Reprinted With Permission From The London Free Press

By RYAN PYETTE, Free Press Sports Reporter

KINGSTON -- Captain Canada or the Comeback Kid?

Londoner Paul Duerden starred in both leading roles last night, pushing the Canadian men's volleyball team to a surprising 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 28-26) international exhibition victory over powerful Argentina before a patriotic crowd of 1,900 at Queen's University's Bartlett Gym.

Trailing 10-4 and 8-3 in the second and third sets, Canada looked decidedly down-and-out -- but the 27-year-old Duerden prodded, spurred, sparked and spiked his mates to dramatic comeback wins.

The final set was fairly controversial as Canada received some help from the home-town refs. The Argentines went nuts after two consecutive late calls on their star hitter Marcos Milinkovic turned into points for Canada.

That put Duerden, a dynamo at the net all night, in position to serve the final two points for the win.

"We should be playing a fourth set right now," the six-foot-four right-side hitter admitted as he signed autographs after the match. "We got a ton of help from the refs in the final set. It's too bad, but a win is a win."

Play was not crisp early as both teams suffered from poor serving and off-kilter passing.

"The two teams are very similar right now, a few experienced guys mixed with some unexperienced ones, that's why there were long runs of points and that will likely continue," said the veteran Duerden. "Give our young guys credit. Usually, when you're down, the younger guys hang their heads, but they didn't do that.

"The veterans kept playing and the young guys did, too. It was nice to see, but it still could have went either way.

"We could have played two more sets, and it should make a great match in London.

"I can't wait to get home."

Canada and Argentina play in London on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Hall.

It will mark Duerden's first home-town match since joining the national team straight from high school a decade ago.

It is Team Canada's first appearance in the Forest City since Londoner Al Coulter helped lead Canada to a win over Poland in 1982.

But Duerden has another reason for wanting to rush back to London.

"It's my son Xavier's (first) birthday (today), and it kind of sucks not to be home to see him, but I will be there tomorrow and get to see him then," Duerden said.

Canada had trouble closing out the first set thanks to two untimely service errors by Murray Grapentine and Jason Dufault. But Duerden finally closed it out.

Mathieu Lagrandeur, a 22-year-old Laval University student, was the team's youngest -- and most effective -- player early on.

But when Argentina started rolling in the second, it was Duerden who led the charge back from 10-4 with timely kills and three big blocks.

He left no doubt that Argentina will likely play better on Thursday.

Milinkovic, one of the world's top right-side hitters, only came together with Duerden at the net once during the match -- in the third set.

The Argentine won the point -- but Duerden's team won the battle.

The teams remain in Kingston today and arrive in London tomorrow afternoon.

The third and final match of the series is Friday night at York University in Toronto.