KAZAN, Russia (Team Canada) – The Canadian men's volleyball team finished among the top six for the fourth straight FISU Games because of a 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-17) victory over the Czech Republic at the 2013 Summer Universiade (the 27th edition of the World University Summer Games) in Kazan, Russia on Monday July 15 afternoon.
In the fifth-sixth place match against the Czech, Manitoba Bisons left side hitter Chris Voth and libero Derek Nieroda both were part of the victorious 12 player Canadian squad. Nieroda was the starter and played all 75 minutes of the 3-0 win and had 11 digs, nine receptions and three sets while Voth played eight minutes and had three serves, one kill and two receptions. Voth played with Team Canada in the 2011 Summer Universiade in China and Nieroda participated in his first Universiade.
Canada (5-2) finishes fifth after winning the consolation side of the draw. The appearances in the top six include claiming a silver medal in 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand, finishing sixth in 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia, and barely missing the podium in 2011 in China, taking fourth place.
On Tuesday, July 16, reigning two-time champion Russia will battle Poland for the gold medal, while Japan and Ukraine will play for bronze.
Earlier in the Universiade tournament, the Canadians started the preliminary round with a 3-0 match win over the United Arab Emirates, then followed up with a 3-1 victory over Mexico, lost 3-1 to Chile and finish the preliminary round with a 3-1 (26-24, 25-14, 21-25, 25-17) win during pool play. Canada was defeated 3-0 by the Ukraine in the quarter-finals before winning 3-2 against Korea to advance to play again the Czech Republic in the consolation final.
Nieroda played in all seven matches for Canada and was on the court for every minute during the Universiade for Canada. Voth was on the floor for Canada in five of the seven matches and only missed the preliminary match versus Czech Republic and the quarter-final contest against Ukraine.
CANADA'S ALL-TIME UNIVERSIADE RESULTS IN MEN'S VOLLEYBALL:
2013 Kazan, Russia: 5th / 21 teams (champions: TBD)
2011 Shenzhen, China: 4th / 21 (champions: Russia)
2009 Belgrade, Serbia: 6th / 22 (champions: Russia)
2007 Bangkok, Thailand: 2nd / 23 (champions: Turkey)
2005 Izmir, Turkey: 10th / 24 (champions: Turkey)
2003 Daegu, South Korea: 7th / 23 (champions: South Korea)
2001 Beijing, China: 14th / 27 (champions: USA)
1999 Palma, Spain: 23rd / 24 (champions: Germany)
1997 Sicily, Italy: 10th / 16 (champions: South Korea)
1995 Fukuoka, Japan: 7th / 27 (champions: South Korea)
1993 Buffalo, USA: 6th / 18 (champions: Japan)
1991 Sheffield, England: 8th / 16 (champions: Poland)
1989 Duisburg, Germany: No tournament -
1987 Zagreb, Yugoslavia: 11th / 25 (champions: Yugoslavia)
1985 Kobe, Japan: 5th / 17 (champions: Japan)
1983 Edmonton, Canada: 2nd / 23 (champions: Cuba)
1981 Bucharest, Romania: 6th / 28 (champions: Romania)
1979 Mexico City, Mexico: 6th / 23 (champions: South Korea)
1977 Sofia, Bulgaria: 13th / 23 (champions: Bulgaria)
1975 Rome, Italy: No tournament -
1973 Moscow, USSR: 15th / 23 (champions: USSR)
1970 Turin, Italy: 6th / 19 (champions: Italy)
1967 Tokyo, Japan: 6th / 7 (champions: Japan)
1965 Budapest, Hungary: Canada DNP (champions: USSR)
1963 Porto Alegre, Brazil: Canada DNP (champions: USSR)
1961 Sofia, Bulgaria: Canada DNP (champions: Romania)
1959 Turin, Italy: Canada DNP (champions: Czechoslovakia)
DNP: Did not participate
