U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL : Ball Bounces Right Way for South’s Ross : Volleyball: Former Chatsworth High player scores the final point in an upset of the North in first-round play.

As John Ross watched the ball ricochet around him, he had one thought:

Please let it come to me.

When it did, he knew what to do with it.

He smashed it off an opponent’s chest for the South team’s final point in a 15-5, 15-13, 11-15, 8-15, 15-12 victory over the North on Wednesday in a first-round U. S. Olympic Festival men’s volleyball match at the University of Minnesota’s Williams Arena.

The North, led by Duncan Blackman of Stanford and Coley Kyman of Cal State Northridge, had figured to be a strong contender for a gold medal.

“Everyone has been talking North all week, but we knew we had a solid team,” said Ross, a former All-City Section player from Chatsworth High.

“Our coach (Tom Read) told us we were picked to finish fourth, but I don’t believe him. I think he probably made that story up.”

If not, the South’s victory certainly changed his mind. But in the end, the upset win almost slipped away.

After prevailing in the first two games, the South was taken to the limit. The final game was played in a quick-score format in which a point is awarded on every play.

Ross, the South captain, had 18 kills, including the match-winner.

Kyman led all players with 31 kills and hit for a .418 percentage. Ken Lynch, also from Cal State Northridge, had four kills and hit .222.

In an earlier match, Gary Reznick, Northridge’s starting setter last season, guided the West past the East, 7-15, 15-11, 15-13, 15-9.

Reznick handled 80 sets while committing only two hitting errors and a single ballhandling error.

Kyman, Lynch and Reznick formed half of Northridge’s starting lineup last season as freshmen. They’ll be on opposing sides when the North meets the West this morning at 9 (PDT).

TEAM HANDBALL

The West and the East got all tied up in a pair of games at Williams Arena.

Dan Irwin of Glendale and Denny Fercho of Camarillo scored two goals apiece as the West played to a 20-20 tie with the East in an opening-round men’s game.

In a women’s game, Renee Brum of Camarillo scored twice in the last 21 minutes to help the West tie the East, 17-17.

The men’s game was tied 15 times. Tim Flaherty of Marysville, Wash., scored the tying goal for the West with 36 seconds remaining.

The women’s game was tied six times. Rhonda Weyer, from Walnor, Calif., had five goals for the West, including three in the final 10 minutes.