U.S. Women Sweep Canada to Improve to 2-0 at VNL

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 26, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team rebounded from a 17-22 deficit in the first set to sweep Canada (26-24, 25-15, 25-10) on Wednesday and improve to 2-0 in the Preliminary Round of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy.

The U.S. Women finish their first group of VNL matches on Thursday against Brazil (2-0) at 10:30 a.m. PDT.

U.S. opposite Annie Drews, the MVP of the 2019 VNL, led all scorers with 20 points on a match-high 19 kills (.405 hitting efficiency) and one block. Outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Sarah Wilhite Parsons added 11 points each. Wilhite Parsons had a match-high three blocks to go with eight kills. Plummer had eight kills, two aces and one block.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS * TEAM STATISTICS

“We did a good job covering up the first set,” Drews said. “We came out maybe a little too excited, a little jittery. I know myself, this is my first game in two years in Team USA, so a little nervous when you start the match. But after that we did a really good job staying patient and just taking point by point.”

Middle blockers Tori Dixon and Hannah Tapp each finished with seven points and setter Lauren Carlini scored six. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 17 digs and three successful receptions. Plummer led successful receptions with 11.

The U.S. led Canada in kills (48-29), blocks (10-2) and aces (4-0). Canada had 18 errors while the U.S. had 14. Carlini set the U.S. Women to a .345 hitting efficiency.

“I think Lauren [Carlini] did a really good job tonight spreading offence and we had a really nice connection tonight,” Drews said.

U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Plummer and Wilhite Parsons at the outsides, Dixon and Tapp at middle, Carlini at setter, Drews at opposite and Wong-Orantes at libero. There were no substitutes.

Canada’s offense came out firing in the first set, led by outside hitter Kiera Van Ryk who had nine kills in the frame. With the U.S. down 17-22, Dixon scored on a quick kill, then took the serve and didn’t stop until the teams were tied 22-22. Drews gave the U.S. three points on two kills and a block during the run. With the teams tied 24-24, Carlini blocked outside hitter Hilary Howe and Plummer followed with a block of Van Ryk to take the set.

The second set was tied at 6-6 when Tapp scored with a block and Wilhite Parsons followed with two more to give the U.S. the three-point lead and Canada did not threaten again.

The third set featured a serving run from Lauren Carlini that took the U.S. from a 12-6 lead to 18-6, including an ace, a block by Drews and kills from Wilhite Parsons and Plummer.

The VNL is being broadcast in the United States on the FIVB’s streaming service Volleyball World TV.

U.S. Women’s National Team 14-Person Roster for May 25-27

No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)

1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ.)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)

Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Erin Virtue, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz

U.S. Women’s Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)

May 25: USA def Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
May 26: USA def Canada, 2-0 (26-34, 25-15, 25-10)
May 27 at 10:30 a.m.: Brazil vs USA

May 31 at 10:30 a.m.: Serbia vs USA
June 1 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Netherlands
June 2 at 3 a.m.: Thailand vs USA

June 6 at 10:30 a.m.: German vs USA
June 7 at 7 a.m.: Korea vs USA
June 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA

June 12 at 6 a.m.: USA vs Belgium
June 13 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Japan
June 14 at noon: USA vs Turkey

June 18 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA
June 19 at 3 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 20 at 3 a.m.: China vs USA

June 23: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 24: Bronze and Gold medal matches