SALTILLO, Coahuila, July 27, 2008.- Cuba and Puerto Rico were involved in one exciting match with the victory going to the former 3-2 and also the bronze medal in the NORCECA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

The game concluded 25-20, 27-25, 23-25, 20-25, 16-14, a repetition of the history of the preliminary round where the Cubans also won, but coming from behind after losing the first two legs.

Supported by a divided crowd which cheered for both teams, Puerto Ricans and Cubans embraced in a battle where once again prevailed the effective blocking and the power in attack of the eventual winners, but not without going through big difficulties before attaining the success.

The best scorers for Cuba were Yoana Mendoza (16), Dayessi Massó (15) and Wilma Salas (14).

For Puerto Rico, the stellar, Stephanie Enright, completed the one-hundred mark with 29 points, and establishing as the best of the tournament.

Another two in double figures were Grace Salado (14) and Lorraine Aviles (12). 

Joel Olazábal, coach of Cuba: “I’m very happy with this victory against a good team, we were taken into their passive game, lowered the guard and a big effort was needed for the win, we were over confident, nervous, Puerto Rico was always ahead since the third set, and we needed to make changes. It is my first time in this type of competition, and I kept the confidence that my girls would have a medal hanging around their necks.”

Luis Papo García, coach of Puerto Rico: “A terrific match for both teams, where once again the technique was confronted with the strength. We were one point away from winning but could not make the terminal play, there was some king of desperation from my girls trying to finish the match and obviously the blocking of Cuba caused damage. We are two equalled teams, as our two five-set matches show.”

Lilianny Marsillan, captain of Cuba: “The match was very good from the two national teams, very close, we thought we would win, but despite winning the first two sets, we could not do it until the very end.”

Stephanie Enright, captain of Puerto Rico: “It was a well fought match which either team could have won it, but in the fifth set, the girls of Cuba hit many balls, we tried to take them out of that game, but we couldn’t.”