Men's Jr. Team Finishes Fourth at FIVB Worlds

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. 10, 2011) – The U.S. Men's Junior National Team lost to Serbia 25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-13 in the bronze-medal match of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Junior World Championship Brazil 2011 held Wednesday at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro.

Despite the loss, the Americans took their highest finish ever in the tournament by reaching the semifinal round and entering the bronze-medal match. In five previous entries, the team produced three seventh-place finishes and two eighth-place finishes.

Taylor Sander (Norco, Calif.) led the U.S. Men’s Junior Team in scoring with 13 points via 10 kills on 25 attacks, two aces and a block. Josh Taylor (Honolulu) added 10 points on eight kills via 25 swings and two aces. Brian Cook (Santa Cruz, Calif.) scored nine points on nine kills. Dylan Davis (Corona del Mar, Calif.) contributed six points on five kills and a block.

Scott Kevorken (Westlake Village, Calif.) added five points on three kills, a block and an ace. Steven Irvin (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) scored four kills and Eric Mochalski (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) contributed three kills. Connor Olbright (Orange, Calif.) scored two kills. U.S. team captain Taylor Crabb (Honolulu) and Maurice Torres (Riverside, Calif.) added a kill each for Team USA.

“Fourth place is the worst position you can have when you have lost the two most important matches, but I am sure many other teams would like to be in our place,” U.S. Men’s Junior National Team Head Coach John Hawks said. “I am happy for my players.”

Crabb added that regardless of the outcome, the experience in itself was a good one.

“We didn’t obtain our goal of earning a medal, but we played a good tournament,” Crabb said. “It was a great experience.”

Henry Cassiday (Honolulu) contributed 17 digs and five excellent receptions for the U.S. team. Taylor added seven digs, while Sander had 13 excellent receptions and five digs. Cook tallied 15 excellent receptions on 21 attempts and four digs, while Irvin racked up seven digs. Olbright contributed 37 assists out of 94 total set attempts and had five digs. Christenson added three assists for Team USA.

Team USA racked up 46 kills on 130 attempts for 35.4 kill percent and .169 hitting efficiency. In contrast, Serbia converted 52 of 121 attacks for points for a 43.0 kill percent and .331 hitting efficiency with 12 attacking errors. Serbia held a 7-3 margin in blocks, while the U.S. held a 5-1 edge in aces. Serbia out-dug the U.S. 63-47.

Hawks started Crabb and Sander at outside hitter, Davis and Mochalski at middle blocker, Christenson at setter and Torres as opposite. Cassiday was the designated libero. Every member of Team USA started at least one set in an effort to find a winning combination. Davis and Cassiday started in every set.

Serbia’s Aleksandar Atanasijevic scored a team-high 24 points. Uros Kovacevic added 13 points and Milan Peric scored 10 points for Serbia’s victory for the bronze medal.

Serbia took an 8-5 lead at the beginning of the first set and went on a four-point run before Mochalski fired a kill from the middle for a side-out. Serbia increased its lead to 16-7. The U.S. made a three-point run to lessen the margin to 16-10, but attacking and blocking errors allowed for Serbia to take a 21-13 advantage. Irvin scored a kill for the U.S.’s last point of the set and Serbia propelled its momentum to win the first set, 25-15.       

In the second set, Hawks put in a new starting lineup with three different starters. At 2-2, Cassiday assisted Cook for a kill to give the U.S. momentum for a run, gaining a 5-2 advantage. At 7-4, Olbright assisted Mochalski for kill from the middle. Serbia made a three-point run from U.S. errors. Serbia battled to match the U.S. from 12-all to 16-all. Serbia broke away for a 19-17 lead and Davis responded with a kill from the middle. The teams battled to a 23-20 Serbia advantage. Serbia hit off of the U.S.’s block for a point and the U.S. followed up with a defensive error, resulting in a second-set victory for Serbia at 25-20.

Team USA took the first two points of the third set. At 3-1, Davis imposed a block from the outside. The U.S. mounted an 8-3 advantage which carried through to 10-5. At 12-9, Sander scored an ace for Team USA and Serbia followed up with consecutive points. The U.S. had a 16-14 edge and scored consecutive points with a block from Sander and an offensive error from Serbia. Serbia battled back, but Team USA held a slight advantage at 19-18. The scored tied at 21-all, but the U.S. won the next two points. Serbia put forth great effort, but Team USA kept the match alive by sealing a third-set victory at 25-23.

In the fourth set, Serbia used a three-point run to break away from the 4-4 tie. Serbia scored five of next eight points to take a 12-7 lead. At 14-8, Taylor fired a kill to side out, but Serbia responded immediately with a kill of its own. Serbia accumulated a 22-12 advantage. The U.S. forced a side out, but then missed the serve. The score stood at 24-12 and the U.S. hit out of bounds allowing Serbia to win the match with a 25-13 fourth-set victory.

Argentina and Russia will contend for the gold medal at noon PT.

Brazil defeated Iran 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10 to take fifth place and Spain finished in seventh place by defeating India 21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-12, 19-17.

Belgium defeated Germany 25-22, 22-25, 22-25, 30-28, 15-11 for ninth place and Canada swept Japan 25-23, 25-20, 25-19 to take 11^th place.

On Aug. 9, Bulgaria swept Tunisia 25-15, 25-22, 25-17 in the battle for 13th place and Egypt defeated Puerto Rico 17-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-21 to take 15^th place.

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: Iran def. Spain, 26-24, 25-20, 25-23
Aug. 7: Russia def. USA, 19-25, 27-29, 25-21, 25-17, 15-13

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: Argentina def. Brazil, 14-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-17
Aug. 7: Serbia def. Argentina, 24-26, 25-18, 20-25, 25-10, 15-9
Aug. 7: India def. Brazil 36-34, 22-25, 21-25, 25-17, 16-14

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: Canada def. Tunisia, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23
Aug. 7: Japan def. Egypt 25-18, 15-25, 20-25, 25-21, 16-14

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 def. Puerto Rico, 25-15, 25-12, 25-18
Aug. 7: Belgium def. Puerto Rico, 25-22, 25-19, 25-21
Aug. 7: Germany def. Bulgaria, 25-23, 29-27, 25-24

Semifinals (at Rio De Janeiro)
Aug. 9: Argentina def. USA 27-29, 28-26, 25-19, 25-20 (1-4 classification)
Aug. 9: Russia vs. Serbia, 4 p.m. (1-4 classification)
Aug. 9: Iran defeated India 25-11, 25-22, 25-21 (5-8 classification)
Aug. 9: Brazil vs. Spain, 6:30 p.m. (5-8 classification)

Semifinals (at Niteroi)
Aug. 8: Tunisia def. Puerto Rico 27-29, 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12 (13-16 classification)
Aug. 8: Bulgaria def. Egypt, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19 (13-16 classification)
Aug. 9: Germany def. Canada, 16-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 (9-12 classification)
Aug. 9: Belgium def. Japan, 25-19, 25-22, 25-18 (9-12 classification)

Final Round
Aug. 10: Argentina vs. Russia, 12 p.m. PT (Gold Medal/Silver Medal)
Aug. 10: Serbia vs. USA, 25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-13 (Bronze Medal/4th Place)
Aug. 10: Brazil def. Iran, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10 (5th/6th Place)
Aug. 10: Spain def. India, 21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-12, 19-17 (7th/8th Place)
Aug. 10: Belgium def. Germany, 25-22, 22-25, 22-25, 30-28, 15-11 (9th Place)
Aug. 10: Canada def. Japan, 25-23, 25-20, 25-19 (11th/12th Place)
Aug. 9: Bulgaria def. Tunisia, 25-15, 25-22, 25-17 (13th/14th Place)
Aug. 9: Egypt def. Puerto Rico, 17-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-21 (15th/16th Place)

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