MATCH INFO
American block power smashes Iran in Maracanazinho
American scored 22 points in blocking
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 5, 2011 - The United States tied Russia atop of Pool E in the second round of the FIVB Men's Junior World Championship as the American team outclassed Iran on Friday afternoon at Maracanazinho Gymnasium, in Rio de Janeiro. The USA side was able to recover in time to score a 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-15, 25-17) victory over the Asian squad.
The main difference of the match was the American block power, responsible for 22 points for their side, while the Iranian scored only 10 from this element.
With the result, the USA are second placed in the group with three points, the same as leader Russia, which did not lose sets against the fourth-ranked Spain, whick like Iran did not earn points in the first match of the day.
American opposite Joshua Taylor and outside hitter Taylor Sander each recorded 17 points. Taylor Crabb (13), Eric Mochalski (12) and Dylan Davis (11) also scored on double digits for the winners with Davis totalling 6 blocks. Iranian wing spiker Pourya Fayazi scored 14 points as also did Amir Ghafour.
Led by Fayazi, Iran scored the first four points of the match and kept the lead until the middle of the frame, when, helped by good serves of middle blocker Eric Mochalski, the American tied 15-15 with a huge block of setter Micah Christenson. With captain Taylor Crabb stopping Iranian attack, the USA took the lead 201-19, but it did not last much as Iran reacted with outside hitter Saeid Shirood scoring twice in a row to make 24-21. A wrong serve of Maurice Torres sealed the Asian win 25-22.
The USA took an early lead in the second partial with Mochalski exploring the Iranian block to score 8-5. With two block points of Hamed Bagherpour, the Asian reduced to 14-13, before tying it in the 18th point, through Sajad Dehnavi. American substitute Brian Cook scored twice in a row to put his team ahead in 22-19 and two set mistakes of Iran closed the frame 25-21 to the USA.
American repeated the good start in the third set and achieved an 8-4 lead in the first technical timeout. A single block of Taylor Sander gave the USA a good advantage in 15-6. The same Sander spiked powerfully to close the set with comfortable 25-15 to the American side.
American block power was remarkable in the fourth set as the red and blue side scored 3-1 with Dylan Davis and reached a 12-4 lead three straight block points. Keeping the good level, the American, led by an unstoppable Sander, managed to end the match 25-17 with a spike of Mochalski.
In the second match day, Saturday, Iran will play the opening match against Russia, at 10:00 a.m., while the American will face Spain at 4:00 p.m.
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