Mexico upsets Canada in five-set victory

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, June 14, 2014 – Mexico stunned Canada winning a thrilling five-setter 27-25, 27-25, 1-25, 14-25, 15-9 in Pool A of the XIII Women’s Volleyball Pan American Cup on Saturday at Juan de la Barrera Gymnasium.

The Canadians saw their three-game winning streak come to an end to the hands of a high-spirited Mexican side. The North Americans have now a 3-1 record good for second place while the winners evened up their mark at 2-2.

Andrea Rangel led Mexico with 16 points, followed by Claudia Rios and Dulce Carranza each with 10 points.

Lisa Barclay had a match-high 21 points in the losing effort. Brittney Page and Marie-Pier Murray each recorded 14 points while Marisa Field added 10, with 7 blocks.

“What happened today evidenced our lack of physical condition,” Mexico’s coach Jorge Azair said. “After the long first and second sets the girls were very tired and that’s why I decided to bench some of them in the fourth set and come back with fresh legs in the fifth.”

“Our plan was to play aggressive and we did that in the first two sets,” Mexico’s Captain Rangel said. “Then we lost the concentration but came back hungry and with a lot of desire in the fifth set.”

Arnd Ludwig, Coach of Canada: “Mexico surprised us with the way they came out playing in the first two sets. Then my team elevated its game and they descended. In a fifth set anything can happen and they came more determined than us.”