The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Trio of Horns and U.S. Junior National Team finish fourth at FIVB World Championship
08.01.2011 | Volleyball
Aug. 1, 2011
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Longhorn trio of sophomore Hannah Allison, freshman Haley Eckerman, freshman Madelyn Hutson the U.S. Women's Junior National Team fell to China, 20-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23 on Sunday afternoon in the bronze medal match of the 2011 FIVB Volleyball Women's Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru
The U.S. team finished fourth with an overall 4-4 tournament record.
Eckerman concluded championship play as the tourney's third leading scorer with 131 points in eight matches. She also ranked seventh with her 35.61 kill percentage at the championship.
Eckerman led the U.S. Women's Junior Team with 18 points on 14 kills, two blocks and two aces. U.S. captain Kelly Reeves (San Diego) added 15 points on 13 kills, a block and an ace. Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif.) scored 13 points with 12 kills and an ace.
Hutson racked up five points, contributing four kills and a block. Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif.) added three points on a kill a block and an ace. Allison added a kill an ace for Team USA.
Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, Calif.) added 10 digs and six excellent receptions. Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill.) contributed nine digs and nine excellent receptions. Allison contributed 17 assists out of 99 total set attempts and Plum had six assists on 19 attempts.
Reeves contributed seven digs and 12 excellent receptions. Eckerman had eight digs for Team USA.
Browning started Reeves and Eckerman at outside hitter, Hampton and Wopat at middle blocker, Allison at setter and Holthus at opposite. Hagglund was the designated libero. Hutson started in the third and fourth sets and also played later on in the second set. Plum subbed in later on in the third and fourth sets and Andrea McHugh (Yorba Linda, Calif.) contributed court action later on in the fourth set.
Team USA racked up 46 kills on 142 attacks for 32. 4 kill percent. The U.S. team accumulated 37 digs, five blocks and six aces.
"Congratulations to China," Browning said. "They deserve the bronze medal and we have a lot of respect for their team."
China's Yang Zhou scored 18 points and was the leading scorer for her team.
"USA is a good team and very strong," Head Coach Jiande Xu said. "We were very tired today but are happy for the victory."
The first set was a hard fought battle. The U.S team took an early 6-3 lead, but China responded to tie it up 6-all. Team USA accumulated a 13-8 advantage off of its strong hitting and serving, but China kept playing tough and climbed within three points of the Americans 11-8. The U.S. team regrouped and gained confidence from its great serving and mounted to a 19-13 lead. At this point, China won the next four points to make a 19-17 score. China's offense shook up the U.S.'s defense and the teams tied at 20-all. Team USA put a cap on the set and match, ending on an ace, 25-20.
In the second set, Team USA and China went back and forth, tying seven times before 11-all. China broke away to gain a 14-11 advantage. Both teams put forth great effort, but China's offense shook up the U.S. team's defense and they increased their lead to 20-14. The U.S. team had some success on serving and scored the next three of five points, 22-17. Team USA battled tough and played confidently, but lost the set 25-19.
In the third set, China took the first three points and took an early 6-1 lead. China climbed to a 12-3 lead from placing tips and attacks around the U.S. team's block. The U.S. team played tough, but couldn't gain momentum. The two teams battled to a 20-11 score and Team USA kept attacking aggressively, but China sealed the third set with a 25-16 win.
In the fourth set, Team USA tied China 3-all, but China took a quick 12-7 lead. The U.S. team came back to win the next six of seven points to tie at 13-13. Both teams performed well, but China was able to accumulate a 20-17 lead. The U.S. team rallied back to a 24-23 in China's favor and served the ball in the net. China took the bronze medal with a 25-23 victory.
Brazil will compete against Italy for the gold medal at 4:15 p.m. in Lima on July 31.
The Dominican Republic and Peru are playing in the match for fifth place in Lima on Sunday evening. Slovakia defeated Belgium, 25-23, 25-12, 29-31, 25-20, to finish seventh on Sunday.
Poland finished ninth by defeating Russia, 25-19, 25-19, 19-25, 25-16. Japan defeated Cuba, 25-19, 25-13, 25-22, to finish eleventh in the tournament on Sunday.
Serbia finished thirteenth by defeating Korea, 25-19, 25-16, 25-18, and Egypt finished fifteenth by defeating Tunisia, 23-25, 27-25, 25-14, 25-17, on Sunday.
