COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 13, 2017) – The U.S. Men’s National Team let one get away as it fell to Iran, 20-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-12 at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup on Wednesday in Nagoya.
The United States (1-1) will have Thursday off to travel to Osaka where it will face France (0-1) on Friday.
The U.S. led Iran in kills (69-56) and aces (8-2). Iran led in blocks (4-1) and scored 42 points off U.S. errors while committing 30.
Changes Iran made during its second-set loss, including the substitution of Mohammadjavad Manavinezhad for Farhad Ghaemi caught the U.S. off guard.
”I think we came out well, in continuation from last night,” said Team Captain David Smith. “Iran made some substitutions and we were not able to match them tactically or emotionally.”
“They started playing really aggressive and we didn’t match them,” said Matt Anderson. “They started executing quite well in transition and our number started to fall. That put pressure on us and we didn’t step up when we needed to.”
U.S. Head Coach John Speraw also changed his starting lineup from Tuesday. Anderson started at outside hitter with Taylor Sander. Ben Patch started at opposite with Max Holt and Jeff Jendryk at middle blocker. Micah Christenson started at setter and Erik Shoji at libero.
Speraw brought Aaron Russell in for Sander as the U.S. trailed in the fourth set. Later in the set, he brought Thomas Jaeschke in for Patch and moved Anderson back to opposite.
“I think we will look back on a period of about two minutes in the third set when we were up and there was a little bit of lack of focus,” Speraw said. “In that moment, Iran took advantage and made some good plays, particularly (Amir) Ghafour.”
U.S. Starters vs Iran
Outside hitters: Matt Anderson and Taylor Sander
Middle blockers: Max Holt and Jeff Jendryk
Opposite: Ben Patch
Setter: Micah Christenson
Libero: Erik Shoji
U.S. Statistics vs Iran
Kills: Sander 16, Anderson 13, Patch 12, Holt 11, Jendryk 10, Russell 4, Christenson 3
Blocks: Jendryk 1
Aces: Anderson 4, Jendryk 1, Christenson 1, Sander 1, Kawika Shoji 1
Digs: Erik Shoji 12, Christenson 11, Sander 9, Anderson 5, Patch 3, Russell 3, Kawika Shoji 2, Jendryk 1
FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
U.S. Men’s Roster
1. Matt Anderson (Opp, 6-9, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State)
2. Aaron Russell (OH, 6-9, Ellicott City, Md., Penn State)
3. Taylor Sander (OH, 6-4, Huntington Beach, Calif., BYU)
4. Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola of Chicago)
7. Kawika Shoji(S, 6-3, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
10. Thomas Jaeschke (OH, 6-6, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola of Chicago)
11. Micah Christenson (S, 6-6, Honolulu, Southern California)
14. Ben Patch (Opp, 6-8, Provo, Utah, BYU)
15. Carson Clark (Opp, 6-6, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Irvine)
17. Max Holt (MB, 6-10, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State)
19. Taylor Averill (MB, 6-7, San Jose, Calif., Hawaii)
20C. David Smith (MB, 6-7, Saugus, Calif., UC Irvine)
21. Dustin Watten (L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State)
22. Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
Head Coach: John Speraw
Team Manager Nate Ngo
Assistant Coaches: Rob Neilson and Brian Thornton
Technical Coordinator: Nate Ngo
Athletic Trainer: Aaron Brock
Team Doctor: Andrew Gregory
Consultant Coach: John Crawley
Consultant Coach: Mike Wall
Strength Coach: Tim Pelot
Schedule/Results
All times PT
Sept. 12: Brazil def. France, 27-25, 27-25, 25-22
Sept. 12: Iran def. Italy, 25-19, 23-25, 28-26, 29-31, 15-11
Sept. 12: USA def. Japan, 25-21, 25-18, 25-13
Sept. 12: Italy def. Brazil, 15-25, 27-25, 27-25, 18-25, 15-12
Sept. 12: Iran def USA vs Iran, 20-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-12
Sept. 13 at 3:15 a.m.: Japan vs France
Sept. 14 at 8:40 p.m.: Iran vs Brazil
Sept. 14 at 11:40 p.m.: France vs USA
Sept. 15 at 3:15 a.m.: Italy vs Japan
Sept. 15 at 8:40 p.m.: USA vs Brazil
Sept. 15 at 11:40 p.m.: France vs Italy
Sept. 16 at 3:15 a.m.: Japan vs Iran
Sept. 16 at 7:40 p.m.: Italy vs USA
Sept. 16 at 10:40 p.m.: Iran vs France
Sept. 17 at 2:15 a.m.: Brazil vs Japan