GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA | Jordyn Poulter again made the most of her trip to play volleyball abroad.
The Eaglecrest High School senior-to-be setter had yet another outstanding international volleyball tournament, as she helped the United States’ Women’s Junior National Team to a gold medal at the U20 NORCECA Continental Championship.
Poulter and the U.S. team rolled past Cuba 25-15, 25-22, 25-16 in Sunday’s championship match to claim the country’s fifth gold medal in the past six versions of the biennial tournament. The U.S. won a bronze medal at the last tournament in 2012.
In the gold medal victory, Poulter — a University of Illinois recruit who plays club volleyball for Front Range — had 17 sets on 65 attempts and added two attacks, two blocks and a service ace.
Coach Tom Hogan’s U.S. team swept past defending champion Dominican Republic 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 in the semifinals.
Alexa Smith of Monument joined Poulter as the Colorado contingent on the 12-player roster.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 U20 NORCECA CONTINENTAL VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Gold Medal match: USA def. Cuba 25-15, 25-22, 25-16
3rd place match: Dominican Republic def Mexico 25-17, 25-16, 25-19;
5th place match: Costa Rica def Guatemala 25-17, 21-25, 25-9, 25-15
Group A: July 8 – Cuba def Nicaragua, 25-11, 25-6, 25-16; July 9 – Dominican Republic def Nicaragua, 25-3, 25-9, 25-8; July 10 – Cuba def Dominican Republic, 25-16, 25-16, 17-25, 25-20
Group B: July 8 – Guatemala def Martinique, 25-14, 25-12, 25-17; July 9 – Costa Rica def Martinique, 25-12, 25-12, 25-5; July 10 – Costa Rica def Guatemala, 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 15-8
Group C: July 8 – Mexico def St. Lucia, 25-7, 25-18, 25-8; July 9 – USA def St. Lucia, 25-5, 25-4, 25-3; July 10 – USA def Mexico, 25-5, 25-21, 25-18
July 11: Nicaragua def St. Lucia, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21; Dominican Republic def Guatemala, 25-4, 25-4, 25-2; Mexico def Costa Rica, 25-10, 25-12, 25-16; July 12: Nicaragua def Martinique, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23; Cuba def Mexico, 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 25-20; USA def Dominican Republic, 25-16, 25-20, 25-18
