RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Hawai'i's Clay Stanley amassed 16 points as the U.S. men's volleyball team beat Serbia, 26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, yesterday to win its first World League championship

Reid Priddy scored 21 points for the world's third-ranked U.S. team, which finished the World League with a 12-4 record and won $1 million for the overall tournament victory.

Russia defeated host Brazil, the five-time defending World League champion, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, to take the bronze medal.

All four teams will play next at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

U.S. setter Lloy Ball was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and Best Setter. He was credited with 48 running sets, 51 still sets and one fault on 100 attempts in yesterday's match. Rich Lambourne, who was credited with 11 digs and 26 "excellent" returns, won the award for Best Libero for the second year in a row.

Priddy had 18 kills and three blocks, and Stanley, a Kaiser High and University of Hawai'i alum, added 12 kills — including the final three points of the match — three blocks and one ace.

Riley Salmon contributed 12 kills and one ace; Ryan Millar had seven kills, two blocks and one ace; and David Lee had seven kills and two blocks for the U.S.

Serbia's Ivan Miljkovic led all scorers with 28 points on a match-high 22 kills, a match-high four blocks and a match-high two aces.

It was the first time since 1998 that Brazil, also the defending Olympic and World Cup champion, finished outside the top three in the World League. The last time Brazil failed to win the title was in 2002, when it finished second to Russia.

Eight-time champion Italy is the winningest nation.