Team USA Qualifies for Worlds and Gold Medal Match

TULSA, United States (July 18, 2014) – The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team qualified for the 2015 FIVB World Championship and for the gold medal match at the NORCECA U19 Boys’ Continental Championship with a 25-22, 25-14, 25-21 win over Mexico on Friday at the Cox Business Center Arena.

Team USA (3-0) will play Cuba (4-0) for the gold medal at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. Mexico (3-2) will play Puerto Rico (2-2) for the bronze medal and the final qualifying slot for the 2015 FIVB World Championship. Only the top three teams qualify.

“I want to say congratulations to Mexico,” U.S. Head Coach Ken Shibuya said. “They are a really good team. I don’t think the score indicated how good they are. We were really excited to beat them because they have kind of put it on us the last few years.”

Team USA overwhelmed Mexico, who said it struggled with its attitude during the match.

“We started the first set with a negative attitude,” Mexico Captain Ridl Garay said. “Our main focus tomorrow is to improve our attitude because our main goal is to qualify for the World Championship.”

The U.S. Boys’ Youth Team led in kills (39-24), blocks (7-3), aces (9-3) and digs (36-26). Mexico scored 27 points on U.S. errors while committing 20.

“Mexico really came with the emotion that we expected them to,” U.S. Captain Dane Leclair said. “I felt our team collected itself pretty well and grinded that one out start to finish.”

The United States’ T.J. DeFalco led all scorers with 25 points on a match-high 24 attacks and one block. Jordan Ewert added eight points on four kills, a match-high three aces and one block. Scott Stadick scored eight points on four kills and a match-high four blocks.

Ridl Garay and Bruno Cruz scored 11 points each for Mexico. Garay scored all his points on kills while Cruz scored on nine attacks and two blocks.

The U.S. trailed 16-15 in the first set when it scored on a kill and block by DeFalco along with a Mexico violation. Mexico pulled to within one point at 18-17, but never caught up. The U.S. jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the second set and Mexico never threatened. In the third set, Mexico led 17-16 when it served into the net. The U.S. got an ace from Leclair and Mexico hit its next attack out of bounds to put the U.S. ahead 19-17. Mexico came back with a kill, but the U.S. responded with kills from Ewert and DeFalco to put the set and match out of reach.

Quotes

Mexico Captain Ridl Garay: “We started the first set with a negative attitude. Our main focus tomorrow is to improve our attitude because our main goal is to qualify for the World Championship.”

Mexico Coach Gabriela Alarcon: “Our team was very excited to play at the beginning. The United States’ serves were really hard and the reception was really hard. I was not happy with their attitude. Tomorrow will be the last opportunity to qualify so we will fight with everything we have.”

U.S. Captain Dane Leclair: “Mexico really came with the emotion that we expected them to. I felt our team collected itself pretty well and grinded that one out start to finish. As the game went on, you saw what our serving could do. We got a lot of aces and forced a lot of bad passes, which is our goal.”

U.S. Coach Ken Shibuya: “I want to say congratulations to Mexico. They are a really good team. I don’t think the score indicated how good they are. We were really excited to beat them because they have kind of put it on us the last few years. Cuba is a program that has been working the last year together. They are extremely physical and talented. We will have to play our game well.”