question [PSU v Natl Team 1997]

[pumpkin]

Does anyone remember an exhibition match between the USA Womens National Team vs. Penn St. ? (I think) if I'm not mistaken Penn St. won., I don't remember in how many games cause I never saw the match... Just heard about it, I sure would like to know the Rosters for Both Teams. any ideas

[Pipe Attack]

All i know is that happened in '97. So Penn State would have had Cochran, Anderson, Shoenfeld (sp), Cacciamani, Zemaitis and Bremner. I am not sure who was on the national team at that time ... I'm guessing Allison Weston, Sarah Noriega, Tagaloa ... it was definately a rebuilding year for the national team tho.

Hope that helps some!

[Pipe Attack]

Hope this helps. It's good the VolleyBows website keeps such a great archive .. good job!!! Anyway, here's an article:

U.S. National Team G.M. has eyes for lady spiker standouts
By TODD J. ENGEL
Collegian Sports Writer

As the Penn State women's volleyball team took to the court last night in an exhibition match against the U.S. National Team, Jim Coleman, general manager of the National Team kept a close watch on two Lady Lions.

Middle hitters Terri Zemaitis, who has expressed interest in playing for the National Team, along with Lauren Cacciamani, were under the watchful eye of Coleman.

"They play at a much higher level than our two middle hitters do right now," Coleman said. "They are probably a little bit more explosive. I hope the Penn State players join Team USA in the future."

Val Sterk, a former Michigan State standout, and Mickisha Hurley, a former Div. II player from Barry College, are the two current starters at the middle hitter position for the National Team. Sterk hit .171 in four games played while registering 14 kills. Hurley showed her inexperience of never playing at the level of Penn State in college by recording just four kills in three games.

The exhibition match also gave Coleman a chance to see one of his former players from his coaching days at George Williams College--Penn State coach Russ Rose.

"He was never a great player for me," Coleman said of Rose. "It wasn't until the year after I left he became a good player. He learned the game at a very high level and was a very good team player."

Coleman, who was also a professor at George Williams, was once offered the men's volleyball coaching job in late 1980s, but turned down the offer by Penn State instead to concentrate on something more meaningful.

"I was very honored to be offered a position at Penn State," Coleman said. "I was distinctly torn on whether to take the job, but at that point I decided to stay in teaching rather than coaching."

Continuing on the topic of coaches and their former players, the National Team's setter Salima Davidson was a former star at Penn State under the direction of Rose. Davidson, who played at Penn State from 1991-94, was a three-time, first-team All-American and led the Lady Lions to two first-place finishes in the Big Ten.

After receiving pre-game accolades and a standing ovation from the crowd of over 2,200, Davidson said she was ready for her homecoming at Rec Hall and was not nervous at all.

"I was excited to come back," Davidson said. "I love playing at Rec Hall, I love Penn State and I couldn't wait to get on the court and play again."

This was probably not the reunion Davidson had in mind. Forty hitting errors and an overall hitting percentage of .155 were major contributors to the 3-1 loss at the hands of the Lady Lions.

"I think they played a great match," Davidson said. "They played like Penn State plays and that is just the bottom line."

Penn State enforced the fact they are the best team in the country by defeating the National Team, a concept no one dared to dream of. It should be interesting to see how many current Lady Lions return to Rec Hall as future members of the National Team--a concept they can dream of.

[Pipe Attack]

And another one:

Lady spikers do it again
By VITO FORLENZA
Collegian Sports Writer

After two games of the Penn State women's volleyball team's exhibition match against the U.S. National Team, many figured the score would be 2-0.

But not many would have thought the Lady Lions would be holding the lead.

If that wasn't baffling enough, No. 1 Penn State (15-0) secured the 3-1 (15-8, 15-15, 13-15, 15-12) win by grabbing the fourth game in front of 2,211 fans last night at Rec Hall.

With this victory, coupled with the supremacy earned with past success, the Lady Lions continued their dominance over, what can now be termed, the entire amateur volleyball world.

"We're a good team," Lady Lion coach Russ Rose said. "Whether we're the best in the country doesn't matter -- it was an exhibition match."

However, at times it did not appear to be an exhibition. The Lady Lions frustrated the National Team, causing two members to spike the volleyball at different points in the match.

The first came in the midst of a 10-0 Penn State run in game one, as the Lady Lions looked as if they were pitted against another inferior opponent. Although the National Team strung together the next four points, the Lady Lions protected the lead while scattering five points to grab the first game.

"They played hard and played like Penn State plays," said Team USA setter Salima Davidson, who earned three All-America honors when she played under Rose from 1991-94 at Penn State. "It wasn't anything less than I expected."

In game two, the teams traded scoring runs throughout. Trailing 13-11, the Lady Lions gained possession following a kill by junior opposite hitter Lindsay Anderson. The Lady Lions tied the game at 13 before the teams collectively exchanged possession seven times. The Lady Lions were then handed the next two points on two of National Team's 40 hitting errors. By comparison, the Lady Lions committed 24 errors.

"We had nothing to lose," Rose said. "This was a great team victory. There was a lot of competing in different areas."

That evidence lies in the fact that four Lady Lions were in double digits in the kills column as sophomore setter Bonnie Bremner distributed 56 assists. Sophomore middle hitter Lauren Cacciamani paced Penn State with 18 kills and 11 blocks while outside hitters Carrie Schonveld and Christy Cochran, again had stellar performances.

Sophomore Schonveld notched 14 kills, 16 digs and nine blocks, while Cochran, a junior, posted 14 kills and 14 digs. Senior middle hitter Terri Zemaitis carried much of the remaining burden with 14 kills, 10 digs and 8 blocks.

"They were very powerful," Davidson said. "We've always been a defensive team, but their offense and their blocking was a surprise."

Game three saw the Lady Lions playing catch-up most of the way. The National Team took a 7-3 lead, but Penn State fought back to 7-6. However, the National Team went on another run to take an 11-7 advantage. Again the Lady Lions battled back, but again came up one point short before the National Team took possession and spread the reaming points while swapping possessions with Penn State.

The fourth game resembled game two with the teams trading points along the way. Tied at 12, the Lady Lions took the ball and grabbed a 13-12 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish.

"I knew they were good," Davidson said. "I'm hoping to get some of these players as soon as we can."

[Phaedrus]

So does anyone know what happened to Cacchiamani? I know she got away from volleyball after college but has she ever come back?

[VBCOACH]

phaedrus said:

So does anyone know what happened to Cacchiamani? I know she got away from volleyball after college but has she ever come back?

Lauren is married now, and I think she might have a kid.

[Deleted]

She might have a kid or she might already have a kid?

She's in Sales somewhere, last I saw. But I can't find the info anymore.

[adrimich]

Heres another question, what would happen if the current USNT played 2006 National Champs, Nebraska? Any guesses?

[roy]

adrimich said:

Heres another question, what would happen if the current USNT played 2006 National Champs, Nebraska? Any guesses?

Hard to say. I believe Nebraska played the national team in 2001 (or something close to that) during an exhibition. But I don’t believe when these college teams are playing the national team, that these are the top players the US would chose. I am not completely sure when the international teams complete their seasons, but it always seems like the top players return in the summer to train. I believe these matches are being played during the spring so you’re missing those that are playing internationally.

While the Huskers are very, very good at every position, they just don’t match up with the top players the US would start in a true match. Consider who their counterparts would be. Gates and Stalls are no match for Scott and Bown. Holloway would possibly be setting against Ah Mow. Schwarts against any number of liberos who are training. Not sure about the outsides, but the possibility exists that Pavan may end up seeing someone taller than her blocking on the outside in Haneef.

[Phaedrus]

adrimich said:

Heres another question, what would happen if the current USNT played 2006 National Champs, Nebraska? Any guesses?

Quien es m'as macho? Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalban?

[pumpkin]

So who sets up these matches & how does the Team get chosen ., how often is this Exhibition match happend And who benifits from it as far as $$$ ... Though any D1 school chosen should benifit from the match ( right ) No matter who's on the USA Roster cause they should be some kind of ALL-STARS to be on the team ( right )

[pumpkin]

before i forget, thanks for the info guy's...