SAN JOSE, California (AFP) - Clay Stanley, who helped spark the United States to Olympic men's volleyball gold in Beijing, scored eight points and served the winner in a World League victory over China.

The Americans improved to 4-1 in Pool A with the 25-20, 25-19, 25-21 triumph in their first home match since taking Olympic gold.

Stanley smashed three aces in the second set for the US side.

Chen Ping scored 10 points to spark the Chinese squad, which lost for the fourth time in five matches.

In another match Cuba overcame a point deficit in each set to beat Japan and stay top of the preliminary group round.

The Cubans rallied to a 25-22, 25-19, 27-25 victory, notching up their fourth win against one defeat in Group C, which also includes Olympic bronze medallists Russia and Bulgaria.

Japan now have one win and four defeats.

Sixteen teams were divided into four groups in the preliminary round and the top team from each group will join host Serbia and the best second-place squad in the six-team final round July 22-26 in Belgrade.