March 23, 2006
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USA Women's Training Team Drops First Match to Conegliano
CONEGLIANO, Italy - Italian club team Zoppas Conegliano defeated the USA Women's National Volleyball Training Team, 3-1, Wednesday night in the first of a series of friendly matches for the Americans in Italy.
Marika Serafin scored 10 points on eight kills and two service aces in the 25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19 victory to lead five players with at least eight points for Conegliano, a Serie A2 team in the Italian League.
Katie Wilkins ( Lakeside, Calif.) scored a match-high 16 points on 14 kills, one block and one ace to lead Team USA, which will play eight matches against five European club teams in four cities from March 22-April 2.
Elisabeth Bachman ( Lakeville, Minn.), a 2004 Olympian, added 12 points on eight kills and four blocks while Jennifer Joines ( Milpitas, Calif.) tallied 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and one ace for the Americans, who will play Serie A1 team Padova in their second match on Thursday night.
Katie Olsovsky ( Torrance, Calif.), who earned a bronze medal for the USA at the 2003 Pan American Games in her most recent international match, posted seven points on six kills and one block in the loss.
Six athletes were competing in their first international match for the United States on Wednesday night, including setters Lindsey Hunter (Papillion, Neb.) and Erin Virtue ( St. Charles, Ill.), outside hitters Jamie DeKiewiet ( Hemet, Calif.) and Devon Forster (Boulder, Colo.), opposite Tess Rogers (Merino, Colo.) and libero Candace Lee (Eugene, Ore.).
Rogers (three kills and one block) and Forster (two kills, one block and one ace) each scored four points in their respective debuts while DeKiewiet added three points on three kills in her first international match. Hunter played in all four sets for Team USA while Virtue and Lee played one set apiece.
Luisina Costagrande scored nine points and Giulia Momoli, Mila Rizzo and Yendy Cortinas added eight points apiece for Conegliano, which is hosting Team USA during its stay in Italy.
The United States will play four matches against Conegliano. The Americans will also play single matches against three Serie A1 Italian League teams - Padova, Pesaro and Vicenza - and one match against Slovenian club team Nova KBM Branik Maribor.
Italy Tour Schedule/Results
Wednesday, March 22 (Conegliano)
Zoppas Conegliano (A2) def. USA, 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19)
Thursday, March 23 (Sacile)
Padova (A1) vs. USA
Saturday, March 25 (Conegliano)
Nova KBM Branik Maribor/Slovenia (A1) vs. USA
Zoppas Conegliano (A2) vs. USA
Tuesday, March 28 (Conegliano)
Zoppas Conegliano (A2) vs. USA
Wednesday, March 29 ( Pordenone)
Pesaro (A1) vs. USA
Thursday, March 30 (Conegliano)
Vicenza (A1) vs. USA
Sunday, April 2 (Conegliano)
Zoppas Conegliano (A2) vs. USA