Cuba Reaches the Quarterfinals in the NORCECA U-17 Volleyball Championship

Havana, November 21 (RHC) – The Cuban men’s team advanced today to the cross-party quarter-finals of the NORCECA Under-17 Continental Volleyball Championship, which is being played in Managua, Nicaragua.
The Cuban team fell to Mexico in straight sets (25-15, 25-23, 25-20) and finished third in Group B with a record of one win and two losses.
Mexico took second place with two wins and one loss, also securing a spot in the quarterfinals, which will take place this Friday, starting at 5:00 p.m. (Cuban time).
The United States won its third consecutive match, sweeping the Dominican Republic with scores of 25-13, 25-15, and 25-18, and qualifying directly for Saturday’s semifinals.
In Group A, Puerto Rico, with two straight wins, must defeat Nicaragua (0-2) to automatically secure the other semifinal spot.
Costa Rica and Barbados, both with a 1-1 record, will play tonight for second place to determine their respective opponents for tomorrow. In the match against Cuba, the winners finished better in attack (39-31), service (3-2), and with fewer errors (19-28). The Cubans managed one more block (5-6).
The top scorer was Mexico’s Francisco Merino, with 17 points, all from attacks, followed by his teammate Yanis Medrano with 10. For Liam Sem Estrada’s team, captain and outside hitter Reinaldo Márquez once again stood out with 11 points (10 attacks and 1 spike), and opposite hitter Dalián La O added nine with spikes.