Poland defeats Cuba by 3-1 in a FIVB World Grand Prix match
Cuba and Poland had a match against each other on August 14, 2011. The contest was held during the second weekend of the FIVB World Grand Prix. The two teams competed with each other in Zielona Gora in Poland. The home team was able to hand out a defeat
to their rivals by 3-1.
The first set of the match was majorly dominated by Poland as the Cuban team was struggling with getting used to the loud cheers of the Polish home crowd. The Cubans stepped up their game in the second set but remained unsuccessful in bagging a win. The
loss of two sets spurred the Cubans on in the third set which went close all through but ended in a Cuban victory. However, the Polish prevailed in sealing the deal on the match by securing the fourth set of the game. The final set scores stood at 25-15, 25-21,
23-25 and 25-20.
The coach of the Polish team, Alojzy Swiderek expressed himself in the following words at the end of the match, “Today I am very happy with both the result and the way my team played today. I am very proud of my players and very thankful for their hard work
and determination. We played a lot better in block today. Our reception was not perfect today and we have to keep working on it. But I am very happy that my players put so much heart in the game.”
On the other hand, the Cuban coach, Juan Gala Rodriguez, made the following statements at the press conference after the match, “We knew that it will be very technical and tactical match. Our service was to weak today. They forced us to receive with four
players and our team didn't know how to play in key moments. But this match was a good lesson for us before the next matches.”
Poland was able to take the lead early on in the first set at 4-2 that stayed with them until the first technical time out at 8-4. The Cubans side could not get their act together and put up a sloppy performance that made it all the more easy for the Polish
to secure the first set of the game at 25-15.
Poland was leading at 7-5 in the second set but the Cubans tied the score at 9-9. The set reached another tie at 11-11 but Poland was able to break off and win the second frame at 25-21.
The third set remained a struggle till the very end when the Cubans were able to swing the match in their favour by bagging their first set of the match at 25-23. However, the Polish side did not let the fourth set slip out of their hands and took it at
25-20.
Despite the fact that they lost the match, it was the Cuban player that was able to register the highest number of points throughout. Kenia Carcaces Opon tallied 20 points while the Polish Katarzyna Konieczna scored 15 points for her team.
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