Lowe MVP at FIVB World Grand Prix
July 27, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
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OMAHA, Neb. - UCLA alum Karsta Lowe was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals, helping the U.S. Women's National Team to the gold medal.
Lowe led the Red, White and Blue in scoring during the five matches with 79 points on 65 kills, 12 blocks and two aces. She was the leading point getter for the U.S. in three of the five matches. Lowe began the finals with 17 points (14 kills, three blocks) on July 22 against Japan.
She also paced the United States versus Russia (22 points, 19 kills, three blocks) on July 24 and China (17 points, 15 kills, two blocks) on July 26. In the other two contests, Lowe still totaled double figures in points, recording 11 (eight kills, two blocks, one ace) versus Italy on July 23 and 12 points (nine kills, two blocks, one ace) against Brazil on July 25.
Lowe is in her first season with the team and drew rave reviews from head coach and UCLA alum Karch Kiraly.
“She is showing the world that she is going to be very difficult to defend,” said Kiraly. “We threw her into about the deepest end of the pool that we could, playing against the world, being on a long trip far away from home for the first time with USA and a target on her back and she handled it really well."
Next up for Team USA will be the first Olympic qualifier next month in Japan. The FIVB World Cup begins Aug. 22.