Let the record stand: Emily Stockman recorded five blocks in her first match in the Rwanda two-star. Why is this significant? Because Stockman hasn’t blocked in nearly a decade. She’s spent the last seven years – at least – as a full-time defender, most recently with Kelley Kolinske, with whom she narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympic Games.
With the pressure-cooker of Olympic qualifying alas finished, Stockman is having some fun, split-blocking with Traci Callahan this week in Rwanda, and doing it well, too.
“Well, I just got five blocks,” Stockman joked after beating Canada’s Sophie Bukovec and Camille Saxton, 21-19, 24-22. “So maybe I have a future.”
She’s kidding. We think. There are little certainties with where players end up after one Olympic quad ends and another begins. So at the moment, all we can be certain of is that Stockman is enjoying her time at the net, and will continue to do so for the remainder of her time in Rwanda.
Callahan, too, is enjoying the competition, though for various other reasons entirely. For the past year, Callahan has done virtually nothing but train, repping it out with Evie Matthews, repping it out with Pompilio Mercadante, repping it out with Jen Snyder, working out with Mykel Jenkins. Rwanda is her first international competition since the Siem Reap two-star 17 months ago.
“I’ve been so focused that I forgot it was my first FIVB back since February, 2020 and first tournament since the AVP Champions Cup series until someone mentioned it to me,” Callahan said. “Even though I have been training and competing in practice, it was really great to shake off the dust and get back out there.”
She’s 1-0 thus far in her first tournament back. A light day to start. On Friday, Callahan and Stockman will meet Germans Svenja Muller and Sarah Schneider, where the winner will claim the top spot in pool. Either way, win or lose, they’re moving on.
More blocks will be had.
More competition will be enjoyed.
