This is our weekly update on USA women playing professional volleyball around the world. Most of the players are former NCAA standouts:
Milano and Imoco Coneliano continue to play in the semfinals, which means a USA-loaded matches including Dana Rettke, Kara Bajema, Katheryn Plummer, Khalia Lanier and Kelsey Robinson Cook.
Milano swept Fenerbahce in one semifinal series, as Rettke had three kills and a block and Bajema appeared as a blocking substitute.
Imoco Conegliano needed a reverse sweep to overcome Eczacibasi as Plummer was Conegliano’s second-top scorer with 15 kills and an ace. Lanier came off the bench to have 10 kills and an ace and Cook started the first two sets, finishing with two kills.
Chieri and Avery Skinner are one step closer after sweeping NUC Viteos in the first match of the finals series. Skinner had 10 kills (hitting .426) and three blocks for Chieri. Madi Kingdon Rushel added seven kills. Tia Scambray of NUC Viteos was the top scorer 19 kills (.457). Madeline Haynes had seven kills and two blocks. Tessa Grubbs added six kills, while Jasmine Gross had four kills and a block.
Conegliano (25-0) is one game away from a perfect regular season after sweeping Pinerolo (11-14). Plummer and Cook were both top scorers for Conegliano had 15 points each. Plummer had 14 kills (.636) and a block and Cook had 12 kills, two blocks and an ace. Lanier added one kill as part of a double sub with setter Madi Bugg.
Firenze’s (10-15) playoff hopes were dashed in a four-set loss to Milano (21-4). Bajema had a match-high five aces, five kills and a block for and Rettke did not play. Kendall Kipp led Firenze with 13 kills, three aces, and two blocks.
Simone Lee helped Casalmaggiore (10-15) keep its playoff hopes alive by upsetting Vallefoglia (11-14) in four sets. Lee had 19 kills (.421) and two blocks. Micha Hancock set for Casalmaggiore, finishing with one kill, a block and an ace.
Trentino (3-21), although already relegated, played spoiler to Busto Arsizio (7-18), beating the Butterflies in four sets as Carly DeHoog had a match-high 19 kills.
Haleigh Washington was named MVP as Scandicci (21-4) swept Roma (11-14). Washington had seven kills (.700), six blocks and two aces. Lindsey Ruddins added 12 kills. Courtney Schwan contributed three kills for Roma.
Chieri (14-11) swept Cuneo (7-18). Kingdon had nine kills but Skinner did not play. Anna Stevenson-Hall had six kills and an ace for Cuneo. Madi Kubik added a kill as a substitute.
Jordan Thompson led VakifBank (23-2) in its quest for a top playoff seed with 14 kills, two blocks and two aces in a win over Kuzeyboru (17-9). Ali Frantti added 12 kills and two blocks. Sarah Parsons was Kuzeyboru’s top scorer with 12 kills and two blocks.
Logan Eggleston’s hot form continued as she powered Galatasaray (14-12) to its fourth straight win, a sweep of Muratpasa (11-15) in both teams’ final regular-season match. Eggleston was the top scorer with 17 kills (.438), a block, and an ace. Danielle Cuttino added three kills and a block as a substitute. Stephanie Samedy led Muratpasa with 12 kills and two blocks and Micaya White had 12 kills and an ace.
PTT (6-20) ended its season with relegation by losing to Eczacibasi (23-2) in four sets. Payton Caffrey led PTT with 15 kills and a block.
Aydin (8-18) and setter Lauren Carlini finished their season by getting swept by THY (19-7). Carlini had two blocks.
Dresden finished the intermediate round in Group A with a four-set win over Potsdam and Tia Jimerson was gold MVP after getting 18 kills (.640), two blocks and an ace. Grace Frohling added 17 kills and a block. Potsdam’s Danielle Harbin had three kills and Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 40% positive reception.
Suhl upset Schwerin in the last match of the round. Jenny Moser finished with 17 kills and two aces for Suhl and Julia Brown had 14 kills and a block.
Zoe Fleck was MVP as Munster beat Vilsbiburg in four sets. Fleck was credited with 10% positive reception. Gloria Mutiri was Munster’s top scorer with 17 kills. Setter Jenna Ewert had one kill and a block.
Wiesbaden closed out the regular season with a four-set win over Aachen and Rachel Anderson was named MVP ffor having eight kills, a block and an ace. Jaidyn Blanchfield added eight kills. Gabby Goddard finished her first professional season with 10 kills and an ace for Aachen.
The Bundesliga playoff pairings will be have top-seeded Schwerin vs. No. 8 Schwerin, second-seeded Stuttgart vs. Munster, third-seeded Dresden against Wiesbadan and fourth-seeded Potsdam playing Suhl.
Mulhouse improved to 17-6 by beating Chamalieres (8-15) in four sets as Carli Synder had nine kills and two blocks and Jaali Winters chipped in six kills. Sabrina Starks had four kills and two blocks for Chamalieres.
Nantes (20-3) was beaten by Volero Le Cannet (16-7) in their penultimate regular-season match. Mims had 14 kills, two blocks and two aces and Keene added six kills and three blocks.
Nancy (18-6) finished the regular season with a five-set victory over Beziers (13-10) and Katelyn Evans was named MVP after having 22 kills, five blocks and an ace. Haylie Bennett added with 19 kills and three blocks and Breana Runnels had six kills, two blocks and an ace. Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres had four kills, a block and an ace. Claire Hoffman led Beziers with 18 kills, four aces and a block. Serena Gray had 13 kills and one block.
SESC RJ (18-2) clinched the top seed in the playoffs by sweeping Praia Clube (15-5) behind Roni Jones-Perry, who had 11 kills and four blocks.
Osasco (17-3) earned a key win in its bid to earn a top playoff seed, overcoming Minas (13-7) in five sets as Brionne Butler had 10 kills (.909) and five blocks. Callie Schwarzenbach added three kills, two aces and a block. Minas setter Jenna Gray had two kills and a block.
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