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Add another four years United States’ gold medal drought at the Pan American Games.
The U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games lost to Argentina 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-11 in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Guadalajara, Mexico, to be eliminated from medal contention at the international tournament.
The United States has not won a Pan American Games gold medal in men’s volleyball since 1988. It is also the first time since 1999 that the United States will not advance to at least the tournament’s semifinals.
The United States in the loss committed 37 errors — eight more than Argentina — including more than 15 service errors.
Outside attacker Evan Patak had a team-high 15 kills. This was the third time in the last four matches that Patak, the lone member of the U.S. Men’s National Team at the Pan American Games, led the team in kills.
Patak was one of three U.S. players with nine kills in the match. UCLA middle attacker Nick Vogel had a tournament-high 11 kills, while USC outside attacker Tony Ciarelli had nine kills.
Argentina outside attacker Federico Pereyra had a match-high 20 kills in the victory.
With the fifth game tied at nine, Argentina scored back-to-back points and closed out the match on a 6-2 run.
This was the fourth consecutive match that Argentina played in a fifth game. Argentina won its final two group-play matches in five games against Mexico and Venezuela to advance to the quarterfinals.
The United State is 1-2 in five-game matches at the international tournament.
The United States forced a fifth game after opening the fourth game on a 6-2 run extended it to a nine point lead.
Pereyra had seven kills in the third game to help put Argentina one game away from eliminating the United States.
The United States led by as many as seven points in the second game and evened the match at 1-1. Patak led the United States with six kills in the second game.
Argentina outside attackers Nicolas Bruno and Pereyra each had a game-high three kills in its eight-point first game victory. The United States committed 11 errors in the loss.
With this victory, Argentina will advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1999.