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Cuba clinches a berth in the semis
after beating Venezuela
TIJUANA, México, August 14, 2014.- Cuba beat
Venezuela and advanced to the semifinals after a five setter
victory (23-25, 25-20, 25-26, 29-31, 15-6).
Javier Jimenez Scull, Rolando Cepeda and Osmani
Uriarte, finished as top scorers for Cuba, as well as David Fiel
and Isbel Mesa. Jiménez tallied 20 points, while Cepeda closed
with 18. Fiel registered 15 and I Mesa 11.
For Venezuela, Kervin Pinerua leaded the attack
with 23 points and also served four aces. Jesus Chourio closed
12 and a couple of aces, while Hector Salerno closed with 11.
Venezuela missed a service in the last set, while
Cuba adjusted the blocking strategy. However Cuba also missed
one service and failed in a reception play that gave the
advantage to the South American squad. “We suffered a lot in
this match, but we won in the end. That was the most important
thing. We have won matches in five sets with a young squad, with
some mistakes, but I think as long as we move on, we can solve
that,” Cuban coach Rodolfo Luis Sanchez, stated.
“It was a good match, we started pretty well in
the first set, but in the second and third the ball was on one
side and another. We made serving mistakes and in many
fundamentals. We won the fourth set with the heart, but after
that there was nothing else,” said Venezuela’s coach Vincenzo
Nacci.
“I think we could not block enough, but Cuba is a
very strong team on the attack, and defending the ball. After
that, there were some good moments but we began to get tired and
could not get into rhythm”, Venezuelan captain Kervin Pinerua
indicated.
“It was a good match. Venezuela was very strong
in first and fourth sets. We worked hard on attack and service
power to close with a win. Now we are ready to achieve a new
goal, that is to win the championship as well as we remain in
the World League,” Cuban captain Rolando Cepeda concluded. |