Stalls Leads Team USA to Pan American Cup Win

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 21, 2007) ? The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team overcame a slow start and finished strong to defeat Argentina 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 on the opening day of the Sixth Pan American Cup on June 21 in Colima, Mexico.

Team USA (1-0), ranked seventh in the latest FIVB world ranking, faces Costa Rica (0-1) at noon Central Daylight Time tomorrow as it continues Pool A action.

The U.S. started captain Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (Honolulu) at setter, Tracy Stalls (Denver, Colo.) and Jen Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) at middle blocker, Katie Wilkins (Lakeside, Calif.) and Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) at outside hitter, and Cassie Bussie (Prior Lake, Minn.) at opposite. Candace Lee (Eugene, Ore.) is Team USA’s designated libero for the tournament. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) and Katie Olsovsky (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) played in the third and fourth sets, while Marcie Hampton (Gainesville, Fla.) entered the contest in the fourth set.

Barboza paced Team USA with 15 points by scoring 13 kills on 25 swings to go with two aces. She added a team-high six digs on defense, while providing 16 excellent serve receptions on 24 attempts. Stalls added 14 points with 13 kills on 18 errorless attacks to go with a block. Wilkins contributed 12 kills and two blocks for 14 points. Busse provided 12 kills and a block for the U.S. Joines rounded out the scoring with eight points, all on kills from 15 attacks. Ah Mow-Santos charted 23 assists in the victory.

“We had some initial problems with our serves getting used to playing at sea level,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach ?Jenny’ Lang Ping said. “The speed of the ball is different than in Colorado Springs. I am satisfied with the way the team played today showing their potential.”

The U.S. converted 48 percent of its attacks into kills, while holding the Argentina offense to a 34 percent conversion rate. On the downside, Argentina scored six points off aces while the Americans managed just two. Argentina also held a 9-4 advantage in team blocks.

Argentina broke a 5-all tie in the first set with three consecutive points to reach the first technical timeout leading 8-5. After the U.S. closed to within one at 8-7, Argentina never allowed the Americans to get closer in the set. Argentina recorded a 52 kill percent during the opening period, while the U.S. was limited to 41 percent.

Barboza tallied a kill and ace during a 4-0 run in the second set after Argentina gained an early 2-0 advantage. Team USA extended its margin to 9-4 with three kills from Wilkins. The U.S. built a commanding seven-point lead at 17-10 as Barboza connected for three kills during 7-3 run.

Argentina held a 9-7 lead in the third set after the lead changed three times in the early stages. However, Barboza sparked Team USA to three unanswered points with two kills. After holding a 15-12 advantage, Argentina roared back to take an 18-16 lead on a 6-1 spurt. Stalls and Joines answered with kills, followed by a Joines block to lift Team USA into the lead at 19-18. The teams traded the next five points until Argentina moved back into the lead at 23-22. Stalls tied the set at 23-all, which was followed by two Argentina attack errors to close out the set in favor of the U.S.

The Americans continued the momentum early in the fourth set by establishing a 10-7 lead, only to see Argentina rebound with four of the next five points to swing the advantage to its favor at 12-11. However, the U.S. held Argentina scoreless over the next 10 points in taking a commanding 21-12 lead as Wilkins earned five points and Bussie and Stalls each picked up two points in the run. The U.S. closed out the match on a Wilkins ace and Stalls kill at 25-16. Team USA tallied 17 kills on 30 swings in the final set, while recording three of its four blocks in the stanza.

Yamila Nizetich led Argentina with 12 points, while Antonela Bortolozzi added 11 points in the losing cause.

Although the 2007 Pan American Cup does not have direct bearing on 2008 Olympic qualification, it will have an impact on the 2008 season. Based on the final standings of the Pan American Cup, the top three teams from NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Federation) and the top team from the CSV (South American Confederation) qualify for the 2008 FIVB World Grand Prix.