The Dominican women’s volleyball team defeated Puerto Rico in straight sets yesterday in the continuing of the XV Women’s Volleyball Pan American Cup playing to a full house of around 6,000 spectators at the Ricardo Arias Volleyball Pavilion in the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center in Santo Domingo. The DR won 25-22, 25-20, 25-23. With the win, the DR advanced to Saturday’s semifinals. Puerto Rico needs yet to play Argentina in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Norceca reported that Brayelin Martinez and Gina Mambru carried most of the offensive load of the winners with 17 and 14 points, respectively, while libero Brenda Castillo played superb defense. Bethania De la Cruz chipped in with 10 points and Annerys Vargas added 8, including four blocks.
For Puerto Rico, Karina Ocasio and Stephanie Enright had 15 points each, while veteran Aury Cruz tallied eight.
“The 3-0 score doesn’t tell the real story as it was a close match with a lot of intensity,” said Marcos Kwiek, the coach of Dominican Republic. He said the DR won because it made the crucial points.
“We didn’t execute the way we had planned,” Puerto Rican coach Juan Carlos Nunez said. “We made too many errors in the first set and then the Dominican team used its powers from the corners to attack over our blocking.”
“We couldn’t execute,” Puerto Rican Yarimar Rosa said. “We failed too many serves and lacked communication. We were not able to close the sets and it happens every time against the Dominican Republic.”
The Dominican Republic and the United States are undefeated in the XV Women’s Volleyball Pan American Cup. The championship teams are divided in two groups. The Group A teams are Canada, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Group B teams are Argentina, Cuba, the United States, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and Peru.
Tickets to the next games are on sale online at Uepa Tickets and at Jumbo and El Nacional supermarkets. The admission price at the Olympic Pavilion is RD$330.
See the game here:
https://www.norceca.net/2016%20Events/Women%20PanAm%20Cup%20DOM%202016/Calendar%20P2-P3/Calendar%202016%20Women’s%20Pan%20American%20Cup.htm
See videos of the DR team playing in the recent Grand Prix.
https://www.norceca.net/2016%20Events/Women%20PanAm%20Cup%20DOM%202016/Calendar%20P2-P3/Calendar%202016%20Women’s%20Pan%20American%20Cup.htm
