Honduras recovers to defeat El Salvador 3-1

MANAGUA, October 29, 2019 - Honduras recovered after losing the first set to win 3-1 (11-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20) over El Salvador in the second game of the first day of the XIII Central American Men's Volleyball Championship U19.

What seemed like an easy victory for El Salvador by the forcefulness in the first set, became an ordeal as they lost a four-point lead in the second set and in the fourth set they started winning 5-0, but the Hondurans managed to react to take the set and the game.

Alejandro Lobo with 18 points was the top scorer for Honduras and 8 for Martín Urbina. For El Salvador, Christopher Guardado and Gustavo Ortiz scored 11 points, for 10 of Gabriel Vargas.

El Salvador thanks to the advantage of the first set dominated the attack 42-35 and service 13-6, but they were overcome in blocking 6-4 and committed 40 errors, by 31 of their opponents.

Jonathan Meza, captain of Honduras: “The trainers took our nerves away from us, it was quite complicated because it is our first experience, we are all new ... In the first set we were very low, but we took confidence and improved. What affected us was the lack of confidence because we have the ability to improve.”

Miguel Pagoaga, assistant from Honduras: “In these ages it is so complicated, it was difficult for the boys to start, to understand what they had to do, follow the instructions, but thank God they did it. We came from behind, in the third set they fell back into the same mistakes, but we made the changes on time and we got the boys to come back.”

Julio Jiménez, captain of El Salvador: “We deconcentrated, we made such small mistakes and that took our toll for the rest of the set. Even when we managed to recover in the second set we did not manage to stay focused. I think we have a good team because we demonstrate it and I am sure that in the rest of the games we will give everything, we will concentrate to win”.

Dany Calderón, coach of El Salvador: In this category it is very complicated, it is uncertain, because of the nerves of the players, they lack a bit of technique and mistakes are expensive. After the first set we thought we would have things a little simpler, but we were complicated, perhaps because they were totally trusted. We need a little more fire, I hope we can get out of this pothole.”

This Wednesday on the second day, Honduras will face Belize at 3:00 p.m., while El Salvador will play with Nicaragua at 7:30 p.m.