WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After joining Team USA for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Six on Monday, Annie Drews made an immediate impact for the Americans in her lone two matches of the tournament. The Elkhart, Indiana, native led USA with 25 kills and 65 attempts while also registering seven digs and a block in six sets of action. USA has been eliminated from the tournament after suffering a five-set loss to Serbia and a four-set loss to Italy.
Of the top three point scorers, Drews was the only player to come off the bench as she appeared in six of a possible nine sets. Lauren Gibbenmeyer led the Americans with 28 points while Michelle Bartsch-Hackley finished a point shy of Drews' 26 points in the two Final Six contests.
After falling in the first two sets against Serbia, Drews was given the nod on the right side in the third and she did not disappoint. Serbia jumped out to a 6-2 advantage but four kills from Drews fueled a 4-1 run to pull USA within one and she later tied the set at 15 with a kill. The United States went on to force a fifth set and Drews gave the Americans a chance, throwing down a kill to cut the deficit to two points with an 11-9 score but Serbia held on to win the fifth, 15-11. Drews finished the match with 10 kills on 26 attempts in three sets with four digs.
Drews came through with a couple of clutch plays against Italy as well, contributing a kill to give the U.S. an 8-2 lead in the second set and later reclaiming the lead in the midst of an Italy comeback attempt with a kill to bring the score to 18-17. She also contributed a kill later in the set during a crucial 3-0 run, taking 23-20 lead as Team USA went on to win the set 25-22. In an effort to give the Americans some life in the third, Drews contributed a kill facing set point to pull within three but the Italians closed out the set 25-22. She was also a part of a comeback attempt in the fourth, contributing a kill to a 3-0 run to tie the set at 10 but Italy would go on to win the set 25-21, ultimately eliminating the Americans from the tournament. Drews led USA in the contest with 16 points, 15 kills and 39 attempts with three digs and a block.
