The Cuban national team “stumbled” against the United States and lost with continuous scores of 8-25, 11-25 and 21-25 in the opening of the Norceca U-19 Women’s Volleyball Championship 2024 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
The northerners had the opportunity to use all their players in a match in which they were superior to the Antilleans in attack (35-5) and in direct points from serves (13-2), while in blocking both teams scored three goals and the winners committed more errors of their own (30-24).
No player accumulated double digits. Americans Hazel Alevok and Elena Hoecke each had nine points, and Cuban corner player Yessica Brito had four.
The Norceca website reports that the U.S. team dominated the first two sets without complications, thanks to powerful serves and spikes, although in the third set the Caribbean players surprised and at their best kept the score close until a tie at 16, when the northern players sealed the match in their favor.
Brito, the captain of Cuba, explained that “it was a difficult start, facing one of the best teams of the tournament, very strong. This is only the first game and for some of our players it was their international debut. We played well in the third set, so tomorrow we will start strong as we did this Sunday at the end”.
Norka Latamblet, Olympic medalist of the Morenas del Caribe and coach of this team, commented before the match that “it is a very young group. We have had problems to train, but we come to play with a good attitude, hoping that things go as well as possible. We are looking for them to project themselves for future competitions and for Cuba to reach a better ranking as in previous years”.
In Group A, Canada defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-21) and in Group B, Mexico also swept the Dominican Republic (25-19, 28-26, 25-18) and Costa Rica beat Honduras 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-14, 18-25, 15-13).
This Monday, the Cuban squad will face the Puerto Ricans and closes this key with the clash between the northern neighbors.
