Olympic Games | USA moves into semifinals with 3-0 win against Japan

Kim Hill and Rachael Adams rebound

National Team | USA wins in both Omaha and Toronto

Vansant leads the way in Pan Am Games quarterfinals; Thompson helps serve to victory in World Grand Prix final round

• USA def. Japan 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-18) [World Grand Prix final round]
• USA def. Cuba 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18) [Pan Am Games Quarterfinals]

USA's Courtney Thompson (3) sets Foluke Akinradewo (16) during a 3-0 World Grand Prix Final Round win over Japan
-FIVB

Two recent college grads—Washington’s Krista Vansant and UCLA’s Karsta Lowe—were each USA’s leading scorer in a pair of international matches in Toronto (Vansant) and Omaha (Lowe.)

Vansant led all scorers with 13 kills on 31 attacks, two blocks and one ace in a Pan Am Games quarterfinal win against Cuba 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18). The Cubans featured a team with several talented teenagers, with one hitter just 15 years old. Washington alum Jenna Hagglund rotated in during all four sets. USA’s Kristin Hildebrand keyed several long service runs for the Americans.

USA outside hitter Krista Vansant (24) celebrates a point with teammates during a 3-1 Pan Am Games quarterfinal win against Cuba
-NORCECA

In Omaha, both Courtney Thompson and fellow setter Molly Kreklow also had good nights at the service line, as USA overwhelmed Japan 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-18). Lowe was dominant on the right side, recording 14 kills and 3 blocks. Like Thompson and Kreklow, outside hitter Kim Hill also had a big night at the service line, earning a pair of aces and launching several effective scoring streaks.

The American offense was well-distributed across front line, with Kelsey Robinson landing 8 kills on 18 attacks, and both Hill and Foluke Akinradewo each contributing 6 kills. Akinradewo added 4 blocks.

Both teams of Americans will be in action at the very same time Thursday. USA faces Dominican Republic in the Pan Am Games semifinal round, while the other half of the split squad meets Italy in the Grand Prix finals round-robin. Both matches start at 6PM (Pacific)

National Team | USA now 7-0 in volleyball World Grand Prix with close win over Japan

Olympic vets Dietzen and Akinradewo make impact on return

• USA def. Japan 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 26-24)

USA libero Tama Miyashiro (center) leads a cheer during a 3-0 World Grand Prix win over Japan in Hong Kong
-FIVB

USA, welcoming four veteran players for the World Grand Prix third round in Hong Kong, rallied to sweep highly-ranked Japan, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 26-24). USA—now 7-0 in pool play and ranked #1 in the world—will face Thailand Friday morning (3:30AM Pacific Time). Japan, ranked fourth in world, is now 3-4 in pool play, but is still in contention to be among the six teams to qualify for the Finals next week in Omaha.

USA Middle blocker Christa (Harmotto) Dietzen, playing her first major tournament match of the summer, recorded 8 kills and 3 blocks. Her fellow middle Foluke Akinradewo—also playing her first match of the current World Grand Prix—had 8 kills and one block. Two other third round additions were also in the starting lineup: opposite Kelly Murphy contributed 10 kills and a block, while outside hitter Jordan Larson-Burbach had 3 kills and 2 blocks.

USA middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (16) exchanges high-fives with setter Molly Kreklow
-FIVB

USA’s biggest numbers came from outside hitter Kim Hill. She had 9 kills and a jaw-dropping 6 service aces against one of the best defensive teams in the world. 4 of those aces came during a crucial third set comeback. Libero Kayla Banwarth had another good match, contributing 9 digs.

Molly Kreklow and Courtney Thompson once again shared setting duties, with Thompson entering each set as part of a double-substitution with Karsta Lowe.

USA, China and Brazil are all 7-0 in pool play, and all have qualified for next week’s Finals. Contenders for the final three spots include Italy, Russia, Japan, Thailand and Germany

See also: USA Women’s Volleyball Road to Rio

National Team | USA defeats Japan to take World Grand Prix volleyball 6th place

Americans break 4-match losing streak with 5-set win

• #1 USA def. #3 Japan 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-17, 15-12)
• next: NORECA Championships | September 16-21 | Omaha

It had been a rough World Grand Prix for Nicole Fawcett.

The 6-4 opposite out of Penn State had been in and out of the lineup, locked in a battle with newcomer Kelly Murphy to be in the right side mix once Destinee Hooker returns. Mostly, she had been out.

 

USA head coach Karch Kiraly reacts during his team's 3-2 World Grand Prix victory over Japan
-photo courtesy FIVB

But with USA facing the possibility of a 5-match skunking in the World Grand Prix finals, Fawcett replaced a suddenly-struggling Murphy in the second set. In the end, she would connect on 22 kills to lead the Americans to a much-needed come-from-behind victory against host Japan. USA won the final match 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-17, 15-12) in Sapporo, Japan.

Japan and USA both finished 1-4 in the final round-robin. Because scoring is based on points throughout the 5 match finals, USA finished in 6^th place with 3 points. Brazil crushed previously-undefeated China 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-20) to win the gold, while Serbia beat Italy 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16, 15-11) for third place.

Only three members of the 2012 US Olympic team participated in this year’s Grand Prix: libero Tama Miyashiro and middle Christa Harmotto saw action throughout the entire month, while setter Courtney Thompson contributed to three wins in Belgrade.

“There were a lot of people,” said head coach Karch Kiraly in a post-match press conference, “who hadn’t had any significant time in the World Grand Prix – people like Cassidy Lichtman, Lauren Paolini, Lauren Gibbemeyer, Kayla Banwarth, Kimberly Hill, Kelly Murphy. It was really good for them to get experience. The positive was the nice Preliminary Round we played; the difficult part was seeing how good we have to be to compete in the world.” Washington alum Jenna Hagglund was another newer USA player; she one again saw action in all five sets.

With one more international competition this summer—the NORECA Continental Championship September 16-21 in Omaha—Alicia Glass has seen the lion’s share of playing time at setter, with Hagglund and Thompson coming in during late-set switches. Glass’s decidedly sub-par week in Sapporo continued against Japan, as she committed 2 service errors, 4 digging errors 3 blocking errors and 2 setting errors. Open expressions of emotion are not her style, and while she connects well with middles when passers are on target, she struggles when she sets out of system. On defense, opponents have effectively targeted her for tips and roll shots.

That said, it’s a long way to Rio. Grand Prix rosters for the first year of a quad are rarely a good predictor of the final squad selected for the next Olympics.

National Team | Tama Miyashiro shines in World Grand Prix volleyball victory

Washington alum named player of the match in win against host Japan

• #1 USA def. #3 Japan 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18)
• next: #1 USA vs. #43 Bulgaria | August 17, 2013 | 11:30PM (Pacific Time) | Sendai, Japan

National Team | Washington volleyball alums shine in USA’s third win against Japan

Hagglund, Miyashiro and Thompson help lead USA to 8-0 record in the 2013 quad

• #1 USA 3, # 3 Japan 2 (25-15, 25-19, 21-25, 23-25, 15-10)

National Team | #1 USA defeats #3 Japan in squeaker; Hagglund contributes

USA 3, Japan 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23)

• next: USA vs. Japan | July 12 | 7PM | Long Beach St