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DURANGO, Mexico, August 23, 2021. - Puerto Rico
won their first NORCECA Men’s Continental
Championship title defeating Canada 3-0 (25-18,
25-21, 25-23) in the gold medal match at
Auditorio del Pueblo in Durango, Mexico.
Puerto Rico made history on Monday night with
their first championship win, adding their one
silver medal and two bronze; Canada finishes
second for sixth occasion, they also have one
gold and 14 bronze medals.
Puerto Rico concludes the NORCECA Championship
with a 4-1 win-loss record and Canada with a 3-3
record.
Opposite hitter Gabriel García led Puerto Rico
to gold with 11 points on 10 kills and one ace,
outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas registered 10
points and middle blocker Jonathan Rodríguez
collected 9 points.
Canada’s top scorers were outside hitter Brandon
Koppers with 14 points on 12 kills and 2 blocks,
and opposite hitter Xander Ketrzynski added 11
points.
Oswald Antonetti, Coach of Puerto Rico: “What a
beautiful feeling reaching your goals, but how
beautiful is making history. Teams must be
tenacious, have personality and a substance of
values and identity to make things like this
happen. We are enjoying the moment, each play
and the process, listening to “La Borinqueña”
(Puerto Rico national anthem) will be really
emotional”.
Gabriel García, Puerto Rico top scorer: “This
was teamwork, we believed in ourselves, in the
system and each other individually. We enjoy
victory as a team, winning was the only thing on
our minds this morning”. |
