MATCH INFO

Niterói, Brazil, August 3, 2011 – Argentina won their third match and took first place in Pool B at Caio Martins Gymnasium on Wednesday morning with a 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-14, 25-8) victory at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Junior World Championship.

Spain (2-1) and Argentina (3-0) were already qualified for the next round to determine first through eighth places in Rio de Janeiro, but the dispute for first place in Pool B was the reason for a good game.

Besides athletes’ families and members of the delegations, some Brazilian school kids were on hand to
support both teams and provided a great atmosphere to the competition hall.

Spain’s captain Jorge Almansa led all scorers with 17 points on a match-high 16 attacks and one block.

Gustavo Alvarez paced Argentina with 16 points on nine spikes, a match-high five blocks and two service aces. Augustin Ramonda and Martin Ramos each added 15 points for Argentina.

The teams were close in attacks, with Argentina leading 45-44. But Argentina led in blocks, 18-7 an din aces 6-4. Argentina also scored 28 points on Spain’s errors while committing only 12.

The first set stayed close, with Spain holding an 8-7 advantage at the first technical timeout (TTO). However Argentina came out of the break and built an 11-9 lead that it never gave up.  With Argentina leading 21-18, Spain scored twice on Argentina’s error and a spike from Almansa. But Ramonda responded with an attack and Spain’s next attack attempt went into the net to give Argentina set point. Francisco Ruiz held off Spain’s loss with a spike. But Argentina’s Martin Ramos used a tip to win the set.

Spain opened the second set by taking an 8-7 lead at the first TTO. But this time it extended the lead to 10-7 on a tip by Almansa and service ace from Francisco Ruiz. Trailing by three at 19-16, Argentina’s Martin Ramos scored with a strike down the middle. Javier Vega added an attack and Spain’s next attack attempt hit the antenna to tie the score at 19-19. Spain’s Almansa connected with a spike to get the serve back and Ignacio Sanchez scored with a spike and a block to give Spain a 22-19 lead. Argentina could not recover.

The teams were tied 8-8 in the third set when Ramonda scored for Argentina with a tip off Spain’s block attempt. Ramonda then took the serve and scored on a service ace. Ramonda served for five more points to give his team a 15-8 lead and Spain never recovered.

Argentina’s momentum carried into the fourth set as it opened up an 8-3 lead at the first TTO and a 16-7 advantage at the second.

Now both teams have to wait to find out their opponents in the next round, which begins August 5 at Maracanãzinho in Rio.