Riley Salmon (USA) spikes into the Venezuelan block
USA
vs
Venezuela
1
-
3
November 17, Nagano: Venezuela gave the 2006 World Championships its first upset as they downed the USA in Pool C.
The Americans fought back after losing the first set, but could find no further reply as a powerful and well-organised Venezuela ran out 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 25-18 winners.
Venezuela made a confident start against their higher-ranked opponents, driving home spikes from Ernardo Gomez and Ivan Marquez.
The Venezuelan defence had also began brightly, continually frustrating the Americans' attempts to release Riley Salmon down the left.
The USA were keeping pace, but an ace from Luis Diaz prompted American coach Hugh McCutcheon to take a time-out with his side trailing at 11-7.
William Priddy found a way through with a huge spike, but it was Venezuela who went into the second TTO 16-10 ahead.
Diaz added another as Venezuela reached the 20-point mark ahead by seven points, and a block by captain Thomas Ereu took them further ahead.
The US had not found their rhythm, and before long another Ereu foray down the left gave the South Americans set point.
Heroic defending by Priddy saved the US from sudden death, but Diaz made sure the second time to give Venezuela the first set 25-18.
Clayton Stanley drew first blood for the US after the restart, but big hits by Fredy Cedeno and Gomez kept up the tempo for Venezuela.
The South Americans then reached the first TTO 8-3 ahead, much to the annoyance of the US players, who disputed the wayward spike with the referee until the match had restarted.
But the arrival of captain Thomas Hoff seemed to have a positive impact on his teammates as they took the lead 11-10, and Venezuela were also beginning to make mistakes.
The Americans sensed an opportunity, and David McKienzie and James Polster were ruthless in exploiting it.
The US had carved out a lead for themselves, and now it was Venezuela's turn to look rattled.
South American setter Diaz tried to stem the growing tide with a different approach, hooking the ball over as the US defence waited for the spike, but it was only a moment's respite.
A spike into the net gave America set point, and McKienzie again coming in from the right levelled the match at 1-1.
Both teams were anxious to break the deadlock, and threw themselves full steam into the third set.
Ryan Millar weighed in with points for the US, while Juan Carlos Blanco was doing the same for Venezuela.
There was little between the two teams, and as soon as Venezuela had squeezed into a two-point lead at 12-10, USA coach McCutcheon called a time-out.
But the South Americans carried on where they left off, and had sooned widened the points gap to four.
McKienzie did his best to drag the US back into the reckoning, but Venezuela's powerful defence refused to give up their slender advantage.
A serve into the net from the US gave Venezuela the chance to take the set, and another confirmed it.
The fourth set began in just as tight a manner as previously, and despite the best efforts of Venezuela's Diaz firing missiles from the left, it was the USA who led at the first TTO.
Hoff was cleaning up at the net, but Diaz was also making an impression with his all-round play.
The South Americans took a decisive step towards the match when they won an epic point while 16-14 ahead.
A series of attacks from both sides ended in a miscued spike from McKienzie, and Venezuela then went closer when Hoff crashed through the advertising hoardings and over a table as he tried in vain to stop another Ereu spike.
A wild serve by Stanley gave Venezuela match point, and Ereu wrapped it up with a spike to start the championships with a bang.
