In an unforeseen turn of events, Argentina and Puerto Rico have secured their spots in the Grand Final of the XX Senior Women’s Volleyball Pan American Cup. This comes as a significant surprise, given the previously undefeated records of their opponents, the USA and the Dominican Republic, during the group stage.
The Juan “Pachin” Vicens Auditorium in Ponce saw a gripping five-set thriller as the Puerto Rican National Team overcame the Dominican Republic with scores of 25-18, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-7. Despite trailing after the third set, Puerto Rico mounted a stunning comeback, forcing the match into a decisive fifth set. The showstopper for Puerto Rico was Paola Santiago, whose serving prowess manifested in a rally of five successive points, propelling her team to a 7-3 lead. Santiago remarkably netted seven out of Puerto Rico’s 15 points in that set. Alondra Vázquez led the score sheet for Puerto Rico with a commendable 22 points, aided by Pilar Victoria and Paola Santiago with 15 and 14 points respectively. The Dominican Republic’s top scorer was Bethania de la Cruz, who racked up 20 points, closely followed by Brayelin Martinez and Gaila Gonzalez, each adding 17.
In the another semifinal, Argentina delivered another shock by defeating the United States in a 3-1 victory. The Argentinians showcased their skill, coming out on top with scores of 24-26, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25. Bianca Cugno stood out for Argentina with a whopping 23 points, while Paula Nizetich and Candelaria Herrera chipped in with 15 and 11 points respectively. For Team USA, Simone Lee led the scoring with 18 points, supported by Taylor Mims and Madeleine Gates who secured 15 and 12 points.
With both Argentina and Puerto Rico defying expectations, the stage is set for an unpredictable final. Meanwhile, the USA and the Dominican Republic will contest for the bronze medal in what promises to be a captivating contest.
Semifinals
Argentina vs USA 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25)
Puerto Rico vs Dominican Republic 3-2 (25-18, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-7)
Finals
Gold medal match
Puerto Rico vs Argentina
Bronze medal match
USA vs Dominican Republic
