WNT Update: Larson Takes the Court in China

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 12, 2021) – Olympic MVP Jordan Larson and the Shanghai Guangming Ube Volleyball Club are 5-1 in China’s women’s league after beginning competition on Nov. 27.

On Dec. 1, Shanghai beat Henan, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-12). Larson led all scorers with 19 points on 19 kills (.425 hitting efficiency). She was credited with 10 receptions, 30 percent positive.

CEV TOURNAMENTS

In the first round of CEV Champions League pool play, Italy’s Igor Gorgonzola Novara with middle Haleigh Washington and setter Micha Hancock, beat Turkey’s Turk Hava Yollari (THY) Istanbul, with outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel, setter Lauren Carlini and middle blocker Tori Dixon, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 26-24) on Nov. 25.

Washington finished with nine points on five kills (.500 hitting efficiency) and four blocks. Hancock scored three points on three kills and set her team to a .324 hitting efficiency. Kingdon Rishel scored seven points for THY on five kills, one block and one ace. Dixon added three points on two kills and one ace. Carlini scored two points on a kill and a block and set THY to a .240 hitting efficiency.

In the second round of pool play on Dec. 8, Novara beat VK Dukla Liberec of Czech Republic, 3-0 (25-11, 25-16, 25-19). THY fell to Russia’s Dinamo Moscow, 3-2 (25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-9).

In Pool B, Turkey’s Vakifbank, with middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, won its first-round pool play match over Italy’s Vero Volley Monza, 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-21) on Nov. 24. Bartsch-Hackley scored 14 points on 12 kills and two aces. She was credited with 30 receptions, 50 percent positive. Ogbogu added 11 points on seven kills (.580) and a match-high four blocks. In the second round, Vakifbank beat Finland’s LP Salo, 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-17) on Dec. 9.

In the CEV Cup, setter Jordyn Poulter and Italy’s Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio won their first match in the round of 16, beating Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart, 3-0 (29-27, 25-19, 25-23) on Dec. 8. Poulter scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. She set her team to a .343 hitting efficiency.

JAPAN

Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous had their first loss of the season on Nov. 27 when they fell to the NEC Red Rockets with outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons, 3-1 (14-25, 25-22, 25-13, 25-19). Drews Drews scored 18 points on 15 kills, two blocks and one ace. Wilhite Parsons scored 14 points on 13 kills and one block.

JT Marvelous (13-1) came back on Dec. 5 to beat the Okayama Seagulls, 3-1 (25-21, 27-29, 25-20, 25-20). Drews scored 25 points on 23 kills, one block and one ace.

The Red Rockets (11-3) lost to the PFU Bluecats on Dec. 4, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22). Wilhite Parsons scored six points on five kills and one block.

Hisamitsu Springs (9-5) with middle Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson lost to Victorina Himeji on Dec. 4, 3-2 (25-23, 25-23, 16-25, 23-25, 15-12). Akinradewo scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace.

Middle Hannah Tapp and Hitache Rival improved to 6-8 with a 3-2 (25-23, 27-25, 20-25, 19-25, 15-7) win over the Saitama Ageo Medics on Dec. 5. Tapp scored 12 points on 11 kills and one block.

Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson and the Toyota Auto Body Queenseis (0-14) lost a nail-biter to the Kurobe Aqua Fairies, 3-2 (25-14, 23-25, 25-27, 25-14, 16-14) on Dec. 5. Robinson led all scorers with 28 kills.

Play in the Japanese league will resume in January.

TURKEY

Opposite Jordan Thompson has left Eczacıbaşı Dynavit, the team reported on Dec. 2 in a press release. Thompson confirmed in an Instagram post that she has returned to the United States to rehab her ankle, which she injured during the Tokyo Olympic Games.

 

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On Dec. 4, Vakifbank (11-2) beat Aydın Büyükşehir BLD., 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-16). Bartsch-Hackley scored 13 points on 12 kills (.423) and one ace. Ogbogu did not play.

THY (10-3) beat PTT on Dec. 11, 3-1 (31-29, 25-27, 25-17, 25-15). Kingdon Rishel led all scorers with 28 points on 26 kills (.500) one and one block. Carlini scored four points on four kills and set her team to a .333 hitting efficiency.

ITALY

Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano with outside hitters Megan Courtney and Kathryn Plummer suffered its first loss in two years on Dec. 1 when it fell to Il Bisonte Firenze, 3-2 (25-22, 28-30, 16-25, 27-25, 15-12). In November, Conegliano broke the record for wins by a women’s volleyball team at 74.

No worries though, Conegliano (11-1) won its next match on Dec 5, beating Bartoccini-Fortinfissi Perugia, 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-13). Plummer led all scorers with 17 points on 16 kills (.727) and one block. She was credited with 15 receptions, 53 percent positive. Courtney played as a substitute.

On Nov. 28, Igor Gorgonzola Novara with Washington and Hancock beat Poulter and Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio, 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 11-25, 25-23, 15-13).

Washington started the first two sets and scored six points on four kills and two blocks before leaving the match with a knee injury. She posted to Instagram later that the injury is not serious. Hancock scored eight points on four kills, a match-high three aces and one block. She set Novara to a .236 hitting efficiency. Poulter scored three points on one kill and two blocks for Arsizio.

Both teams also won their matches on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12.

Novara (10-1) beat Delta Despar Trentino, 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-13). Hancock scored two points on two aces and set Novara to a .341 hitting efficiency. Washington was on the roster but did not play.

Arsizo (7-4) beat Vero Volley Monza, 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23). Poulter scored one point with a kill and set Arsizo to a .271 hitting efficiency.

GERMANY

Libero Justine Wong-Orantes and Wiesbaden (4-5) fell to SSC Palmberg Schwerin on Dec. 10, 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 25-21). Wong-Orantes was credited with 12 receptions, 58 percent positive.

BRAZIL

Opposite Danielle Cuttino and Itambé Minas are in second place at 8-2 in Brazil. On Dec. 6, Sesi Volei Bauru beat Itambé Minas, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 25-13, 17-25, 15-10). Cuttino scored 15 points on 14 kills and one block.

Middle Rachael Adams and Osasco São Cristóvão Saúde are 7-1 and in third place. On Dec, 10, Osasco São Cristóvão Saúde beat Country Club Valinhos, 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-15, 25-16). Adams scored two points on two kills.