MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Canada's men's volleyball team powered past Costa Rica on Monday and into the world championships.
Dallas Soonias of Red Deer, Alta., and Gord Perrin of Creston, B.C., scored 13 points each as Canada defeated Costa Rica in straight sets, 25-14, 25-15, 25-16, in the final at the Hershey Centre.
The victory earned Canada a spot in the world championships, Aug 30 to Sept. 21 in Poland.
The Canadian women hope to do the same. They were set to face Mexico later Monday, with the winner qualifying for the women's world tournament.
Fred Winters added 12 points for the 11th-ranked Canadians, who dominated No. 62 Costa Rica with their size, speed and superior organized play. The Canadians have six players over six foot five on their roster. The Costa Ricans have none.
Canada didn't give up a set in NORCECA's third-round qualifying tournament (Pool Q), going undefeated through the round robin, with wins over Costa Rica, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Canadian men are on the rise, finishing fifth in the prestigious 18-country World League last year to climb to No. 11 in the world rankings. That strong result came a year after they were just one win away from qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
They finished 19th at the last world championships in 2010.
Canada's women hoped to follow in the men's footsteps, booking their spot in the world championships, Sept. 23 to Oct. 12 in Italy. The Canadian women also went undefeated through the preliminary round, beating Jamaica, Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They relinquished one set, to Mexico.
The volleyball qualifying tournament was one of several official test events held over the weekend for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
Trinidad & Tobago won the men's bronze over Panama in four sets (19-25, 28-26, 20-25, 19-25).
Jamaica defeated the US Virgin Islands (25-13, 25-10, 25-11) to claim the women's bronze.
