Dominican Republic suffers second five-set loss
NINGBO, China, May 17, 2018 - Belgium teenager Britt Herbots
summoned up every ounce of energy she had left to deliver
another superb attacking performance and lead her team to a
pressure-packed 3-2 (25-16, 18-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-7) victory
over the Dominican Republic on the third day of the inaugural
women's FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Thursday.
The 18-year-old Herbots showed no signs of tiring as the epic
match ticked past two hours in duration as she racked up a game
high 26 points and the Europeans rebounded from their
straight-sets loss to China on Wednesday to claim their second
win in Pool 2 after beating Korea 3-0 on Tuesday.
Wing spiker Celine Van Gestel and opposite spiker Kaja Grobelna
each finished with 14 points while Marlies Janssens led the
defence with four blocks in her eight points as Belgium
withstood a fierce comeback from the never-say-die Dominican
Republic, who endured the agony of two successive five-set
defeats.
Dominican Republic finished the pool with three losses but might
have had two wins had fortune gone their way. Outclassed by
China, they suffered an exhausting and heart-breaking 3-2 defeat
to Korea on Wednesday before coming so close against the fresher
Belgians on Thursday.
Brayelin Martinz, who racked up 31 points in the loss to Korea,
once again spearheaded the Dominican Republic challenge,
finishing on 15 points, tied with Jeoselyna Rodriguez Santos,
who came on as a substitute after the first set and made a huge
impact.
Belgium travel to Toyota next week for Pool 5 matches against
the host-nation Japan as well as the Netherlands and USA while
Dominican Republic will head to to Ankara to play in Pool 8
alongside hosts Turkey as well as Argentina and Brazil. |