MATCH INFO

Tokyo, Japan, December 2, 2011 - The USA entered the final round of the 2011 FIVB Men’s World Cup with a 4-4 record, and on Friday managed to pick up their fifth win over a young Argentina squad at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, roaring back with great blocking after dropping a close first set to win 3-2 (27-29, 25-14, 25-17, 20-25, 15-12).

Five USA players reached double-digits in scoring, with Matthew Anderson leading the way with 25 points. Evan Patak and Russell Holmes helped their team to a 13-7 blocking advantage, with five and four block stuffs respectively. Leading the way for Argentina was their star Facundo Conte with 18 points, followed by Federico Pereyra with 17 points.

Men’s World Cup Results/Standings, Match Info, Photos or Live Scoring

Argentina’s Conte started off well in the first, edging his side ahead with an ace, but the USA bounced back with a Holmes block to jump ahead 7-4. A pair of Pereyra spikes brought Argentina even at 19-19, until a Holmes strike appeared to put the North Americans in command 24-22. But Pereyra performed to perfection from that point, fighting off two USA set points with a spike and an ace (his second) that painted the baseline. He then pitched in two more spikes and a picture perfect block on Patak to take the set, 29-27.

Anderson helped the USA rebound in style to start the second, kicking off an 8-2 run with his second ace of the match. Sean Rooney kept kept them rolling with three impressive attacks, and Holmes’ third block — this time on Pereyra — put them way up 17-8. Anderson’s third ace gave put the side well in control 23-14, and they’d close it from there on an errant Pereyra spike that sailed wide, making it 24-14, one set a piece.

The third set again saw the USA start fast with Holmes putting his fourth block on Maximiliano Gauna and following with a punch to the back of Argentina’s defense to make it 8-2. Patak, the other USA defensive stalwart, subsequently made it 16-7 with his fifth block of the match on an attacking Conte. Argentina mustered a small 5-1 run with Cristian Poglajen scoring three to help make it 19-14. However, Rooney would eventually close it out on a soft tip at 25-17 producing a 2-1 USA set advantage.

But mistakes arose for the USA to start the fourth with three serves going astray to let Argentina edge out 8-7. It stayed close until 13 when Poglajen helped put Argentina ahead at 16-13. They would hold that cushion until a Conte spike gave them set point at 24-20, and an Anderson spike long gave it to Argentina on the next point, sending the match to a tie-breaks.

Millar put the USA ahead by two in the fifth with a wonderful block on an attacking Pereyra, but Argentina tied moments later at 9-9. It was tight down the stretch, but spikes by Anderson and Rooney would give them an edge, and Holmes stepped in to close with a score, 15-12 for the USA, giving them the match 3-2.