LONG BEACH, Calif. (July 12, 2013) – Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) totaled 12 points off the bench in helping the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team win its second consecutive USA Volleyball Cup match over Japan 25-17, 26-24, 18-25, 25-20 in front of 3,500 fans at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University in Long Beach, Calif.
The USA Volleyball Cup concludes Saturday night at 7 p.m. with the same two teams meeting at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The Americans won the opening match 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23 on July 10 at UC San Diego. Team USA is now 7-0 on the season in Karch Kiraly’s first season as head coach.
Paolini was credited with 10 kills on 19 attacks and two blocks. Kristin Hildebrand (Orem, Utah) added 11 points with 10 kills on 34 attacks and an ace. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) scored nine points each for a total of 18 points at the opposite position.
Jordan Larson-Burbach (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in seven points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) pocketed two kills and three blocks for five points. Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) scored five points all in the fourth set. Danielle Scott (Baton Rouge, La.) tallied four points in her return to her alma mater, Long Beach State. Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) rounded out the scoring with a kill.
Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) recorded 16 of USA’s 48 digs. Glass set 35 of the team’s assists as Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) produced six assists as part of a double-sub in the first three sets. Fawcett added nine digs.
The U.S. out-blocked Japan 12-3 to offset Japan’s 7-4 advantage in aces. The Americans converted 37 percent of their kills with a .273 hitting efficiency (51-13-139). Japan was limited to a 33 kill percent and .194 hitting efficiency (46-19-139).
Japan was led by Mizuho Ishida and her 18 points, while Miyu Nagoakoa produced 15 points in the loss.
The U.S. Women are ranked No. 1 in the world and won the silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. Japan, ranked No. 3 in the world, captured the bronze medal in London last summer.
Kiraly started Glass at setter, Hildebrand and Larson-Burbach at outside hitter, Gibbemeyer and Adams at middle blocker and Fawcett at opposite. Davis was the libero for the match. Paolini started the final three sets in place of Adams at middle blocker, while Scott started the final two sets in place of Gibbemeyer. Murphy was a sub in the first three sets and started the fourth in place of Fawcett. Hill started the final set for Larson-Burbach.
The U.S. controlled most of the opening set to win 25-17. In contrast, Japan led the majority of the second set in building a 21-17 margin. However, Fawcett went back to serve and four straight points to knot the score at 23-all. After the Americans saved one set point, they closed out the frame with a 26-24 victory to go up 2-0. Japan pushed out to an early 10-6 advantage in the third set and did not allow the Americans to rally in winning 25-18. In the fourth set, Japan battled back to within one at 19-18 only to have the U.S. score six of the final eight points for a 25-20 victory.
“In one word I think we are resilient,” Fawcett said. “We have been put into some difficult situations and we haven’t put it into a negative light. We are working as a team with one goal.”
Davis concurred with Fawcett in the team’s mentality.
“I think we are resilient as a group and that makes it easy make adjustments,” Davis said. “Japan began tipping and we were able to adjust. In the second set we got down and fought back. To do that this early in the quad is a very good sign.”
Notes: The U.S. Girls’ Youth National Volleyball Training Team was in attendance at the match. They are currently in a training block prior to attending the FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U-19 World Championship…U.S. middle blocker Danielle Scott (Baton Rouge, La.), who turns 41 in October, played at her alma mater of Long Beach State for the first time wearing the Team USA uniform. She is in her 20th year with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team.
U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Roster for July 12 USA Volleyball Cup
# – Name (Pos, Ht, Spike, Block, Hometown, College)
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, 10-0, 9-10, Leland, Mich., Penn State University)
2 – Danielle Scott (MB, 6-2, 10-8, 9-11, Baton Rouge, La., Long Beach State University)
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, 9-0, 8-8, Kent, Wash., University of Washington)
6 – Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, 9-4, 8-9, Stockton, Calif., University of Southern California)
7 – Cassidy Lichtman (OH, 6-1, 9-10, 9-2, Poway, Calif., Stanford University)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (MB, 6-2, 10-1, 9-7, St. Paul, Minn., University of Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson-Burbach (OH, 6-2, 9-11, 9-8, Hooper, Neb., University of Nebraska)
12 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, 9-8, 9-3, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)
14 – Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, 10-2, 9-7, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State University)
17 – Lauren Paolini (MB, 6-4, 10-5, 9-10, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Texas)
22 – Rachael Adams (MB, 6-2, 10-5, 10-1, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)
24 – Kristin Hildebrand (OH, 6-1, 9-10, 9-4, Orem, Utah, Stanford University)
25 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, 10-4, 10-1, Wilmington, Ill., University of Florida)
26 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, 10-6, 10-2, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine University)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Reed Sunahara, Tom Black
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek
USAV