Japan Picks 29 Players for 2018 Women’s National Team
After naming a new coach in 2017, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist Kumi Nakada, Japan showed its first signs of a new look when unveiling the 2018 roster.
While Nakada certainly had her picks, some items were out of her hands, like the retirements of long-time star and captain Saori Kimura and opposite Soria Sakoda.
Only seven players from the 2016 Rio Olympic team, which advanced to the quarterfinals, are included on the roster: opposite Miyu Nagaoka, setter Haruka Miyashita and Kanami Tashiro, outside hitters Yurie Nabeya and Yuki Ishii and middle blockers Haruyo Shimamura and Erika Araki. Notably missing is Yukiko Ebata.
Also back in the fold is newly-minted team captain Nana Iwasaka, who assumed the role in 2017.
Three players are making their return to the Japanese national team after being sidelined with injury: setter Haruka Miyashita, attacker Miyu Nagaoka and Sarina Koga.
The Japanese team, which begins its training in Italy in April, kicks off its 2018 campaign at the Volleyball Nation’s League in Brazil on May 15. Japan is in Pool 4 with Brazil, Germany and Serbia for the opening round.
The side is also slated to participate in the Asian Games in August before playing host to the 2018 FIVB Women’s World Championships in October.
Japan is looking to improve on a seventh place finish at the 2017 World Grand Prix and fifth-place showing at the World Grand Champions Cup.
No. 1 UCLA faced nearby foes No. 4 USC and No. 6 Long Beach State Wednesday afternoon, winning 3-2 and 5-0.
In the day’s first action, the Bruins (26-3) bested the 49ers with four straight-set wins and a three-set affair on Court 2. A straight set win on Court 1 by Megan and Nicole McNamara sealed the victory, but the most exciting match followed. Lily Justine and Sarah Sponcil moved past Anete Brinke/Sasha Karelov 25-23 in the first, thwarting three set-point chances, before going on to the win the match 25-23, 19-21, 15-12.
In the first-ever meeting between UCLA and USC on the Bruins’ home court, the home side kicked off the match with wins on Courts 4 and 5. Justine and Sponcil clinched the victory, but a pair of three-setters on courts 1 and 3 prevented a sweep. Abril Bustamante/Tina Graudina came through for the Trojans on Court 1, besting the McNamaras 16-21, 21-17, 16-14 to snap the duo’s 16-match winning streak. Another streak ended on Court 3 to end the day as USC’s Joy Dennis/Elise Zappia halted Zana Muno/Savvy Simo‘s stretch of 17 wins.
In DeLand, Florida, No. 17 Stetson swept a doubleheader with Florida Gulf Coast 3-2 and 5-0. The Hattters (20-6, 6-0 ASUN) won on Courts 1, 4 and 5 in both matches to stay perfect in Atlantic Sun action and hand FGCU its first league losses. Stetson extended its win streak to 18 matches and has now taken 33 of its last 34 ASUN contests.
Darby Dunn/Sammee Thomas (Court 1), Julia Varga/Lauren Durham (Court 4) and Rebecca Ingram/Quinci Birker (Court 5) paced the team in the victories.
Both Court 2 matches went the distance, with FGCU taking the first as Katherine Puisis/Karissa Rhoades won 21-18, 12-21, 15-13. Stetson’s Sunniva Helland-Hansen/Carly Perales took the upper hand 18-21, 21-14, 15-8 in the night cap.
No. 19 Tulane closed out the day’s Top 20 action with a pair of victories over Louisiana Monroe, 5-0 and 4-1. The Green Wave are now 14-10 on the year, including a 3-5 mark in CCSA play.
Court 3 went the distance in both matches, with Tulane’s Anna Chin/Lauren Orlich rebounding after dropping the opening set 14-21 in match 1, while ULM’s Rebecca Brown/Catherine Griffith did the same in match 2.
“It was terrific [to play at home],” head coach Wayne Holly said. “We’ve been on the road so often and for so long that we forgot the benefits of playing at home, playing on courts familiar to us, playing in the wind that we know and playing in front of a bunch of people that are supporting us. It was such a welcome relief to be home in New Orleans, get two wins in front of our crowd and be able to get to bed early tonight. We wanted to play it to the best of our abilities with the throttle down the whole time, and I thought we did a really good job of doing that.”
Turkish women’s national team head coach Giovanni Guidetti is bringing back a core of six members of last year’s World Grand Prix squad among his initial 29 player roster for 2018.
The Turkish national team finished third at the 2017 European Championships and 11th at the World Grand Prix.
Dundar and Aydemir were members of the 2012 Olympic team.
Opposite Polen Uslupehlivan, who also was on the Olympic team and World Grand Prix teams and is currently starring for her Fenerbahce Istanbul side, is notably missing from the 2018 roster.
Dundar is a 13-year veteran of the national team. The 30-year old was Best Server at the 2010 Club World Championships with her Fenerbahce squad and also was top server at the 2011 European League Championships, at which she earned silver with Turkey. Most recently, she was tabbed as Best Middle Blocker at the 2017 European Championship and earned gold as Fenerbahce grabbed the Turkish Volleyball League title in 2017.
Twenty-seven year old Naz Aydemir was tabbed as Best Setter at the 2016-17 CEV Champions League as her Vakifbank Istanbul team won gold. She has extensive national team experience dating to her days with the youth and junior national teams beginning in 2008.
Orge, who has starred for Turkish League Club Vakifbank, which won the 2017 Club World Championship, was dubbed Best Libero at the 2015 U23 World Championships as a member of Turkey’s silver medal squad.
The 24-year old Ismailoglu, who also plays with Eczacibasi Vitra, has played on both the beach and indoor teams for Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She made her Turkish national team debut at the 2014 European Volleyball League, winning gold, and followed that with silver at the 2015 U23 World Championships. On the beach side, Ismailoglu was part of the qualification rounds for the 2016 Olympics.
The 23-year old Caliskan also was part of the 2015 Turkish U23 squad, while also winning gold at the 2013 Club World Championships with Vakifbank and bronze at the 2016 Club Worlds. She was tabbed as the second best middle blocker at the 2017 Club Worlds.
The 20-year old Baladin, who has played in the youth ranks of the Turkish national team program since 2011, won a gold medal at the 2016 Club World Championships with her Eczacibasi Vitra side.
The Turkish women’s national team will participate in the Volleyball Nation’s League, Mediterranean Games, Gloria Cup and Montreux Volley Masters ahead of the 2018 World Championships in October.
The Volleyball Nation’s League will take place from May 15 to July 1 in 21 cities around the world, with the finals being held in Nanjing, China. The Nation’s League replaces the World Grand Prix competition. Turkey is part of Pool 3 alongside the United States, Poland and Italy. Matches for Pool 3 will be contested in Lincoln, Nebraska, May 15-17.
The Mediterranean Games will be contested from June 22 to July 1 in Tarragona, Spain, and pit athletes from 26 countries in 33 sports.
Twenty-eight players will make up the initial roster for the Italian women’s national team, head coach Davide Mazzanti announced Tuesday.
The 28 will be split into two groups initially, with one competing at the Volleyball Nation’s League beginning in May and the other playing in the Mediterranean Games in June. The roster will then be whittled down to 18 for the World Championships in Japan this fall.
“The main selection criterion was the athlete’s performance during the club season,” Mazzanti said. “Although the list also includes girls with little international experience, I wanted to reward them for the development they made throughout the year.
“In addition to the level of play and quality, I always demanded for the competitiveness of the athlete especially in gearing up for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The higher the level of competition and the quality of the game they play, the better.”
DeGennaro, who was named best libero at both the 2017 Champions League and at FIVB World Grand Prix events, is a two-time Olympian, having competing in both 2012 and 2016. DeGennaro competed in the Champions League with her Imoco Volley Conegliano squad, earning a silver medal.
Chirichella also was a member of the 2016 Olympic team, which was ousted in group play.
Notably missing from the squad is outside hitter Caterina Bosetti, a 2012 Olympian, who is out with an injury.
The Volleyball Nation’s League will take place from May 15 to July 1 in 21 cities around the world, with the finals being held in Nanjing, China. The Nation’s League replaces the World Grand Prix competition. Italy is one of the 12 core teams in the 16-team field, and is part of Pool 3 alongside the United States, Poland and Turkey. Matches for Pool 3 will be contested in Lincoln, Nebraska, May 15-17.
The Mediterranean Games will be contested from June 22 to July 1 in Tarragona, Spain, and pit athletes from 26 countries in 33 sports.
Last week, the Italian federation also announced the friendlies slate for both its men’s and women’s national teams.
Italian women’s national team roster (2018)
1. Beatrice Berti
2. Sara Bonifacio
3. Lucia Bosetti
4. Alexandra Botezat
5. Carlotta Cambi
6. Cristina Chirichella
7. Anna Danesi
8. Alice Degradi
9. Chiara De Bortoli
10. Monica De Gennaro
11. Isabella Di Iulio
12. Paola Egonu
13. Sara Fahr
14. Raphaela Folie
15. Alessia Gennari
16. Anastasia Guerra
17. Marina Lubian
18. Ofelia Malinov
19. Camilla Mingardi
20. Anna Nicoletti
21. Silvia Nwakalor
22. Rossella Olivotto
23. Alessia Orro
24. Serena Ortolani
25. Beatrice Parrocchiale
26. Elena Pietrini
27. Myriam Sylla
28. Ilaria Spirito
Charleston (WV) out of the EIVA is the new national leader in digs per, set bumping Queens (NC) out of the top spot with a 10.39 saves per set average. Queens ranks second with 10.34 dps.
The individual statistical leaders all remained the same from Week 12 with UC San Diego’s Tanner Syftestad returning to the lineup from injury to keep his hold on the national lead in kills and points per set.
UCLA’s Daenan Gyimah remains the nation’s most efficient hitter for the eight straight week, checking in with a .523 clip.
Conference Carolinas players pace the country in aces per set – Robert Poole of Mount Olive – and digs per set – Florian Ruhm of Limestone. King (TN) out of the league is holding foes to the lowest hitting percentage nationally at .153.
Independent league player Pedro Carvalho of Lincoln Memorial is tops in blocks per set, while fellow independent team Coker leads the way in aces per stanza.
Below are the statistical leaders after the first 13 weeks of the 2018 season. Full statistical rankings can be found on theNCAA website.
Throughout the 2018 beach season, former Big East Player of the Year Lydia Dimke and a few other fifth-year players heading from the gym to the beach will walk through their transitions to the beach game.
Dimke, the 2016 Big East Player of the Year and a two-time All-America honoree, paced Creighton with 10.64 assists and 2.54 digs per set and 28 aces in 2017. She also guided the Bluejays to a .279 hitting percentage en route to an NCAA second round appearance. In 2016, the 6-foot-3 setter led Creighton to the Elite Eight in her first year after transferring from Purdue. The Hamm Lake, Minnesota, native recorded 11.36 assists and 2.67 digs per set and 18 aces en route to the Big East Player of the Year nod.
In her second entry, the South Carolina transfer talks about the build up to her first match (Feb. 23) and the angst of suffering an injury that has held her off the court for the last five weeks.
After crossing the halfway mark of my first semester, I am happy to assure everyone I am truly enjoying every second here in Columbia, South Carolina! Although the weather changes from 40 degrees and windy to 75 and sunny on a day-to-day basis, the people have been consistently nice and the experience has been overall a great one. Classes are in full swing and although they’re challenging at times, I am enjoying my program and the incredible connections I have been making with successful business owners and others who work in the sports industry.
After five weeks of preseason, I was beginning to feel comfortable in the sand – I was getting better at hitting my shots, knowing when to block or pull and how to stay aggressive without making silly errors. Although I still had a long ways to go, I was beyond excited to finally compete in my first match as a Gamecock. However, on the first point of the first game, I landed from a block and broke my foot (the second metatarsal to be exact). I heard it crack right away, but a combination of adrenaline, nerves, excitement and competitive drive allowed me to play the entire match and come out with a win! (It helps when you have such an awesome partner!)
After a trip to the emergency room, the doctor informed me I would be in a boot for the next eight weeks with several weeks of rehab after that. It was an emotional rollercoaster trying to balance my frustrations but show my support and happiness for the rest of the team. Although breaking my foot was not a part of my plan, this challenge has allowed me to grow in many ways and gave me a new appreciation for the game of volleyball. Even though I now have to sit and watch practice, my teammates are so wonderful and supportive, I still feel equally apart of the team as before the injury.
Even without getting to play, I absolutely love game days. From our pre-game activation/pump up in the weight room, to watching my teammates dominate on the court, the entire day is full of energy and love. Compared to indoor, beach games are a very different vibe – there is music playing, fans in lawn chairs and volleyball games happening on several different courts. I promise you will never get bored at a beach volleyball tournament! I am beyond excited to be progressing out of the boot and hopefully easing my way back into practice as soon as possible (I am currently at week five). I have never been out for this long in my life and I can tell you I hope it never happens again!
In a gruesome play at the net, Lewis men’s volleyball player Danny Maurer suffered a broken leg after coming down on another player’s foot in Set 3 of the match.
Maurer had just two hitting attempts and one service attempt for the Flyers in the match which Ohio State via sweep (25-18, 25-18, 25-19). It was just the eighth appearance of the year for the 6-8 junior middle blocker from Ovideo ,Florida.
All told on the year, Maurer has notched 16 kills (1.50 per set) and 16 blocks (0.94 per set) in 17 sets of action, while hitting at a .313 clip. A five-kill and five-block effort vs. Benedictine on Jan. 20 was hit standout match of the year. The Cal Baptist transfer also managed a four-kill effort, while hitting .800 (4-0-5) at BYU in his season debut on Jan. 6.
For the season, the Flyers are 16-10, including a 7-5 mark in MIVA play. The Flyers dropped both matches of a weekend road trip, falling to McKendree in four sets on Thursday and OSU on Saturday. Next up for the team are road matches at Quincy (Thursday) and Lindenwood (Saturday) to wrap up the regular season.
Lewis is currently ranked 10th nationally and fourth in the MIVA behind Ohio State (10-2), Loyola (10-2) and Ball State (8-4). The team’s final regular season foes, Quincy and Lindenwood, are the bottom two teams on the league ledger at seventh (2-10) and eighth (0-12) respectively.
Prayers for Danny Maurer of Lewis Men’s Volleyball. He was injured in Saturday’s match vs. the Buckeyes. Hang in there Dan! pic.twitter.com/wO1QAlx88n
From all of us here at Block O and Ohio State, we send our thoughts to Danny Maurer, his family, and @LewisMVBall. You never want to see anyone injured, and we hope for a speedy recovery!
With six wins over ranked teams, UCLA’s Zana Muno and Savvy Simo earned this week’s VolleyMob Beach Pair of the Week honors.
The pair helped the No. 2 Bruins to a 6-0 mark on the week, including a home win over then-No. 1 Pepperdine (4-1) as well as victories over Top 10 foes in No. 7 Florida State (4-1) and No. 8 South Carolina (5-0) at the Surf N Turf Invitational in Miami. UCLA also bested No. 11 Grand Canyon (5-0), No. 12 Florida International (5-0) and No. 18 Florida Atlantic (5-0) in Miami over the weekend, helping the Bruins extend their current dual match win streak to 19 matches.
The duo of Muno and Simo dropped only two sets all week, one to Pepperdine and one set to FIU, while playing on Court 3. The pair bookended a 21-13 Set 2 loss vs. the Waves and rallied for the three-set win vs. FIU after dropping the opener 21-18.
Muno, a 5-10 junior from Hermosa Beach, California, and Simo, a 5-10 sophomore from Rancho Sante Fe, California, have now won 16 straight matches and are 18-2 on the season.
Muno was a second team All-Pac 12, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honoree and earned Pac-12 Beach All-Tournament Team and NCAA All-Tournament Team accolades in 2016.
Standout statistics in a pair of Top 15 victories have earned Stanford’sJaylen Jasper this week’s VolleyMob Player of the Week honors. The freshman opposite averaged 5.11 kills, 1.78 digs and 0.89 aces per set, while hitting at a .365 clip. The Annapolis, Maryland, native notched a career-high 27 kills, nine digs and four aces, while hitting .409 in a five-set win over No. 13 Grand Canyon on Thursday. The rookie then posted 19 kills, seven digs and four aces in a four-set win over No. 14 Concordia Irvine on Saturday. Jasper also was honored for MPSF Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts.
Honorable Mention:
TJ DeFalco, Long Beach State – Jr., OH
Averaged 4.56 kills, 1.67 digs and 1.11 blocks per set, while hitting .329 in a pair of wins over No. 4 UC Irvine; made good on 36 of 37 serve reception chances; posted 22 kills, seven digs, five blocks and five aces, while hitting .326 in a five-set win on Friday; tallied 19 kills, eight digs, five blocks and an ace, while hitting .333 in the rematch on Saturday; Big West Player of the Week
Gianluca Grasso, USC – Jr., OH
Averaged 3.88 kills per set, while hitting .431; posted 11 kills, four digs, two aces and a block, while hitting .417 in a three-set loss to No. 4 Pepperdine; tallied 20 kills, two blocks, two digs and two aces, while hitting .441 in a five-set win over No. 3 UCLA.
Maxime Hervoir, Ohio State – Sr., OH
Averaged 5.29 kills and 2.00 digs per set, while hitting .453 in a pair of victories; posted a 24-kills, 10-dig double-double, while also adding four blocks and hitting .463 in a four-set win over No. 6 Loyola; chipped in 13 kills, four digs and an ace, while hitting .435 in a sweep of No. 10 Lewis; made good on all 41 of his serve reception opportunities; MIVA Offensive Player of the Week
Pelegrin Vargas, Fort Wayne – So., OH
Averaged 5.00 kills and 1.43 digs per set, while hitting .585; tallied 10 kills, four digs and a block, while hitting .421 (10-2-19) in a sweep of Quincy; notched 25 kills, six digs and a block, while hitting .676 (25-2-34) in a four-set win over Lindenwood
Hayden Wagner, George Mason – So., Opp.
Averaged 4.40 kills and 1.30 digs per set, while hitting .337 in a pair of five set wins; downed a career-high 25 kills and added eight digs and an ace, while hitting .365 at NJIT; posted 19 kills and added five digs, while hitting .308 at Princeton
In addition to acting as co-host of the 2018 men’s world championships (Sept. 9-30) and prepping its women’s team for the world championships in Japan (Sept. 29 – Oct. 20), the Italian national teams have a busy slate ahead.
The teams also will make their debuts in the newly minted Volleyball Nation’s League, but first each side will play a handful of friendly matches as a warmup.
On the men’s side, The Blues will make their debut on May 18 in a contest against Australia in Calabria and will face the Aussies again the following day in Catania. It is then on to Nation’s League play, where the Italians will face Argentina, Iran and Canada in Pool 7, June 1-3. Next up, in August, the team will take on the Netherlands in friendlies, August 3-4, and the Czech Republic, August 21-22, with all four matches slated to be played in Cavalese.
The men will play two more tune-up matches against China, Sept. 2 and 6 at a to-be-announced location, before beginning World Championships play.
On the women’s side, action begins May 6-10 with some to-be-announced friendlies in Japan ahead of the Volleyball Nation’s League pool play matches. The Italians are in Pool 3 alongside Poland, Turkey and the United States, with the matches to be played at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In September, the women will participate in the annual Montreux Masters (Sept. 4-9) before welcoming the Netherlands for a series of friendlies from the 12th to the 16 in Boario and Costa Volpi.
