Cuba Chinese Taipei
Yoana Palacios sparked Cuba with a match-high 15 points. Wilma Salas contributed 12 points while Ana Cleger and Yanleis Santos charted 12 and 11 respectively. Chen Wan Ting topped China with 11 points in the loss.
The win improved Cuba’s record to 2-4, while Chinese Taipei remains winless at 0-6. While both sides scored via four aces, it was Cuba which dominated in blocks 12-2.
Chinese Taipei came the closest yet to winning a set at the tournament, but squandered the chance in the opening set and could not recover. Cuba’s power game was the difference, as Chinese Taipei did an admirable job in defeat but could not solve the difference in strength.
Chinese Taipei raced to a 5-1 lead in the first set and Cuba called a timeout. A spike by Tsai Yin Feng made it 6-1. A fine dink by Teng put Chinese Taipei up 7-3 and Palacio sent a serve long and Chinese Taipei led 8-4 at the first TTO. Leanny Castaneda sent a spike long ant Chinese Taipei was in front 10-5. A spike by Chinese Taipei made it 15-9 and Palacio served into the net again to give the Asians a 16-10 lead at the second TTO. A Santos spike pulled Cuba withing three points at 18-15 and Chinese Taipei took timeout. Palacios hammered a spike and Cuba was down by just one at 19-18. Castaneda sent a spike into the net for 20-18. A block by Rosanna Giel made it 21-20 for Chinese Taipei. Cuba finally equalized 22-22 on a spike by Salas. Wang Sin Ting’s spike made it 23-22 before Lidia Cleger spiked to tie it 23-23. Palacios then sent a serve long and Chinese Taipei had set point at 24-23. Another Cleger spike leveled it 24-24 and Castaneda put Cuba up 25-24 with a spike. Chen knotted it 25-25 with a spike as the battle continued. Castaneda’s spike gave Cuba their second set point and they claimed the set 27-25 on a block.
Cuba jumped to a 5-0 lead in the second set. A Salas spike put Cuba on top 8-3 at the first TTO. A Santos spike made it 10-5 for Cuba. After a block by Castaneda saw Cuba move ahead 12-5, Chinese Taipei called a timeout. Giel’s block stretched Cuba advantage to 10 points at 16-6 at the second TTO. Cleger’s spike pushed it to 20-11 for Cuba. Chinese Taipei pulled within five at 20-15 after a service ace by Wang. Castaneda’s spike moved Cuba within two points of the set at 23-15. Giel’s spike gave Cuba the set 25-17.
A spike by Giel saw Cuba take a 5-4 lead in the third set. Chen’s spike tied it 7-7 and Chinese Taipei led 8-7 at the first TTO. Palacios launched a service ace for 13-10 and Chinese Taipei called a timeout. Salas blasted a spike for 15-11 and Cuba moved ahead 16-11 at the second TTO. Chinese Taipei won a lengthy rally on a block by Teng and drew within 17-15. A reception error by Cleger put Chinese Taipei just a point back at at 18-17. A spike by Palacios made it 20-17 and Chinese Taipei took a timeout. Salas completed the victory with a spike for 25-21.
