7/13 1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 21 23 15 JPN 15 19 25 25 10 U.S. Women Edge Japan 3-2 in Final USA Volleyball Cup Match SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (July 13, 2013) – Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) collected 24 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 2515, 25-19, 21-25, 23-25, 15-10 victory over Japan in the final match of the USA Volleyball Cup in front of standing-room only crowd of 2,000 fans at the JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Team USA swept the inaugural USA Volleyball Cup three-match series with Japan to improve to 8-0 on the season in Karch Kiraly’s first season as head coach. “Japan is definitely an unbelievable team and one of the toughest to score against in the world, and they showed that tonight in how they came back,” said setter Jenna Hagglund (West Chester, Ohio).
Courtney Thompson (left) presents a gift to Japan’s captain prior to the match for their participation in the inaugural USA Volleyball Cup. (Copyrighted USAV)
Fawcett tallied 18 kills on 33 attacks with just two errors to go with three blocks and three aces as part of her 24 points. Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) added 12 kills on 21 errorless swings and two blocks for 14 points. Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) chipped in 13 points via nine kills, three blocks and an ace. Cursty Jackson (Los Angeles) produced four kills, three aces and three blocks for 10 points ,which was matched by Jordan Larson-Burbach (Hooper, Neb.) with eight kills, one ace and one block for 10 points. Hagglund tallied 47 assists in the victory, while Thompson added 11 as part of a double-sub off the bench in all five sets. Larson-Burbach totaled 19 digs and Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) added 11 digs with a 74 positive reception percent on 23 service receptions. “It has been amazing to play in front of great crowds this week,” Paolini said. “We feed off the crowd and they have been incredible. By seeing the crowds show up and supporting us means our hard work and dedication means a lot to people other than just our team. It is very meaningful to have the crowds come out night after night to support us in this event.”
(Left) Jenna Hagglund sets. (Right) Kim Hill attacks. (Copyrighted USAV/Matt Brown
Japan was led by Yukiko Ebata’s 24 points, while Saori Kimura added 23 points. Risa Shinnabe charted 13 points in the loss for Japan. “It has been an incredible experience playing at home in front of a home crowd and hearing the ‘USA’ chant – it is a dream feeling,” Hagglund said. “Japan is one of the best teams in the world, and this has been a great experience for the whole team with so many players contributing. It is incredible to have so many players play and make solid contributions versus a great opponent such as Japan. We all practice hard every day in the gym, but there is nothing like putting on a jersey and playing a quality opponent. Everybody is working their tails off every day in practice, and these matches are a great report card for us to see our progress and what we need to upgrade.” Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) recorded nine kills for the Americans, while Hagglund added three points and Danielle Scott (Baton Rouge, La.) chipped in two points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. The U.S. held a 15-4 margin in blocks and an 8-5 edge in aces. Japan produced a narrow 69-63 margin in digs. Team USA held a 40.9 kill percent and .354 hitting efficiency (67-9-164). Japan was limited to a 35 kill percent and .206 hitting efficiency (63-26-180).
Kelly Murphy (left) and Lauren Paolini (right) put up a block in final USA Volleyball Cup match. (Copyrighted USAV/Matt Brown)
Kiraly started Hagglund at setter, Hill and Larson-Burbach at outside hitter, Paolini and Jackson at middle blocker and Fawcett at opposite. Miyashiro was the libero for the match. Murphy started the third set in place of Fawcett, who returned to the starting rotation for the fourth and fifth sets. Lichtman was a sub in the final four sets, while Scott was a sub in the third set. Notes: Jane Ward, a 1964 U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team member, was present at the match and met with the current team members prior to the first serve…Cursty Jackson and Sonja Newcombe suited in their first international matches…Both U.S. setters in the match, Jenna Hagglund and Courtney Thompson, were products of University of Washington…The U.S. had 18 different players see court time in the three-match USA Volleyball Cup series with the rosters changing for each contest. (Left) Cursty Jackson serves. (Right) Jordan Larson-Burbach passes. (Copyrighted USAV/Matt Brown)
24