Trailing in the deciding set against Serbia, the U.S. men’s volleyball team took a time out so that coach Hugh McCutcheon could do some micromanaging.
It was time to concentrate on the little things and not the possibility of losing.
The U.S. men responded to their coach and rallied to beat Serbia in five sets Wednesday night. The 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12 victory propels the team into the semifinal round against Russia.
McCutcheon had returned to the U.S. team on Saturday after his father in-law was killed Aug. 9 at a popular Beijing tourist site. He missed the team’s first three matches in Beijing.
His influence on the team was no more apparent than against Serbia, when he was able to refocus the team when they most needed it.
