NORCECA Continental Championship 2011 - Puerto Rico


    Group A
    29-Aug Canada vs Mexico
    29-Aug Puerto Rico vs St. Lucia
    30-Aug St. Lucia vs Canada
    30-Aug Mexico vs Puerto Rico
    31-Aug St. Lucia vs Mexico
    31-Aug Puerto Rico vs Canada


    Group B
    29-Aug USA vs Trinidad & Tobago
    29-Aug Cuba vs Costa Rica
    30-Aug Trinidad & Tobaga vs Cuba
    30-Aug Costa Rica vs USA
    31-Aug Trinidad & Tobago vs Costa Rica
    31-Aug USA vs Cuba

    U.S. Men Take First Step to London at NORCECA
    The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team will take its first official step toward qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.


    The top two finishers at NORCECA will qualify for the men’s FIVB Volleyball World Cup, to be played Nov. 20-Dec. in Japan. The top three finishers at World Cup will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.


    The U.S. Men are looking for their eighth NORCECA title. The tournament has been held every two years since 1969. In that time, only the United States and Cuba have won the title, with Cuba winning the other 14.


    Cuba won the last NORCECA Championship in 2009 with a 3-1 win over the U.S. Men in the final. The two teams met again in the final pool play match of the Final Round of the 2011 FIVB World League and the U.S. came out with a 3-2 victory.


    Since World League, the U.S. Men have been back training at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim, Calif. A team of veterans and younger players did travel to London for an Olympic test event on July 20-24 with the U.S. finishing third.


    U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe said practice between the 2011 FIVB World League Final Round and the NORCECA Championship has been focused and intense.


    “The guys are doing a good job of practicing with intensity,” Knipe said. “We’ve made a huge effort to clean up our transition. We’re trying to take care of the out-of-system plays at a much higher level.


    “I think the guys have committed to that. When you are trying to make that change and get more balls up defensively and cover the tips, it takes its toll. It’s a physical investment.”


    The U.S. Men will open the tournament in Group B along with Cuba, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. Group A contains Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and St. Lucia.


    In pool play, the U.S. will take on Trinidad & Tobago on Aug. 29 (10 a.m. PT), Costa Rica on Aug. 30 (3 p.m. PT) and Cuba on Aug. 31 (3 p.m. PT).


    The Players
    One of the good things about the U.S. Men’s 2011 FIVB World League experience is that they were able to put their top players on the floor consistently and make improvements, rather than worrying about who would be substituting week to week.


    The battle for the starting setter position was won by Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.), who took advantage of his opportunities to work his way into the spot during World League and looks to continue in that role in Puerto Rico.


    “I thought that for a guy setting for the top team for the first time, he handled things extremely well,” Knipe said of Thornton. “We believe Brian is the best setter for the changes we have been making to our offense. Running the up-tempo offense that we want to run and the hitting combinations that we want to run is very comfortable for Brian.”


    Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) will back up Thornton. Hansen’s season got off to a slow start due to a pre-season appendectomy and taking time off for the birth of his first child.


    At outside hitter, the U.S. Men will greatly miss the offense, defense and leadership of Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), their team captain and their leading scorer in the 2011 World League.


    A quartet of younger players will look to pick up the slack, led by Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who started the majority of the World League matches and finished as the team’s third leading scorer.


    Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) did not play in World League while recovering from injury, but was a key player for the United States at the 2009 NORCECA Championship and throughout the 2010 season.


    Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) saw significant playing time during the 2011 World League and the London Test Event. Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) earned his way onto the NORCECA squad after leading the U.S. Men’s A2 Team to a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Cup and playing in the London Test Event.


    The U.S. Men’s National Team is probably deepest at middle blocker, where David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) and Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) continue to dominate. At backup is Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio), who did not see much playing time in World League this year, but was a starter at the London Test Event.


    Workhorse Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) will continue to start at opposite, backed up by Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.), who took over as the backup opposite during the 2011 World League and was the team’s leading scorer at the London Test Event.


    Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) finished the Continental Round of the 2011 World League as the third-best digger and third-best libero among all players.


    The Competition
    Cuba dominated the NORCECA Championship until the U.S. took over in 1999 and won the last four out of six titles. The Caribbean nation took the U.S. by surprise in 2009, as then 16-year-old phenom Wilfredo Leon led his team to victory.


    Prior to the 2011 World League tournament, three of Cuba’s starters – team captain Roberlandy Simon, Joandry Leal and Raydel Hierrezuelo – left or were left off the team. Although Leon helped Cuba get to the Final Round, he was not enough to help it go any farther and it lost all three pool-play matches in the Final Round.


    It is not known if those three starters will be back for NORCECA, although Hierrezuelo has reportedly returned to the team.


    The other teams that could make a run at the championship are Puerto Rico and Canada. The U.S. defeated Puerto Rico in four World League pool play matches and Canada recently defeated the Caribbean nation in a 2012 World League qualifying series.


    2011 NORCECA Men's Continental Championship
    Aug. 29-Sept. 3
    Mayaguez, Puerto Rico


    U.S. Men's Roster
    No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
    1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-7, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State)
    2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine)
    3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara)
    4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State)
    5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU)
    6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State)
    9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU)
    10 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine)
    13 Clay Stanley (Opp, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai'i, Hawaii)
    14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford)
    16 Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine)
    17 Max Holt (MB, 6-8, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State)
    usavolleyball.org

    In my opinion Canda, USA, Cuba and Puerto Rico will be in semifinals. Two best team will qualify to the World Cup, right?

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
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    I agree, in the semis there will proably be Cuba, USA, Puertorico and Canada... and in the Final Cuba and USA. I think they will both get the pass for the World Cup.


    BTW, Priddy will be out of thee tournament due to a face-bones fracture; Stanley yesterday injuried in the first set, but I don't know how severe is this injury.
    About Cuba, Hirrezuelo is back in the NT



    But how the hell they decided the pools?? Cuba and USA in the same pool, is absurd!! Expecially considering that the first qualificated goes directly to the semis, while the 2nd will play vs the other 3rd in a quarter final!

    Quote from Justyna

    Group A
    St. Lucia - Canada 0-3 (18-25 14-25 13-25) stats P-2 stats P-3
    Mexico - Puerto Rico 0-3 (25-27 19-25 17-25) stats P-2 stats P-3


    Group B
    Trinidad & Tobago - Cuba 0-3 (14-25 15-25 13-25) stats P-2 stats P-3
    Costa Rica - USA 0-3 (16-25 12-25 9-25) stats P-2 stats P-3


    What a predictable results :sleeping:


    Again...


    I imagine the more interesting day will be the next one, with Cuba-Usa and Canada-Puerto Rico to decide which of these 4 teams will go directly at the semis and who will have to play the quartefinal (or probably: who will have to play another match before playing the semis...).


    I find a bit unfair that USA and Cuba have a quite easy way to get the World Cup... The same for Brazil and Argentina. I really hope the two wild card for the WC will be given to european teams. :pinch:


    BTW, how is Stanley? How severe is his injury?? :sos:

    Quote from Kaziyski

    USA without Priddy, Puerto Rico without Soto...


    and how St.Lucia came here :rolll: :what:

    well, apart from the big 4 in NORCECA and Mexico the rest of the teams seem to fill the gaps. To be honest, Costa Rica is the only team here from which I don't know any single player. Trinidad & Tobago have Nolan Tash and Marc Honore (ex-Friedrichshafen) as a spine, St. Lucia - the team you mentioned, are only famous for Jason Octave who played for the Puerto Rican Corozal in the World Club Championship in 2009. None of these players is a top performer, but maybe just good enough to push their countries into the NORCECA final tournament. And, btw, just imagine, without any offensive thoughts, what the other candidates in this region could be :)

    Quote from Kk15

    BTW, how is Stanley? How severe is his injury?? :sos:


    He came back in the last match so it seems to be everything ok.


    Group A
    St. Lucia - Mexico 0-3 (16-25 14-25 22-25) stats P-2 stats P-3
    Puerto Rico - Canada 0-3 (17-25 20-25 17-25) stats P-2 stats P-3


    Group B
    Trinidad & Tobago - Costa Rica 3:0 (26-24 25-17 28-26) stats P-2 stats P-3
    USA - Cuba 3-1 (24-26 25-23 25-23 25-17) stats P-2 stats P-3


    Canada and USA are in semifinals already. Next 2 spots for winners of "quarterfinals":
    Cuba - Mexico
    Puerto Rico - Trinidad & Tobago

    I read that Cuba won the first set vs USA 26-24 even if they were losing 14-24!!!!!!


    I've never seen something like that :obey: (the closest episode I know is Italy winning a match vs Japon after losing 2-1 and 17-24...). How the hell they lost the game after doing that??!!


    Hierrezuelo 11 points, btw :white: :white:

    Cuba and Puertorico joined USA and Canada in the semis. What a surprise!


    Cuba-Messico: 3-0 (25-10, 25-23, 25-14) ace: 10-0; block: 6-0; top scorer: Bell 17, Hernandez Ramos 11, Leon 10, Mesa 9, Hierrezuelo 6; Cordova 8, Ivan Contreras 7, Aguilera 6, Quinones 3




    Portorico - Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-19) top scorer: V.Rivera 15, Sierra 8, Escalante 7, Muniz 6, Ortiz 6, Sanchez 6; Tash 8, Davis 7, Morrison 5; the titoular diagonal Angel Perez-Hector Soto is still out.




    SEMIFINALS:


    Canada-Cuba; USA-Puertorico



    And there are going to be also the "semifinals" 5th-8th place. That sound a bit ridicoulus to me, honestly, because there are only 8 teams in the whole tournament, btw the matches will be:


    Costarica - Messico; St.Lucia - Trinidad & Tobago


    I hope to see in the Final Canada because of the Coach which is great Tactician. I hope that He has tactic how to beat Cuba.

    Quote from Bartek

    I hope to see in the Final Canada because of the Coach which is great Tactician. I hope that He has tactic how to beat Cuba.

    still dreaming bartek, maybe we the cubans dont have great tactics-skill but we fight until the last minute and canada doenst have that characteristics, so Cuba after 8 longs years are again in the WC, tomorrow the final Batle, more than a batle a game for continue learn, good bye OH YEAH¡¡¡¡ :box: :box: :box:

    Interesting tiebreak - 25 - 9 :what:


    http://www.norceca.org/Sept.%2…0defend%20the%20title.htm

    Well You have right.. at 4.14 am I slept and dreamed..

    Tactic for Cuba by Canada was good and tie break is like circle of fortune.

    Compliments to USA and Cuba for joining the final and the World Cup.


    But I'm start thinking that north and south America should make a Continental Championship all togheter, otherwise it will be almost always known the finalists even before the championship will start... I mean, the NORCECA has been always won by Cuba (14) or USA (7), and the Sudamerican Championship always by Brazil, exept one year when won Argentina (Brazil didn't partecipate...)


    BTW, on volleyball.it they wrote that after all Cuba actually risked not to be in the final, losing the first set despite 7 aces (5 by Hernandez, that made 8 aces in the whole match :obey: ) (8 errors). Then they dominated the second set, but at the third Canada fight well, and eventually the won 26-24 (Cuba error). They also were 7-8 for Cuba at the tie break, then Hernandez scored his 8th ace and Cuba easily won.


    Leon 28 points, 68% attack, 3blocks, 4 aces :white:


    About USA-Puertorico, 21-1 blocks (!!!! Holt 7, Lee 6) and 6-1 aces.



    Risultati
    Semifinali (2 settembre)
    1°-4° posto
    Canada - Cuba 2-3     (25-23, 17-25, 26-24, 17-25, 9-15)
    Canada: Simac 5, Schneider 2, Van Lankvelt 11, Brinkman 2, Schmitt 25, Winters 15, Lewis (L); Cundy 0, J.Howatson 0, Duff 8, Gaumont Casias 0, Perrin 1. All: Hoag.
    Cuba: Leon 28, Perdomo 4, Bell 13, Hierrezuelo 5, Mesa 13, Hernandez Ramos 26, Gutierrez (L); Leyva 0, Macias 0, Diaz 0. Non entrati: Camejo, Denny de Jesus Hernandez. All: Samuels.


    Usa - Portorico 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 26-24)
    Usa: Anderson 15, Lee 11, Lotman 14, Stanley 10, Hansen 3, Holt 8, Lambourne (L); Patak 1, Millar 0. Non entrati: Rooney, Thornton, Jablonsky. All: Knipe.
    Portorico: J.Rivera 9, Figueroa 5, Muniz 7, Escalante 1, Ortiz 0, Morales 2, Berrios (L); V.Rivera 11, Goas 0, E.Cruz 1, Sanchez 0, Sierra 0.


    5°-8° posto
    St.Lucia - Trinidad & Tobago 0-3 (20-25, 21-25, 17-25)
    Top Scorer: Octave 11, Armstrong 9, Bisstte 7; Tash 13, Blake 11, Davis 7, Morrison 6


    Costarica - Messico 2-3 (25-23, 25-22, 13-25, 15-25, 11-15)
    Top Scorer: Smith 24, Calederon 15, Zumbado 13; Ivan Contreras 27, Quinones 11, Aguilera 10, Cordova 10



    Final USA-Cuba


    Bronze final Canada-Puertorico


    5th place final: Messico- Trinidad &Tobago


    7h place final: Costarica - Santa Lucia

    7th place final: Saint Lucia - Costa Rica 0:3 (23-25, 10-25, 18-25) P-2 P-3
    5th place final: Trinidad & Tobago - Mexico 0:3 (20-25, 12-25, 21-25) P-2 P-3
    P-2 & P-3 for second match will be available later :)

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game