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.