Pac-12 | Competition wraps up in Italy and China

Washington now sightseeing in Rome, Pac-12 in Beijing

Nothing official from the UW Athletic Department yet, but sources tell us the competition phase of Washington’s Slovenia and Italy volleyball tour has come to an end. A hoped-for match in Rome never materialized, so the team is free to do a little sightseeing.

Washington scrimmages in Perugia
-photo grab of video by Washington Athletics

The reports we’ve seen show the Huskies ended up 4-2 on the trip, with losses at the hands of members of Italy’s National Team in Milan. All six contests were essentially scrimmages, played in training gyms in front of friends and family accompanying Washington on the trip. No official stats were reported.

A summary of the results:

SLOVENIA

• June 18 (Maribor): Washington 3, Croatian U-23 1 (no set scores reported)
• June 19 (Maribor): Washington 3, Nova KBM Branik 2 (no set scores reported)
• June 20 (Maribor): Washington 3, Slovenian Youth National Team 0 (no set scores reported)

ITALY

• June 22 (Milan): Italian National Team 3, Washington 1 (25-13, 16-25, 25-17, 25-20)
• June 23 (Milan): Italian National Team 3, Washington 1 (26-24, 20-25, 25-18, 25-19)
• June 24 (Perugia): Washington 3, Pallavolo Perugia 0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-17)

In Beijing, a team of Pac-12 players from 11 conference schools, including Washington’s Kelcey Dunaway, finished it’s tour of China going 0-6, winning just one set along the way.

• June 19 (Huaian): Zhejiang 3, Pac-12 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-14)
• June 20 (Huaian): Jiangsu 3, Pac-12 0 (28-26, 26-24, 25-16)
• June 21 (Huaian): Jiangsu 3, Pac-12 0 (25-13, 25-23, 15-25, 26-24)
• June 23 (Beijing): August 1 (Chinese Army) 3, Pac-12 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-12)
• June 25 (Beijing): Tianjin 3, Pac-12 1 (23-25, 28-26, 25-19, 25-23)
• June 26 (Beijing): August 1 (Chinese Army) 3, Pac-12 0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-17)

Members of the touring Pac-12 volleyball team on a section of China's Great Wall (Kelcey Dunaway, center)
-photo by Pac-12

The Pac-12 matches were played in arenas, against some of China’s top professional teams, and a few were televised. Volleyball is, as you might know, a very big deal in China.

USC’s Mick Haley is head coach for the Pac-12 squad. Before leaving for China, Haley talked about the trip during an interview for the Court & Spark documentary.

“Our trip to China coming up is really all about television. It’s about trying to partner with the right people in China, for the Pac-12 Network. And volleyball is going to be possibly that sport—men’s basketball would be the other sport—but right now, it looks like volleyball may be the one that’s going to be closest to an understanding there. And if they get into China, the (potential television ratings) numbers go right through the roof.”

In case you missed it:

• Watching hockey, thinking about volleyball (lessons from the Stanley Cup)
• Staying undefeated (lessons from Seattle Mariner Nick Franklin)