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HERMOSILLO, Mexico, August 26, 2022.- Costa Rica
bounced back from an 0-2 set-deficit to beat
Nicaragua 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-22,
15-13) in a placing match at the Women’s Pan
American Cup in the Sonora Arena of Hermosillo.
Costa Rica will play for seventh place against
the winner between Canada and Peru, while
Nicaragua plays the loser for ninth place.
Costa Rica had a formidable comeback after
falling in two closed sets and taking control of
the third set jumping to an early eight-point
lead (10-2); still they had difficulties
overcoming Nicaragua missing two set-points in
the third, three in the fourth set and coming
from behind (8-10) in the fifth.
Costa prevailed 69-57 in attacks, 11-7 in blocks
and 4-3 in aces. Nicaragua committed fewer
errors (20-32).
Opposite hitter Angelica Rodriguez of Costa Rica
led all scorers with 23 points on 20 kills, two
blocks and one ace, followed by outside hitter
Tamara Espinoza with 21 points and middle
blocker Lakysha Thompson added 17 points
including a match-high of 4 blocks.
Three players scored double-figures for
Nicaragua, outside hitter and team captain of
Nicaragua Ericka Calero with 15 points, middle
blocker Brittany Forbes with 14 points and
opposite hitter Hellen Traña with 12 points.
Pablo Acuña, head coach of Costa Rica:
“It was a complex match, Nicaragua played very
well the first two sets, they are a great
opponent, and this has become a Central American
classic. The player's reaction took too long,
emotionally, and tactically as well. The huge
advantage in the third set was because of the
team’s energy, our offense was effective, and we
executed the game plan we practiced today”.
Ericka Calero, captain of Nicaragua:
“We lost concentration as a team, we were
uncertain on the court and our offense-defense
communication couldn’t connect like in the first
two sets. Our team’s energy couldn’t recover
from losing the third set, we couldn’t pick
ourselves up”. |
