WNT Update: Six Teams Moving on at Champions League

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 24, 2024) – Pool play for the women’s CEV Champions League is complete and several teams with U.S. players are moving on. Plus we have updates on U.S. Women’s National Team players competing around the world.

CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Six teams with players from the U.S. Women’s National Team have advanced from CEV Champions League pool play.

Italy’s Prosseco Doc Imoco Conegliano with outside hitters Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, Khalia Lanier and Kathryn Plummer and setter Madi Bugg won Pool D at 6-0 and advanced straight to the quarterfinals.

Conegliano won its final pool match against Poland’s PGE Rysice Rzeszow on Jan. 16, 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-16, 25-11). Plummer led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 17 kills (.615), one block and three aces. Bugg played as a substitute and Cook and Lanier did not play.

Middle Haleigh Washington and Italy’s Savino Del Bene Scandicci won Pool B at 6-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals. In their final pool match on Jan. 16, Scandicci beat Türkiye’s Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul, 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 16-25, 25-23). Washington played as a substitute.

Middle Dana Rettke, outside hitter Kara Bajema and Italy’s Allianz Vero Volley Milano won Pool A with a 5-1 record and advanced to the quarterfinals.

In its final pool match, Milano fell to Türkiye’s VakifBank with outside hitter Ali Frantti, middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and opposite Jordan Thompson, 3-2 (25-20, 25-17, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12).

Thompson scored 15 points on 15 kills. Frantti added 11 points on seven kills and four aces. Ogbogu scored 10 points in six kills and four blocks. Bajema started the final four sets and scored 14 points on 11 kills, two blocks and one ace. Rettke started the first three sets and scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

VakifBank finished second in the pool and will face Poland’s PGE Rysice Rzeszow in the playoffs.

Libero Justine Wong-Orantes and Germany’s SC Potsdam finished second in Pool C at 4-2 and advanced to the playoffs. In their final pool match on Jan. 16, Potsdam beat Slovenia’s Calcit Kamnik, 3-0 (30-28, 25-10, 25-18). Wong-Orantes was credited with nine receptions, 67 percent positive. U.S. middle Breland Morrissette added eight points on six kills, one block and one ace. Opposite Danielle Harbin started the first set and scored eight points on four kills and four aces.

In the playoffs, Potsdam will play middle Kayla Haneline and Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart, which finished second in Pool D at 3-3.

In their last pool match on Jan. 16, Stuttgart beat Belgium’s Asterix Avo Beveren, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-16). Haneline did not play. U.S. outside hitter Krystal Rivers led all scorers with 18 points on 14 kills, three blocks and one ace.

CEV CUP

Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 with outside hitters Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel advanced to the quarterfinals of the CEV Cup with two wins over Poland’s Grupa Azoty Chemik Police. In the second match on Jan. 18, Chieri won 3-2 (25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 33-35, 15-13). Skinner started the first two sets and scored seven points on seven kills. Kingdon Rishel started the first two sets and scored six points on two kills, two blocks and two aces.

Chieri will play France’s Volero Le Cannet in the quarterfinals.

CEV CHALLENGE CUP

Opposite Taylor Mims and France’s Neptunes de Nantes advanced to the semifinals of the Challenge Cup with two wins over Greece’s Panathinaikos AC Athens. In the second match on Jan. 16, Nantes won 3-1 (25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 25-14).

Mims scored 21 points on 18 kills, two blocks and one ace. U.S. middle Jaelyn Keene scored 14 points on 10 kills, two blocks and two aces. U.S. opposite Sherridan Atkinson led Panathinaikos with 21 points on 17 kills, three blocks and one ace.

ITALY

Prosseco Doc Imoco Conegliano with Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, Khalia Lanier Kathryn Plummer and Madi Bugg remains undefeated at 17-0 after winning its last two matches.

On Jan. 14, Conegliano beat Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 (9-8) with Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel, 3-2 (26-28, 25-19, 21-25, 30-28, 15-9). Plummer scored 20 points on 16 kills, one block and three aces. Lanier started the first four sets and scored 17 points on 15 kills and two aces. Cook and Bugg played as substitutes. For Chieri, Kingdon Rishel scored seven points on six kills and a block. Skinner played as a substitute and scored four points on four kills.

On Jan. 21, Conegliano beat Aeroitalia Smi Roma, 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-18, 15-4). Lanier scored 16 points on 16 kills (.485). Bugg started the first three sets and scored one point with an ace. She helped set her team to a .471 hitting efficiency. For Roma, U.S. outside hitter Courtney Schwan played as a substitute and scored two points on two kills.

Dana Rettke, Kara Bajema and Allianz Vero Volley Milano (16-1) won their last two matches and are second in the league. On Jan. 14, they beat third-place Savino Del Bene Scandicci (14-3) and middle Haleigh Washington 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-15) on Jan. 14. Rettke scored six points on five kills and an ace. Bajema did not play. Washington played the third set and scored four points on four kills.

On Jan. 21, Milano beat Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 with Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel, 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-27, 15-13). Bajema started the 3^rd-5^th sets and scored 13 points on 10 kills, two blocks and an ace. Rettke started the fourth set and scored four points on a kill, two blocks and an ace. Skinner started the first four sets and scored 14 points on 13 kills and an ace. Kingdon Rishel started the finals two sets and scored seven points on seven kills.

Savino Del Bene Scandicci and Washington swept Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore (3-13) with setter Micha Hancock and outside hitter Simone Lee on Jan. 21 (25-22, 25-20, 25-17). Washington scored 13 points on seven kills, five blocks and one ace. Lee score 10 points on 10 kills. Hancock scored two points on a kill and a block and set her team to a .301 hitting efficiency.

On Jan. 14, Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore beat Itas Trentino 3-2 (26-28, 24-26, 25-18, 25-19, 17-15). Lee scored 22 points on 20 kills, one block and one ace. Hancock scored one point with a kill and set Casalmaggiore to a .379 hitting efficiency.

Honda Olivero S.Bernardo Cuneo (5-12) with middle Anna Hall and outside hitter Madi Kubik fell to Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 16-25, 25-21) on Jan. 14. Hall started the first two sets and scored one point with a kill. Kubik started the first two sets and scored two points on two kills.

On Jan. 21, Cuneo (5-12) fell to Volley Bergamo 1991 on Jan. 21, 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-23, 29-27). Hall scored nine points on five kills, one block and three aces. Kubik started the first set and score two points on two kills.

TÜRKIYE

VakifBank (15-1) with Ali Frantti, Chiaka Ogbogu and Jordan Thompson won its last two matches. On Jan. 13, VakifBank beat Beşiktaş Ayos, 3-1 (25-19, 26-24, 28-30, 25-19). Thompson scored 21 points on 16 kills, two blocks and three aces. Frantti added 18 points on 16 kills and two aces. Ogbogu did not play.

On Jan. 20, VakifBank beat Galatasaray Daikin Galatasaray Daikin (8-8) with outside hitter Logan Eggleston and opposite Danielle Cuttino, 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-22). Frantti scored 10 points on 10 kills. Thompson played as a substitute and scored two points on a kill and a block. Ogbogu did not play. Cuttino led all scorers with 19 points on 18 kills and one block. Eggleston scored 10 points on eight kills, one block and one ace.

Kuzeyboru (10-6) and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons lost to Türk Hava Yollari on Jan. 14, 3-1 (25-20, 25-27, 25-20, 28-26) on Jan. 14. Wilhite Parsons scored 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace.

On Jan. 21, Kuzeyboru fell to Fenerbahce Opet, 3-1 (25-19, 33-31, 22-25, 25-15). Wilhite Parsons scored 20 points on 15 kills, four blocks and one ace.

Opposite Stephanie Samedy and Muratpaşa Bld. Sigorta Shop (8-8) fell to Nilüfer Belediyespor on Jan. 14, 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 27-25). Samedy started the first two sets and scored two points on two kills. U.S. outside hitter Micaya White scored 10 points on nine kills and one block for Muratpaşa.

On Jan. 21, Muratpaşa beat setter Lauren Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor (4-10), 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-14). Samedy scored 15 points on 13 kills (.423), one block and one ace. White added 14 points on 11 kills and three aces. Carlini did not play.

On Jan. 14, Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor fell to Cukurova Bld 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23). Carlini scored four points on three kills and a block and set her team to a .311 hitting efficiency.

JAPAN

Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous continue to lead the league at 16-0. On Jan. 14, JT Marvelous beat the NEC Red Rockets 3-1 (25-17, 26-28, 25-18, 25-20). Drews scored 13 points on 13 kills. For the Red Rockets, U.S. outside hitter Dani Drews scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

On Jan. 20, JT Marvelous beat Prestige International Aranmare 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-10). Drews scored 14 points on 11 kills, two blocks and an ace.

GERMANY

Potsdam and Justine Wong-Orantes (9-6) beat VC Wiesbaden 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-7) on Jan. 14. Wong-Orantes was credited with four receptions, 25 percent positive. Danielle Harbin scored 12 points on six kills, two blocks and four aces. Breland Morrissette added seven points on two kills, four blocks and one ace. For Wiesbaden, U.S. outside hitter Jaidyn Blanchfield scored five points on three kills and two aces. U.S. middle blocker Rachel Anderson scored four points on two kills and two blocks.

Kayla Haneline and Allianz MTV Stuttgart (15-1) beat VC Neuwied 77, 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-13) on Jan. 13. Haneline scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace. U.S. outside hitter Alexis Hart led all scorers with 15 points on 12 kills, two blocks and one ace.

On Jan. 20, Stuttgart beat Dresdner SC, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17). Haneline did not play. U.S. outside hitter Krystal Rivers score 29 points on 26 kills, two blocks and one ace.

Libero Zoe Fleck and USC Münster (4-11) fell to SSC Palmberg Schwerin, 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-11) on Jan. 13. Fleck was credited with 12 receptions, 50 percent positive. U.S. opposite Gloria Mutiri scored 13 points on 12 kills and one block. Setter Jenna Ewert started the first three sets but did not score.

On Jan. 17, Münster fell to Ladies in Black Aachen, 3-1 (25-19, 32-30, 23-25, 25-16). Fleck had 13 receptions, 69 percent positive. Multiri started the first and last sets and scored 11 points on 11 kills. Ewert started the first and last sets and scored one point on a kill.

BRAZIL

Outside hitter Roni Jones Perry led all scorers with 17 points on 16 kills and one ace as SESC RJ Flamengo (11-1) beat Brazilia Volei on Jan. 12, 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-20).

On Jan. 18, Flamengo beat Unilife Volei Maringa, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-15). Jones Perry scored 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.

On Jan. 23, Flamengo advanced to the semifinals of the Copa Brasil Feminina BET7K 2024 with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-18, 28-26) win over SESI Volei Bauru. Flamengo will play Dentil Praia Clube in the semifinal on a date to be determined.

Middle Brionne Butler and Osasco Sao Cristovao Saude (9-3) also won their last two matches.  On Jan. 14, Sao Cristovao beat Bluvolei Furb SME, 3-1 (25-18, 25-17, 18-25, 25-18). Butler scored eight points of five kills and three blocks. U.S. middle Callie Schwarzenbach scored eight points on seven kills and one block.

On Jan. 18, Sao Cristovao beat Brasilia Volei 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-22). Butler scored 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and one ace. Schwarzenbach scored eight points on eight kills.

Setter Jenna Gray and Gerdau Minas (9-3) went 1-1 in their last two matches. On Jan. 14, Minas fell to Dentil Praia Clube 3-2 (17-25, 18-25, 25-22, 39-37, 15-9). Gray scored three points on two blocks and an ace. U.S. middle Annie Mitchem played as a substitute and scored one point on a kill.

On Jan. 19, Minas came back to beat Bluvolei Furb SME, 3-2 (25-13, 21-25, 26-24, 21-25, 15-10). Gray scored one point with a kill. She set her team to a .298 hitting efficiency. Mitchem scored 15 points on 11 kills, two blocks and two aces.

On Jan. 22, Gerdau Minas advanced to the semifinals of the Copa Brasil Feminina BET7K 2024 with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-13, 25-14, 25-18) win over Unilife Maringá. Minas will play Fluminense in the semifinals at a date to be determined.

FRANCE

Taylor Mims led all scorers with 28 points on Jan. 20 as Neptunes de Nantes (14-1) beat Levallois Paris, 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 29-27). Mims scored on a match-high 23 kills and a match-high five blocks and was named MVP. Jaelyn Keene added nine points on eight kills and one ace. For Paris, middle Emily Thater scored 13 points on nine kills and a match-high four aces.

On Jan. 13, Nantes swept Cannes (25-20, 25-19, 25-23). Mims led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 17 kills, two blocks and two aces. Keene added 14 points on eight kills, two blocks and two aces. For Cannes, middle Leah Meyer started the first two sets and scored two points on a kill and a block. Outside hitter Madelyn Robinson totaled 13 points on 12 kills and a block.