COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (March 20, 2017) – Which former U.S. Women’s National Team player scored 55 points in a single match today? Who has accepted an assistant coach role with the U.S. Women? Find out the details and other team news from around the globe in the current U.S. Women’s National Team Update.
BERGSMA COBLE SCORES 55 IN SINGLE MATCH: Alaina Bergsma Coble (Chandler, Arizona, Twitter), a former member of the U.S. Women’s National Team and 2012 AVCA Division I Player of the Year, scored 55 points for her Korean pro team KGC Ginseng Corporation in a five-set semifinal win over IBK Industrial Bank in the Korean V-League on March 20. She tallied 50 kills on 99 attacks and five blocks. The KGC victory evened its playoff series at 1-1. She matched the point total Nicole Fawcett scored in the Korean V-League on Feb. 14, 2013, which was then a world record for points in a single match and American record for a pro or international match.
Not a bad night to make a personal record! 55 points in our 5 set win in the semi-finals! Tied up the series 1-1. #kgc
— Alaina Bergsma Coble (@AlainaBergsma) March 20, 2017
MIYASHIRO ADDED TO NATIONAL TEAM COACHING STAFF: Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii, Twitter, Instagram), a silver medalist on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, has accepted an assistant coach position with the U.S. Women’s National Team effective immediately, according to head coach Karch Kiraly. Miyashiro, who joined the U.S. Women’s National Team as a libero in January of 2010 after a stellar career at University of Washington, retired from the game as a player last summer following a series of injuries that kept her off the court. Along with her silver medal won at the 2012 Olympics, Miyashiro helped Team USA win gold in three FIVB World Grand Prix events (2011, 2012 and 2015). She was also part of the 2011 FIVB World Cup U.S. squad that won silver to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.
ROBINSON 24 HOURS SERIES BLOG: BEIJING: As part of her Passport to Play Blog, U.S. Women’s National Team outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram) continued her “24 Hours Series” with her visit of Beijing. She suggested to bypass the Great Wall of China if you only have a short layover or a day because there are so many other things to visit. As part of her visit to Beijing, she took the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Yonghe Temple, the culture in Hou Hai and the nightlife in the Sanlitun district.
WATCH AMERICANS IN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: The CEV European Champions League Playoff 6 (quarterfinals) has two matches being streamed live with Americans representing three of the four teams. Both matches can be watched live on laola1.tv.
- March 23: Eczacibasi (Jordan Larson, Rachael Adams) vs. Fenerbahce, 8 a.m. PT, WATCH
- March 23: VakifBank (Kim Hill) vs. Volero (Foluke Akinradewo), noon PT, WATCH
USAV PROCESSES INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS FOR 278 FEMALE PLAYERS: USA Volleyball has processed 391 international transfer certificates (278 females, 100 males) allowing United States citizens to compete in foreign professional volleyball leagues for the 2016-17 season as of March 1 – an increase of 13 transfers since Feb. 1, 2017. Additional transfers will be processed throughout the winter months. On the women’s side, athletes have transferred to play in 35 different countries with Germany attracting 53 players, England 28 players, Finland, Puerto Rico and Sweden with 15 players each, Italy, and Philippines and Switzerland with 14 players apiece.
LARSON, ADAMS WITH TURKEY’S ECZACIBASI: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Twitter, Instagram) and middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, Twitter, Instagram), both members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team that won bronze in Rio, are playing for Eczacibasi of the Turkish League and as part of the European Champions League this winter. In the Turkish League, Eczacibasi blanked last-place Sariyer 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 on March 18. Larson, starting just the first two sets, notched six kills on 13 attacks with just one error to go with one block and one ace for eight points. She chipped in a 50 positive reception percent with six chances. Adams, who was a sub in the first set and started the third set, recorded four kills on five swings, two aces and a block for seven points in the victory. Eczacibasi, which remains in third place with a 16-5 record, concludes the regular season on March 25 against eighth-place Besiktas (10-11). In Champions League Pool D, Eczacibasi finished Pool D in second place with a 4-2 record and advanced to the Playoff 6 (quarterfinal) round. Eczacibasi will face Turkish rival Fenerbahce in a home-and-home series with matches on March 23 and April 4 to determine which team advances to the semifinals on April 22.
HILL WITH TURKEY’S VAKIFBANK: Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram) a bronze medalist on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, returns this winter to play for Turkey’s VakifBank and in the European Champions League. In the Turkish regular season, VakifBank won its second match in a row by defeating HalkBank 25-14, 25-13, 25-19 on March 18. Hill notched five kills on 14 swings with just one error to go with a block. She also handled nine receptions with a 78 excellent reception percent. VakifBank, 20-1 overall in the Turkish League and two fewer losses than second-place Fenerbahce, concludes the regular season against fifth-place Bursa B Sehir BLD (12-9) on March 25. In the European Champions League, VakifBank won Pool D of the group phase with a 6-0 record to advance to the Playoff 6 (quarterfinal) round. The squad will play Switzerland’s Volero Zurich in a home-and-home series with matches on March 23 and April 5.
CRIMES WITH TURKEY’S SARIYER: Middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California, Instagram), an alternate to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is competing for Sariyer in the Turkish League this winter. Sariyer fell lost to third-place Eczacibasi 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 on March 18 in the second to last regular season match. Crimes did not play in the contest. Sariyer, in 12th place in the Turkish League with a 4-17 record, closes out the regular season on March 25 against 11th-place Idman Ocagi (4-17).
ROBINSON, FAWCETT WITH ITALY’S CONEGLIANO: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, and opposite Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio, Instagram) are playing in the Italian Serie A1 after transferring midseason from teams China and Turkey, respectively. In Italian Serie A action, first-place Conegliano won its second straight league match in five sets by holding off sixth-place Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena 25-18, 25-20, 20-25, 23-25, 15-11 on March 18. Robinson supplied 11 points with 10 kills on 24 attacks and a block. She handled 40 o the team’s 90 receptions with an 88 positive reception percent (73 percent excellent). Fawcett pocketed 18 points with 16 kills on 42 swings, one ace and a block. Conegliano (19-2, 53 points), which wrapped up the top seed in the Italian playoffs in the third to last regular season weekend, concludes the regular season on March 25 against fourth-place Foppapedretti Bergamo (14-7, 37 points). In the European Champions League, Conegliano receives a bye in the Playoff 6 (quarterfinal round) as the host to the Final Four that will be staged April 22-23.
LLOYD, GIBBEMEYER WITH ITALY’S CASALMAGGIORE: Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist setter for Team USA, and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram) have returned to Italy to compete for Pomi Casalmaggiore in the Italian Serie A1 league and the CEV Cup. In CEV Cup action, Casalmaggiore swept Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart 25-22, 25-14, 26-24 on March 15 in the second of two home-and-home Playoff 6 (quarterfinal) round matches. Having won the first meeting in five sets on March 7, Casalmaggiore advances to the CEV Cup semifinals. Lloyd set her team to a 38 kill percent and added one individual kill on three attempts and an ace for two points. Gibbemeyer totaled a match-high 12 points with seven kills on eight errorless attacks, three blocks and two aces. Casalmaggiore will now play Italian rival Unet Yamamay Busto Arsizio in the semifinal home-and-home series with the first match on March 28 and the return date on April 1. In the Italian League, Casalmaggiore won its second straight league match by trimming fifth-place Savino Del Bene Scandicci 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 25-21 on March 19. Lloyd set her squad to a 47 kill percent for the match. Gibbemeyer notched nine points in the victory as she totaled six kills on 14 swings with one error and three blocks. Casalmaggiore (16-5, 46 points), which remains in second place, concludes the regular season on March 25 with a match against 11th-place Metalleghe Montichiari (5-16, 17 points). Casalmaggiore needs to earn just one standings point (any win or five-set loss) to wrap up second place heading into the playoffs.
BARTSCH WITH ITALY’S BOLZANO: Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch (Maryville, Illinois, Twitter), an alternate on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is competing for Sudtirol Bolzano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Bolzano won its second league match in a row by stopping fourth-place Foppapedretti Bergamo 25-18, 25-22, 25-20 on March 19. Bartsch scored a match-high 15 points with 13 kills on 42 attacks with just two errors to go with one ace and one block. She chipped in a 92 positive reception percent on 12 chances. Bolzano (9-12, 31 points), which moved into seventh eighth-place, ends the regular season on March 25 against sixth-place Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena (10-11, 31 points). Both teams have 31 points in the standings and a Bolzano win would move them into sixth place heading into the playoffs.
AKINRADEWO WITH SWITZERLAND’S VOLERO ZURICH: Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida, Twitter, Instagram), the Best Blocker in the 2016 Olympic Games after leading the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team to a bronze medal, is playing for Volero Zurich in the Swiss League and in the European Champions League. In the Swiss League, Volero won the regular season and heads into the playoffs as the top seed playing eighth-seed VC Kanti Schaffhausen. Volero won the opener 27-25, 25-15, 25-11 on March 17. Akinradewo was a perfect 6-for-6 in kills and added two blocks for eight points in the victory. Volero will host VC Kanti Schaffhausen on March 25, and if necessary, the tiebreaker will be on March 26. Volero went undefeated during the regular season. Volero will play Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen on April 1 in the Cornercard Volley Cup Final. In the CEV Champions League, Volero finished the group playoff stage in second place with a 4-2 record to advance to the Playoff 6 (quarterfinal round). Volero will meet Turkey’s VakifBank in a home-and-home series on March 23 and April 5.
HANCOCK WITH POLAND’S IMPEL WROCLAW: Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma, Twitter, Instagram), who played for the U.S. Women during the 2016 Pan American Cup and set the tournament record for aces in a match and tournament, is playing for Poland’s Impel Wroclaw in the Orlen Liga. Wroclaw overcame a slow start to defeat Legionovia Legionowo 20-25, 25-9, 25-12, 25-17 on March 18. Hancock set the squad to a 48 kill percent and .300 hitting efficiency (43-16-90) while adding three aces on 17 serves, two blocks and two aces on two swings for seven points. American teammate Megan Courtney tacked on 12 points with seven kills on 22 attacks, three aces and two blocks. For the year, Hancock has 56 aces in 90 sets for a 0.62 ace average. She has served at least one ace in all but for matches this season with three matches with at least six aces. Wroclaw (20-4, 61 points), in second place, will face league-leader Chemik Police on March 21 that was originally scheduled for March 8, followed by a March 28 contest against fourth-place Developres SkyRes Rzeszow (16-9, 50 points).