Cuba earns first win by defeating Costa Rica 3-0

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 19, 2024.- Cuba earned its first victory of the tournament (1-1) by defeating Costa Rica (0-2) with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) score at the start of the second day of action in Pool B of the XXI Women's Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Cuba was superior from the beginning, although at times Costa Rica pressured them by closing the gap to three points. Cuba's service pressure caused trouble for their opponents, with 6 points coming from aces.

Cuba was better in attack 37-23, in blocking 10-4, and in service 6-0, with Lianet García and Yalain de la Peña each scoring 10 points.

Ester Abarca scored 11 points for Costa Rica, which committed 22 unforced errors, compared to 28 from their opponents.

On Tuesday, Costa Rica will face Chile at 2:00 p.m., while Cuba will play against the United States at 8:00 p.m.

Laura Suárez, Captain of Cuba: “We’re doing quite well. Yesterday’s match was tough; it was a close game against Puerto Rico, and we didn’t get the win, but today we came out more relaxed, knowing we had to win without underestimating our opponent. We regained confidence in ourselves, and tomorrow we'll give our best”.

Leivis García, Coach of Cuba: “First, we have to acknowledge Costa Rica’s progress. This team is more organized than the one that participated in the Final Six. We see that there's good work being done, which helps us grow even more. We took the opportunity to rotate players and create a tactical plan for the coming years. On an individual level, each athlete had their task, and some of them stood out in what they were assigned”.

Tatiana Sayles, Captain of Costa Rica: “We're very happy to be here. We know this is a high-level competition, and it serves us well in the new process we’re starting. We’re experimenting with new things and new roles for some players. Some of them are in their first senior national team, and they’re getting an opportunity. I think we’re doing very well; the little time we’ve spent together has helped us grow as a team”.