Cuba beat Canada in Pool N for first World Grand Prix win Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 8, 2014 – In the first ever FIVB World Grand Prix match on Argentinean soil, Cuba secured their first win in this year’s tournament by defeating Canada in straight sets (27-25, 25-18, 25-22) in Lomas de Zamora’s Microestadio. Key points: • Cuba’s 14-year-old Melissa Vargas led the scorers with 14 points; teammates Alena Orta and Regla Gracia added 11 points each. • For Canada, Kyla Richey and Lucille Charuk scored 10 points each. • Cuba dominated in blocking (9-3) and serving (8-2). • Cuba’s record losing streak in the World Grand Prix ended at 20 matches. • Cuba is the most experienced World Grand Prix team in Pool N with 223 matches and 138 wins. The other three nations have a combined number of 68 matches (Argentina 33, Peru 24, Canada 11) and nine total wins (Argentina 5, Peru 3, Canada 1). • It was the first ever meeting of the two sides in the World Grand Prix. After a sloppy start, Canada regrouped defensively and Richey led the way to an 8-6 score. However, right after the break, Cuba combined their middle- blockers Daymara Lescay and Orta to bounce back at 10-8. The match remained close as Richey kept rolling for Canada, but Cuba secured the second TTO by 16-15 with a strong spike by Orta. Richey’s eighth point gave Canada a slim lead at the very end (20-19), but the Caribbean side answered once more. Vargas defended successfully and, on the next ball, Sulian Matienzo sealed the set at 27-25. Vargas improved her numbers in the second set, carrying the flag for Cuba towards an 8-4 opener. She also added an ace at 10-4, as Canada suffered in reception. That six-point gap remained untouchable en route to a 16-10 margin at the second TTO, with Cuba looking stronger in every department of the game. Orta smashed for 18-12 and Gracia joined the show with a nice sharp spike down the line at 22-14, allowing Cuba to cruise until the final point. Once again, it was Matienzo who finished the set, this time by a margin of 25-18. Aiming to wrap up their first win, the Cubans also seized control of the third set, going 9-5 up with Orta well supported by setter Hernández Santas. Even though Canada tried to climb back with Dana Cranston in good shape, Cuba had a two-point lead at the next TTO. Gracia served a strong ace at 20-17 and Lescay, a while later, sent out a good floated serve to raise the margine to 22-18. After a final effort by Canada, headed by Shanice Marcelle, Vargas gave Cuba a handful of match points and they nailed the match at 25-22 with Matienzo again rounding things off.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 06:32:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015