NYGAARD, IVIE PLAY KEY ROLES AS MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM ROLLS.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Argentina made a run at the U.S. men's volleyball team in the third set Tuesday, closing from seven points down to one, but Team USA, backed by a boisterous crowd at the University of Georgia, held on for a 15-7, 15-8, 15-11 sweep, improving its Pool A record to 2-0.

``If we can get out of here in three, we'll take it,'' said Bob Ctvrtlik, the team captain out of Pepperdine. ``It is a game of emotion. That's where the crowd comes in. If we're in Argentina, that's a lot tougher set to close out right there. But the crowd gives you that little extra lift.''

With the score 11-10 in the third and Dan Landry serving, former UCLA star Jeff Nygaard blocked a ball for a point, and veteran Bryan Ivie, out of USC, had a kill to make it 13-11.

The biggest roar came when Ivie served on match point. Mike Lambert brought up the Argentinian attack, Ivie set it and Landry smashed it off the floor right in front of an Argentinian defender.

TENNIS

Brisk start:Andre Agassi and Monica Seles of the U.S., the top seeds at the Games, won their opening matches. Agassi made a successful Olympic debut by beating Swede Jonas Bjorkman 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), and Seles, a native Yugoslavian who became a U.S. citizen two years ago, also won her opener, beating Li Chen of China 6-0, 6-4.

Agassi, whose father was an Olympic boxer for Iran in 1948 and '52, is the top medal contender for the U.S. in the absence of Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier.

SHOOTING

Nervous trigger finger: Kim Rhode, a 17-year-old from El Monte, overcame a mild case of jitters to capture the first Olympic gold medal ever awarded in women's double trap.

After firing off the last two shots, hitting clay targets to clinch the gold, Rhode sprinted into the stands and jumped into the arms of her father.

``Sure, I was a little nervous. This is the Olympics,'' said Rhode, who, with 141 points, edged Susanne Kiermayer of Germany (139).

BOXING

Overpowered: Eric Morel accounted for the first defeat of the U.S. boxing team, falling to three-time Cuban national champion Maiko Romero at 112 pounds. Romero overwhelmed Morel, a Puerto Rican native who lives in Madison, Wis., 24-12. It was the eighth win without a defeat for the Cubans.

David Reid, a Philadelphia light middleweight, eased the sting for the U.S. (7-1) by dominating Wan-Kyun Lee of South Korea later in the afternoon, withstanding a knee in the chest (a 2-point deduction) late in the bout before winning 20-4.

FIELD HOCKEY

Goal disallowed: The U.S. women lost 1-0 to Britain after an apparent American goal was wiped out by an official's call. It was a setback in the team's quest for the first U.S. field-hockey medal in 12 years.

The U.S. apparently tied the game 1-1 when Barb Marois made a penalty corner goal with about seven minutes left to play. But the goal was nullified when an official ruled that the ball never came to a complete stop before the shot was taken.

ALSO

Americans Brandon Paulson (114-1/2 pounds) and Matt Ghaffari (286) won silver medals in Greco-Roman wrestling. . . . Cuba became the first baseball team to go 3-0, beating the Netherlands 18-2. The U.S. (2-0), the only other unbeaten team, plays Italy today.

CAPTION(S):

Photo