USA women sweep Costa Rica to begin NORCECA Championships

by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications

Danielle Scott scored a match-high 15 points to lead three players in double figures as the USA women's national volleyball team opened play in the 2003 NORCECA Zone Championships with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica at the Pabellon de Voleibol at Olympic Park in the Dominican Republic.

Scott (Baton Rouge, La.) had 12 kills, three service aces and a hitting percentage of .857 (12 kills, zero errors, 14 attempts) in the 25-11, 25-11, 25-19 victory that boosted the United States to a 1-0 record in Pool B.

"It is a fairly good start for us," said Team USA head coach Toshi Yoshida. "We did OK considering it was our first match."

The United States, which has not played since Aug. 3 at the World Grand Prix, was originally scheduled to play Mexico on Sunday afternoon to begin the tournament, but the Mexican team withdrew from the tournament earlier in the week.

Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and one ace, while Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) added 10 points on seven kills, two aces and one block in the win.

Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Keba Phipps (Las Vegas, Nev.) scored nine points apiece, while Tayyiba Haneef (Laguna Hills, Calif.) chipped in with six points for the Americans, who hit .569 as a team and improved their season record to 17-9.

Setter Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (Honolulu, Hawaii), who gave birth to a son earlier this year, played in her first match in more than a year and scored one point in guiding her team to victory.

Next up for Team USA is a Tuesday night showdown with Cuba (1-0) for the top spot in Pool B. The winner automatically advances to the tournament semifinals, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18.

The teams ranked second and third at the conclusion of pool play will play cross-over matches on Sept. 17 (2A vs. 3B, 2B vs. 3A), with the winners advancing to the semifinals and the losers doing battle for fifth place on Sept. 18.

The third-place match and the championship match will take place on Friday, Sept. 19.

The NORCECA Championship is crucial because it serves as a qualifier to the first Olympic qualifier, the World Cup, which is scheduled for Nov. 1-15 in Japan. The top three teams at the World Cup automatically qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

The top two teams at the NORCECA championship earn a winter trip to Japan and a shot at qualifying for the Olympics a full nine months before the Games begin.

For more information, go to the USA Volleyball web site.