Russia ousted USA

 

TOKYO, Japan, December 2, 2007.- Russia joined Brazil and Bulgaria in the Beijing Olympics by beating USA 3-2 in a World Cup decider at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Sunday. The Russians won 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-8 to improve to 9-2 and leave USA stranded on 8-3 and out of the top three.

 

Semen Poltavsky led Russia with 23 points.  Gabe Gardner led USA with 21 points and Reid Priddy added 17 in the losing cause.

 

Bulgaria booked a place in the 2008 Olympic Games by sweeping Argentina 3-0. The tournament wild cards beat the South American vice champions 25-17, 25-22, 25-23 to finish the 12-team round-robin with a 9-2 record -- good enough to secure a podium finish and a place in Beijing.  Argentina, ranked ninth in the world, ended with a losing 5-6 record.

In other match, Asian wild cards Korea showed real heart to beat NORCECA vice champions Puerto Rico in a rollercoaster five-set match. The Koreans won 21-25, 25-18, 26-24, 20-25, 15-8 for only their second win out of 11, while the Puerto Ricans dropped to 5-6.

Sung-Min Moon led Korea with 35 points while Puerto Rican Hector Soto, the event’s leading scorers, had a tournament-high 43 points.

In other matches, Brazil defeated Japan 23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18, Spain defeated Tunisia 25-16, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18 and Egypt beat Australia 25-14, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22.