|
MIAMI, Florida, July 4, 2009.- Peru held
off a resilient Argentina team prevailing 27-25,
25-20, 16-25, 19-25, 17-15 in a titanic
five-setter for fifth place of the Eighth
Women’s Pan American Cup between two traditional
South American rivals.
The match was a preview of the expected clash
between the same two sides scheduled for three
weeks later in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on July
22-26 where both teams most likely will be
disputing the second place and a ticket to the
2010 FIVB Women’s World Championship. Hosts
Brazil will be a heavy favorite in the
competition with Venezuela as the fourth team
competing for a berth in Japan.
The Peruvians outscored their opponents 9-6 and
9-5 in the block and serve category
respectively. Argentina held a 71-56 advantage
in attacks.
Jessenia Uceda led five Peruvians in
double-figures with 19 points. Patricia Soto
added 16 including three aces, Leyla Chihuan
contributed three blocks and three aces among
her 13 points, and Yulissa Zamudio and Carla
Ortiz charted 13 and 10 respectively.
Leticia Boscacci had a match-high 24 points
hammering 21 kills along with three blocks for
Argentina, while Georgina Pinedo added 21 and
Georgina Klug added 15.
“Since the very beginning it was clear the match
was going to be a close one,” said Chihuan, the
captain of Peru. “We lost the focus and were too
relaxed in the third and fourth sets. In the
tie-breaker I only asked my teammates to play
with their hearts out.”
“It took a while before we could find our rhythm
and it was a different game for us from the
third set on,” said Horacio Bastit, the coach of
Argentina. “We had the game in our hands in the
tie-breaker but gave it away missing with two of
the last three chances to serve.”
|
