USA men earn World Cup berth with win over Cuba at NORCECA

by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications

The USA men's national volleyball team took its first step toward qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games by qualifying for the 2003 World Cup Monday night in Culiacan, Mexico.

Reid Priddy scored a match-high 23 points and Clay Stanley added 19 as Team USA advanced to the gold medal match of the NORCECA Zone Championships with a 3-1 win over Cuba.

Priddy (Los Angeles, Calif.) blasted 17 kills to go along with three blocks and three service aces in the 25-20, 25-22, 26-28, 25-20 victory as the United States also clinched an automatic bid to the first Olympic qualifier of the quadrennial, the 12-team World Cup in Japan from Nov. 16-30.

The top three teams at the World Cup automatically qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Canada also advanced to the NORCECA championship match and the World Cup thanks to a 3-1 win over Mexico in Monday's other semifinal.

Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) had 17 kills and two blocks as the Americans won their fourth straight match at the tournament without a loss to improve to 14-3 overall on the season.

With Monday night's win, Team USA also avenged a 3-2 loss to the Cubans in the semifinals of the Pan American Games last month.

Middle blocker Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.) scored 10 points on a match-high five blocks, three kills and two aces, while outside hitters Jim Polster (Laguna Nigel, Calif.) and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) scored six and four points, respectively.

Tomas Aldazabal scored 16 points to lead Cuba, which will now battle Mexico for the NORCECA bronze medal Tuesday night.

The United States, winners of four NORCECA championships (1973, 1983, 1985, 1999), will try for a fifth crown when it squares off against Canada in the gold medal match later Tuesday night. Canada has never won the zone championship.

For more information, go to the USA Volleyball web site.