Costa Rica rises to defeat Belize

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 27, 2019 - Costa Rica recovered from losing the first set to win 3-1 (22-25, 31-29, 25-17, 25-8) over a Belize team that failed to close in the second set, which had seven match points, only two for the winners in the first game of the fifth day of the IV Central American U23 Women’s Championship.

Tamara Espinoza with 19 points led the Costa Rican attack, plus 16 from Tatiana Sayles and 15 from Mariana Rodríguez. Mya Musa of Belize had 18 points, and 14 each of Sherika Burton and Fatoumata Camara.

Costa Rica was better in attack 54-46 and in services 6-5, the blocking was equal 9-9, but Belize gave 34 points for own errors by 19 of the winners.

Ignacio Araya, coach of Costa Rica: "The Belize team has merit because it is very strong, it has a good block and a good strike in the attack, I feel it was key for them the second set that inclined the balance mainly in the mental part, in the third the girls accommodated themselves to the tactical plan that we designed and the service factor was decisive".

"Belize is maybe together with Honduras, of the highest teams of the tournament, we had to get used to it, make the necessary adjustments and the good reception allowed us to play faster, make combinations and that was key".

José Fontes, coach of Belize: "Our team came in with great spirit, well concentrated in the work, we had a great first set, but the essence of a good game are the moments and ours was to define the second set, but we could not; more than we could not, I think that the girls did not know how to resolve essential situations and Costa Rica is well prepared, we can see that they studied us, they worked hard on us in the blockade".

"We failed in details like the lack of definition; a team that has a very large defensive balance as Costa Rica cannot give you the ball, because they do very well the counterattack ... we did not know how to make the last points".

Costa Rica will face Nicaragua on Friday at 6:30 p.m., Belize goes against Guatemala at 2:30 p.m.