MATCH INFO

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 10, 2011 – Spain equalled its best result in FIVB Men's Junior World Championship by winning a five-set-battle against India on Wednesday morning to finish the 2011 edition in the 7th place. The 21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-12, 19-17 win at Maracanazinho Gymnasium allowed the Spaniards to match their previous best position in the 1995 edition.

 

Spanish outside hitter Francisco Ruiz was the most effective player of the European side with 21 points, followed by Borja Ruiz (17) and Andres Villena (14). Indian wing spiker T.D. Ravikumar also scored 21 points and was helped by Dhanabalan Selvaprabhu (17) and Kataryia Lavmeet (16).

Spain got the first advantage of the match, with captain Jorge Almansa spiking to score 8-6 just before the first technical timeout. The Indian tied the frame 12-12 after a mistake of David Sanllehi and reversed with Ravikumar scoring 14-13. A huge block of Katariya Lavmeet put the Asian close to the win (23-20) then secured with a spike of Ravikumar: 25-21.

In the second set, India dominated since the beginning as Lavmeet spiked to score 8-6. With a pair of blocks over Francisco Ruiz, the Asian achieved a 12-7 lead. In the middle of the frame, Selvaprabhu served twice to score 18-11 and Khoiwal Dilup spiked to end the set 25-17.

The Asian also started the third set ahead, scoring 8-5. In the second technical timeout, the Indian advantage improved to 16-11 after a spike of Selvaprabhu. Led by Francisco and Borja Ruiz, the Spaniards reacted and reversed to 23-21 in the end of the partial managing to win it 25-21 with a spike of Andrés Villena.

Excited by the turnaround, Spain completely dominated the fourth set. With Francisco Ruiz in the serve line, the European scored nine points in a row to achieve a safe 18-8 lead. With India showing no reaction, the Spaniards did not have many difficulties to end the set with an impressive 25-12 score after a powerful spike of Francisco Ruiz.

India scored three of the four first points of the tie-breaker, but Spain quickly imposed its game to take the lead in 7-5 with three straight blocks.  With Lavmeet stopping Ruiz, the Asian tied it 8-8. A serve point of setter Jesus Bruque returned the lead to the European with 10-8 and managed to close it 19-17 after a fault of Indian setter Singh Ranjit.