Italy beat Cuba 3-0, the same result achieved Russia defeating Thailand. First game was quite easy win, second one was a bit tougher battle.
CUBA – ITALY 0-3 (16-25 16-25 20-25)
Line-ups and scores:
Cuba: Cruz (1), Palacio (1), Lescay (1), Vargas (14), Alvarez (7), Giel (8), Borrell (L) and Matienzo (3), Vilches, Rojas (4)
Italy: Signorile (2), C.Bosetti (9), Arrighetti (10), Sorokaite (10), Costagrande (8), Guiggi (9), De Gennaro (L) and Fiorin (1)
It was a straightforward win for the Italians. Cuba once again made too many mistakes. In my opinion match wasn’t so entertaining to watch. Interesting player was Cuban leader, opposite/outside hitter Melissa Vargas Abreu. This 13-year-old girl appeared in NT in Pan-Am Cup in June and I can call her ‘Wilfredo Leon in skirt‘. I hope that she will improve in next years and can become Cuban leading player in NT, if she doesn’t escape. Wilfredo Leon also as a youngster was entered to NT (he was probably 14) and now he’s among best offensive leftside spikers. Unfortunately we can’t see him because of escape from an island. From Italy I don’t praise single player, because all of them scored similarly.
Team Stats:
ActionsSpike pointsSpike %BlockServeDigReceptionSets noteUnforced ErrorsCuba3138 %0812 16 %2.3329Italy3246 %1071815 %4.6716
Team Leaders:
Players/ActionsPointsSpike pointsSpike %Spike errorsBlockServeUnforced ErrorsMelissa Vargas141037 %70412Indre Sorokaite10941 %1013
THAILAND – RUSSIA 0-3 (20-25 23-25 22-25)
Line-ups and scores: Nootsara (2), Onuma (15), Thatdao (8), Malika (4), Wilavan (8), Pleumjit (9), Piyanut (L) and Ajcharaporn (6), Pornpun, Tapaphaipun
Russia: Matienko (1), Kosehleva (15), Shlyakhovaya (6), Obmochaeva (16), Chaplina (5), Zaryazhko (11), Malova (L) and Isaeva (5), Pankova, Pasynkova (1), Kryuchkova (L)
As claim Russian captain, setter Ekaterina Pankova “Thailand has very difficult playing combinations, and the result depended on yesterday’s match.” Game was short, but quite interesting. Thailand carried on an equal duel till 20 points in every set, then Thai players made errors and lose every set. Again good match had outside hitter Tatiana Kosheleva who seems to be back in better shape and complemented opposite Natalya Obmochaeva, despite taped hand. Again main offensive player was outside hitter onuma Sittirak. Weak game had Thai opposite, Malika Kanthong, better was her sub, Ajcharaporn Kongyot.
Team Stats:
ActionsSpike pointsSpike %BlockServeDigReceptionSets noteUnforced ErrorsThailand4438 %623133 %7.0017Russia5050 %732538 %8.3316
Team Leaders:
Players/ActionsPointsSpike pointsSpike %Spike errorsBlockServeUnforced ErrorsOnuma Sittirak151345 %3027Nataliya Obmochaeva161554 %1013Click Here: Putters