vinnielopes - Off the Block

August 29, 2011September 22, 2011

Finalists selected for inaugural Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

UPDATE: Click here to vote in the online poll that is now open.

Eight college men’s volleyball players have been selected as finalists for the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans from around the nation the chance to determine who was the best player.

Off the Block selected the finalists for this inaugural award, which includes UCLA middle attacker Thomas Amberg, USC setter Micah Christenson, UC Irvine outside attacker Carson Clark, UC Santa Barbara middle attacker Dylan Davis, UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga, Penn State middle attacker Aaron Russell, BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander and Pepperdine outside attacker Matthew Tarantino.
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August 28, 2011September 22, 2011

No. 9 USA defeats No. 10 Egypt to finish Youth World Championship in 11th place

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team won its final tournament match to avoid a bottom-five finish at the World Championship.

No. 9 United States defeated No. 10 Egypt 29-27, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 on Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to finish in 11th place at the 16-team international tournament.

This is the United States’ (3-5) second-best finish at a World Championship in the last 10 years. The United States finished in 10th place at the last World Championship in 2009.
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August 28, 2011September 21, 2011

UCLA sophomore Quiroga guides Argentina to 5th place at World Championship

An All-MPSF player led his nation to a top-five finish at a prestigious international tournament.

UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga had a match-high 16 kills as No. 1 Argentina swept No. 15 Bulgaria 25-20, 25-11, 25-19 in the fifth-place championship match at the Youth World Championship on Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This was the fifth time in eight World Championship matches that Quiroga led Argentina (5-3) in kills. The Argentina captain also led all players at the tournament with 138 kills through the first two rounds, including a match-high 27 kills in a victory against the United States in the opening round.
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August 28, 2011September 21, 2011

Youth World Championship volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Egypt

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team will end the World Championship against the team that it played to open the international tournament.

No. 9 United States will play No. 10 Egypt in the World Championship 11th-place championship match at the 6 p.m. (5 p.m. EST) Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The winner of the match will end the 16-team international tournament in 11th place, while the loser will finish in 12th place.
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August 27, 2011September 21, 2011

No. 6 Brazil knocks off No. 9 USA in 9th place semifinals at World Championship

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team’s chances of getting the nation’s best finish in more than 10 years at the Youth World Championship ended Saturday.

No. 9 United States lost to No. 6 Brazil 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16 in the semifinals for ninth place at the World Championship on Saturday Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This loss assures the United States (2-5) of an 11th or 12th place finish at the 16-team international team. The United States has not finished better than 10th place in the last five World Championship tournaments.
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August 27, 2011September 21, 2011

Youth World Championship volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Brazil

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team is one win away from a top-10 finish at the World Championship.

After finishing its second-round pool in second place, No. 9 United States will play No. 6 Brazil in the semifinals for ninth place at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. EST) Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The winner of this match will play the winner of the other semifinals match between No. 4 Iran and No. 10 Egypt. The two ninth-place semifinals match losers will play each for 11th place.
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August 27, 2011September 21, 2011

USA wins tiebreaker to reach 9th place semis, to play No. 6 Brazil

It wasn’t pretty, but the U.S. Boys Youth National Team still has a chance to finish the World Championship in ninth place despite a losing record in the second round.

No. 9 United States (2-4, 1-2 Pool H, 3 points) qualified for the ninth place semifinals after finishing the consolation second round in a three-way tie for second place and winning the point differential tiebreak on Friday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The United States began the final day of second-round pool-play in third place in Pool H and lost to previous winless Korea in five games. However, the one point the United States received for forcing the match to a fifth game, coupled with first-place Iran sweeping Russia created a three-way tie for the final Pool H berth to the ninth place semifinals.
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August 26, 2011September 21, 2011

USA loses in five games to Korea, to await World Championship fate

The U.S. Youth Boys’ National Team will have to wait to find out its semifinal fate at the World Championship.

No. 9 United States lost to the previously winless No. 19 Korea 25-20, 20-25, 18-25, 25-19, 15-11 in its consolation second-round pool-play finale on Friday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The loss temporary puts the United States (2-4, 1-2 Pool H, 3 points) in a three-way tie for second place in Pool H with Korea (1-5, 1-2 Pool H, 3 points) and No. 2 Russia (3-2, 1-1 Pool H, 3 points). The top two teams in Pool H following the three-match consolation second round will advance to the semifinals for ninth-place.
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August 26, 2011September 22, 2011

5 storylines for men’s volleyball fans to follow this NCAA women’s volleyball season

With the start of the NCAA women’s volleyball season today, it means the men’s volleyball season is about four months away from beginning.

It’s still the offseason, but men’s and women’s volleyball do not exist completely separate of each other — and there are plenty of tie-ins for the college men’s volleyball fan to follow during the 2011 women’s volleyball season.

Check out the top five storylines for the college men’s volleyball fan to follow this women’s volleyball season.
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August 26, 2011September 21, 2011

Youth World Championship volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Korea

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team has a chance on the final day of second-round play to clinch a spot in the semifinals for ninth place at the World Championship.

Less than 24 hours after upsetting No. 2 Russia, No. 9 United States will play No. 19 Korea in its consolation second-round pool-play finale at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. EST) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The United States enters today in third place in Pool H, while Korea is in last place. The top two teams in Pool H following the three-match consolation second round will advance to play for a ninth-place finish in the 16-team international tournament.
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