Mexico, Cuba and USA start strong at NORCECA’s U-21

MONTERREY, Mexico, August 8, 2006.- Mexico, Cuba and USA enjoyed strong starts with 3-0 victories on Tuesday at the NORCECA Men’s U-21 Continental Tournament. Host Mexico beat Guatemala 25-17, 27-25, 25-18, USA defeated Dominican Republic 25-16, 25-18, 25-18 and Cuba won against Canada 27-25, 25-17, 25-17.

The top three ranked team of this event will be qualified for next year’s FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship in Morocco.

The more experienced Mexicans, and also backed up by the local crowd, dominated Guatemala without major difficulties.

The Guatemalans resisted in the second set with a stable blocking, but at the end the accurate spikes of Edgar Herrera and Juan Virgen produced the Mexico’s advantage.

Herrera led Mexico with 11 points and Virgen and Pedro Rangel contributed 10 apiece. Jorge Gonzalez had 10 points for Guatemala.

“It was our first match and the lack of harmony was evident and in the second set we had setting problems,” said Luis Leon, the Mexican coach. “Then in the third set we made the adjustments.”

The combination of speed and size was the key for the USA victory over Dominican Republic in a match where the Americans used all their players but Matthew Anderson and Maxwell Holt carried most of the offensive load with 11 points apiece.

“Everything worked out well for us tonight,” said Andy Reid, the USA coach. “Now we have to prepare for the next match.”

“I am pretty satisfied with the way I saw my players,” said Ventura Fernandez, the Dominican coach. “For most of them, this is their first international competition.”

Yadier Sanchez and Rolando Junquin each had 13 points and Raidel Hierrezuelo added 8 in the Cuban victory. Thomas Jarmoc led Canada with 10.

It was a close battle in the first set but the next two were lopsided with Cuba relying on its strong blocking.

“We played a fundamental game working with our attack and then making the adjustments in our blocking, but it is very clear that this will be a tough competition,” said Juan Gala, the Cuban coach.