Former Huskers Help Team USA to Pan Am Cup Medal

Tijuana, Mexico - A pair of former Huskers helped the U.S. Women's National team to its first Pan American Cup medal since 2004, as the U.S. defeated Cuba, 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 sweep of Cuba in the bronze-medal match of the IX Pan American Cup being held in Tijuana, Mexico.

Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) totaled seven kills on 20 attacks, one block and an ace for nine points, while also added six digs and nine excellent receptions on 16 attempts. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) contributed seven points with five kills, one block and an ace to help Team USA to its first medal at the event since taking silver in 2004.

"Our main goal was to qualify to the World Grand Prix, but it was good to see our team coming back strong after the loss of last night (to Dominican Republic)", U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. "We are happy with the victory and happy about going to the Grand Prix next year."

Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored 16 points to lead Team USA in scoring against Cuba.

In the process, Team USA earned its first medal at the Pan American Cup since 2004. The U.S. medaled in the first three Women's Pan American Cups, starting with a bronze in the inaugural event in 2002, the gold in 2003 and the silver in 2004. Since then, Team USA had not reached the podium in the five most recent events.

Team USA used a 5-0 scoring run to assume a 15-11 advantage in the opening set and closed out the with a 10-point victory at 25-15. Trailing 13-12 in the second set, the U.S. used a 6-1 scoring run to reverse the lead for the fifth time in the set and put enough distance between it and Cuba to win 25-20. The Americans methodically inched to a 15-11 advantage in the third set and went on to win 25-17 as Cuba scored on its own serve three times. For the entire match, the U.S. committed just seven errors to Cuba's 27.

For the second straight tournament this June, the U.S. played NORCECA rival Cuba. Team USA also defeated Cuba in straight sets on June 12 during the semifinals of the Montreux Volley Masters in Montreux, Switzerland, before falling to China in four sets during the gold-medal match on June 13. Last year, Cuba defeated the U.S. twice at the NORCECA Continental Championship, rallying from a two-set deficit both times. At the 2008 Olympic Games, Cuba swept the U.S. in pool play before the Americans defeated the Cubans in three sets during the Olympic semifinals.

By virtue of reaching the semifinals and being guaranteed as one of the top three finishing NORCECA teams at the Pan American Cup, the U.S. has already qualified for the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix. Peru, as the top South American team in the Pan American Cup, will join the top three NORCECA teams (Dominican Republic, USA, Cuba) at next year's 12-team FIVB World Grand Prix.

Hodge scored her match-high 16 points via 14 kills on 30 swings, one block and an ace. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) chipped in five kills on 11 errorless attacks to go with a match-high five blocks for 11 total points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) was credited with three blocks and a kill for four points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with two kills.

Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) paced the USA defense with seven digs and a team-best nine excellent reception attempts on 12 attempts.

McCutcheon started Glass at setter, Metcalf at opposite, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, and Larson and Hodge at outside hitter. Sykora was the designated libero for the match.

The U.S. out-blocked Cuba 11-6 and held a 3-1 advantage in aces. Cuba managed a slim 38-34 margin in kills and a 21-20 edge in digs. Team USA converted 39.5 percent of its attacks into points with a .302 hitting efficiency (34-8-86). Cuba converted 36.5 percent of its attacks into kills, but mustered just .173 hitting efficiency (38-20-104) with its 20 attack errors.

"We were neutralized at the net like it was the case yesterday," Cuban Head Coach Juan Carlos Gala said. "Our game was yesterday or maybe after securing the qualification to the Grand Prix our intensity was not the same. But anyway, USA was the better team on court today."

Cuba's Kenia Carcaces Opon scored a team-high 13 points in the loss with 11 kills, a block and ace. Yanelis Santos Allegne added nine points for Cuba.

The U.S. reached the Pan American Cup semifinals with five consecutive days of victories starting June 18 with a key 27-25, 25-22, 25-17 victory over Peru, which went on to win its next four matches. On June 19, the Americans blanked Puerto Rico 25-13, 25-17, 25-14. Last year, the U.S. defeated Puerto Rico in pool play during the Pan American Cup, only to have Puerto Rico come back for the upset over the Americans in the bronze-medal match. Team USA continued to gather steam with a 25-17, 25-9, 25-11 victory over surprising Trinidad & Tobago, which won its first two matches of the tournament (and its four-year history competing in the event). The U.S. dominated its fourth match against Costa Rica on June 21, winning 25-11, 25-10, 25-2. In its final pool match on June 22, the Americans topped Mexico 25-14, 25-16, 25-15 in front of 2,500 fans. During the semifinals, the U.S. lost to Dominican Republic 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-16.

The U.S. scored five unanswered points to take a 6-2 lead in the opening set, thanks to a Larson kill and ace, and kills from Hodge and Metcalf. Team USA went into the first technical timeout leading 8-3 after a Bown block followed a Cuba service error. Cuba came out of the break with four consecutive points to whittle the deficit to one point at 8-7. Cuba tied the set at 10-all with back-to-back points, then went into the lead at 11-10. Team USA reversed the lead to itself at 12-11 with a Metcalf kill coming after a Cuba service error. Larson extended the lead with a block and Cuba hit wide at 14-11. Larson scored the fifth straight USA point with a kill at 15-11. The Americans increased its advantage to 17-12 after a Cuban error followed a Larson kill. The U.S. lead reached six points at 19-13 with consecutive Cuba errors, then Akinradewo followed with a block to send the margin to seven at 20-13. The Americans continued the pressure with an Akinradewo kill and Cuba error at 22-14. Team USA reached set point on a Hodge kill at 24-15, then Cuba hit long to end the set at 25-15. Larson scored five points for the U.S. in the opening set.

The U.S. assumed a 3-1 lead in the second set after a Cuba error, Hodge kill and Bown block gave the Americans three straight points. Cuba tied the set at 3-all with an ace and gained the lead back at 7-6 on a U.S. error. Cuba stretched its lead to 9-7 with points on each side of the technical timeout. The Americans tied the score at 9-all with a kill and ace from Larson. Hodge put up a block after a Cuba service error to yield an 11-10 USA lead, then Metcalf added another block to extend the advantage to 12-10. Cuba quickly ran off three unanswered points to regain the lead at 13-12. Team USA responded with a Metcalf kill and took back the lead at 14-13 with a Cuba error. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout with a Hodge kill and Bown block to gain a two-point cushion at 16-14. Out of the break, Bown slammed an overpass for a kill and added a block to increase the American advantage to 18-14 forcing Cuba to call timeout. Team USA gained a five-point edge on the scoreboard after a Cuba error and Larson kill at 21-16. Cuba cut into the gap with a 4-1 scoring run to close to 22-20 and forcing two quick USA timeouts. The U.S. picked up set points after a Cuba error and Bown block at 24-20. Hodge ended the set at 25-20 on the next point, a cross-court kill. Hodge paced the U.S. in the second set with eight point while Team USA scored five blocks.

The Americans took a 5-3 advantage as Bown started a 3-0 scoring run with a kill followed by a Hodge ace and Cuba error. Cuba came back to tie the set at 6-all. Team USA answered with a Larson kill and Akinradewo block going into the first technical timeout leading 8-6. Cuba battled back to tie the set at 9-all with back-to-back points. Hodge and Metcalf collected back-to-back kills to put the U.S. back in front by two at 11-9. Team USA extended its advantage to 14-10 with two Hodge kills around a Metcalf ace leading to a Cuba timeout. Out of the break, Glass sent a second touch over to Cuba for a kill at 15-10. The U.S. gained a six-point lead at 17-11 with kills from Bown and Larson. Cuba cut into its deficit with back-to-back points at 18-14. Team USA responded with an Akinradewo block after a Cuba error to resume a six-point lead at 20-14. The Americans stretched their advantage to 22-15 with a Metcalf kill and Cuba error. The U.S. finished the set at 25-17 after Cuba committed a service and attack error on consecutive points. Hodge scored six of her points during the third set.