U.S. Women's Sitting Team Defeats Rival China at 2024 Super 6

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