BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 8, 2023. Guatemala only needed three sets to secure victory against Nicaragua with scores of 31-29, 25-19, and 25-14 in the second match of the third day of competition at the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.
The first set was the most thrilling of the game, with both teams going point by point in pursuit of victory. Eventually, it was Guatemala who emerged victorious, dominating in attacks 45 to 36, in blocks 10-7, and in services 10-2. Both teams committed a similar number of unforced errors, with Nicaragua recording 16 and Guatemala 17.
With 18 points for his country, outside hitter Carlos López led Guatemala to victory with 15 points from attacks, one on blocking, and two on serves. On the other hand, Tito Valdivia contributed 11 points from attacks, one point from blocking, and one point from serving, totaling 13 points as the highest scorer for Nicaragua.
On Wednesday, August 9th, Guatemala will face Costa Rica at 7:30 PM, and Nicaragua will play against Panama at 2:30 PM.
INTERVIEWS
Carlos López, Outside hitter of Guatemala: “Today we managed to play a better game as a team, correcting many mistakes. We had better team cohesion, which helped us achieve a favorable result and giving us confidence for the what’s left of the competition”.
Álvaro Solís, Setter of Nicaragua: “Guatemala is a tough opponent that pressured us from the beginning with their serves. In 2021, when we won the bronze, we lost to the same two teams: Costa Rica and Guatemala. So, we still aspire to make it to the medal podium and will continue working for the upcoming matches, which I believe will be within our reach. This is not over, and all countries are at the same level”.
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