United States Qualifies for World Championships by Sweeping Dominicans   IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 17, 2009) – The United States qualified for the 2010 FIVB World Championships in Italy with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-15) victory over Dominican Republic on Monday at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine.   Team USA finished the tournament with a 3-0 record. Dominican Republic finished 2-1 and will travel to Guadalajara, Mexico later this month for another qualifying tournament. “Obviously the No. 1 goal was to qualify for the World Championships,” said U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe. More Panama Defeats Guatemala for Third Place at Qualifier   IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 17, 2009) – Panama defeated Guatemala 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-11) to take third place at the 2010 World Championship Qualifier at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine.   With the victory, Panama finishes the tournament 1-2 and has a chance to advance to the final world championship qualifier next week in Guadalajara, Mexico. Guatemala finishes 0-3. Panama’s Jose Cunningham led all scorers with 14 kills on 12 kills, one block and one ace. Domingo Avila added 12 points on 12 kills. More United States Set for Showdown with Dominican Republic   IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2009) – The United States swept Panama on Sunday at the 2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Pool F at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine, setting up a showdown between two undefeated teams on Monday.   Team USA (2-0) defeated Panama, 25-12, 25-14, 25-11 and will face Dominican Republic (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. PT on Monday to determine the team that will advance to the 2010 World Championships in Italy. Panama (0-2) will play Guatemala (0-2) at 5 p.m. PT. More Dominican Republic Holds Off Gutsy Guatemala   IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2009) – The Dominican Republic improved its record to 2-0 at the 2010 World Championships Qualifier for NORCECA Group F by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 27-25) on Sunday at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine.   The Dominican Republic will meet the United States on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the final match of the tournament. Guatemala (0-2) will play Panama. The winner of the tournament advances to the 2010 World Championships in Italy. The second-place team will go to another qualifier in Mexico next week. More USA dominate Guatemala in Norceca - F   IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2009) – A young and undersized team from Guatemala showed great heart, but in the end was no match for the Olympic gold medalist as the United States defeated the Central Americans on Saturday, 3-0 (25-8, 25-10, 25-6) at the 2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Pool F at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine.   The United States will play Panama on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. local time in the second match of pool play. Guatemala will take on the Dominican Republic at 5 p.m. local time. More Spanish Dominican Republic sweeps Panama in Norceca-F   IRVINE, California, August 15, 2009 - The 2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Pool F opened Saturday with the Dominican Republic sweeping Panama, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-22) at the Bren Center in Irvine, California.   Dominican Republic will play Guatemala in the first match on Sunday while Panama will face the United States in the late match. “We focused on making the least number of mistakes,” said Dominican captain Victor Batista. “We wanted to play well and do what we need to do.”  More Spanish Coaches appreciate playing in Norceca-F Men’s Tournament   IRVINE, California, August 14, 2009 - Head coaches of the four teams participating in the 2010 World Championships Qualifier for NORCECA Group F all expressed their appreciation for getting to play in the tournament during a press conference on Friday.   The competition will begin on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine in Southern California. “It is a blessing to be here. We have worked really hard to get here and we hope to have a good experience,” said Jorge E. Chavez Garoz.  More Spanish Team USA to Host World Championship Qualifier in Irvine   IRVINE, California, August 12, 2009 - Happy to be home after a long 2009 World League campaign that ended in a sixth-place finish, Team USA will not have to travel far to compete at the 2010 Men's World Championship Qualification Tournament for NORCECA Pool F on Aug. 15-17.   The Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif., is just a few miles down the road from the team’s training center in Anaheim, Calif. Ranked second in the world and first among NORCECA teams, the United States will take on Dominican Republic (No. 4 in NORCECA), Guatemala. More Spanish