DR defeats USA in Volleyball Pan Am

[PICHARDO]

the DR Men's volleyball team won Bronze in Canada...

[PICHARDO]

Dominican Republic won the gold medal at Women’s Pan Am Cup

MEXICALI, Baja California, June 7, 2008.- The Dominican Republic won a sensational five-setter over Brazil to take home the gold medal in the Women’s Pan American Cup.



Middle blocker Cindy Rondon scored with one of her total 13 blocks for the final point of the match that capped nine days of exciting volleyball. The score was 26-24, 30-28, 22-25, 19-25, 15-11.



Bethania de la Cruz and Rondon scored 24 and 23 points respectively to lead the new champions. Sidarka Nunez contributed 19 points and Milagros Cabral and Annerys Vargas chipped in 11 and 10 respectively. Brazilian Regiane Bidias topped all the scorers with 25 tallies and .



“We wanted this medal so badly,” said an emotional Rondon. “Since the start of the tournament we were thinking about this contest against Brazil, so we came well prepared. Thanks to God, we won it.”



“We tried our best but it was not possible,” said Brazilian Danielle Lins. “They have more experience than us, and played better in the fifth set.”



“Our objective was to go with a strong serve and to establish our blocking,” said Dominican coach, Beato Miguel Cruz. “We had problems with our reception but the serve and blocking was there.”



Dominican Republic dominated its opponent 8-3 in serving aces and 19-11 in the blocking category.



“We have to congratulate the Dominican Republic,” said Luizomar DeMoura, the coach of Brazil. “I know this team play very hard against our main national team so it did not come out as a surprise.”



Final Positions: 1. Dominican Republic, 2. Brazil, 3. Argentina, 4. Puerto Rico, 5. United States, 6. Venezuela, 7. Peru, 8. Canada, 9. Costa Rica, 10. Mexico, 11. Cuba, 12. Trinidad & Tobago.


http://www.norceca.org/Jun_07_2008_D...20Am%20Cup.htm

[Funnyyale26]

That is awesome....I wish that they'd go to the Olympics.

[PICHARDO]

Like the coach of team Brazil said himself, it wasn't a surprise but an expected battle that they knew chances to win against that DR's team was difficult.

The DR's team playing at the Pan Am Cup is the National team that would had represented the country to the Olympics...

In other words, all the NORCECA teams were playing against an Olympic level selection in the DR's team. The DR didn't make the Olympics this time around due to the way teams are selected via top tiers regardless of points (some teams representing countries in a given region get automatic berths to play the Olympics) and as such the DR needed to finish in the top selections to be able to get the berth...

The DR's Volleyball teams (Women/Men) have improved in their experience vastly in the last couple of years. It will be a matter of a few years when their world ranking will be in the top 3...

The push and infusion of real funds by the Fernandez administration is giving fruit nowadays in our elite sport's teams. The DR is fast becoming a contender for the top medals rather than filler for the champions to drive to the top...

The upset of the Argentinean team was due to the little published fact that the DR's team had just come off from competing against the top qualifiers to the Olympics.

The DR's team was in fact eager to play the game, but after playing top teams is no joke to get ready in such short notice...

The upset by Argentina was a very surprise to every coach in the Pan Am Cup!!! Even to the Argentinean coach himself! Team included...

At least they came out as human, unlike the almost unstoppable machine of Brazil in group B.

Let’s wait for the World Grand Prix and back them up as well (from the seats, lol)!!!

[Dolores]

DR men's team almost beat the US team. While the women have always been outstanding, this year the men seem to have improved plenty and have battled it almost to the end.

http://www.usavolleyball.org/Volleyb...ws.asp?id=2212