Australia’s Aden Tutton
Edgar Thomas had a match-high 22 points to lead Australia in the victory. Adam White added 12 points. Kervin Pinerua scored nine points for Venezuela.
Despite being lower ranked, Australia had a pronounced advantage in experience over the much younger Venezuela side. The Aussies dominated with their power game on spikes and blocks. A block by Edgar Thomas staked Australia to a 4-1 lead in the opening set and Venezuela called a timeout. Thomas made another block and Australia was up 7-4. They led 8-4 at the first technical time out.
A service ace by by Thomas made it 11-5 for Australia. Luis Arias sailed a spike long and Australia led 15-8. Another block by Thomas put Australia up 16-8 at the second technical time out.
Fernando Gonzalez fired a serve long and Australia was on top 18-9 then a dink by Igor Yudin made it 20-9. Emerson Rodriguez smashed a spike for 20-10. Kervin Pinerua hammered a spike to make it 23-13. Aidan Zingel‘s block gave Australia set point at 24-13.
Australia took the set 25-14 on a reception error. Thomas ending up with 10 points in the set.
Travis Passier sent a serve long as Venezuela took a 5-4 lead in the second set. Australia tied it 6-6 on a spike by Yudin. A block by Zingel moved Australia ahead 7-6 and his spike made it 8-7 at the technical time out.
Adam White‘s spike put Australia up 10-8. Jhoser Contreras‘s block evened it at 11-11. A powerful blast by Thomas gave Australia a 14-11 margin and Venezuela took a timeout. Australia was up 16-13 at the second technical time out. Zingel‘s spike made it 18-14 for Australia. Gonzalez rose for a spike for 19-15. White‘s spike took the count to 21-16 and Venezuela called a timeout. A net infraction put Australia within two points of the set at 23-17.White‘s spike made it set point at 24-18. Venezuela then ran off three straight points to make it 24-21 and Australia took a timeout. Yudin missed a spike and it was 24-22. Emerson sent a serve long and Australia took the set 25-22.
A serve by Thomas went long and Venezuela went up 5-4 in the third set. Thomas sent a spike long and Venezuela led 7-6. A net infraction gave Venezuela an 8-7 edge at the first technical time out. White‘s spike made it 10-9 for Australia. A White spike off an option play made it 14-12. Luis Arias sent a return into the net and Australia led 16-13 at the second TTO. White‘s spike gave Australia a three-point lead at 19-16 and Venezuela called a timeout. Thomas elevated for another spike and Australia was three points from the set at 22-17. Yudin‘s spike made it match point at 24-18 and Australia closed it out 25-18 when a Pinerua spike sailed long.
Australia plays Puerto Rico on Saturday, while Venezuela takes on Japan.
