COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 21, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team finished the FIVB Women’s Under 20 World Championship in eighth place after a 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 loss to China on Sunday in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Opposite Skylar Fields (Missouri City, Texas) scored nine points, all on kills via 16 attacks in starting just the final set. Outside hitter Jenna Wenaas (Frisco, Texas) contributed six kills, two aces and a block for nine points. Middle Heather Gneiting (Provo, Utah) pocketed six kills on 11 attacks and a block for seven points.
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston (Brentwood, Tennessee) added six kills in the match, while middle Katie Clark (Arlington, Texas) turned in four kills on nine attacks and an ace for five points. Setter Mia Tuaniga (Long Beach, California) tallied two aces and a kill for three points. Middle Molly Phillips (Mansfield, Texas), Ella Powell (Fayetteville, Arkansas) and opposite Kendall Kipp (Newport Beach, California) rounded out the scoring with one kill each.
“I think that we started off really, really well,” USA libero Brooke Nuneviller (Chandler, Arizona) said about the team’s start to the tournament in the first round to advance to the Top 8. “As a team we played really well together. In the last few matches we made too many mistakes on our side and I think we could have controlled that a little better. But I don’t think there was a second where we didn’t fight for every single point. For that I am so proud of us. We gave it our all.”
Nuneviller said it is always great to wear the red, white and blue representing the country.
“It is always amazing going out here and representing USA. Two years ago I got the chance to do it too, and every single time it is amazing.”
The USA held a 5-2 margin in aces while China managed a 47-35 kill advantage and 4-2 margin blocks.
The U.S. started Powell at setter, Eggleston and Wenaas at outside, Kipp at opposite, Clark and Gneiting at middle and Brooke Nuneviller (Chandler, Arizona) at libero. In the third set Fields started at opposite, Tuaniga at setter and Phillips at middle.
2019 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Roster
Name (Position, Height, HS Grad Year, Club/Region, College, Hometown)
3 – Brooke Nuneviller (L, 5-11, 2018, Aspire VBC/Arizona, Oregon, Chandler, Ariz.)
4 – Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, 2020, Apex1/Southern Cal, Long Beach State, Long Beach, Calif.)
5 – Azhani Tealer (OPP, 5-10, 2019, Texas Image/North Texas, Kentucky, Grand Prairie, Texas)
6 – Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-1, 2018, Alliance/Southern, Texas, Brentwood, Tenn.)
7 – Jenna Wenaas (OH, 6-1, 2020, TAV/North Texas, Minnesota, Frisco, Texas)
9 – Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, 2019, Houston Juniors/Lone Star, Texas, Missouri City, Texas)
11 – Molly Phillips (M, 6-2, 2019, Texas Image/North Texas, Texas, Mansfield, Texas)
13 – Ella May Powell (S, 6-2, 2018, Ozark Juniors/Delta, Washington, Fayetteville, Ark.)
15 – Katie Clark (M, 6-3, 2018, TAV/North Texas, TCU, Arlington, Texas)
17 – Anna Dixon (OH, 6-3, 2019, KC Power/Heart of America, Kansas State, Louisburg, Kan.)
19 – Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, 2019, Laguna Beach VBC/Southern Cal, Stanford, Newport Beach, Calif.)
20 – Heather Gneiting (M, 6-6, 2018, Club V/Intermountain, BYU, Provo, Utah)
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (University of Texas)
Assistant Coaches: Paula Weishoff (Concordia Irvine) and Jenny Hazelwood (Infinity Volleyball Club)
Technical Coordinator: Jon Wong (Bradley University)
Head of Delegation: Coley Pawlikowski
2019 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship
Pool A 1st Round – at Aguascalientes, Mexico
July 12: USA lost to Italy 28-26, 18-25, 30-28, 25-22
July 13: USA defeated Mexico 25-17, 25-23, 25-21
July 14: USA def. Cuba 25-17, 25-23, 25-21
Pool F 2nd Round – at Aguascalientes, Mexico
July 16: USA lost to Japan 25-18, 25-15, 25-20
July 17: USA lost to Poland 25-18, 25-20, 25-23
July 18: USA lost to Turkey 25-23, 25-20, 32-30
5-8 Classification Matches – at Aguascalientes, Mexico
July 20: USA lost to Brazil 25-15, 14-25, 25-9, 25-15
July 21: USA lost China 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 (7th Place Match)