Mexico started with the right foot

MEXICALI, Baja California, June 5, 2006.- Mexico started the Men’s Pan American Cup with the right foot blanking Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-14) relying on the experience and better technique. Ivan Contreras and Jose Martell, with 14 and 10 points respectively, led Mexico and Carlos Guerra and Victor Porras each added 9.

Sean Morrison was the best for Trinidad with 9 points. “It was a real surprise to see Trinidad to play at the level they showed tonight,” said Jorge Azair, the Mexican coach. “They played a great first set and deserve my congratulations.”

“We need to make some adjustments in our team with the players like Contreras, Meyer and Guerra who just reported to the squad, but I am confident we will improve as the tournament progresses,” he added. “Mexico is a better team and they played better than us,” said Gideon Dickson, the coach of Trinidad. “Our inexperience was a factor and our reception game failed in the second and third sets.”

The first set was a hard fought battle that saw the athletic Trinidadians come from behind to tie the score at 20 up. But at the end, Mexico prevailed with the offensive support of the tandem of Contreras and Meyer.

Mexico dominated the second set and was ahead 8-6 and 16-11 during the technical time-outs. They improved the gap to 20-14 and despite a late reaction from the Trinidadians, Contreras sealed the set with a strong spike. The Mexican attack, combined with many unforced errors of Trinidad & Tobago, produced the big difference in the third set.