COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 2, 2019) – The U.S. Men’s Team competing at the NORCECA Championship celebrated Labor Day with a 25-14, 25-17, 25-14 victory over the Dominican Republic on Monday in Winnipeg.
The U.S. Men (1-0) will be back in action on Tuesday at 1 p.m. PT against Guatemala (0-1). Matches are being shown live on FloVolleyball.org.
This particular U.S. Men’s Team has not practiced together long, but it led the Dominican Republic in kills (43-18) and aces (10-3). The teams tied in blocks (4-4). The U.S. Men scored 18 points on Dominican errors and committed 20.
“We knew some things weren’t going to be as clean as they should be,” said Micah Ma’a, the team’s captain and starting setter. “We just wanted to come out and play hard and play to our strengths. We’re a good serving team and I think we served really well tonight. That made the game a lot easier.”
Outside hitter T.J. DeFalco led all scorers with 15 points on 12 kills and three aces. Opposite Kyle Russell joined the match as a substitute in the second set and started the third and scored nine points on four kills, two blocks and three aces.
Middle blocker Jeff Jendryk and outside hitter Brenden Sander each scored seven points on seven kills.
Every player on the U.S. roster got in the match.
“Everyone contributed. Everybody did some nice things and we passed well,” U.S. Head Coach John Hawks said. “I thought our setting was good, we dug some balls, served effectively. Overall it was a good match for us.”
U.S. STARTERS VS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Outside hitters: T.J. DeFalco and Brenden Sander
Middle blockers: Jeff Jendryk and Mitch Stahl
Opposite: Kyle Ensing
Setter: Micah Ma’a
Libero: Kyle Dagostino
Substitutes: Joe Worsley (S), Tommy Carmody (MB), Cody Kessel (OH), David Wieczorek (OH), George Huhmann (MB), Kyle Russell (Opp)
U.S. STATISTICS VS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Kills: DeFalco 12, Jendryk 7, Sander 7, Stahl 5, Ensing 4, Russell 4, Carmody 1, Kessel 1, Ma’a 1, Wieczorek 1
Blocks: Ma’a 2, Russell 2
Aces: DeFalco 3, Russell 3, Ma’a 2, Worsley 1, Ensing 1