Third Pool Match
U.S. Men's National Team vs. Canada

Match Score:  3-1 (21-15, 25-17, 25-22, 25-21)

Starters: Setter: Kevin Hansen; Opposite: Clay Stanley; Middles: Andy Hein and David Lee;  Left sides: Sean Rooney and Reid Priddy; Libero: Rich Lambourne.

Highlight statistics:
Team attack:  .431 V Canada's .272 / 64 V Canada 53
Blocks: 14 vs. Canada 7
Aces: 4 vs. Canada 1
Digs 30 vs. Canada 24

Conditions: Match time: 6 p.m. Big clouds with gray underpinnings and whipped cream toppings drifting over a balmy twilight.

Recall the movie The Godfather? Can you hear the way he talked? Several of those guys had voices like that - one specifically who was an ally of Don Corleone and then ratted him out. Ever hear a lapidary's machine that smooths and shines rocks? My mom had one and it made this grating sound as it relentlessly buffed the rough off of pebbles, gem stones and small rocks. That is the sound of the Mafia bosses voices - at least in Hollywood.

All of that to write this: One of the gentlemen on the NORCECA control committee has a voice just like that. Too bad my computer can't add sound to this report because I am imitating that voice right now - it is hard not to when you hear it live or in your brain. He speaks Spanish (not Italian but close enough) and I really don't so I can't understand him anyway. But when he "speaks" through a gray-bush mustache out of a face that lost a dart war, I can't help smile and have this urge to put a hand in front of my mouth with fingers together pointed up and speak in a gravelly voice with an undulating Italian accent, my hand moving with every inflection and really say nothing but sounding good. "Yadda ba beeea Yeah bonnee Na stow ne." 

The NORCECA official is really a good fella, but I don't know how he would respond to my well meaning but likely offensive sense of humor.

The above as really nothing to do with anything but I thought I would had a little flavor to the dish.

I am sure we have most of our opponents shuffling through their game plans trying to figure out who we might offer up in our lineup. While we have been shuffling the cards, most of the other teams are standing pat. We can do that because we have many interchangeable pieces and have a long-term goal of developing experience for the young, coupling with the wisdom of the wily. 

To wit:  Evan Patak, the young thug, has been exemplary at opposite with a jump serve that seems to explode off of his hand with awesome force while corkscrewing with a terminal flutter.  Occasionally, it can nearly decapitate an unsuspecting spectator in the fifth row. It is not a surprise that he leads the tournament with 10 aces and has only played in two full matches and made a couple of cameo appearances. The venerable Clay Stanley started against Canada in our third match and issued his own brand of terror. 

Coach Alan Knipe was asked in the post-match press conference why he "benched" Patak against Canada. Alan, in his normal but sometimes deceptive pleasant demeanor answered, "I thought it reasonable to start Clay considering he was the MVP of the Beijing Olympics."  He granted the reporter a post comment pleasant smile that actually communicated, "Review your background checks, bub." 

Canada has a young crew here. And they are good, with a bright future. They took advantage of our lumbering start, taking set #1 25-21. We don't need to give this team anything to believe in. 

While the Canadians continued to bask in the joy of the first set, we picked up the pace behind Rooney and Priddy on the outside being effective due to Andy Hein and David Lee softening up the middle with Kevin Hansen leading the quick attack.  It was Hansen's leadership and quick setting that led the U.S. out of the first-set doldrums. The second set was ours: 25-17.

Stanley started to heat up in the latter stages of set 3 and continued into set 4. One particular line shot had the audio characteristics of a car crash: No echo - just a deep, nauseating, crunching sound as the ball burrowed into the digger's sternum. Interestingly, he dug the ball using the Braille Method since there was no way he could have seen it. Fortunately, the ceiling of the arena is just below the stratosphere, the ball looking like a children's aspirin at its zenith. They made the save and deservingly won the rally.

We prevailed 3-1 but it was a struggle. To win this we will have to be much smoother. However, all the guys are getting important playing time so when we play the semis and hopefully, finals, we will be deep and battle hardened.

Volleyball is played in "little games." To win the big game, a team must win most of the little games. One that we lost to the Canadians that we usually don't is what I call the UFE Game (Unforced Errors). We handed our Northern Neighbors 23 UFE points, while they gave back 17. Hence we lost that game by 6. We did out-stuff the Canadians 14-7 (+7) and pure aces 4-1 (+3).  So the net gain in these areas is +4. 

Cuba and Puerto Rico loom on the finals horizon. We cannot afford giving up free points. And it is this on which we are focused.

Today is a day off for the pool champions (USA and CUBA). We will train and prepare.

More Later,

NEV