COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 11, 2021) – The FIVB has released the pools and schedule for the Women’s Club World Championship on Dec. 15-19 in Ankara, Turkey. Several U.S. players are scheduled to participate with their professional clubs.
Outside hitters Megan Courtney and Kathryn Plummer will play with Italy’s Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano, which is the defending champion from the last edition held in 2019.
Conegliano will play in Pool A along with Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Opet and Brazil’s Dentil Praia Clube.
Pool B will include Turkey’s Vakifbank, Brazil’s Itambé Minas and Altay VC of Kazakhstan. Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu play for Vakifbank. Opposite Danielle Cuttino plays with Itambé Minas.
Schedule
Dec. 15: Minas vs Altay; Imoco vs Fenerbahçe
Dec. 16: Vakıfbank vs Altay; Praia vs Fenerbahçe
Dec. 17: Imoco vs Praia; Minas vs Vakıfbank
Dec. 18: Semifinals
Dec. 19: Finals
TURKEY
Vakifbank with middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and outside hitter Michelle Bartsch Hackley leads the league at 7-1. On Nov. 6, Vakifbank beat Mert Grup Sigorta 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 26-28, 25-13). Ogbogu scored 13 points on seven kills, a match-high four blocks and two aces. Bartsch-Hackley scored 13 points on 13 kills.
Right behind Vakifbank is Turk Hava Yollari (THY), which is also 7-1 with outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel, setter Lauren Carlini and middle Tori Dixon. On Nov. 9, THY beat Nilüfer Belediyesporl, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-20). Kingdon Rishel scored 13 points on 12 kills and one ace. Carlini scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. She set Vakifbank to a .396 hitting efficiency. Dixon did not play.
Jordan Thompson, who is in Turkey with Eczacıbaşı Dynavit, posted to her Instagram that she is “still trying to get my ankle back to 100% after getting injured at the Olympics…” View her entire post on Instagram.
ITALY
Conegliano remains undefeated in the Italian league at 6-0. On Nov. 6, Conegliano battled and beat setter Jordyn Poulter and Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio, 3-2 (25-21, 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11).
Plummer scored 18 points on 17 kills (.424 hitting efficiency) and one block. She was credited with 53 receptions, 70 percent positive. Courtney added 17 points on 16 kills (.412) and one block. She was credited with 14 receptions, 43 percent positive. Poulter scored one points with an ace and set her team to a .406 hitting efficiency.
Igor Gorgonzola Novara with middle Haleigh Washington and Hancock has improved to 5-1. On Nov. 7, Novara beat Bosca S.Bernardo Cuneo, 3-1 (26-24, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22). Washington led her team in scoring with 18 points on 13 kills (.688), a match-high three blocks and two aces. Hancock scored six points on four kills, one block and one ace. She set Novara to a .287 hitting efficiency.
JAPAN
Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous continue to be undefeated at 8-0 in Japan’s league. On Nov. 7, JT Marvelous beat the Toray Arrows, 3-1 (25-19. 25-20, 16-25, 25-12). Drews led all scorers with 23 points on 22 kills (.447) and one block.
The NEC Red Rockets and outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons improved to 7-1 with a 3-2 (25-10, 24-26, 25-17, 18-25, 15-12) win over middle blocker Hannah Tapp and Hitachi Rivale on Nov. 7. Wilhite Parsons played as a substitute and scored one point with a kill. Tapp started the first three sets and scored one point with a kill.
Middle Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson and Hisamitsu Springs are 6-2. Akinradewo did not play in the team’s match on Nov. 7. On Oct. 31, Hisamitsu Springs beat the Toyota Auto Body Queenseis with outside hitter Kelsey Robinson, 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 26-28, 25-20). Akinradewo scored 12 points on 11 kills (.400), a match-high four blocks and one ace. Robinson led all scorers with 23 points on 22 kills (.413) and one block.
The Queenseis are still looking for their first win. On Nov. 7, the fell to the Denso Airybees, 3-1 (25-16, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20). Robinson scored 17 points on 13 kills, one block and a match-high three aces.
BRAZIL
Opposite Danielle Cuttino and Itambé Minas are undefeated after the first four matches of the Brazilian league. On Nov. 9, Itambé Minas beat Fluminense, 3-2 (25-12, 22-25, 18-25, 26-24, 15-10). Cuttino started the first three sets and played as a substitute and scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.
Middle Rachael Adams and Osasco São Cristóvão Saúde are 2-1. On Nov. 5, Osasco São Cristóvão Saúde beat Sesc RJ Flamengo, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-22). Adams scored 10 points on seven kills (.429), two blocks and one ace.
GERMANY
Libero Justine Wong-Orantes and Wiesbaden are 3-3 in the German league. On Nov. 9, Wiesbaden fell to league-leading Allianz MTV Stuttgart, 3-0 (25-18, 25-29, 25-18). Wong-Orantes was credited with seven receptions, 29 percent positive.