TXST Bobcat Kohl, Team USA Win Pan American Finals
by, Joshua Flanagan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Texas State junior Jordan Kohl led Team USA to a win over Brazil in the Pan American Deaf Women’s Regional Volleyball Championship, clinching a spot in the 23rd Deaflympics, which will be held July 18-30, 2017 in Samsun, Turkey. The Red, White, and Blue took the match in a sweep, 25-16, 25-19, 25-16, completing an undefeated run through the tournament. In fact, the women did not lose a single set in the Pan American Tournament.
Kohl, an interdisciplinary studies major, led Team USA in kills and was the second leading hitter in the entire tournament. She put down 49 kills in 15 sets, averaging 3.3 kills per set, finishing the tournament with 60 points, second among all players and first on Team USA. She added five blocks and six service aces for the tournament to be Team USA’s leading scorer.
With one championship already completed, now Kohl and Team USA set their sights on the World Deaf Championships to be held July 6-15. The opening ceremonies begin at 6 p.m. CST on Wednesday with competition beginning Thursday.
The women’s team is in Pool A with Japan, Poland, Ghana and Kenya while Pool B consists of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Canada. This comes after competing against Brazil, Canada and Argentina at the PanAm Volleyball Championships.
Team USA draws Japan first in a match at 4 p.m. CST on Friday and will follow with a match against Poland at the same time Saturday. After that, Kohl’s team takes on Ghana at 6 p.m. CST on Sunday with a match against Kenya at 2 p.m. CST on Monday to conclude the preliminary rounds. Next, the quarterfinals are played Tuesday, July 12, with a consolation round on July 13th and the semifinals on July 14th. The finals are scheduled for 4 p.m. CST Friday, July 15. For the complete schedule, click here.
The live stream for the World Deaf Volleyball Championships, also held at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., can be found here. For complete information on the World Deaf Volleyball Championships, click here.
