challenge to slice the gap to 10-8. Larson, Murphy and Hill slammed kills on three straight plays to tie the score at 12-all. Team USA went in front 13-12 with a China error and Larson followed with an ace before another China error at 15-12. Hill scored a kill and two blocks on three consecutive plays to push the American lead to 19-14. Lowe and Larson scored back-to-back kills for set points at 24-18. China saved three set points before the Americans capped the set at 25-21 with a Dietzen kill.
Kiraly subbed in Lloyd, Lowe, Bartsch and Robinson to start the second set and China used the opportunity to grab a 6-1 lead before Team USA got settled with the new lineup. China was called for a service foot fault to end the run, then Adams, Bartsch and Lloyd followed with blocks to close the gap to 6-5. Lloyd scored her second consecutive block and team USA’s fourth straight to tie the set at 6-all. China regained a three-point cushion at 12-9 with three unanswered points and built the advantage to 15-10 on a 6-1 run. Lowe ended the run with a kill capping a long rally, then China mishandled the Thompson’s serve and followed with an attack error to close the gap to 15-13. China committed consecutive errors to have its lead cut to 17-16. Team USA tied the set at 19-all with an Adams kill and ace that was reversed on video challenge, but China answered with its own kill and ace to take a 20-18 lead. Team USA knotted the score again with kills from Lowe and Bartsch at 21-all, then Lowe slammed a go-ahead kill that landed inside the three-meter line at 22-21. Lowe followed with another kill out of a China timeout to give the USA a two-point edge at 23-21. China saved two set points to level the score at 24-all, but Lowe cranked a kill and Adams put up a block to end the set at 26-24 on Team USA’s third set point chance.
The U.S. took a 2-0 lead in the third set with kills from Bartsch and Lowe. Bartsch slammed her third kill of the third set and Adams followed with a kill and block to extend the American lead to 6-2 at a China timeout. Out of the break, Lowe scored on a kill, Bartsch served an ace and Robinson picked up a block capping a 6-0 run that put the U.S. in front 9-2. The U.S. put its lead at 15-6 following a Bartsch kill. China closed the gap to 21-19, but the U.S. back up 23-19 with a Dietzen block. Bartsch gave Team USA set and match points at 24-20 with a kill. Team USA won the final point on a video challenge reversal at 25-22 after China saved two match points.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 10, 2016) – In a battle of the two remaining undefeated teams in Olympic Games Pool B, the top-ranked U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team defeated No. 6 Serbia 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19 as the American middles dominated on Wednesday at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
The Americans now take sole leadership of Pool B with a 3-0 record and eight standings points. Serbia falls to 2-1 overall and with six standings points. Team USA continues Pool B with Italy (0-3) on Aug. 12 all at 2 p.m. ET before concluding the group phase on Aug. 14 against No. 3 China at 4:05 p.m. ET.
With the victory, Team USA became the first team to earn a ticket to the knockout quarterfinal round set for Aug. 16. The top four teams from the two six-team pools advance to the quarterfinals with the top seeds crossing over to play the opposite pool’s fourth seed. A drawing of lots following pool play will determine crossover matches for the pool’s second- and third seeds.
Team USA’s middles Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) combined for 34 points in the victory. Adams scored 13 kills on 19 errorless attacks, four aces and a block. Akinradewo added 16 points with 12 kills on 19 attacks and just one error to go with four blocks. The middles converted 25 of 38 of their attacks with just one error for a .632 hitting efficiency.
“Going in we knew Serbia was a very strong team and we had to take smarter swings. Alisha did a great job of moving the offense around to create a lot of awesome opportunities for our hitters. The passers were on and made Serbia’s job difficult.”
The U.S. overcame an early 4-1 deficit in the opening set with a 12-4 scoring run to establish a 13-8 advantage and cruised to a 25-17 victory. Serbia built a 14-9 lead in the second set and withstood a USA charge back to within one at 16-15 to win 25-21. Leading 17-15 in the third set, the U.S. used an 8-3 run to close out the set 25-18 to go up 2-1. Team USA rolled to a 21-14 lead in the fourth set, but withstood a late challenge from Serbia before winning 25-19, scoring the final three points.
“We knew, after we won the first set, that Serbia would push us back in the second and they did,” Kiraly said. “Serbia put together a really nice match against us a year ago. Really pushed us around. I think they blocked us 22 times in five sets. We had won the first match of that long tournament and lost the second one. We bounced back really strong and played China the next night. We played a great match. We were excited to get another chance (against Serbia). It’s been a year since we got to play Serbia since that loss. We were not backing down from that. We were excited. Not necessarily saying that we knew what was going to happen or that we were convinced we were going to win. It’s always great to play against a good team.”
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed 13 points in the victory with 11 kills on 30 attacks and two blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) tacked on 11 points with nine kills, one block and one ace. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) scored six kills. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), a sub in all four sets as part of the double-sub, rounded out the scoring with four kills on eight attacks.
Team USA converted 47.0 percent of its attacks with a .325 hitting efficiency (55-17-117) as setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) was credited with 39 running sets on 79 total set attempts. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California, playing in all four sets as the setter in the double-sub with Lowe, added eight running sets.
“We’ve worked on a lot of things both offensively and defensively,” Glass said. “I thought our passers did a great job. Our hitters did an even better job picking the right shots in the right moments. We covered each other, we played together and we were patient. (Serbia) is a good team and we have to be patient against teams like that.”
When told the team had qualified for the quarterfinals, Glass was unaware of the accomplishment. She said the team is more invested in the process, not just on advancing.
“For us, it’s really about the process,” Glass said. “It’s about us getting better throughout this whole tournament. We look at the next match as an opportunity to get better; and then the next match after that and the next match after that. We’re excited to get better and improve, wherever that takes us.”
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) had nine digs and seven excellent receptions in the victory. Larson added seven digs and eight excellent receptions. Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), back-row sub in all four sets, had four excellent receptions in the victory.
“When we fed our middles the ball, they put it away every time,” Banwarth said. “The passers did a really nice job of scouting this team and where they’re going to serve. So we really front-loaded that really well.”
Team USA held a 5-3 margin in aces to offset Serbia’s 11-8 advantage in blocks. The Americans held a slim 55-51 lead in kills. The U.S. defense held Serbia to a 42.5 kill percent and .258 hitting efficiency (51-20-120).
“Our servers did a really nice job making things easy for us,” Kiraly said. “Serbia passed much better a year ago than they did tonight.”
The previous two meetings between USA and Serbia had gone five sets. The Americans defeated the Serbs 25-18, 24-26, 30-28, 19-25, 15-9 on July 12 last year as the American roster included just five of the current Olympians. Karsta Lowe scored a match-high 21 points. In the second meeting of 2015, Serbia shocked the U.S. with a 25-20, 22-25, 18-25, 25-19, 15-6 comeback in the second match of the FIVB World Cup. Serbia out-blocked the Americans 22-10 in the match. In the deciding fifth set, Serbia started with a 6-1 lead with three aces.
“Serbia is a team we lost to in World Cup,” Banwarth said. “We were hungry to get some revenge on them. I think it was a ‘go get it’ kind of mentality.”
USA is 15-2 in its last 16 Olympic Games matches dating back to Aug. 13, 2008. The only two losses have been to Brazil in the gold-medal match of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
Serbia scored three unanswered points to take a 4-1 advantage in the opening set, but Larson slammed a winner and Serbia hit wide to cut the gap to 4-3. Larson connected for a kill and promptly followed with an ace, then Serbia hit wide giving the Americans their first lead at 7-6. Murphy added a fourth unanswered point with a cross-court winner at 8-6 prompting a Serbia timeout. After Serbia ended the run, Murphy hit a winner and Serbia hit into the net to expand the Team USA lead to 10-7. Akinradewo roofed Serbia on consecutive plays after a Serbia service error to stretch the American lead to 13-8. Serbia came back to win the next two points to trim its deficit to 13-10, then closed to two at 14-12. Adams and Larson pounded back-to-back kills to raise the U.S. lead to 17-13 at a Serbian timeout. Adams downed a kill and Serbia hit long to push the U.S. advantage to 19-14. Adams served an ace to and Akinradewo blocked a Serbia attack to extend the lead to 22-15. Team USA ended the set with a 25-17 victory.
Serbia scored the first two points of the second set, but USA quickly went up 3-2 with an Adams kill around two Serbian errors. Yet, Serbia scored the next three points to bounce the lead to its side at 5-3. Serbia increased its advantage to 9-5 with three straight points heading into a Team USA timeout. Adams and Murphy stopped the run with consecutive kills and Serbia hit into the net to cut the gap to 9-8. Serbia answered with three straight points out of a timeout to go up 12-8 and inched the margin to 14-9. Team USA trimmed the deficit to 16-14 with an Adams kill and consecutive Serbia errors. Out of a Serbia timeout, the U.S. added a fourth straight point with a Larson kill to close to 16-15. Serbia went back up by three at 20-17 with an ace off the net and pushed the gap to 22-18 after an American attack error. Serbia finished the set at 25-21.
The U.S. went up 4-2 early in the third set as Serbia committed back-to-back errors. Serbia went up 6-4 with four straight points. Murphy and Adams each scored kills to bring USA into a tie at 7-all, then Adams hammered a second straight kill to give Team USA an 8-7 lead. Murphy slammed a kill to extend the American lead to 10-8 prompting Serbia to call timeout. Out of the break, Serbia committed an error to extend the Team USA lead to 11-8. Serbia came back to within one at 14-13 with an ace. However, Adams and Larson slammed kills to give the Americans a three-point cushion at 16-13. Out of a Serbia timeout, Adams put up a monster block at 17-13. Serbia answered with back-to-back points to cut its deficit in half at 17-15. Adams and Hill answered with winners to push the U.S. lead back to four at 19-15. Akinradewo scored two kills around a block on three straight plays to put the Americans in front 23-17. Hill gave the U.S. set points at 24-17 with a kill, the fourth straight Team USA point. Akinradewo ended the set with a overpass kill at 25-18.
After Serbia scored the first two points of the fourth set, Adams answered with a kill and ace and Akinradewo added a kill to present the USA with a 3-2 lead. Team USA went up 5-3 with consecutive Akinradewo kills. The Americans went up 8-5 as Serbia hit wide. Serbia scored three unanswered points to level the score at 9-all. Team USA responded with kills from Larson and Adams to go back up by two at 11-9. Serbia committed consecutive errors and Adams served an ace off the net to extend the USA to a 14-10 advantage. Out of a Serbia timeout, Hill put up a block and Adams served another ace for a fifth straight point at 16-10. Serbia stopped the run with back-to-back points to close to 16-12. Akinradewo and Lowe turned in consecutive kills to put the Americans up 19-13 at Serbia’s second timeout. Lowe hammered consecutive kills to push the American lead to 21-14, but Serbia stopped the run with four straight point to close the gap to 21-18. Hill capped the set with a kill and block for the 25-19 victory.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 6, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team went undefeated in the Pan American Cup pool play after sweeping Olympic Games-bound Argentina 25-14, 25-13, 25-23 on Wednesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. improved to 5-0 in pool play, and as winner of Pool B, advance directly to Saturday’s semifinal round to play one of Friday’s quarterfinal winners. The Pan Am Cup concludes on Sunday with the medal rounds.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) led all scorers with 14 points on the strength of 12 kills via 19 swings and two blocks. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) added 11 points with six kills on 12 attacks, a team-high four blocks and an ace.
Setter Micha Hancock(Edmond, Oklahoma) contributed nine points, including six aces as she upped her tournament total to 37 aces over 17 sets in the five victories. Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) provided nine points with eight kills on 19 swings and a block. Opposite Alex Holston (Olney, Maryland) pocketed nine points as well with six kills on 16 attacks, two blocks and an ace.
Middle Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, California) turned in three kills on six errorless attacks and an ace for four points. Nikki Taylor (Honolulu, Hawaii), who was the double-sub opposite in the final two sets along with setter Lauren Carlini (West Aurora, Illinois), rounded out the scoring with two kills.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with a team-high 10 digs and added five excellent receptions on eight errorless chances. Courtney contributed seven excellent receptions on 17 chances.
The U.S. converted 48.1 percent of its attacks into points with a .354 hitting efficiency (38-10-79) as Hancock had 10 running sets on 56 set attempts. Team USA’s defense limited Argentina to a 23.3 kill percent and .055 hitting efficiency (17-13-73).
Team USA held a 9-2 advantage in aces and an 11-5 margin in blocks. The American offense enjoyed a 38-17 edge in kills to offset their 26 errors in the match.
With the FIVB World Grand Prix running concurrently with the Pan Am Cup, Team USA is using a roster of athletes either still in college or just recently graduated. For many of the players the Pan Am Cup is their first international competition including the junior and youth ranks.
The U.S. has won the Pan American Cup three of the past four years and four total times since the inaugural event in 2002.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 8, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, absorbed all it could take from No. 11 Netherlands on the second day of Olympic Games competition, but found a way to rally for an 18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-8 victory on Monday on the second day of the women’s volleyball Olympic Games schedule in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Americans improve to 2-0 in the six-team Pool B and will face Serbia on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET. Netherlands, after defeating China 3-2 on the opening day, is now 1-1 overall with two five-set matches.
“We expected a test today and we expect every match beyond today to be a test,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “That’s what the Olympics are. It’s the best. When you look at this very good young team with a great coach and how they’re improving rapidly – they just beat China two days ago, the reigning World Cup champion – of course it’s going to be a battle and we’re going to have to fight for everything we get. I love how our team responded down 1-0 and down 2-1.”
The U.S. had balanced scoring with four players scoring at least 14 points. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted a team-high 18 points with 15 kills on 31 attacks and three blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added 12 kills on 47 attacks, two aces and a block for 15 points. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) contributed 15 points with 12 kills on 18 swings, two blocks and an ace for 15 points. Outside Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) tacked on 14 kills on 36 swings in the victory.
“Our pool is not an easy one,” Akinradewo said. “It’s not an easy road. We expect to be pushed like this every single night. It’s nice that we were able to come out strong in the end. It gives us a sense, not of relief, but of knowing that we can do it. We get pushed again by the next team, because we know it’s going to happen, we’ll have that to fall back on. That’s why we came here, to work hard and play good teams.”
After the U.S. rallied from a 7-3 deficit in the opening set to come within one at 11-10, Netherlands went on a roll the rest of the set to claim a 25-18 victory. The U.S. recovered from a 12-9 deficit in the second set with a 7-1 scoring run to take a 16-13 lead en route to winning 25-18. Netherlands broke an 8-all tie in the third set and inched its lead to 24-17 before the Americans saved four set points, but Netherlands closed it out at 25-21.
The fourth set was back-and-forth with both teams trading the lead and Netherlands holding its last advantage at 17-16 before the Americans scored nine of the final 12 points for a 25-20 win. Team USA jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the tiebreaker and never looked back in closing out the comeback 15-8.
“I think we got our serving going much better,” Kiraly said about the turnaround in the fourth and fifth sets. “We created ourselves more chances when they were on offense in the second, the fourth and especially the fifth set. Our servers really took over and made our work a lot easier. When we’re not serving that well or missing too many – and we missed a little too much at times – we still want to stay really aggressive at the line. When we’re not serving that well, it becomes tough because they are very good offensive team.”
Akinradewo felt the tide switch in that fourth set as well, and it started at the service line.
“I think the fourth set set the tone for the fifth set,” Akinradewo said. “Our servers went back and did an amazing job keeping the pressure on their passers. We were getting them out of system a lot and we carried that into the fifth set. We had that energy. We played with that edge that we always try to play with. It was a great group effort.”
Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) was an offensive force as well as the tallied three kills, three blocks and two aces for eight points. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), who started the first three sets, pocketed eight points with six kills on 11 swings and two blocks. Middle Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania), who started the final two sets, added one kill in the victory.
“I think you don’t want to go into match and be down 1-0 or 2-1,” Glass said. “I think that was a challenge in itself. We knew this was a really good team. They went five with China, which is also a really good team. We know that every match can be that dangerous. I’m really proud of the way the team fought and we didn’t panic and we didn’t stress. We were able to be us and found a way to win. I think that’s what you need every night no matter who you are playing.”
Glass felt her squad was able to calm itself down in the fourth set and made possible the comeback.
“I think we steadied out. I think we served more balls in the court, which took them out,” Glass said. “Unfortunately with that injury – Number 6 (Maret Balkestein-Grothues) is a really good passer for them she kind of steadies them – I think it threw them a little bit off balance. And then I think we got more in. Before, maybe we weren’t attacking their weaker passers because they were sending it out. But I think we got control of our serve a little bit more, got them out of system and were able to control that a lot better.”
The U.S. converted 40.8 percent of its attacks as part of a .299 hitting efficiency (64-17-157) as Glass was credited with 53 running sets on 120 total set attempts.
“This is the Olympics, it’s amazing,” Glass said. “I’m having a lot of fun. I’m enjoying battling with this group of girls. I’m so proud of the way we are competing. It’s really incredible.”
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) turned in 13 excellent receptions on 30 chances and five digs, while Larson added 11 excellent receptions on 23 chances and a team-high six digs. Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), who was a back-row sub all five sets, added five excellent receptions on eight errorless chances.
Both teams scored 11 blocks in the match and the Americans held a slim 5-4 margin in aces. Team USA managed a 64-54 kill advantage in the victory. The U.S. limited Netherlands to a 38.3 kill percent and .213 hitting efficiency (54-24-141).
The U.S. Women had defeated Netherlands twice in 2016 before today’s match. The first match was a four-set victory in the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round in Hong Kong. Team USA later defeated Netherlands 3-0 to open the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round pool play on July 6.
After its Aug. 10 match with Serbia, Team USA continues Pool B with Italy on Aug. 12 all at 2 p.m. ET before concluding the group phase on Aug. 14 against No. 3 China at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Team USA has never won Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball despite being on the cusp on several occasions. The U.S. finished with the silver in each of the last two Olympics in 2008 and 2012, falling to Brazil both times in the gold-medal match. The Americans also earned silver at the 1984 Olympic Games, followed by bronze in 1992. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
Netherlands opened the first set on a 4-1 run and increased its advantage to 7-3. Larson and Adams connected for consecutive kills to close the gap to 7-5. Team USA closed to 11-10 on a Netherlands attack error and Hill kill. Netherlands regained a three-point cushion at 13-10 with a block. The Americans called timeout after Netherlands went up 15-11. The Dutch extended their lead to 18-12 as Team USA called its second timeout. Netherlands never let up in winning the opening set 25-18.
Larson put up a block after a Glass setter dump to take a 2-1 lead in the second set, but Netherlands scored the next three points to switch the lead to its side at 4-2 and increased its margin to 6-3. Larson served an ace after a Netherlands attack error to trim the gap to 7-6. Netherlands raised its lead back to three points at 12-9. Akinradewo slammed a kill and Netherlands was called for a net fault to pull the USA to within one at 12-11. Larson scored a third straight point with a kill to level the score at 12-all. Adams followed with a block yielding a 13-12 American lead. Adams slammed a kill and block on consecutive plays and Glass followed with an ace to the deep corner to extend the Team USA lead to 16-13. Hill slammed a kill after a Netherlands error to inch the American lead to 18-14. Out of a Netherlands timeout Hill hammered consecutive kills to raise the U.S. lead to 20-14. Netherlands trimmed the gap to 20-16 with consecutive points. Adams and Hill answered with back-to-back kills to go back up 22-16. Team USA closed out the set at 25-18 with a Murphy kill.
Team USA earned a 3-1 lead in the third set with kills from Akinradewo and Murphy, but Netherlands answered with three consecutive points to take the lead back at 4-3. Netherlands raised its advantage to 8-5 with three unanswered points. A Murphy kill and two straight Netherlands attack errors squared the set at 8-all. Netherlands responded with two straight points for a 10-8 lead. Netherlands inched its lead to 18-14 prompting a USA timeout, then built a six-point cushion at 21-15. After Netherlands reached a 24-17 set point, the U.S. saved four set points with kills from Akinradewo, Adams and Larson and a Netherlands error to trim the gap to 24-21. Netherlands finished the set at 25-21.
The U.S. took a 2-1 lead in the fourth set with a Hill kill and Murphy block. Netherlands came back to grab a 4-3 lead with consecutive points. Glass downed a kill and put up a block to give the Americans a 5-4 advantage. However, Netherlands answered with two points to reverse the lead to its side at 6-5. Murphy slammed back-to-back kills to turn the lead to USA at 8-7. Larson served an ace after hammering a kill and Murphy added a cross-court winner to extend the Team USA lead to 11-8. Netherlands stopped the run with three consecutive points to level the set at 11-all. Netherlands took a 13-12 lead on an ace as part of a 5-1 run. Team USA regained the lead at 16-15 with kills from Akinradewo and Larson, but Netherlands retook the lead with the next two points at 17-16. Glass put down a setter dump and followed with an ace prompting Netherlands to call timeout trailing 18-17. The Americans reached a three-point cushion with a Murphy kill and block around a Netherlands attack error at 21-18. Team USA reached set points 24-20 with a Murphy kill and ace, then won the set with a Netherlands attack error at 25-20.
Team USA went up 2-1 in the tiebreaker with a Murphy block and Larson kill. Akinradewo scored two blocks around a Glass block to yield a 6-3 American lead. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Larson hit a deep winner at 7-3. Team USA raised its lead to 9-4 with an Akinradewo ace. Larson and Murphy downed back-to-back kills to lift the American lead to 12-5. Netherlands kept hopes alive with three straight to cut the deficit to 12-8. However, Dietzen stopped the run with a kill and Larson and Murphy ended the set with consecutive kills at 15-8.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Aug. 5, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Indoor Volleyball Team is in familiar territory on the eve of opening the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Americans open play against their NORCECA zone rival Puerto Rico on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Team USA entered the 2012 Olympic Games with the world’s number-one ranking, which is no different four years later in 2016. However, the Americans finished with their second straight Olympic Games silver medal after losing to Brazil in the title match in London.
In 2016, the U.S. wants to be different than years past. They want to finish on the top step of the Olympic podium for the first time in 52 years since volleyball was put on the Olympic schedule. The Americans have three silver medals (1984, 2008 and 2012) and one bronze medal (1992) at the Olympics – but no gold. In fact, Team USA has garnered only one gold medal in any of the three major volleyball tournaments (Olympics, FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup), and that was only two years ago when the Americans broke through and earned the 2014 FIVB World Championship title in Italy.
Team USA opens Pool B with Puerto Rico, ranked 17th in the world, before playing Netherlands on Aug. 8, Serbia on Aug. 10 and Italy on Aug. 12 all at 2 p.m. ET. The Americans conclude the group phase on Aug. 14 against No. 3 China at 4:05 p.m. ET.
“Once the Olympic groups were announced, we saw that we had a very strong group, and I think that is the best possible thing to happen for each of us in this group,” U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We will get to face a lot of fierce battles and that is what we have been preparing for the last four years. We are extremely excited to be here.”
Team USA brings a roster that may not look to have the experience it has had in the past, but they have been battled tested throughout the quad. With four Olympic veterans and eight newcomers, Kiraly nice the composition of the team.
“We have a nice blend of experience in people like our captain Christa, who is competing in her second Olympics, along with Foluke Akinradewo, Jordan Larson and Courtney Thompson,” Kiraly said. “We have eight players who have not competed in the Olympics previously. However, those eight players since 2013 have had many chances to battle and compete and at the world level such as World Grand Prix, World Championship and World Cup. We have a group that might not look that experienced on paper, but they have logged lots of matches. We have counted them up, and we have probably played over 150 times with a USA uniform these last four years. Nobody has played all of those matches, but all the players here have played the bulk of those matches. That has been great preparation for us.”
On the other hand, Puerto Rico has already made history by just being in Rio and making its first Olympic Games appearance. The squad qualified for the Olympics after winning the FIVB World Olympic Qualification Tournament in May, an event they hosted. And now the Puerto Ricans understand it will be a huge task taking the next step on the Olympic court for the first time.
“For Puerto Rico, it is the first time to qualify for the Olympic Games,” Puerto Rico Head Coach Juan Carlos Nunez said. “Now for the pool, every match will be strong games.”
Although this is the first Olympic meeting between the two teams, they are very familiar with each other over the years. Since 1983, the team battled 39 times with the U.S. winning 36 times and all three losses were in events where Team USA did not send its top squad. The Americans defeated Puerto Rico in four sets during the 2016 NORCECA Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament, the event in which the U.S. qualified for the Olympics. One of Puerto Rico’s three victories over the U.S. came less than a month ago, a four-set win during the Pan American Cup semifinals in which the American roster was primarily collegiate athletes or those who just graduated within the last two years.
The U.S. enters the Olympic Games having won the silver medal at the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix in Thailand on July 10. The Americans faced Brazil in the finals and dropped a heart-breaking five set match. Puerto Rico ended up finishing with the silver medal at the Pan American Cup.
The top four teams in each six-team pool advance to the knockout stage where the winner of each six-team pool gets to face the crossover pool’s fourth seed. The second- and third-place teams will have their quarterfinal opponents drawn by lot. The semifinals take place on Aug. 18 followed by the medal matches on Aug. 20.
By the Numbers:
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ASSEN, Netherlands (July 1, 2016) – On Friday, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team topped two of the teams it may face at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics in the opening matches of the Dutch Tournament.
The U.S. defeated Russia 5-15, 25-14, 25-18 before taking Ukraine down 25-17, 25-19, 25-23; each team is seeded in the opposite pool of the U.S. at the Paralympics, potentially creating a playoff match-up following pool play.
Veteran players Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) and Nichole Millage (Champaign, Illinois) called the team’s 3-0 victory against Russia, “one of the fastest starts ever.”
“With the long travel and short-turnaround, we could have a started a little slow, but we came out strong from the get-go,” Millage added.
Holloway led the U.S. in scoring each match, recording 13 points against Russia (six kills, six blocks, one ace) and 17 more against Ukraine (12 kills, three blocks, two aces), also recording a team-best 75 percent pass positive serve receive rating against Ukraine.
Team captain and recent ESPY-nominee Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) scored 11 points against Russia with a team-high eight kills.
Aggressive serving helped the Americans stay ahead, totaling a combined 15 aces to their opponents’ 4 aces, while missing only two serves compared to 10 missed serves by Russia and Ukraine.
Known as having one of the world’s tallest blocks, Ukraine totaled 20 blocks against the U.S.; the Americans in turn recorded 18 blocks.
“Playing a team (like Ukraine) is important because we’ll face teams with big blocks in Rio, and it gives us an idea of what we need to improve on, while also improving our game at the net.
In May, the U.S. hosted Russia in a five-match exhibition series at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships.
On Saturday the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team faces Slovenia and host-nation Netherlands at the Dutch Tournament. The five of the seven participating teams – Russia, Ukraine, China, Rwanda and the United States – are qualified for the Paralympics, giving the U.S. a fantastic opportunity to fine-tune its systems before the September Paralympics.
On June 22, the team announced its Paralympic Roster; Head Coach Bill Hamiter previously the coaching staff hopes to play a variety of line-ups in preparation for the Games.
U.S. Starters vs. Russia:
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Heather Erickson, Katie Holloway
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Monique Burkland
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Russia:
Kills: Erickson 8, Burkland 6, Holloway 6, Michelle Schiffler 2, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1
Blocks: Holloway 6, Webster 4, Burkland 2, Lexi Shifflett 1, Schiffler 1, Burkland 1, Kanahele 1
Aces: Kanahele 2, Webster 1, Holloway 1, Erickson 1
U.S. Starters vs. Ukraine
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Heather Erickson, Katie Holloway
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Monique Burkland
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Ukraine
Kills: Holloway 12, Erickson 9, Burkland 8, Webster 3, Nieves 3, Schiffler 1, Nichole Millage 1, Kanahele 1
Blocks: Webster 5, Burkland 4, Holloway 3, Erickson 3, Nieves 3
Aces: Erickson 3, Holloway 2, Kanahele 2, Webster 1, Alexis Shifflett 1, Nieves 1
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Schedule at the Dutch Tournament , Assen, Netherlands (All times local)
July 1: USA def. Russia, 25-14, 25-15, 25-18
July 1: USA def. Ukraine, 25-17, 25-19, 25-23
July 2: USA vs. Slovenia, 9 a.m.
July 2: USA vs. Netherlands, 7 p.m.
July 3: USA vs. China, 9 a.m.
July 3: USA vs. Rwanda, 2 p.m.
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (July 26, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will look to secure the top seed in its pool on Thursday following a 25-15, 23-25, 25-15, 25-20 victory against Puerto Rico on Wednesday at the NORCECA U20 Continental Championship, being played at NOVA Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
The U.S. started hot, leading Puerto Rico the entire first set. A 9-3 run in the middle of the set, led by shut-down blocking by Brionne Butler (East Bernard, Texas) and Stephanie Samedy (Clermont Florida) put the U.S. firmly in the driver’s seat.
In a win that used nearly the whole roster, the U.S. dominated the net, out-blocking Puerto Rico 17-3, including nine blocks in the first set.
“We worked a lot on blocking at practice today and it really paid off,” Captain Sydney Hilley (Brooklyn Park), Minnesota) said. “I think serving and blocking are really our big strengths.”
The Women’s Junior National Team fell behind early in the second set and struggled to overcome Puerto Rico, tying the score multiple times, but only managing to take one lead all set at 19-18 following a block by Butler and Paige Hammons (Louisville, Kentucky).
Butler and Lexi Sun (Encinitas, California) led the U.S. on Wednesday with 16 points each. Butler recorded a team-high five blocks with 10 kills and an ace, while Sun grabbed 11 kills with four blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Thayer Hall (Moore, South Carolina) and Taryn Knuth (Johnston, Iowa) each had eight kills, including a slide by Knuth for match point.
“She’s a beast. The ability of that kid is just amazing,” Head Coach Laurie Corbelli said of Knuth. “I think she’s just a real consistent player and you know what you’re always going to get from her and that’s really good for our players to know that Taryn’s never going to be too high or too low.”
The U.S. rallied in the third set with dynamic attacking — balancing well-placed tips with powerful swings – and consistent serving. After a 5-0 run opened the fourth set, Puerto Rico answered with its own 8-2 run.
The U.S. refused to be broken, capitalizing on its opponent’s errors at key moments to secure the win.
“Puerto Rico played really well and they challenged us a lot,” Hilley said. “But then we got into a rhythm in the third and fourth set.”
The U.S. will face Mexico in the final pool play match on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Each team currently holds a 2-0 record; the top-seed in the pool earns a bye for Friday’s quarterfinal, while the second-seeded team will play a crossover quarterfinal match against the third seed from the other pool consisting of Cuba, Costa Rica, Haiti and Dominican Republic.
Hilley said the game-plan for Mexico is simple:
“They’re going to be really scrappy and going to be just as competitive as Puerto Rico so we’ve got to show up to play.”
In Wednesday’s win, the U.S. balanced the point-scoring: eight players scored at least one point. Samedy had four blocks and kills for eight points, while Hammons tallied five kills and two blocks for seven points to round out the leading scorers.
Hosted by the U.S. for the first time, the NORCECA U20 Continental Championship features eight teams: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, French St. Martin, Cuba and the United States. The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team won the championship in 2014, automatically qualifying for the 2015 FIVB World Championship.
U.S. Starters vs. Puerto Rico
Outside hitters: Paige Hammons, Lexi Sun
Middle blockers: Bri Butler, Taryn Knuth
Opposite: Stephanie Samedy
Setter: Sydney Hilley
Libero: Jamye Cox
U.S. Statistics vs. Puerto Rico
Kills: Sun 11, Butler 10, Thayer Hall 8, Knuth 8, Hammons 5, Samedy 4, Mackenzie May 3
Blocks: Butler 5, Samedy 4, Sun 4, Hammons 2, Hall 1, Thayer 1
Aces: Butler 1, Hilley 1, Knuth 1, Sun 1
2016 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
No. Name (Position, Hometown, Height, High School Grad Year, Cub, Region)
1. Brionne Butler (MB, East Bernard, Texas, 6-3, 2017, Houston Juniors, Lone Star)
2. Jamye Cox (L, Oregon, Ohio, 5-3, 2017, Michigan Elite, Lakeshore)
3. Paige Hammons (OH, Louisville, Kentucky, 6-2, 2017, KIVA, Pioneer)
5. Thayer Hall (OH, Moore, South Carolina, 6-3, 2018, Upward Stars Upstate, Southern)
6. Hailey Harward (L, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-9, 2016, Aspire 18 Rox, Arizona)
7. Sydney Hilley (S, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 5-11, 2017, Minnesota Select, North Country)
8. Taryn Knuth (MB, Johnston, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Iowa Power, Iowa)
9. Madison Lilley (S, Overland Park, Kansas, 6-0, 2017, KC Power, Heart of America)
10. Mackenzie May (OH, Dubuque, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Adrenaline Volleyball Academy, Iowa)
12. Lauren Sanders (MB, Snohomish, Washington, 6-5, 2017, WVBA 18 Mizuno, Puget Sound)
13. Stephanie Samedy (OH, Clermont, Florida, 6-2, 2017, Top Select Volleyball Academy, Florida)
20. Lexi Sun (OH, Encinitas, California, 6-3, 2017, Coast VBC, Southern California)
Head Coach: Laurie Corbelli
Assistant Coaches: Brian Wright and Genny Volpe
Technical Coordinator: Jesse Tupac
Team Leader: Lizzy Briones
NORCECA U20 Continental Championships Schedule (All times listed in eastern standard time)
Tuesday, July 26:
Cuba def. Haiti, 25-8, 25-9, 25-14
Dominican Republic def. Costa Rica, 25-7, 25-6, 25-3
Puerto Rico def. Mexico, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7
United States def. French St. Martin, 25-2, 25-4, 25-5
Wednesday, July 27:
Mexico def. French St. Martin, 25-7, 25-3, 25-8
Dominican Republic def. Haiti, 25-15, 25-6, 25-10
Cuba def. Costa Rica, 25-9, 25-9, 25-10
United States def. Puerto Rico, 25-15, 23-25, 25-15, 25-20
Thursday, July 28:
Haiti vs. Costa Rica, 1 p.m.
Puerto Rico vs. French St. Martin, 3 p.m.
Cuba vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m.
United States vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Friday, July 29:
Quarterfinals:
2nd Pool A vs. 3rd Pool B, 5 p.m.
2nd Pool B vs. 3rd Pool A, 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 30:
Semifinals:
1st Pool A vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 1, 5 p.m.
1st Pool B vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 2, 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 31:
Bronze medal match, 5 p.m.
Gold medal match, 7 p.m.
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (July 26, 2016) – The U.S. began its defense of the NORCECA U20 Continental Championship title with an emphatic 25-2, 25-4, 25-5 victory against French St. Martin on Tuesday at NOVA Southeastern University.
Lexi Sun (Encinitas, California) and Taryn Knuth (Johnston, Iowa) led the U.S. with 10 points each in a match that saw long service runs by Stephanie Samedy (Clermont, Florida) and Thayer Hall (Moore, South Carolina).
“I’ve never had a run like that,” Samedy said. “Usually I’m not as consistent, but I just was focusing on what I needed to do, making sure I read the signals from (assistant coach) Genny Volpe and gave it the best ball I could.”
Hosted by the U.S. for the first time, the NORCECA U20 Continental Championship features eight teams: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, French St. Martin, Cuba and the United States. The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team won the championship in 2014, automatically qualifying for the 2015 FIVB World Championship.
The U.S. used a strong service game to control the match, recording 16 aces while not allowing any. In Set 1, Samedy tallied a 12-point run, only ending her run when Head Coach Laurie Corbelli substituted the opposite out for setter Sydney Hilley (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota), who finished the set with an ace.
In Set 2, Hall stepped up, frustrating French St. Martin’s serve receive with a 12-point run of her own.
“One of the things I really love about this team is they have a lot of gumption and are willing to take a chance at the service line,” Corbelli said. “They’re strong and have really good skills.”
Corbelli also credited French St. Martin on its scrappy play as the match went on, keeping the U.S. defense on its toes and forcing American attackers to choose their shots wisely.
Mackenzie May (Dubuque, Iowa) added nine points with five kills, three aces and a block, while Hall rounded out the leading scorers with eight points (five aces, two kills and one block).
“It was a joy to play a group that’s learning to play the game and is very young, but you can tell has been taught well,” she added.
The U.S. faces Puerto Rico at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, a team it defeated last week during the >2016 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships, also in Fort Lauderdale.
U.S. Starters vs. French St. Martin
Outside hitters: Paige Hammons, Lexi Sun
Middle blockers: Brionne Butler, Taryn Knuth
Opposite: Stephanie Samedy
Setter: Madison Lilley
Libero: Hailey Harward
U.S. Statistics vs. French St. Martin
Kills: Sun 9, Knuth 9, Hammons 5, Mackenzie May 5, Butler 3, Hall 2, Lilley 1
Blocks: Hall 1, Knuth 1, Lilley 1, May 1, Sun 1, Samedy 1
Aces: Samedy 5, Hall 5, Sydney Lilley 3, May 3
2016 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
No. Name (Position, Hometown, Height, High School Grad Year, Cub, Region)
1. Brionne Butler (MB, East Bernard, Texas, 6-3, 2017, Houston Juniors, Lone Star)
2. Jamye Cox (L, Oregon, Ohio, 5-3, 2017, Michigan Elite, Lakeshore)
3. Paige Hammons (OH, Louisville, Kentucky, 6-2, 2017, KIVA, Pioneer)
5. Thayer Hall (OH, Moore, South Carolina, 6-3, 2018, Upward Stars Upstate, Southern)
6. Hailey Harward (L, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-9, 2016, Aspire 18 Rox, Arizona)
7. Sydney Hilley (S, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 5-11, 2017, Minnesota Select, North Country)
8. Taryn Knuth (MB, Johnston, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Iowa Power, Iowa)
9. Madison Lilley (S, Overland Park, Kansas, 6-0, 2017, KC Power, Heart of America)
10. Mackenzie May (OH, Dubuque, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Adrenaline Volleyball Academy, Iowa)
12. Lauren Sanders (MB, Snohomish, Washington, 6-5, 2017, WVBA 18 Mizuno, Puget Sound)
13. Stephanie Samedy (OH, Clermont, Florida, 6-2, 2017, Top Select Volleyball Academy, Florida)
20. Lexi Sun (OH, Encinitas, California, 6-3, 2017, Coast VBC, Southern California)
Head Coach: Laurie Corbelli
Assistant Coaches: Brian Wright and Genny Volpe
Technical Coordinator: Jesse Tupac
Team Leader: Lizzy Briones
NORCECA U20 Continental Championships Schedule (All times listed in eastern standard time)
Tuesday, July 26:
Cuba def. Haiti, 25-8, 25-9, 25-14
Dominican Republic def. Costa Rica, 25-7, 25-6, 25-3
Puerto Rico def. Mexico, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7
United States def. French St. Martin, 25-2, 25-4, 25-5
Wednesday, July 27:
French St. Martin vs. Mexico, 1 p.m.
Haiti vs. Dominican Republic, 3 p.m.
Costa Rica vs. Cuba, 5 p.m.
United States vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 28:
Haiti vs. Costa Rica, 1 p.m.
Puerto Rico vs. French St. Martin, 3 p.m.
Cuba vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m.
United States vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Friday, July 29:
Quarterfinals:
2nd Pool A vs. 3rd Pool B, 5 p.m.
2nd Pool B vs. 3rd Pool A, 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 30:
Semifinals:
1st Pool A vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 1, 5 p.m.
1st Pool B vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 2, 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 31:
Bronze medal match, 5 p.m.
Gold medal match, 7 p.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 22, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team is one of three team finalists for the Team USA Awards Best of July as presented by Dow.
To vote for the world’s top-ranked women’s volleyball team, click here.
The U.S. Women captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. The Americans reached the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals in Bangkok with a sterling 8-1 record in the preliminary round with the only setback being against then-No. 2 China. However, the U.S. defeated China in straight sets on July 26 to cap the preliminary round in Hong Kong.
Team USA went on to win their Final Round pool with sweeps over Olympics bound Netherlands and China. The Americans then defeated No. 4 Russia in the semifinals to set up a gold-medal match against Olympic Games host Brazil on July 10. The Americans won the opening set over Brazil before needing to rally in the fourth set to force a thrilling fifth set for the $200,000 top prize. However, Brazil managed to recover in the fifth set to win its 11th gold medal in the 24th edition of the World Grand Prix. The Americans were aiming for their seventh gold medal in the premier event – the last tournament for the top teams before going to the Olympic Games.
Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) was named Best Blocker of the tournament and Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) was selected Second Best Outside Spiker. Both athletes will be making their first appearances in the Olympic Games next month.
The Americans are in search of their first Olympic Games gold medal after earning silver in the two most recent events in Beijing (2008) and London (2012) along with silver at 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Team USA opens Pool B action on Aug. 6 versus NORCECA rival Puerto Rico at 4:05 p.m. local time, followed by the Netherlands on Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. The Americans challenge Serbia on Aug. 10 and Italy on Aug. 12 with both matches at 2 p.m. The U.S. concludes pool play against second-ranked China on Aug. 14 at 4:05 p.m.
The top four teams in the two Olympic Games pools advance to the quarterfinals on Aug. 16. The top seed in each pool will face the fourth seed in crossover competition, while a drawing of lots will determine crossover quarterfinal opponents for the second- and third-place teams in both pools. The winners of the quarterfinal matches advance to the semifinal medal round on Aug. 18. The tournament concludes on Aug. 20 with the gold- and bronze-medal matches.
The U.S. Women are up against the Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team and the equestrian Eventing Team.
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HONG KONG (June 25, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked number-one in the world, used a balanced offense of five players in double-figure scoring and a 14-5 block advantage to defeat Olympic Games-qualified Netherlands 25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-20 during the FIVB World Grand Prix Pool H preliminary round on Saturday afternoon in Hong Kong.
Team USA, with a 7-1 record and 21 points, concludes the nine-match preliminary phase of the World Grand Prix on against second-ranked China on Sunday at 3:45 a.m. ET. China, the only undefeated team in the World Grand Prix, beat Team USA on June 12 in Ningbo, China, on the third day of this year’s World Grand Prix. China is the only team to beat the reigning World Grand Prix champions as the Americans fell in four sets on June 12 in Ningbo, China. The USA-China match will be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra.
The U.S. and China clinched their spots into the FIVB World Grand Prix Final 6 following Friday night victories in Hong Kong. The Finals, which will be the top five teams in the 12-team Group 1 plus host Thailand, take place July 6-10 in Bangkok. The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament.
Team USA went up 16-9 in the opening set and withstood a Netherlands mini-run that closed the gap to 16-13. As the Americans scored nine of the final 13 points of the set for a 25-17 victory. Netherlands jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second set with a 6-1 scoring run and never let the Americans closer than two points the rest of the way for a 25-19 victory. Team USA used an early 4-0 run to take a 6-4 lead in the third set and used six blocks in the frame to win 25-17. The U.S. captured a back-and-fourth final set in which Netherlands committed nine errors.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) paced the American offense with 10 kills on 22 attacks and just one error to go with three blocks and two aces for 15 points. Middle Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) contributed 13 points with nine kills on 13 errorless swings and four blocks. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) turned in 13 points with 10 kills on 25 swings, two aces and a block.
“I thought the Netherlands pushed us in a lot of areas of the game,” Dietzen said. “They are coached very well. We were excited for the opportunity to compete against them because obviously our team will hopefully see them in the Finals of World Grand Prix, as well as the Olympic Games. I think it is always important to compete against strong teams, and I thought the Netherlands is one of them. They are very young. We learned a lot from this match, and now we prepare for China tomorrow.”
Opposite Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) collected 11 points on eight kills via 27 attacks and three aces. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) pocketed 11 points with six kills on 10 attacks and just error, four blocks and one ace. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), playing as the opposite in the double-sub, charted five kills on 10 errorless attacks. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.
“Something we have been focusing on so far this training block is our block defense,” Akinradewo said. “We have a really great serving team, and we had a lot of opportunities to get them out of system.”
Team USA converted 44.0 percent of its attacks with a .358 hitting efficiency (48-9-109) as Glass provided 30 running sets on 65 attempts and double-sub setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added nine running sets on 19 attempts. The U.S. defense held Netherlands to a .235 hitting efficiency (50-22-119) as the Dutch committed 22 hitting errors.
“First of all it is honor to play against a really good team that is getting a lot of better in the time under a great coach in Giovanni (Guidetti) that he has been leading this team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We were very excited to play against the Netherlands. We are excited to play against teams we haven’t played very much. We have only played them maybe twice recently – once in 2014 and once in 2013. To get to see a good, very good team is very exciting for us in Grand Prix. Both teams learned things and as we exposed each other’s weaknesses, and that will make us both better going into the remainder of World Grand Prix and the Olympics.”
Libero Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, California) was credited with 19 excellent receptions on 43 chances and four digs. Hill added seven excellent receptions on 12 errorless chances to go with six digs. Larson chipped in five digs and six excellent receptions.
Along with out-blocking the Netherlands, the U.S. held a slim 8-7 margin in aces. Netherlands also committed 24 errors in the match including nine in the final set as the Americans held their errors to 17 for the match. Netherlands out-dug Team USA 22-17 and had a 44-34 advantage in excellent receptions.
Entering the match, the Netherlands had won three of its four most recent World Grand Prix matches with Team USA. However, the Americans defeated the Dutch in the most recent overall meeting at the 2014 FIVB World Championship.
Team USA has won 22 of its last 24 World Grand Prix matches with both losses coming at the hands of Sunday’s opponent, China. Also, both losses have occurred in China – last year in Hong Kong to end the preliminary round and earlier this year on June 12 in Ningbo.
“We always want to win the next point, and we don’t have complete control over the scoreboard,” Kiraly said in regards to meeting China once in the World Grand Prix. “We will give our best effort. Right now we are taking a few minutes to reflect on the match against the Netherlands and what we learned and put that information to use against China. We had a wonderful time competing against China two weeks and are excited for another opportunity.”
The U.S. picked up an early 3-1 lead in the opening set after a Hill kill and Netherlands attack error. Fawcett served an ace after a Netherlands error to raise Team USA’s lead to 5-2. Netherlands committed its third and fourth errors on consecutive plays to push the U.S. advantage to 7-3. Larson and Dietzen pounded consecutive kills to extend Team USA’s lead to 9-4. After Netherlands scored back-to-back points, Larson, Fawcett and Dietzen answered with their own kills prompting the Dutch to call timeout trailing 13-7. Team USA raised its advantage to 15-8 with a Hill kill and Akinradewo block. Out of the second technical timeout Netherlands scored four unanswered points to slice the deficit to 16-13. The Netherlands scoring run ended with a service error and that led to a Hill ace and Akinradewo joust winner at the net for a 19-13 American lead. Akinradewo and Larson hammered kills to extend Team USA’s margin to 21-14. Lowe and Fawcett connected for back-to-back kills and Dietzen blocked an attack to put the U.S. at set points 24-15. Netherlands saved two set points before Fawcett landed the winning point at 25-17. Larson scored five points in the opening set, while Fawcett had four points.
Netherlands used five unanswered points to establish a 7-2 lead in the second set. Hill scored a kill and ace on back-to-back points to cut the American deficit to 8-5. Netherlands stopped the mini-run with two points only to have USA score on kills from Larson and Dietzen around a Glass block to slice the gap to 10-8. Netherlands served an ace after siding out to push its margin to 12-8. After Netherlands stretched its lead to 22-14, Lowe slammed a kill, Larson followed with a block and Netherlands hit long to cut the gap to 22-17. However, Netherlands quickly reach set points at 24-17 with back-to-back points. Larson and Dietzen saved two set points with blocks before Netherlands ended the set at 25-19.
Netherlands grabbed a 3-1 lead in early in the third set with two aces. Team USA took the lead at 6-4 with a Fawcett kill and three straight Akinradewo blocks. Akinradewo downed a kill and served an ace around the first technical timeout to go up 9-6. Larson served an ace and Hill blocked Netherlands to inch the American lead to 13-8. Netherlands moved to within three at 17-14, but then served into the net and Lowe followed with a kill to give the American a five-point cushion at 19-14. Out of a Netherlands timeout, Dietzen added another block for a 20-14 advantage. Dietzen chipped in a kill and block to extend Team USA’s margin to 22-15. Team USA won the set at 25-17 with an Akinradewo kill, her sixth point of the set and ninth of the match.
Fawcett launched an ace to provide the Americans an early two-point cushion in the fourth set at 4-2, but Netherlands answered with two points to tie the score at 4-all. Akinradewo and Larson pounded back-to-back kills and Netherland hit long to give the Americans an 8-5 lead at the first technical timeout. Netherlands scored three straight to level the score again at 9-all, then went into the lead at 11-10. Hill gave the Americans the lead back at 13-12 following a kill and Netherlands’ error. However, Netherlands reverse the lead to its side at 14-13. It was short-lived as Hill scored a kill and Netherlands committed back-to-back errors to produce an American 16-14 advantage at the second technical timeout. Netherlands regrouped to tie set at 17-all on an ace. Fawcett pounded a winner and Netherlands followed with its ninth error of the set for a 20-18 American lead. Larson added a third straight point with an ace at 21-18. Hill and Akinradewo produced consecutive kills to give Team USA match points at 24-20. Fawcett ended the set promptly with an ace at 25-20.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 10, 2016) – Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) set a new single-match serving record for the Pan American Cup leading the U.S. Women to a 20-25, 25-9, 25-15, 25-9 bronze-medal victory over Cuba in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Sunday.
Hancock recorded 12 aces on 31 serving attempts, topping her 11 aces tallied against Costa Rica in pool play earlier in the tournament. She added two blocks and a kill to lead the U.S. with 15 points. The U.S. previously defeated Cuba 19-25, 25-20, 18-25, 25-15, 15-7 earlier in the tournament in pool play.
Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) led the American offense with 10 kills on 20 swings, adding two blocks and an ace for 13 points. Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, California) and Taylor Simpson (Colorado Springs, Colorado) added seven kills apiece as part of 12-point performances. Wopat also aced Cuba three times with two blocks, while Simpson came off the bench in the second set to turn five blocks.
After falling behind in the first set, the U.S. increased its tempo, neutralizing Cuba’s offense with 17 team blocks. Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) rounded out the top point scorers with 11 points (five kills, five blocks, one ace).
Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) added seven points in the victory, while Alex Holston (Olney, Maryland) chipped in three points in starting the first set. Rounding out the scoring with one point each were Lauren Carlini (West Aurora, Illinois), Nikki Taylor (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Kelsie Payne (Austin, Texas).
The Americans dominated behind the service line, tallying 20 aces to Cuba’s two. The U.S. also out-blocked Cuba 17-9. Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) anchored the defense with nine digs. Kingdon and Courtney added five and four digs, respectively. Kingdon contributed 11 excellent receptions on 25 errorless attampts, while Courtney had six excellent receptions on 15 chances.
The U.S. moved out of gold-medal contention after an Olympic-bound Puerto Rico team defeated a U.S. roster comprised largely of recent college graduates 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20 in the semifinals on Saturday. The U.S. had won gold at three of the last four Pan American Cups.
U.S. Women’s Roster for Pan American Cup
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, West Aurora, Illinois, University of Wisconsin)
3 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Oklahoma, Penn State)
4 – Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State)
5 – Brittany Howard (OH, 6-3, Los Altos, California, Stanford University)
6 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Arizona, University of Arizona)
7 – Taylor Simpson (OH, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colorado, University of Colorado)
10 – Alex Holston (OPP, 6-1, Olney, Maryland, University of Florida)
11 – Nikki Taylor (OPP, 6-3, Honolulu, Hawaii, University of Hawaii)
12 – Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Santa Barbara, California, Stanford University)
13 – Rhamat Alhassan (M, 6-4, Glenarden, Maryland, University of Florida)
14 – Kelsie Payne (M, 6-3, Austin, Texas, University of Kansas)
22 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, California, University of Nebraska)
Head Coach: Dan Fisher (University of Pittsburgh)
Assistant Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach/Team Leader: Jon Newman-Gonchar (University of Arkansas)
Scout: Tristan Johnson (Arkansas State University)
Athletic Trainer: Peter Higbie
2016 Pan American Cup Schedule (times ET)
Pool B
July 2: USA def. Peru 25-20, 25-19, 27-25
July 3: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-13, 25-19
July 4: USA def. Cuba 19-25, 25-20, 18-25, 25-15, 15-7
July 5: USA def. Costa Rica 25-16, 25-10, 25-18
July 6: USA def. Argentina 25-14, 25-13, 25-23
July 9: Puerto Rico def. USA 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20
July 10: USA vs. Dominican Republic/Cuba semifinal loser, 3 p.m. (Bronze-Medal Match)
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BANGKOK, Thailand (July 10, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Brazil 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9 in a thrilling gold-medal match Sunday to cap the 24th Annual FIVB World Grand Prix being staged in Bangkok, Thailand. Team USA is ranked No. 1 in the world, while 2016 Olympic Games host Brazil is ranked No. 3. Both teams are among the favorites to win gold next month at the Rio Olympics.
Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) led the Americans with 19 points vis 16 kills on 24 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), who was named the second best outside hitter of the tournament, chipped in 17 points with 14 kills on 46 swings and three aces. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), selected as the best middle blocker of the tournament, picked up 11 kills on 20 attacks, three blocks and an ace for 15 points.
“Congratuations to Brazil – they played a really nice match,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We learned some really valuable lessons – this was really good for us to face a strong opponent like that. We look forward to training and moving onto the tournament in Rio.”
Team USA was aiming for its seventh World Grand Prix title and fifth in the last seven years after having won the event in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. With the victory, Brazil now holds 11 of the 24 World Grand Prix titles. The teams have held dominance over the World Grand Prix as either the Americans or Brazilians have won the tournament 17 of the 24 editions and every year since 2008.
USA and Brazil have met in the gold-medal match of the two most recent Olympic Games in Beijing and London with the South Americans winning both times. However, Team USA has won the last two matches in major competition heading into the 2016 World Grand Prix championship match. The Americans swept Brazil in the 2014 FIVB World Championship semifinal in Italy, as well as during the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals that clinched the title.
“Every time we face Brazil, it is always a really great battle,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania). “I thought tonight we came up short, but I thought we learned a lot from the match. Brazil’s middles got going early in the match, but I thought we made the necessary adjustments on defense. We are excited to take this lesson back, and learn and prepare these next few weeks before Rio. Congratulations to Brazil.”
Holding a 16-14 lead in the opening set, the U.S. caught fire out-scoring Brazil 9-4 down the stretch as Hill scored five points and both middles of Adams and Akinradewo scored four. Brazil evened the match at one set each after winning set 2 25-17 by winning 11 of the final 15 points. Brazil built a 17-12 lead in the third set, but had to fend off a late American challenge before winning 25-23. The fourth set had 16 ties and seven lead changes, but the USA was on the good side of the last change as it used a 4-0 run to establish a 23-20 lead en route to winning 25-22. Brazil never trailed in the fifth set and used a 6-1 run taking a 12-6 advantage and finished with a 15-9 victory.
“There are no big margins when you really get down to a battle like that,” Kiraly said. “We have some areas where we can improve for sure – some weaknesses of ours that were exposed by Brazil, some weaknesses of theirs that we exposed.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) totaled nine kills on 27 attacks in the loss, while opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) added seven kills on 22 attacks. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) tallied two kills and setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with one block.
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied 10 digs and had 15 excellent receptions on 22 chances. Larson totaled 18 excellent receptions on 36 chances.
Team USA converted 39.9 percent of its attacks into points with a .297 hitting efficiency (59-15-148) as Glass was credited with 52 running sets on 107 total chances. Brazil converted 45.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .373 hitting efficiency (70-13-153).
Brazil held a 70-59 advantage in kills and a slim 7-6 margin in blocks. Both teams served five aces in the match. Brazil’s defense netted a 45-28 advantage in digs as it kept the ball in motion in transition.
The U.S. had won 24 of its last 26 World Grand Prix matches with both losses at the hands of China in pool play in 2015 and 2016. The Americans also had its nine-match World Grand Prix win streak snapped.
Earlier in the day, Netherlands rallied to beat Russia 18-25, 23-25, 30-28, 25-21, 15-9 in the bronze-medal match and China defeated Thailand 25-23, 25-23, 25-12 for fifth place.
The World Grand Prix serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. All but Thailand competing in the World Grand Prix Finals have qualified for the Olympic Games next month.
Brazil gained the first two-point cushion at 4-2, but Glass put up a block and Brazil hit wide on consecutive plays to put the Americans up 5-4. Adams served an ace between a Hill kill and Brazil attack error to extend the American lead to 10-7 prompting the Brazilians to call timeout. The U.S. won a video challenge to put them up 12-8 after kills from Murphy and Hill. Team USA went up 14-9 with a Hill ace after an Akinradewo kill. Brazil scored three unanswered points out of the second technical timeout to cut the deficit to 16-14. Adams stopped the run with a kill and Hill followed with back-to-back kills to force Brazil to call timeout down 19-14. Team USA scored a fourth straight point on a Brazil error at 20-14. Brazil answered with a kill and block to chip away to 20-16. Murphy hammered a kill after a Brazil service error to inch the American lead to 22-16. Akinradewo scored the final two points for a 25-18 victory.
Team USA grabbed a 3-1 lead in the second set as Akinradewo picked up a kill and block after a Brazil error. Brazil tied the set at 4-all after a USA rotation error. Hill blocked Brazil after Larson’s first point of the match to give the Americans a 7-5 advantage. Brazil quickly tied the set at 7-all with an ace and went into the first technical timeout up 8-7 with a third straight point. Brazil served its second ace of the second set to build an 11-9 lead. Brazil reached the second technical timeout with a three-point edge at 16-13 and extended its lead to 17-13 with a fourth straight point. Team USA called timeout trailing 20-15 after back-to-back Brazil points. Brazil scored the final three points on USA errors for a 25-17 victory.
The U.S. took a 6-4 lead in the third set with a Murphy kill after a Brazil error. However, Brazil responded with four unanswered points to take an 8-6 lead into the first technical timeout. Team USA came back to tie the set at 9-9 with kills from Akinradewo and Hill. Brazil worked its way to a 15-11 lead with three unanswered points. Brazil’s advantage reached five at 17-12. Akinradewo scored consecutive kills to cut the deficit to 20-17. Glass put up a block after a Brazil service error to slice the gap to two, 21-19. Consecutive Brazil errors put the Team USA within one at 23-22. USA saved one set point, but Brazil won a video challenge that would have tied the set at 24-all but went to Brazil at 25-23.
The lead changed hands four times early in the fourth set before Team USA went up 10-8 with two Hill kills around a Brazil error. The Americans increased their lead to 12-9 with back-to-back Brazil errors, but the South Americans responded with three straight points to square the set at 12-all. Brazil gained the lead back at 14-13 on a USA rotation error then upped its lead to 15-13. Team USA answered with an Adams kill and Brazil attack error to level the score at 15-all. The Americans went back into the lead at 17-16 with a Larson kill and Hill block. The lead switched back to Brazil at 19-18 after an errant USA attack. The U.S. reversed the score to its side at 22-20 with consecutive Hill kills after an Akinradewo kill prompting a Brazil timeout. Out of the break, Larson tipped over the block yielding a 23-20 American lead. Akinradewo pounded a kill to give Team USA set points at 24-21 and Adams ended it with a quick middle kill at 25-22.
Brazil gained an early 3-1 lead in the final set and increased its advantage to 8-5 at the court side switch. Brazil served an ace and put up a block after a USA timeout to go up 10-5. Brazil doubled up its lead to 12-6 as part of a 6-1 run. Brazil finished out the match with at 15-9 victory.
2016 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Roster
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Michigan, Penn State University)
2 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Washington, University of Washington)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)
6 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, Bonsall, California, University of California-Berkeley)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Nebraska, University of Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Wilmington, Illinois, University of Florida)
13 – Christa Dietzen (M, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania, Penn State University)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Oregon, Pepperdine University)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Plantation, Florida, Stanford University)
17 – Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, California, University of Southern California)
19 – Michelle Bartsch (OH, 6-3, Maryville, Illinois, University of Illinois)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Illinois, University of Nebraska)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, Rancho Santa Fe, California, UCLA)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Jamie Morrison, Tom Black
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Consultant Coach: David Hunt
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek
Strength Coach: James Stitz
Doctor: Lori Boyijian
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
FIVB World Grand Prix Finals: July 6-10 at Bangkok, Thailand (all times Eastern)
July 6: USA def. Netherlands 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 (Watch Replay)
July 6: Brazil def. Thailand 26-24, 25-16, 25-11
July 7: Netherlands def. China 23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8
July 7: Brazil def. Russia 25-22, 25-10, 25-21
July 8: USA def. China 25-21, 26-24, 25-22 (Watch Replay)
July 8: Russia def. Thailand 27-25, 26-24, 25-19
July 9: Brazil def. Netherlands 25-18, 25-16, 25-23
July 9: USA def. Russia 25-20, 25-23, 25-14 (Watch Replay)
July 10: China def. Thailand 25-23, 25-23, 25-12 (5th-place match)
July 10: Netherlands def. Russia 18-25, 23-25, 30-28, 25-21, 15-9 (Bronze-Medal Match)
July 10: Brazil def. USA 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9 (Gold-Medal Match) (Watch)
2016 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Weekends
Final Group 1 Preliminary Round Standings
Pool A: June 10-12 at Ningbo, China
June 10: USA def. Germany, 25-15, 25-17, 25-12 (Watch Replay)
June 10: China def. Thailand 25-14, 25-14, 25-11
June 11: USA def. Thailand 25-21, 29-27, 25-23 (Watch Replay)
June 11: China def. Germany 25-12, 25-22, 25-16
June 12: Thailand def. Germany 16-25, 28-26, 25-22, 25-16
June 12: June 12: China def. USA 25-20, 25-19, 15-25, 25-23 (Watch Replay)
Pool B: June 9-12 at Rio de Janeiro
June 9: Brazil def. Italy 23-25, 25-15, 25-15, 27-25
June 9: Japan def. Serbia 31-29, 25-18, 28-26
June 10: Brazil def. Japan 25-20, 25-23, 25-15
June 10: Italy def. Serbia 25-16, 25-19, 29-31, 25-17
June 12: Brazil def. Serbia 25-20, 25-18, 25-18
June 12: Italy def. Japan 25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 25-27, 15-8
Pool C: June 10-12 at Kaliningrad, Russia
June 10: Turkey def. Belgium 25-22, 25-23, 26-24
June 10: Russia def. Netherlands 25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-16
June 11: Netherlands def. Turkey 27-25, 25-21, 25-22
June 11: Russia def. Belgium 25-20, 25-15, 25-16
June 12: Netherlands def. Belgium 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20
June 12: Russia def. Turkey 26-24, 20-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10
Pool D: June 17-19 at Macau, China
June 17: Serbia def. Brazil 16-25, 29-31, 25-19, 25-19, 18-16
June 17: China def. Belgium 25-19, 25-17, 25-22
June 18: Brazil def. Belgium 23-25, 25-19, 25-15, 25-18
June 18: China def. Serbia 27-25, 17-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-9
June 19: Serbia def. Belgium 24-26, 26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 15-10
June 19: China def. Brazil 25-23, 25-16, 25-20
Pool E: June 17-19 at Long Beach, California
June 17: Turkey def. Japan 21-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13
June 17: USA def. Germany 25-17, 24-26, 25-10, 25-23 (Watch Replay)
June 18: Turkey def. Germany 25-18, 16-25, 25-19, 25-19
June 18: USA def. Japan 25-16, 25-23, 25-21 (Watch Replay)
June 19: Japan def. Germany 25-27, 26-24, 25-15, 25-18
June 19: USA def. Turkey 25-21, 25-20, 25-16 (Watch Replay)
Pool F: June 17-19 at Bari, Italy (all times local)
June 17: Russia def. Netherlands 25-17, 25-23, 28-26
June 17: Thailand def. Italy 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-11
June 18: Russia def. Thailand 25-22, 25-22, 25-13
June 18: Netherlands def. Italy 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22
June 19: Netherlands def. Thailand 25-19, 25-16, 25-21
June 19: Russia def. Italy 19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10
Pool G: June 24-26 at Ankara, Turkey
June 24: Brazil def. Italy 24-26, 25-22, 25-13, 25-22
June 24: Belgium def. Turkey 25-18, 25-14, 19-25, 25-21
June 25: Italy def. Turkey 21-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-17
June 25: Brazil def. Belgium 13-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-18
June 26: Italy def. Belgium 25-14, 25-12, 25-21
June 26: Brazil def. Turkey 25-14, 25-21, 25-19
Pool H: June 24-26 at Hong Kong
June 24: USA def. Germany 25-19, 25-22, 30-28 (Watch Replay)
June 24: China def. Netherlands 25-22, 25-23, 25-21
June 25: USA def. Netherlands 25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-20 (Watch Replay)
June 25: China def. Germany 25-13, 25-16, 25-22
June 26: Netherlands def. Germany 26-24, 25-20, 25-22
June 26: USA def. China 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 (Watch Replay)
Pool I: June 24-26 at Kyoto, Japan (all times local)
June 24: Serbia def. Russia 23-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-20, 15-12
June 24: Japan def. Thailand 25-20, 25-19, 25-15
June 25: Russia def. Thailand 25-16, 25-22, 22-25, 25-12
June 25: Serbia def. Japan 25-23, 20-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-8
June 26: Serbia def. Thailand 25-18, 25-20, 25-20
June 26: Russia def. Japan 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-20
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 9, 2016) – A mix of college players and just recently graduated athletes representing the U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Olympic Games-bound Puerto Rico 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20 in the Pan American Cup semifinals on Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S., now 5-1 overall in the Pan American Cup, will now play Cuba for the bronze medal on Sunday at 3 pm. Local time. Team USA edged Cuba in five sets during pool play.
Middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) led the U.S. in scoring with 12 points including six kills, a team-best five blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) contributed 11 points with nine kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) tallied nine kills and a block for 10 points, while middle Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, California) recorded six kills and four blocks for 10 points.
Opposite Nikki Taylor (Honolulu, Hawaii) charted eight kills in starting just the fourth set after being a sub in the first three. Opposite Alex Holston (Olney, Maryland) scored seven kills in the match as she started the first three sets. Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) turned in four kills and a serve for five points as she started the first three sets. Setter Lauren Carlini (West Aurora, Illinois), who started the fourth set, rounded out the scoring with an ace.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with nine digs and 10 excellent receptions on 23 chances. Kingdon turned in 18 excellent receptions on 37 chances and eight digs. Courtney tacked on 11 excellent receptions on 25 chances.
Team USA advantages of 49-46 in kills and 12-11 in blocks, but the Puerto Rico serves caused problems for the American passing with a 9-3 ace advantage. The U.S. also committed 30 errors, 16 of which were service errors, in the match to the Puerto Ricans’ 18.
With the FIVB World Grand Prix running concurrently with the Pan Am Cup, Team USA is using a young roster of athletes, some of whom have never played internationally at any level.
The U.S. had won the Pan American Cup three of the past four years and four total times since the inaugural event in 2002.
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BANGKOK, Thailand (July 9, 2016) – Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) sparked the top-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-20, 25-23, 25-14 victory over fourth-ranked Russia on Saturday to advance to the FIVB World Grand Prix title match in Bangkok where it will have a chance to defend its title from last year.
Hill scored a match-high 17 points with 11 kills on 23 attacks, five of the team’s nine aces and a block. Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) contributed 13 points with seven kills on 12 errorless attacks, a team-best four blocks and two aces. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) tacked on 12 kills on 36 attacks with two errors in the victory.
“Russia is always a big strong team, with a big strong block and big attackers,” Hill said. “We had to make some adjustments. We served really tough and that worked well for us today.”
The U.S. will meet Brazil in the title match on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET. Brazil has won 10 of the previous 23 editions, while defending champion Team USA is going for its seventh World Grand Prix title including fifth in seven years. The championship match can be viewed live online on NBC Sports Live Extra (www.nbcsports.com/live) or tape delayed on cable channel Universal HD on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.
The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament now in its 24th edition. The USA-Russia match can be seen on cable channel Universal HD at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday immediately after today’s first semifinal match of Brazil-Netherlands.
Russia used four consecutive blocks to take an early 7-4 advantage in the opening set, but the U.S. responded with a 5-0 run of its own to establish a 9-7 lead and only let Russia score on its serve once the rest of the set for a 25-20 victory. Hill scored seven points in the opening set, including two aces. Russia led 14-10 in the second set, but Hill established dominance at the serving line with three aces as part of a 6-0 run to give the Americans a 16-14 lead that it would not relinquish in a 25-23 victory. Hill had eight points in the second set. Team USA controlled the entire third set by building a 13-4 lead thanks to a 6-0 run with two aces by Akinradewo and two points from Adams. The Americans closed out the set at 25-14.
“Russia is one of the great programs in the world of volleyball, they always have really strong women’s national teams and men’s national teams,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Volleyball is a popular sport there, so it is always great to face off across the net. They are a little type of team – taller, very good block. We have different styles and those are nice contrasts. So it was nice to face a very good team like that as it makes us better.”
Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) charted eight points with six kills on 10 errorless attacks and two aces. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) pocketed five kills on 17 swings and two blocks for seven points. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California), who was the double-sub opposite in all three sets), turned in four kills on six attacks for Team USA. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with one kill.
“Russia is a very physical team,” Akinradewo said. “They have great, strong attackers and blockers especially. I think our pin hitters did a really good job adjusting throughout the match after Russia got a few good blocks in. They were making smart decisions, hitting high off the block. As a whole, our team had a really good service run from out of system and we gave ourselves chances to work on our blocking defense that we have been working on all summer.”
Hill also contributed six digs and 10 excellent receptions on 19 errorless chances, while libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied six excellent receptions on 13 attempts and a team-best nine digs. Larson was credited with six digs and six excellent receptions.
Team USA converted 42.6 percent of its attacks in points with a .333 hitting efficiency (46-10-108). Glass turned in 29 excellent running sets on 68 set attempts and double-sub setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added seven running sets on 17 chances off the bench. The American defense limited the Russians to a .205 hitting efficiency (25-7-88) and 28.4 kill percent.
The U.S. held a 9-1 advantage in aces to offset Russia’s 14-7 block margin. Team USA held a sizeable 46-25 advantage in kills and out-dug Russia 32-22. The Americans committed 16 errors in the match compared to the Russians’ 13.
“Serving is something we have been working on, that just for this team, but all season long,” Hill said. “I am glad it worked well for us today. We just focused on keeping it strong and hard every time, and it helped us a lot.”
In the most recent meeting between the USA and Russia, the Americans were swept by their European counterparts at the 2015 FIVB World Cup on the third to last day and effectively ending their chances of earning a first-ever gold in the event. The World Cup is the only tournament the U.S. has not won since capturing the 2014 FIVB World Championship – a span of seven events.
Earlier in 2015 the U.S. had defeated Russia during the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals in Omaha, Nebraska. Team USA went on to win the gold and Russia finished with the silver at the World Grand Prix.
Kiraly said that the gold-medal match against Brazil will be good for both teams in preparing for the ultimate test in August, the Olympic Games.
“There a quite a number of very good teams in the Rio Olympic Games – Brazil, Russia, China, Serbia, Italy, Netherlands and USA,” Kiraly said. “It will be a great tournament, and we are excited to play Brazil. Last year they had some players rest, so we really have seen the true Brazil since 2014. So this will be great for both teams in our last tournament before the Rio Olympics that start in a few weeks.”
The U.S. has now won 24 of its last 26 World Grand Prix matches with both losses at the hands of China in pool play in 2015 and 2016. Overall, the Americans have won their last nine World Grand Prix matches. Team USA has won the last four World Grand Prix matches with Russia and went up 13-12 in the tournament series.
The World Grand Prix serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. All but Thailand competing in the World Grand Prix Finals have qualified for the Olympic Games next month.
The U.S. took a 3-1 lead in the opening set with blocks from Murphy and Hill after a Russia service error. However, Russia scored five straight blocks to take the lead back at 5-3. Russia increased its lead to 7-4, but Murphy and Akinradewo slammed kills around a Hill ace to level the score back at 7-all. Akinradewo hit a slide for Team USA’s fourth unanswered point to put the Americans in front 8-7 at the first technical timeout. Out of the break, Hill served a second ace to lift the U.S. in front 9-7 before Russia ended the 5-0 scoring spurt. Russia squared the set at 11-all with two straight points. Hill connected for consecutive kills to create a two-point cushion at 14-12, which prompted a Russia timeout. Adams served an ace out of the timeout extend the Team USA lead to 15-12. Team USA inched its lead to 19-15 with an Akinradewo kill and Adams block. Akinradewo and Larson scored the final two points of the set to put U.S. at 25-20.
The Americans grabbed a 4-2 lead in the second set with a Hill kill after a Russia service error. However, Russia tied the set up quickly at 4-all and went in front 6-5 on a 4-1 scoring run. Russia took an 8-6 lead into the first technical timeout on an ace that trickled off the net, then held a three-point margin at 11-8. Team USA called timeout trailing 14-10. The Americans cut the deficit in half at 14-12 with a Lowe kill and Russia error. Out of a Russia timeout, Hill served her third and fourth ace to level the score back at 14-all. Out of Russia’s second timeout, Lowe hit a winner and Hill served her third ace of a 6-0 run to give the Americans a 16-14 lead at the second technical timeout. Russia tied the score at 18-all with a block. The U.S. gained a two-point edge at 22-20 with a Hill kill after an amazing dig save by Banwarth. The teams traded side outs until Glass dumped a second contact for a kill at 25-23.
Team USA earned a 4-1 lead in the third set with kills from Adams and Hill, followed by a Russia error and an Adams ace leading to a Russia timeout. The U.S. reached the first technical timeout leading 8-4 with a Larson kill and Russia error. Team USA stretched its advantage to 11-4 with two Akinradewo aces and Russia error. Adams added a sixth and seventh straight points on Akinradewo’s serve with a block and kill at 13-4. Team USA went into the second technical timeout with a 16-5 advantage with consecutive kills from Adams, Murphy and Larson. Adams downed a kill followed by a Russia error to stretch the American lead to 18-6. Team USA held strong the rest of the way for 25-14 victory.
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LONG BEACH, California (June 15, 2016) – The FIVB World Grand Prix returns to the United States for the second time in two years as the U.S. Women’s National Team hosts the Group 1 Pool E preliminary round June 17-19 at the Walter Pyramid on the Long Beach State University campus in California.
Team USA, ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, hosts No. 11 Germany on June 17 at 7:10 p.m., followed by No. 5 Japan on June 18 at 7:10 p.m. and No. 10 Turkey on June 19 at 5:10 p.m. All times are Pacific Time.
The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. This year it serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. Both USA and Japan are among the 12 teams which will participate at the Rio Games in August.
The U.S. enters the second World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend with a 2-1 record and six standings points. The Americans swept Germany and Thailand last weekend in Ningbo, China, before falling to host and No. 2 China in four sets. In the process, China snapped Team USA’s 12-match win streak dating back to the 2015 FIVB World Cup.
The Americans, who will announce their roster for the Long Beach matches later this week, rank fourth in the 12-team World Grand Prix Group 1 behind China, Brazil and Russia who are all undefeated after the first three matches of the nine-match preliminary round. Turkey and Japan are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively. The top five teams after the nine preliminary round matches advance to the World Grand Prix Final Round along with host Thailand with competition set for July 6-10 in Bangkok.
Last week Team USA started 12 different players from its 14-player roster in at least one match last weekend in China. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) is the leading American scorer with 27 points and ranking 28th in scoring. She also ranks seventh in spiking with a 40.74 kill percent (22-54). Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) has 24 points through the first weekend. Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) is the tournament’s second-best blocker with 1.00 per set. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) is the tournament’s leading setter with 6.90 running sets average on 187 total set attempts. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) ranks ninth in best receiver with a 31.25 efficiency percent.
Meanwhile, Japan and Turkey arrive in Long Beach both sporting 1-2 records and three standings points. Japan, which is qualified for the 2016 along with the U.S., opened the World Grand Prix with a sweep of Serbia before losing in straight sets to Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. Japan nearly rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to Olympics-bound Italy before losing in five sets.
Turkey began the 2016 World Grand Prix with a 3-0 win over Belgium before falling to Olympic qualified Netherlands in three sets. In the Pool C finale, the host Russians rallied to defeat Turkey in five sets.
Germany is 0-3 to start the World Grand Prix after losing to USA, China and Thailand last weekend in China. The young German squad won its first set of the tournament to open its match against Thailand, but were unable to come through for the win.
Turkey is led by Polen Uslupehlivan, who ranks second in scoring in the tournament with 60 points and sixth in spiking with a 41.18 kill percent through three matches. Hande Baladin has contributed 37 points for Turkey through the first weekend. Nursevil Aydinlar leads the tournament in aces with 10 and a 0.91 ace average per set.
Japan’s Sarina Koga ranks eighth in scoring in the World Grand Prix with 46 points, while Yukiko Ebata ranks 13th in scoring with 36 points. Kanami Tashiro holds a 0.45 ace average for fifth-best through three matches, while also ranking fourth in setting with 6.00 running sets average. Japan has three of the top eight diggers in the tournament led by sixth-ranked Mami Uhiseto’s 3.00 digs per set.
Germany’s Louisa Lippmann leads the European squad with 34 points in the first three matches, while teammate Lisa Izquierdo has scored 30 points and ranks 10th in spiking with a 38.24 kill percent. Wiebke Silge ranks fifth in blocking with 0.90 blocks per set. Lena Mollers ranks third in setting with 6.50 running sets average.
While Team USA hosted the World Grand Prix Final Round at Omaha, Nebraska, in 2015 and won its sixth title, the U.S. last hosted a preliminary round weekend 20 years ago. The Americans hosted segments of the event in 1995 and 1996 at Honolulu before being selected to host last year’s Final Round in Omaha. Team USA hosted Japan in both the 1995 and 1996 World Grand Prix stops in the U.S.
Team USA is attempting to win its seventh FIVB World Grand Prix in its 24th edition. The Americans have won the event four of the past six years (2010-2012, 2015) after winning it in 1995 and 2001. Japan is one of two countries to have competed in all 24 World Grand Prix events. The Japanese earned silver in the 2014 edition. Germany has bronze medals from 2002 and 2009 as its high-water mark in the World Grand Prix. Turkey earned the bronze in the 2012 event and is competing in just its sixth World Grand Prix.
Both the U.S. and Japan are familiar with the Walter Pyramid in recent years. Team USA hosted Japan in the second of three 2013 USA Volleyball Cup matches in the unique pyramid venue. The Americans scored a 25-17, 26-24, 18-25, 25-20 victory over the Japanese squad in the first year of the Olympic quadrennial.
Aside from the U.S. Women hosting Japan in 2013 at the Pyramid, USA Volleyball has had a history of successful events staged on the campus of Long Beach State University. This past May the U.S. Men hosted Japan in the second of two USA Volleyball Cup matches this year. In 2014 and 2015, the U.S. Men hosted Russia in a weekend of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Long Beach. Team USA won the 2012 NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier here in Long Beach’s Walter Pyramid. The U.S. played Puerto Rico in a round of the 2011 World League in Long Beach. The Long Beach Arena was the site of the 1984 Olympic Games volleyball venue where the U.S. Men won gold and the U.S. Women won silver.
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ASSEN, Netherlands (July 3, 2016) – In its final competition before the Paralympics, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team appeared primed and ready to compete for a gold medal. The team finished 6-0 at the Dutch Tournament on Sunday, defeating Rwanda and long-time rival China, two Paralympic pool play opponents.
The U.S. defeated China 25-19, 25-12, 23-25, 25-15 Sunday morning before sweeping Rwanda 25-13, 25-9, 25-8. Earlier in the tournament, the Women’s Sitting Team topped Slovenia 25-7, 25-14, 25-11 and Netherlands 25-13, 25-13, 25-19. The team dropped just the one set all tournament – to China – outscoring its opponents 450-284.
“It’s so exciting to witness where our team is now and how far we’ve come,” middle blocker Lora Webster (Phoenix, Arizona) said.
Webster’s best match came against China when she totaled five blocks and four kills with an ace for 10 points.
Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) and Captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) dominated the tournament; each recorded 16 kills against China, while picking up additional points at the net with consistent blocking; Erickson was the team’s leading blocker in two of the four matches on Saturday and Sunday.
Also dominating the net was Michelle Schiffler (Lake Wales, Florida) who had a team-high four blocks against Rwanda and recorded at least two blocks against Slovenia, Netherlands and China. Schiffler also served up a team-best seven aces against Rwanda; the U.S. totaled 19 aces to Rwanda’s three in the victory.
However, the team was most satisfied with its victory against long-time rival China. At multiple major tournaments in recent years, including the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, the Americans found themselves playing runner-up to the Chinese. However, the U.S. scored two key victories against the Chinese during the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup in March in Anji, China when it soundly defeated China both in pool play and the gold medal match.
Sunday’s victory only helped improve team confidence, Holloway said.
“We stayed poised and aggressive the entire match. We are hitting our stride and seeing the amazing potential of each and every once of our players at just the right time,” she added. “We are finding our confidence in each other and its so much fun.”
The U.S travels home on Monday and will continue training at its training site at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma before departing for the Paralympic Games in late August.
U.S. Starters vs. Slovenia:
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Katie Holloway, Monique Burkland
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Heather Erickson
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Slovenia:
Kills: Schiffler 6, Holloway 4, Burkland 4, Erickson 3, Kari Miller 2, Webster 1, Shifflett 1, Edwards 1
Blocks: Erickson 5, Holloway 4, Webster 2, Shifflett 2, Schiffler 2, Burkland 1, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1, Nichole Millage 1
Aces: Burkland 7, Holloway 2, Nieves 2, Erickson 1, Kanahele 1, Michelle Schiffler 1, Lexi Shifflett 1
U.S. Starters vs. Netherlands
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Katie Holloway, Monique Burkland
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Heather Erickson
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Netherlands
Kills: Erickson 11, Holloway 6, Burkland 6, Schiffler 3, Webster 1, Millage 1, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1
Blocks: Erickson 5, Burkland 4, Holloway 2, Schiffler 1, Millage 1, Kanahele 1
Aces: Kanahele 4, Shifflett 3, Webster 2, Burkland 2, Erickson 1
U.S. Starters vs. China
Middle Blockers: Nicky Nieves, Lora Webster
Outside Hitters: Katie Holloway, Monique Burkland
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Monique Burkland
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. China:
Kills: Erickson 16, Holloway 16, Burkland 7, Webster 4, Nieves 3, Schiffler 2
Blocks: Webster 5, Schiffler 4, Erickson 4, Holloway 3, Burkland 3, Nieves 1
Aces: Nieves 2, Webster 1, Erickson 1
U.S. Starters vs. Rwanda
Middle blockers: Lora Webster, Michelle Schiffler
Outside Hitters: Katie Holloway, Tia Edwards
Setter: Lexi Shifflett
Opposite: Nichole Millage
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics vs. Rwanda
Kills: Millage 6, Holloway 5, Schiffler 4, Burkland 3, Nieves 2, Edwards 2, Erickson 1, Shifflett 1, Webster 1
Blocks: Schiffler 4, Millage 2, Burkland 1, Webster 1
Aces: Schiffler 7, Shifflett 5, Edwards 5, Holloway 1, Millage 1
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for the Dutch Tournament (July 1-3):
# – Name (Position, Hometown, Height)
1 – Lora Webster (MB, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-11)
2 – Bethany Zummo (L, Dublin, California, 5-2)
3 – Alexis Shifflett (S, Waseca, Minnesota, 5-4)
4 – Michelle Schiffler (MB, Lake Wales, Florida, 6-0)
5 – Katie Holloway (OH, Lake Stevens, Washington, 6-3)
6 – Heather Erickson (OH, Fayetteville, North Carolina, 5-11)
7 – Monique Burkland (MB, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 5-9)
10 – Kari Miller (OPP/DS, Washington D.C., 5-6)
13 – Nichole Millage (OH, Champaign, Illinois, 5-7)
14 – Kaleo Kanahele (S, Edmond, Oklahoma, 5-6)
16 – Nicky Nieves (OH, Kissimmee, Florida, 5-10)
17 – Tia Edwards (OH/MB, Skiatook, Oklahoma, 5-7)
Staff
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Cara Lang
Assistant Coach: Lazaro Beltran
Team Manager: Michelle Goodall
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Schedule at the Dutch Tournament , Assen, Netherlands
July 1: USA def. Russia, 25-14, 25-15, 25-18
July 1: USA def. Ukraine, 25-17, 25-19, 25-23
July 2: USA vs. Slovenia, 25-7, 25-14, 25-11
July 2: USA vs. Netherlands, 25-13, 25-13, 25-19
July 3: USA def. China, 25-19, 25-12, 23-25, 25-15
July 3: USA def. Rwanda, 25-13, 25-9, 25-8
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 3, 2016) – Nikki Taylor (Honolulu, Hawaii) notched a match-high 10 points as a young U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-13, 25-19 on Sunday to improve to 2-0 in the annual Pan American Cup being held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Taylor, who started just the final set after being the double-sub opposite in the first two sets, scored eight of her points via kills on 11 errorless attacks to go with two blocks. Middle Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, California) added nine points with six kills on nine swings and three blocks. Setter Micha Hancock(Edmond, Oklahoma), who started the match after being a sub in the opener, totaled six points with three aces, two kills and a block. She now has 11 aces in the first two Pan American Cup matches.
Kelsie Payne (Austin, Texas), playing and starting just the final two sets, contributed six points at middle blocker – all on kills from nine attacks. Alex Holston (Olney, Maryland), who started at opposite the first two sets, added six points with five kills on seven attacks and a block.
Outside hitter Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), outside hitter Taylor Simpson (Colorado Springs, Colorado) and middle Rhamat Alhassan (Glenarden, Maryland) all charted three points in the victory. Courtney started all three sets, while Alhassan started just the first set and Taylor was a sub in the final two sets. Outside hitter Brittany Howard (Los Altos, California) rounded out the scoring with two points in starting the final two sets.
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California) was credited with a team-high eight digs to go with five excellent receptions on 11 chances. Courtney totaled a team-best nine excellent receptions on 14 chances and four digs, while Howard had six excellent receptions on seven errorless chances.
The U.S. Women converted 55.9 percent of their attacks with a .424 hitting efficiency (.424) as Hancock was credited with 11 running sets on 34 chances and double-sub setter Lauren Carlini (West Aurora, Illinois) added two running sets on 16 set attempts. The Team USA defense limited Trinidad & Tobago to a 28.1 kill percent and a negative .016 hitting efficiency (18-19-64).
The Americans out-blocked Trinidad & Tobago 10-6 and held a slim 5-3 margin in aces. The U.S. managed a 33-18 advantage in kills and a 16-10 edge in digs.
With the FIVB World Grand Prix running concurrently with the Pan Am Cup, Team USA is using a roster of athletes either still in college or just recently graduated. For many of the players the Pan Am Cup is their first international competition including the junior and youth ranks.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 12, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to China 25-20, 25-19, 15-25, 25-23 Sunday afternoon as the top two teams in the FIVB world rankings met in the third match of FIVB World Grand Prix Pool A in Ningbo, China. Team USA entered the match ranked No. 1, while China is No. 2 in the world.
Team USA, aiming to win its seventh World Grand Prix title and fifth in seven years, falls to 2-1 in this year’s World Grand Prix. The U.S. returns home next weekend to host the World Grand Prix Pool E weekend pod at Long Beach State University’s Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. The Americans host Germany on June 17, followed by No. 5 Japan on June 18 and No. 10 Turkey on June 19.
Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) led Team USA with 16 points with 10 kills on 22 swings, four blocks and two aces. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), who came off the bench to start the final two sets, contributed 13 points with 10 kills on 25 attacks, two aces and a block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) added nine points with six kills, two blocks and an ace.
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) tallied nine points with seven kills and two blocks in starting the first two sets. Middle Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) started the final two sets and scored four kills on eight attacks and four blocks for eight points. Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois), who started the final two sets, pocketed seven kills on 11 swings.
Middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California) started the first two sets and scored two kills and two blocks for four points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) tacked on two kills and an ace in starting the first two sets. Setter Carli Lloyd rounded out the scoring with two blocks.
Team USA out-blocked China 17-15, but the hosts held advantages in kills (51-48) and aces (7-6). The Americans also committed one error more than the Chinese, 17-16. China’s backrow held a 30-17 dig advantage and had a 27-18 excellent reception margin in which the Americans struggled in the category in the first two sets.
The U.S. converted 35.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .231 hitting efficiency (48-17-134) as Lloyd was credited with 28 excellent running sets on 102 set attempts in the match. In contrast, the Chinese converted 39.5 percent of their attacks as part of a .240 hitting efficiency (51-20-129).
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) led the Team USA defense with seven digs, while Lloyd added three. Larson was credited with a team-high seven excellent receptions on 29 chances, while Banwarth provided five excellent receptions on 12 chances. Robinson stabilized the passing from the third set on with three excellent receptions on 24 errorless chances.
China took an early 6-2 lead in the opening set and looked poised to go up 7-2, but the U.S. won a challenge that started a 4-0 run that included two Akinradewo aces around a Lloyd block and Chinese error to tie the set at 6-all. China went on a 4-0 run to establish a 12-8 advantage prompting USA’s second timeout, then came out of the break with a block to push the gap to 13-8. The U.S. closed to 21-19 as Hill capped a 3-0 run with a block, but China was able to hold off the Americans for a 25-20 victory.
The U.S. overcame a 4-1 deficit early in the second set with a 5-0 spurt with Lowe scoring a kill and ace to give the Americans a 6-4 lead. China immediately answered with a 3-0 run capped by an ace off the net to take a 7-6 advantage. With China leading 15-11, Team USA rallied to regain the lead at 16-15 on a 5-0 run with Akinradewo providing a kill and block and Hill two kills on Lowe’s serve. China came out of the second technical timeout with three consecutive points to regain the lead at 18-16. China raised its margin to 22-18 with three unanswered points and went on to win the second set 25-19 with the final three points.
With Robinson, Murphy and Dietzen moving in to start the third set, the U.S. jumped out to a 5-1 lead as Murphy scored two quick kills and an ace. China cut the deficit to 7-6 on three straight points. Larson and Dietzen answered with consecutive blocks and Larson added a kill to raise the Americans’ margin to 10-6. Team USA upped its lead to 15-8 with two Murphy kills, Robinson kill, Dietzen block after a China error. Murphy scored a kill and ace in a 5-0 run lifting the U.S. in front 22-11. After China closed to 23-15 with three straight points, the Americans finished the set at 25-15 with kills from Murphy and Dietzen.
Team USA gained an 8-6 lead at the first technical timeout of the fourth set as Dietzen put up a block and Murphy powered down a kill as part of a 3-0 run. China ran off four straight points including a successful challenge to go up 13-11 prompting a USA timeout, then extended the gap to 19-15 with a 4-1 scoring spurt. The Americans sliced the gap to 19-18 as Larson slammed a kill and served an ace around a China error. Robinson tied the set at 19-all with a kill and Dietzen gave the U.S. the lead at 20-19 with an overpass kill out of a China timeout. China regained momentum with four straight points to reach match point at 24-21 and won the set 25-23.
The Americans entered the match having won 15 of their last 16 World Grand Prix matches dating back to 2015, only losing to China in five sets on July 18 last year in Hong Kong. In addition, The U.S. and China have now played each 34 times in the World Grand Prix, third most among all head-to-head matchup. The most recent USA-China match in World Grand Prix action was on July 26 last year as Team USA concluded the Final Round undefeated to capture its sixth World Grand Prix title.
Entering the match, China had won only two of the last eight World Grand Prix meetings with the Americans. Team USA swept China during last year’s FIVB World Cup, the only loss by the Asian team as it went on to win the tournament and the Americans finished with the bronze.
China snapped the Americans’ 12-match win streak in its last four competitions including 2015 FIVB World Cup, 2015 NORCECA Championship and 2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament. The Americans have won six of their last seven tournaments they have entered dating back to earning gold at the 2014 FIVB World Championship.
The Americans conclude the World Grand Prix preliminary phase with three matches in Hong Kong. The U.S. faces Germany on June 24, the No. 14 Netherlands on June 25 and host China on June 26.
The FIVB World Grand Prix schedule has each of the 12 teams in Group 1 playing three preliminary round weekends in various cities before the top five teams plus Thailand compete in the Final Round July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand.
U.S. Starters:
Carli Lloyd (S), Karsta Lowe (OPP), Foluke Akinradewo (M), Alexis Crimes (M), Jordan Larson (OH), Kim Hill (OH), Kayla Banwarth (L)
U.S. Statistics
Points: Foluke Akinradewo 16, Kelly Murphy 13, Jordan Larson 9, Kim Hill 9, Christa Dietzen 8, Kelsey Robinson 7, Alexis Crimes 4, Karsta Lowe 3, Carli Lloyd 2.
Kills-Attacks: Foluke Akinradewo 10-22, Kelly Murphy 10-25, Jordan Larson 6-25, Kim Hill 7-22, Christa Dietzen 4-8, Kelsey Robinson 7-11, Alexis Crimes 2-7, Karsta Lowe 2-13, Carli Lloyd 0-1. USA 48-134, China 51-129
Blocks: Foluke Akinradewo 4, Christa Dietzen 4, Jordan Larson 2, Kim Hill 2, Alexis Crimes 2, Carli Lloyd 2 Kelly Murphy 1. USA 17, China 15.
Aces: Foluke Akinradewo 2, Kelly Murphy 2, Jordan Larson 1, Karsta Lowe 1. USA 6, China 7.
Digs: Kayla Banwarth 7, Carli Lloyd 3, Kim Hill 2, Alisha Glass 1, Jordan Larson 1, Kelly Murphy 1, Kelsey Robinson 1, Karsta Lowe 1. USA 17, China 30.
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ORLANDO, Florida (May 29, 2016) – Tied 24-24 in a fourth set and trailing Russia two sets to one, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team had little room for error.
A Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) kill gave the Americans a small lead, before Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) aced the Russians for a fourth set win.
The U.S. dominated the fifth set, taking the match 25-17, 15-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-7, simultaneously winning the five-match series 3-2.
“It was a good match to finish with, and I though overall everyone did well, especially since we had a mix of players on the court,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said.
The teams traded leads early in the match before the U.S. used consistent blocking and capitalized on Russian errors to pull ahead. However, the visitors returned the favor in the second set, carefully placing shots to frustrate the American defense.
Hamiter changed his line-up each set, allowing multiple players to shine. Holloway led the team with a match-high 21 points (12 kills, seven digs, two aces), helping the Americans out-block their opponent 18-8. Although Russia totaled more kills (47 to the U.S. 37), Hamiter praised the net defense in the win.
“All series long they’ve out-blocked us by one or two, but today we really stepped it up,” he added.
Additionally, the U.S. limited errors late in the match, committing just three in the fifth set.
Captain Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) and Nieves totaled 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Lora Webster (Phoenix, Arizona) led the team behind the service line with six and three aces, respectively.
The U.S. now turns its focus to the Netherlands Open from July 1-3. Five of the eight Paralympic-bound teams will compete – Brazil, China, Russia, Ukraine and the United States – alongside Slovenia and Netherlands. For Hamiter and his staff, it will be one final chance to fine-tune the line-up before the Rio de Janeiro Games in September.
“We felt that after Saturday’s match we really had a good amount of film on everyone, so now we’ll review it and start making some decisions,” he said. “It was good to see them executing and winning (today) when we had a mix of experienced and some of our younger players, even though Russia wasn’t wanting to switch out of their stating line-ups.”
U.S. Starters on Sunday:
Middle Blockers: Michelle Schiffler, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Courtney Baker, Katie Holloway
Setters: Kaleo Kanahele, Lexi Shifflett
Libero: Kari Miller
U.S. Statistics on Saturday, Match 1:
Kills: Holloway 13, Heather Erickson 11, Nieves 10, Shifflett 3, Kanahele 1
Blocks: Holloway 7, Schiffler 3, Shifflett 3, Nieves 2, Lora Webster 2, Nichole Millage 1
Aces: Kanahele 6, Webster 3, Holloway 2, Shifflett 1, Schiffler 1, Erickson 1, Nieves 1, Tia Edwards 1, Baker 1
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HONG KONG (June 26, 2016) – Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) scored 18 points to lead the U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, to a sweep over second-ranked China 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 on Sunday to conclude the nine-match FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round in Hong Kong.
Team USA finishes the preliminary phase with an 8-1 record and 24 points, avenging an earlier loss to China on June 12 in Ningbo, China. The Chinese entered the match as the only country in the 12-team Group 1 field to remain undefeated. With the victory, the Americans finished the preliminary phase in first place and heads into the World Grand Prix Final 6 as the top seed. The Americans are the reigning champions of the World Grand Prix, the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament.
The U.S. will have eight days off before resuming competition at the FIVB World Grand Prix Final 6 that takes place July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand. Along with Team USA, other qualified teams are China, Brazil, Russia, Brazil and Netherlands who will join host Thailand in the competition.
All World Grand Prix Final 6 teams except host Thailand have qualified for the Olympic Games, which puts even more emphasis on the week in Bangkok to help evaluate tactics and finalize rosters. The U.S. deadline to name its Olympic roster is July 17. U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff could name the 12-player roster any time before that date, but it will likely not come out on the originally planned date June 27.
Leading 12-11 in the opening set, the U.S. used an 8-2 lead to establish a 20-13 advantage and went on to win 25-19 using five aces in the set. After China scored three unanswered points in the second set to tie the score at 10-all, the Americans ran off seven straight points of their own for a 17-10 advantage and held off a furious Chinese rally to win 25-21. Team USA put the match away quickly in the third with an 8-1 run to start the set and finished out with a 25-17 victory and seven blocks in the set.
Larson amassed her match-high 18 points via 14 kills on 28 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) chipped in 15 points with 11 kills on 18 attacks, three aces and a block. The outside hitter combination of Larson and Hill combined for 25-46 hitting and 33 points.
“I thought we had a nice game serving, and I think our blocking defense did a nice job being in the right spots and defending them well,” Larson said.
Middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) was dominant offensively with eight kills on 10 attacks, three blocks and two aces for 13 points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) contributed eight points with seven kills on 14 swings and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) charted seven points with six kills on 12 attacks and a block. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), the double-subs at setter and opposite, rounded out the scoring with one point each.
The U.S. converted 51.1 percent of its attacks with a .391 hitting efficiency (47-11-92) as setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) was credited with 26 running sets on 55 set attempts and Lloyd added five running sets on 19 chances. The American defense limited China to a .244 hitting efficiency (33-12-86).
USA libero Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, California) totaled a team-best five digs and had 10 excellent receptions on 24 serve receive chances. Larson was credited with nine excellent receptions on 12 errorless chances. Hill added four digs.
Team USA held a 7-2 advantage in aces to keep China out of system much of the afternoon. The American also managed a 9-7 block margin with seven of the blocks coming in the final set.
Team USA has now won 23 of its last 25 World Grand Prix matches with both losses coming at the hands of China in China. The U.S. defeated China on the final day of the 2015 World Grand Prix Final Round in Omaha, Nebraska. In last year’s World Grand Prix preliminary round finale, China defeated Team USA in five sets, also in Hong Kong, to go undefeated heading into the Final Round.
Team USA and China were meeting for the 35th time in the World Grand Prix with China leading the series 21-14.
The U.S. took an early 4-2 lead in the opening set with an Adams block and Lowe cross-court winner, but China quickly leveled the score at 5-all. Lowe answered with consecutive kills and Adams served an ace to put Team USA up 8-5 at the first technical timeout. China served an ace to break a string of sideouts to slice the American lead to 11-10. Larson hammered a kill and served an ace before Adams tipped a kill down for a 15-11 American advantage. Team USA extended its advantage to 17-12 with a Hill kill and Adams ace, her second of the set. The U.S. forced China to call timeout trailing 19-13 after a Hill kill and Chinese attack error. Out of the break, Lloyd served an ace to stretch the lead to 20-13. China chipped off two points at 20-15. Hill served an ace after a China service error to regain a seven-point lead at 22-15. China saved two sets points before the U.S. finished off the set at 25-19 on a Chinese service error.
Team USA took a 3-0 lead with a Hill ace and Larson block after China was faulted on the first point of the second set using an illegal lineup. China broke a string of sideouts with three straight points to knot the score at 10-all on an ace. Adams, Larson and Lowe stopped the run with three consecutive kills and Adams followed with a block and Larson slammed an overpass to push the Americans in front 15-10. After a Chinese timeout, Adams stuffed an attack to extend the American lead to 16-10 at the second technical timeout. Out of the break, Larson scored a seventh straight point for the U.S. with a kill off the block. China stopped the run with back-to-back points at 17-12, and pulled with four at 20-16 after a block. Akinradewo hammered a quick set and China committed a net violation to put Team USA up by six at 22-16. China answered with four points of its own to close to three at 22-20. Larson ended the set with consecutive kills for a 25-21 victory as she had seven points in the set.
Akinradewo started the third set with a kill and Larson followed with a block and kill for a 3-0 American lead. Hill capped the run at 4-0 with an ace. Akinradewo and Larson put down consecutive kills to extend Team USA’s lead to 6-1. China hit into the net out of its own timeout and Larson put up a block to go into the first technical timeout up 8-1 on a 4-0 run. Adams put up a block and kill to extend the American margin to 17-9. Adams and Lowe stuffed China twice as the American lead reached nine at 19-10. Akinradewo and Hill scored consecutive blocks to put the advantage at double-digits, 22-12. Larson gave USA match points at 24-14, and after China saved three match points, Adams finished it with a kill at 25-17.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 23, 2016) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, has been placed into Pool B for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games along with No. 2 China and four other teams.
The U.S. Women will also play No. 6 Serbia, No. 7 Italy, No. 14 Netherlands and No. 16 Puerto Rico in Pool B. Host Brazil, ranked No. 3 in the world, will play No. 4 Russia, No. 5 Japan, No. 8 Korea, No. 9 Argentina and No. 21 Cameroon in Pool A.
The 12 qualified teams were placed into their Olympic pool based on the FIVB world ranking as of Jan. 1, 2016 and via the serpentine system. The top four teams from each pool at the end of the group stage will qualify for the quarterfinals.
The U.S. Women are seeking to make history with its first Olympic Games gold medal following consecutive silver medals in 2008 and 2012. Team USA also won silver at the 1984 Olympics and bronze at the 1992 Olympics.
The Americans have won six of their last seven tournaments starting with the 2014 FIVB World Championship held in Italy. The U.S. and China faced each other in the World Championship gold-medal match. The U.S. qualified for the 2016 Olympics by winning the 2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualifier held this past January at Lincoln, Nebraska.
The U.S. will face China twice during the upcoming FIVB World Grand Prix with matches on June 12 at Ningbo, China, and on June 26 at Hong Kong. Both teams could meet each other at the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals held July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand. Other teams on Team USA’s World Grand Prix preliminary schedule include Japan and Netherlands.
The Olympic Games begin Aug. 6 and concludes with the medal matches on Aug. 20.
Notes:
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HONG KONG (June 24, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked number-one in the world, defeated Germany 25-19, 25-22, 30-28 for the third time in 15 days as Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) scored 15 points during FIVB World Grand Prix Pool H action on Friday at Hong Kong.
Team USA, with a 6-1 record and 18 points, clinched a spot into the FIVB World Grand Prix Final 6 with the victory as it moved into second place in the standings. Before Team USA competes in the Final 6 from July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand, it will meet No. 14 Netherlands (4-2, 12 points before facing China today) on Saturday at 1:15 a.m. ET and Pool H host China on Sunday at 3:45 a.m. ET. China, one of two undefeated teams through the first six matches of the World Grand Prix, is ranked second in the world. Both matches can be view live online on NBC Sports Live Extra.
In the opening set, the Americans took a 10-4 lead with an 8-1 run, but had to hold back Germany’s charge that knotted the score at 12-all. Team USA answered Germany’s run with an 8-2 run to take a commanding 20-14 margin en route to the 25-19 victory. The U.S. built a 21-15 lead in the second set on a 4-0 run, but then had to weather a Germany rally that cut the gap to 22-21 before winning 25-22. The U.S. led 24-22 in the third set, only to have Germany roar back to take the lead and have two set points before Team USA capped the match with a 30-28 victory on its fifth match point attempt, the longest rally of the match.
“I want to congratulate Germany,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I really like how hard they fight. The coaches are doing a great job with them teaching them to never stop and give up. We had some plays that we would win for sure, but we did not because of their effort. Germany’s serving pressure got much better as the match went on, and that is important for any good team.”
Fawcett claimed her 15 points all kills via 29 attacks to lead the American offense. Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) charted 14 points with 10 kills on 15 swings and four blocks. Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) contributed 11 points with eight kills, two aces and one block.
“I think the biggest thing was really just staying true and simple to our game plan,” Fawcett said. “They were definitely making really good plays against us, but it was key for us to not change a lot and stick with what we were doing and trust the system that we had in place. I think we were able to do that. We struggled for that last point there, but I think it is a testament to the style we are playing and that we were going to go for every ball and work to keep it on our side so we could better it every single time.”
Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) scored eight kills on 21 attacks and a block for nine points in the victory. Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California) pocketed a match-high five blocks to go with three kills on eight swings for eight points. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) rounded out the scoring with two kills on two swings and two blocks for eight points.
“Against these kind of teams, you just have to have a lot of patience,” Hill said about Germany’s defensive tenacity on the court. “When a good swing doesn’t go down, you just keep coming at thing with good swings and more good swings. It is fun to play teams like this with good defense.”
Lloyd was credited with 22 running sets as the U.S. converted 43.8 percent of its attacks with a .362 hitting efficiency (46-8-105). The Team USA defense limited Germany to a .161 hitting efficiency (41-23-112).
“That was a good test for us, and good pressure on us,” Kiraly said. “We learned and will try to get better for tomorrow.”
Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, California), making her first start of the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix, was credited with six digs and 11 excellent receptions on 18 chances without an error. Hill added 13 excellent receptions on 27 chances. Robinson produced five digs, while Adams added four digs.
Team USA out-blocked Germany 13-5 in the victory to help offset the European’s 5-2 advantage in aces. The Americans held a slim 19-18 margin in digs and held their errors to 18 for the match.
“I think the middles did a really great job with the deciding the game plan what we were going to do each time,” Fawcett said. “Once again, it was just staying simple with our blocks and letting our defense work behind it. We were able to get some really good touches by doing that.”
The U.S. Women have won at least one set in each of their last 24 World Grand Prix matches and seven of their last eight victories have been in straight sets.
The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. The 12-team Group 1 pool concludes in Bangkok as the top five teams in the nine-match preliminary round advance to the Final 6 with host Thailand. This year the World Grand Prix serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. The USA, along with their final two World Grand Prix preliminary round opponents China and Netherlands, is qualified for the Olympic Games.
Netherlands ranks fifth in the standings with both its losses coming at the hands of undefeated Russia. The Americans last faced the Netherlands during the 2014 FIVB World Championship, which resulted in a 3-0 American victory. China, ranked No. 2 in the world, is one of two undefeated teams in the World Grand Prix and is atop the standings with a one-point edge over Russia.
“We expect Netherlands to be really good. They are vastly improved since the last time we played them in 2014 World Championships. They have a great, young opposite who so happens to play on one of the top club teams in the world, head coached by (Netherlands) Giovanni Guidetti and assisted by USA assistant Jamie Morrison. Jamie knows several of their players well. Kim Hill also played on that club. So the players know each other well, but USA and Netherlands don’t know each other that well. We are impressed with the progress Netherlands has been making.”
After falling to No. 2 China in four sets to conclude the opening weekend in Ningbo, China, the U.S. Women regained momentum last week by winning all three matches while playing at home in Long Beach, California. Team USA defeated Germany in four sets to open Pool E, which marked the Americans’ second win over the Germans in as many weeks. The U.S. also swept Olympic-qualified Japan and No. 10 Turkey while in Long Beach.
The U.S. took a 5-3 lead in the opening set with kills from Robinson and Adams around a German error as part of a 3-0 run. Robinson served consecutive aces after an Adams kill to extend Team USA’s lead to 8-4 at the first technical timeout. Out of the break, Germany hit wide and Hill put up a block to increase the American lead to 10-4 on an 8-1 scoring spurt. Germany charged back with five unanswered points to level the score at 13-13. Fawcett ended the run with a kill and Germany hit long on back-to-back swings to put the Americans in front 15-12. Team USA inched the lead to 18-14 with an Adams kill and Germany’s seventh error of the set prompting a timeout. Lloyd put up a block out of the break and Germany committed another error to put the U.S. up 20-14. The U.S. closed out the set at 25-19 with consecutive kills from Fawcett and Robinson. Fawcett scored five points in the opening set, while Robinson produced four points.
The U.S. broke a string of sideouts with two Hill kills around a Germany attack error to take a 6-4 lead. Crimes added a block for a fourth straight point to go up 7-4. Robinson followed a Germany service error with a kill to extend the U.S. lead to 10-6. Robinson scored on a block after a Fawcett kill to stretch the American lead to 12-7. Germany sliced into its gap to close to 16-14 with consecutive points out of the second technical timeout. Fawcett pounded consecutive kills and three out of four points to place the Americans in front 19-15 at Germany’s second timeout of the set. Out of the break, Adams slammed an overpass and put up a block to increase the U.S. margin to 21-15. Germany responded with four unanswered points to close to 21-19, then pulled to within one at 22-21. Team USA responded with kills from Adams and Lloyd to reach set points, 24-21. Fawcett ended the set at 25-22 with a kill, her seventh point of the set and 12th point of the match.
Germany went up 4-2 early in the third set for its first two-point cushion during the match. Germany expanded its lead to 6-3 as part of a 5-1 scoring run, then increased the advantage to 9-5 on a service ace. Lloyd ended the run with a block and Hill hit off the Germany block to cut the U.S. deficit to 9-6. However, Germany answered with an ace to return to a five-point cushion at 11-6. Three German errors around a Robinson kill sliced the American deficit to a single point at 13-12. Adams and Lloyd scored back-to-back blocks out of the second technical timeout to tie the score at 16-all. However, Germany bounced back with two straight to go up 18-16. Crimes blocked Germany after it served out to square the set at 18-all. Fawcett gave Team USA the lead at 20-19 after a Hill kill. Crimes added a one-handed block to push the American lead to 21-19. Germany knotted the set back at 21-all on an ace, then went back into the lead at 22-21 prompting a USA timeout. Fawcett scored a block and Germany hit wide to shift the advantage back to Team USA at 23-22. Fawcett gave the Americans match points at 24-22. Germany saved two match points to level the score at 24-all, then went into the lead at 25-24. After a successful USA video challenge, Robinson hit a kill off the block to reverse the score to the Americans at 26-25. Germany saved its fourth match point and went up 28-27 on a USA error. Adams and Hill connected for back-to-back kills to yield a fifth USA match point at 29-28. Adams finished the match with a block on a long rally at 30-28.
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LONG BEACH, California (June 19, 2016) – It has been 20 years since the U.S. Women’s National Team hosted a preliminary round phase of the FIVB World Grand Prix, but they are enjoying the current experience of playing on home soil in Long Beach, California, as part of the event’s Pool E.
The Americans last hosted preliminary weekends of the World Grand Prix in 1995 and 1996 in Honolulu. Although Team USA was the host of the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals in which it won gold in Omaha, Nebraska, this year’s event is even more special. The U.S. gets to play near its training host city, Anaheim, California, and where so many of the players are from or played collegiately.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said it is a “treat” to have the opportunity to play near the team’s home training site in Southern California.
“It is a great atmosphere – a special treat,” Kiraly said of playing at the Walter Pyramid on the Long Beach State University campus. “We do not play many tournament matches in the USA. Obviously we had a World Grand Prix Finals week last year in Omaha, but beyond that we have not played a Grand Prix phase since 1996 – after a 20-year break. It is not something we are used to. This was even a bigger adjustment as we have not played a tournament in Southern California, staying at home, making commutes and just having a different experience.”
Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) has enjoyed the experience of playing some of the best teams in the world on home soil in a tournament of such magnitude right before the Olympic Games.
“We are really excited to be here in Long Beach,” Dietzen said. “They are doing a great job at making this event great. USA Volleyball is promoting this event, everyone is promoting it well. We are really excited to be competing against some of the best teams in the world on our home turf. It is different for us as we are used to being on the road.”
Team USA is accustomed to playing almost exclusively on the road, so getting a chance to see friendly faces in the crowd and listening to fans cheering for and not against the USA is special.
“It is amazing,” U.S. opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) said. “This is an experience we don’t get a lot of. Just to look up in the crowds to see my family, my aunt and friends who live around here is amazing. To have that support system right here in the stands is great. We normally are playing overseas and I don’t know a single face in the crowd.”
Matt Garthoff, founder and organizer of the VOL-B-QUE, is hoping the support from the tailgate translates over to the team this evening. The squad arrived early for the match as the honored guests of the tailgate party in a special parade before entering the Walter Pyramid. Earlier in the day, the USA team took time following their training session to speak with all the organizers and volunteers for the VOL-B-QUE.
“I hope these players feel the love from the VOL-B-QUE crew,” Garthoff said. “It is the first time we have done this for the Women’s Team. I think between that fact and the fact it is Olympic year and we are six weeks or so from Rio, it is a perfect storm for us. I am hoping the players are blown away from the impact we make here in the Pyramid.”
Kiraly complimented Garthoff and his crew on making the VOL-B-QUE and subsequent match against Japan special for his players.
“The crowd was phenomenal thanks to a lot of people, especially Matt Garthoff and the VOL-B-QUE crew,” Kiraly said. “Our players got a chance to say hello to them at the huge volleyball tailgate party. I got a chance to say hello to them, and it was such a great day for volleyball.”
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LONG BEACH, California (June 18, 2016) – Top-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team, playing in front of a sell-out crowd in Long Beach, California, notched a 25-16, 25-23, 25-21 victory over No. 5 Japan on Saturday evening in Long Beach, California, in a battle of Olympic-qualified teams. The USA trains in nearby Anaheim, located just 30 minutes away from Long Beach.
Team USA, now 4-1 overall with 12 points and in fourth place in the World Grand Prix standings, concludes the Pool E weekend by playing No. 10 Turkey on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT.
“We love playing Japan,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They are one of the legendary programs in all of international volleyball, especially on the women’s side. They fight with such heart and never give up. We know we have to work really hard to earn every point, and that is good for us to work our tails off in the long rallies.”
The USA had balanced scoring with Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) soring a team-best 14 points with 12 kills on 17 attacks, one ace and one block. Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) added 13 points on 11 kills via 23 swings and two blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) tallied 11 points with 10 kills on 21 attacks and a block. Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) contributed 10 points on six kills via 14 swings, two blocks and two aces.
“I think we made conscious decisions tonight to get a couple strong goals, and we did a really job of sticking to those and accomplishing them.” Hill said. “It is always fun to play this Japan team that plays great defense. We are focusing on our side of the net a lot, so that is what we are trying to get better at. Each team has little quirks and different nuances, and that helps us prepare for a little of everything.”
Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) charted nine points with eight kills on 15 swings and a block. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) totaled five points as the opposite in the double-sub all three sets. Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with one block and one ace.
Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) totaled 11 digs and 11 excellent receptions 12 chances. Lowe provide 10 digs, while Hill was credited with 10 excellent receptions on 17 chances to go with seven digs. Larson had a team-high 21 excellent receptions on 26 attempts and five digs.
The Americans converted 51 kill percent of their attacks as part of a .430 hitting efficiency (51-8-100) as Glass had 28 running sets on 67 set attempts. Team USA maintained a 9-2 block advantage. Both teams had four aces. The U.S. defense limited Japan to a 32.4 kill percent and .185 hitting efficiency.
“There were so many times that our pins were one-on-one, our middles were one-on-one,” U.S. captain Christa Dietzen said. “So Alisha Glass did a great job of distributing the ball evenly. I thought our defense gave us a lot of opportunities to score in transition.”
The U.S. drew energy from the 5,000 fans who packed the Walter Pyramid.
“The crowd was phenomenal thanks to a lot of people, especially Matt Garthoff and the VOL-B-QUE crew,” Kiraly said. “Our players got a chance to say hello to them at the huge volleyball tailgate party. I got a chance to say hello to them, and it was such a great day for volleyball.”
The USA has won 21 of its 27 World Grand Prix matches with Japan including the last 11 meetings. The Asian side has not won a World Grand Prix meeting since 2005.
The USA took a 5-2 lead in the opening set following a Lowe attack and that ignited the American offense. Hill gave Team USA an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout and the lead quickly jumped to 12-4 with Adams scoring two aces and Akinradewo pounding an authoritative attack around a Hill kill. The USA lead reached double digits at 14-4. After trailing 18-9, Sakoda served consecutive aces to help Japan cut the deficit to 18-12. The USA reached set point 24-16 with an Akinradewo overpass kill and Hill won the set with a kill off a successful challenge at 25-16. The middles of Adams and Akinradewo scored six points each in the set as the Americans converted 19 of 32 attacks for points.
Japan gained a 4-1 lead early in the second set capped by a Ishii ace. Glass served an ace between two Larson kills, the first being a successful USA video challenge, to give the Americans a 6-5 lead. Japan went back into the lead with an Ishii kill at 8-7. Hill answered with a kill and block to reverse the lead to the USA at 9-8. Japan reached the second technical timeout with a 16-15 lead following a USA error. Trailing 19-17, the USA came back to tie the set 19-all on a Larson kill. The teams traded points until Lowe and Hill were able to put away consecutive winners to give the Americans set point at 24-23. Akinradewo ended the set with a power slam on the slide that hit within the three-meter zone that ignited a thunderous applause from the crowd.
Ishii scored a kill to put Japan in a third set tie at 5-all after trailing 5-3. Akinradewo and Larson scored back-to-back kills to give the Americans a two-point cushion at 11-9. Team USA upped the lead to 17-12 with a Hill block as part of a 5-2 American run. Nabeya served an ace and the USA hit wide twice to cut the American lead to 17-16. Akinradewo took a quick set for a kill providing the Americans a two-point edge at 19-17. Japan answered with consecutive points to tie the set at 19-all, but Hill and Murphy responded with back-to-back kills to give the Americans a 21-19 lead. Japan leveled the score again at 21-all. Adams ended a long rally at 23-21 with an Adams block. Larson slammed a kill off the block to give the Americans match point at 24-21 and Murphy ended the set promptly with a cross-court winner at 25-21.
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LONG BEACH, California (June 17, 2016) – The USA used a 15-2 ace advantage to defeat Germany for the second time in as many weekends of the FIVB World Grand Prix, this time winning 25-17, 24-26, 25-10, 25-23 on Friday evening in Long Beach, California.
The USA improves to 3-1 in the FIVB World Grand Prix with nine points, while Germany falls to 0-4 through the fourth competition day. The Americans host Japan (1-3) on Saturday at 19:10 Pacific Time, while Germany take on Turkey (2-2) at 17:10 Pacific Time.
The U.S., competing in a rare tournament on home soil, played to the likings of 3,250 fans in the Walter Pyramid.
“It was a great atmosphere. It was a special treat. We do not play many tournament matches in the USA. Obviously we had a World Grand Prix Finals week last year in Omaha, but beyond that we have not played a Grand Prix phase since 1996 – after a 20-year break. It is not something we are used to. This was even a bigger adjustment as we have not played a tournament in Southern California, staying at home, making commutes and just having a different experience. I don’t think we handled it well in the first two sets and we got a little better as we went along.”
Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) scored 20 points with 18 kills on 34 swings. Kim Hill (Plantation, Florida) added 19 points with 15 kills on 41 attacks. Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) added 12 points with six kills on 26 attacks, four aces and two blocks.
Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) added eight points with three kills, three blocks and two aces. Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in eight points with five kills on eight swings, two aces and a block. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) charted six points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) rounded out the scoring with five points.
After losing the second set, Team USA regrouped with a more aggressive attitude on the court.
“Alisha Glass all brought us all in and told us we need to turn up our aggression level, meaning block and defense assertiveness,” Dietzen said. “I also believe our communication needed to be crisper. We had a few mis-communication plays in the first two sets. I thought that was another upgrade and allowed us to play better, and our serve got better.”
Team USA converted 37.7 percent of its attacks as Glass had 25 running sets on 75 chances and Carli Lloyd (Bonsall) added 10 running sets on 28 chances in the double-sub role. The Americans held Germany to a .328 hitting efficiency.
Robinson led the American defense with 16 digs, while Glass had 15 and Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) chipped in 14. Lowe and Hill each had 13 digs. Robinson was credited with 23 excellent receptions on 25 chances, while Banwarth was 15 of 18 without an error. Hill totaled 16 excellent receptions on 22 chances.
The Americans also held a 11-8 block margin in the victory.
Germany was paced by Louisa Lippman’s 13 points. Jana Franziska Poll totaled 12 points as she came off the bench in the first two sets before starting the third.
The USA also defeated Germany last weekend in the World Grand Prix opener in Ningbo, China.
The USA inched its way to a 6-3 lead early in the first set following an Adams kill on the slide and Robinson served an ace giving the Americans an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout. Lowe served an ace after Lowe found open space to lift the Americans in front 10-4. Germany answered with a 5-1 scoring spurt to prompt USA to call timeout with its lead trimmed to 11-9. Out of the break, the Americans scored two straight including a Dietzen kill and Glass ace at 13-9. However, Germany didn’t fade as it scored three straight to close to 13-12. The U.S. responded with three quick points capped by a Hill ace at 16-12. The Americans continued to roll to a 22-14 advantage with a Murphy cross-court winner and Adams big block. Hill found the back corner for the set winner at 25-17.
Adams opened the second set with consecutive aces to give USA a 2-0 lead. Trailing 7-3, Germany scored three straight to slice its gap to 7-6 as Schwertmann won a joust to ignite the European side. Germany tied the set at 8-all following a USA error. Robinson served two aces and Hill slammed two kills in a 7-1 run to lift the Americans in front 15-9. Denise Hanke scored a kill on a surprise setter dump to move Germany to within 17-14. Schwertmann put down a monster kill and followed with a big block to put Germany down two at 19-17. USA called timeout hanging on to a 21-20 advantage after Stigrot slammed a kill. Silge blocked an American attack to knot the score at 23-all. Poll slammed a kill off the block to give Germany set point 25-24 after saving one set point for the Americans. Lippmann blocked the final point of the set for a 26-24 Germany victory to even the match. Germany’s Poll had seven points in the set.
After having a big lead erased in the second set, the USA started the third set strong with a 3-0 advantage, but Germany recovered to tie the set at 4-all. Lowe answered with consecutive points to stop the run followed by an Adams block and Dietzen ace to give the Americans an 8-4 advantage. Dietzen served a second ace out of the first technical timeout to push the USA in front 9-4 on a 5-0 run. Back-to-back blocks from Robinson and Adams and a Lowe ace stretched the USA to 14-5. Team USA cruised to the final set score 25-10 capped by a Dietzen block and a 21-6 run. The USA had five blocks and four aces in the set as Lowe and Dietzen scored four points each.
Glass served consecutive aces to send the USA in front 4-1 early in the fourth set. Lowe scored a winner after a USA successful challenge and Hill followed with an ace and Lowe slammed a cross-court winner to stretch the USA lead to 7-3. Lippmann put up a solid block on the USA to close the visitor’s deficit to 11-9. Lowe and Hill downed back-to-back kills to put the USA up front 14-10. Germany responded with three straight points to close the gap to 14-13 prompting an American timeout. Hill slammed a winner off the block giving the USA a three-point cushion at 22-19. Lowe gave USA match point at 24-21 with an uncontested attack. Germany saved two match points before Lowe slammed the final winner at 25-23.
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LONG BEACH, California (June 15, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, continues to fine tune its roster and systems heading into the second FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend in Long Beach, California.
Team USA, ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, hosts No. 11 Germany on June 17 at 7:10 p.m., followed by No. 5 Japan on June 18 at 7:10 p.m. and No. 10 Turkey on June 19 at 5:10 p.m. All times are Pacific Time.
“Every one of the times that we are together, especially with a uniform on – including when it was USA against USA in Red vs. Blue matches that started five weeks ago as well as World Grand Prix matches – each time we put a uniform on, we consider it a gold-medal match,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “It doesn’t matter who is across the net as it is an opportunity to get better and learn. We still have chances to improve with a big season of 2016 upon us.”
All three USA matches this weekend can be viewed live online on NBC Sports Live Extra (http://www.nbcsports.com/live-extra), while all six matches can be viewed live on FIVB’s YouTube Channel. NBC Sports Network will also air the three USA matches on its television platform on a taped-delay basis.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have chosen three middles, three outside hitters, three setters, three opposites and two liberos to represent Team USA as the defending FIVB World Grand Prix champions.
The USA coaching staff made one change from last weekend, adding Fawcett in place of middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California). By FIVB rules, the U.S. can change its roster again next week heading into the third preliminary weekend as well as the Grand Prix Finals being held July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Team USA is excited to be back playing on home soil in front of crowds chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A.”
“We are excited to play at home, and take advantage of our home court and put the other teams in hard situations,” Murphy said.
Kiraly says this weekend’s matches have importance on the longer term goal with the Olympic Games now at 50 days out.
“Every point we play we have to empty the tank on, both in terms of World Grand Prix playing and in terms of playing our style of play and system,” Kiraly said. “But also in terms of helping us figure out the difficult process toward 12 players who will go to Rio.”
Murphy feels that the added pressure of performing well to gain one of the coveted 12 Olympic spots on the U.S. roster can be a positive within all the challenges.
“You definitely try not to think about it, and play as relaxed and free as possible,” Murphy said. “But I also think it sort of gives a little extra push to play even harder, and I think we have done a really good job at using it as a positive thing and using it to push us. It is exciting, and nerve-racking and a lot of things all at the same time.”
The U.S. enters the second World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend with a 2-1 record and six standings points. The Americans swept Germany and Thailand last weekend in Ningbo, China, before falling to host and No. 2 China in four sets. In the process, China snapped Team USA’s 12-match win streak dating back to the 2015 FIVB World Cup.
The World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament. This year it serves as the last major event for teams qualified to the 2016 Olympic Games to fine tune their systems. Both USA and Japan are among the 12 teams which will participate at the Rio Games in August.
The top five teams in the preliminary round plus host Thailand will make up the six-team Final Round field. The Americans rank fourth in the 12-team World Grand Prix Group 1 behind China, Brazil and Russia who are all undefeated after the first three matches of the nine-match preliminary round. Turkey and Japan are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
Last week Team USA started 12 different players from its 14-player roster in at least one match last weekend in China. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) is the leading American scorer with 27 points and ranking 28th in scoring. She also ranks seventh in spiking with a 40.74 kill percent (22-54). Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) has 24 points through the first weekend. Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) is the tournament’s second-best blocker with 1.00 per set. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) is the tournament’s leading setter with 6.90 running sets average on 187 total set attempts. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) ranks ninth in best receiver with a 31.25 efficiency percent.
“It felt really good to get out and compete,” said Murphy, who missed some competitions in 2015 after being the team’s leading scorer in both 2013 and 2014, her first two seasons with Team USA. “We have been training for a long time and working really hard. To get back out there with the team and see what we have been working and what we still need to work on was a lot of fun. I think we did a pretty good job and learned a lot.”
According to Murphy, the team continuously works on its passing and serving game as a means to get its system in high gear.
“We have been working on a few things, just always working on our passing and serving is really important for us,” Murphy said. “We talk about if we can do those things really well, then we can control most of the matches.”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 10, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, opened its FIVB World Grand Prix title defense with a commanding 25-15, 25-17, 25-12 victory over No. 11 Germany Friday afternoon in Ningbo, China.
Team USA, shooting for its seventh World Grand Prix title and fifth in seven years, challenges No. 13 Thailand on Saturday at 3 a.m. ET on the second day of action before meeting Pool A host China on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET. China is ranked No. 2 in the world. The U.S. travels home next week to host a preliminary round weekend of the premier annual women’s international volleyball tournament as the Americans have a rematch against Germany on June 17, followed by No. 5 Japan on June 18 and No. 10 Turkey on June 19.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) led Team USA with 11 points via nine kills on 24 swings and two blocks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) chipped in eight kills on 21 attacks, one block and one ace. Middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California), making her first appearance with the U.S. Women’s National Team since competing in the 2011 Montreux VolleyMasters, provided five kills on seven swings, three blocks and an ace for nine points.
Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) contributed nine points via six kills on 12 swings, two aces and a block. Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) pocketed eight points with seven kills on 11 attacks and an ace. Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) turned a block and an ace for two points, while Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) tacked on a kill and block as the double-sub opposite. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Washington), used a serving sub in all three sets, provided an ace in the first set.
The U.S. converted 44.4 percent of its attacks into points with a .321 hitting efficiency (36-10-81) behind Glass’ 24 excellent running sets as the starting setter. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added four running sets as the double-sub setter in all three sets.
Libero Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was credited with a team-leading six digs and added three excellent receptions on seven chances. Hill recorded a team-best six excellent receptions on 13 errorless chances and Robinson added five excellent receptions on 17 chances.
Team USA’s serving kept Germany out rhythm and netted a 7-2 ace advantage. For the night, the U.S. recorded just six serving errors. The Americans took advantage of 23 German errors and limited their own to 12 for the match. Germany was held to a 25.6 kill percent and a .070 hitting efficiency (22-16-86). The U.S. held a slim 9-8 margin in blocks.
In the opening set, the U.S. used a 10-2 to establish a 17-8 advantage en route to a 25-15 victory. Murphy scored six points in the opening set and Hill added four points including two aces. The Americans jumped to a 7-2 lead early in the second set and used a 7-2 run down the stretch to reach a 24-14 advantage before finishing the set at 25-17. Robinson tallied six points in the set. Team USA took advantage of six early German errors in the third set to establish a 9-3 lead. The Americans extended their lead to 17-7 on a 6-0 run that included a kill and ace by Akinradewo and a block and kill from Robinson. The U.S. closed out the set and match on back-to-back Akinradewo kills and a Hill block at 25-12. Germany committed eight errors in the final set.
The U.S. Women have now played in 250 World Grand Prix matches and hold a 155-95 record. The Americans have won 16 of their last 17 World Grand Prix matches dating back to 2014.
The Americans conclude the World Grand Prix preliminary phase with three matches in Hong Kong. The U.S. faces Germany on June 24, the No. 14 Netherlands on June 25 and host China on June 26.
The FIVB World Grand Prix schedule has each of the 12 teams in Group 1 playing three preliminary round weekends in various cities before the top five teams plus Thailand compete in the Final Round July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand.
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strong>U.S. Starters:
Alisha Glass (S), Kelly Murphy (OPP), Foluke Akinradewo (M), Alexis Crimes (M), Kim Hill (OH), Kelsey Robinson (OH), Kayla Banwarth (L)
U.S. Statistics
Points: Kelsey Robinson 11, Kelly Murphy 10, Kim Hill 9, Alexis Crimes 9, Foluke Akinradewo 8, Alisha Glass 2, Karsta Lowe 2, Courtney Thompson 1
Hitting: Kelly Murphy 8-21, Kelsey Robinson 9-24, Kim Hill 6-12, Foluke Akinradewo 7-11, Alexis Crimes 5-7, Karsta Lowe 1-4. USA 36-81, Germany 22-86
Blocks: Alexis Crimes 3, Kelsey Robinson 2, Alisha Glass 1, Kelly Murphy 1, Kim Hill 1, Karsta Lowe 1. USA 9, Germany 8.
Aces: Kim Hill 2, Courtney Thompson 1, Kelly Murphy 1, Foluke Akinradewo 1, Alisha Glass 1, Alexis Crimes 1. USA 9, Germany 2
Digs: Kayla Banwarth 6, Kim Hill 2, Foluke Akinradewo 1, Alisha Glass 1, Kelly Murphy 1. USA 11, Germany 9.
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ORLANDO, Florida (May 28, 2016) — A consistent, strong first touch helped the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team sweep Russia 25-23, 25-17, 25-17 in the second match of a Saturday doubleheader. The U.S. victory followed a 25-22, 25-20, 16-25, 25-21 Russian win Saturday morning.
“Our passing was really on point in the second match,” Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) said. “We were also executing our third contact over the net. The first match of the day, the pass wasn’t there or the third-ball execution wasn’t there, so it was good to see us break out of that. We tuned in quite a bit on first and third contacts.”
Holloway led the U.S. in each match with 22 points in the morning followed by 14 points in the second. Her 16 kills in the first match led all attackers for the day, complemented by six blocks in each match.
Russia raced out to a 2-0 lead Saturday morning, before the Americans rallied to dominate the third set with a more aggressive offense and consistent play at the net. Lexi Shifflett(Waseca, Minnesota) served up a four-point run early in the set, putting the U.S. in the driver’s seat.
However, after trailing much of the fourth set – sometimes by as many as six points – Russia rallied behind an aggressive serve to take the match.
“We out-served them again, but they out-blocked us. We out-hit them, but of course it was a whole different offensive system for us,” Head coach Bill Hamiter said. “The fourth set was one of those neck and neck ones there. We really just had a few errors late that hurt us.”
In the second match, Hamiter moved Shifflett from setter to outside hitter following a strong defensive performance in the morning. Shifflett recorded just two kills and no blocks in the new position, but Hamiter said her defensive contributions were key to the win.
“I thought Lexi played well this morning, and she was passing lights out for us this afternoon. The whole team really was,” he added.
In addition to a stronger pass – partially evidenced by just three Russian aces — the Americans increased their aggressiveness behind the service line, totaling six aces against three errors. Overall, the team committed 16 unforced errors to Russia’s 26.
“I remember a few serves this morning aced me, and I thought, ‘If I just focus a little bit more, I actually will know she’s coming and I know exactly what to do,’ and it was perfect platform passing,” Holloway said. “There was a lot more tuning in, and everyone had each other’s back. When one person is on, everyone is on.”
Eleven of team captain Heather Erickson’s team-leading 12 points came from kills Saturday afternoon. Holloway and Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) added six kills each, while Shifflett and Holloway totaled two aces apiece.
The U.S. closes out the five-match series, currently tied at two wins apiece, Sunday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
Other notes from the Opens
U.S. Starters on Saturday, Match 1:
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Outside Hitters: Heather Erickson, Katie Holloway
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Opposite: Nichole Millage
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics on Saturday, Match 1:
Kills: Holloway 16, Erickson 10, Nieves 4, Michelle Schiffler 3, Millage 2, Webster 1, Kanahele 1
Blocks: Webster 7, Holloway 6, Nieves 2, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1
Aces: Webster 4, Millage 2, Kanahele 2, Nieves 2
U.S. Starters on Saturday, Match 2:
Outside hitters: Lexi Shifflett, Katie Holloway
Middle Blockers: Lora Webster, Nicky Nieves
Opposite: Heather Erickson
Setter: Kaleo Kanahele
Libero: Bethany Zummo
U.S. Statistics on Saturday, Match 2:
Kills: Erickson 11, Holloway 6, Nieves 6, Webster 4, Shifflett 2, Kanahele 2
Blocks: Holloway 6, Webster 3, Erickson 1, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1
Aces: Shifflett 2, Holloway 2, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1
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ORLANDO, Florida (May 27, 2016) – A 19-point performance by Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) was one of multiple highlights by the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team on Friday as the team opened a five-match set against Russia.
The U.S. rolled to an opening victory, defeating Russia 25-19, 26-24, 25-19, but lost the afternoon’s match 25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 11-15.
“It’s good when we fail a little bit because then we get to come back and it shows us how to persevere through that. It’s nice that we can pull ourselves out of that,” Lora Webster (Phoenix, Arizona) said.
Holloway helped spark multiple comebacks in the second set, totaling 15 kills, three blocks and one ace. Captain Heather Erickson (Fayeteville, North Carolina) added 14 kills and two blocks for 16 points.
Friday’s matches against Russia are a part of a best-of-five exhibition series at the 2016 USA Volleyball Open National Championships.
Friday morning, the U.S. held a lead the entire match, only surrendering a lead for two rotations. Russia nearly seized control when the U.S. offense hesitated late in the second set. However, a missed Russian serve followed by a Lexi Shifflett (Waseca, Minnesota) ace put the U.S. firmly in the driver’s seat.
“It was a good match overall, especially for the first of the series,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said. “You never know how the team is going to react coming in as late as we did, not having great preparation, but they responded well.”
Holloway led with 16 points (13 kills, three blocks), including a blocked serve to set up match point. Erickson added nine kills, two aces and a block for 12 point, while Webster totaled four blocks to lead the American defense at the net.
The U.S. seemed set to repeat their morning success in the second match, leading Russia by as many as six points in the first set. However, after committing just 17 errors to Russia’s 27 Friday morning, the Americans struggled to find a rhythm.
Hamiter played a different line-up each set, experimenting with multiple players at different positions ahead of September’s Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, Webster was emphatic that new line-ups can’t serve as excuse for sloppy play.
“We did our triple-outside, and were trying line-ups, but it’s good. We hadn’t lost in a long time and you have to learn how to lose,” she added. “God forbid we lose in pool play in Rio, we need to fail to know how to be better.”
The matches against Russia are the first time the teams have played each other in more than a year; Russia also participated in March’s Intercontinental Cup in Anji, China. However, Russia played and won a pool of teams attempting to qualify for the Paralympics; the U.S. played against teams already qualified, winning a gold medal following an 8-0 performance.
Other Notes:
The U.S. is playing without starting outside hitter Monique Burkland this weekend after she fractured a finger in practice on Wednesday. Although Burkland is expected to make a fast recovery, Hamiter said the team’s staff decided to sit her for the weekend, rather than risk further damage before the Paralympics.
– The first match was high-lighted by a light-hearted moment when outside hitter Michelle Schiffler (Lake Wales, Florida) endured a mild “injury” to her prosthetic hand. The delay in game was treated as an injury time-out time for the U.S. to regroup, while also causing the Russian server to miss on her next attempt.
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MURRIETA, California (May 20, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team played a four-set Red-Blue intrasquad match in front of a sold-out, electrifying atmosphere of 1,600 fans at Murrieta Mesa High School Friday night Murrieta, California.
While many of the players switched from red to blue jerseys and vice versa, the set scores remained close throughout the match – 25-22, 27-25, 34-36, 27-25 – in a contest that was pre-determined to go four sets.
“I loved the way we battled tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Everybody fought hard, even when there were leads. The team that fell in the hole, worked really hard to get back. We had some fantastic battles.”
“There was constant noise for the most part, which is really important because all the venues we will compete in this summer will be noise,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Christa Dietzen (Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania) said. “I think the school district did a phenomenal job of promoting it. It is awesome that the school spirit is here at Murrieta Mesa. What an awesome event to come and play in.”
Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) led all scorers with 21 points, including three aces and three blocks while converting 41 percent of her attacks with a 41 positive reception percent. Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon) and Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California) each tallied 17 points. As part of her 17 points, Crimes turned in an eye-opening 11 blocks. Opposite Nicole Fawcett contributed 13 points. Opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California) pocketed 16 points.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) chipped in 12 points, including four blocks. Middles Dietzen, Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Michigan) each pocketed nine points – and Dietzen amassed four blocks. Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois) and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch (Maryville, Illinois) charted eight points.
Outside hitter Krista Vansant (Redlands, California) produced five points, while middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) tacked on four points. Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California) added four points, while setters Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan) and Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minnesota), two of four setters to play in the Red-Blue, rounded out the scoring with two points.
For the match, the split squads combined for 30 blocks and 14 aces. Team USA had a 40.4 kill percent while using four different setters.
“I think this evening our offense was crisper,” Dietzen said. “It was pretty hard as a blocker to be able to close the block with the speed of our offense. I thought our setters did a great job at that.”
As for the crowd, Kiraly said the atmosphere was wonderful for the team to compete in prior to heading into the FIVB World Grand Prix and later the Olympic Games this summer.
“What a wonderful atmosphere and reception that Forza1 and Murrieta Mesa High School provided for us. An amazing atmosphere – very Olympic-like – including making a lot of noise like we can expect in Brazil, China and Thailand. They helped us train for some conditions that we can expect in tournaments later this summer.”
And to push the envelope even further, the U.S. coaching staff encouraged the crowd at various points to cheer for one side of the net, but booing the other side of the net to replicate the environment of playing outside the USA.
“We thought they could help us be better,” Kiraly said. “Normally crowds have a little trouble when it is USA versus USA because they do not have a team to cheer more for. When they can make us better by cheering against us like for another team, I thought it was good for us. Our servers handled it really well, and it was good preparation. When we have a full crowd and good participation like that, it works out.”
The third U.S. Red-Blue intrasquad match is on May 27 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange County, California. The U.S. Women will play at 6 p.m. and will be followed by the U.S. Men’s Red-Blue in a rare doubleheader with both USA squads.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 19, 2016) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce its 19-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team (WJNTT) for the 2016 season.
The WJNTT includes eight outside hitters/opposites, five middles, three setters and three liberos. The WJNTT outside hitters are Morgyn Greer (Dripping Springs, Texas, Austin Juniors), Thayer Hall (Moore, South Carolina, Upward Stars Upstate), Paige Hammons (Louisville, Kentucky, KIVA), Mackenzie May (Dubuque, Iowa, Adrenaline), Emily Plock (Altoona, Iowa, IPVA), Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Viejo, California, Tstreet), Stephanie Samedy (Clermont, Florida, Top Select Volleyball Academy) and Lexi Sun (Encinitas, California, Coast VBC). Setters selected to the roster are Sydney Hilley (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Minnesota Select), Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kansas, KC Power) and Ashley Shook (Plainfield, Illinois, Sports Performance).
The WJNTT middles are Brionne Butler (East Barnard, Texas, Houston Juniors), Taryn Knuth (Johnston, Iowa, Iowa Power), Lauren Sanders (Snohomish, Washington, WVBA 18 Mizuno), Brennan Wilhite (Rancho Santa Fe, California, Coast VBC) and Deja Williams (Lawrenceville, Georgia, A5). The liberos are Jamye Cox (Oregon, Ohio, Michigan Elite), Hailey Harward (Phoenix, Arizona, Aspire 18 Rox) and Samantha Worley (Kailua, Hawaii, Kaulukoa).
Laurie Corbelli, head women’s coach at Texas A&M, has been selected to serve as the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team head coach. Brian Wright (assistant coach at Texas Christian University) will serve as an assistant coach for the team, while Jesse Tupac (assistant coach at University of Denver) will serve as technical coordinator. A second assistant coach will be added to the coaching staff in the near future.
“I couldn’t be more excited to train and compete with the nation’s top junior volleyball players,” Corbelli said. “Probably some of my proudest moments have been representing the USA, and it is such a privilege for me to have the opportunity to share that pride, respect and honor with these future Olympians. We will train with intensity, integrity and fun, working to represent the USA as it should be represented. With the goal of winning the gold at NORCECA, we hope to prove to be one of the top junior teams in the world! We can’t wait to get started.”
The WJNTT is set to begin training the week of July 11 through July 24 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The final 12-player roster for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will be selected on July 19. The final 12 will compete in the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships held July 19-23 in Ft. Lauderdale. The team will then compete in the NORCECA Women’s U20 Continental Championship from July 24 to Aug. 1 at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.
2016 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team
Name (Position, Hometown, Height, High School Grad Year, Cub, Region)
Brionne Butler (M, East Bernard, Texas, 6-3, 2017, Houston Juniors, Lone Star)
Jamye Cox (L, Oregon, Ohio, 5-3, 2017, Michigan Elite, Lakeshore)
Morgyn Greer (OH, Dripping Springs, Texas, 6-3, 2016, Austin Juniors, Lone Star)
Thayer Hall (OH, Moore, South Carolina, 6-3, 2018, Upward Stars Upstate, Southern)
Paige Hammons (OH, Louisville, Kentucky, 6-2, 2017, KIVA, Pioneer)
Hailey Harward (L, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-9, 2016, Aspire 18 Rox, Arizona)
Sydney Hilley (S, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 5-11, 2017, Minnesota Select, North Country)
Taryn Knuth (M, Johnston, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Iowa Power, Iowa)
Madison Lilley (S, Overland Park, Kansas, 6-0, 2017, KC Power, Heart of America)
Mackenzie May (OH, Dubuque, Iowa, 6-3, 2017, Adrenaline Volleyball Academy, Iowa)
Emily Plock (OH, Altoona, Iowa, 6-1, 2017, IPVA, Iowa)
Kathryn Plummer (OH, Aliso Viejo, California, 6-6, 2016, Tstreet VBC, Southern California)
Stephanie Samedy (OH, Clermont, Florida, 6-2, 2017, Top Select Volleyball Academy, Florida)
Lauren Sanders (M, Snohomish, Washington, 6-5, 2017, WVBA 18 Mizuno, Puget Sound)
Ashley Shook (S, Plainfield, Illinois, 6-1, 2017, Sports Performance, Great Lakes)
Lexi Sun (OH, Encinitas, California, 6-3, 2017, Coast VBC, Southern California)
Brennan Wilhite (M, Rancho Santa Fe, California, 6-3, 2017, Coast VBC, Southern California)
Deja Williams (M, Lawrenceville, Georgia, 6-2, 2017, A5, Southern)
Samantha Worley (L, Kailua, Hawaii, 5-7, 2017, Kaulukoa, Aloha)
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ANJI, China (March 21, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team landed in China with a list of multiple goal, including a win against longtime rival China, winning the pool of Paralympic-qualified teams and bringing home a gold medal from the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup.
The team moved one step closer to accomplishing all its goals on Sunday following a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18 victory against Brazil. The Americans went 5-0 in pool play, dropping only one set to the Chinese during a 3-1 win on Friday.
The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team fell 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 to Brazil shortly before the women’s teams played.
Related: U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Home | U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Home | World ParaVolley
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team controlled the pace through much of the match, building large leads in each set. However, the team struggled in serve receive, allowing Brazil to creep back in each set.
“Sometimes you just have to struggle through it to get a win,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said.
The Brazilians jumped out to an early lead in the third set. However, a nine-point service run by setter Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Oklahoma) gave the Americans an advantage they never relinquished. Kanahele totaled six points, five of which came from service aces.
Outside hitter Nichole Millage (Champaign, Illinois) recorded both of her two kills to end long rallies in the third set, breaking an 11-11 tie to put Team USA ahead for good.
Starters Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina), Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Oklahoma) and Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida) led the U.S. in scoring with nine points each. Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) added six points each.
While the Americans handily won their pool, China, Ukraine and Brazil ended in a three-way tie for second place with 4-2 records. China took second place on the strength of its set record. Based on the point differential tie-break, Ukraine edged Brazil for the No. 3 seed.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team rematches with Brazil at 4 p.m. in China (4 a.m. ET) on Tuesday in the playoff semifinals.
“I have complete confidence that we’ll be fine to play them two days in a row,” Millage said. “So long as we minimize our errors, it should be okay.”
The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team faces Germany in the consolation playoff bracket at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in China (10:30 p.m. ET) after finishing 0-5 in pool play.
Head Coach Greg Walker said the team has focused on approaching each set as a series of mini-games based on the technical timeouts. The team played more competitively in each of the first “mini-games” against Brazil, trading shot for shot with the Paralympic Games host nation.
The Americans also controlled the tempo from the service line, missing two serves against four aces.
Walker used substitutions in each set to keep momentum strong, utilizing Travis Ricks (San Diego, California) and Hugo Storer (Greensboro, North Carolina) on defense to give the Americans a boost.
Ben Aman (Tacoma, Washington) and Josh Smith (Riverside, California) also saw significant playing time in the match, playing both the second and third sets. Aman capitalized on the opportunity, tallying five kills and two blocks for seven points, while Smith scored six points (four blocks, two kills).
Roderick Green (West Monroe, Louisiana) led Team USA with 10 points (seven kills, two aces, one block).
In an effort to give the Americans favorable defensive match-ups at the net, Walker moved Green, Aman and other attackers to new positions along the net, which provided a learning experience, Aman said.
“It was sort of working, but we’re just figuring out new things,” Aman said. “We all just have to go out there and swing smart. It’s not going to be an individual who gets it done. It has to come from the team.”
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Statistics vs. Brazil
Starters: Lora Webster, Katie Holloway, Heather Erickson, Monique Burkland, Kaleo Kanahele, Nicky Nieves, Bethany Zummo
Points: Erickson 9, Burkland 9, Nieves 9, Holloway 6, Kanahele 6, Webster 4, Nichole Millage 2
Kills: Erickson 8, Burkland 8, Nieves 4, Holloway 3, Millage 2, Webster 2, Kanahele 1
Blocks: Holloway 3, Nieves 3, Erickson 1
Aces: Kanahele 5, Nieves 2, Burkland 1
U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Statistics vs. Brazil
Starter: Dan Regan, Eric Duda, James Stuck, Roderick Green, Charlie Swearingen, Chris Sielkop, John Kremer
Points: Green 10, Ben Aman, 7, Josh Smith 6, Regan 6, Stuck 5, Duda 3, Swearingen 3
Kills: Green 7, Regan 6, Aman 5, Stuck 5, Duda 2, Smith 2, Swearingen 1
Blocks: Smith 4, Aman 2, Green 1, Swearingen 1
Aces: Green 2, Duda 1, Swearingen 1
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for the Intercontinental Cup (March 17-23)
# – Name (Position, Hometown, Height)
1 – Lora Webster (MB, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-11)
2 – Bethany Zummo (L, Dublin, California, 5-2)
3 – Alexis Shifflet (S, Waseca, Minnesota, 5-4)
4 – Michelle Schiffler (MB, Lake Wales, Florida, 6-0)
5 – Katie Holloway (OH, Lake Stevens, Washington, 6-3)
6 – Heather Erickson (OH, Fayetteville, North Carolina, 5-11)
7 – Monique Burkland (MB, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 5-9)
10 – Kari Miller (OPP/DS, Washington D.C., 5-6)
13 – Nichole Millage (OH, Champaign, Illinois, 5-7)
14 – Kaleo Kanahele (S, Edmond, Oklahoma, 5-6)
16 – Nicky Nieves (OH, Kissimmee, Florida, 5-10)
17 – Tia Edwards (OH/MB, Skiatook, Oklahoma, 5-7)
Staff
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Cara Lang
Assistant Coach: Lazaro Beltran
Team Manager: Dr. Laura Finch
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
U.S. Intercontinental Cup Women’s Sitting Team Schedule
March 17: USA def Rwanda, 25-9, 25-10, 25-7
March 18: USA def China, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17
March 18: USA def Iran, 25-18, 25-13, 25-18
March 19: USA def. Ukraine 25-13, 25-21, 27-25
March 20: USA def. Canada 25-8, 25-9, 25-8
March 21: USA def. Brazil 25-21, 25-15, 25-18
U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster for the Intercontinental Cup (March 17-23)
# – Name (Position, Hometown, Height)
1 – Travis Ricks (DS, San Diego, California, 5-7)
2 – Daniel Regan (MB, St. Louis, Missouri, 6-0)
3 – Sam Surowiec (OH, Kirkland, Washington, 6-2)
4 – Ben Aman (OH, Tacoma, Washington, 6-5)
5 – Eric Duda (OH, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 6-5)
8 – James Stuck (S, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 6-5)
9 – Hugo Storer (L, Greensboro, North Carolina, 6-0)
11 – Roderick Green (MB, West Monroe, Louisiana, 6-3)
13 – Charlie Swearingen (MB, Gulfport, Mississippi, 6-3)
14 – John Kremer (L, Buford, Georgia, 5-9)
15 – Chris Seilkop (OH, DeLand, Fla., 6-6)
16 – Josh Smith (MB/OPP, Riverside, California, 6-2)
Staff
Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coach: Joe Skinner
Assistant Coach: Mike Hobson
Team Manager: Dixie Collins
Athletic Trainer: Katherine King
U.S. Intercontinental Cup Men’s Sitting Team Schedule (times listed as Chinese Standard Time)
March 17:
March 18: Germany def USA, 25-14, 25-9, 25-21
March 19: Iran def USA, 25-10, 25-17, 30-28
March 20: Egypt def. USA 25-13, 25-22, 25-18
March 21: Brazil def. USA 25-15, 25-20, 25-17
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 7, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, has announced its 22-player preliminary roster for the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual women’s international event.
The FIVB World Grand Prix schedule has each of the 12 teams in Group 1 playing three preliminary round weekends in various cities before the top five teams plus Thailand compete in the Final Round July 6-10 in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S. Women will host one of three second weekend preliminary rounds June 17-19 at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University. Team USA will face Germany on June 17, Japan on June 18 and Turkey on June 19. The three matches will be the final time Americans can watch the U.S. Women on home soil before the Olympic Games.
Prior to hosting its weekend in Long Beach, the U.S. travels to Ningbo, China, where it will play Germany (June 10), Thailand (June 11) and host China (June 12). Team USA concludes the preliminary round in Hong Kong, where it faces Germany (June 24) for a third time, Netherlands (June 25) and host China (June 26).
The U.S. coaching staff will be able change its 14-player competition roster heading into each of the three preliminary round weekends plus the Final Round in Bangkok, Thailand, should Team USA qualify as being in the top five in the final preliminary round standings.
The U.S. has won the FIVB World Grand Prix six times, including four of the last six events. The Americans captured the title last year in Omaha, Nebraska, while hosting the event for the first on USA soil. Overall, Team USA has won six of its last seven tournaments it has competed in dating back to the 2014 FIVB World Championship title won in Italy.
Other U.S. Women’s National Team athletes training or rehabbing in Anaheim, the host city for both the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Team, are outside hitter Michelle Bartsch (Marysville, Illinois), middle Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota), and libero Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii).
Team USA is also entered in the Pan American Cup slated for June 30 to July 11 in Dominican Republic. As this competition runs concurrently with the World Grand Prix, Kiraly has named University of Pittsburgh Head Coach Dan Fisher to lead the Pan American Cup squad. He served in a similar role at the 2015 Pan American Games and led the U.S. to the gold medal, beating Brazil in the championship match. The Pan American Cup training roster will be announced next week.
2016 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Roster
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Michigan, Penn State University)
2 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Washington, University of Washington)
4 – Lauren Paolini (M, 6-4, Ann Arbor, Michigan, University of Texas)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)
6 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, Bonsall, California, University of California-Berkeley)
7 – Cassidy Lichtman (OH, 6-1, Poway, California, Stanford University)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, St. Paul, Minnesota, University of Minnesota)
9 – Kristin Hildebrand (OH, 6-1, Orem, Utah, Stanford University)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Nebraska, University of Nebraska)
11 – Megan Easy (OH, 6-3, Boston, Massachusetts, Penn State University)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Wilmington, Illinois, University of Florida)
13 – Christa Dietzen (M, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania, Penn State University)
14 – Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State University)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Oregon, Pepperdine University)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Plantation, Florida, Stanford University)
17 – Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, California, University of Southern California)
18 – Molly Kreklow (S, 5-9, Delano, Minnesota, University of Missouri)
19 – Michelle Bartsch (OH, 6-3, Maryville, Illinois, University of Illinois)
20 – Alexis Crimes (M, 6-3, Rancho Cucamonga, California, Long Beach State University)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Illinois, University of Nebraska)
24 – Krista Vansant (OH, 6-2, Redlands, California, University of Washington)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, Rancho Santa Fe, California, UCLA)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Jamie Morrison, Tom Black
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Consultant Coach: David Hunt
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 5, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, which has spent much of the holiday break training in Anaheim, Calif., has selected its 14-player roster for the NORCECA Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament to be played Jan. 7-9 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have chosen a roster of four middle blockers, four outside hitters, two setters, two opposites and two liberos for the four-team round-robin event with the winner advancing to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“We’ve had a strong training block so far, with all 21 players here working very hard to make USA the strongest it can be going into the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier,” Kiraly said. “We chose the travel roster in the hope of maximizing our chances to accomplish our goal of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and we’re excited to begin the battle, Thursday against Canada.”
The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world and reigning world champions, hosts No. 7 Dominican Republic, No. 15 Puerto Rico and No. 16 Canada. The tournament field was determined by the top four teams from the eight-team 2015 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship held in Mexico. Team USA captured the title with a four-set win over Dominican Republic, while Puerto Rico won the bronze medal over Canada.
Jan. 7
Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Canada, 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 8
Canada vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 9
Canada vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Dominican Republic, 8 p.m. CT (live on NBC Sports)
The U.S. versus Dominican Republic match will be played at 8 p.m. CT and broadcast live on NBC Sports. All matches will be streamed live and available on the qualifier event page.
“It’s truly an honor and a privilege – and a phenomenal opportunity – to play on an American court, in front of thousands of USA fans, with these four teams battling for a ticket to the Rio Olympics,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said.
Prices for all-session reserved tickets range from $21-$81 dollars plus applicable taxes, while day session reserved seat prices range from $10-$30 dollars plus applicable taxes. Students, military and senior citizens can receive a $3 discount on day session tickets only.
Tickets are available through Ticket Master and Pinnacle Bank Arena (http://www.pinnaclebankarena.com/). USA Volleyball is partnering with the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau to produce the event.
Team USA finished the 2015 season with a 41-6 overall record that included gold medals in four tournaments and one bronze medal. The U.S. Women won the FIVB World Grand Prix, NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the Pan American Games and the Pan American Cup. The Americans finished third at the FIVB World Cup, one spot shy of earning a 2016 Olympic Games berth in the first qualification tournament.
The U.S. Women have captured the silver medal at the two most recent Olympic Games held in Beijing (2008) and London (2012). The Americans won the 2014 FIVB World Championship, the first time they won gold in any of the three triple crown events (Olympic Games, World Championship or FIVB World Cup).
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament
# – Name (Position, Ht, Hometown, College)
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Mich., Penn State University)
2 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Wash., University of Washington)
6 – Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., University of Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., University of Nebraska)
11 – Megan Easy (OH, 6-3, Boston, Mass., Penn State University)
13 – Christa Dietzen (MB, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pa., Penn State University)
14 – Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State University)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine University)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla., Stanford University)
17 – Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, Calif., University of Southern California)
22 – Rachael Adams (MB, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., University of Nebraska)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., UCLA)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Jamie Morrison and Tom Black
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Denise Sheldon
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Consultant Coach: David Hunt
Strength Coach: James Stitz
2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament Schedule
Jan. 7
Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Canada, 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 8
Canada vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 9
Canada vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Dominican Republic, 8 p.m. CT (live on NBC Sports)
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ANJI, China (March 23, 2016) –Kaleo Kanahele (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Bethany Zummo (Dublin, California) looked into the camera and exuberantly shouted, “We won!”
Just minutes before, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team defeated host-nation China 25-22, 12-25, 25-20, 28-26 on Wednesday in the gold medal match at the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup, sending Zummo, Kanahele and their teammates into a joyous celebration.
“I’m so freaking excited,” Zummo said. “We earned it and it feels so good! We’ve worked so hard for this and it’s amazing.”
In addition to the championship, outside hitter Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, North Carolina) received individual honors as the tournament’s Best Attacker and Most Valuable Player for her contributions in the championship run.
Erickson and
Despite her individual honors, the U.S. captain immediately credited her teammates for the outstanding performance at the tournament, particularly after a difficult five-set loss to China at the ParaVolley Sitting World Championships in 2014.
“There was a lot of maturing that we had to do and certain players rose up (this tournament),” Erickson said. “I mean, Bethany played her butt off, Lora (Webster) played her butt off and there were just certain things we needed to do to have a confidence boost. Everyone played lights out this week. It was awesome.”
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team brings home an 8-0 record from the seven-day tournament, dropping just two sets – both to China. The U.S. defeated China 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17 during pool play on Friday.
Erickson gave the U.S. an early lead with a kill to score the match’s first point in the first set; the Americans stayed ahead of the Chinese throughout the set, leading by as many as five points.
The team’s defense faltered in the second set, allowing China to control the pace and quickly run up a double-digit lead. The U.S. reached back following the set loss and came out swinging to start the third, holding a lead for all but one rotation.
“I think (the second set) was good for us in that it kind of woke us up, and it helped us find where our shots were, Erickson said. “ China started dropping their block so Katie could just pound people. It actually was a blessing in disguise because it opened up a lot of stuff.”
“We started tipping, tip, tip, tip, tip, and I started going, ‘Tipping is good for an open shot, but it isn’t going to win,” Head Coach Bill Hamiter said of the second set. “Let’s get up there, get an open shot and fire. That helped us in both the first and third set.”
After struggling to find its footing early in the match, the American’s blocking and defense came alive in the later sets, working in tandem to produce winning rallies; the U.S. out-blocked the Chinese 17-5 in the match. Webster led with five blocks, adding two kills for seven points.
The match’s final set produced high drama as both teams protested referee calls and played scrappy defense to keep rallies alive. Team USA received a yellow card at 13-13 in the fourth set after Erickson vehemently protested for a net violation following a Chinese kill.
“I mean, we have to control ourselves a bit better with the officiating, but in a way it fired them up. Heather was just loading up bombs and letting them go,” Hamiter said.
Although the U.S. held a 23-21 advantage late in the set, China fired back with two kills and a block to take a 24-23 lead and push the Americans against the wall.
An Erickson kill tied the set, and the teams traded points on attack errors before Holloway ended the match on a double block with Nicky Nieves (Kissimmee, Florida).
“We have to give credit to China,” Zummo said. “They played well. They earned that second set, but we weren’t going to give it up.”
“I think we all felt it going in, but the excitement after was almost a relief,” Holloway said. “We knew we could do this, but we’re finally the team we knew we could be.”
The team now turns its attention to its second major goal of 2016: winning a Paralympic gold medal. While the Rio de Janeiro-hosted games are five months away, Erickson anticipates the team will be back in the gym ready to get back to work following a week-long recovery.
““The good thing is that we have stuff to work on, and it wasn’t a slaughter so we won’t go back to our training and be lackadaisical,” she added. “Everyone is going to be working to get better and we have just as much work to do to be ready to win that gold.”
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Statistics vs. China
Starters: Lora Webster, Katie Holloway, Heather Erickson, Monique Burkland, Kaleo Kanahele, Nicky Nieves, Bethany Zummo
Points: Holloway 20, Erickson 20, Burkland 10, Webster 7, Kanahele 3, Michelle Schiffler 2, Nieves 2, Lexi Shifflett
Kills: Erickson 16, Holloway 16, Burkland 7, Webster 2, Nieves 1, Kanahele 1, Schiffler 1
Blocks: Webster 5, Holloway 4, Erickson 3, Burkland 3, Schiffler 1, Kanahele 1
Aces: Erickson 1, Kanahele 1, Nieves 1, Shifflett 1
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for the Intercontinental Cup (March 17-23)
# – Name (Position, Hometown, Height)
1 – Lora Webster (MB, Phoenix, Arizona, 5-11)
2 – Bethany Zummo (L, Dublin, California, 5-2)
3 – Alexis Shifflet (S, Waseca, Minnesota, 5-4)
4 – Michelle Schiffler (MB, Lake Wales, Florida, 6-0)
5 – Katie Holloway (OH, Lake Stevens, Washington, 6-3)
6 – Heather Erickson (OH, Fayetteville, North Carolina, 5-11)
7 – Monique Burkland (MB, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 5-9)
10 – Kari Miller (OPP/DS, Washington D.C., 5-6)
13 – Nichole Millage (OH, Champaign, Illinois, 5-7)
14 – Kaleo Kanahele (S, Edmond, Oklahoma, 5-6)
16 – Nicky Nieves (OH, Kissimmee, Florida, 5-10)
17 – Tia Edwards (OH/MB, Skiatook, Oklahoma, 5-7)
Staff
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Cara Lang
Assistant Coach: Lazaro Beltran
Team Manager: Dr. Laura Finch
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Lawrence
U.S. Intercontinental Cup Women’s Sitting Team Schedule
March 17: USA def Rwanda, 25-9, 25-10, 25-7
March 18: USA def China, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17
March 18: USA def Iran, 25-18, 25-13, 25-18
March 19: USA def. Ukraine 25-13, 25-21, 27-25
March 20: USA def. Canada 25-8, 25-9, 25-8
March 21: USA def. Brazil 25-21, 25-15, 25-18
March 22: USA def. Brazil 25-10, 25-14, 25-20
March 23: USA def. China 25-22, 12-25, 25-20, 28-26
U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team Roster for the Intercontinental Cup (March 17-23)
# – Name (Position, Hometown, Height)
1 – Travis Ricks (DS, San Diego, California, 5-7)
2 – Daniel Regan (MB, St. Louis, Missouri, 6-0)
3 – Sam Surowiec (OH, Kirkland, Washington, 6-2)
4 – Ben Aman (OH, Tacoma, Washington, 6-5)
5 – Eric Duda (OH, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 6-5)
8 – James Stuck (S, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 6-5)
9 – Hugo Storer (L, Greensboro, North Carolina, 6-0)
11 – Roderick Green (MB, West Monroe, Louisiana, 6-3)
13 – Charlie Swearingen (MB, Gulfport, Mississippi, 6-3)
14 – John Kremer (L, Buford, Georgia, 5-9)
15 – Chris Seilkop (OH, DeLand, Fla., 6-6)
16 – Josh Smith (MB/OPP, Riverside, California, 6-2)
Staff
Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coach: Joe Skinner
Assistant Coach: Mike Hobson
Team Manager: Dixie Collins
Athletic Trainer: Katherine King
U.S. Intercontinental Cup Men’s Sitting Team Schedule (times listed as Chinese Standard Time)
March 17: China def USA, 22-25, 25-19, 25-12, 25-18
March 18: Germany def USA, 25-14, 25-9, 25-21
March 19: Iran def USA, 25-10, 25-17, 30-28
March 20: Egypt def. USA 25-13, 25-22, 25-18
March 21: Brazil def. USA 25-15, 25-20, 25-17
March 22: Germany def. USA 25-16, 25-13, 25-18
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TOKYO (July 24, 2021) – In a normal Olympic Games, the U.S. Women’s National Team would have to shut out all the noise and keep its focus.
At the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where the stands are mostly empty due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the team is making its own noise to keep the energy flowing. That wasn’t a problem on Sunday as the U.S. Women beat Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20) at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
The U.S. Women (1-0), ranked No. 1 in the world, will be back in action on at 7:05 p.m. PT on Monday against World No. 2 China. Check NBCOlympics.com for live stream and broadcast information.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS * MEDIA GUIDE * USA VOLLEYBALL MATCH CENTER
Ringing the bell in her Olympic debut, Opposite Jordan Thompson led all scorers with 20 points on 18 kills (.652) and two blocks.
Thompson said the team had butterflies going into its first Olympic match, but stayed focused on the goal.
“We really wanted to bring a lot of calm energy as a team and I think we did that,” Thompson said. “Knowing it’s the Olympics adds a little bit of pressure. Having no spectators, no fans, we try to create our own energy and I think we do that really well.”
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, also an Olympic rookie, totaled 12 points on 10 kills and two aces. Three-time Olympian Jordan Larson totaled 10 points on eight kills, one block and one ace.
Setter Jordyn Poulter scored two points on two kills. She combined with backup Micha Hancock to set the U.S. to a .400 hitting efficiency. Opposite Annie Drews also played as a substitute and scored a point.
Libero Justine Wong Orantes was credited with six digs and nine successful receptions.
Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Haleigh Washington finished with five points on two kills, two blocks and one ace.
Washington kept things lively in the first set by spinning the ball on her finger during long breaks in play to figure out a scoring issue.
“We’ve had some unusual circumstances come our way,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “I thought our team handled it really well.
“We were prepared for a faster pace of play. I think we were less prepared for a slower pace of play.”
Another unusual circumstance for the U.S. Women was that Assistant Coach Erin Virtue was missing from the bench. Virtue has been quarantined after it was determined she had been in “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID. Virtue has not tested positive and is expected to be on the bench at the team’s next match provided appropriate transportation can be found.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24: USA def Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-20)
July 26 at 7:05 p.m. USA v China
July 29 at 5:45 a.m. USA v Turkey
July 30 at 7:05 p.m. USA v Russian Olympic Committee
Aug. 1 at 7:05 p.m. USA v Italy
Aug. 3/4 Quarterfinals
Aug. 5/6 Semifinals
Aug. 7/8 Medal matches
TOKYO (July 23, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team enters the Olympic Games Tokyo 2021 as the top-ranked team in the world and the three-time FIVB Volleyball Nations League champion.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 women who will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Setter, 5-11
Setter, 6-2
Libero, 5-6
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 9, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team has been named Best of January for the Team USA Awards presented by Dow, the United States Olympic Committee announced today.
The U.S. Women qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by winning the four-team NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament held Jan. 7-9 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Americans defeated Canada, Puerto Rico and Dominican to earn one of 12 spots into the 2016 Olympic Games. The title-clinching victory over Dominican Republic was broadcast live on NBC Sports with 10,213 fans watching in Pinnacle Bank Arena.
The U.S. has now won six of its last seven tournaments dating back to the 2014 FIVB World Championship title it won in Italy. The Americans have now earned berths into the Olympic Games for the ninth consecutive time.
Team USA returns to action in June when it defends its FIVB World Grand Prix title won last July in Omaha. The Americans will host Japan, Turkey and Germany June 17-19 during the second preliminary round weekend in Long Beach, California.
Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. An internal nominating committee selects five nominees from both the male and female categories, and three from the team category to advance to the voting round. Votes received from NGB representatives and select members of the media account for 50 percent of the final tally, with the other half determined by online fan voting via TeamUSA.org/Awards.
In addition to Dow, the presenting sponsor, the Team USA Awards are supported by Coca-Cola, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Kellogg’s, Samsung and USG.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 1, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team takes another step in preparing to defend its Paralympic gold medal this weekend at the 2021 Golden Nations League tournament in Assen, Netherlands.
The U.S. Women, ranked No. 1 in the world, will play the sitting teams from Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Both the U.S. Women and Russia have qualified for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team is the defending champion of the Golden Nations League, which used to be called the Dutch Tournament.
“We just need to get matches in and work ourselves back into good competition form,” said U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter. “The athletes have done a good job training and staying prepared, but it’s not the same as getting out there and having to compete.”
In March of 2019, just prior to the COVID pandemic lockdown, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team hosted both Brazil and Russia in Denver for a series of friendly matches. The U.S. went 2-0 against Brazil and 2-1 against Russia.
The loss to Russia stung as the European team had upset the U.S. Women for the gold medal at the 2018 Sitting Volleyball World Championship.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team, which is based at the University of Central Oklahoma, started having training camps again in February of 2021. In June, it hosted Canada’s women’s sitting team, also a Paralympic qualifier, and played a series of friendly matches, which the U.S. won.
Now the team is set for a rematch with Russia. But Hamiter is also using the tournament to determine the players who will go to Tokyo and also to get them ready.
“We have some players that we pretty much were say are in,” he said. “But there are some we are looking at by position. We have to determine how we will use them. This is our last time to evaluate before releasing our roster.”
The Paralympic Games are scheduled for Aug. 24-Sept. 5 in Tokyo. Due to the pandemic, the athletes’ activities at the Games will most likely be restricted to training, matches and downtime at the Village. Hamiter hopes the Golden Nations League tournament will have similar restrictions so his team can get used to them.
“It’s a little piece of the pie, but it gets them started so then know what it is going to be like,” he said. “There are a lot of little things that people don’t think about, but they are important pieces.”
Matches will be live streamed on the ParaVolley Europe Facebook page.
Match results will be updated on this page and also on the ParaVolley Europe web site.
U.S. Women’s National Sitting Team Roster for the Golden Nations League
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 Lora Webster (Middle blocker, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 Bethany Zummo (Libero, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 Lexi Shifflett (Setter, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
5 Katie Holloway (Outside Hitter, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6 Heather Erickson (Opposite, 5-11, Fayetteville, N.C.)
7 Monique Matthews (Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
9 Tia Edwards (Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
11 Jillian Williams (Middle Blocker/Opposite, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
12 Emma Schieck (Outside Hitter, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Nichole Millage (Opposite, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (Setter, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16 Nicky Nieves (Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jon Aharoni
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Technical Coordinator: Joe Skinner
Team Manager: Mark Herrin
U.S. Schedule for the Golden Nations League (all times CT)
Friday, July 2nd at 2 a.m.: USA v Russia
Friday, July 2nd at 7 a.m.: USA v Slovenia
Saturday, July 3 at 4:30 a.m.: USA v Ukraine
Saturday, July 3 at 9:30 a.m. USA v Netherlands
Sunday, July 4 at 4:30 a.m. USA v Germany
Sunday, July 4 at 11:30 a.m. Medal Matches
EDMOND, Okla. (June 17, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team is preparing for the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 with an exhibition match on Saturday against Canada at 7 p.m. at the Wellness Center at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Spectators are welcome at the matches and admission is free. Masks are encouraged....
Middle Blocker, 5-11
Libero, 5-3
Setter/Libero, 5-4
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-0
Middle, 6-0
Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-6
Middle/Opposite/Outside Hitter, 5-10
Outside Hitter, 5-7
Outside Hitter/Setter, 5-7
Setter, 5-6
Middle Blocker, 5-10
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LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 8, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team moved one step closer to 2016 Olympic Games qualification by knocking off Puerto Rico 25-14, 24-26, 25-12, 25-14 Friday evening on day two of the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.
The USA will face Dominican Republic (2-0) in the final match of the tournament with the winner earning NORCECA’s bid into the 2016 Olympic Games. The match will be aired lived on NBC Sports starting at 9 p.m. ET. Puerto Rico (0-2) finishes the tournament with an all-important match against Canada (0-2) on Saturday to stay alive in the last chance Olympic qualifiers in May available to the second- and third-place teams in the four-team round-robin standings.
The U.S. had seven players with at least five points in a balanced offensive match. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) sparked the United States’ balanced attack with 15 points on 14 kills via 25 errorless swings and a block. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) chipped in 14 points on the strength of 11 kills on 24 attacks, two aces and a block. Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), who was a sub in all four sets, ended the night with eight kills on 11 errorless swings and two blocks for 10 points.
Team USA held a slim 8-7 lead in the opening set before taking a 16-9 advantage at the second technical timeout before easing into a 23-14 victory. The Americans overcame a 14-10 deficit in the second set to establish a 19-15 advantage on a 9-1 scoring run. However, Puerto Rico scored six of the final eight points for a 26-24 victory to even the match at one set each.
“I think the biggest message was not letting off the gas,” Akinradewo said following the second set loss. “We made big defensive adjustments. We had our pin blockers really focused on No. 11. She was really hurting us a lot with strong hands.”
After Puerto Rico built an early 2-0 lead in the third set, the U.S. jumped back in front 9-4. After Puerto Rico closed to 11-9, the Americans pushed open the lead to 18-10 on a 7-1 spurt and regained momentum with a 25-12 win. Team USA reached an early 7-3 lead in the fourth set as Akinradewo scored three quick kills and Puerto Rico was never able to recover in the 25-14 setback.
“I thought it was really good for us (to have Puerto Rico play strong),” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We responded really well (after the second set). Puerto Rico is a good team and they fight hard. Our focus here has been going out and earn it and get it. We didn’t get it that time, but I think we responded really well in the third and fourth. That may have been the best thing to happen to us – having Puerto Rico come back and punch us around a little.”
Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minn.) charted nine points with eight kills on 15 attacks and a block.
Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) had 28 running sets and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) added eight to push Team USA to a 49.2 kill percent and .427 hitting efficiency (61-8-124). Megan Easy (Boston, Mass.) and Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Ill.) scored six and five points, respectively. Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) turned in three points and Glass rounded out the scoring with two points.
Puerto Rico committed 27 errors in the match to the USA’s 11. The USA managed a 9-3 block advantage to go with a slim 2-1 ace edge.
“We knew the competitive level we were going to have today. It was a matter of knowing what level we have to play,” Puerto Rico Head Coach Juan Carlos Nunez said. “It prepares us for tomorrow. We needed our hitters to be more effective. In the second set we had about 20 attacks that helped us out. In the last two sets we needed that offensive. We are hoping tomorrow that our offense can carry over.”
Karina Ocasio led Puerto Rico with a match-high 23 points, while Stephanie Enright recorded 11 points.
“We made less mistakes in the second set,” Puerto Rico captain Yarimar Rosa said. “USA has good blocks so we covered our hitters and were able to recover from that. That was the main difference in that set. We were confident and played at a good level. We have our lows and our highs, but we played better than yesterday. We took a set and that’s a confidence boost for tomorrow. It was good we played this game before tomorrow’s because when you play USA, you have to raise your level. That will help us for tomorrow.”
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament
# – Name (Position, Ht, Hometown, College)
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Mich., Penn State University)
2 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Wash., University of Washington)
6 – Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., University of Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., University of Nebraska)
11 – Megan Easy (OH, 6-3, Boston, Mass., Penn State University)
13 – Christa Dietzen (MB, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pa., Penn State University)
14 – Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State University)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine University)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla., Stanford University)
17 – Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, Calif., University of Southern California)
22 – Rachael Adams (MB, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., University of Nebraska)
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., UCLA)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Jamie Morrison and Tom Black
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Denise Sheldon
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Consultant Coach: David Hunt
Strength Coach: James Stitz
2016 NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament Schedule
Jan. 7
Dominican Republic def. Puerto Rico 17‐25, 25‐13, 25‐23, 25‐23
USA def. Canada 25-18, 25-18, 25-15
Jan. 8
Dominican Republic def. Canada 25-27, 25-16, 26-24, 25-21
USA def. Puerto Rico 25-14, 24-26, 25-12, 25-14
Jan. 9
Canada vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m. CT
USA vs. Dominican Republic, 8 p.m. CT (live on NBC Sports)
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team is headed to its third straight final of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League after defeating Turkey in Thursday’s semifinal, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-20) in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (15-1) will play longtime rival Brazil (14-2) in Friday’s final at 10:30 a.m. PT. The match will be shown LIVE on VolleyballWorld.tv. The U.S. Women beat Brazil in the third match of the preliminary round, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22).
The U.S. Women defeated Brazil in the 2019 VNL final, 3-2. In 2018, the U.S. beat Turkey 3-2 in the first ever VNL final.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
Although it was a U.S. sweep, Thursday’s match saw the U.S. Women battle back from deficits of 9-16 and 17-22 in the second set thanks to some key substitutions by Head Coach Karch Kiraly.
“Special props to Annie Drews and Kelsey Robinson who came in and gave us a great lift and helped us break (Turkey’s) will a little bit,” Kiraly said. “When we came back and stole that second set, that was not easy. We’ve been on the other side of that situation before.”
In the middle of the second set with the U.S. trailing 8-14, Kiraly brought in Drews for Jordan Thompson at opposite and Robinson for Jordan Larson at outside hitter. Drews led the U.S. in scoring with nine points on seven kills and two aces. Robinson scored seven points on seven kills.
“We had some girls come off the bench who really helped us make a momentum change,” U.S. setter Jordyn Poulter said. “We homed in on a couple of our first and second touches and put a little more service pressure on them and were able to pull out the second set.
“We took that momentum into the third set and that helped us be successful in the end.”
Turkey led the U.S. in kills (42-40) but committed 24 scoring errors that helped the U.S Women, who had 14 scoring errors. The U.S. Women edged Turkey in blocks (7-6) and aces (4-3).
Besides Larson and Thompson, Kiraly started Poulter at setter, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley at outside hitter, Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson and Haleigh Washington at middle blocker and Justine Wong Orantes at libero.
Akinradewo and Bartsch-Hackley each finished with eight points. Washington finished with seven. Thompson and Poulter each scored five points and Larson finished with two.
Poulter set the team to a .321 hitting efficiency and Wong Orantes was credited with 14 digs and five successful receptions. Bartsch-Hackley was credited with 11 successful receptions.
Kiraly was happy with the 3-0 victory.
“We’re playing the finals in about 22 hours,” he said. “It gives everyone more time to recover.”
Prior to the match, the six Olympic alternates left Rimini, leaving the U.S. Women with their 12-woman Olympic roster.
“I told them after the game, ‘We’re 23 strong,’” Kiraly said. “That’s been our core group since early last year. We were 18 strong here in VNL and our six alternates went home so now we’re 12 strong, but we’re carrying all 23 with us.”
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for June 24
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13: USA def Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
June 14: USA def Turkey, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14)
June 18: USA def Poland, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14)
June 19: USA def Russia, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15)
June 20: China def USA, 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-17)
June 24: Brazil def Japan, 3-1 (25-15, 25-23, 29-31, 25-16)
USA def Turkey, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-20)
June 25: 8 a.m. Bronze: Turkey vs Japan
10:30 a.m. Gold: USA vs Brazil
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 20, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had its only loss of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round in its last match as it fell to China on Sunday, 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-17) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (14-1), ranked No. 1 in the world, had already qualified...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2021) – Russia pushed the U.S. Women’s National Team, but the U.S. Women pushed back and defeated the Europeans, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (14-0), will close out the VNL Preliminary Round against China (9-5) on...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hosted a block party on Friday and Poland was the only guest. Fourteen blocks later, the U.S. Women had won their 13th-straight match at the FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (13-0) will play Russia...
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Opposite, 6-4
Middle, 6-3
Libero, 5-6
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 20, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team had its only loss of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round in its last match as it fell to China on Sunday, 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-17) in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (14-1), ranked No. 1 in the world, had already qualified for the final round and will play Turkey (11-4) in the semifinals at 10:30 a.m. PT on June 24. Brazil (13-2) will play Japan (12-3) in the other semifinal.
China, ranked No 2 in the world, finished VNL in fifth place with a 10-5 record.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly called the match, “another learning experience.
“We have some things that we are doing well and some things we have to get better at. The score doesn’t tell us whether we are taking care of our jobs or not. We’ve had some wins (at VNL) that we were pretty disappointed in.”
Kiraly started Kelsey Robinson and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley at outside hitter, Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson and Hannah Tapp at middle blocker, Annie Drews at opposite, Micha Hancock at setter and Kim Hill at libero.
Middle Haleigh Washington played the third set for Tapp.
“It’s a really disappointing loss, Akinradewo said. “China had its A-team there. They are a very strong team. I think it’s always good for us to be pushed. It’s always good to face adversity. I’m hoping that we can reflect on this, and we will come back stronger next time.”
Drews led the U.S. scoring with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks. Robinson scored nine points on nine kills. Bartsch-Hackley and Akinradewo each scored seven points. Washington and Hancock each scored three points and Tapp finished with one.
Hill led the team with seven digs and 15 successful receptions. Hancock set the U.S. to a .329 hitting efficiency.
China led in kills (45-36), blocks (9-4) and aces (7-1). It scored 14 points on U.S. errors and committed six. China’s outside hitter Ting Zhu led all scorers with 16 points on 13 kills (.667), one block and two aces.
The VNL is being broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for June 20
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13: USA def Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
June 14: USA def Turkey, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14)
June 18: USA def Poland, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14)
June 19: USA def Russia, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15)
June 20: China def USA, 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-17)
June 24: 8 a.m. Brazil vs Japan
10:30 a.m. USA vs Turkey
June 25: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2021) – Russia pushed the U.S. Women’s National Team, but the U.S. Women pushed back and defeated the Europeans, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (14-0), will close out the VNL Preliminary Round against China (9-5) on...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hosted a block party on Friday and Poland was the only guest. Fourteen blocks later, the U.S. Women had won their 13th-straight match at the FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (13-0) will play Russia...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team steam train kept barreling down the track on Sunday with a sweep of Japan (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. A showdown looms on Monday as the first-place U.S. Women (11-0) will face second-place Turkey (9-2) at...
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Opposite, 6-4
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2021) – Russia pushed the U.S. Women’s National Team, but the U.S. Women pushed back and defeated the Europeans, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (14-0), will close out the VNL Preliminary Round against China (9-5) on Sunday at 3 a.m. PT. The U.S. Women have already qualified for the semifinals on June 24.
Russia kept the pressure on the U.S. Women for the first three sets. The U.S. Women relied on good serving and passing to get the win.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“They hit with a lot of range,” opposite Annie Drews said. “They had a lot of players subbing in and out and we were constantly looking for solutions against their attackers on block and defense.
“I think the adjustment toward the end was we really dialed in our serves and served with a lot of pressure and made them more uncomfortable.”
The U.S. Women held the edge in kills (60-56) and blocks (10-9) but dominated in aces (13-3), led by outside hitter Jordan Larson with four and Drews with three.
U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly changed up his starting lineup once again, including starting outside hitter Kim Hill at libero. She finished with 11 digs and eight successful receptions.
Setter Jordyn Poulter set the U.S. Women to a .481 hitting efficiency to go with her two points on a kill and an ace. Russia’s hitting efficiency was .452.
“They did a really good job of challenging our block,” Drews said. “Next time, I think we’d like to come away with a few more blocks. At the end of the day, we found a way to get the job done.
Larson led all scorers with 19 points on a match-high16 kills to go with her three aces. Midde blocker Haleigh Washington scored 18 points on 13 kills (.600), a match-high four blocks and one ace. Drews had 17 points on 13 kills and one block to go with two aces.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson scored 16 points on 11 kills, three blocks and two aces. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu finished with 11 points on seven kills (.875), two blocks and two aces.
The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for June 19
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13: USA def Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
June 14: USA def Turkey, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14)
June 18: USA def Poland, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14)
June 19: USA vs Russia, 3-1 (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15)
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hosted a block party on Friday and Poland was the only guest. Fourteen blocks later, the U.S. Women had won their 13th-straight match at the FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14) in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (13-0) will play Russia...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 14, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated and secured a spot in the semifinals of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14) win over Turkey on Monday in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (12-0) will get three days off before playing a final...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team steam train kept barreling down the track on Sunday with a sweep of Japan (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. A showdown looms on Monday as the first-place U.S. Women (11-0) will face second-place Turkey (9-2) at...
Opposite, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-2
Setter, 6-2
Outside Hitter, 6-2
Middle, 6-3
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 18, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team hosted a block party on Friday and Poland was the only guest. Fourteen blocks later, the U.S. Women had won their 13th-straight match at the FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14) in Rimini, Italy.
The U.S. Women (13-0) will play Russia (8-5) on Saturday at 3 a.m. PT. The U.S. has already qualified for the final round, which begins with the semifinals on June 24.
The U.S. Women edged Poland in kills (45-43) and aces (5-3) but dominated in blocks (14-5).
OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS
“I think Poland pushed us throughout the entire match, which is what we need,” said libero Justine Wong Orantes who did a solid job covering for her blockers, finishing with 17 digs. “I think in the first set, we started a little bit slower than we wanted to. But then, as the game went on, we started to pick it up, especially with service pressure.
“Poland has some very physical attackers, (we had to) get in good spots on the block and then play defense behind that.”
Outside hitter Kim Hill led the blocking with five. Middle blocker Tori Dixon and opposite Jordan Thompson each finished with three. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley had two and setter Micha Hancock made one block.
Bartsch-Hackley and Thompson each finished with 17 points. Each had 14 kills to go with their three blocks. Hill finished with 13 points and had eight kills to go with her five blocks.
Hancock scored six points on a match-high four aces to go with one block and one kill. Dixon also had six points and middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson finished with five.
Bartsch-Hackley was credited with 11 successful receptions and 10 digs. Wong Orantes had five successful receptions.
The U.S. Women trailed 18-21 in the first set but tied the score at 22s on kills from Thompson, Bartsch-Hackley and Hill. The teams battled back and forth until they were tied at 27. Hancock served an ace. Poland called timeout and Hancock served another ace for the win.
The U.S. Women held a 20-16 lead in the second half. Poland got close with a 3-0 run and eventually tied the score at 23-23. The U.S. grabbed set point three times before the teams tied at 27-27. Bartsch-Hackley connected on an attack and Dixon scored on a block to give the U.S. the set win.
The U.S. jumped out to a 12-8 lead in the third set and Poland never threatened.
The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.
U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for June 18
No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 3-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27: USA def Brazil 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)
May 31: USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-12)
June 1: USA def Netherlands, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18)
June 2: USA def Thailand, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-16)
June 6: USA def Germany, 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13)
June 7: USA def South Korea, 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
June 8: USA def Italy, 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16)
June 12: USA def Belgium, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20)
June 13: USA def Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)
June 14: USA def Turkey, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14)
June 18: USA def Poland, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-14)
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA
June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 14, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team remained undefeated and secured a spot in the semifinals of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 25-14) win over Turkey on Monday in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (12-0) will get three days off before playing a final...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team steam train kept barreling down the track on Sunday with a sweep of Japan (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. A showdown looms on Monday as the first-place U.S. Women (11-0) will face second-place Turkey (9-2) at...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2021) – When Belgium picked up its serving for a second-set surge, the U.S. Women’s National Team pulled together to defeat the European side, 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-20) on Saturday at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. The U.S. Women (10-0) continue to lead the VNL standings but...
Middle Blocker, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Middle, 6-3
Setter, 5-11
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Opposite, 6-4
Libero, 5-6
