BEIJING — The volleyball players huddled, had a moment of silence, and then set out on their mission — to do what little they could to ease the pain of their grieving coach and his shattered family.

Coach Hugh McCutcheon and his wife, 2004 volleyball Olympian Elisabeth "Wiz" Bachman, would miss this game. They spent the day at Beijing hospital; a day before, her father, Todd Bachman, was killed and her mother injured by a suicidal, knife-wielding attacker at a Beijing landmark.

A spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee says the condition of Barbara Bachman has improved.

Darryl Seibel told The Associated Press today that Bachman's condition has been upgraded from critical to stable.

Against Venezuela, the U.S. men's team was determined to play its best — for their coach and for his in-laws, both of them devoted fans. Ultimately, despite a mid-match letdown, the Americans persevered in an opening-round match, defeating Venezuela 25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10 behind 22 points from Honolulu's Clay Stanley.

"Hearing the news was tragic, stunning — words can't describe it," said team captain Tom Hoff. " 'How can I help?' That's all we were thinking. ... We talked about how the best thing we could do was try to play volleyball."

The government tightened security yesterday around Beijing's scenic spots in response to the attack on Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minn., and a Chinese tour guide. The site of the stabbings — the 13th-century Drum Tower — was closed to tourists.

The assailant, 47-year-old Tang Yongming, leapt to his death from the tower. According to Xinhua news service, police said Tang acted out of despair over two failed marriages, and a 21-year-old son who had been charged with fraud.

Just before the match against Venezuela, the players briefly linked arms and bowed their heads.

"We wanted to have a moment of silence where we could gather our thoughts before starting this journey," Hoff said. "It was a moment of silence to honor the Bachman family."

DOPING

SPANISH CYCLIST OUT

BEIJING — In the first official doping case of the Beijing Olympics, Spanish cyclist Maria Isabel Moreno was kicked out of the games today after testing positive for EPO.

Moreno, who had been due to compete in the women's road race and individual time trial, was tested in the athletes' village on July 31 and left China later the same day before learning the result, the IOC said.

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said Moreno's sample came back positive for EPO, a blood-boosting hormone that enhances endurance and has been at the center of numerous doping scandals in cycling in recent years.

The IOC expelled Moreno from the Games, revoked her accreditation and asked cycling's world governing body, the UCI, to follow up for any further sanctions.

Eugenio Bermudez, secretary general of the Spanish cycling federation, said Moreno's backup "B" sample came back positive last night.

SHOOTING

INDIAN MAN TAKES GOLD

BEIJING — Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in the 10-meter air rifle today, giving India its first medal of the Olympics.

The 2006 world champion entered the final in third place but overtook China's Zhu Qinan and Finland's Henri Hakkinen by scoring 104.5 points for the title.

Bindra finished with 700.5 points to edge out Zhu, who had 699.7 points for the silver. Zhu won the gold medal in 2004. Hakkinen got the bronze with 699.4.

TRACK AND FIELD

GAY SAYS HE'S READY

BEIJING — Sprinter Tyson Gay followed a workout by proclaiming himself "injury-free."

He hasn't raced since hurting a hamstring during a 200 heat at Olympic trials in July. His only individual race here is the 100, which begins Aug. 15.

"I think this rest really did me well," he said.