COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 1, 2017) – The U.S. Men’s Junior National Team got its second win at the FIVB Men’s Under-21 World Championship on Saturday, sweeping Morocco, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21 in Ceske Budejovice.
The Men’s Junior National Team (MJNT), now 2-5, will play either Czech Republic or Japan for 13th place at 3:30 a.m. PT on Sunday.
Every MJNT player got a chance to compete as the United States led in kills (36-31) and blocks (13-8) while Morocco held the edge in aces (4-3). The U.S. scored on 23 Morocco errors while committing 19.
“I’m proud of my guys and the way they executed,” U.S. Head Coach Jay Hosack said. “It’s a tough match to play when, on paper, you know you should be the victor. When you have the other team in front of you, you have to play it correctly.”
Outside hitters Dylan Missry and Austin Matautia, who both started the second and third sets, led the U.S. with eight points each. Missry scored on seven kills and one block while Matautia totaled five kills, two blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Pat Gasman, who started all three sets, added six point on four kills, one block and one ace.
“We didn’t have as much energy in the second two sets, but we still pulled it out in three,” said outside hitter Brett Rosenmeier, who started the first set and finished with four points. “It’s been a struggle this whole week trying to stay focused and get our first wins. Now we face a good Czech or Japanese team. I think it’s going to mean a lot if we end with a win.”
Starters for U.S. MJNT vs Morocco
Outside hitters: Brett Rosenmeier and Jordan Ewert
Middle blockers: Scott Stadick and Patrick Gasman
Setter: Josh Tuaniga
Opposite: Kyle Ensing
Libero: Gage Worsley
Statistics for U.S. MJNT vs Morocco
Kills: Ensing 20, Rosenmeier 14, Ewert 6, Tuaniga 5, Gasman 3, Stadick 1, Matautia 1
Blocks: Huhmann 5, Stadick 4, Ensing 2, Szews 1, Tuaniga 1
Aces: Ensing 1, Tuaniga 1, Rosenmeier 1
Digs: Worsley 16, Ensing 14, Rosenmeier 10, Ewert 7, Ma’a 3, Tuaniga 2, Huhmann 1, Stadick 1
U.S. Men’s Junior National Team
No – Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, Region)
2 – Gage Worsley (L, 6-2, Moraga, Calif., signed with Hawaii, NCVA)
3 – Josh Tuaniga (S, 6-2, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, SCVA)
4 – Micah Ma’a (S, 6-4, Kaneohe, Hawaii, UCLA, Aloha)
5 – Dylan Missry (OH, 6-4, Holbrook, N.Y., UCLA, Garden Empire)
7 – Jordan Ewert (OH, 6-5, Antioch, Calif., Stanford, NCVA)
8 – Austin Matautia (OH, 6-5, Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Hawaii, Aloha)
9 – Brett Rosenmeier (OH, 6-6, Virginia Beach, Va., Hawaii, Old Dominion)
14 – Kyle Ensing (Opp, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State, SCVA)
15 – Matthew Szews (Opp, 6-8, Brookfield, Wis., Ball State, Badger)
16 – Patrick Gasman (MB, 6-8, Clovis, Calif., Hawaii, NCVA)
19 – Scott Stadick (MB, 7-0, Watertown, Wis., UC Irvine, Badger)
20 – George Huhmann (MB, 6-10, High Ridge, Mo., Princeton, Gateway)
Head Coach: Jay Hosack (George Mason University)
Assistant Coach: Jonah Carson (Mountain View Volleyball Club) Matt McCarthy (Lewis University)
Team Manager: Jen Armson Dyer
Doctor: David Dyck, Jr.
Technical Coordinator: Galen Dodd
U.S. Schedule for the FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship
(all times PT)
July 2 at 3:30 a.m., 13th-place match: USA vs. Japan/Czech Republic
July 1: USA def. Morocco, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21
Pool G
June 27: Italy def. USA, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23
June 28: USA def. Czech Republic, 25-23, 24-26, 21-25, 25-18, 15-7
June 29: Egypt def. USA, 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19
Pool B
June 23: Turkey def. USA, 25-19, 25-14, 30-28
June 24: Cuba def. USA, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20
June 25: Russia def. USA, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22
Pools for the FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship
Pool E
Poland 3-0
Cuba 2-1
Iran 1-2
China 0-3
Pool F
Brazil 2-0
Russia 2-0
Canada 1-2
Argentina 0-3
Pool G
Italy 3-0
Egypt 2-1
USA 1-2
Czech Republic 0-3
Pool H
Turkey 3-0
Ukraine 2-1
Japan 1-2
Morocco 0-3