Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 4, 2007) – Tayyiba
Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) scored 22 points
as the seventh-ranked U.S. Women’s National
Volleyball Team upset top-ranked Russia 25-23, 25-
22, 25-13 on the second day of the 2007 FIVB World
Grand Prix on Friday at Rzeszow, Poland. Team USA
continues Group C preliminary matches versus China
on Sunday at 9 a.m. MT.
The U.S. recovered from first-set deficits of 12-8 and
20-18 to come back to win 25-23. Team USA carried
the momentum into the second set by starting with a
6-1 lead en route to winning 25-22. The U.S. bolted to
a 9-1 lead in the third set and Russia did not come
closer than six points the rest of the way as the
Americans won 25-13.
Haneef-Park scored her 22 points via 19 kills on 30
swings, two blocks and an ace. She added five digs in
the victory. Kimberly Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) added 11
points on eight kills, two aces and a block. She turned
in nine excellent serve receptions on 15 attempts to
go with four digs. Katie Wilkins (Lakeside, Calif.)
turned in 10 points on five kills, four blocks and an
ace, while Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.)
down seven kills with an ace and block for nine
points. Jennifer Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) charted six
points on three kills, two blocks and an ace. Cassie
Busse (Prior Lake, Minn.) totaled two kills in a reserve
role.
Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (Honolulu) directed the U.S.
offense to a .388 attack percentage and .518 kill
efficiency (44 kills, 11 errors, 85 attacks) with 22
assists and a team-leading seven digs. Nicole Davis
(Stockton, Calif.) contributed five digs and seven
excellent service receptions on 15 attempts without an
error.
The U.S. held the defensive edge with a 10-4
advantage over Russia in the blocking department
and a 26-16 advantage in digs. The U.S. also held a 6-
2 margin in service aces. Team USA totaled 44 kills to
Russia’s 32.
Lang Ping started Ah Mow-Santos at setter, Scott-
Arruda and Joines at middle blocker, Wilkins and
Glass at outside hitter hitter, and Haneef-Park at
opposite. Davis is the designated libero for the Group
C portion of the World Grand Prix schedule. Candace
Lee (Eugene, Ore.) entered as a sub in the first two
sets. Busse came off the bench in the first two sets.
Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) entered the match
as a sub in the first set.
Elena Godina topped the Russians with 10 points, all
on kills. Ekaterina Gamova added eight kills and an
ace for nine points. No other Russian player totaled
more than five points in the match.
Poland hosts China at noon MT to conclude today’s
Pool C matches. In Pool A, Cuba swept Kazakhstan
25-17, 25-17, 25-14 and Japan dominated Dominican
Republic 25-19, 25-11, 25-22. In Pool B, Brazil faces
Chinese Taipei today followed by Italy hosting
Netherlands in Verona.
After concluding Group C matches this weekend,
Team USA travels to Khabarovsk, Russia, the
following weekend for matches against Cuba on Aug.
10, Russia on Aug. 11 and Kazakhstan on Aug. 12.
The U.S. closes out the preliminary round at Macau,
China, with contests against China on Aug. 17, Cuba
on Aug. 18 and Netherlands on Aug. 19.
The top five teams in addition to Finals Round host
China advance for the chance for the Grand Prix title in
Ningbo, China. A round-robin format will declare the
champion.
Russia scored three straight points to break a 4-all tie
in the opening moments of the first set. Scott-Arruda
and Glass turned in a block and kill, respectively, to
close the deficit to 8-7. Joines added a kill to tie the
set at 8-all. However, Russia pushed its lead back to
four points at 12-8. Glass scored a kill at 12-10 to cut
the deficit in half. Haneef-Park started a 3-0 run with a
kill followed by a Wilkins block and Glass ace to tie
the set at 13-all. Trailing 15-14, the U.S. scored four
unanswered points on two Haneef-Park kills and an
ace, along with a Wilkins kill to go into the lead 18-15.
However, Russia again battled back with a 4-0 run to
regain a 20-18 advantage. Team USA responded with
a two straight points including a Scott-Arruda block
tying the score at 20-all. The U.S. gained a 23-22 lead
as Glass and Busse connected for consecutive kills.
The U.S. won the set 25-23 on back-to-back Russia
errors. Haneef-Park scored seven points in the
opening set, while Glass contributed five.
The U.S. opened strong in the second set with a 4-0
lead on the strength of a Haneef-Park, a Glass ace
and two Russian errors. Team USA increased the
advantage to five points at 6-1 after a Scott-Arruda
block. Russia cut into the deficit at 6-3 on back-to-
back points. The U.S. regained a five-point cushion at
11-6 after a Glass kill and Joines block. Team USA
extended the advantage to six points at 13-7 after
Wilkins followed a Haneef-Park kill with a block.
Russia closed to within three at 17-14 on a 4-1 run,
then inched to within two at 19-17. However, Haneef-
Park and Joines connected for back-to-back points to
give the U.S. a 21-17 lead. Haneef-Park slammed
consecutive kills to give Team USA four set points at
24-20. After Russia saved two set points, Scott-Arruda
closed the set at 25-22 on a kill. Haneef-Park
contributed eight points in the second set, while Scott-
Arruda added five points on all kills.
After the third set was tied at 1-1, Team USA scored
eight unanswered points to take a commanding 9-1
advantage. Haneef-Park started the run with a block
and kill, which was followed by two Russia miscues.
Scott-Arruda put the U.S. up 7-1, and Wilkins followed
with two blocks. Team USA increased the gap to 10
points at 13-3 as Glass turned in a kill after a Wilkins
ace and Russia error. Russia cut the deficit down to
eight at 16-8, but the double-digit lead returned at 20-
10 as Glass put down a back-row kill followed by
another Russia error. Scott-Arruda turned in
consecutive points on a kill and ace to place the U.S.
ahead by 11 at 22-11. Haneef-Park closed the match
on consecutive kills at 25-13. She finished the set with
seven points, while Wilkins added five points.
