COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 29, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Team held its third Red-Blue intrasquad matches in as many weekends on May 26 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California. The final Red-Blue will take place on June 2 at Kennedy High School in La Palma, California, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 and available at the door one hour before match time.
For the second Red-Blue match in a row, Michelle Bartsch (Maryville, Illinois) led all scorers with 14 points in two sets via nine kills, four blocks and an ace. Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Arizona) contributed 12 kills on 27 attacks as part of a .333 hitting efficiency. Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana) totaled 10 kills on 23 swings and block for 11 points. Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) charted nine kills on 30 attacks and an ace for 10 points.
Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota) pocketed nine points with eight kills on 17 attacks and a block. Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Kentucky) tacked on nine kills on 15 errorless attacks for a .600 hitting efficiency. Sonja Newcombe (Lake Arrowhead, California) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) each scored eight points, while Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota) and Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey each provided seven points. Gibbemeyer hit at a .444 efficiency without an error and had three blocks.
Twin sisters Kadie and Amber Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska) were also twins on the scoresheet with six points. Amber hit at a .417 clip. Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) also had six points in the match.
Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California), Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona) and Kristen Hahn (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) handled the libero duties. Wong-Orantes handled 11 receptions with a team-best 55 positive reception. Bartsch was turned in a 44 positive reception percent on 16 chances.
For the match, the entire squad hit at a .230 efficiency to go with 14 blocks and 11 aces over the course of the four sets.
UPDATED U.S. WOMEN’S TRAINING ROSTER
The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked No. 2 in the world after a bronze-medal finish at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, has 26 players training at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim – the official host city for both the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams. Additional players will be added to the 2017 training roster following a short rest or finishing their college’s academic year. Training rosters are subject to change weekly with new athletes added or removed. Team USA works out weekdays from approximately 8:30-11:30 a.m. All practices at the American Sports Centers are open to the public.
Player (Position, 2016-17 Pro Club, College, Hometown)
Inky Ajanaku (Middle, Rehabbing in USA, Stanford, Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Michelle Bartsch (Outside, Bolzano (Italy), Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
Amanda Benson (Libero, Final Season in College, Oregon, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
Madi Bugg (Setter, NUC (Switzerland), Stanford, Apex, North Carolina)
Lauren Carlini (Setter, Final Season in College, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
Megan Courtney (Outside, Wroclaw (Poland), Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
Lexi Dannemiller (Setter, Schweriner (Germany), Michigan, West Chester, Ohio)
Tori Dixon (Middle, Rehabbing in USA, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
Annie Drews (Opposite, Caguas Criollas (Puerto Rico), Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
Lauren Gibbemeyer (Middle, Pomi Casalmaggiore (Italy), Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
Kristen Hahn (Libero, Did Not Compete, Iowa State, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Micha Hancock (Setter, Wroclaw (Poland), Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
Madi Kingdon (Outside, IBK (Korea), Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
Molly McCage (Middle, Wiesbaden (Germany), Texas, Spring, Texas)
Liz McMahon (Opposite, Dresden (Germany), Illinois, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Kelly Murphy (Opposite, Henan (China), Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
Sonja Newcombe (Outside, Sichuan (China), Oregon, Lake Arrowhead, California)
Stephanie Niemer (Outside, Caguas Criollas (Puerto Rico), Cincinnati, Erlanger, Kentucky)
Amber Rolfzen (Middle, Dresden (Germany), Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
Kadie Rolfzen (Opposite, Dresden (Germany), Nebraska, Papillion, Nebraska)
Hannah Tapp (Middle, Schweriner (Germany), Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
Paige Tapp (Middle, Juncos Valencianas (Puerto Rico), Minnesota, Stewartville, Minnesota)
Sarah Wilhite (Outside Hitter, Final Season in College, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
Aiyana Whitney (Outside Hitter, MTV Stuttgart (Germany), Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Justine Wong-Orantes (Libero, Final Season in College, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
Carly Wopat (Middle, Toray (Japan), Stanford, Santa Barbara, California)
TICKETS FOR USA VOLLEYBALL CUP VS BRAZIL NOW ON SALE: The U.S. Women’s National Team hosts Brazil on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29 in Anaheim as part of the USA Volleyball Cup, and you can now get the hottest volleyball of the summer ticket through TicketMaster. The Americans will host their South American rivals in the two-match series at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena just a couple miles from where Team USA trains in Anaheim – the official host city of the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams. The U.S. is ranked No. 2 in the current FIVB world ranking after earning bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games. Brazil, which lost to eventual 2016 Olympic Games champion China in a five-set match in the quarterfinals in Rio, is ranked No. 4 in the world. The two teams met in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games gold-medal match with the Brazilians winning both matches. “Brazil has built one of a handful of legendary programs in international volleyball, and this year’s USA Volleyball Cup matches will be a wonderful opportunity for American fans to see both programs live,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Every time we square off across the net, it’s a battle – both teams test each other, and learn, and we cherish experiences like that. We’ll see you in August!” The USA Volleyball Cup opening match will have first serve at 4 p.m. PT on Aug. 27, while the Aug. 29 match will start at 7:30 p.m. PT.
U.S. WOMEN TO HOST CANADA IN FRIENDLY MATCH: The U.S. Women’s National Team will host the Canadian Women’s National Team in a friendly match on June 13 at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, California. The match will start at 7 p.m. PT and tickets will be available for purchase at the door one hour prior to the match. The USA-Canada match will represent the first contest against an international opponent for Team USA since it won bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games. Both the USA and Canada will travel later in the week to Peru for the XVI Pan American Cup that is from June 16-25.
RED-BLUE SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE: The U.S. Women’s National Team began its summer training block on May 1, and has one Red-Blue intrasquad match remaining in Southern California for fans to watch the team get ready for summer competitions. In addition, fans are welcome to attend training sessions at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim. The U.S. Women typically train Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PT.
- June 2: at Kennedy High School (La Palma, California), 7 p.m. PT