USA's gold medal performance booked them a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Tokyo, Japan, September 23, 2015 – USA booked their ticket to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by claiming a first FIVB Volleyball World Cup in 30 years, with silver medallists Italy joining them as the 2015 edition drew to a dramatic end in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The two countries will join Brazil at the Rio Olympics next year after claiming victories on the final day, but it was devastation for Poland who missed out on a berth in their last match of the tournament. Their loss to Italy saw them fall to third place on set ratio.
USA sealed the crown – their first since 1985 – with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20) win over Argentina. The United States’ attacking game was on song, despite gifting the third set to their South American rivals thanks to a number of errors. Maxwell Holt won the most impressive player award with an 18-point haul and he had the honour of spiking home championship point. Facundo Conte topped all scorers with 22 points.
Italy stunned unbeaten Poland 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19) to be the first team to claim their Rio 2016 ticket earlier in the day. Osmany Juantorena was talismanic in attack, scoring 25 points as the world No.4 dealt the world champions a hammer blow. Coach Gian Lorenzo Blengini said the “one reason for the victory today was spirit.”
A tournament record 17 blocks as well as a solid offensive display saw Russia narrowly edge Japan in five thrilling sets (27-29, 25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13). The hosts put on a defensive clinic, throwing everything at the Olympic champions, but finished the match on the wrong side of the scoreline, despite some passionate support from the wonderful home fans.
Iran ended their tournament on a high, dismantling Egypt in three sets (25-18, 25-11, 25-23). Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Eraghi was the magic man for Iran and he led from the middle with 12 points to emerge as the Most Impressive Player.
It was a happy end for Canada as they finished their campaign in Japan with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-17) victory over winless Tunisia. John Gordon Perrin led the way with 14 points, but it was Nicholas Hoag who won the most impressive player with 13 important scores to wrap up the Canadian win.
Australia capped off their run in the tournament by taking a 3-1 (25-16, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21) victory over Venezuela in the final match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Paul Carroll put on a consistent performance to claim 25 points and the most impressive player award while Max Staples took 12 markers as coach Roberto Santilli’s squad left Japan on a positive note.
Top Scorer by Day
26 – Facundo Conte of Argentina v Iran on September 8
36 – Abdelhay Ahmed of Egypt v Canada on September 9
24 – Ivan Zaytsev of Italy v Egypt on September 10
50 – Thomas Edgar of Australia v Egypt on September 12
26 – John Gordan Perrin of Canada v Australia on September 13
26 – Ivan Zaytsev of Italy v Iran on September 16
19 – Matt Anderson of USA v Iran and Facundo Conte of Argentina v Australia on September 17
26 – Facundo Conte of Argentina v Canada on September 18
38 – Ahmed Abdelhay v Tunisia on September 21
26 – Osmany Juantorena v Argentina on September 22
26 – Yuki Ishikawa of Japan v Russia on September 23
Top Individual Serving Performances
6 – Simone Gianelli of Italy v Australia on September 9
6 – Mateusz Bieniek of Poland v Italy on September 22
5 – Ivan Zaytsev of Italy v Japan on September 13
5 – Ahmed Abdelhay of Egypt v Japan on September 8
5 – Kunhiro Shimizu of Japan v Tunisia on September 16
5 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Australia on September 18
5 – Matt Anderson of USA v Argentina on September 23
4 – Abou Mohamed of Egypt v Canada on September 9
4 – Matt Anderson of USA v Italy on September 12
4 – Aaron Russell of USA v Egypt on September 13
4 – Dawid Konarski of Poland v Venezuela on September 13
4 – Matt Anderson of USA v Venezuela on September 16
4 – Taylor Sander of USA v Venezuela on September 16
4 – Artem Volvich of Russia v Australia on September 16
4 – Aaron Russell of USA v Iran on September 17
4 – Hossam Abdalla of Egypt v Russia on September 18
4 – Ivan Zaytsev of Italy v Russia on September 21
4 – Mohammed Elhalim of Egypt v Tunisia on September 21
4 – Yuki Ishikawa of Japan v Russia on September 23
4 – Dmitriy Muserskiy of Russia v Japan on September 23
Top Team Serving Performances
13 – Poland v Australia on September 18
12 – USA v Venezuela on September 16
11 – USA v Japan on September 9
11 – USA v Egypt on September 13
11 – Egypt v Tunisia on September 21
10 – Argentina v Venezuela on September 9
10 – USA v Australia on September 8
10 – Egypt v Japan on September 8
10 – Poland v Italy on September 22
10 – USA v Argentina on September 23
9 – Italy v Japan on September 13
9 – Egypt v Canada on September 9
9 – USA v Canada on September 10
9 – Russia v Argentina on September 12
9 – Poland v Venezuela on September 13
9 – Poland v Canada on September 16
9 – Russia v Egypt on September 18
9 – Poland v USA on September 21
9 – Italy v Argentina on September 22
9 – Russia v Japan on September 23
Top Individual Blocking Performances
8 – Sebastien Sole of Argentina v Iran on September 8
Top Team Blocking Performances
17 – Russia v Japan on September 23
16 – Australia v Canada on September 13
15 – Iran v USA on September 17
15 – Argentina v Iran on September 8
14 – Canada v Australia on September 13
13 – Russia v Tunisia on September 10
13 – Australia v Japan on September 10
13 – Italy v Tunisia on September 17
13 – Argentina v Canada on September 18
13 – Iran v Japan on September 18
13 – Australia v Venezuela on September 23
Highest Scoring Sets
32-34 Canada v Australia (1st set) on September 13
33-31 Japan v Venezuela (1st set) on September 17
32-30 Venezuela v Argentina (1st set) on September 9
29-27 Russia v Venezuela (1st set) on September 8
29-27 Russia v Tunisia (3rd set) on September 10
29-27 USA v Italy (3rd set) on September 12)
29-27 Australia v Canada (4th set) on September 13
29-27 USA v Tunisia (3rd set) on September 18
29-27 Argentina v Canada (3rd set) on September 18
29-27 Japan v Russia (1st set) on September 23
Highest Scoring Matches
245 – Canada d Australia 3-2 (32-34, 25-14, 25-21, 27-29, 20-18) on September 13 *NEW WORLD CUP RECORD
219 – Australia d Egypt 3-2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 20-25, 15-13) on September 12
218 – Canada d Egypt 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 24-26, 15-12) on September 9
216 – Venezuela d Tunisia 3-2 (19-25, 25-18, 22-25, 28-26, 15-13) on September 12
214 – Russia d Japan 3-2(27-29, 25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13) on September 23
213 – Italy d Argentina 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 16-14) on September 22
211 – Iran d Japan 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-12) on September 18
210 – Egypt d Tunisia 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 15-11) on September 21
202 – Poland d Iran 3-2 (18-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-20, 15-11) on September 12
199 – Japan d Egypt 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 17-25, 15-7) on September 8
197 – Argentina d Canada 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 29-27, 25-22) on September 18
189 – Poland d Venezuela 3-1 (25-27, 25-23, 25-16, 25-23) on September 13
188 – Italy d Poland 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19) on September 22
185 – Poland d Argentina 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 27-25) on September 10
183 – Japan d Australia 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 25-27, 25-18) on September 10