GOODWILL GAMES : ROUNDUP : Cross Scores 13 Kills, Leads U.S. Past Cuba

Outside hitter Tara Cross had 13 kills Wednesday to lead the United States women’s volleyball team past Cuba at the Goodwill Games.

Cross, working off low sets by Caren Kemner, was kill leader in all three games as the United States won the match, 15-2, 15-5 and 15-6.

“They’re a very good team and traditionally very physical. You can never take them lightly,” said Kim Oden, who led the Americans with eight blocks.

U.S. Coach Terry Liskevych said the team’s goal is to take fifth place in the eight-team tournament and prepare for the World Championships next month in China.

“This team is not that far away from being good,” he said.

The United States led, 5-2, then scored 10 consecutive points to win the first game. It led 5-0 and 9-4 before pulling away to win the second game. Cross’ six kills and Kemner’s five kills led the U.S. attack in the final game.

The United States will face Japan, a 3-0 winner over Canada, for fifth place today. Cuba plays Canada for seventh place.

Randy Barnes of South Charleston, Va., won the shotput with a put of 70 feet 4 1/4 inches. Barnes’ effort was more than five feet short of his world record. He had only two legal throws after four fouls, and his first put was the winner. His record is 75-10 1/4.

Jim Doehring of Fallbrook, who beat Barnes at this year’s national championships, was second at 69-3 1/2.

Last May in Los Angeles, Barnes broke the record of 75-8 by East German Ulf Timmermann, who passed up this meet reportedly over concern about his country’s changing politics.

Dave Johnson overtook Dan O’Brien in the final event, the 1,500 meters, to win the decathlon, as he did at the national championships. O’Brien came into the day with a 218-point lead but, with one event left, it had dwindled to 23 points. In the end, Johnson had 8,403 points to 8,358 for O’Brien.

In water polo, Ilya Konstantinov and Dmitri Apasenko scored two goals apiece as the Soviet Union edged the United States, 7-6. Doug Kimbell scored twice for the United States. The United States led, 4-1, before the Soviets came back. Apasenko tied the game, 6-6, with 3:23 left, and Konstantinov scored the winning goal with 2:40 left.

Natalya Shikolenko of the Soviet Union won the women’s javelin with a throw of 202-2. Karin Smith of Los Oso, Calif., placed third with 193-4.