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The U.S. Women’s National Team won the Pan American Cup on Saturday, with Illinois rising senior setter Jordyn Poulter on the 14-player roster that competed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“I’m honored and excited to be able to represent the USA once again on the international stage,” Poulter said on FightingIllini.com. “We have been hard at work for the last eight weeks and we are anxious and ready to compete at the Pan Am Cup.”
Poulter was one of seven players on the team making her international debut, and the Aurora, Colorado, native, was the only one with remaining college eligibility.
In the championship match Saturday, the USA rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Dominican Republic. Former Wisconsin player Lauren Carlini was named MVP after setting USA to a .314 hitting efficiency.
#USAVwnt wins #PanAmCup after rallying from 2-0 deficit to defeat #DominicanRepublic. MVP @laurencarlini sets @teamusa to .314 hitting efficiency. Aiyana Whitney scores match-high 27 pts. @ChiakaOgbogu 21 pts with 7 blocks. Recap: https://t.co/Z9oofzTlTg pic.twitter.com/n43vYltpq5
— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) July 15, 2018
This was definitely valuable experience for Poulter, a setter, who is looking to carry an experienced Illinois roster this season, one year removed from a loss in the Sweet 16 to Penn State.
Poulter, along with Illinois Baseball’s Bren Spillane, was named one of the Dike Eddleman Athletes of the Year last year. Starting the new year like this, there’s no reason Poulter won’t be able to repeat.