Cuba Defeats Paraguay to Advance to Quarterfinals 

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay, August 12, 2025 .– Cuba swept Paraguay (25-16, 25-12, 25-14) to advance to the quarterfinals of the women’s volleyball tournament at the II Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025, taking place at the Arena COP. 

Cuba secured second place in Pool A and will face the Dominican Republic, third in Pool B, in the quarterfinals. Paraguay, still in search of its first win, will play in the classification round for positions 5 to 8. 

In the first set, Whitney James and Lianet García led Cuba’s offense, while Alexia Martínez and Mayra Pérez stood out for Paraguay. In the following sets, Cuba quickly pulled ahead and maintained control until the end.

Cuba’s strong serving proved decisive, outscoring Paraguay 13-4 from the service line. They also held the edge in attacks (35-24) and blocks (8-3). Cuba committed 11 unforced errors compared to Paraguay’s 19.

Cuban captain Whitney James led all scorers with 15 points (13 attacks, 2 aces). Lianet García contributed 14 points, including 3 attacks, 5 blocks, and a match-high 6 aces, while Yalain de la Peña added 10 points.

For Paraguay, Mayra Pérez led with 11 points (9 attacks, 2 aces).

Norka Latamblet, head coach of Cuba, said, “The girls have gained confidence as the tournament has progressed and with the training sessions. Our main goal is to qualify for the 2027 Pan American Games, and that is achievable.”

Mayra Pérez, the top scorer of the match for Paraguay, stated, “There were moments when it seemed like we could make a comeback; we switched to a better formation, which helped us a lot. Feeling the crowd’s support motivated us to raise our level of play. The difference with Cuba is significant; they have international experience and are taller than us. For us, this is our first international experience.”