PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 15, 2024. – The United States dominated Suriname with a commanding 14-2 advantage in serves, securing their second consecutive victory in the NORCECA Men’s U19 Championship with a 3-0 scoreline (25-13, 25-11, 25-16).
The United States now holds a record of two wins and no losses in pool A, while Suriname stands at 0-2. The Americans conclude the pool-play against Cuba. Pool winners advancing directly to the semifinals.
In the first set, the United States quickly jumped to a 15-6 lead, maintaining control until the end. In the second set, Keane Cooper scored four consecutive aces for a 20-10 lead, while Thomas Demps joined the offensive in serving during the third.
In addition to outscoring Suriname in serves, the United States held a 27-10 advantage in attacks and an 8-2 lead in blocks. Both teams gave away 26 points on unforced errors.
The leading scorer was opposite hitter Thomas Demps of the United States with 14 points, the only player in double digits in the match. Keane Cooper contributed 9 points, 4 of which were aces.
Thomas Demps, top scorer of United States: “It feels great to have a second win here. Today I had good shots selection, Malak always gave me great sets and put me in position to score. I’ve been working on the serves a long time, so I am really happy it’s paying off here. This is my first international tournament and it’s really fun”.
Charles Sullivan, head coach of United States: “We just stay positive with errors, because we know we are learning a lot of new stuff, we’re improving every part of our game. Tomorrow is a big match against Cuba, they have a great program, and they have a great culture, so we are really excited”.
Gianni Ritfeld, top scorer of Suriname: “Everything is about experience, the U.S. players play a lot more than we do, what we can learn from them is about “timing” (when to hit and when to tip). This is a learning process for all the team, we could have taken our time and played better. The second set was much better, I’m pleased about that”.
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