Ah Mow, Bown lift USA to gold

Advertiser Staff

Former University of Hawai'i All-Americans Robyn Ah Mow and Heather Bown helped lift the United States women to a gold medal last weekend at the Federation Internationale de Volleyball World Grand Prix.

Before 5,500 in Macau, Team USA upset host China 26-28, 25-20, 25-21, 25-11 in the final. Ah Mow, the team captain, set for the United States and Bown contributed 10 kills and three stuffs. Therese Crawford, another former Wahine on the team, did not play in the final.

The United States had not won a Grand Prix since 1995.

"We played with a lot of energy, soul and spirit," U.S. coach Toshiaki Yoshida said. "Our blocking was good and we played exceptional defense."

Team USA, ranked sixth in the world, needed to beat Brazil in fewer than five games to reach the semifinals. It won 31-29, 23-25, 25-13, 25-20, with Bown collecting seven kills and six blocks. The United States reached the final by upsetting Olympic silver-medalist Russia, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-13.

"We lost a little concentration in the third and fourth games (against Russia)," Ah Mow said, "but the fifth game was all that mattered. Coach Yoshida said to give it all we had and play with heart. In the fifth game it showed."

China, ranked fourth, beat the United States in four games in an Aug. 17 preliminary match.

"That was ugly," Bown said then. "Toshi was not pleased with our performance. But, then again, neither was the rest of the team. We have been so up and down this trip. We have nights where everyone just clicks and we are amazing. Then there are the nights where just one engine has a glitch and it throws us all off balance. So strange."