Chinese Team Spoils Oden Homecoming

IRVINE — This wasn’t the homecoming that Irvine’s Elaina and Bev Oden had hoped for, but it wasn’t completely unexpected either.

The two former Irvine High standouts helped the U.S. women’s volleyball team beat China in the first game, 15-7, but Team USA lost its rhythm and the next three games, 15-12, 15-10, 15-6, to end the match in front of 1,536 Wednesday at the Bren Center.

“I don’t think we’ve ever played well at Irvine,” U.S. Coach Terry Liskevych said. “We weren’t in sync after Game 2.”

The U.S. team lost to China in three games the last time the teams played at Irvine in 1994, but the U.S. team defeated China in all four of its meetings last year.

Wednesday’s loss began a four-match series, which is one of Team USA’s final Olympic tune-ups. Liskevych said the team will likely play the series without key reserve Caren Kemner, who missed Wednesday’s match because of a slightly separated shoulder.

The series continues with matches Friday at UC San Diego, Saturday at Cal State San Bernardino, and May 13 at EastLake High in Chula Vista.

The team’s final pre-Olympic tournament is June 10-17 in Switzerland, and that one will feature Cuba, Brazil and Japan.

Although Liskevych was disappointed in the the team’s performance Wednesday, he remained upbeat.

“We have the personnel to beat China,” Liskevych said. “We were uncharacteristic tonight. Besides, all people will remember is what we do in Atlanta.

“This was just one match.”

But in this match, there was some added pressure.

“Five of our starters all come from [the Long Beach-Orange County] area,” said Elaina Oden, the former University of the Pacific All-American who had 17 kills and four blocks Wednesday.

“So when you see all those familiar faces, you want to do well.

“It fired us up for the first game, but it distracted us after that.”

Elaina Oden’s effectiveness in the middle coupled with outside hitting from former Ocean View High standout Tammy Liley (20 kills) helped the U.S. team dominate the first game.

In the second game, Bev Oden (10 kills, four blocks) blocked China’s Sun Yue (18 kills) to give the U.S. team a 9-3 lead before China rallied.

Reserves Wang Lina (eight kills), Wang Yi (eight kills) sparked the Chinese, who scored 10 of the next 11 points and won the second game.

“That was the match right there,” Liskevych said.

Although Elaina Oden said playing in front of the home crowd created more pressure, she knows they better get used to it.

“There will be a lot of pressure since the Olympics are in Atlanta,” Oden said, “so matches like this will help us see what it’s like. But I think this team is up for the challenge.”