Cuba to play Argentina in friendly series

HAVANA, Cuba, May 24, 2013 – Cuba will send a twelve-man volleyball squad to Argentina in preparation for the XXIV FIVB World League, the premier men’s annual event from May 31 to July 21.

The Cubans travel on Saturday for a four-match friendly series, three of them against the Argentina National Team. The fourth will be against the second team of the South American country.

Argentina, which finished in 10th place in last year’s World League, will play hosts of the Finals this year scheduled in Mar del Plata for a second time.

The Cuban side, coached by Orlando Samuels, is comprised of wing-spikers Rolando Cepeda, Lazaro Fundora and Abraham Alonso and opposite Yordan Bisset.

The middle blockers are Isbel Mesa, David Fiel, Danger Quintana and Livan Osoria, the setters Liam Sem Estrada an Leandro Macias, and liberos Keibel Gutierrez and Gustavo Leyva.

Samuels will have Pavel Pimienta and Nicolas Vives as his assistant coaches and the delegation includes medical doctor Julio Miñoso and trainer Yoan Aladro.

Cuba will play in Pool B along with Russia, Serbia, Italy Germany and Iran while Argentina will be part of Pool A joining Brazil, Poland, United States, Bulgaria and France.