Argentina's Facundo Conte scored 21 points in the five-set match that ended USA's campaign at the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship
Bydgoszcz, Poland, September 14, 2014 – Argentina eliminated USA with a 3-2 (19-25, 28-26, 25-20, 23-25, 15-11) in Pool E of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship at the Luczniczka Hall on Sunday.
Key Points
• The USA would have been certain of a third round berth with a 3-0 or 3-1 victory, but Argentina forced USA to a tiebreaker that eventually capped their 2014 campaign.
• Argentina have ended their campaign but finished with two consecutive victories.
• USA used the same lineup in all five sets, only David Smith saw action from the USA bench in the third set.
• USA and Argentina both had five players scoring in double figures.
• Argentina’s Facundo Conte won the scoring game with 21 points over USA’s Matthew Anderson, who had 17 markers.
Argentina led 6-2 in the early stages of the first set as Conte’s powerful offensive game clicked. Conte later on committed attack and service errors that started the USA run to cut down the lead 8-5 of Argentina at the first technical timeout. USA were persistent on their attacks and were rewarded with the lead, then a service ace by setter Micah Christenson gave USA a safe advantage at 20-16. USA pulled through victory at 25-19.
Maxwell Holt’s attack helped his team to jump out to a 4-1 lead in the second set. The attack exchanges became heated that still favoured the USA squad until Argentina coach Julio Velasco called for timeout. After the break, Argentina played better defence to takeover the lead at 9-5. USA fought back to bring the score at 16-11 until a spirited Argentine run started from better defence and offence plays to cut the lead to within one 19-18.
Conte’s hit from the backrow brought the score back up for Argentina 22-21. Velasco called timeout for his team at 23-22 then a tight exchange of rallies ensued. Argentina finally broke free as Javier Filardi’s attack was blocked out to end the set 28-26.
Argentina led 8-4 and 16-12 in the technical breaks of the third set. Conte also showed excellent defence that kept his other team-mates running their offence. Argentina increased their lead 18-13 that prompted USA coach John Speraw to call for time. Argentina still led and left handed hitter Jose Luis Gonzalez closed the set with a superb ace 25-20.
USA fought back in the fourth set by a slim margin 25-23. USA started with a 4-1 lead but Argentina recovered and stayed close 8-7 at the first technical timeout. David Lee served an ace to make it 20-15 but with the loud cheers from the crowd, the Argentines got their rhythm back to narrow the gap to 24-23. However, Argentina captain Javier Filardi sent the ball to the net that gave the set away to USA 25-23.
USA led in the fifth set but a solid block by Sebastian Sole tied the score at 4-4. Conte’s attack gave Argentina the lead at 8-7 on side change. Then at 9-8, an important challenge favoured USA. Sole’s block brought the lead back to Argentina 11-8 until Conte found an open court to score put the lead up 12-8. Gonzalez gave Argentina match point and Sole’s block finished the set and match 15-11.