TTO beat Costa Rica at Challengers Cup

PINAR DEL RÍO, Cuba, June 6, 2018.- Trinidad and Tobago won their first victory by defeating debutant Costa Rica 3-0 (25-12, 27-25, 26-24) in the second round of the NORCECA Men’s Challenger Cup a qualifier to the World Final towards the FIVB 2019 League of Nations.

The Caribbeans showed better cohesion than they had against Puerto Rico plus an obvious physical superiority against the Central Americans, but they slowed down the pace in the last two sets allowing the young rivals to get near or even in the score but unable to close them.

Wing spiker Akim Bushe with 12 points was the top scorer of the match and his partner, the opposite Ryan Stewart added 10, while the Costa Rican, Gilberth Solano, was the only one who achieved double digits also with 10.

Sean Morrison, coach of Trinidad and Tobago, when expressing his joy, assured that "my team was very professional in the reception, one hurting element against Puerto Rico, today it improved a lot, played more consistently, and in the second and third sets the boys got tired a little, and they allowed more points but they knew how to stay and get success".

His captain Ryan Stewart pointed out that "this match was much better for us, we were stronger with more integration, much more motivated and with a better team work. We improved the reception, all the defense and it was a great team formation".

José E. Pavón, technical director of Costa Rica, acknowledged that a negative characteristic of these players is that they start without stamina, "then in the other sets they achieved superior teamwork and desire to win, they did everything possible and that satisfies us.

The last sets were tight, but we couldn´t close them as we don’t have the clutch player for that moment something we need to sort out in the multiple events in Central America.”

Captain Andres Araya said that "we are a young team with little international experience, however I was very satisfied because we went from less to more and it was shown on the court that we gained confidence and felt at every point more comfortable, and that for me is the highlight."