Olympics: Brazil sweeps USA men in Olympic semifinals

by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Media Relations & Publications

Brazil was simply too fast and too strong for the USA men's Olympic volleyball team as the Brazilians roared into Sunday's gold medal match with a 3-0 win over Team USA in the semifinals Friday night at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Dante led four players in double figures with 15 points in Brazil's 25-16, 25-17, 25-23 victory. Brazil will now take on Italy in the gold medal match in a showdown between the top two teams in the world.

Giba scored 14 points while Gustavo and Andre added 11 points apiece for Brazil, which won its first Olympic gold medal in 1992 but has not stood on the podium since the Barcelona Games.

"They play at a different tempo than anybody in the world," explained Team USA head coach Doug Beal. "I thought we got a little anxious early in the match. You just can't get anxious against this team. You have to stay in your position and you have to react to what they do. If you start jumping around it just gets worse and worse.

"They do this to almost everybody, unfortunately," he added. "They are a very good volleyball team. I congratulate them and I wish them well in the gold medal match."

Brook Billings (Santa Barbara, Calif.) came off the bench to lead the United States with nine points on eight kills and one block, while Kevin Barnett (Naperville, Ill.) added seven points on seven kills.

Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.), Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) and Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) chipped in with six points apiece in the loss.

Despite the loss, the Americans will still be playing for their first Olympic medal in 12 years when they battle Russia in the bronze medal match on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

"We probably match up with Russia a little better than Brazil; they're not flying around as much," said libero Erik Sullivan (Encinitas, Calif.), who had seven digs Friday night. "But we're going to have to go out and play well if we're going to go home with some hardware."

The United States found itself trailing, 20-12, in each of the first two sets against Brazil. But unlike Wednesday night's comeback from a 20-12 hole against Greece in the fourth set, the Americans were unable to rally.

In Friday night's third set, Billings, Barnett and Priddy kept Team USA in the match as they traded points with Brazil early on and even took the lead twice.

What was the secret to Billings' success against the talented Brazilians?

"I think a lack of scouting report. I don't play too much so maybe they don't know where I hit the ball," he said with a laugh. "I like a faster tempo set than Clay does, so by running a little bit faster (offense) I can get there before the blockers do."

But Brazil was able to put together a 5-0 run after the United States took its final lead of the match at 14-13 and held on for the win, even after the Americans scored four-straight points of their own to tie the set at 18-all.

Sunday's match will also be the final USA match for setter Lloy Ball (Woodburn, Ind.), who is retiring from national team play after Athens.

"I kind of have mixed emotions right now," said Ball after Friday's loss. "Obviously I am real disappointed, but I am also really excited. We know we ran into a better, stronger, faster team tonight. I thought our guys played real hard like we always do. They were just a lot better than us tonight.

"I'm also happy because we have a chance to play for a medal in my last game in a USA uniform," the three-time Olympian added. "Russia is a team we know real well and a team we know we can beat and it's going to be real exciting. And I guarantee you that as hard as this loss is, we'll let it go tonight and be ready Sunday to battle a big Russian team."

For Beal, who is now in his 15th year as head coach of the national team, it will be his second chance at an Olympic medal. Twenty years ago in 1984 he guided a young squad to the Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles.

"We're going to go on and fight our hardest in the bronze medal match against Russia," he said. "We are going to have to deal with a whole different rhythm of play.

"But we played a strong match against them earlier in the tournament and our players are going to be very excited and very motivated to play for a medal.the first time we have done that in 12 years."

For more information and complete rankings, go to the USA Volleyball web site or the FIVB web site.