Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2015 –
Australia dealt a 3-0 win (27-25, 27-25, 25-22) against Iran in the third round of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Monday.
Paul Carroll earned the Most Impressive Player award with his 24-point performance. Shahram Mahmoudi led the Iran team with 21 markers.
Iran setter Mir Saeid Marouflakrani put on a classic display of masterful orchestration that dictated the tempo of the first set. With Mahmoudi at the wing and Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Eraghi at the middle, the advantage in offensive power was clearly defined.
Australia’s Carroll wanted a different outcome as he fired away from the flank, bravely defying deflection. He posted 10 points for a 27-25 win in the first set.
Australia managed good reception in the second set, which enabled them to mount successful combinations. Apart from engineering good plays, Grigory Sukochev aced two serves.
Iran coach Slobodan Kovac switched to his other setter, Mehdi Mahdavi, to run some swings for Farhad Ghaemi. Mahmoudi brought the score to 24-all.
Carroll brought in a good save with Max Staples firing into the blockers’ touch to end the second set, 27-25.
Robert Santilli’s squad looked all fired up in the third set. They amassed a 5-1 lead with their ferocious serves and with Nehemiah Mote’s vigilance at the middle. Staples found his rhythm in winding up from combinations.
Mahmoudi and Mojtaba Mirzajanpour continued to attack from the flanks and their perseverance kept the team within manageable distance. Service errors in the closing plays cost Iran the third set, 22-25.