Canada’s Olympic volleyball hopes remain alive
Canada’s men’s volleyball team still has a shot at qualifying for Rio 2016.
With a 1-3 (25-23, 19-25, 21-25, 19-25) victory over Japan on Saturday at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo, Canada remains in fifth-place with 10 points. France (15 points), Iran (13), Poland (12) and Australia (10) all sit ahead of Canada in the standings.
The top-ranked Asian team and the top three ranked teams will qualify for Rio 2016.
Canada’s Tyler Sanders and Gavin Schmitt celebrate against Japan at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament on June 4, 2016 (Photo via FIVB)
The final day of competition is on Sunday with Iran facing Venezuela, Canada taking on China, Australia playing Poland and France competing against Japan.
In Saturday’s game, Canada lost the opening set but rebounded with three straight wins to take the match. Gord Perrin had 22 points while Gavin Schmitt posted 18.
“We are very happy with the win. We have a chance to qualify (on Sunday),” Canada’s head coach Glenn Hoag told FIVB.com. “I’m proud of our players. The bench players like (Steven) Marshall and (Graham) Vigrass did a good job. Japan are a great team, they fought hard with their younger players tonight. Now we have to recover for (Sunday). Our spirits are in a good place. We will give it our all (Sunday).”
Canada’s men’s volleyball team has not qualified for the Olympics since Barcelona 1992.
Canada 0-3 France
France’s men’s volleyball team defeated Canada in straight sets (17-25, 17-25, 16-25) on Thursday at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Graham Vigrass had a Canadian high 11 points in the loss. France’s Earvin Ngapeth had a game high 15 points.
“France played excellent today. We had difficult times scoring,” Canada’s Rudy Verhoeff told FIVB.com. “Their serves and block defence made it hard for us to score. They pick up balls on defence and transition to score well. We have to focus on the next two matches to get our ticket. That is our goal.”
Canada’s Daniel Lewis receives the ball against France at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo on June 2, 2016. (Photo via FIVB)
Canada, 2-3 so far in the tournament, remains in fifth place with seven points. Poland, France, Iran and China all sit ahead of Canada in the standings.
The top-ranked Asian team and the top three ranked teams will qualify for Rio 2016.
Canada plays Japan on Saturday and China on Sunday.
Venezuela 0-3 Canada
Gavin Schmitt and Canada’s men’s volleyball team defeated Venezuela 0-3 at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo on June 1, 2016. (Photo via FIVB)
Canada’s men’s volleyball team won its second match of the World Olympic Qualification Tournament on Wednesday, defeating Venezuela 0-3 (20-25, 20-25, 25-27).
Despite losing in straight sets, Venezuela kept the match close throughout, dropping the first two by the same score of 20-25 and then falling in the final set 25-27. The Venezuelans are now 0-4 at the tournament and sit in eighth place.
Canada, now 2-2, had gone to a full five sets in each of its three previous games.
“We knew it would be a battle again,” Canada’s captain Ryan Verhoeff told FIVB.com. “They have powerful attackers. We received well and were efficient in the middle, so we could run the plays that we wanted to do. I’m pleased with our defence, which we hope we can continue to improve as we progress. We are glad to finish in three sets.”
Gord Perrin once again led the way for Canada, registering a game high 16 points. Gavin Schmitt had 11 while Justin Duff posted 10.
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With seven points, Canada, ranked 10th in the world, sits fifth in the eight-team tournament. Poland, France, Iran and China all sit ahead of them.
The top-ranked Asian team and the top three ranked teams will qualify for Rio 2016.
Canada plays France on Thursday, Japan on Saturday and China on Sunday.
Australia 2-3 Canada
Canada’s Paul Sanderson returns the ball on May 31, 2016 against Australia at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo. (Photo via FIVB)
Canada’s men’s volleyball team earned its first win of the World Olympic Qualification Tournament on Tuesday in Tokyo, defeating Australia 3-2 (25-19, 24-26, 20-25, 29-27, 15-11).
Canada, ranked 10th in the world, has played three games at the tournament and gone to five sets in each. The team dropped the first two, earning single points in losses to Poland and Iran. Canada’s four points place them in fifth place at the eight-team tournament behind Poland (seven points), France (seven points), China (six points) and Iran (five points).
The top-ranked Asian team and the top three ranked teams will qualify for Rio 2016.
Gavin Schmitt celebrates against Australia at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo on May 31, 2016. (Photo via FIVB)
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After winning the opening set against Australia, Canada dropped the next two. In the fourth, the Canadians edged the No. 13 ranked Australians 29-27 and then took the extra set, 11-15.
Australia’s Thomas Edgar had a match high 33 points. Gord Perrin had 25 for Canada.
Canada’s next match is on June 1 against Venezuela. The Venezuelans are ranked 20th in the world.
Canada 2-3 Iran
Canada’s Justin Duff (centre) and Gavin Schmitt (right) celebrate at the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament on May 29 in Tokyo. (Photo via FIVB)
Gavin Schmitt had a game high 27 points as Canada dropped its second game of the World Olympic Qualification Tournament on Sunday in Tokyo.
Canada won the opening two sets but fell 3-2 (29-27, 25-19, 20-25, 21-25, 14-16) to Iran, the No. 8 ranked team in the world.
“We didn’t exactly execute what we wanted to do and they played well – Iran made some key defensive moves at key times, and then they transitioned well out of it,” Canada’s captain Rudy Verhoeff told Volleyball.ca. “I think we picked up a few balls on defense and didn’t make a direct point after, but that’s what they were doing. In the end it came down to a few points.”
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The Canadian squad, who were coming off a five set loss to Poland the day before, took a hard fought opening set 29-27 and then took the second, 25-19. Iran took the next two sets and then won the tiebreaker, 14-16.
With the match going to five sets, Canada earned a single point.
Poland 3-2 Canada
Canada’s Graham Vigrass returns the ball against Poland at the 2016 World Olympic Qualifier on May 28, 2016 in Tokyo. (Photo via FIVB)
Canada’s men’s volleyball team opened the World Olympic Qualification Tournament with a five set loss to Poland (25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-9) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Saturday.
It was a back-and-forth match as the Canadians put in a strong effort against the No. 2 ranked team in the world. Poland took the first set, followed by Canada winning the second 17-25. Poland took the third set by four points and then, after falling to Canada 18-25 in the fourth, won the fifth 15-9.
With the match going to five sets, Canada earned a point.
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“We wished we had two points or a victory, but we’ll take that point (from the 3-2 loss),” Canada’s head coach, Glenn Hoag, told Volleyball.ca. “I told the guys that we’ll have to fight in every match, and that’s what we’ll do until the end to try to get our ticket to Rio, and we just have to turn around quickly now and not focus on this match too much. I’m really proud of how the guys played. We didn’t play perfectly, but we played at a very good level.”
Gord Perrin had a Canadian high 18 points while Gavin Schmitt, in his return from a leg injury, had 17. Poland’s Bartosz Kurek had a game high 21 points.
