U.S. Rallies to Beat Cubans in Volleyball

The United States, inspired by the play of setter Jeff Stork, rallied from a two-game deficit to beat Cuba, 3-2, in an international volleyball match Tuesday night at UC San Diego.

Playing before 1,750 fans at the UCSD Main Gym, the Americans overcame strong Cuban setting and net play to win, 13-15, 13-15, 15-6, 15-9, 15-6.

The victory was the third in as many matches for the San Diego-based U.S. team in its four-match, three-city mini-tour with Cuba. The tour winds up tonight in Portland.

The Cubans, who lost the first two matches of the tour in three games apiece were led by the setting of Eugenio Ortiz and the hitting of Leonardo Silie and Abel Sarmientos.

New U.S. Coach Marv Dumphy received strong hitting from Pat Powers and good all-around play from Karch Kiraly. Stork, who came off the bench to replace Ralph Smith at setter, played well both setting and on the net.

The Cubans were never really threatened in the first two games, although the U.S. rallied both times to make the score close.

In game one, Cuba scored the first four points behind the potent jump-serving of Ortiz and moved ahead, 9-4, Silie’s stuff-block.

The Americans then rallied, pulling within 12-11, 13-12 and 14-13. But Cuba then scored game-point on a kill by Sarmientos.

It was much the same story in the second game. The Cubans led most of the way, then withstood an American rally that brought the U.S. to within 14-13 on a dink by Kiraly. Osvaldo Abreu answered with a kill for game-point.

In the third game, Kiraly scored the first two points on kills set by Stork and the United States was never headed. Stork scored the game point with a hit that caught the Cubans, who were expecting him to make a set, off guard.