U.S. Women's Sitting Team Wins Dutch Tournament; U.S. Men Place Third

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 2, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting National Teams completed strong performances at the Dutch Tournament in Assen, Netherlands, with the women’s team successfully defending its title and the men doubling their win total from last year and finishing third.

Women’s Sitting National Team: 2-0
USA def. Great Britain, 3-0 (25-5, 25-15, 25-7) (PDF)
USA def. Canada, 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-9) (PDF)

In the sweep of Great Britain, the U.S Women recorded a 25-0 advantage in service aces and 23-11 in kills. Tia Edwards posted team-highs of 19 kills, 13 aces and six kills. Six other players finished with at least five points, including outside hitter Maddy Ball with five kills and four aces for nine points.

Monique Matthews (eight points) and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (six points) each served five aces. Outside hitter Emma Schieck served four aces (six points).

Whitney Dosty totaled seven points (three kills, three aces, one block) and outside hitter MaKenzie Franklin added four kills and one block.

In the second match, the Dutch Tournament title was on the line when the U.S., the world’s top-ranked team, faced third-ranked Canada. The U.S. Women took the first set to extend their set winning streak to 16 in the tournament. Canada became the first team to win a set against the U.S. in the second set and another win in the fourth set sent the match to a deciding set. The U.S. fell behind 4-2, but then went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-4 lead and never trailed again.

“While the Dutch Tournament is a relatively short event, it offered us a great opportunity to compete and to connect as a team,” assistant coach Michelle Goodall said. “The team showed experience and poise on the court, and that confidence carried us when it got tight versus a very tough Canada team.”

Outside hitter Katie Bridge, competing in her first international competition since the Tokyo Paralympics, recorded match-highs of 21 points and 16 kills, adding four blocks and an ace. Dosty scored 14 points on 11 kills, two blocks and an ace.

Franklin also reached double digits with 10 points, including a match-high seven blocks. Matthews finished with nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Maclay (nine points) and Edwards (seven points) each served four aces.

“We enjoyed having Katie Holloway Bridge back on the court, her first major event after her maternity leave,” Goodall said. “All and all, it was a great event for us. We will take these victories and lessons learned with us as we train the next few months for the World Cup.”

Men’s Sitting National Team: 1-1
USA def. Great Britain, 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-17) (PDF)
Ukraine def. USA, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 19-25, 15-10) (PDF)

After dropping the first set to Great Britain, the U.S. Men rebounded with three set wins and finished with a 43-25 advantage in kills. Outside hitter Dan Regan and middle blocker Roderick Green shared the U.S. team lead with 15 points. Regan recorded nine kills, a match-high four blocks and one ace, while Green totaled eight kills, three blocks and four aces.

Three other U.S. players tallied at least nine points. James Stuck (12 points) led all players with 11 kills, Eric Duda contributed six kills and 10 points, and outside hitter Chris Seilkop totaled nine points on five kills, three aces and one block. Libero John Kremer shared the team lead with Green with four aces.

“We battled through the last day,” head coach Greg Walker said. “We were able to get a lot experience playing Great Britain in getting a good flow heading into a tough Ukraine match.”

The U.S. Men dropped the first two sets to Ukraine by identical scores before taking the next two sets to set up a crucial fifth set. Ukraine’s 15-10 win in the final set gave them the Dutch Tournament title, while the U.S. placed third and won four of six matches.

Outside hitter Zach Upp posted match-highs of 17 kills and 21 points, adding two blocks and two aces. Duda registered 19 points, which included 15 kills and a team-best three aces.

Stuck totaled 15 points on 10 kills and five blocks, and Green reached double figures again with 12 points, highlighted by a match-best seven blocks. Outside hitter Patrick Young finished with nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace.

“Ukraine was a battle,” Walker said. “They are a top-ranked team and usually a team that is contending for a Paralympic spot. We didn’t start the way we would have liked in the match, but we battled through to a fifth set an just started slow out of the gates.

“This tournament was a great opportunity for all 14 on our roster,” he continued. “We always look forward to coming to Assen; the hosts and teams are so generous and gracious competitors. I’m looking forward to getting our team back into a training block before World Cup.”

U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, Region)
4 Maddy Ball (OH, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla., Florida)
5 Katie (Holloway) Bridge (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash., Puget Sound)
7C Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla., Oklahoma)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz., Arizona)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla., Oklahoma)
10 Sydney Satchell (L, 5-2, Windsor, Conn., New England)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C., Carolina)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas, Lone Star)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky., Pioneer)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jeffery Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Performance Coach: Bobby Moore

U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Roster
No Name (Position, Height, Hometown, Region)
2 Dan Regan (OH, 6-0, St. Louis, Gateway)
3 Nicholas Dadgostar (L, 6-0, Sidney, Neb., Chesapeake)
4 Ben Aman (OH, 6-5, Edmond, Okla., Oklahoma)
5 Eric Duda (S/OH, 6-5, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Florida)
6 Alex Wilson  (Opp/OH, Alexandria, Va., Old Dominion)
7 Robbie Gaupp (Opp/OH, Havre De Grace, Md., Chesapeake)
8 James Stuck (S/OH, 6-5, New Kensington, Pa., Keystone)
9 Troy Benesh (Opp/OH, Minneapolis, Minn., Badger)
11 Roderick Green (MB, 6-3, West Monroe, La., Bayou)
12 Patrick Young (OH, 6-4, Albuquerque, N.M., Sun Country)
14 John Kremer (L, 5-9, Buford, Ga., Southern)
15 Chris Seilkop (OH, 6-6, Deland, Fla., Florida)
17 Zach Upp (OH, 6-5, Bartlett, Ill., Great Lakes)
49 Sam Surowiec (OH, 6-2, Everett, Wash., Evergreen)

Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coach: Joe Skinner
Assistant Coach: Julie Allen
Performance Analyst: Sydnie Mabry
Athletic Trainer: Whitney Padgett
Team Leader: Kyle Homeyer

U.S. Schedule for the Dutch Tournament
(All times PT)
June 30
U.S. Men def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-19, 25-11-25-21)
U.S. Women def. Italy, 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-20)
U.S. Men def. France, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-22)
U.S. Women def. France, 3-0 (25-7, 25-9, 25-3)

July 1
U.S. Women def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-4)
U.S. Men def. Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-17, 25-16)
U.S. Women def. Ukraine, 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-10)
Germany def. U.S. Men, 3-1 (25-11, 25-12, 12-25, 25-20)

July 2
U.S. Men def. Great Britain, 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-17)
U.S. Women def. Great Britain, 3-1 (25-5, 25-15, 25-7)
Ukraine def. U.S. Men, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 19-25, 15-10)
U.S. Women def. Canada, 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-9)