USA Select Team Journal
Day 10, Friday, January 5, 2007
By Stephanie Niemer

The tournament was coming to an end as we reached our final day in Belgrade.  The day began with an early breakfast in the hotel, for we had to be ready to play at 10:45 against the same team we played yesterday, OK Radnicki Jugopetrol.  The first game was one of the best games we had played so far and we won 25-10.  However, the second game got off to a slow start, as we fell behind early and had to fight to tie up the game.  The score got to 24-24 and we played point for point up to that point, but the other team pulled-ahead and won 26-24.  The third game was tied early at 4-4, but we rallied-off four straight points to make the score 8-4.  Finally, we finished the game strong 15-11. 

Our finish in the tournament is not what we had hoped, but we each learned new skills to use in our club and collegiate career.  Following our win, our team went to a mall to eat lunch and shop, but we didn’t have much time because we needed to get back to watch the finals.  After the final, which the USA Youth National Team participated in, and won, there was an ending ceremony, where all the teams were recognized and honored. 

We were able to shop in the Red Star Shop after the ceremony to gather some souvenirs to take home with us.  Later in the night, we ate dinner in the hotel and joined three girls from the Red Star Volleyball Team and we went to see “A Good Year” in the theatre.  Following the movie, we walked to an Irish Pub to talk and catch something to eat.  We arrived back at the hotel at 11:30, which only gave us three and a half hours to sleep, for we had to leave for the airport at 4 A.M. the next morning.

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