Ah Mow, Bown lift U.S. women's squad
Advertiser Staff
After losing its opener, the U.S. women's national volleyball team defeated Germany and Russia to take over third place after the first week of the 2001 FIVB World Grand Prix.
Japan is first, at 3-0. Russia, China and the United States are 2-1, with Russia holding the point-ratio advantage.
Robyn Ah Mow, a McKinley High graduate and University of Hawai'i All-American, is Team USA's starting setter and captain. Heather Bown, another former UH All-American, starts in the middle. The team is playing tournament matches in Thailand, Taiwan, China and Macau.
Bown scored nine points in a 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 win over Russia, with six kills and three blocks. She had seven points, including four blocks, in the 28-26, 25-19, 25-16 victory over Germany.
Ah Mow was named MVP of the World Championships Qualifying Tournament, held last month in Puerto Rico. Team USA went 3-0 and didn't lose a game to qualify for the 2002 World Championships, next Aug. 30-Sept. 15 in Germany.
Ah Mow and Bown are both planning to return to professional leagues later this year.
Earlier in the summer, Ah Mow and Bown helped the United States to a fifth-place finish at the VolleyMasters in Montreux, Switzerland. UH Wahine Lily Kahumoku traveled with the national team to Montreux. She was to join the U.S. A2 team after the tournament, but injured her ankle in the first practice and left Colorado. The All-American has since announced she will not return to UH this season for "personal reasons."
Former Rainbow Clay Stanley is playing extensively for the U.S. men's team. The U.S. recently lost to Canada, 18-16 in the fifth game, in the men's 2002 World Championships qualifier. The U.S. men still qualified for Worlds (Sept. 28-Oct. 13, 2002, in Argentina) because they had a better game record than Mexico.
The men will play in the NORCECA tournament later this month in Barbados. It is a qualifier for the Grand Champions Cup, to be played in Japan in November.
QUICK SET: Punahou graduate Scott Wong is on the World University Games roster and is heading to Beijing. He saw some action with the national team during the World League and Japan tour.
