U.S. Men Find Glory and Gold at End of Olympic Games

B.J. Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

BEIJING (Aug. 24, 2008) – The U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team put tragedy aside and embraced triumph as it defeated defending Olympic champion and world No. 1-ranked Brazil, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23, and won the Olympic gold medal on Sunday at Capital Gymnasium.

The U.S. Men finished the tournament undefeated at 8-0. Brazil won the silver medal with a 6-2 record. Russia defeated Italy, 25-22 25-19 25-23, to win bronze.

The volleyball gold medal is the first for the United States since 1988 and the first medal since 1992, when it won bronze. The United States is the first country to win medals in all four Olympic volleyball events (men’s and women’s beach and men’s and women’s indoor) in one Olympic Games. The United States won three of the four gold medals available. The women’s indoor team took a silver medal on Saturday.

“It is a very demanding atmosphere playing in the final at the Olympic Games,” said U.S. Men’s Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). “We are very happy to win. It was a difficult match in a lot of ways. Our guys embraced that. I thought it was just two good teams battling hard through a tough match.”

Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawai’i) led the United States with 20 points on a match-high 15 kills, three blocks and two aces. He finished as the best scorer of the tournament with 146 points on 116 kills, 15 blocks and 15 aces. He was also the leading server.

Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) added 13 points on 12 kills and one block. Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored 12 points on eight kills and four aces. Ryan Millar (Palmdale, Calif.) totaled 11 points on eight kills and three blocks. David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) scored 10 points on five kills and five blocks.

Setter Lloy Ball (Fort Wayne, Ind.) scored four points on two kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 21 running sets, and 69 still sets on 91 attempts for a 5.25 average per set.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with 10 “excellent” receptions on 25 attempts for a success ration of 40 percent. He also had 12 digs. Priddy had 12 digs on 21 attempts and 13 “excellent” receptions on 33 attempts for a success ration of 39.39 percent.

Amaral Dante led Brazil with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks.

The U.S. Men’s Team overcame the tragic events of Aug. 9, when McCutcheon’s father-in-law, Todd Bachman, was killed and his wife Barbara was seriously injured by an assailant while site-seeing in Beijing. McCutcheon missed the team’s first three matches, but returned on Aug. 16 when Barbara’s health had improved enough that she returned to the United States.

“What a roller coaster,” Millar said. “I don’t know if it’s hit me yet. What a great match. It was something special. It’s so good to do this with Hugh and to do this for him and the Bachmans.”

On Sunday, McCutcheon started Priddy and Salmon at outside hitter, Millar and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Ball at setter and Lambourne at libero. Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.) substituted as an extra blocker and Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) substituted as a serving specialist.

With the United States leading 2 sets to 1, the match came down to a hard-fought fourth set. Brazil led 8-6 at the first technical timeout and 16-14 at the second.

With the U.S. still trailing 18-20, Priddy got the serve on a Lee block and served for the next three points on two blocks and a kill by Stanley to give the United States a 22-20 lead. The United States reached match point at 24-22 on Millar’s kill. Brazil scored once on a kill by Murilo Endres, but Stanley put an end to the match with a kill.

“To be honest, I just think again trying to stay in the moment helped us,” Priddy said. “We’re just so proud to be a part of this team representing our country. It’s just very special. This group just really wanted to be together.”

2008 Olympic Games Men's Volleyball Tournament
Aug. 10-24 in Beijing, China

U.S. Men's Olympic Team
No. Name (Pos., Height, Age, Hometown, College)
1 - Lloy Ball (S, 6-8, 36, Woodburn, Ind., IPFW)
2 - Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, 25, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine)
4 - David Lee (MB, 6-8, 26, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State)
5 - Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, 33, Tustin, Calif., BYU)
8 - Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, 30, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount)
9 - Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, 30, Palmdale, Calif., BYU)
10 - Riley Salmon (OH, 6-6, 32, League City, Texas, Pierce College)
12 - (captain) Tom Hoff (MB, 6-8, 35, Park Ridge, Ill., Long Beach State)
13 - Clay Stanley (OPP, 6-9, 30, Honolulu, Hawai'i, Hawai'i)
14 - Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, 26, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford)
15 - Gabe Gardner (OPP, 6-9, 32, San Clemente, Calif., Stanford)
18 - Scott Touzinsky (OH, 6-6, 26, St. Louis, Mo., Long Beach State)

Staff
Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon
Team Leader: Rob Browning
Interim Head Coach: Ron Larsen
Second Assistant Coach: John Speraw
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Scouting Coach: Carl McGown
Technical Consultant: Jamie Morrison
Medical Support: Aaron Brock

Final Standings
1. USA
2. Brazil
3. Russia
4. Italy
5T. Bulgaria
5T. China
5T. Poland
5T. Serbia
9T. Germany
9T. Venezuela
11T. Egypt
11T. Japan

U.S. Statistical Leaders
Best Scorer
1. Clay Stanley 146; 4. Reid Priddy 112; 8. Ryan Millar 97; 9. David Lee 90; 14. Riley Salmon 83
Best Spiker
5. Clay Stanley 32.91 hitting efficiency; 10. Reid Priddy 30.10
Best Blocker *
2. David Lee 1.00 blocks/set
Best Server *
1. Clay Stanley 0.45 aces/set
Best Digger *
7. Rich Lambourne 1.94 digs/set; 9. Reid Priddy 1.79
Best Setter *
7. Lloy Ball 6.30 assists/set
Best Receiver
9. Rich Lambourne 63.91 success percent; 10. Reid Priddy 61.15
Best Libero
6. Rich Lambourne 60.81 success percent

* NOTE: set averages based on number of sets team has played, not the sets played by the individual player.

Tournament Results

Wednesday, Aug. 20 – Quarterfinals at Capital Indoor Stadium
Russia def. Bulgaria, 20-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-21
Italy def. Poland, 25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 26-28, 17-15
Brazil def. China, 25-17, 25-15, 25-16
USA def. Serbia, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12

Friday, Aug. 22 – Semifinals at Capital Indoor Stadium
USA def. Russia, 25-22, 25-21, 25-27, 22-25, 15-13
Brazil def. Italy, 19-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-22

Sunday, Aug. 24 Capital Indoor Stadium
Bronze Medal: Russia def. Italy, 25-22 25-19 25-23
Gold Medal: USA def. Brazil, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23

Pool A Standings
USA 5-0
Italy 4-1
Bulgaria 3-2
China 2-3
Venezuela 1-4
Japan 0-5

Pool B Standings
Russia 4-1
Brazil 4-1
Poland 4-1
Germany 1-4
Serbia 2-3
Egypt 0-5

Sunday, Aug. 10 - at Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium
Pool B: Russia def. Serbia, 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-14
Pool A: Italy def. Japan, 25-19, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17

Sunday, Aug. 10 - at Capital Indoor Stadium
Pool A: USA def. Venezuela, 25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10
Pool B: Brazil def. Egypt, 25-19, 25-15, 25-18
Pool A: Bulgaria def. China, 25-20, 25-21, 26-28, 25-19
Pool B: Poland def. Germany, 25-17, 33-31, 25-20

Tuesday, Aug. 12 - at Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium
Pool B: Russia def. Germany, 25-27, 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 16-14
Pool B: Poland def. Egypt, 25-21, 25-18, 25-10

Tuesday, Aug. 12 - at Capital Indoor Stadium
Pool A: USA def. Italy, 24-26, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21
Pool B: Brazil def. Serbia, 25-27, 25-20, 25-17, 25-21
Pool A: China def. Venezuela 25-21, 21-25, 16-25, 25-21, 16-14
Pool A: Bulgaria def. Japan, 29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19

Thursday, Aug. 14 - at Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium
Pool A: Italy def. Venezuela, 25-21, 25-20, 25-21
Pool B: Germany def. Egypt, 29-27, 25-21, 25-21

Thursday, Aug. 14 - at Capital Indoor Stadium
Pool B: Russia def. Brazil, 22-25, 26-24, 31-29, 25-19
Pool B: Poland def. Serbia, 31-29, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21
Pool A: China def. Japan, 25-20, 25-23, 17-25, 16-25, 15-10
Pool A: USA def. Bulgaria, 27-29, 25-21, 25-14, 26-24

Saturday, Aug. 16 - at Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium
Pool A: USA def. China, 25-22, 25-12, 25-18
Pool B: Russia def. Egypt, 25-19, 25-14, 25-18

Saturday, Aug. 16 - at Capital Indoor Stadium
Pool B: Serbia def. Germany, 25-21, 27-25, 24-26, 25-23
Pool A: Italy def. Bulgaria, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16
Pool B: Brazil def. Poland, 30-28, 25-19, 25-19
Pool A: Venezuela def. Japan, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23

Monday, Aug. 18 - at Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium
Pool A: Bulgaria def. Venezuela, 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-22
Pool B: Brazil def. Germany, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23

Monday, Aug. 18 - at Capital Indoor Stadium
Pool B: Poland def. Russia, 17-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-23, 15-12
Pool B: Serbia def. Egypt, 25-16, 25-13, 25-17
Pool A: Italy def. China, 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 16-14
Pool A: USA def. Japan, 25-18, 25-12, 25-21