June 22, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Women’s National Team held an intra-squad scrimmage won by the Blue Team on June 20 at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., as it prepares to begin a busy summer stretch of matches.  Former Lion Heather Hughes was one of 22 players to appear on a roster on Saturday, while also holding a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster (O-2) for the Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup and World Championship Qualification Tournament.

Opposite Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) led the Blue Team to the 25-23, 19-25, 25-17, 25-12 victory. She posted a match-high 22 points as she collected 17 kills on 44 attacks to go with five blocks. Libero Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) provided 25 digs in the four-set match. Setter Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) led the Blue Team to a 36 kill percent with 51 kills on 141 attacks while adding 17 digs. She added a kill, block and ace for three individual points. Outside hitter Jane Collymore (Seattle, Wash.) contributed 15 points via 11 kills on 31 swings, three blocks and an ace in the victory. Outside hitter Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) added 11 points on eight kills and three blocks. Middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.) tallied four kills on seven errorless swings and four blocks for eight points in the victory. Middle blocker Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) tacked on five points with two kills and three blocks. Middle blocker Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) scored four kills on five errorless attacks. Outside hitter Angie Pressey (Lake Mary, Fla.) added four points on two kills and two blocks.

Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) paced the Red Team in scoring with 13 points, all on kills from 42 attacks, to go with 14 digs. Outside hitter Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) added 13 digs and 12 points, also all on kills from 43 attacks. Opposite Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) tallied six kills in the loss, while middle blocker Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) tacked on eight points on seven kills and an ace. Middle blockers Tracy Stalls (Denver, Colo.) and Jennifer Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) turned in five and four points, respectively. Libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) handled 31 service receptions with a 52 positive percent to go with 15 digs. Setter Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) led the Red Team to a 29 kill percent with 45 kills on 153 attacks, while adding two kills and a block of her own.

For the complete recap of the event, courtesy of usavolleyball.org, please click here.

The U.S. Women’s National Team, ranked second in the world after earning the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games, will compete in the Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup in Miami and the FIVB Women’s World Championship Qualification Tournament’s Third Round NORCECA Pool G in Orlando. The Pan Am Cup will be contested from June 26 until July 4, while the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament is scheduled for July 6-8.

Below is a list of the rosters for the intra-squad match, as well as a preliminary roster for the Pan American Cup and World Championship Qualification Tournament.

Red Team
1 – Nicole Vargas (S, 5-8, Seal Beach, Calif., Long Beach State)
2 – Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Baton Rouge, La., Long Beach State)
3 – Tayyiba Haneef-Park (OPP, 6-7, Laguna Hills, Calif., Long Beach State)
4 – Julie Rubenstein (OH, 6-3, Camarillo, Calif., Pepperdine)
6 – Nicole Davis (L, 5-6, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
8 – Cynthia Barboza (OH, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Stanford)
9 – Jennifer Joines (MB, 6-3, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
11 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
13 – Tracy Stalls (MB, 6-4, Denver, Colo., Nebraska)
14 – Heather Hughes (OPP, 6-2, Fallbrook, Calif., Loyola Marymount)
15 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-7, Kent, Wash., Washington)

Blue Team
# - Name (Pos, Ht, Hometown, College)
2 – Morgan Beck (OPP, 6-3, Coto De Caza, Calif., California)
3 – Lauren Paolini (MB, 6-4, Ann Arbor, Mich., Texas)
4 – Angie Pressey (OH, 5-8, Lake Mary, Fla., California)
5 – Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Burleson, Texas, Texas A&M)
7 – Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
9 – Alexis Crimes (MB, 6-3, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Long Beach State)
10 – Kristin Richards (OH, 6-1, Orem, Utah, Stanford)
12 – Nancy Metcalf (OPP, 6-1, Hull, Iowa, Nebraska)
16 – Christa Harmotto (MB, 6-2, Aliquippa, Pa., Penn State)
17 – Nellie Spicer (S, 5-9, Barrington, Ill., UCLA)
19 – Jane Collymore (OH, 5-11, Seattle, Wash., Florida)

U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster (O-2)
Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup and World Championship Qualification Tournament
# - Name (Pos, Ht, Hometown, College)
1 - Nicole Vargas (S, 5-8, Seal Beach, Calif., Long Beach State)
2 - Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Baton Rouge, La., Long Beach State)
3 - Tayyiba Haneef-Park (OPP, 6-7, Laguna Hills, Calif., Long Beach State)
4 - Angie Pressey (OH, 5-8, Lake Mary, Fla., California)
5 - Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Burleson, Texas, Texas A&M)
6 - Nicole Davis (L, 5-6, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
7 - Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
8 - Cynthia Barboza (OH, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Stanford)
9 - Jennifer Joines (MB, 6-3, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
10 - Kristin Richards (OH, 6-1, Orem, Utah, Stanford)
11 - Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
12 - Nancy Metcalf (OPP, 6-1, Hull, Iowa, Nebraska)
13 - Tracy Stalls (MB, 6-4, Denver, Colo., Nebraska)
14 - Heather Hughes (OPP, 6-2, Fallbrook, Calif., Loyola Marymount)
15 - Courtney Thompson (S, 5-7, Kent, Wash., Washington)
16 - Christa Harmotto (MB, 6-2, Aliquippa, Pa., Penn State)
17 - Nellie Spicer (S, 5-10, Barrington, Ill., UCLA)
18 - Cassie Busse (OPP, 6-1, Prior Lake, Minn., Minnesota)
19 - Jane Collymore (OH, 5-11, Seattle, Wash., Florida)

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Assistant Coaches: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.)
Therapist/Trainer for Pan American Cup: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.)
Therapist/Trainer for World Championship Qualification Tournament: Troy Tanner
Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.)
Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek