USA Men Find Glory and Gold at the End of Olympic Games

 

BEIJING, China, August 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). 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. “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 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.