Aug. 22, 2007

Courtesy of B.J. Evans, USA Volleyball

Anaheim, CA - 2006 IPFW Hall-of-Fame inductee, and former USA Olympic Team Captain Lloy Ball had a very successful return to international competition as the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team put together a valiant fifth-set comeback to defend its America's Cup title with a 3-2 (25-16, 25-23, 19-25, 21-25, 19-17) victory over Brazil on Sunday in Manaus, Brazil.

A packed house of approximately 10,500 watched the U.S. Men take the first two sets from Brazil before the South Americans came back to win the third and fourth sets.

In the fifth set, Brazil held match point at 14-11, but two Brazilian errors and two stuff blocks by U.S. middle blocker Ryan Millar (Palmdale, Calif.) put Team USA ahead 15-14. The two teams battled back and forth until the U.S. Men held an 18-17 lead following a kill by opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawai'i). The final point was scored on a left-handed dig by libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.), a set by Lloy Ball (Woodburn, Ind.) and kill by Riley Salmon (League City, Texas).

Stanley led the U.S. Men past a young Brazilian squad with 23 points, including 20 kills, two blocks and one ace. Millar (Palmdale, Calif.) added 17 points on 12 kills, four blocks and one ace. Salmon (League City, Texas) also scored 17 points on 12 kills, four blocks and one ace. Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored 12 points.

Samuel Fuchs led Brazil with 23 points on 22 kills and one block. Murilo Endres added 18 points on 16 kills and two blocks.

Priddy was named the tournament's best receiver with an efficiency percentage of 67.71. Millar was second among blockers with an average of .60 per set. Ball was third among setters with a 5.73 average per set.

U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon started Priddy and Salmon at outside hitter, Millar and Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.) at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite and Ball at setter. Lambourne continued to play libero.

Team USA took an easy victory in the first set, holding an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout and a 16-10 lead at the second before coasting to the win.

The U.S. Men again held an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout of the second set, but Brazil came back and eventually tied the score at 13-13. The two team battled until the score was tied at 22-22. Team USA scored two points on a Brazilian attack error and a block by Salmon. Brazil scored one more point on a kill by Roberto Minuzzi. But Minuzzi's attack error on the next play led to the United States' victory.

It was Brazil's turn to dominate in the third quarter, as the South Americans held an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout and a 16-10 lead at the second. With the U.S. Men down 19-13, McCutcheon substituted Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) for Ball. However the U.S. Men could only get five more points.

The fourth set was closer and the score was tied at 18-18. However, Brazil scored the next four points to put the set out of reach.

The U.S. Men will return to action on Sept. 16-22 at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Anaheim, Calif.

2007 America's Cup Results

Group A
Aug. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-16, 25-23)
Aug. 16: USA def. Argentina, 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-19)
Aug. 17: Argentina def. Canada, 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 36-34, 16-25, 15-11)

Group B
Aug. 15: Brazil def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-17, 25- 8, 25-20)
Aug. 16: Brazil def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
Aug. 17: Cuba def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-16)

Aug. 18      
Fifth-place: Canada def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (19-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20)
6 p.m. - Semifinal 1: Brazil def. Argentina, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-17)
8:15 p.m. - Semifinal 2: USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-20)

Aug. 19
Bronze Medal: Cuba def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-23, 28-30, 25-17, 25-22)
Gold medal: USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-16, 25-23, 19-25, 21-25, 19-17)