November 29, 2006, Sendai, Japan: Canada came back from the dead to win an epic five-setter against Argentina on Wednesday to advance to the final round at the expense of their opponents.
On the final day of second-round action, Canada won 19-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-13 to improve to 2-5 and clinch six position in Pool E, while Argentina was eliminated with a 1-6 record.
Argentina moved into an early 8-5 lead at the first technical break, but it was Canada that were hitting the clean winners with Frederic Winters crashing in one huge spike down the middle.
But the Argentines managed to pull further away and Canada coach Glenn Hoag called a TO when he was staring at a five-point gap, at 12-7.
Things didn¡Çt get better for Canada. Gaston Giani cracked a spike off the Canadian blockers to bring up the second TTO with Argentina 16-9 ahead.
Marcos Milinkovic slapped down a spike to move it to 19-12 Argentina and then Paul Duerden spiked too long. Hoag decided it was time to call his second TO as the set was running away from them.
Duerden made amends for his earlier miss with a punishing spike to bring it to 20-13 and substitute Dallas Soonias came up with two good spikes to keep Canada in the set, with the lead cut back to five, 22-17.
The gap was too big to overhaul, though, with Gaston securing set point with a diagonal spike from the left and hammering in the crucial point with a similar shot.
Two huge spikes from ¡ÈFlying Freddie¡É Winters brightened up the start of the second set for Canada, but Argentina continued to grind out the points and went into the first TTO 8-5 ahead.
Alejandro Spajic crashed in a steep spike to move Argentina 11-7 ahead, but Winters came back with another well-placed spike to bring it up to 12-10. Argentine coach Jon Uriarte decided to call a TO.
The second TTO arrived with Argentina leading 16-12 and comfortably in charge and Gustavo Scholtis hammered in to move the score to 18-14.
Canada captain Murray Grapentine rallied his team with a towering spike but Argentine captain Milinkovic did his best to do the same with a harsh diagonal spike as Hoag called a TO with the score 20-16.
Again, he was unable to turn things around. A brilliant rally ended with Milinkovic spiking into space to put Argentina 23-18 up and Soonias¡Ç long spike then brought up set point, which was won after a mix-up between the Canadian players at the net.
Canada didn¡Çt look as though they had given up, but Argentina consistency was beginning to frustrate any attempts from the Canucks to eat into their lead.
Milinkovic was perhaps the most consistent of the South Americans and it was his spike that brought the first TTO with his team 8-4 ahead.
But Canada scrapped back and forced Uriarte into calling a TO when he saw his team¡Çs lead cut to one point, at 12-11.
The break did the Argentines good. The 18-year-old Luciano De Cecco tipped in at the net and Milinkovic forced a blocking error to restore a three-point advantage, at which point Hoag called a TO.
Argentina got to the second technical break 16-14 ahead, but Canada pulled back to 19-19 and there was a renewed spirit within the team.
It stayed level to 21-21 and then Canada went in front 22-21 courtesy of Louis-Pierre Mainville. Steve Brinkman then gave Canada two-point gap with a big block on Milinkovic before Soonias smashed in for set point.
Brinkman then came up with the goods on set point with another towering block to give Canada the set.
Canada were now back in the game and Duerden gave them a boost early in the fourth set with brilliant ace service, and Grapentine cracked a spike into space after a pinball rally to put his team 8-7 up at the first TTO.
The Canadians kept their noses in front and Grapentine¡Çs huge block at the net brought the second TTO with them 16-13 ahead. From what looked like a seemingly impossible situation early, they were the ones who looked the more likely winners.
Canada captain Grapentine was now ¡ÈThe Grapes of Wrath¡É as he was doing all he could to get back at the Argentines: Blocking, spiking, salvaging lost causes. Two big points from him helped Canada move to 21-15.
Argentina briefly rallied but Duerden put Canada 22-19 ahead and Mainville put them two points away from the set, before Soonias spiked to clinch set point.
Once again, Canada only needed one invitation and once again Brinkman was on hand to block at the net to put things all square at 2-2.
Canada got their noses two-points in front at the tiebreak change-around, 8-6, were pulled back to 8-8 and then Soonias smashed in for 9-8.
Mainville restored the two-point advantage with a brilliant spike on the left to put the Canadians at 13-11 and they were now in touching distance and Winters crashed home down the center for match point.
One was saved by Milinkovic but Mainville smashed home an unstoppable spike to win an amazing match for Canada.
