SITTING VOLLEYBALL
Tourney prepares U.S. Women’s Sitting for Worlds
Americans down No. 1 China
twice en route to 4-1 record at Denver
Sitting Volleyball Challenge
he U.S. Women’s National Sitting Vol- leyball Team passed a big test in mid-March when it hosted the Denver Sitting Volleyball Chal- lenge in conjunction with the Colorado Crossroads National Junior Qualifi er. Competing against three teams they will see later this year at the 2014 Para- Volley World Champion- ships June 6-23 in Poland, Team USA was on its game at the Colorado Convention Center. The U.S. defeated three- time reigning Paralympic Games champion China twice and fi nished with an overall record of 4-1.
T
ON THE BLOCK: Lora Webster (1) and Monique Burkland of Team USA put up a blocking wall against ParaPan rival Brazil. Below: Katie Holloway’s all-around game helped spark Team USA at the Denver Sitting Volleyball Challenge.
The U.S., ranked second in the sitting volleyball world rankings, handled top- ranked China 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 25-17 to conclude the tournament. Team USA was the only team with one loss. After falling to Russia in the opening session, the Americans came back to defeat Brazil, Russia in the rematch and China twice. Team USA, which has now defeated China three straight times dating back to the 2013 Moscow Cup title match, handed the Chinese both their losses in the Challenge. U.S. Women’s National Sitting Volley-
ball Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter was happy to play tough competition in a home environment.
“It is always good for us to play good teams, and really good for us to be able to play a very high-caliber competition like this before World Championships,” Hamiter said. “One of our hardest problems is having teams we can compete against because we don’t get to play that much, but also com- pete against teams that force us to play every single point and every single play showing those little things really do matter.” Heather Erickson (Fayetteville, N.C.) and
Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.) were key offensive players throughout the tourna- ment while Kaleo Kanahele (Oklahoma City Okla.) handled a majority of the setting duties. Bethany Zummo (Dublin, Calif.) was the primary libero. Lora Webster (Phoenix, Ariz.), Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Okla.), Nicky Nieves (Kissim- mee, Fla.), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.), Michelle Schiffl er (Lake Wales, Fla.), Lexi Shiffl ett (Waseca, Minn.) and Angela DeHaan Palacio (Sacramento, Calif.) all played important roles. The ParaVolley World Cham- pionships in Poland are a qualifi er for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Hamiter liked the environment. “We always look at promoting the disci- pline,” Hamiter said. “Having this Chal- lenge at an event like Crossroads puts the discipline in front of a number of different individuals so that it continues to grow the sport. It always helps to have more eyes out and about in the U.S. to continue to identify possible athletes to play the game. Whether somebody might end up on the National Team, we want to promote the sport. People of all kinds of physical attributes can play
58 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
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this game.”
The U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team has also qualifi ed for the 2014 World Para- Volleyball World Championships in Poland by fi nishing second in the ParaVolley Pan American Zonal at the University of Central Oklahoma Wellness Center last October. The U.S. Men defeated Canada in four straight matches in early February in Colo- rado Springs, experimenting with a new 5-1 offense. The team hopes to use the offense in the World Championships in Poland. Its goal is to fi nish in the top six there and then focus on qualifying for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
PHOTOS: USA VOLLEYBALL/BILL KAUFFMAN
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