THE 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES : Volleyball : U.S. Rallies to Defeat Argentina

In the most dramatic comeback of the 10th Pan American Games, the U.S. men’s volleyball team rallied from a two-game deficit to defeat Argentina and reach the gold medal game. The scores were 12-15, 13-15, 15-9, 15-6, 15-8 in a match that began at 9:15 p.m., CDT Friday and did not end until 12:43 a.m., CDT today.

It was a performance that might have lacked the knockout punch of Ty Griffin’s home run that beat Cuba in baseball, but for sheer determination it had no match.

It ended when Karch Kiraly leaped high above the net to send the final spike to the feet of the Argentina defense. It was a ball that seemed to hang in the air, waiting for Kiraly to drive the final point home.

“We all saw it sitting there,” U.S. Coach Marv Dunphy said. “It was like when a player gets a fat pitch in baseball. It just hangs there as big as a grapefruit.”

The victory set up a Sunday rematch with Cuba for the gold medal. The Cubans also struggled before defeating Brazil, 14-16, 15-2, 15-6, 14-16, 15-6, in the first semifinal in a match that took 2 hours 42 minutes.

“It’s like the Super Bowl,” Dunphy said. “Sometimes the semifinals are the best part, getting to the final is so hard.”

At least half of the estimated crowd of 10,500 was still in Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus to see the conclusion.

The five-game struggle was quite a turnaround for Argentina, which had scored only 24 points in losing a three-game match to the United States on Monday.

The United States already is assured of its first Pan American men’s volleyball medal since it finished second to Cuba in the 1971 games in Cali, Columbia. The United States won the last of its three gold medals in 1967 at Winnipeg, Canada.

For much of Friday night, however, it appeared the United States would not make it that far. Argentina seemed poised for what would could have been considered the Games’ biggest upset.

Argentina, while it is one of the world’s better teams, lost in three games to the United States in the World Championships last year and has never won a medal in Olympic, World Championship or World Cup play. Its best finish in the Pan Am Games had been bronze medals in 1963 and 1983.

The United States has rarely lost since it won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics Games. It followed that victory with a World Cup championship in 1985 and a World Championship last year. But for the first 1 1/2 hours of the match, it appeared Argentina was about to send the United States into the bronze medal game against Brazil.

The first game took 47 minutes. The United States fell behind, 6-3, but rallied to tie the game at 6-6 before Argentina scored the next four points to take a 10-6 lead.

Argentina seemed on its way to closing out the game early, taking a 13-9 lead. But then, points began to be hard to come by.

The United States scored the next two points, while Argentina went 13 sideouts without a point. Finally the string was broken and Argentina went on to win the game, 15-12.

It was only the second game the United States had lost since losing to Brazil, 3-2, in its opening game. Cuba had taken the other game from the United States in its round-robin loss Wednesday.

But Argentina probably saved its best play for the second game. It was a game in which neither team could take more than a three-point lead as there were eight ties and six lead changes.

The United States appeared on its way to even the match, 1-1, when it scored four consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead, but Argentina scored the last three to close out the game and take a 2-0 lead when Kiraly’s tip flipped out of bounds.

But now it was the United States’ turn to rally.

Pressed to the edge by Argentina, the U.S. players seemed to unite to the challenge. The play intensified and the shouts of encouragement seemed to grow louder with each point. Then Steve Timmons made what proved to be the turnaround play the United States leading, 3-1.

In a desperate attempt to save an errant ball, Timmons charged toward the sideline, dove over the press table and knocked the ball over his shoulder and back into play. Timmons continued over the table and landed with his back rolled up against the front of the stands, hitting his head on the concrete floor.

His save was not enough to give the United States a point as Kiraly hit his attempt into the net.

“I blew it,” Kiraly said. “I was so worried about Steve I forgot to do what I was supposed,” Kiraly said. “I saw him go down and kept watching. When someone gives you chance a like that you should put it away.”

Although the chance for a point was lost, Timmons’ gutsy dive seemed to ignite the U.S. team. He stayed in the game and on his next attempt, smashed a kill into the heart of the Argentina team.

The United States went on to score four of the last five points to win the game, 15-9, and take control of the match. After the third game, Argentina never had a chance.

The United States did trail, 3-2, in the fourth game but it went on a 13-3 run to take the game, 15-6, and tie the match, 2-2. Kiraly finished off the game with a stinging kill.

The United States scored the last four points of the match to complete its greatest comeback of the year.

“It feels great now,” Kiraly said. “The adrenaline is still flowing. I’m sure I’ll be fine for a couple hours. Then it’ll hit and I’ll just collapse.”

MEDAL STANDINGS

G S B Tot United States 158 108 73 339 Canada 30 55 727 157 Cuba 62 48 43 153 Brazil 11 13 26 50 Argentina 12 10 20 42 Mexico 8 10 17 35 Colombia 3 7 13 23 Venezuela 3 9 9 21 Puerto Rico 2 4 12 18 Jamaica 2 3 7 12 Costa Rica 3 4 3 10 Dom. Republic 0 2 7 9 Chile 1 2 3 6 Ecuador 0 1 5 6 Bahamas 0 2 3 5 Peru 0 2 3 5 Uruguay 2 2 0 4 Panama 0 3 0 3 Suriname 0 0 1 2 Trinidad 0 1 1 2 U.S. Virgin Is. 0 1 1 2 Net. Antilles 0 0 1 1 Bermuda 0 0 1 1 Guatemala 0 0 1 1 Paraguay 0 0 1 1