COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 6, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team defeated Italy in an exciting final match to win the gold medal at the 2025 Dutch Tournament on Sunday in Assen, Netherlands. The U.S. defeated Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 25-23) in the gold medal match, while earning a 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 27-25, 15-7) comeback victory over the Netherlands earlier in the day.

MATCH STATISTICS VS. NETHERLANDS

vs. ITALY

The U.S. ran out to a 13-6 lead in the opening set and maintained a seven-point lead at 20-13. Italy scored six of the next seven points to pull within two points, but the U.S. scored the final four points to win the set.

Behind strong serving from setter Kaleo Kanahele, the U.S. took a 5-1 lead in the second set to force a quick Italy timeout. A Tia Edwards kill pushed the lead to double digits, 16-6 with a MaKenzie Franklin block giving the U.S. an 11-point lead.

Italy scored the next five points, but an Edwards ace highlighted a 4-0 U.S. run. Raelene Elam finished the set with a kill, matching the biggest margin of the set at 12 points.

After dropping the first four points of the third set, the U.S. used an 11-4 stretch to take a three-point lead, 11-8. Italy went on a 12-2 run to take its biggest lead of the match, seven points at 20-13.

In a set of runs, the U.S. went on an 9-1 run to take a 22-21 lead with Elam scoring six points on her serve. Italy scored the final four points to extend the match to a fourth set.

A great dig by libero Kari Ortiz and a save by Whitney Dosty led to a point that put the U.S. ahead 6-1 in the fourth set. A kill by Dosty down the line extended the lead to seven points, 12-5. Kills by Kanahele and Franklin after Italy points kept the lead at seven, 14-7. The lead grew to eight, 16-8, on an Italy service error.

Nieves put a second ball away for a 17-10 lead. After yielding two points, the U.S. regained its seven-point advantage on another Dosty kill and a Nieves ace. An Italy service error gave the U.S. a 20-13 lead.

Italy scored four of the next five points before Edwards put a ball down the line for a 22-17 lead. Italy scored three points in a row to cap a 7-2 run and come within two points, 22-20. Nieves scored from a tough angle and a ball handling error set up match point.

Italy held off three match points to pull within one, 24-23, but a Franklin block sealed the gold medal for the U.S.

vs. NETHERLANDS

The U.S. led the Netherlands in all statistical categories, 43-34 in kills, 25-19 in aces and 15-14 in blocks.

Franklin led the U.S. with 12 kills and 17 points, adding two blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Jessie West finished with 15 points on nine kills, five aces and a pair of blocks. Outside Emma Schieck also reached double digits with 10 points five kills, three blocks and two aces.

Edwards served a match-high six aces to go with two kills and a block to score nine points, while outside Courtney Baker also totaled nine points on seven kills, a block and an ace.

Setter Gia Cruz totaled six points on three blocks and three aces, and Kendra Hall recorded four kills and two blocks for six points. Nicky Nieves (three kills, one block, one ace) scored five points, while setter Annie Flood added four points on two aces and two blocks.

Roster

No  Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
10 Kari Ortiz (L, 5-6, Washington, D.C.)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C.)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 Kendra Hall (5-7, Westfield, Ind.)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 Jessie West (OH, 5-8, Edmond, Okla.)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky.)
21 Annie Flood (S, 5-7, Salem, Ore.)
22 MaKenzie Franklin (OH, 6-0, Red Wing, Minn., North Country)
24 Raelene Elam (OH, 6-1, St. George, Utah, Northern California)

Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Grace Campbell
Performance Analyst: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Samantha Carter
Mental Performance Coach: Brooke Lamphere
Strength and Conditioning/Physical Therapist: Bobby Moore
Dietitian: Jacque Scaramella

Schedule

July 4
USA def. Italy, 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
USA def. France, 3-0 (25-17, 25-5, 25-14)

July 5
USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-20)
USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-9)

July 6
USA def. Netherlands, 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 27-25, 15-7)
Gold Medal Match: USA def. Italy, 3-1 (25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 25-23)

The Asians topped the podium at the Swiss Alps for the first time in their careers and had by their sides second-placed Swedish Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson and third-placed Dutch Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot.

In order to take gold in Gstaad, Cherif and Ahmed prevailed in two close sets (21-19, 22-20) over Hölting Nilsson and Andersson, stopping a big late push from the Swedish, who came back from a 20-15 deficit to avoid five matches points and level the score at 20 in the second set before Ahmed scored twice in a row to confirm the Qatari victory.

“They had been playing very well since the tournament started,” Cherif said. “So we were ready for everything. Their comeback in the second set was crazy, but we knew they were able to do it. There are no easy matches at this level and you need to expect anything.”

Cherif and Ahmed had somewhat of a late start to the 2025 season after taking bronze at last year’s Beach Pro Tour Finals, as the two didn’t appear in a Beach Pro Tour event until May, when they took gold at the Xiamen Challenge. After that, they played in the Ostrava Elite, in June, finishing fifth.

It took the Qatari Olympians seven attempts to claim the golden cowbells in Gstaad as they first played together in the Swiss village back in 2018.

“We need to thank the fans here in Gstaad,” Cherif added. “Since 2021, every time we play here, it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side of the net, they always support us.”

Boermans and de Groot take bronze

In the bronze medal match, Boermans and de Groot overcame Brazilian Olympians André Loyola and George Wanderley in the tie-breaker (21-23, 21-17, 15-10), finishing third. The Dutch played together in Gstaad for just the second time and had taken gold in the first one, back in 2021.

The bronze cowbells also serve as a birthday present for de Groot, who celebrated his 25th birthday on the sand in the Swiss Alps.

“Of course, I would prefer to play in the final, but to be able to compete on Sunday, on my birthday, it’s really special,” de Groot said. “The venue is incredible here, and to win bronze against a really strong Brazilian team is amazing.”

After Gstaad, the next Elite event on the Beach Pro Tour schedule is the one in Montréal, Canada, from August 13-17.

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