Friday, May 4, 2012

Olympic Qualifier at Walter Pyramid

The US men's volleyball team has a chance to make the Olympics next week when the NORCECA tournament starts today in Long Beach, and then again on Monday with the international teams.

Today is the red/blue scrimmage between the bulging American squad at the Walter Pyramid.

The two pools have a much improved stable of teams: Pool A: Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada, Dominican Republic; Pool B: Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, US.

Only a few years ago this could have been called the US-Cuba tournament, since they were the dominating powerhouses, but times change. The gold medal that us Yanks won in Beijing, a scratch and clawed for victory over a great Brazilian team, may prove actually elusive this time around.

Brazil is improved, Hungary and Serbia are quite good, and Russia has some of the most powerful hitters out there. Their teams may sometimes hitting the ball hard is what it means to play well, but be careful if they get on a tear.

And it all starts Monday at the Pyramid. Tickets are $8 I believe.

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