Canadian men's volleyball team drops opener at Olympic qualifying tourney
The winner of each of the 6 pools earns automatic berth at 2020 Games
The Canadian men's volleyball team lost 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 27-25, 25-23) to Argentina on Friday in the first game for both squads at an Olympic qualification tournament.
Nick Hoag of Sherbrooke, Que., led Canada with 24 points in a battle between two quarterfinalists from the Rio 2016 Olympics.
"Argentina was really fast and hard for us to stop and defend," said Hoag. "We missed some crucial points, the pressure got to us a bit especially in small situations such as free balls for example. I think we weren't as focused as we should have been to win this game."
China beat Finland 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23) in the other game in Pool F on Friday.
The winner of each of the six pools earns an automatic berth at the Tokyo Olympics next year.
Other teams still will have a chance to qualify at regional tournaments early next year.