WNT Update: U.S. Teammates Collide in Champions League

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 1, 2023) – U.S. teammates collided this week in the CEV Champions League and action in the country leagues is heating up.

CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Middle blocker Dana Rettke, outside hitter Kara Bajema and Italy’s Allianz Vero Volley Milano swept outside hitter Ali Frantti, middle Chiaka Ogbogu, opposite Jordan Thompson and Türkiye’s VakifBank, the defending champion, in Pool A 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-16) on Nov. 29. Rettke scored 12 points on 10 kills and two blocks. Thompson scored 14 points on 13 kills and one block. Frantti scored one point on a kill.

In Pool B, middle Haleigh Washington and Italy’s Savino Del Bene Scandicci beat Türkiye’s Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul 3-1 (25-14, 25-27, 27-25, 25-23) on Nov. 29. Washington scored two points on a kill and a block.

Germany’s SC Potsdam with libero Justin Wong-Orantes beat Slovenia’s Calcit Kamnik 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 16-14) in Pool C on Nov. 30. Wong-Orantes was credited with 47 percent positive receptions. U.S. opposite Danielle Harbin scored 21 points on 19 kills and two blocks. Middle Breland Morrissette had one point on one kill.

In Pool D, Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano with outside hitters Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, Kathryn Plummer and Khalia Lanier and setter Madi Bugg beat Poland’s PGE Rysice Rzeszow 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 17-25, 28-26) on Nov. 29. Lanier scored 18 points on 15 kills, two aces and one block. Cook added 11 points on 11 kills. Bugg scored three points on two kills and an ace.

JAPAN

Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous improved to 10-0 over their past two matches. On Nov. 26, JT Marvelous beat Hisamitsu Springs 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-14). Drews scored 13 points on 11 kills, one block and one ace. For Hisamitsu Springs, U.S. outside hitter McKenzie Adams scored six points on five kills and one block.

ITALY

Kelsey Cook was named match MVP as Prosseco Doc Imoco Conegliano (9-0) remained unbeaten by sweeping Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-17) on Nov. 26.

Cook scored 13 points on 11 kills (.556 hitting efficiency), one block and one ace. She was also credited with 14 receptions, 50 percent positive. Khalia Lanier added 11 points on 10 kills and one block. She was credited with 20 receptions, 30 percent positive. Madi Bugg scored two points on two blocks and set the team to a .459 hitting efficiency. Kathryn Plummer was held out of the match due to injury, according to a team release.

For Casalmaggiore (2-7), U.S. setter Micha Hancock scored two points on a kill and ace and set the team to a .348 hitting efficiency. Before the match, both teams recognized The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Savino Del Bene Scandicci (7-2) with Haleigh Washington and outside hitter Lindsey Ruddins beat Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 (5-4) with outside hitters Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel 3-2 (25-17, 20-25, 26-28, 25-21, 15-11) on Nov. 26. Ruddins played as a substitute and started the fifth set scoring eight points on eight kills. She was named match MVP. Washington played as a substitute. Skinner scored 19 points on 17 kills and two aces. Kingdon Rishel played as a substitute and scored one point on a kill.

Honda Olivero S.Bernardo Cuneo (4-5) with middle blocker Anna Hall and outside hitter Madi Kubik beat Uyba Volley Busto Arsizio 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-27, 15-12). Hall did not play. Kubik scored nine points on eight kills and one ace.

Dana Rettke, Kara Bajema and Allianz Vero Volley Milano (8-1) swept Roma Volley Club 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) on Nov. 26. Bajema scored four points on four kills. Rettke started the first two sets and scored three points on two kills and one block.

TÜRKIYE

VakifBank (10-1) with Ali Frantti, Chiaka Ogbogu and Jordan Thompson lost its first match of the season to Fenerbahce Opet on Nov. 24, 3-1 (26-24, 25-20, 21-25, 25-20). Thompson scored 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace. Frantti started the first two sets and scored four points on four kills. Ogbogu did not play.

Opposite Stephanie Samedy and Muratpaşa Bld. Sigorta Shop (5-5) defeated Kuzeyboru (7-3) with outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons 3-2 (12-25, 27-25, 12-25, 25-18, 16-14) on Nov. 26. Samedy scored 16 points on 15 kills and one ace. U.S. outside hitter Micaya White started the first set and scored two points on two kills. Wilhite Parsons led her team with 23 points on 21 kills, one block and one ace. She was credited with 20 receptions, 60 percent positive.

Galatasaray Daikin (3-7) with opposite Danielle Cuttino, outside hitter Logan Eggleston and middle blocker Heather Gneiting beat Karayollari 3-1 (23-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-15) on Nov. 25. Cuttino scored 22 points on 20 kills, one block and one ace. Eggleston added 14 points on 11 kills, two blocks and one ace. Gneiting started the first set and did not score.

Sariyer Bld (4-6) with outside hitter Simone Lee beat setter Lauren Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor (4-6) 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-16) on Nov. 25. Lee led all scorers with 20 points on 19 kills (.432) and one block. Carlini scored two points on a kill and a block.

GERMANY

Justine Wong-Orantes and SC Potsdam (6-1) beat Rote Raben Vilsbiburg 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-20) on Nov. 26. Wong-Orantes was credited with seven receptions. Breland Morrissette scored five points on five kills and Danielle Harbin played as a substitute and scored one point with a kill. U.S. middle Serena Bruin scored one points on a kill for Vilsbibur.

Middle Kayla Haneline and Allianz MTV Stuttgart (6-1) beat Ladies in Black Aachen 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 25-17) on Nov. 25. Haneline started the final three sets and scored 10 points on six kills and a match-high four blocks. U.S. outside hitter Alexis Hart with Stuttgart led all scorers with 18 points on 18 kills.

Libero Zoe Fleck and USC Münster (1-6) fell to VC Wiesbaden 3-1 (17-25, 25-18, 25-20, 33-31) on Nov. 25. Fleck was credited with 15 receptions, 60 percent positive. Setter Jenna Ewert started the first three sets for Münster and scored six points on four kills, one block and one ace. Opposite Gloria Mutiri started the fourth set and scored three points on three kills.

For Wiesbaden, outside hitter Rachel Joy Anderson led all scorers with 19 points on 13 kills, four blocks and two aces. Middle Jaidyn Blanchfield added 12 points on 12 kills.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Outside hitter Jordan Larson is an assistant coach for the Cornhuskers, who finished the season 28-1 and are the top overall seeds in the NCAA tournament. The Huskers won the Big 10 title at 19-1.

Nebraska opens the tournament Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. against Long Island University (13-18), champions of the Northeast Conference.

BRAZIL

Middle blocker Brionne Butler and Osasco São Cristovão Saúde (3-1) beat Esporte Clube Pinheiros 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-17) on Nov. 26. Butler scored five points on kills.

Outside hitter Roni Jones Perry and SESC RJ Flamengo (3-1) beat SESI Volei Bauru 3-1 (25-23, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21) on Nov. 27. Perry scored 14 points on 10 kills and four blocks. She was credited with 30 receptions, 37 percent positive.

Setter Jenna Gray and Gerdau Minas (5-1) took their first loss of the season on Nov. 28 when they fell to Fluminense 3-2 (22-25, 27-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-8). Gray scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. She set her team to a .316 hitting efficiency. For Fluminense, middle Claire Felix scored five points on four blocks and one kill.

FRANCE

Opposite Taylor Mims and Nantes (7-1) swept Marcq en Baroeul 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-22) on Nov. 25. Mims started the first two sets and scored seven points on six kills and one ace.

ROMANIA

Setter Ashley Evans and CSM Bucuresti fell to CSM Lugoj 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 15-12) on Nov. 25. Evans scored five points on three aces and two kills. She set Bucuresti to a .303 hitting efficiency.

CEV CUP

Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 with Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel won their first match in the round of eight on Nov. 29, beating Serbia’s Zeleznicar Lajkovac 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-13). Kingdon Rishel scored 11 points on six kills, three aces and two blocks. Skinner scored one point on a kill.

CEV CHALLENGE CUP

Taylor Mims and France’s Neptunes Nantes won its first match in the round of eight, beating Spain’s Avarca de Menorca 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-13) on Nov. 29. Mims scored 16 points on 13 kills and three blocks.

Ashley Evans and Romania’s CSM Bucuresti lost their first round of eight match to Greece’s Panathinaikos AC Athens 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19) on Nov. 29. Evans scored five points on two kills, two blocks and one ace.

Türkiye’s Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul with Danielle Cuttino, Logan Eggleston and Heather Gneiting fell to Germany’s VC Wiesbaden in the round of eight, 3-2 (25-22, 25-16, 25-27, 21-25, 15-13). Cuttino scored 25 points on 22 kills and three errors. Eggleston totaled 17 points on 17 kills. Gneiting added two points on a kill and a block. For Wiesbaden, Jaidyn Blanchfield scored 19 points on 14 kills, four blocks and one ace. Rachel Anderson scored 15 points on six kills, four aces and five blocks.