Canada won bronze medal
In the match for the bronze medal or better say for the third place in the FIVB World League 2017, Canada outplayed USA 3-1 (18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-21). Gordon Perrin with 14 points and Sharone Vernon-Evans with 12 points led the winning team while Taylor Sander and David Smith scored 14 points each for USA.
After equal result at the beginning of the match, Sander and Patch with amazing attacks led the USA to 1-0. Thomas Jaeschke pushed the last ball in the set to the other side of the net and finished it to Team USA – 25-18.
The second set started with a long rally which Canada finished on their side. They had 8-5 on the first and 16:14 on the second TTO which forced coach John Speraw to call the first timeout on 18-15. After Sander missed the new attack Speraw called another timeout and this time with the success. After this break, Sander scored an amazing point for 19-17 and pushed the USA on -1 (19-18). Although everybody thought that the USA will back, the team of coach Stéphane Antiga, after a point of Jason DeRocco, came to +5 (24-19). Lucas Van Berkel finished the second set with a brutal spike from the middle – 25-20.
From the beginning of the third set, teams have played “point by point” but USA went on the first TTO with 8-7. Canadian staff called for “the challenge” but the point belonged to the USA. This little misunderstanding helped Canada to paly on the highest level and came to 13-10 and 16-13. Vernon stretched out to spike for 23-21 but Benjamin Patch returned point for 23-22. In the next action, Canada came to the first set point 24-22 and then Patch hit the ball out of the court for 25-22 and 2-1 in sets for Canada.
USA opened the fourth set with 3-0. They played like at the beginning of the match but Canada returned to the game. They were one step behind so on the first TTO USA had a little advantage of 8-7. The first equalization came on 8-8 after block of Perrin. After that moment Canada took the leadership 11-9 and 13-11. With great service by Martin Clark, USA returned on 15-14 but the opponents went of the TTO with +1 (15-16).
The team of the French coach went on 18-15 after a spike mistake of Sander. John Speraw called new timeout but Canadian players were too motivated (19-15). After the attack by Vernon, USA came to 19-18 but Canada called for “challenge” which said that the USA was right. This time Antiga called a timeout which was a great move because his team went on 21-18.
Canada led 23-19 and after service mistake of Micah Christenson, they were only one point from the bronze medal. Taylor Sander service error gave the set and the match to Team Canada 25-21.
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