Women’s pro volleyball: Conegliano tops Milano; big weeks for Payne, Mims

This is our weekly update on USA women playing professional volleyball around the world. Most of the players are former NCAA standouts:

The big battle between Conegliano and Milano came in the second round of the week in Italy as the unbeatens faced off, in Türkiye, Kelsey Payne had 48 kills in her two matches, and Taylor Mims had a huge week for Nantes in France.

Italy 

Conegliano (9-0) handed Milano (7-1) its first loss 25-14, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16. Kathryyn Plummer was the second top scorer for Conegliano with 14 kills and an ace. Kelsey Cook was limited to four kills. Jordan Thompson led Milano (7-1) with 15 kills in the defeat.

As the week began, Thompson was top scorer and MVP as Milano had a 23-25, 25-21, 20-25, 26-24,15-8 victory over Scandicci. Thompson had 20 kills and a block. Dana Rettke saw limited action as a blocking substitute. Haleigh Washington had 10 kills (hitting .471), two aces, and one block for Scandicci.

Chieri’s hot start continued as by beating Busto Arsizio 25-14, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18. Brionne Butler earned her first league start and she had six kills (.750) and two blocks. Busto Arsizo setter Carli Lloyd had three kills.

Cuneo won its third in a row by sweeping Macerata 25-22, 25-16, 25-20. Anna Stevenson Hall had four blocks and six kills. Reserve Dani Drews added a kill and a block. Symone Abbott had seven kills for Macerata.

Firenze broke its losing streak with a sweep over a short-handed Vallefoglia (25-20, 25-17, 25-11). Rhamat Alhassan added six kills (.667) and two blocks for Firenze. Micha Hancock had a kill, an ace, and a block for Vallefoglia.

Bergamo swept Perugia 25-21, 25-22, 25-13 as Khalia Lanier had seven kills and one block for Bergamo while Mac May came in as a passing substitute. Tori Dilfer set for Perugia and added a kill. Stephanie Samedy was limited to only one kill.

Novara avoided an upset to Casalmaggiore 26-24, 23-25, 25-27, 25-13, 15-8. Jordyn Poulter led Novara with four aces while also adding a kill and a block. Ali Frantti was the top scorer for Casalmaggiore with 20 kills and an ace. Lauren Carlini added a kill, block, and an ace.

Conegliano proved to be too much for Pinerolo 25-21, 25-20, 25-12. Plummer had 10 kills, four blocks, and two aces and Cook added 10 kills.

In the second round of the week, Casalmaggiore bounced back with a 25-16, 25-22, 19-25, 27-25 win over Macerata and Frantti was top scorer again with 20 kills (.455) a one block. Carlini added two kills and two blocks for Casalmaggiore (3-5). Abbott had 12 kills and an ace for Macerata (1-7).

Novara (7-2) swept Firenze 25-19, 25-23, 25-22 as Poulter had a kill and a block for Novara. Alhassan had four kills and two blocks for Firenze (3-5).

Scandicci topped Chieri 21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-23. Washington came off the bench to add four kills and a match-high four blocks for Scandicci (6-2). Butler started again and had seven kills, two blocks, and an ace for Chieri (6-2).

Cuneo pulled off the reverse sweep to win its fourth match in a row, beating Perugia 24-26, 24-26, 25-19, 25-20, 15-11. Drews was named MVP as she came off the bench for Cuneo (4-4) to have 10 kills and three aces. Stevenson-Hall contributed four kills, one ace, and a block. Samedy led Perugia (2-6) with 20 kills, a block, and an ace. Dilfer added three blocks, a block, and an ace.

Bergamo beat Vallefoglia 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21. Lanier was the top scorer for Bergamo (4-4) with 14 kills and a block. Mac May came off the bench to contribute eight kills. Hancock led Vallefoglia (3-5) with five aces and a kill. Merete Lutz came off the bench to add two blocks and a kill.

Türkiye

THY quickly dispatched Cukurova 25-19, 25-17, 25-22 as Madi Kingdon was second top scorer for THY with nine kills (.400), two aces, and a block.

Nilufer battled past Sariyer 25-22, 22-25, 25-16, 25-22 and Sherridan Atkinson was the second top scorer for Nilufer with12 kills and three blocks.

Kuzeyboru beat Bolu 25-18, 27-25, 14-25, 25-13 as Annie Mitchem had 18 kills and an ace. Tori Dixon had eight kills, two aces and a block for Bolu.

SigortaShop avoided a reverse sweep against Aydin 25-17, 25-17, 15-25, 23-25, 15-13. Kelsey Payne was top scorer yet again with 26 kills (.400), two aces, and a block.

In the second round of matches, Cukurkova extended Bolu’s winless streak 25-21, 25-21, 25-22 and Dixon was limited to two kills and two blocks.

VakifBank bounced back to sweep Nilufer (26-24, 25-21, 25-13). Kara Bajema led with 11 kills (.400), three aces, and a block. Chiaka Ogbogu added eight kills. Atkinson added two kills and two blocks in a substitute appearance.

THY ended with a sweep over Sariyer. Kingdon led with 13 kills (.400), a block, and an ace.

Kuzeyboru finished with a 27-25, 29-31, 25-21, 25-19 win over SigortaShop. Payne was top scorer for SigortaShop again as she had 22 kills and a block. Mitchem did not score any points in a brief appearance.

France 

Nantes began the week with a 25-17, 16-25, 25-17, 25-20 win over Venelles as Taylor Mims was had 19 kills and two blocks. Jaelyn Keene added seven kills and two blocks. Katelyn Evans was top scorer for Venelles with 16 kills and an ace. Setter August Raskie added three kills.

TFOC swept Beziers 25-14, 25-18, 25-20. Taylor Fricano led with 14 kills, two blocks, and an ace. Shannon Scully added nine kills (.429), two aces, and a block. Scully and Kendall White combined to receive 75% positive in the match. Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 63% positive reception for Beziers. Avery Skinner made her return from injury as she had five kills in just one set. Madison Lilley added two blocks while Blake Mohler had four kills and a block.

Cannes beat Nancy 25-17, 26-24, 25-23 as Carli Snyder had 12 kills and a block. Jenna Gray added two blocks as did Claire Felix, who also had five kills. Madeleine Gates was limited to two kills, a block and an ace. Lauren Page and Shayla Hoeft both had five kills for Nancy.

In the second round of the week, Nancy pulled off its biggest win of the season by beating Volero Le Cannet 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21. Annakya Legros was second top scorer for Nancy with 10 kills (.714), five blocks and an ace. Page added five kills.

Cannes powered past France 2024 25-13, 25-13, 25-11. Snyder had four kills and a block in one set. Gates contributed four kills and two blocks while Gray had two kills, two blocks, and an ace. Felix did not play.

TFOC’s outstanding start continued by beating Venelles 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. Fricano had 11 kills and two blocks while Scully added 10 kills and an ace. Former USC middle blocker and Canadian international Alicia Ogoms was MVP as she had 11 kills, eight blocks, and an ace. Samantha Dreschel returned to the starting lineup for Venelles and had 11 kills. Evans had five kills in a reserve role.

Nantes extended Beziers’ slump 25-22, 25-20, 15-25, 25-15. Mims was named MVP as she had 23 kills, a block, and an ace. Keene was the top server with four aces while also adding four kills. Alli Stumler had one kill and a block in a substitute appearance. Skinner had 16 kills and one block for Beziers in the defeat. Blake Mohler was limited to two kills, one ace, and a block. Wong-Orantes was credited with 64% positive reception.

Germany

Simone Lee was MVP as Stuttgart (4-0) swept Schwerin 26-24, 26-24, 25-19. Lee had 14 kills, a block and an ace. Krystal Rivers added 11 kills and a block. Lindsey Ruddins led Schwerin (3-1) with 11 kills and a block.

Image (Lee with NED’s Indy Baijens): https://www.volleyball-bundesliga.de/uploads/8ba3fedd-b28f-44aa-a9a0-3166268ecdc5-600×686/20221119-BM8_4931.jpg
Source: Volleyball Bundesliga

Japan

JT Marvelous and Toyota Autobody Queenseis split their weekend series.
Queenseis took the first match 26-28, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12 as Danielle Cuttino led with 27 kills and three blocks. Karsta Lowe had 20 kills and an ace for JT Marvelous.
JT Marvelous then bounced back 25-19, 25-23, 25-21 as Lowe had 20 kills (.556), two blocks and an ace. Cuttino had 16 kills and an ace in the defeat.

Hitachi Rivale also split with Ageo. Ageo won the first 25-22, 25-13, 24-26, 25-17 as Hannah Tapp was limited to five kills and a block for Hitachi. Hitachi won the rematch 25-16, 25-14, 28-26 and Tapp had a match-high four blocks to go with five kills and an ace.

Greece

Olympiacos won its fifth in a row, sweeping Markopoulo 25-15, 25-14, 25-21. Jaali Winters had seven kills, a block and an ace for Olympiacos (5-1). Audriana Fitzmorris was top scorer for Markopoulo (4-2) with 12 kills, a block, and an ace. Teammate Madison Smith added four kills.

PAOK (6-0) beat Aris 25-18, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20. Payton Caffrey, who played the first two sets, had five kills, two blocks, and an ace.

Adora Anae was top scorer with 19 kills as Panathinaikos (4-2) swept ZAON 25-11, 25-20, 25-22.

AEK overcame ASP Thetis 23-25, 25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 15-10 as Becca Latham led Thetis with 14 kills, two blocks and an ace. Mariena Hayden added 12 kills, two aces, and a block. Leah Hardeman contributed 13 kills and two blocks for Thetis (2-4).

Brazil

Roni Jones-Perry was named MVP as SESC-RJ swept Brasilia. Jones-Perry led SESC-RJ with 18 points on 13 kills, three blocks and two aces.

Osasco stormed past Sao Caetano 22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-13, 16-14. Micaya White had seven kills, a block and an ace.

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