US men defeat Iran 3-1 in USA Volleyball Cup

Published Aug. 10, 2014 2:02 a.m. ET

foxsports

LOS ANGELES (AP) Olympian Matt Anderson had 23 points and the U.S. men's national team beat Iran 27-25, 25-21, 27-29, 25-17 in the opening match of the USA Volleyball Cup at USC's Galen Center on Saturday night.

Opposite Murphy Troy, who played for the Trojans, added 16 points on 16 kills before an estimated 5,230 fans.

The series of exhibitions between the two teams are preparation for the upcoming FIVB World Championship later this month in Poland. The teams next meet on Aug. 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The U.S. men, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, won the gold medal in the recent FIVB World League.

Amir Ghafour led 11th-ranked Iran with 21 points. Iran, which finished fourth in the World League, was stunned last week by the death of assistant coach Hossein Madani, 43, from pancreatitis and lung disease.