John Speraw
Photo by: USA Volleyball
Coach Speraw leads US MVB to First Medal in 24 years
September 30, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
(Courtesy of USA Volleyball) -- The U.S. Men's National Team won its first FIVB World Championship medal in 24 years on Sunday when it beat Serbia, 23-25, 25-17, 32-30, 25-19 for the bronze in Turin, Italy.
It is only the third time the U.S. Men have medaled at the World Championship. They took gold in 1986 and bronze in 1994. The U.S. Men finish the World Championship with a 10-2 record. Their only losses came in the third round to Brazil (when both teams had already qualified for the semifinals) and a five-set heartbreaker to Poland in Saturday's semifinal.
"It's really hard to play bronze-medal matches," U.S. Head Coach John Speraw said. "We unfortunately know that. "It's really tough when you have such an emotional match like we had last night versus Poland that went late into the night. I know I didn't get to sleep until 4 in the morning. I am proud of the way we were able to come out and compete."
The U.S. Men took bronze earlier this year at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League and also at the 2016 Olympic Games.
On Saturday, the U.S. Men led Serbia in kills (65-45) with a kill percentage of 52.0 behind setter Micah Christenson. Serbia's kill percentage was 42.5. The U.S. also led in blocks (9-7) and aces (11-4). Serbia scored on 35 U.S. errors while committing 20.
Speraw said winning the third set 32-30 was important to the U.S. victory. "I really felt like that's when we started to play our best volleyball," he said. "It certainly wasn't the first two sets. It took us a while to get going. That was critical." The third set was close throughout and Serbia took set point at 24-23. Opposite Matt Anderson fought it off with a kill. The U.S. fought off two more set points and took its first set point at 27-26 on an ace from middle blocker Max Holt. Serbia fought off three more set points. At 30-30, Anderson scored on two straight kills off the block.
Anderson led all scorers with 29 points on a match-high 23 kills (57.5%), four aces and two blocks. Anderson scored three of the United States' final five points of the match on kills. He also had three straight aces in the third set. Outside hitter Aaron Russell added 16 points on 14 kills, one block and one ace. Holt had a match-high five aces to go with eight kills and one block. Middle blocker David Smith had a team high three blocks along with eight kills. Outside hitter Taylor Sander, who left the second set for several plays with an apparent injury, finished with nine points. Christenson had five points and outside hitter Jake Langlois, who played for Sander, finished with a kill. Middle blocker Dan McDonnell started the first set for Smith, but Smith started the rest of the match.
"It's been a good year," Speraw said. "Our program and Brazil's were the only two that made it into both semifinals, VNL and here. I think we're in a position now where we are competing for tournaments. When that happens, sometimes you can win them and sometimes you have disappointing losses. That's the risk you take by challenging the best in the world."
It is only the third time the U.S. Men have medaled at the World Championship. They took gold in 1986 and bronze in 1994. The U.S. Men finish the World Championship with a 10-2 record. Their only losses came in the third round to Brazil (when both teams had already qualified for the semifinals) and a five-set heartbreaker to Poland in Saturday's semifinal.
"It's really hard to play bronze-medal matches," U.S. Head Coach John Speraw said. "We unfortunately know that. "It's really tough when you have such an emotional match like we had last night versus Poland that went late into the night. I know I didn't get to sleep until 4 in the morning. I am proud of the way we were able to come out and compete."
The U.S. Men took bronze earlier this year at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League and also at the 2016 Olympic Games.
On Saturday, the U.S. Men led Serbia in kills (65-45) with a kill percentage of 52.0 behind setter Micah Christenson. Serbia's kill percentage was 42.5. The U.S. also led in blocks (9-7) and aces (11-4). Serbia scored on 35 U.S. errors while committing 20.
Speraw said winning the third set 32-30 was important to the U.S. victory. "I really felt like that's when we started to play our best volleyball," he said. "It certainly wasn't the first two sets. It took us a while to get going. That was critical." The third set was close throughout and Serbia took set point at 24-23. Opposite Matt Anderson fought it off with a kill. The U.S. fought off two more set points and took its first set point at 27-26 on an ace from middle blocker Max Holt. Serbia fought off three more set points. At 30-30, Anderson scored on two straight kills off the block.
Anderson led all scorers with 29 points on a match-high 23 kills (57.5%), four aces and two blocks. Anderson scored three of the United States' final five points of the match on kills. He also had three straight aces in the third set. Outside hitter Aaron Russell added 16 points on 14 kills, one block and one ace. Holt had a match-high five aces to go with eight kills and one block. Middle blocker David Smith had a team high three blocks along with eight kills. Outside hitter Taylor Sander, who left the second set for several plays with an apparent injury, finished with nine points. Christenson had five points and outside hitter Jake Langlois, who played for Sander, finished with a kill. Middle blocker Dan McDonnell started the first set for Smith, but Smith started the rest of the match.
"It's been a good year," Speraw said. "Our program and Brazil's were the only two that made it into both semifinals, VNL and here. I think we're in a position now where we are competing for tournaments. When that happens, sometimes you can win them and sometimes you have disappointing losses. That's the risk you take by challenging the best in the world."
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