U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL / VALLEY ROUNDUP : Versatile Ross Leads South to Volleyball Gold

John Ross did a little bit of everything to help his South squad win its gold-medal volleyball match, 15-13, 9-15, 11-15, 16-14, 15-13 over the North on Sunday.

Ross, a former Chatsworth High standout, had 16 kills, a .316 attacking percentage, 14 digs and eight block assists.

The North, helped by Cal State Northridge teammates Coley Kyman and Ken Lynch, was within two points of winning the gold in the match’s fourth game before the South rallied.

Kyman was second on the North in kills with 21. Lynch added eight.

In the bronze-medal match, the East defeated the West, 15-10, 15-9, 11-15, 15-10. Gary Reznick, who started for CSUN along with Kyman and Lynch as freshmen last season, had 62 set assists and 13 digs for the West.

FIELD HOCKEY

As expected, the South won the gold medal in men’s competition.

The South and East were tied, 1-1, after regulation and an extra overtime period. The game was decided on penalty strokes, with the South holding a 4-2 advantage.

Both teams scored in the first eight minutes and were shut down after that.

Eric Holtz of Simi Valley scored the South’s only goal in the game’s first minute. Bill Davidson, from New York state, answered for the East.

In the bronze-medal game. the North defeated the West, 4-3 in overtime. Tommy Hoang, 23, of Westlake Village, scored twice for the West while brother Sammy, 21, had the team’s only other goal.

It was Sammy’s goal with six minutes left in the game that forced overtime.

TABLE TENNIS

Lan Vuong of Reseda, competing in women’s singles, earned her third silver medal of the competition and her fourth medal overall.

Vuong took gold-medalist Li Ai of Colorado Springs, Colo., to five games before losing, 22-20, 21-15, 19-21, 20-22, 21-16.

Carol Davidson of North Hollywood won her third medal overall, a bronze, by defeating Jane Chui of Bedford, Mass., 21-13, 21-13.

TEAM HANDBALL

Both West teams lost by a single point in medal action.

Jim Hop of Camarillo had five goals in the West’s 18-17 loss to the North in the gold-medal game. Denny Fercho of Camarillo added two goals, while Dan Irwin of Glendale had one.

In women’s play, Renee Brum of Camarillo scored seven goals, but the West dropped a 24-23 decision to the East in a bronze-medal game settled in a shootout.

FENCING

Encino’s Avi Friedlich placed 16th among 20 competitors in the men’s sabre competition.