Tag: 2023 Santiago Men’s Volleyball

SANTIAGO, Chile, November  4, 2023.-   Enrique Honorato was awarded the Most Valuable Player award of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 19th Pan American Games Santiago 2023 after leading Brazil to the gold medal in the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Brazil claimed their fifth gold in the history of the Pan American. The last time Brazil won the Pan Am Games title was twelve years ago in Guadalajara 2011.

Joining Honorato during the awarding ceremony were his teammates Darlan Ferreira as Best Opposite and Best Server, Matheus Silva the Best Setter of the tournament and Maique Nascimento the Best Receiver.

From Argentina, Mauro Zelayeta was awarded the Second Best Spiker and Gustavo Maciel the Second Best Blocker.

Bronze medalist, Leandro Mejía of Colombia, was handed the award for Best Blocker.

Cuban Miguel López was recognized as the Best Spiker and Best Scorer. And Dominican Enger Mieses was named the Best Libero and Best Digger.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 4, 2023.- Brazil claimed the Pan American Games gold medal defeating Argentina 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-22) in the final of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 19th edition of the Games Santiago 2023 that concluded on Saturday at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

This is Brazil’s fifth gold in the history of the Pan Am Games and the first silver medal for Argentina. The last time Brazil won the Pan Am Games title was twelve years ago in Guadalajara 2011.

Brazil outperformed Argentina 40-31 in kills, 6-5 in blocks, and 7-1 in service points. Brazil committed one less error than Argentina (21-22).

Brazil’s top scorer was the middle blocker Judson with 13 points on 10 kills, 2 blocks, and one ace. Opposite hitter Darlan added 12 points on 10 kills and 2 aces, while Adriano contributed 9 points on kills.

Argentina’s captain, Facundo Conte, led his team with 13 points, on 10 kills and 3 blocks, joined by opposite player Bruno Lima with 11 kill points.

Brazil won the first set coming from behind (16-19) in a tight finish. In the second set, Brazil quickly surged to a 5-0 lead, with effective attacks and capitalizing on Argentina’s errors. Brazil once again prevailed in the third set, sealing the victory in consecutive sets.

Giuliano Ribas, the coach of Brazil, spoke after the victory, “The guys were spectacular from the first day they showed up back in Brazil. They understood the proposal despite the limited time. They were fully aware that they would have to give their best in this short training period we had. This championship is for them to launch into a deeper and longer-term evaluation so that we can shape the future of Brazilian volleyball with these talented youngsters. They understood it, took on the responsibility, and gave their all. There was no lack of commitment; they came together, and the coaching staff as well. We had little time, but we did quality work here in Santiago”.

Argentina’s coach, Martin López, indicated “It’s very difficult to make an assessment at this moment. It would have been fantastic if we had played as we did in the first set. We knew we didn’t have control of the match; we are a young team, young in every way. The amount of training, the mix of players, three of them continuing to write the history of volleyball in  Argentina’s national team and others who are just starting to write it now. We must value this. In fact, I am happy; we cannot maintain this last image, but we can with our performance in the first set and throughout the tournament. Here we faced challenges, we fought, and that is the most important thing”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 4, 2023. – Colombia made history winning their first-ever medal in the history of the Pan American Games, after defeating Cuba 3-1 (32-31, 15-25, 29-27, 25-17) for the bronze medal at Santiago 2023 in the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Both teams finished the Santiago Games with a record of three games won and three lost. Colombia had lost to Cuba previously in pool-play in straight sets .

Colombia’s blocking made a difference, dominating Cuba 16-9, and leading in attacks 56-54. Cuba led in aces 7-2 and scored 29 points from Colombia’s errors compared to 27.

Colombia’s offense was led by their middle blockers; team captain Leandro Mejía with 19 points on  13 attacks and a match-high of 6 stuffed blocks, and Daniel Aponza with 17 points on 12 attacks and 5 blocks. Outside hitter Andrés Piza added 12 points.

Cuban team captain Miguel Angel López was its leading scorer with 19 points (16 attacks, 3 aces). Miguel Gutiérrez added 18 points (14 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace), and Alejandro González contributed 12 points (9 attacks, one block, 2 aces).

An exciting first set won by Colombia marked the start of the bronze medal match, with both teams missing set points. In the second set, Cuba’s offense and serves outperformed Colombia, and benefited from eleven Colombian errors.

In the third set, Colombia made a comeback from a four-point deficit (17-21), leveling the score to  21 and eventually securing a dramatic 29-27 victory. With solid blocking, Colombia dominated Cuba in the fourth set.

Colombia’s coach, Jorge Schmidt, expressed, “The first word I want to say is merit. We worked for this, we aimed for this, and it’s not arrogance on my part, those who know me well are aware of that. It’s a result of dedication. We deserve this outcome. We faced some setbacks in this game, but this is all part of a team that wants to establish itself on the global stage”.

On the other hand, Cuba’s coach, Jesus Angel López, stated “The team was put together in a hurry, it wasn’t possible to have some players here at the Pan American Games. We have the feeling that we could have won a medal in this tournament despite the team’s flaws in terms of the roster. But for many players, this was their first Pan American Games, so a fourth-place finish is a good result. We certainly have a bitter taste for not winning the medal and returning home without it”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 4, 2023.- Dominican Republic beat Mexico 3-1 (31-33, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22) for fifth place at the Men’s Volleyball tournament of the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Since 2013 of not competing at the Pan American Games, when they hosted the event, Dominican Republic concluded with 2 wins and 3 losses, for position five. Mexico ended with 1-4 record and position six.

Dominican Republic recovered from falling in a dramatic first set, to prevail over Mexico with a 6-2 margin in aces and scoring 37 points on opponent errors. Mexico had a slim 61-60 advantage in kills, 5-3 in blocks and scored on 27 Dominican errors.

Dominican outside hitter Alexis Cruz scored on a match-high of 25 points, all on kills. Opposite Wilfrido Hernández contributed 18 points (16 kills, 2 aces) for the win, followed by outside hitter Henry López with 10 points on 6 kills and 4 aces.

Opposite Luis Hernandez led Mexico with 20 points on 19 kills and one ace, while outside hitter Mauro Fuentes produced 14 points on 13 kills and one block.

Dominican Republic’s coach, Alexander Gutiérrez, spoke after the victory, “The first thing I have to say is that it’s been 40 years since the Dominican Republic took part in the Pan American Games through qualification. We did play in 2013 in Santo Domingo because we were the host. Within our goals, we knew we could be among the top five, and we are confirming that aspiration we had. This is a group with future, and we need to be calm and have patience because it’s a young group that continues to strive. The fact that we were able to play on par with Argentina shows that we are on the right path, and I hope that in the future, the men’s Dominican Republic volleyball team  will be talked about”.

Jorge Azair, coach of Mexico said, “We had many ups and downs, starting half through the season with the withdrawal of our setters. At the last moment, I called up a fourth setter, a young player who did very well, and I congratulate him. In the end, we had some injured players, Axel Rodríguez and Josué López, but I am at ease with the team’s work. They developed well and fought until the end”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 4, 2023 – Chile defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-18) for seventh place at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Chile finished the tournament with a 3-3 record, while Puerto Rico with 1-5.

Chile’s blocking was the most effective skill, with a 13-3 advantage over Puerto Rico. Chile also led in attacks 41-38. Chile scored 21 points from Puerto Rico’s errors and gave away 14.

In the Chilean victory, opposite Tomás Parraguirre and captain Dusan Bonacic each scored 12 points. Outside hitter Vicente Parraguirre added 11.

Opposite Jamal Ellis was Puerto Rico’s top scorer with 10 points, followed by middle blocker  Jonathan Rodríguez with 9 points.

Tomás Parraguirre addressed the crowd “I sincerely thank you for always supporting us, whether we played at night or early in the morning; you were there. It was amazing, we had never received so much affection. Thank you very much”.

Puerto Rico’s middle blocker Jonathan Rodríguez said “All the players who made up the team came from abroad, from their leagues in Europe, from their universities in the United States, and others playing in our league with a heavy workload. Our preparation together was limited. We need to prepare better, have greater awareness of what happens on and off the court to perform better. Chile did a tremendous job today in front of their fans, and they didn’t want to end with a defeat in front of them. It was a well-deserved victory”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 3, 2023 – Brazil won in the semifinals against Colombia 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-15) and will face Argentina on Saturday for the title in the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 19th Pan American Games Santiago 2023 at the Parque O’Higgins Arena.

Brazil hadn’t reached a final since Toronto 2015 when they lost to Argentina, who is now seeking its third consecutive title. This is the eleventh time that Brazil has reached the gold medal match in the history of the Pan American Games, having won four titles (Sao Paulo 1963, Caracas 1983, Río de Janeiro 2007, Guadalajara 2011).

Colombia will face Cuba in the bronze medal match, the first time in the history of the Pan American Games they will compete for a medal.

This was the second time in the tournament that Brazil defeated Colombia, they faced in pool-play in the opening match of men’s volleyball at Santiago 2023.

Despite a strong performance by Colombia in the first set, Brazil managed to win with a 43-31 advantage in attacks and 4-0 in serves. Both teams scored 4 blocks. Brazil committed 22 unforced errors, while Colombia had a total of 24.

Two players from Brazil reached double digits, with opposite Darlan scoring 18 points and middle blocker Judson adding 10 points.

Colombia’s opposite, Gustavo Larrahondo, led with 13 points and outside hitter Andrés Piza contributed 9 points.

Brazil’s libero, Maique Nascimento, said, “We have the South American Championship stuck in our throats, and it’s going to be a rematch. This game is a classic, and this court will be on fire! I hope we can present our best game, regardless of the result; the team will focus on this achievement, and this victory will surely be ours. We are working hard, and we will go after Argentina to secure this gold. This is Brazil, and God willing, everything will be fine!”

Colombia’s libero, Roosvuelt Ramos, commented, “My team is a young team with not much experience, but a lot of enthusiasm to be in the Pan American Games. We knew it would be a tough match, we tried, but we couldn’t beat Brazil. Tomorrow is another day, against Cuba, for the bronze medal, and heads up, we will reach the Pan American podium!”

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 3, 2023.- Argentina beat Cuba 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18)  in semifinals to defend their Pan American title in the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 19th Pan American Games Santiago 2023 at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Argentina will seek its third consecutive gold medal, their fourth gold overall (Mar del Plata 1995, Toronto 2015, Lima 2019). Argentina has won every time it has reached the title match at the Pan American Games. Argentina also has four bronze medals.

The defending champion, Argentina, will face the winner of the other semifinal between Brazil and Colombia in the Santiago 2023 title match on Saturday, while Cuba will vie for its fourth bronze medal in the history of the Games against the loser.

After recovering from losing the first set, Argentina outscored Cuba 50 to 47 in attacking points, 13 to 7 in blocking points, and 3 to 2 in points from serves. Additionally, they scored 30 points from Cuban errors and handed out 27.

Argentina’s opposite Bruno Lima was the top attacker of the match with 24 points on 19 kills and 5 blocks. Contributing to the victory were captain Facundo Conte with 16 points, on 14 kills and 2 blocks, and middle blocker Gustavo Maciel with 10 points, including a match-high of 6 blocks, 3 attacks, and one ace.

Cuba’s captain, Miguel Angel López, led his team with 20 points, on 18 kills and two aces, joined  by opposite Alejandro González with 18 kill points and middle blocker José Israel Masso with 12 points, on 8 kills and 4 blocks.

Argentina’s middle blocker Gustavo Maciel said, “We knew it would be tough because historically Cuba is a very strong team. We had to rotate the serve as fast as we could, in this case López’s serve, and we did it very well, and that’s what we had to aim for… and the victory came. We’re in the final!”

Cuban libero Yonder García, said “The beginning of the match was very good for us, but in the second set, things didn’t go as we expected, and the opponent surpassed us. We didn’t get the victory as we wanted to, but we’re going for the bronze medal. When we face Argentina and Brazil, the show is on!”

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 3, 2023.- Mexico defeated Puerto Rico in five sets 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 28-30, 16-14) in the classification match to face the Dominican Republic for the fifth place of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at Santiago 2023.

On Saturday, Mexico and the Dominican Republic will play for fifth place of the tournament, while Puerto Rico and host Chile will compete for seventh place.

Mexico outperformed Puerto Rico in attacks (68-59), blocks (10-7), and serves (5-2), but gave away more points on errors than Puerto Rico (43-33).

Outside hitter Mauro Fuentes led Mexico’s offense with 24 points, alongside opposite Luis David Hernandez with 23 points and outside hitter Jorge Hernandez with 14 points.

For Puerto Rico, team captain Pelegrin Vargas was their top scorer with 21 points. Opposite Jamal Ellis and outside hitter contributed 18 and 11 points, respectively.

Puerto Rico forced the tie-break in a dramatic fourth set, leading by three points (23-20), which Mexico extended to a 30-28.

In the tie-break, Puerto Rico lost the match point to Mauro Fuentes, who carried Mexico from a three-point deficit (11-14) with four consecutive kill points and Miguel Garcia closed it with a block.

Mauro Isaac Fuentes, Mexico’s top scorer, said about the dramatic finish “I think it was a moment of high adrenaline, and all my teammates were willing to do what we had to do, it wasn’t just me. We combined the four actions, offensive, defensive, blocking, where all my teammates were involved. I believe it was a good team effort, and this is what I would like to leave for everyone”.

Puerto Rico’s captain, Pelegrin Vargas, said, “In sports, there are moments of agony and moments of happiness. It could have been us, but today Mexico won a tight tie-break. I think we must use this to learn, to improve for the future. These are things that happen in sports, and that’s why everyone competes and always gives their best, and we certainly did the same. We go with our heads held high, but I am sad about the result”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 3, 2023.- Dominican Republic beat Chile in Tie-Break 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 21-25, 26-24, 16-14) and on Saturday they’ll play for fifth place at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

On the last day of competition, Dominican Republic will play the winner between Mexico and Puerto Rico for fifth place; Chile goes up against the loser for seventh place.

It was a closely contested rematch for the Dominican Republic, who lost to Chile in four sets during pool-play.

Dominican Republic held one point in kills (74-73). Chile led in serves (5-0) and committed less errors (22-29). Both were leveled in 7 blocks.

Dominican Wilfrido Hernández with 27 points led all scorers. Alexis Cruz finished with 21 points, while team captain Henry Tapia added 19 tallies all on kills.

Opposite Tomás Parraguirre led Chile’s attackers with 21 points, followed by sibling Vicente and team captain Dusan Bonacic with 20 points each.

The tie-break was leveled from point 10 until the final point. Chile was the first to reach match point on a serve error from Dominican Republic and then they lost a serve point as well. Henry Tapia with a kill reached match point once again and Alexis Cruz on a stuff block stopped captain Bonacic for the win.

Wilfrido Hernández, the top scorer of Dominican Republic, commented, “First, I want to thank God and congratulate the Chilean team. They are a strong opponent who always plays until the last ball. Today, the team that was in better physical condition won. We focused on making fewer mistakes than they did, and in the end, things went better for us than for them”.

Daniel Nejamkin, Chile’s coach, said after the loss, “Clearly, this was not the goal we were aiming for. We couldn’t make our dream come true of reaching the medal zone. Today, we lost in the tie-break, in a very closely contested match”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 2, 2023 – Cuba needed five sets, 3-2 (25-16, 25-21, 13-25, 22-25, 15-11), to overcome Puerto Rico and advance to the semifinals of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Cuba will face defending champions Argentina in Friday’s semifinals, while Puerto Rico will compete in classification matches for positions five to eight, starting against Mexico.

Cuba outperformed Puerto Rico in every element of the game, including attacks (62-52), blocks (14-9), and serves (9-5). Puerto Rico scored 32 points from Cuba’s errors while limiting their own errors to 15 points.

Cuban Miguel Angel López led all scorers with 28 points (23 kills, one block, 4 aces). Also contributing to Cuba’s victory was opposite hitter Miguel Gutiérrez, who added 18 points (17 kills, one ace), and Alejandro González, with 15 points (12 kills, 3 blocks).

For Puerto Rico, team captain Pelegrín Vargas and opposite hitter Jamal Ellis led with 16 points each. Vargas contributed 13 points on kills, one block, and 2 aces, while Ellis all on kills. Outside hitter Kevin López added 11 points, on 8 kills, one block, and two aces.

Puerto Rico came from a two-set deficit, winning the third set with Vargas, Ellis, and López, jumping to a seven-point lead, and dominated Cuba without difficulty. In the fourth set, they tied at six points, but Puerto Rico quickly took a 15-9 lead and reached a sizable lead (21-16) to force a tie-break.

With a quicker game, the fifth set was tied at 9, despite Puerto Rico’s precision in blocking, Cuba closed with strength.

Miguel Gutiérrez of Cuba said, “We played a great match and made it to the semifinals. After winning two sets, we lacked concentration, but we were able to adjust and win”.

Jonathan Rodríguez of Puerto Rico stated, “We know that Cuba is a strong opponent, a team with a lot of height and strength. We have our own advantages in terms of reception and passing. They clearly dominated us with their power, serving, and blocking. I’m proud of my team and what we’ve accomplished and to move forward”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 2, 2023. – Colombia advanced to the semifinals of the Men’s Volleyball Tournament at the Pan American Games with a 3-1 victory (25-20, 21-25, 25-19, 25-23) over host Chile, on Thursday at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Colombia will await the result of the other semifinal between Cuba and Puerto Rico to determine their opponent in the Friday semifinal (Argentina or Brazil). Chile will play classification matches for positions five through eight.

Colombia’s blocking (13-6) and serves (7-3) were key skills for their victory, they also finished with a slight advantage in kills (58-57). Chile benefited from 21 Colombian errors but committed 18 of their own.

Opposite hitter Gustavo Larrahondo and middle blocker Daniel Aponza each closed with 17 points for Colombia. Larrahondo on 10 attacks and a match-high of 4 points on blocking and on aces, while Aponza scored on 14 kills and 3 blocks. Outside hitter Andrés Piza added 14 points on 7 attacks, 4 blocks, and 3 service points.

Chilean Vicente Parraguirre scored 19 points on 18 attacks and one ace. He was joined by team captain Dusan Bonacic with 18 points on 17 attacks and one ace, and middle blocker Tomás Gago with 14 points on 11 attacks and 3 blocks.

Colombia, with the support of Andrés Piza’s blocking and attacks along with Daniel Aponza and Gustavo Larrahondo, dominated Chile in the first set, which seamed pressured by committing unforced errors, despite the offensive efforts of Vicente Parraguirre and Dusan Bonacic.

Despite Colombia’s efforts to recover from a four-point deficit (11-15) in the second set, Chile leveled the match with Tomás Parraguirre and Matías Jadue’s serves.

Colombia’s blocking upset Chile’s intentions in the third set, and they celebrated victory after winning a battling fourth set, thanks to their offense from Larrahondo and Daniel Medina, who came off the bench in the third set.

Daniel Aponza of Colombia said, “Honestly, I feel very happy because that was our goal from the beginning of the year. We prepared for this moment, to be in the semifinals and compete for a medal. The match was always very close; Chile has always been a formidable opponent, we’ve been playing against them for a while, and we know each other well. We put on a great show and were able to win this match!”

Chile’s middle blocker, Tomas Gago, said after the defeat, “It hurts, it hurts a lot! Trying not to think too much about the repercussions of the loss, we always said that our goal was a medal, and we couldn’t achieve it. We need to question ourselves. For what remains, we will eat well, rest, and be physically fit, but the emotional aspect will be difficult to overcome”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 1, 2023 – Argentina claimed the top spot in Pool B after defeating Chile 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21) on Tuesday in front of a packed Arena Parque O’Higgins. Argentina earned a direct ticket to the semifinals of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at Santiago 2023.

Defending champion Argentina advanced to Friday’s semifinals with an undefeated 3-0 record. Chile, second-place team in Pool B, will face Colombia in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Argentina led Chile with a 41-37 advantage in attacks and a 7-2 margin in blocks. Both teams leveled with 2 aces. Argentina benefited from 25 errors by Chile while committing 15.

Opposite hitter Bruno Lima and captain Facundo Conte scored double digits for Argentina, with 18 and 10 points, respectively. Outside hitter Mauro Zelayeta added 8 points.

Vicente Parraguirre, with 17 points, once again was Chile’s top scorer. Middle blocker Tomás Gago contributed 7 points.

With the offensive contributions of Lima and Conte, Argentina comfortably took the first set. The second set was a different story, with Vicente Parraguirre’s efforts preventing Argentina from advancing comfortably. They were tied at 10 points, but Argentina resolved the set with precise blocking and capitalizing on Chile’s errors.

The third set was the most contested, with Chile making a comeback on consecutive points from Tomás Gago, resulting in the score being tied on several occasions. Argentina managed to close in straight sets, benefiting from Chile’s errors and attacking efforts from Lima and Zelayeta.

Bruno Lima from Argentina said, “We played a good match where everything worked well. Today, we found our best game. We are here to defend the title, and we hope to continue showing our best volleyball in the semifinal”.

Middle blocker Tomas Gago of Chile commented, “It’s a shame that we didn’t find our game. We come from two exciting victories. We need to figure out what happened with the team, analyze where we went wrong, and gather the motivation so that tomorrow we can secure a spot in the semifinals”.

Daniel Nejamkin, coach of Chile congratulated Argentina, “They played very well, showed their class, and have players who are Olympic medalists. We were beaten by a team that played better. We need to analyze the situation. I spoke briefly with the players, and we all agreed that we need to turn the page and focus on tomorrow’s match, which will determine who qualifies to the medal zone”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 1, 2023. – Puerto Rico’s 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-19, 25-20) victory over Dominican Republic puts them in the quarterfinals of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games, taking place at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Puerto Rico finished third place in Pool B and will face Cuba, who finished second in Pool A, in Thursday’s quarterfinals. The Dominican Republic will compete for positions five to eight in the event.

The winners came from behind in all sets, to end the match in control of attacking points 60-48 and service 5-4. Dominican Republic outperformed Puerto Rico 11-5 in blocks. Puerto Rico committed 24 errors, while Dominicans had 23.

Opposite Jamal Ellis led Puerto Rico with 20 points, including 19 kill points and one ace, accompanied by captain Pelegrin Vargas with 14 points, on 12 kills and two aces. Middle blocker Jonathan Rodríguez recorded 11 points, on 9 kills and two blocks.

Dominican Alexis Cruz led all scorers with 22 points, on 16 attacking points, a match-high of 4 blocking points, and two aces. Captain Henry Tapia added 20 points, on 17 kills, 2 blocks, and one ace. Outside hitter Wilfrido Hernández contributed 10 attacking points.

Puerto Rico’s setter Kevin López spoke after the victory, saying, “What a beautiful atmosphere! We had to adjust because we started 5 or 6 points behind and didn’t recover quickly. We talked about it during the timeout, and things started to flow slowly. We closed the gap on the scoreboard, and that’s how we took the sets. From there, we knew what each one had to do, and the job was completed with joy”.

Francisco Arredondo, Dominican Republic’s setter, commented, “It was a very tough match for us because Puerto Rico has always been our rival, and they are a team that constantly challenges us. The match became complicated for us when we failed in receiving-passing, a simple skill, and it affected our attack percentage, which was not positive, not high, less than 50%. The other team did a better job; that’s how the game goes, one team wins, and the other team loses”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 1, 2023. – Brazil won a five-set thriller 3-2 (25-23, 25-16, 18-25, 25-27, 18-16) against Cuba, locking a direct berth in the semifinals of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

With three victories, Brazil claimed the top spot in Pool A and a direct ticket to Friday’s semifinals.  Cuba, with 2-1 record, will compete in quarterfinals on Thursday.

Brazil scored 37 points from Cuba’s errors while conceding 30. Cuba held a slight edge in every skill  of the game, attacks (60-59), blocks (11-10), and service points (6-5).

Brazilian opposite hitter Darlan led all scorers with 29 points (27 attacks, one block, one ace). Also contributing to the victory were outside hitter Honorato with 13 points (8 attacks, two blocks, three aces), as well as middle blocker Judson and the outside hitter Adriano, each with 12 points.

Miguel Angel López led Cuba with 23 points (19 attacks, two blocks, two aces). Alejandro González added 18 points (16 attacks, 2 blocks), and José Masso contributed 15 points (10 attacks, 4 blocks, one ace).

Despite an impressive comeback from two sets down, Cuba couldn’t close the tie-break after losing two match points while committing two defense errors on Darlan’s kills.

Cuba managed to slow down Brazil in the third set, playing at a slower pace and imposing their rhythm of play, forcing the fourth set.

In a heart-pounding fourth set, with ups and downs on both sides, Cuba extended the match to a fifth set.

Otávio, captain of Brazil, expressed, “It was a great match. The team managed to lead 2-0, but then we lost our rhythm, and as a result, Cuba grew. Without a doubt, what made the difference was our spirit. The team had a lot of desire in the end, confidence, and we need to carry that into the next matches as well”.

Cuban captain Miguel Angel López said, “I think we lacked decision at a crucial moment; we lost concentration in the tie-break and also a bit of clarity in what was left. I believethat this is what defined the game for them, but the tournament is not over yet”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, November 1, 2023. – Colombia defeated Mexico 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-19) on Tuesday in their last match of pool-play to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Pan American Games being held at the Parque O’Higgins Arena.

Colombia, with a 1-2 record, finished third in Pool A and will face the winner between Argentina and Chile in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Mexico with 0-3 record, will play for positions five to eight.

The South Americans outscored Mexico 46 to 39 in attacking points and 9 to 6 in blocking points. Both teams scored three points from serves and committed 17 unforced errors.

Colombia’s team captain Gustavo Larrahondo led all scorers with 24 points, including 21 kills,  one block, and two aces. Outside hitter Andrés Piza added 10 attack points for the victory.

Opposite Luis Hernández scored 13 points for Mexico, with 12 attack points and one service point. Middle blocker Axel Tellez contributed 10 points, including 7 attack points and 3 blocks.

Colombian captain Gustavo Larrahondo said, “This victory gives the team and the coaching staff confidence as we enter the quarterfinals. It will boost our self-assurance. We know that the course can change, but the victory motivates us to give our best, 100% committed to doing better than today. We will analyze what we did wrong and what we did right to improve tomorrow”.

Mexico’s middle blocker Axel Telez commented, “Both teams wanted to win because this match determined who would advance to the next round, and what we really saw was that Colombia was hungrier. Colombia played better, was a better team, and fought well. This is the reality as it is, and now we await the next opponent”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, August 31, 2023. – Argentina defeated Dominican Republic 3-1 (20-25, 30-28, 25-17, 25-20) to remain undefeated and advance into the next round in the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 19th Pan American Games Santiago 2023 taking place at the Parque O’Higgins Arena.

Defending champs Argentina, came back from losing the first set to maintain a 2-0 undefeated in Pool B. They will end pool-play on Wednesday against the host team Chile. Dominican Republic, with a 0-2 record, finishes with Puerto Rico.

Argentina held advantage in attacks (59-47) and blocks (7-3). Dominican Republic held advantage in service points (7-5). Argentina scored 29 points from Dominican errors but gave up 33.

Argentina’s outside hitter Mauro Zelayeta led with 19 points, all on attacks. Team captain, Facundo Conte, contributed 17 points, including 11 attacks, 3 blocks, and 3 aces. Opposite hitter Bruno Lima  added 12 points from attacks.

Dominican Héctor Cruz scored 17 points, on 16 kills and one ace. In his debut at Santiago 2023, team captain Henry Tapia contributed 16 points, including 15 kills and one ace. Outside hitter Wilfrido Hernández, also added 16 points, on 14 kills and 2 aces.

In the first set, Dominican Republic, led by Wilfrido Hernández and captain Henry Tapia, earned a significant seven-point lead (11-4) that Argentina’s offense couldn’t overcome.

Mauro Zelayeta was crucial in Argentina’s comeback from a 4-point deficit (11-15) in a battling  second set. Numerous failed serves on both sides extended the set, with Argentina eventually winning on a kill point from Facundo Conte for the 30-28 victory.

In the third set, Argentina quickly jumped to a seven-point lead (10-3), putting the Dominican Republic off balance to comfortably win and persevere in the fourth set.

Argentina’s leading scorer Mauro Zelayeta said “We started the first set badly, under our game level, a bit unfocused in the beginning, but we adjusted the problem we had, fixed things. Then we learned how to move forward, win, and play fluidly”.

Henry Tapia, Dominican captain added “I think the first and second sets were a good game, then we fainted in some skills, failed in receiving and attacks and weren’t able to take the win”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 31, 2023. – Brazil defeated Mexico 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-20), improving their record 2-0 in Pool A of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.

Brazil remains undefeated 2-0, is guaranteed to move into the next round and will play their final Pool A match on Wednesday against Cuba, who is also undefeated. The winner of the pool will advance directly to Friday’s semifinals. Mexico, with two losses, will compete for a spot in the quarterfinals against Colombia.

This was the second straight-set victory for Brazil, who had control of the game with the offense of opposite hitter Darlan and middle blocker Judson Nunes, the top scorers with 18 and 11 points, respectively.

Mexico, despite their defensive efforts, especially in the second set, and effective kills in the third set, suffered their second loss. Outside hitter Mauro Fuentes led Mexico with 9 points.

Brazil ended with a total of 38 attack points against Mexico’s 20. They also had advantages of 6-3 in blocks and 8-2 in direct service points. Both teams committed 23 unforced errors.

Darlan of Brazil, after the win said “We came with a very strong playing proposal, very consistent. In the third set, we fell short; we were very proactive in the first and second sets, but reactive in the third. We need to be patient. Now, we must analyze the errors we made and study tomorrow’s opponent. We take it one day at a time, and there’s no time for regrets, it’s all part of the process”.

Mexico’s top scorer, Mauro Fuentes, said, “I think the difference between yesterday’s match and todays was the quality of their service. They served very well and we weren’t able to respond and that was the skill which gave us a hard time”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 31, 2023 – Cuba defeated Colombia 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) in their second victory in the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, held at the Parque O’Higgins Arena.

Cuba secured their spot in the next round with 2-0 record in Pool A and will face Brazil (10:30am) on Wednesday in their last pool-play match. Colombia is 0-2 and faces Mexico (1:30pm).

It wasn’t easy for Cuba; in the first set they were carried by the offensive efforts of Alejandro Gonzalez and Miguel Angel López. However, in the second set, Colombia managed to push harder after recovering from a 5-point deficit (12-17) with Leandro Mejía’s serves and Gustavo Larrahondo and Andrés Piza offense, in addition to Cuba’s errors. The third set was tied at 21 points, with visible improvements in blocking from Colombia, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Cuba’s strength in attacks.

Cuba outperformed Colombia in attacks 36-25 and in service points 7-5. However, Colombia made fewer errors, 24-30. Both teams scored 8 points on blocks.

Cuban captain, Miguel Angel López, led all scorers with 20 points, on 13 kills, 3 blocks, and a match-high of 4 aces. Opposite Alejandro González contributed 16 points, also on 13 kills, one block and 2 aces.

For Colombia, the opposite Gustavo Larrahondo led with 12 points, on 10 kills, one block, and one  service. Followed by outside hitter Andrés Piza, who had 9 points.

Cuban opposite Alejandro Gonzalez, stated, “The team’s performance was very good. I arrived last night to join the team, but I felt very comfortable with the setter, and I was able to do my job well. We did everything we needed to do and won the match. I’m very happy and satisfied!”

Andrés Piza of Colombia said, “I think we fell a bit short. Colombia has much more to offer than what we showed. We want a medal in these Pan American Games, where the team has grown. Maybe we’re not disappointed, but rather frustrated because we know we can play at a higher level. It’s important to keep growing and training more to secure these sets in the future.”

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 30, 2023.- Host Chile got the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games off to a strong start with a 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-21) victory over Dominican Republic on Monday at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

On day two of competition in Pool B, Chile (1-0) will face Puerto Rico (0-1), and the Dominican Republic (0-1) will go up against Argentina (1-0).

Chile didn’t disappoint its fans in their first victory in Pool B, which started with a strongly  contested first set that was tied at 14 points, and Chile managed to pull through on opponent  errors and the offensive efforts of Vicente Parraguirre and Dusan Bonacic, which ultimately disrupted the Dominicans, led by Luther Rosario and Héctor Cruz.

Despite losing the second set, when the Dominican Republic made a comeback with consecutive points from Héctor Cruz, and supported by Rafael Burgos and Wilfrido Hernández, Chile managed to win the third set, maintaining a strong offense, and holding the lead from the beginning. Finally, Chile closed the victory in the fourth set.

Chile led in attacks 52-46 and in service points 5-2, benefiting from 31 opponent errors against 26. The Dominican Republic dominated in blocks 14-8.

Chile’s outside hitter, Vicente Parraguirre, led all scorers with 29 points on 22 attacks, 4 blocks, and 3 aces. Chile’s captain, Dusan Bonacic, scored 14 points, all on attacks.

Héctor Cruz led the Dominican Republic with 22 points on 20 kills and two blocks. Wilfrido Hernández added 11 points on kills and Henry López contributed 10.

“Playing in an arena like this, with so many people who even after the match keep cheering, it fills my soul! It makes me love my country and our flag even more. We are very grateful for this packed arena; it was a dream come true”, said Chile’s captain, Dusan Bonacic. About the match, he commented, “It was very tough; the first set was challenging for us with good counterattacks, and we put pressure with serves. In the second set, after point 20, the Dominican Republic put a lot of pressure on us with their serve and counterattacks. But the second and third sets were really point by point; it was really beautiful to play, and we gave it our all to win. Now, it’s late, and we have to rest because Puerto Rico is up next”.

Dominican top scorer, Héctor Alexis Cruz, commented, “The match was very closely contested. We did a good job, there was little that we didn’t adjust well. We’re moving forward because it was only the first game, and we can continue to make adjustments”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 30, 2023.- Defending champions Argentina outlasted Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-23, 26-24,25-15) in their first outing in the Men’s Volleyball tournament of the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games that runs from October 30 to November 4 at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

On Tuesday, Argentina’s next opponent is the Dominican Republic, while Puerto Rico will face the host, Chile.

Both teams first Pool B match of  the competition was a closely contested duel in the first two sets. In the first set, they reached a tied score of 22, closed with a block of Argentina’s middle blocker Gustavo Maciel and a kill from Facundo Conte. In the second set, Argentina lost a set point due to  a direct attack by Puerto Rican Jonathan Rodríguez, extending  to 26-24 with a kill from Bruno Lima and an error by Puerto Rico. Argentina comfortably dominated the third set.

Argentina held advantages in every skill of the game, iattacks (42-35), blocks (6-1), and service points (5-0). Puerto Rico made fewer unforced errors (23-26).

Argentina’s captain Facundo Conte, scored 12 points, followed by middle blocker Gustavo Maciel and the opposite Bruno Lima with 11 and 10 points respectively.

Puerto Rico was also led by their team captain, outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas, with 11 points. Omar Hoyos added 10 points.

Argentina’s captain, Facundo Conte, said, “I think it was a very exciting game for everyone. Some of the guys are playing with the senior team for the first time. Yesterday, we all got together; it was the first practice we did all together. Daniel González, our former setter for the national team, is returning after seven years, and I imagine it was a very emotional moment for him too. I’m very happy to be here, to be part of this group. Without a doubt, after each set, we will continue to improve. We will find coordination among us, which is the most important thing in volleyball. But today, the most important thing was achieving our first goal, which was to win”.

Pelegrin Vargas, captain of Puerto Rico, explained, “It was a very important match for us, at a big stage. We have a group with a mix of young players and some older, more experienced ones, and we came here to learn and grow with this tournament. I don’t think it was bad for a first time; we had opportunities to do better things. Overall, I’m quite happy and grateful for the guy’s commitment. It has been a challenging journey because one of our players couldn’t enter the game, and for many young ones, this is their first experience. I am calm and looking forward to continuing to grow”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 30, 2023. – Cuba began the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games with a five-set thriller victory 3-2 (25-20, 24-26, 19-25, 27-25, 15-10) against Mexico at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

After winning a hard-fought second set, Mexico comfortably secured the third. Cuba came from behind in the fourth, recovering from a four-point deficit (17-21) in a dramatic 27-25 finish, forcing a tie-break. Cuba and Mexico were tied up to point 9 in the fifth set when Cuba capitalized on Mexico’s errors to claim their first win in Pool A.

Cuba dominated in attack, leading 59-49, and in blocking 15-8. Mexico had a slight 5-4 margin in service points and gave away fewer points on unforced errors 32-44.

With 21 points, Cuban opposite hitter Miguel Gutiérrez was the leading scorer of the match. Gutiérrez scored on 19 attacking points, one block, and one ace. Team captain Miguel Angel López added 17 points on 13 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces. Additionally, Yusniel González contributed 14 points with 9 attacks and a match-high of 4 blocks.

Mexico’s outside hitter Isaac Fuentes led his team with 19 points, on 17 attacks, one block, and one ace. Followed by opposite hitter Luis Hernández with 18 points on17 attacks and one block, and middle blocker Axel Tellez with 11 points, on 7 attacks, 2 blocks and 2 aces.

On Tuesday, Cuba (1-0) will face Colombia (0-1), and Mexico (0-1) will take on Brazil (1-0).

Cuban captain, Miguel Angel López, said, “We really fought until the end; the goal was to come out with the victory. Our team didn’t have much time to train together, only two days, because several players were abroad with their clubs, and we never played together. Still, we gave it our all on the court, and the result came out. We believed we had the volleyball to win the match. That’s it. We went after the opponent!”

Mexico’s captain, Hiram Said Bravo, commented, “We lacked concentration at the end. I think we played a good game overall, but we made some small mistakes, especially in the last set, failing receptions, which were the most crucial”.

SANTIAGO, Chile, October 30, 2023 – Brazil beat Colombia 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-10) in the opening match of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games in Santiago, at the Arena Parque O’Higgins.

Colombia’s performance in the first two sets managed to keep the scores balanced, even in the second set where they took an early four-point lead (2-6) and held it until point 13.  In the third set, Brazil prevailed convincingly with a significant lead.

Brazil earned their first victory in Group A with a 35-25 advantage in attacking points, 9-3 in blocking points, and a sizable 12-1 lead in points from serves. Unforced errors were similar, with Brazil committing 18 and Colombia 19.

Brazil’s top scorer was opposite player Darlan Ferreira with 16 points on 9 attacks, 2 blocks, and a match-high of 5 aces. Outside hitter Adriano Fernandes contributed 10 points on 7 attacks and 3 aces. Team captain, middle blocker Otávio Rodrigues, added 9 points, including 4 attacks and a maximum of 4 blocking points.

For Colombia, opposite Gustavo Larrahondo scored 9 points on 7 attacks, one block, and one direct service point. Outside hitter Andrés Piza and team captain Leandro Mejía each scored 8 points.

On the second day of competition, Brazil will face Mexico, while Colombia will take on Cuba.

Brazil’s captain, Otávio Rodrigues, said, “The team did really well; the debut comes with a context, a feeling of “butterflies in the stomach”, its anxiety, but the team behaved well. At the beginning, kept held off Colombia who played well, but little by little, we loosened up, and in the third set, we stayed strong and managed to open with a good lead. It’s an important debut, and I hope we continue to grow throughout the competition”.

Colombia’s captain, Leandro Mejía, said, “I saw the group in good shape; we had some good moments. Unfortunately, we lost a bit of concentration, and Brazil is a very strong team; we struggled with serving. The positive thing is that I see the team in good shape. It’s the first match, and we have a lot ahead of us, and we hope to continue like this”.