USA women qualify for 2004 World Grand Prix[1]

USA women qualify for 2004 World Grand Prix The U.S. women's national volleyball team qualified for the 2004 FIVB World Grand Prix by sweeping Canada in Pan American Cup action at the Coahuila Convention Center Wednesday night. Read on for the story. by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications The U.S. women's national volleyball team qualified for the 2004 FIVB World Grand Prix by sweeping Canada in Pan American Cup action at the Coahuila Convention Center Wednesday night. Logan Tom scored a match-high 14 points and Danielle Scott added 10 in a 25-10, 25-19, 25-21 victory that guarantees Team USA will finish in the top four of this second annual tournament. The Pan American Cup, comprised of teams from the NORCECA and South America volleyball confederations, serves as a qualifier for the 2004 FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual women's competition that features many of the best teams in the world. The top three NORCECA finishers and the top South American team at the Pan American Cup qualify for next year's Grand Prix. By virtue of finishing at the top of their respective pools with perfect 3-0 records, the United States and Cuba both advance to Friday's semifinal round and earn an automatic berth to the 2004 World Grand Prix. Cuba and the USA are from the NORCECA confederation. In Thursday's quarterfinal round, Brazil will face Venezuela for the right to be the South American representative at next year's Grand Prix, while Canada and the Dominican Republic will square off to be the third and final NORCECA representative at next year's Grand Prix. Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah/Stanford) had seven kills, a match-high four service aces and three blocks as the United States improved to 7-6 overall this season. Scott (Baton Rouge, La./Long Beach State) added seven kills, one block and one ace. Wiz Bachman (Farmington, Minn./UCLA) and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa/Nebraska) scored eight points apiece while Tara Cross-Battle (Houston, Texas/Long Beach State) chipped in with seven points for a USA team that has been bothered by injuries. Tayyiba Haneef (Laguna Hills, Calif./Long Beach State) and Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif./Hawai'i) are both nursing sprained ankles and did not make the trip to Mexico. Barb Bellini scored 10 points on 10 kills to lead Canada. Pan American Cup Final Pool Play Standings Pool A USA (3-0) Brazil (2-1) Canada (1-2) Puerto Rico (0-3) Pool B Cuba (3-0) Dominican Republic (2-1) Venezuela (1-2) Mexico (0-3) For more information, go to the USA Volleyball web site. By USA Volleyball Published: 7/4/2003