Men’s Jr. Team Earns Spot in World Semifinals

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

Unofficial DataVolley Stats * Official Match Statistics

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 6, 2011) - The U.S. Men's Junior National Team defeated Spain 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 28-30, 15-11 on Saturday afternoon in its first five-set match of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Junior World Championship Brazil 2011 held at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro.

The U.S. is 2-0 in Pool E with five group points in the second round, which is the first criteria for advancement to the classification semifinal round. Team USA, 4-1 overall in the tournament, plays Russia (2-0 and 6 points in second round) at noon PT on Sunday to conclude the second round. Regardless of the outcome of the U.S.-Russia match, both teams have qualified for the gold-medal semifinals as neither Spain (1 point in second round) or Iran (0 points in second round) can earn enough points to overtake either country. The top two teams in Pool E and Pool F, both four-team groups playing round-robin matches Aug. 5-7, advance to the gold medal semifinals on Aug. 9 with the tournament concluding on Aug. 10.

Taylor Sander (Norco, Calif.) led the U.S. Men’s Junior Team in scoring with 27 points on 25 kills via 55 swings, a block and an ace. Maurice Torres (Riverside, Calif.) racked up 22 points with 17 kills on 32 attacks, three blocks and two aces. U.S. team captain Taylor Crabb (Honolulu) and Josh Taylor (Honolulu) scored eight points apiece all on kills.

Eric Mochalski (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) added seven points with four kills and three blocks. Dylan Davis (Corona del Mar, Calif.) contributed six points on four kills and two blocks. Micah Christenson (Honolulu) scored four points with three kills and a block. Brian Cook (Santa Cruz, Calif.) added two kills for Team USA’s victory.

“I am 100 percent pleased with my team,” U.S. Men’s Junior National Team Head Coach John Hawks said. “Spain played a great match. They dug a million balls and always demanded our best, even when we had a lead. Francisco Ruiz played a great match and brought us a lot of trouble with switching from a jump serve to a float serve.”

Crabb added that Team USA had to dig from within to win such a tough match.

“Either team could have won this match,” Crabb said. “Spain played a great match, especially in digging. We played with our hearts as we really wanted to advance to the semifinals.”

Andres J. Villena scored 22 points and led Spain in scoring, while Pablo Bugallo and Francisco Ruiz each totaled 17 points.

Henry Cassiday (Honolulu) contributed 17 digs and 14 excellent receptions on 31 attempts for the U.S. team. Crabb added 11 digs and 11 excellent receptions on 21 attempts, while Sander had nine digs and 18 excellent receptions. Torres contributed seven digs. Christenson contributed 43 assists out of 126 total set attempts and had 11 digs. Connor Olbright (Orange, Calif.) added two assists on five attempts for Team USA’s victory.

Team USA racked up 71 kills on 166 attempts for 42.8 kill percent and .277 hitting efficiency. Spain converted 73 of 173 attacks for points for a 42.2 kill percent and .289 hitting efficiency with 23 attack errors. Spain held a slim 12-10 margin in blocks. The U.S. team and Spain both scored three aces. The Americans had 65 digs, while Spain had 74.

Hawks started Crabb and Sander at outside hitter, Davis and Mochalski at middle blocker, Christenson at setter and Taylor as opposite. Cassiday was the designated libero. Torres started in the last three sets and subbed into the second set. Scott Kevorken (Westlake Village, Calif.) started in the fourth and fifth sets and subbed into the third set. Olbright played in the first, second, fourth and fifth sets and Cook contributed court action in all five sets.

In the first set, the two teams tied 5-all. The U.S. accumulated a 15-11 lead after Crabb fired a kill down the line. At 18-14, Christenson created a play from a poor pass and Sander put it away for a kill. Team USA led 22-16 and Spain made a run, scoring the next five of six points. Team USA sealed the first set win from a kill from Mochalski at 25-21.

At 3-3 in the second set, Christenson dumped the ball for a kill and then Sander followed up with another kill. Spain broke away to gain a 15-10 advantage and carried it out to 19-13. Team USA scored consecutive points with a kill from Mochalski and Spain attack error. At 21-16, Spain scored an ace, but Torres responded with a kill on the next point. The U.S. closed the margin to 22-20, but Spain sealed a 25-20 second set victory.

Spain took an 8-4 lead early on in the third set. The U.S. sided out and gained momentum from Sander’s block, but Spain kept putting on the pressure. Davis made a kill to bring the U.S. to within two points of Spain at 12-10, but Spain reestablished a comfortable lead by scoring the next four of six points. Team USA tied the score at 21-all, 22-all and 24-all. Crabb fired a kill down the line and Torres finished the set with an ace at 26-24 victory for Team USA.

In the fourth set, Crabb fired a cross-court kill to bring USA to a 5-1 lead. Spain stepped up its play to come within one point of the U.S. 9-8, but Torres responded with a kill. The teams then tied five times before 18-all. Spain broke away for a 20-18 lead, but then followed up with two errors. Sander scored a kill from the back row at 22-21. Spain led at 24-23, 25-24 and 27-26, but the U.S. kept the set alive with kills from Torres. The two teams tied 28-all, but Spain sealed the fourth set with a 30-28 victory.

The U.S. won the first point of the fifth set and at that point, both teams had scored 100 points apiece in the match. Torres launched a kill to give the U.S. a 7-5 lead. The teams switched sides at 8-6 and Sander made an immediate kill. Spain and USA battled to 11-8 and Sander drilled down Spain’s overpass. Team USA led at 13-10 and carried it out to win the match with a 15-11 fifth set victory.

In Pool E’s other match on Saturday, Russia swept Iran 25-21, 25- 19, 25-22.

In other pool action on Saturday, Serbia defeated India 25-13, 19-25, 25-22, 27-25 and Brazil will face Argentina at 2:30 p.m. PT in Pool F. In Pool G, Canada defeated Egypt 19-25, 25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 15-11 and Japan swept Tunisia 25-19, 25-20, 25-18. In Pool H, Belgium defeated Germany 23-25, 25-20, 28-26, 21-25, 15-10 and Bulgaria will play Puerto Rico at 2:30 p.m. PT.

2011 U.S. Men's Junior National Team
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
1. Henry Cassiday (L, 6-3, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2010, USC, Southern California)
2. Micah Christenson (S, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2011, Outrigger Canoe Club, Aloha)
4. Brian Cook (OH, 6-5, Santa Cruz, Calif., 2010, Stanford Univ., Southern California)
5. Taylor Crabb (OH, 6-1, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2009, Long Beach State Univ., Aloha)
6. Dylan Davis (MB, 6-9, Corona del Mar, Calif., 2009, UC Santa Barbara, Southern California)
8. Steven Irvin (OH, 6-5, Pacific Palisades, Calif., 2010, Stanford Univ., Southern California)
9. Scott Kevorken (MB, 6-8, Westlake Village, Calif., 2009, UC Irvine, Southern California)
10. Connor Olbright (S, 6-5, Orange, Calif., 2010, Long Beach State Univ., Southern California)
11. Eric Mochalski (MB, 6-6, Manhattan Beach, Calif., 2010, Stanford Univ., Southern California)
15. Taylor Sander (OH, 6-5, Norco, Calif., 2010, BYU, Southern California)
17. Joshua Taylor (Opp, 6-7, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2011, Outrigger Canoe Club, Aloha)
18. Maurice Torres (Opp, 6-7, Riverside, Calif., 2009, Pepperdine Univ., Southern California)

Staff
Head Coach - John Hawks (Long Beach State)
Assistant Coach - Colin McMillan (Penn State)
Assistant Coach - David Hunt (Pepperdine)
Head of Delegation - Shawn Patchell (San Diego, Calif.)
Technical Coordinator - Randy Nako (Honolulu, Hawaii)

First Round (August 1-3)
Pool A (at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Aug. 1: USA def. Bulgaria, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21
Aug. 1: Japan def. Brazil, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 18-16
Aug. 2: Japan def. Bulgaria, 20-25, 20-25, 33-31, 25-18, 15-11
Aug. 2: Brazil def. USA 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19
Aug. 3: USA def. Japan, 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19
Aug. 3: Brazil def. Bulgaria, 23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 15-8

Pool B (at Niteroi, Brazil)
Aug. 1: Argentina def. Puerto Rico, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17
Aug. 1: Spain def. Tunisia, 25-14, 25-18, 25-17
Aug. 2: Spain def. Puerto Rico, 25-7, 15-25, 25-18
Aug. 2: Argentina def. Tunisia, 25-17, 25-23, 25-22
Aug. 3: Argentina def. Spain, 25-20, 22-25, 25-14, 25-8
Aug. 3: Puerto Rico def. Tunisia, 20-25, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20, 15-11

Pool C (at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Aug. 1: India def. Germany, 19-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-20
Aug. 1: Russia def. Egypt, 25-16, 25-16, 25-13
Aug. 2: Egypt def. Germany, 26-24, 25-20, 22-25, 25-23
Aug. 2: Russia def. India, 25-23, 25-17, 25-18
Aug. 3: India def. Egypt, 25-17, 25-19, 25-18
Aug. 3: Russia def. Germany, 25-20, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23

Pool D (at Niteroi, Brazil)
Aug. 1: Iran def. Canada, 25-19, 25-19, 25-20
Aug. 2: Serbia def. Iran, 23-25, 22-25, 30-28, 25-18, 15-13
Aug. 2: Belgium def. Canada, 25-23, 25-22, 25-17
Aug. 2: Serbia def. Iran, 23-25, 22-25, 30-28, 25-18, 15-13
Aug. 3: Iran def. Belgium, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 17-14
Aug. 3: Serbia def. Canada, 25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 21-25, 15-4

Second Round (Aug. 5-7)
Pool E (at Rio de Janeiro)
Aug. 5: Russia def. Spain, 25-20, 25-18, 25-20
Aug. 5: USA def. Iran, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-17
Aug. 6: Russia def. Iran, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22
Aug. 6: USA def. Spain, 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 28-30, 15-11
Aug. 7: Spain vs. Iran, 6:00 a.m. PT
Aug. 7: USA vs. Russia, 12:00 p.m. PT

Pool F (at Rio de Janeiro)
Aug. 5: Argentina def. India, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19
Aug. 5: Brazil def. Serbia, 25-16, 25-19, 25-21
Aug. 6: Serbia def. India, 25-13, 19-25, 25-22, 27-25
Aug. 6: Brazil vs. Argentina, 2:30 p.m. PT
Aug. 7: Argentina vs. Serbia, 8:30 p.m. PT
Aug. 7: India vs. Brazil, 2:30 p.m. PT

Pool G (at Niteroi)
Aug. 5: Canada def. Japan, 25-12, 25-17, 25-14
Aug. 5: Tunisia def. Egypt, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-13
Aug. 6: Canada def. Egypt, 19-25, 25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 15-11
Aug. 6: Japan def. Tunisia, 25-19, 25-20, 25-18
Aug. 7: Tunisia vs. Canada, 6:00 a.m. PT
Aug. 7: Egypt vs. Japan, 2:30 p.m. PT

Pool H (at Niteroi)
Aug. 5: Germany def. Puerto Rico, 25-14, 25-22, 32-34, 25-12
Aug. 5: Belgium def. Bulgaria, 25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23
Aug. 6: Belgium def. Germany, 23-25, 25-20, 28-26, 21-25, 15-10
Aug. 6: Bulgaria vs. Puerto Rico, 2:30 p.m. PT
Aug. 7: Puerto Rico vs. Belgium, 8:30 a.m. PT
Aug. 7: Germany vs. Bulgaria, 12:00 p.m. PT

Medal Rounds and Playoffs (Aug. 10)
- the winners of the semifinals will play the final for the 1st and 2nd position.
- the losers of the semifinals will play for the 3rd and 4th position.
- the winners of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 5th-6th position.
- the losers of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 7th-8th position.
- the winners of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 9th-10th position.
- the losers of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 11th-12th position.
- the winners of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 13th-14th position.
- the losers of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 15th-16th position.

Tags: 2011 U.S. Men's Junior National Team, Brian Cook, Connor Olbright, Dylan Davis, Eric Mochalski, FIVB Volleyball Men's Jr. World Championship Brazil 2011, Henry Cassiday, John Hawks, Josh Taylor, Maurice Torres, Micah Christenson, mobile, Scott Kevorken, Steven Irvin, Taylor Crabb, Taylor Sander, U.S. Men's Junior National Team