COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 16, 2018) – Jordan Larson and Rachael Adams helped their Turkish club Team Eczacibasi to the CEV Cup title, while the Italian playoffs will have a battle between U.S. Women’s National Team members in the finals.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Which did the U.S. Women defeat in the 2008 Olympic Games semifinals to advance to the gold-medal match?
FINAL COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM ROSTER ANNOUNCED: USA Volleyball is proud to announce its 24-player U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team-Detroit (CNT-Detroit) roster comprised of current collegiate players who will train and compete in Detroit from June 22 to July 1. The CNT-Detroit squad, which is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline and is considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will train from June 22-26 at the University of Michigan. Afterward, the athletes will be assigned to one of two 12-member teams that will play three exhibition matches against each other at the Cobo Center from June 27, June 28 and June 30. The matches are being held in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships under the same roof.
LARSON, ADAMS WITH ECZACIBASI IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Instagram, Twitter), a two-time Olympic Games medalist, and middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, Instagram, Twitter), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, are playing professionally with Eczacibasi in the Turkish League for the 2017-18 season. In CEV Cup action, Eczacibasi dominated Belarus’ Minchanka Minsk 25-17, 25-17, 25-17 to claim the CEV Cup title on April 10. Larson, who serves as captain for Eczacibasi, contributed eight kills on 21 attacks and four aces on 21 serves for 12 points. Adams chipped in four kills on seven swings in the victory. In the Turkish League, Eczacibasi will face second-seeded VakifBank in the playoff finals on April 17, April 19 and April 22 in a battle of the top two regular season teams.
ROBINSON WITH VAKIFBANK IN TURKISH LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California, Instagram, Twitter, Website), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, is playing club volleyball with VakifBank in the Turkish professional league this winter. In the Turkish League, VakifBank will face regular season champion Eczacibasi in the finals with matches on April 17, April 19 and April 22. In European Champions League action, VakifBank face Italy’s Imoco Volley Conegliano in the semifinals on May 5. Robinson has launched her own website, www.nomandplay.com on her passions for play, travel and food. To read her latest blog on visiting Big Sur, California, click here.
HILL WITH CONEGLIANO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist, is playing for Imoco Volley Conegliano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. After stumbling a bit at the end of the Italian Serie A1 regular season, third-seeded Conegliano has caught fire again in the playoffs. Conegliano swept the best-of-five semifinal round series with second-seeded Savino Del Bene Scandicci with a 25-22, 25-23, 25-16 victory on April 10. Individual stats for this match are unavailable. To view highlights of the match, click here. With the victory Conegliano clinched a spot into the best-of-five finals against top-seeded Igor Gorgonzola Novara. The first three matches of the series will be played on April 18, April 21 and April 25. If necessary, matches four and five will be played on April 29 and May 2, respectively. In the European Champions League, Conegliano will face Turkey’s VakifBank on May 5 in the semifinals with the winner advancing to the finals on May 6.
CARLINI WITH SCANDICCI IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: Setter Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter), who played her first year with the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is playing her first pro season with Savino Del Bene Scandicci in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Scandicci, seeded second in the playoffs, dropped its third consecutive match to third-seeded Imoco Volley Conegliano in the best-of-five semifinal round series with a 25-22, 25-23, 25-16 on April 10 to fall out of the playoffs. Individual stats for this match are unavailable.
GIBBEMEYER WITH NOVARA IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: U.S. Women’s National Team middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) is playing her 2017-18 professional season with Igor Gorgonzola Novara in the Italian Serie A1. In the Italian Serie A1 playoffs, top-seeded Novara defeated fourth-seeded 25-20, 25-15, 26-24 on April 11 to sweep the best-of-five semifinal round series. Gibbemeyer hammered down seven kills on 12 errorless attacks to go with one block for eight points. Novara now advances to the best-of-five finals round against third-seeded Imoco Volley Conegliano. The first three matches of the series will be played on April 18, April 21 and April 25. If necessary, matches four and five will be played on April 29 and May 2, respectively.
BARTSCH-HACKLEY, WILHITE WITH ITALY’S UNET E-WORK BUSTO ARSIZIO: Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois, Instagram, Twitter) and Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter), both outside hitters for the U.S. Women’s National Team, are playing their 2017-18 pro season for Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio in the Italian Serie A1. Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio, seeded fourth in the playoffs, lost to top-seeded Igor Gorgonzola Novara 25-20, 25-15, 26-24 on April 11 – its third straight loss in the best-of-five semifinal round series. Bartsch-Hackley tallied 14 kills on 35 swings along with an ace for 15 points. Wilhite did not see action in the match.
PAIGE TAPP, McCAGE WITH ALLIANZ MTV STUTTGART IN GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Middles Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota, Instagram, Twitter) and Molly McCage (Spring, Texas, Instagram), who were part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, are playing professionally this winter with Allianz MTV Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga. In the German Bundesliga playoffs, top-seeded Stuttgart will face Schwerin in the best-of-five championship series. Matches are scheduled for April 21, April 25 and April 28. If necessary, matches four and five will be played May 1 and May 5.
McMAHON WITH SOVERATO IN ITALIAN LEAGUE: U.S. Women’s National Team opposite Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio, Instagram) is playing for Volley Soverato in the Italian Serie A2 this winter. Soverato, seeded seventh in the playoffs, lost to fourth-seeded Battistelli S.G. Marignano 25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-15 on April 15 in the opening best-of-three quarterfinal round match. McMahon scored two kills and two blocks in starting the first two sets. The series shifts to Soverato for the second match. If necessary, the third match is set for April 22 in Marignano.The second match in the best-of-three quarterfinal round series will take place on April 18. If necessary, the tiebreaker is scheduled for April 22.
AMBER ROLFZEN WITH BEZIERS IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Middle Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska, Instagram), who was part of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing with Beziers in the French League this winter. Beziers, the top seed in the French playoffs, topped Nantes 27-25, 27-25, 21-25, 26-24 on April 14 to win the best-of-three quarterfinal round series 2-0. Rolfzen pocketed 10 points with six kills on 11 swings, two blocks and two aces. Beziers has now advanced to the semifinal round where it will face an opponent to be determined.
DANNEMILLER WITH MULHOUSE IN FRENCH LEAGUE: Setter Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio, Instagram, Twitter), a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team this past summer, is competing for ASPTT Mulhouse in the French League this winter. Mulhouse, seeded third in the playoffs, lost to sixth-seeded Pays d’Aix Venelles 25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 26-24 on April 13 in the second match of the best-of-three quarterfinal series. Dannemiller started the first two sets of the match. The series concludes on April 17 with the tiebreaker match deciding which team advances to the semifinals.
TRIVIA ANSWER: The U.S. Women defeated Cuba 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 in the 2008 Olympic Games semifinal match, avenging a pool play loss (25-15, 26-24, 25-17) to the Cubans.