Aug. 10, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Former Penn State women's volleyball player Nicole Fawcett continued play with the U.S. Women's National Team over the weekend in FIVB Grand Prix pool play. The U.S. women finished with a 1-2 record in Pool D and are 2-4 overall heading into the third and final round of pool play Aug. 14-16 in Thailand.
The U.S. opened Pool D play with a 3-2 (25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 21-25, 23-21) victory against the Dominican Republic on Aug. 7 in Miao Lie in Chinese Taipei. Fawcett contributed four points on three kills and one block.
On Aug. 8, the U.S. women faced the Netherlands, but were unable to win the tiebreaker suffering a 3-2 (25-12, 22-25, 16-25, 25-20, 15-13) loss. Fawcett started the final three sets and led the U.S. women with 14 points off 12 kills, one block and one ace.
The U.S. concluded Pool D play in a rematch with Germany who they faced in their first 2009 World Grand Prix match. Germany swept the U.S., 3-0. Fawcett, who started at opposite for head coach Hugh McCutcheon, tallied six points with two kills and four blocks.
Fawcett, and teammate Christa Harmotto who is also a member of the U.S. Women's National Team, were four-year members of the Penn State women's volleyball team under head coach Russ Rose. Fawcett, a four-time All-American, and Harmotto, a three-time All-American, helped guide the Nittany Lions to back-to-back NCAA National Titles in their final two seasons at PSU.
Schedule and Results for U.S. Women's National Team
Pool A - at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Maracanazihno Gym)
July 31: Germany def. USA, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16
Aug. 1: USA def. Puerto Rico, 21-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-14, 15-13
Aug. 2: Brazil def. USA 25-18, 25-22, 25-13
Pool D - at Miao Lie, Chinese Taipei (Miao Lie Country Gymnasium)
Aug. 7: USA def. Dominican Republic, 25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 21-25, 23-21
Aug. 8: Netherlands def. USA, 25-12, 22-25, 16-25, 25-20, 15-13
Aug. 9: Germany def. USA, 25-22, 25-18, 27-25
Pool I - at Bangkok, Thailand (Keelawes Gym)
Aug. 14: vs. Russia, 2 p.m.
Aug. 15: vs. Puerto Rico, 2 p.m.
Aug. 16: vs. Thailand, 4:30 p.m.