Cordoba / Boca del Rio, Mexico, July 14- Cuban Heidy Casanova scored 26 points in her team’s failed comeback as Serbia finished on top 3-2 (25-13, 25-17, 25-27, 17-25, 15-11) on day one at the U20 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Mexico.
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Opening day kicked off with four five-set thriller matches building up the expectation of what is yet to come in the three day round-robin competition.
Pool A
Russia balanced their offense with five players scoring double digits, to defeat Bulgaria 3-1 (25-15, 25-13, 24-26, 25-13). Angelina Lazarenko led Russia with 15 points.
Mexico did not disappoint the crowd at Arena Cordoba, working hard in their 3-2 (16-25, 29-31, 25-20, 25-19, 15-13) comeback over Egypt. It was an even match with Mexico’s Uxue Amaya and Egyptian Noura Moawad as top scorers with nine points apiece.
Pool B
Defending champion Dominican Republic built a barrier with a twelve point blocking performance to contain Poland’s leading scorer Natalia Murek with 25 points and Aleksandra Lipska with 21 points, after their five set victory 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 16-14).
Pool B started with China counting on Wu Kan’s offense of 21 points to dominate Peru 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-19) and detaining Peruvians Kiara Monte and Katherine Regalado.
Pool C
Serbia managed a tough five-set victory over Cuba with effective 17 serving points and Katarina Lazovic’s strong 21 points performance. Casanova had a spectacular match with four of her team’s 11 blocks; not enough for the Caribbean team to recover.
Brazil, 2015 runner-up, easily moved ahead United States in the first two sets, while prevailing 3-1 (25-10, 25-12, 24-26, 25-22). Karina Barbousa De Souza alongside Glayce Kelly Tobias contributed with 14 and 13 points accordingly. Brazil’s 11-7 margin in blocking allowed Brionne Butler to score 12 points
Pool D
With seven aces, on a total of 20 points, Tugba Senoglu carried Turkey into beating Italy. Turkey’s overall serving performance of 14 points was too much for Italy’s back-row reception, prevailing 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12).
Japan with an overwhelming performance downed Argentina 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-22). Miyuki Horie tallied ten points as Japan’s best scorer.
Top Scorer by Day
26- Heidy Casanova of Cuba v Serbia on July 14
Top Scoring Performances
26- Heidy Casanova of Cuba v Serbia on July 14
25- Natalia Murek of Poland v Dominican Republic on July 14
21- Wu Han of China v Peru on July 14
21- Katarina Lazovik of Serbia v Cuba on July 14
21- Aleksandra Lipska of Poland v Dominican Republic on July 14
20- Tugba Senoglu of Turkey v Italy on July 14
Top Individual Blocking Performances
6- Emileta Racheva of Bulgaria v Russia on July 14
5- Geraldine Gonzalez of Dominican Republic v Poland on July 14
5- Giulia Mancini of Italy v Turkey on July 14
5- Zehra Gunes of Turkey on July 14
4- Katherine Regalado of Peru v China on July 14
4- Borislava Saykova of Bulgaria v Russia on July 14
4- Heidy Casanova of Cuba v Serbia on July 14
Top Team Blocking Performances
13- Bulgaria v Russia on July 14
12- Russia v Bulgaria on July 14
12- Dominican Republic v Poland on July 14
11- Cuba v Serbia on July 14
11- Brazil v United States on July 14
Top Individual Serving Performances
7- Tugba Senogly of Turkey v Italy on July 14
5- Diaris Perez of Cuba v Serbia on July 14
Top Team Serving Performances
17- Serbia v Cuba on July 14
14- Turkey v Italy on July 14
10- Russia v Bulgaria on July 14
Highest Scoring Sets
27-25 Serbia v Cuba on July 14
26-24 China v Peru on July 14
26-24 Bulgaria v Russia on July 14
Highest Scoring Matches
210- Dominican Republic v Poland 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 16-14) on July 14
204- Turkey v Italy 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12) on July 14
200- Serbia v Cuba 3-2 (25-13, 25-17, 25-27, 17-25, 15-11) on July 14