XALAPA, Mexico, September 7, 2024. – Costa Rica won the Central American derby 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 26-24) against Nicaragua in the Women’s U23 Pan American Cup on Saturday at the International Velodrome of Xalapa, Veracruz.
Costa Rica will finish the competition facing the winner between Suriname and Peru for the positions 5-6 ; Nicaragua will go against the loser for 7-8.
Costa Rica captured the victory with advantage in blocking (7-3) and benefiting from 28 points off Nicaragua’s errors. Both teams scored 39 attack points and 2 service points.
Three players scored in double digits for Costa Rica: Krystel Vargas (15), Lakysha Thompson (10), and Ana Rojas (10).
Brittany Forbes led Nicaragua with 15 points.
Despite Nicaragua’s efforts to recover from a nine-point deficit (9-18), Costa Rica opened the match taking the first set (25-23) with Krystel Vargas’ offensive attack and serve. Nicaragua started strong in the second set, but Costa Rica quickly came back, surpassing Nicaragua and never trailing again, taking advantage of opponent errors and the blocking defense of Lakysha Thompson, along with Sol Venegas, Sheyla Alvarez, and Ana Rojas. Nicaragua, with Marcela Martínez and Brittany Forbes, kept the third set tight, supported by good defense. Brittany denied Costa Rica two match points with two kills from Brittany, but Sol Venegas sored the match point blocking Brittany.
Braulio Godínez, Head coach of Costa Rica: “We were able to control the first two sets, but in the third, Nicaragua made a substitution, using an opposite player we hadn’t studied who greatly improved their reception and defense; she did a lot of damage because she played a lot against our block, and the team had a hard time adjusting. The game evened out in the last set. Thankfully, we pulled through.”
Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “My players wanted to win the match, but they only started playing in the third set, and by that point, it was difficult because Costa Rica was already more motivated, excited, and focused on winning. I believe part of the result is due to our athletes’ lack of concentration; they didn’t perform as they did in the earlier games, the reception wasn’t effective, and consequently, the attack wasn’t either”.
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