June 13, 2025. – The Caribbean team fought until the very end but couldn’t replicate the previous day’s feat. Cuba played its second consecutive five-set match in Rio de Janeiro, but this time fell short against a surprising Ukrainian squad, who edged out a hard-fought 3-2 victory (25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-12).
Cuba outperformed Ukraine from the service line (8-5) and capitalized on the Europeans’ 35 unforced errors. However, Ukraine held the advantage in attacks (51-50) and blocks (17-11).
Despite a strong offensive performance, particularly from star outside hitter Marlon Yant, who once again led all scorers with 23 points (19 attacks, 3 aces, and 1 block), Cuba was unable to close the tie-break in their favor as they did against Brazil on Thursday. Middle blocker Javier Concepción also had a solid outing, contributing 11 points (6 attacks, 4 blocks, and 1 ace).
It was a match filled with emotion, as Cuba managed to level the score twice after falling behind in sets. But in the decisive fifth set, they couldn’t contain Ukraine’s offensive push. The physical toll of back-to-back five-set matches also played a role.
With this loss, Cuba earns its second point in the overall standings of the 2025 VNL. The Caribbean squad has shown intensity and competitiveness but still needs to improve their finishing in key moments.
Saturday, June 14 Schedule
On Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, the United States faces Slovenia (1:30 PM local time) and in Quebec, Canada plays against France (16:30 PM local time).
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