STANFORD, Calif. – Highlighted by a gold medal win at the Pan American Cup for the U.S. Women's National Team and a runner-up finish in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League for the U.S. Men, several current and former Cardinal players have been in action for the United States this summer.
Senior Kathryn Plummer helped guide the U.S. to its third straight Pan Am Cup championship in Trujillo, Peru. The U.S. swept Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico in its first three matches before defeating Puerto Rico in four sets to conclude pool play.
Plummer and the women's national team again defeated Colombia in straight sets in the semifinals. In the finals, the U.S. swept the Dominican Republic with a 29-27 third-set victory to seal the gold medal.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Stanford alums Erik and Kawika Shoji helped lead the U.S. Men's National Team to a silver medal in the VNL final after dropping a four-set match to Russia. The U.S. advanced to the gold-medal match with a thrilling five-set comeback win over Brazil on Saturday. Erik Shoji was named the tournament's Best Libero.
Stanford also had representatives on both the men's and women's U.S. Collegiate National teams, which wrapped up play at the World University Games over the weekend.
Seniors Audriana Fitzmorris and Madeleine Gates and junior Meghan McClure aided the women's squad to a 4-2 record and a ninth-place finish with a sweep over Switzerland in Naples, Italy. It marked the second time in the last three Summer Universiades the U.S. finished ninth and won the tournament's consolation bracket.
On the men's side, juniors Jaylen Jasper, Kyler Presho and the U.S. took 16th in Naples. After starting the tournament 2-0, the U.S. dropped its final four matches. Host country Italy captured gold, while Poland was second and Russia finished third.
On the beach, Cardinal alumnae Alix Klineman and partner April Ross won the Gstaad Five Star Tournament in Switzerland on Sunday. The pair had to battle back from down 0-1 to defeat Brazil's Carolina Solberg and Maria Antonelli, 15-21, 21-17, 15-12. In fact, it marked the fourth straight match Klineman and Ross had dropped the opening set in the tournament, but fought back for the victory. It was the third FIVB World Tour victory for the duo during the 2019 season to go with Itapema, Brazil and Yangzhou, China.
Still in action, incoming freshman Kendall Kipp is playing with the U.S. Junior National Team at the FIVB Women's U20 World Championship in Aguascalientes, Mexico. With a sweep over Cuba on Sunday, the squad has advanced to the second stage of pool play which begins on Tuesday.
