ISLE FILE
UH alums boost U.S. volleyball
Advertiser Staff
The U.S. Women's National Team, with two setters from Honolulu and a former University of Hawai'i All-American in the middle, overwhelmed Trinidad & Tobago, 25-9, 25-7, 25-6, in the opening match of the NORCECA Continental Championship yesterday at Winnipeg, Canada.
The U.S., with Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Lindsey Berg setting and Heather Bown in the middle, opened all three games with a quick advantage and never trailed. The U.S. led 5-0 in the first, 8-1 in the second and 11-1 in the third. Trinidad & Tobago scored back-to-back points only three times in the match.
Cassie Busse paced Team USA with 12 points and Ogonna Nnamani had 10. Bown contributed seven points with four kills on six errorless swings and three blocks. Team USA hit .400 and held its opponents to negative .255, with Ah Mow starting at setter and Berg taking over the final game.
"Our focus was to concentrate on our side and keep momentum going into the next two games by feeding off the hard work and fight that Trinidad gave in that match," Ah Mow said.
The U.S. continues Pool B action today against Mexico.
Meanwhile, Honolulu's Clay Stanley closed the match with three straight aces as the U.S. Men's National Team swept Barbados, 25-13, 25-13, 25-4, for its second win of the NORCECA Men's Continental Championship last night at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena.
Stanley, a Kaiser High and UH alum, had 10 points on six kills, three aces and one block for the Americans, who will play Puerto Rico, also 2-0 in Pool B, tonight.
On Sunday, the U.S. team beat Mexico, 25-11, 25-15, 25-20.
BOXING
OLSZEWSKI LOSES
Eileen Kuwaye Olszewski, a Kaimuki High School graduate, lost a narrow 10-round majority decision to WBC flyweight champion Stefania Bianchini last weekend.
Fighting in Bianchini's hometown of Rovigo, Italy, Olszewski held the early advantage in a bout slowed by holding and clinching, according to fightnews.com.
Judges scored the fight 95-95, 95-95 and 97-93, giving Bianchini her fourth successful title defense.
Olszewski's professional record drops to 4-1.
