Canada
Canada will face the second semifinal winner of United States and Puerto Rico on Saturday at 17:30, while Mexico will challenge the loser for the bronze medal. The top three finishing teams in the tournament advance to the 2013 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Junior Continental Championship.
Canada had balanced scoring with nine of its available 11 players scoring at least one point and five players in double digits. Dany Demyanenko led Canada with 18 points, while Alexander William Russell added 12 points in the victory. Jarrid Michael Ireland and Brook Alois Sedore scored 11 points and Ryley Brendan Barnes tacked on 10 points.
Sergio Perez led Mexico with 19 points, followed by Jesus Alberto Perales’ 18 points.
Canada’s block provided a 13-5 scoring edge over Mexico, in addition to a 60-54 edge in kills. Canada was credited with a 37-30 advantage in digs led by Tyler Koslowsky’s 14.
Canada’s block was dominant throughout the opening set with five in the 25-17 victory. Canada also held its errors to three in the set and used seven Mexico errors to its advantage. Canada used consecutive aces by Milan Nikic to reach a 16-11 lead at the second technical timeout of the second set and forged ahead to a 25-18 victory. Canada opened the third set leading 3-0, but Mexico came back to square the set at 8-all. The set stayed close the rest of the way as Mexico tied the set up at 23-all after trailing by two most of the way. Mexico saved one match point and took the set 26-24 on a Canada error. Mexico came back from an 8-5 deficit in the fourth set to take a 14-12 advantage. Back-to-back Canada blocks put it back in front 17-16 and went up 21-18. Canada finished set at 25-21 with the final four of five points.
