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HAVANA, Cuba, March 20, 2015 –Puerto Rico overcame Peru 25-22,
14-25, 25-20, 26-24 advancing to a semi-final match against the
Dominican Republic on Saturday, one of the favourite teams to
win the III U18 Girls’ Pan American Volleyball Cup.
In a match that lasted almost two hours of hard battle, Dariana
Hollingsworth (16), Ivania Ortiz (14), Paola Salas (13) and the
captain Joscelyn Coronel (10) excelled from the Caribbean side.
Maricarmen Guerrero and Leslie Leyva (both with 11), and
Katherine Regalado, who contributed with 10 points, led the
Peruvian attack.
“As usual we prepared, but for this match we made emphasis on
the performances of Peru and we could decode their game a lot.
It really helped us to control a little the powerful attack they
have on the corners. We came for the qualification. It was not
possible, but finally we are among the top-four of the event.
Now we are aimed at reaching the final”, expressed the Puerto
Rican coach, Luis Aponte.
Joscelyn Coronel, the Caribbean captain, considered that ”it was
a difficult match as both teams have an equal game level.
However, we overcame them due to our greater concentration. Also
my team-mates did an excellent job. We are pretty happy.”
Spaniard, Juan Diego García, coach of the South Americans,
reflected on “in the first set we had the game very well
controlled but we let it go. It caused the Puerto Ricans tip the
balance. Some times we did not change the service well and it
conditioned our game too much. We did not have crystal clear
that one of our strengths must be block-defence if we are not
able to change the service correctly. It is something on which
we are working for the major event in 2015, the U18 WCH to be
held precisely in Peru next August.”
Their captain, Nicole Abreu, indicated at the beginning they
entered too much unfocused, “but we were leading the game. It
was when we were overconfident. In the second set, we reacted
and tied. However it was impossible for us to win, we lost
concentration, and we did not know how to return to our rhythm.” |
