The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team will open up their 2018 season with five international matches at the Colorado Crossroads Qualifier Tournament. The 2016 Paralympic Gold medalists are set to play against Canada and Russia at the Colorado Convention Center.
This event will be the first time that the team has been together this season which is important as the team prepares for the 2018 World Championships that will take place from July 15-22 in the Netherlands. In the past two World Championships, the team has taken the silver medal home, falling to China in both matches. The team, though, despite not having won the past two World Championships will be the outright favorites going into the competition after winning the Paralympic gold and being ranked #1 in the world.
Russia and Canada are both ranked in the top-10 of the world at #7 and #9, respectively. Last season, Russia took a match over the U.S. team at the World ParaVolley World Super 6 tournament in China. With the World Championships just months away, this event will be one of the only opportunities that the team will get to play the Russians prior to the Championships.
There will be a court set aside for the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team at the qualifier amongst the 15-18s teams that will be vying for a ticket to Junior Nationals this summer.
Schedule
Friday, March 16
9 a.m. USA v Russia
1 p.m. USA v Canada
5 p.m. Russia v Canada
Saturday, March 17
9 a.m. USA v Russia
1 p.m. Russia v Canada
5 p.m. USA v Canada
Sunday, March 18
8 a.m. USA v Russia
10 a.m. Canada v Russia
Roster
1. Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2. Bethany Zummo (L, 5-2, Dublin, Calif.)
3. Lexi Shifflett (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
5. Katie Holloway (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6. Heather Erickson (OH, 5-11, Fayetteville, NC)
7. Monique Burkland (OH, 5-9, Ardmore, Okla.)
8. Whitney Dosty (OH, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
13. Nichole Millage (OH, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14. Kaleo Maclay (S, 5-6, Edmond, Okla.)
16. Nicky Nieves (MB, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17. Tia Edwards (OH, 5-7, Skitatook, Okla.)
18. Courtney Baker (OPP, 5-8, Crofton, Ky.)
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