U.S. men's volleyball team wins opener in three games

LONDON -- The defending champion U.S. men's volleyball team opened Olympic play yesterday by sweeping Serbia behind Matt Anderson's 18 points.

Captain Clay Stanley added 13 points in the 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 victory at Earls Court.

The Americans are not considered a favorite in London despite a silver-medal finish in the recent FIVB World League tournament. But they were formidable against Serbia, which won the Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000 and finished fifth in Beijing in 2008.

Marko Podrascanin had 13 points, including two aces, for the Serbians.

"It was a good match. We fought hard and won in three straight, which is pretty much exactly what our game plan was to do," Anderson said. "We wanted to serve tough and put a lot of pressure on them, and I think we executed that pretty well."

Four years ago, the U.S. men went undefeated in Beijing, upsetting Brazil in the final.

-- AP