USA men earn
first International Sports Invitational win
California, USA, June 9, 2005 - The USA men’s national
Volleyball team overcame another slow start and walked away with
their first win in the men’s Volleyball competition at the
International Sports Invitational on the University of San Diego
campus on Thursday.
Riley Salmon scored a match-high tying 19 points as Team USA
earned a 3-1 win over Australia in pool play. Salmon, a 2004
Olympian, blasted 18 kills and ripped one service ace in the
19-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-17 victory one night after dropping the
first two sets in a 3-2 loss to the Netherlands.
Jim Polster added 17 points on 16 kills and one block, while
Dave McKienzie posted 12 points on 12 kills as the United States
improved to 1-1 so far in pool play.
Benjamin Hardy scored 19 points, Daniel Howard added 15 and
Hidde Van Beest tallied 10 points for the Aussies, who dropped
to 0-2 in the tournament.
Hardy had 15 kills, three blocks and one ace, while Howard added
11 kills, three blocks and one ace. Van Beest had 10 kills.
In Thursday’s early match, Kay van Dijk and Rob Bontje each
scored a team-high 12 points as the Netherlands defeated China,
3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-20).
Van Dijk had 12 kills and Bontje added seven kills, a match-high
four blocks and one service ace as Holland, with the win,
improved to 2-0 in pool play. China dropped to 1-1 in the
tournament.
Friday’s final day of pool play features Australia versus the
Netherlands, followed by China taking on Team USA.
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