Puerto Rico wins Pool B against resilient Mexico

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico, July 20, 2010 – Puerto Rico won Pool B of the women’s volleyball tournament at the XXI Central American and Caribbean Games by defeating a resilient young Mexico team in straight sets (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) on Tuesday.

The winners had the advantage in blocks (9-4) while the defeated side outscored the home team in service winners (9-5).

Puerto Ricans Aury Cruz, Sarai Alvarez and Alexandra Oquendo finished in double figures with 13, 12 and 11 points respectively. Samantha Bricio led Mexico with 9 points and Andrea Rangel and Xitlali Herrera scored 7 apiece.

“We knew it was going to be a tough match since we met recently at the Pan American Cup,” Puerto Rican coach Yarelis Rodriguez said. “Today we made many errors in our serves and still need to synchronize the setting with our fast attack down the corners. That’s something we need to work out in the next couple of days.”

“It was a matter of experience,” Mexican coach Alfredo Bernal said. “They wanted to do too much and the anxiety was a factor for our mistakes in key moments. But the young girls battled and now our goal is to win the bronze medal