Tight Match, Result Are to U.S. Liking

ESCONDIDO — Even with his U.S. men’s volleyball team trailing, 14-11, in the fourth game, Coach Marv Dunphy was happy. It was right where he likes to be.

The United States held off three game points and pulled out a tough 9-15, 15-11, 15-8, 16-14 victory over Sweden at packed San Pasqual High School gym Thursday night.

“The team loves it, and I love it,” Dunphy said. “That’s the time you test your personnel and your tactics. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Dunphy and the U.S. team rallied from a one-game deficit for its third consecutive victory over Sweden in the teams’ four-match series. The United States and Sweden will play again tonight at San Diego State’s Peterson Gym at 7:30 p.m.

Tonight’s match will be the last here for the San Diego-based U.S. team before the Olympics. The team leaves Monday for a tournament in the Soviet Union.

Dunphy organized the series with Sweden, one of 12 teams that will compete in the Olympic Games, after his top-ranked team was upset by the Swedes in the Mondovolley Tournament in Italy in May.

The Americans dominated the first two matches of this series, winning, 3-0.

Thursday, Dunphy played 13 of his 15 players and started three reserves.

Sweden started strong in the first game and took a 10-2 lead with six consecutive points.

“We didn’t pass-serve as well as we needed to, which put us in a big hole,” Dunphy said.

The teams battled back and forth, with the Americans getting the key points when they needed them. Dunphy did not play Karch Kiraly, who is regarded as the top player in the world, until the United States led, 11-9, in the second game. Kiraly finished with 19 kills. Bob Ctvrtlik had 27.