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Matt Anderson once again came through in a big moment.
The three-time Olympian finished with a match-high 12 kills on a .588 attack percentage as the United States swept Canada 25-20, 25-14, 25-22 to win the gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship on Sunday in Charleston, West Virginia.
Anderson committed two errors the entire match and in the final game had a game-high five kills. The former Penn State opposite also had two kills and a block as part of a 9-4 run midway through the third game to help the United States secure the gold medal.
The United States opened the match hitting .565 in the first game and for the match out-hit Canada .421 to .260. This was the fourth match at the NORCECA event that the United States had more than a .400 attack percentage.
Four U.S. players had more than five kills against Canada.
Former Loyola outside attacker Thomas Jaeschke had 12 kills on a .500 attack percentage, including a game-high six kills in the team’s 11-point second-game victory. In addition, former Penn State outside attacker Aaron Russell had nine kills highlighted with the match-winning kill.
Former UC Irvine middle attacker David Smith added six kills and zero errors on a .600 attack percentage.
Canadian and former Stanford libero Justin Lui in the loss had a team-high seven digs.
The United States swept four of its five matches at this international tournament. This gold-medal performance also comes less than a month before the United States attempts to qualify for the Olympics at the FIVB World Cup.
The top-two teams in each of the three pools at the World Cup with qualify for the Olympics.