COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 22, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team lost to Poland 25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20 on Saturday afternoon in the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship classification 5-8 match held in Cordoba, Mexico.
The U.S. concludes the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET in the seventh-place match against the loser of the other classification 5-8 match played today.
Outside hitter Thayer Hall (Moore, South Carolina) led the American offense with 12 kills on 29 attacks, two blocks and two aces for 16 points. Middle Brionne Butler (Kendleton, Texas) chipped in 11 points with seven kills on 11 swings, two blocks and two aces. Opposite Regan Pittman (Spring Hill, Kansas) pocketed 11 points with eight kills on 21 swings and three blocks.
Middle Ronika Stone (San Jose, California) charted six kills on 11 swings in playing the first two sets. Middle Rachael Kramer (Phoenix, Arizona), who started the last two sets in place of Stone, totaled three kills on nine attacks and a block for four points. Outside hitter Paige Hammons (Louisville, Kentucky) totaled three kills, while setter Norene Iosia (Torrance, California) rounded out the scoring with three blocks as she started the fourth set after being a sub in the first three sets.
Libero Tiffany Clark (Naperville, Illinois) was credited with 11 digs and five excellent receptions on 21 chances. Hall added four excellent receptions on 20 chances.
Iosia turned in 16 running sets on 56 total attempts while MacKenzi Welsh (Bolingbrook, Illinois) was credited with six running sets on 27 set attempts. The American converted 36.8 perent of their attacks with a .198 hitting efficiency (39-18-106). Meanwhile, Poland converted 41.0 percent of its swings into points with a .248 hitting efficiency (48-19-117).
Poland’s serve kept the Americans out of system, mostly in the first two sets as it had 11 of its 15 aces. The U.S. had four aces for the match. Poland’s offense held a 48-39 margin in kills, while the U.S. held an 11-10 block advantage.
The Americans started Butler and Stone at middle, Hall and Hammons at outside hitter, Pittman at opposite and Welsh at setter. Clark started at libero. Gabby Curry (Buford, Geogia) was a sub in all four sets. Leah Edmond (Lexington, Kentucky) and Holly Carlton (Sterling, Virginia), two of the team’s top offensive weapons during the tournament, were not available to play in the match.
In the opening set, Poland forged in front 14-11 on a 3-0 run and reached the second technical timeout up 16-12. Poland advanced its advantage to 21-12 at the Americans’ second timeout. The U.S. saved two set points before Poland closed the set at 25-14.
Poland held an 8-6 margin at the first technical timeout of the second set, then scored four aces to extend the margin to 14-6 out of the break. Poland built its margin to 16-9 at the second technical timeout. The Americans used a 4-0 run, including an ace by Hall, to narrow the gap to 20-15. Poland won the second set 25-16.
The U.S. took a 2-0 lead to open the third set after a Butler ace and the Americans stretched the lead to 4-1. The Americans reached the first technical timeout with an 8-6 lead and extended the advantage to 12-8. After Poland cut into the lead at 19-17, the U.S. increased its advantage back to four points at 22-18. The Americans capped the set at 25-20.
Poland scored back-to-back points to grab an 8-5 margin at the fourth set’s first technical timeout. Poland ran off three straight to raise its advantage to 18-13. The Americans narrowed the gap to 20-18. Poland scored three of the next four points to take a 23-19 lead into Team USA’s final timeout. Poland ended the match by scoring two of the final three points for a 25-20 victory.
U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
# – Name (Position, 2017 Club/College, Height, Hometown, Region)
1 – Brionne Butler (M, University of Texas, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Lone Star)
2 – Tiffany Clark (L, University of Wisconsin, 5-11, Naperville, Illinois, Great Lakes)
3 – Thayer Hall (OH, Upward Stars, 6-3, Moore, South Carolina, Palmetto)
4 – Paige Hammons (OH, University of Florida, 6-2, Louisville, Kentucky, Pioneer)
5 – Regan Pittman (M, University of Minnesota, 6-5, Spring Hill, Kansas, Heart of America)
6 – Holly Carlton (OPP, University of North Carolina, 6-7, Sterling, Virginia, Chesapeake)
8 – Ronika Stone (OPP, University of Oregon, 6-2, San Jose, California, Northern California)
11 – Norene Iosia (S, University of Hawaii, 5-11, Torrance, California, Southern California)
12 – MacKenzi Welsh (S, University of Michigan, 6-1, Bolingbrook, Illinois, Great Lakes)
14 – Gabby Curry (L, University of Kentucky, 5-9, Buford, Georgia, Southern)
15 – Rachael Kramer (M, University of Florida, 6-8, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona)
17 – Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, Lexington, Kentucky, Pioneer)
Head Coach: Laurie Corbelli (head coach at Texas A&M University)
Assistant Coach: Blake Rawlins (head trainer at Top Select Volleyball Academy)
Assistant Coach: Jay Van Vark (assistant coach at Grand Canyon University)
Team Leader: Tom Pingel (USA Volleyball High Performance)
Athletic Trainer: Ronni Beatty-Kollasch (University of Minnesota)
2017 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U20 World Championship
Pool C at Boca del Rio, Mexico
July 14: USA lost to Brazil 25-10, 25-12, 24-26, 25-22
July 15: USA def. Cuba 31-29, 25-19, 25-23
July 16: USA def. Serbia 22-25, 10-25, 26-24, 25-23, 17-15
Pool F (Top 8 Gold Bracket) at Cordoba, Mexico
July 18: USA lost to China 23-25, 30-28, 25-15, 10-25, 15-13
July 19: USA lost to Japan, 2 p.m. ET 25-18, 25-22, 25-17
July 20: USA lost Bulgaria 16-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12
Classification 5-8 Match at Cordoba, Mexico
June 22: USA lost to Poland 25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20
7th-Place Classification Match at Cordoba, Mexico
June 23: USA vs. TBA, 2 p.m. ET