Ah Mow, Bown start for U.S. team
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Former University of Hawai‘i volleyball player Heather Bown had 16 kills and six blocks to lift the United States Women’s National Team to a 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 23-21 victory over second-ranked Russia.
It was the American’s first victory over Russia since 1996.
The U.S. finished 1-2 in pool play at the 2001 Montreux Volley Masters Tournament in Switzerland, and will play in the consolation round starting tomorrow.
Italy outlasted the United States, 25-20, 25-27, 25-11, 22-25, 20-18 Wednesday, and Team USA lost its opener to Japan Tuesday.
Former UH All-Americans Bown and Robyn Ah Mow are starters for the U.S. Lily Kahumoku, who will be a junior at UH this fall, is a reserve on the team. Bown had 12 kills and three blocks against Italy.
• Men in Amsterdam: The USA men's team, with Hawai'i's Scott Wong and Clay Stanley on the roster, is 6-4 and second in Pool D going into World League matches this weekend in Amsterdam.
Brazil leads the pool at 9-1, with the loss coming in five games against the U.S. Stanley led Team USA in that upset, with 19 points (17 kills, 2 blocks). Wong has been out with a sprained finger.
The U.S. next plays The Netherlands, with a berth into the final round at stake. The top two teams in each preliminary pool advance to the final round, June 25-30 in Katowice, Poland.
• On the sand: Punahou graduates Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong lost a rematch with Olympic gold medalists Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana and finished third at the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Hermosa Beach event last weekend in California.
Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers won the tournament, 21-18, 16-21, 17-15, over Blanton and Fonoimoana.
Metzger and Wong, Punahou graduates, have each won $8,850 this year. Lee LeGrande, another Punahou graduate, has earned $1,600.
• Bragado advances: Hawai'i's Danalee Bragado and partner Ali Wood won two of three Qualification Tournament matches Thursday (June 14) to earn a berth in the 32-team Main Draw for this weekend's FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Cagliari, Italy.
