 |
Olympic
Watch 2000 |
Continental
Challenge Forecast
January 5th, 2000
After failing to qualify
for the 2000 Olympics at the World Cup, Team
USA has a second, and perhaps the easiest, chance to qualify today at the
NORCECA Zone Continental
Challenge in Winnipeg,
Canada. 
The
United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada and other top teams from the
North American region will all compete. Only the winner of the tournament
will secure a place at the 2000
Olympics in Sydney,
Australia.
Cuba will not participate because they secured an Olympic qualification
at the World Cup.
Team USA's toughest opponent is probably Canada. In their season opener, USA lost to Canada in three straight matches. However, since those early losses, the US team has been transformed into a new powerhouse team that has shocked the world with wins over major international teams like Italy, Cuba, Yugoslavia, Spain, and Argentina. Not to mention, that under the new team and coaching of Doug Beal, USA has beaten Canada three straight times, two of which were at the Jeep Americas Cup and the World Cup.
Will Canada be a challenge at the Continental Challenge? As Korea
painfully taught us, any team playing at this level has the potential to
win over any adversary, especially with rally point scoring. If you
are talking to the guys over at VolleyballStuff.com,
one of Canada's premier online volleyball sites, you get the impression
that Canada is putting together a dream team that will shock the US team
and win the Continental Challenge. 
According
to them, "Canada has rounded up a posse of its best players from Europe
including Kent Greves, Jason Haldane, Gino Brousseau and Ross Ballard who
will partner with Ontario's pride and joy, and without doubt one of the
worlds top players, Paul Duerden." But, will it be enough to
off set the awesome play of US players like Roumain,
Hoff, Lambert, Sullivan, and Ball?
Well, if Canada's performance in a scrimmage match against Poland last
month counts for anything, Team Canada has a big challenge ahead of them.
In a three match tour, Poland defeated Canada three times with a game record
of 11-3.
In
attendance from the posse was #4 Greves, #10 Brousseau, #15 Haldane,
and #18 Martin. During their first match-up, Martin failed to bring
around his hitting and both he and starter Duerden were subbed out early
in game 2. Day two was a little better. Canadian #14 Murray Grapentine
will be one to watch. He served five straight points with three jump
serve aces during game 3 of the second day. Things were looking bright
until Polish blocking shut down a brief string of kills by #5 Zurawsky
in Game 4. Day three was probably Canada's best day despite the fact
they only won one game. They managed to get their passing down and
attacked repeatedly in the middle (a deadly mistake against the US team).
However, the Poles adjusted and forced the Canadians to start feeding their
outside hitters.
| What's
Your Opinion?
More Information Guide to Winnipeg
|
While certainly, the Canadian Team has the capacity to win, I really don't believe they have what it takes to get it done against the powerful US team.
If you wish to link to this article please use the following
url:
http://volleyball.About.com/library/weekly/aa000105.htm
This Week Last Year:
01/10/99 - State of the Beach
An online interview with former interim director of WPVA, David Williams
about professional beach volleyball.
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