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GUADALAJARA, Mexico, August 31, 2021. - Kiera
Van Ryk scored 24 points carrying Canada to over
United States in five sets 3-2 (25-17, 17-25,
25-22, 23-25, 15-8) to win the bronze medal at
the Women’s NORCECA Continental Championship at
Arena Astros of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Kiera took matters in her “serves” while
recovering Canada from a three-point deficit
(1-4) in the fifth to reach a 6-4 lead and
breaking the U.S. receiving line up to the
bronze medal finish.
Van Ryk led with 17 kills, 4 serves and added 3
blocks of her 24 points, middle blocker Jennifer
Cross contributed with 15 points on 10 kills,
leading blocks with 4 and one ace, and outside
hitter Hilary Howe added 14 points.
This is Canada’s second bronze in a row; they
now have two silvers and ten bronze medals. The
U.S. has won the most number of medals, with a
total of 23.
Canada led in kills 50-49, in blocks 16-11 and
in serves 8-11; they handed out 32 points from
errors while benefiting from 31 of United
States.
The U.S. top scorer was opposite player Veronica
Perry with 21 points followed by outside hitter
Alexandra Frantti with 14 points; middle
blockers Rachael Kramer and Corissa Crocker
tallied 9 points each.
Kiera Van Ryk, leading scorer: “I was thinking
the whole game on my serve because I had missed
many, so when I was at the serve in the fifth
set I just knew I could hit it and believe in
myself, and I knew my team got my back”.
Jennifer Cross, Captain of Canada: “It was a
really close game, we came up and down but we
came out on top, it was amazing. I think the
difference was that we wanted it more, we were
super aggressive and made good decisions”.
Shannon Winzer, Coach of Canada: “Kiera made an
unbelievable difference, she showed up today and
I think we got to see the Kiera Van Ryk that we
were used to seeing in the VNL, her coming back
in the fifth and serving like that, won us the
game. Everyday we’ve asked our players to have
that warrior mindset, we were still up and down
but we were just warriors today”.
Joseph Trinsey, Coach of United States: “We gave
away too many opportunities, in execution
serving-pass, we gave really good servings once
too many times and then Van Ryk showed up at the
right time”. |
