Mets Tie the LVSM Final Series Against Los Caribes

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, November 29, 2024.- The Guaynabo Mets, showing their resilience, defeated the defending champions, Caribes de San Sebastián, 3-1 (25-20, 25-16, 15-25, 25-20) in the fourth game of the Men's Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) Final Series at their home court, Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum.

In the fourth set, leading the match 2 sets to 1, the Mets secured victory by pulling ahead 19-14 with a strong back-row attack. They reached set point at 24-19 with a triple block against Jalen Penrose and clinched the win at 25-20 due to a service error by Penrose.

The Mets outperformed the Caribes in several categories: 51-47 in attacks, 13-5 in blocks, 3-2 in aces, and 36-32 in digs. Meanwhile, San Sebastián led in passing (60-52) and assists (24-17).

The Mets' top offensive contributors were Inovel Romero with 23 points (20 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace), followed by Egyptian player Hisham Yousri with 17 points, and Gianluca Grasso with 7 points. For Caribes, Jalen Penrose scored 21 points, and Pelegrín Vargas added 11.

After the win, Inovel Romero, the outside hitter for the Guaynabo Mets, stated: “We were down 2-1 in the series and knew it would be a tough match, so we gave it our all. We made adjustments, stayed united, and thanks to God and the team’s effort, we came out with the victory. We must keep going because the series isn’t over yet. They’re a great team defending their championship. Now, we need to go there, try to steal a game, and come back home to close it out. But we know it’s going to be tough, and we’re ready for whatever comes.”

This series has seen home teams come out victorious in every game so far. To turn things around, Romero added: “We need to stay focused when we play there. Their fans are really involved, but we must block that out. We’ll keep making adjustments because the series is still on, and we’re moving forward.”

Enger Mieses, libero for the Caribes de San Sebastián, commented: “We couldn’t pull off the win. It’s tough because, remember, at this stage, it’s all mental. The difference will be which team can steal a game on the road. It’s a mental game. When they play at home, they feel the same pressure some of our players might feel when we come to Guaynabo.”

Regarding the key to defending their home court in the next game, Mieses concluded: “I think it’s about focus, starting from the beginning with the claws that define us, bringing them into our style of play and not playing at their rhythm. I think focus is the most important thing.”

The series continues on Monday, December 2, at Luis Aymat Cardona Coliseum in San Sebastián for Game 5.

The Final Series is played as a best-of-seven format, with the first team to win four games claiming the championship.