Beijing Olympic Volleyball

Volleyball Canada forced to withdraw from World League

According to the Canadian Press:
OTTAWA - Canada's men's volleyball team has pulled out of the prestigious World League.

Volleyball Canada officials said in a statement Monday they were forced to withdraw after they were informed they were losing their funding from the Road to Excellence Program.

The Road to Excellence, a partnership between the Canadian Olympic Committee and Sport Canada, is designed to support programs that have a high probability of success in the Summer Olympics.

NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier results: Hector Soto was the MVP of the NORCECA Men’s Qualifier

Hector Soto was the MVP of the NORCECA Men’s Qualifier
 
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 11, 2008.- Puerto Rican Hector “Picky” Soto was selected the Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier. Soto was the second best scorer of the competition won by USA.
 
Mexican Ivan Contreras was the top scorer and his countryman Tomas Aguilera was the player selected as “Rising Star.”
 
American Richard Lambourne was credited as best receiver and best libero, and he was joined in the All-Star by team mates Sean Rooney as best spiker, Ryan Millar as top blocker and Clayton Stanley as the best server.
 
Puerto Ricans Gregory Berrios and Angel Perez were selected as best defender and setter respectively.

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NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier results: USA won the ticket to the Beijing Games

USA won the ticket to the Beijing Games
 
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 11, 2008.- USA won a ticket to the Beijing Olympic Games with a clear victory over Puerto Rico in the final match of the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The American blocking (13-5) proved to be too much for the host Puerto Ricans. The score was 25-20, 25-19, 25-20.
 
Seldom used Sean Rooney was spectacular today for the winning side, attacking way over the blocking and finishing with 16 points, while David Lee and Clayton Stanley each had 10 points. Ryan Millar had five blocks among his 8 points. Hector Soto had 16 points for Puerto Rico.
 

“I feel relieved and excited,” said Hugh McCutcheon, the coach of USA. “The team rose to the occasion and we executed in all the aspects of the game. So many guys performed at their highest level and with a lot of energy.”
“We put tremendous pressure on the Puerto Rican team,” said Thomas Hoff, the USA Captain. “Our staff did a great job and we did all they wanted. Our team got better and better with the tournament and we reserved our best for the last match.”
 
“They played too well, we got overmatched since early in the match,” said Carlos Cardona, the coach of Puerto Rico. “We were left without solutions and the size of the team they used today somewhat surprised us.”
 
USA led at the technical stops of the first set 8-5 and 16-13. The Americans enjoyed good reception and built the gap with fast attacks down the middle. Rooney, Millar and Salmon excelled in the offense as also setter Lloy Ball.
 
Like in the first set, USA Team led 8-5 and 16-13 relying on clutch blocking by Lee and Millar. Puerto Rico sparked a three-point rally to close the margin at 17-18. Soto killed, Victor Rivera blocked and Soto served one ace with a lob. Once again the solid blocking of USA returned and sealed the set.
 
The third set was one sided with the Americans dominating against an opponent who seemed to be intimidated by their blocking of the eventual winners.

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Cuba took a third place at the NORCECA's

 
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 11, 2008.- Cuba finished in the third position at the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament after prevailing against Canada by scores of 25-23, 25-23, 24-26, 25-23.
 
Rolando Jurquin and Robertlandy Simon led five Cuban players in double figures with 18 and 16 respectively. Henry Bell had 13 and Yoandry Leal and Raydel Corrales each had 11 tallies. Fred Winters, Chris Wolfenden and Dallas Soonias had 21, 19 and 16 points respectively for Canada.
 
“I want to thank all the fans of Puerto Rico for their great support,” said Orlando Samuels, the Cuban coach. “The match could have gone either way and nobody knows what could have happen in case of a fifth set.”

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NORCECA Men’s Qualifier results: Canada goes to semis

The Canadian Press reports:

Canada advances to semifinals of Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tourney
4 days ago

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico - Canada advanced to the semifinals of the North American men's volleyball Olympic qualifying tournament with a 3-0 win over Mexico on Tuesday.
Set scores were 25-21, 25-19 and 26-24 in favour of Canada.

Canada finished first in Group B with a 3-0 record and earned a bye into Thursday's semifinal round.
Dallas Soonias of Red Deer, Alta., led the Canadian attack from the right side, finishing with 16 points on 14 kills, one stuff block and a service ace. Victoria native Fred Winters recorded 11 points in the contest while team captain Murray Grapentine Wetaskiwin, Alta., contributed with nine points, including six stuff blocks.
Canada scored seven points on stuff blocks to cement their path to the victory in the first set where Soonias scored on six spikes.
Mexico was close (14-15) in the second set, but Soonias scored on consecutive kills and the Canadians built an insurmountable margin.
Canada was ahead for almost all of the third set, but Mexico tied it at 23 with a spike by Gustavo Meyer. With the teams tied at 24, Steve Brinkman and Pascal Cardinal connected for spikes respectfully for the win.
Host Puerto Rico (2-0) and the United States (2-0) complete Group A action this evening with the winner of that match receiving a berth into Thursday's other semifinal.
The tournament winner earns a berth in this summer's Beijing Olympics.

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NORCECA Men’s Qualifier results: Canada and Puerto Rico won tough battles

Caguas, Puerto Rico, January 7, 2008 - Dallas Soonias scored 28 points and Fred Winters added 20 leading Canada to a 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 25-20 victory over Cuba in the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The Canadians are one win away of winning Pool B having to face Mexico on Tuesday.
Murray Grapentine, the Captain of Canada, contributed 10 points for their triumph. Raydel Corrales, Rolando Jurquin and Roberlandy Simon had 19, 14 and 13 points respectively for Cuba.

Also on Monday, Puerto Rico won a tough battle against the Dominican Republic in three sets (28-26, 25-21, 38-36) advancing to a decisive match against USA for the first place in Pool A.
Hector Soto topped Puerto Rico with 26 points and was helped in the attack by Jose Rivera and Luis Rodriguez with 15 and 12 points respectively. Dominican Jose Caceres led all the scorers with 29 and Victor Batista added 19.

In the earlier matches, Mexico took an easy victory in straight sets over Trinidad & Tobago 25-20, 25-13, 25-11, and USA rolled past Barbados in straight sets by scores of 25-14, 25-10, 25-16.
Ivan Contreras and Juan Garcia had 12 and 11 points respectively for Mexico while Trinidadian Marc Honore had 9.

Sean Rooney led the USA team with 20 points while Ryan Miller added 9 and Clayton Stanley contributed 8 points, including five aces. Shawn Simpson had 9 tallies for Barbados.

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Dominican Republic move to quarterfinals

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 8, 2008.- The Dominican Republic defeated Barbados in straight sets (25-19, 25-19, 25-17) and advanced to a quarterfinals match against Cuba on Wednesday. The Dominicans (1-2) ended in third place of Pool A and Barbados finished in fourth (0-3).
 
Jose Caceres led three Dominicans in double figures with 15 points, followed by Victos Batista and Eury Almonte with 11 and 10 respectively. Fabian Cox and Renier Grace each had 9 points for Barbados.
 
“We came trying to secure the advance to the next phase and we did it,” said Jacinto Campechano, the Dominican coach. “We controlled the match but I think Barbados is a team of good potential.”
 
The Dominican combination of Caceres and Batista proved to be a lethal weapon in route to winning the first set.
In the second set, the Dominicans led 8-6 and 16-13 at the regular stops and won it employing solid blocking.

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Cuba demolished Trinidad & Tobago

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 8, 2008.- Cuba defeated Trinidad & Tobago in consecutive sets (25-13, 25-8, 25-15) in the first match of Tuesday at the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Cuba (2-1) finished in second place of Pool B while Trinidad & Tobago (0-3) placed fourth.

Roberlandy Simon was the best scorer of Cuba with 10 points, including three blocks, and Rolando Jurquin had two blocks among his 8 tallies. Trinidadian Marc-Anthony Honore scored 10 points.

“The match was not complicated for us due to the difference in the technical level of the two teams,” said Orlando Samuels, the Cuban coach. “I expect a better performance of my boys in the next phase when we will be catching our rhythm.”

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NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier results: Puerto Rico prevailed against Dominican Republic

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 7, 2008.- Puerto Rico won a tough battle against Dominican Republic in three sets (28-26, 25-21, 38-36) advancing to a decisive match against USA for the first place in Pool A of the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier on Tuesday.
 
Hector Soto topped Puerto Rico with 26 points and was helped in the attack by Jose Rivera and Luis Rodriguez with 15 and 12 points respectively. Dominican Jose Caceres led all the scorers with 29 and Victor Batista added 19.
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NORCECA Men’s Qualifier results:Americans are 2-0 after win over Barbados

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico, January 7, 2008.- USA rolled past Barbados in straight sets by scores of 25-14, 25-10, 25-16 for their second victory in as many outings at the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
 Sean Rooney led USA with 20 points, Ryan Miller added 9 and Clayton Stanley contributed 8 points, including five aces. Shawn Simpson had 9 tallies for Barbados.
 “We have a good practice in the morning and were prepared for the match,” said Captain Thomas Hoff. “We plan to do the same tomorrow against Puerto Rico, win our pool and have a day off before the semi finals.”
 The Americans built a good margin in the first set using a rally of quick attacks finished by Hoff and also the strong serves of Stanley.
 The second set was lopsided with USA establishing a high wall at the net combined with powerful spikes and lightning serves.
In the third set, USA played with mostly back-up players but nevertheless was far superior for their opponents. 

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