GOODWILL GAMES ROUNDUP : U.S. Women Defeated in Volleyball

A more experienced Soviet Union team, behind the powerful hitting of Irina Smirnova, routed the United States Friday night in the opening round of women’s volleyball competition in the Goodwill Games at Spokane, Wash.

The Soviets, with five members of their 1988 Olympic gold medal team, won, 15-5, 15-8, 16-14.

In an earlier Group B match, Brazil defeated Canada, 15-5, 15-2, 15-3.

In a Group A match, China overcame a slow start to defeat Peru in a rematch of the teams’ 1988 Olympic silver-medal encounter.

China beat Olympic silver-medalist Peru, 15-5, 7-15, 15-13, 15-7.

In a second Group A match, Japan defeated Cuba, 12-15, 15-6, 15-8, 15-7.

In gymnastics, the world champion Soviet men, as expected, won the team title with 176.500 points.

Despite the absence of injured world champion Igor Korobchinski and a sub-par effort from Valentin Mogilny, the Soviets led from the opening routine.

Valeri Belenki, Vitali Scherbo and Valeri Lyukin, the only holdover from the gold-medal winning 1988 Olympic team, all had solid performances.

The United States overcame a slow start to finish in second at 172.500. China was third at 172.350.

It was the Americans’ highest finish in international competition since winning the gold at the 1984 Olympics.

Sergei Bubka, the world record-holder in the pole vault, said he would not compete next week because of back problems.