USA Volleyball Teams Still In Gold Medal Hunt

Fountain Valley resident Russell Holmes and his U.S. Olympic Volleyball teammates completed Pool B play Monday night with a 25-15, 25-19, 15-19 over winless Tunisia.

The U.S. men’s team, ranked No. 5 in the world, went 4-1 in pool play, including a 3-1 victory over top-ranked Brazil on Thursday. In its only loss, the U.S. team had Russia at match point and up two sets Saturday before collapsing and losing in five sets. Holmes finished with five stuff blocks against Russia.

The USA Team will face Italy in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

After Day 10 of the London Olympic Games, the U.S. trails China in overall medals, 64-63, and in gold medals, 31-29. At the 2009 Beijing Olympics, the U.S. finished with more overall medals, 110-100, but China had the most golds, 51-36.

Russia is third overall with 42 medals, including seven golds, while the host nation Great Britain has 40 goals, but 18 of those are gold.

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USA Volleyball could finish with four medals and three could be gold. Along with the men’s volleyball team, the U.S. women’s team is among the favorites for the gold after sweeping the competition in Pool B play. On Tuesday the U.S. team will meet the Dominican Republican in the quarterfinals. The Americans already have defeated them three times this year.

In beach volleyball, two U.S. teams have advanced in the women’s semifinals and could meet for the gold medal (or bronze if both lose).

Defending Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings quickly defeated Italians Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti in two sets 21-13, 21-13, while Jennifer Kessy and April Ross defeated the Czech Republic's Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova, 25-23, 21-18.

In Tuesday’s semifinals, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings will face Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China, who beat the Americans handily in a tournament in June, while Kessy-Walsh go against Brazilians Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca.