IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 22, 2024.- United States won Pool B unbeaten (5-0) over Argentina 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) and got a direct ticket to the semifinals in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.
Argentina (4-1) will play the quarterfinals on Friday against the third-place team from Pool A, Mexico. In the other quarterfinal match, the Dominican Republic will face Puerto Rico.
It was a battle of blocks, spectacular defensive plays, and powerful spikes, with the United States leading in attack 55-50, in blocking 15-12, with 6 effective blocks by Serena Gray, and in serving 4-2, with 19 unforced errors by the United States and 22 by Argentina.
Kendall Kipp once again excelled for the United States with 25 points, while Veronica Perry scored 18 points.
For Argentina, Bianka Farriol finished with 14 points and Daniela Bulaich with 11.
Kendall Kipp, máxima anotadora de USA: “I feel like all the things we’ve been working on with the group the last couple of weeks just came together. Argentina was a really great team but we just did a good job executing our scouting report and we played well as a team. We’ll get some rest and recover, get some rest, get good practice and get really back to battle again, because we’re going to face some good teams back there (Leon)… it’s not done yet”.
Brad Rostratter, Head Coach of United States: “We had to play hard, they are a very talented team. We were eager to take on the challenge of getting to play them, with some really class players on the other side of the net. We won our pool so that gives us an off day for tomorrow, we’ll have a little training session in Leon and figure out what that venue’s like and get comfortable there. Our serving, our blocking and our defense was really the difference for us. They were the best attacking team coming into this match and our block and our serve did a great job getting them out rhythm; that was a key factor in building up that success and force them to try some different attacker to manufacture kills”.