|
PINAR DEL RÍO, Cuba, June 3, 2022.- Cuba
made its home debut after more than two years
without playing as a team with a victory over
the Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-23)
in the opening match of the Challenger Final
Four of Norceca playing in the hall 19 de
Noviembre.
Despite the heavy rains that hit precisely this
western part of the Island that forced the
opening times to be postponed, both teams
offered a lively game despite the obvious
superiority of the hosts over a very young and
inexperienced rival team.
Virtually all of their players played for Cuba,
including a setter in each set. The top scorer
of the challenge was the corner hitter Osniel
Mergarejo with 11 points, and he was escorted by
the opposite player Miguel David Gutiérrez and
spiker Miguel Ángel López, both with 10 points.
Dominican auxiliary hitters Henry Antonio López
and Wilfrido Hernández scored 10 and 8 points,
respectively.
Nicolás Vives, coach of Cuba: “We are
getting into the game, doing team work. That is
why the possibility of everyone going out to
play is important for the group and to continue
working to achieve victories. I liked everything
my team did, what sometimes annoys me when we
relax a bit and stop pressing, it's normal
sometimes, but in general I saw the team very
well”.
Miguel
David Gutiérrez, second best scorer: "Despite
the fact that we haven't played together for a
long time, the first result was quite good. We
were able to connect as much as we could, each
one brings their personal experience in the
leagues, it is what we are looking for, although
we still have a long way to go and we have other
important competitions”.
José A. Gutiérrez, coach of the Dominican
Republic: “Cuba is a very good team, but it
has weaknesses, and if you attack them you will
have more options, but right now it is more
important to organize ourselves and be more
consistent in our approaches, beyond do
the opposite and that is what we are looking for,
that growth in achieving what we want to do.
Precisely this type of game allows us to grow,
the most difficult thing is to maintain and
endure what comes when you face a team like
Cuba, that's part of learning ".
Wilfrido Hernández, outstanding corner player
for the Dominican Republic: “We are quite
excited, we are almost entirely a young team and
what we are looking for is development, that we
improve every day and at the same time gain more
experience. In the third set we improved our
reception, we listened to what our coach told us
and we tried to comply with it. Individually, I
felt good, but I think I can offer more with a
higher level of play."
|
%200100202.jpg)