Photo: Ernesto Beltré/Norceca.

Cuba and Puerto Rico will meet this Saturday for the bronze medal at the II Norceca Final Six Pan American Cup in Santo Domingo 2022

, which is being held at the Ricardo Gioriver Aria Volleyball Palace.

The team from the Greater Antilles

last Friday, in a close and emotional match that ended 25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 22-25 and 15-13.

In the semifinals, the Dominican Republic beat the Cubans in straight sets 25-20, 25-13 and 25-16, and the United States beat the Puerto Ricans 30-28, 26-28, 25-22 and 26-24, so that the winners will fight for the place of honor.

The Dominicans, who have six successes without losing a set, showed their experience and quality to gain advantage in attack (36-33), blocking (7-4) and service points (14-0), while committing fewer unforced errors. (12-18).

Three of the hosts were the only ones to achieve double figures in the match: opposite Gaila González (17) and corner players Yonkaira Peña (13) and Brayelin Martínez (11).

For the losers, the one who contributed the most was the central Laura Suárez (9), followed by the opposite Greisy Finé (7) and the corners Sulian Matienzo (6) and Ailama Cesé (4).

She was unable to line up starting setter Gretell Moreño due to a hand injury sustained in the match against the Puerto Ricans.

The best moment for the Cubans occurred in the first set, when they tied at 11 and went ahead 14-13.

However, the locals adjusted the "machinery" they are preparing for the upcoming world championship and did not lose control anymore with effective actions at the net and from the service line, which destabilized the Cuban team before an enraged crowd that packed the room. .

In the other semi-final game, the best offense for the northerners was Danielle Drews and Stephanie Samedy with 21 points each.

For her opponents, veteran Karina Ocasio was the top scorer of the challenge with 23 points, followed by Brittany Abercrombie with 21.

The other two participating teams discussed the fifth step with Canada's victory over Mexico with partials of 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 15-25 and 16-14.

(Taken from JIT)