This is our weekly update on USA women playing professional volleyball around the world. Most of the players are former NCAA standouts. We’ll have a report next week, but Japan and Türkiye are taking a break for the holidays:
Club World Championship
VakifBank lost a five-set final to Eczacibasi in the Club World Championship despite 31 kills from Jordan Thompson, who hit .452 and had a block and an ace. Teammate Chiaka Ogbogu was the best blocker in the match with six blocks, to go along with 10 kills. Frantti added three kills and a block.
VakifBank swept Tianjin (China) in the semifinals as Thompson had 11 kills, two blocks and an ace. Ali Frantti had 10 kills, two blocks and an ace and Ogbogu had three kills and a block.
Minas went 0-2 in pool play. Jenna Gray missed after injuring her ankle the day before the competition began. Annie Mitchem had five kills across the two matches against Eczacibasi and Tianjin.
Italy
Scandicci (10-2) won its seventh match in a row, holding off Roma after winning the first two sets and then the fifth 15-7. Haleigh Washington was Scandicci’s second leading scorer with eight kills (.500), five blocks and two aces. Lindsey Ruddins had seven kills. Courtney Schwan had eight kills, a block and an ace for Roma (6-6).
Casalmaggiore’s (2-10) struggles continued when it was swept by Vallefoglia. Simone Lee had 11 kills in her first start for Casalmaggiore. Setter Micha Hancock added five kills, two aces and a block.
Milano (11-1) swept Firenze (5-7) as Kaja Bajema had one of her best matches this season with 12 kills (.500). Dana Rettke added a kill and an ace. Lauren Stivrins made a brief substitute appearance for Firenze.
Conegliano (12-0) was pushed to a fifth set for the first time this season, but beat Pinerolo as Khalia Lanier had 16 kills, two blocks and an ace. Kelsey Robinson Cook had one kill as a brief substitute. Kathryn Plummer did not play.
Chieri (7-5) overcame a sloppy third set to beat Cuneo (4-8) in four sets. Avery Skinner had 10 kills, two blocks and an ace and Madi Kingdon followed with 10 kills and a block. Madi Kubik had 10 kills and an ace for Cuneo. Anna Stevenson-Hall added five kills and two blocks.
Busto Arsizio (4-8) swept Trentino (1-11). T’Ara Ceasar appeared as a back-row substitute for Busto Arsizio. Carly DeHoog led Tretino with 10 kills, a block and an ace.
Türkiye
Galatasaray (6-7) won its fourth match in a row, beating Muratpasa (6-7) in five. Logan Eggleston led with 26 kills, a block and an ace. Danielle Cuttino followed with 21 kills and five blocks. Stephanie Samedy had 14 kills and a block off the bench for Muratpasa. Micaya White added three kills in a brief appearance.
Aydin (4-9) lost its fourth in a row, to THY in four. Setter Lauren Carlini had a block and an ace.
Japan
NEC Red Rockets defended its Empress Cup title by beating Hisamitsu Springs in four Dani Drews had 14 kills and a block. McKenzie Adams finished with 16 kills and two blocks for Hisamitsu Springs.
NEC Red Rockets swept JT Marvelous in the semifinals of the Empress Cup. Dani Drews had 15 kills for NEC, while Annie Drews was limited to nine kills for JT Marvelous.
Hisamitsu beat Hitachi in four in the semis as Adams had 17 kills and a block.
Germany
German Cup: Stuttgart advanced to the final of the German Cup after beating Dresdner in four as Krystal Rivers had 22 kills, three blocks and an ace. Grace Frohling led Dresdner with 13 kills, a block and an ace. Tia Jimerson added eight kills and a block.
Potsdam advanced by sweeping Vilsbiburg. Danielle Harbin had nine kills and three blocks for Potsdam. Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 38% positive reception. Serena Bruin had two kills as a substitute for Vilsbiburg.
German League: Dresdner (8-2) won in five and handed Potsdam (6-4) its third league loss in a row. Frohling led Dresdner again, this time with 20 kills and a block. Jimerson had 12 kills, three blocks and an ace. Harbin had 10 kills and four aces as a substitute for Potsdam. Breland Morrissette had four kills, a block, and an ace. Wong-Orantes was credited with 40% positive reception.
Aachen fell to 1-9 as they were swept by league leading Schwerin. Aachen’s Gabby Goddard had eight kills (.615), two aces and a block.
Vilsbiburg (4-5) bounced back from the Cup defeat by sweeping Neuwiedas Bruin had five kills (.833), a block and an ace.
Kayla Haneline and Stuttgart (8-1) won the “Northern Iowa bowl” as they beat fellow alum Jaidyn Blanchfield and Wiesbaden (3-6) in four sets. Alexis Hart was the top scorer for Stuttgart with 16 kills, one block, and an ace. Haneline added two kills as a substitute. Blanchfield led Wiesbaden with 13 kills and two aces. Rachel Anderson contributed three kills.
Suhl (6-4) jumped into the top four of the standings by sweeping Munster (3-7). Julia Brown had 10 kills, two blocks and an ace for Suhl. Eleanor Holthaus finished with four kills, two blocks, and an ace. Gloria Mutiri led Munster with seven kills and an ace. Setter Jenna Ewert added two kills. Libero Zoe Fleck was credited with 55% positive reception and was named silver MVP.
France
Beziers (7-4) won its third in a row by sweeping Cannes (5-7) as Taylor Fricano led with 11 kills (.500) and a block. Serena Gray had seven kills (.600), two blocks and an ace. Claire Hoffman had nine kills and an ace and setter Ella May Powell had three kills. Madelyn Robinson had six kills and two blocks for Cannes.
Nancy (9-2) won its sixth in a row by sweeping TFOC as Haylie Bennett led with 14 kills and a block. Shayla Hoeft had a near perfect day with 11 kills (.769) and just one error. Katelyn Evans had eight kills and two blocks. Breana Runnels finished with four kills. Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres had two kills and a block.
Nanes (10-1) maintained its hold on first by sweeping Mulhouse. Taylor Mims led Nantes with 10 kills, three blocks and an ace. Jaelyn Keene added seven kills (.500) and an ace. Jaali Winters led Mulhouse with nine kills and two aces. Carli Snyder had five kills. Annayka Legros also had five kills to go along with four aces.
Chamalieres (5-6) also won its third in a row by beating Marcq en Baroeul in five. Sabrina Starks was MVP with a match-high five blocks and three kills and an ace. Courtney Buzzerio and Kari Zumach both had nine kills.
Brazil
Osasco (4-2) was upset by Bauru (4-3) in four. Callie Schwarzenbach had six kills, four blocks and an ace for Osasco. Brionne Butler added three kills, two blocks, and an ace.
Poland
Budowlani Lodz (7-4) slipped out of the top four by losing to Bielsko-Biala in five. Mac May led Lodz with 21 kills (.386), two aces and a block.
Women’s pro report: VakifBank loses Club Worlds, but 31 kills for Jordan Thompson Volleyballmag.com.
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