Women's U20 Team to Play for Fifth Place after Loss to Netherlands

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 15, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s U20 Team will play for fifth place at the FIVB U20 World Championship after falling to Netherlands on Thursday, 3-2 (25-15, 25-22, 21-25, 21-25, 15-10) in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The U20 Team (4-2) will join Brazil (2-4),

Dominican Republic (2-4) and Poland (3-3) in the fifth-place bracket, which begins on Saturday. Game times and opponents have not yet been announced.

A slow start hurt the U20 Team against Netherlands much as it did the day before against Russia.

“We came out and our offense wasn’t firing, and Netherlands came out and their offense was firing on all levels,” U.S. outside hitter Allison Jacobs said. “We couldn’t get on that jump right away. Eventually we did get firing, but it was too late to win the first set. By the time the second set rolled around, we were firing. Then it became a battle at that point.”

Netherlands held the edge in kills (60-58) and blocks (15-6). The U.S. led in aces (7-6) and the teams each had 26 scoring errors.

Opposite Emily Londot led the U.S. scoring with 19 points on a team-high 17 kills and two blocks. Jacobs added 13 points on 10 kill and a team-high three blocks. Middle blocker Caroline Crawford finished with 10 points on seven kills, one block and two aces.

Backup opposite Lindsay Krause totaled eight points on eight kills. Outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, who started the first three sets, scored seven points on five kills and two aces.

Outside hitter Jordan Middleton, who started the fourth and fifth sets for Batenhorst, scored six points on five kills and one ace. Middle blocker Reagan Hope and setter Kami Miner each scored four points on three kills and one ace. Miner and backup setter Averi Carlson combined to set the U.S. to a .285 hitting efficiency. Netherlands hit .385.

The U20 Team has set a new goal for the final matches of the tournament.

“We have to reset,” Jacobs said. “We have to change our mentality because fifth in the world sounds a lot better than sixth, seventh and eighth in the world.

“It hurts really bad right now. But we do have a new goal.”