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COLIMA, Mexico, June 25 2021. - Puerto Rico and
Guatemala will compete in the women’s semifinals
of the NORCECA Continental Cup Finals on
Saturday in Colima, Mexico.
Puerto Rico headed into semifinals with no
complications, beating Nicaragua in their
quarterfinal series 2-0, controlling both
matches with more confidence and better skills
than their opponents.
María González and Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico
-1 duo, stormed past Nicaraguan one team of Swan
Mendoza and Socorro López 2-0 (21-9, 21-6);
while Puerto Rico-2 of Lara Torruella and Lina
Bernier defeated Nicaragua -2 Valeska Hernández/Anielka
Alonzo 2-0 (21-11, 21-7).
Puerto Rico will face Cuba with Lidianny
Echevarría and Yanisleydis Sanchez as team one
and Leila Martinez alongside Mailen Deliz as
team two.
The other quarterfinal was a different scenario
with Guatemala winning to Costa Rica in a Golden
Set.
The first match of the series was a nail biting
victory for Costa Rica-1 of Natalia Alfaro and
Mariela Quesada by 2-1 (22-24, 21-16, 15-11)
over Guatemalan-1 duo of Estefanie Bethancourt
and Natalia Girón; the contest was even all the
way, with long rallies with Costa Rica
recovering from a five point deficit (2-7) in
the third set. Angel Williams and Katherine
Quesada of CRC-2 evened the series, they were
strong and took over the clash against
Guatemala-2 of Paola Alvarado and Ana Sofía
Arévalo with a comfortable 2-0 (21-10, 21-8)
win.
Number one teams clashed again in the Golden
Set, where Estefanie Bethancourt and Natalia
Girón took advantage of several unforced errors
from Natalia Alfaro and Mariela Quesada, pushing
strong into a 10-7 lead and a final 15-10
victory.
“We tried to give energy to one another; our
performance in the Golden Set was really
balanced, instead of pushing ourselves we
supported one another to get out of difficulties
during the match” said Estefanie Bethancourt
after defeating Costa Rica. Natalia Girón
indicated that the energy was crucial “I felt
super connected to Tefy, her support was key to
move onward”.
Guatemala will meet the hosts, Mexican Martha
Revuelta and Zaira Orellana as team one and
Susana Torres with María José Quintero as team
two.
The NORCECA Continental Cup Finals grants the
last berth to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Friday’s Results Quarterfinals
Puerto Rico 2, Nicaragua 0
María González/Allanis Navas PUR-1 d Swan
Mendoza/Socorro López NCA-1 (21-9, 21-6)
Lara Torruella/Lina Bernier PUR-2 d Valeska
Hernández/Anielka Alonzo NCA-2 (21-11, 21-7)
Guatemala 2, Costa Rica 1
Estefanie Bethancourt/Natalia Girón GUA-1 d
Natalia Alfaro/Mariela Quesada CRC-1 (22-24,
21-16, 15-11)
Angel Williams/Katherine Quesada CRC-2 d Paola
Alvarado/Ana Sofía Arévalo GUA-2 (21-10, 21-8)
GOLDEN SET: Estefanie Bethancourt/Natalia Girón
GUA-1 d Natalia Alfaro/Mariela Quesada CRC-1
(15-10) |
