For Immediate Release
Contact: Mike Miazga, Director Media Relations, USPV, (847) 344-6554
(cell)
Thunder Sweeps Regular Season Champ Minnesota
Can Clinch No. 2 Seed In Playoffs Tuesday at St. Louis
ROCHESTER, MINN., April 14, 2002_ The Chicago Thunder, a member of the
new United States Professional Volleyball league (USPV), defeated the
Minnesota Chill 3-0 Sunday before a sellout crowd of 2,454 at the Mayo
Civic Center Auditorium.
Kristee Porter, the USPV scoring and kills leader, led Chicago (10-7,
28 points) with 12.5 points, including 11 kills. Downers Grove native
Terri Zemaitis-Boumans chipped in 9.5 points (2.5 blocks).
Chicago, which went 2-1 this season at Rochester, can clinch the No. 2
seed in the playoffs and home-court advantage in the first round by
scoring any type of point in the standings on Tuesday at St. Louis.
The only way St. Louis can clinch the No. 2 seed is with a 3-0 or 3-1
victory over Chicago in that match. Chicago is 4-1 against St. Louis
this season (2-0 at St. Louis).
If Chicago clinches the No. 2 seed on Tuesday, it would open the
playoffs Friday, April 19, against St. Louis at Saint Xavier
University’s Shannon Center. The series would then shift to St.
Louis on Sunday, April 21 for the second match in the best-of-3
series. The if necessary third match would occur on Wednesday, April
24 in Chicago if Chicago is the No. 2 seed.
USPV Standings
TEAM W L Pts
X Minnesota 11 6 35
Chicago 10 7 28
St. Louis 9 8 26
Grand Rapids 4 13 13
X clinched regular season title and home-court advantage in first
round of playoffs
3 points for a 3-0, 3-1 win; 2 points for a 3-2 win; 1 point for a 3-2
loss
Sunday’s result
Chicago d. Minnesota 3-0