SAN JOSE, Calif - Team USA ranked eleventh overall at the 2005 Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) Men’s Hardball Roller Hockey World Championships at the San Jose State University Event Center in San Jose, Calif. The United States defeated Andorra 6-1 on Saturday, August 13, in the final series of games.

“We worked well as a team and the results show that,” said Team USA Goalie Toby Tagliapietra (Lubbock, Texas). “We were able to play strong and stay in the game and because of that, we won two games. Our team is improving. We put it on the line and knew what needed to be done.”

Sixteen countries battled it out for the international world cup, including: Spain, Argentina, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, France, Angola, Brazil, Germany, Chile, United States, Andorra, England, Holland, Mozambique and Macau. Spain took the overall World Championship Cup, dominating in the gold medal game 2-1 against Argentina. Portugal took bronze in the bronze medal game against Italy.

“This year I noticed an improvement in Team USA’s overall play,” said Assistant Team Coach, Pat Ferguson (Cumberland, Md.). “The team had a lot more structure and was able to maintain control and possession of the ball. We’ve also seen improvements in individual ability including speed, stops and starts and quicker passes. .

Team USA moved up in the international circuit from 2003, when they ranked thirteenth overall at the Hardball Hockey World Championships. The next FIRS Hardball Roller Hockey World Competition will be held in Montreux, Switzerland in 2007. The Men’s World Championships are played every other year.

The 2005 Men’s Hardball Hockey Team USA included: Brian Stallman (Olympia, Wash.), Brian Moyer (Boyertown, Pa.), Jason Mathias (Boyertown, Pa.), Daniel Cormican (Boyertown, Pa.), Matthew Price (Cumberland, Md.), Shawn Schmelcher (Utica, N.Y.), Jeremy Allen (Chowchilla, Ca.), Hernan Freire (Argentina), Josh Englund (Burlington, Wash.), Toby Tagliapietra (Lubbock, Texas), and Coach Mario Aguero. For more information on this years Team USA, contact the USA Roller Sports National Office at 402.483.7551 or at khabeeb@usarollersports.org.

USA Roller Sports is recognized by the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the National Governing Body for Competitive Roller Sports in the United States. For more information, log on to www.usarollersports.org or contact the Director of Media and Public Relations, Kellie Habeeb, at 402.483.7551 or via email at khabeeb@usarollersports.org.

“USARS is dedicated to creating, enhancing and conducting the best competitions and programs for roller sports. We instill the drive to win and be the absolute best…in sport and in life.”