Press release

Callao, Peru, July 30, 2011—Poland outlasted Cuba in a hard-fought battle 3-1(25-21, 18-25, 25-14, 25-22) in a Pool J matchup for Classification Places 9-12 in the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Junior World Championship in Peru 2011.

Poland will play the winner of Japan-Russia for ninth place on July 31 at 14.30 in Callao. Cuba will play the loser of the Japan-Russia match for eleventh place at 12.30 on July 31.

Emilia Mucha and Zuzanna Czyznielewska both had 15 points for Poland. Linares Sulian Matienzo led Cuba with 17 points. Poland scored 10 points from blocks, compared to five for Cuba.

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Cuba went into the first technical timeout with an (8-5) lead, but Poland tied the score at nine, behind several powerful kills from Zuzanna Czyznielewska, who finished the set with five points. The two teams frequently traded leads, with Poland coming out on top. Gabriela Jasinska set the ball well for Poland. 

The two evenly-matched squads continued to trade leads early in the second set. Silveira Cheila Cardona had five points for Cuba in the second set. There were few long rallies, as both squads struggled to handle the spikes from the other team.

Poland had an (8-3) lead at the first technical timeout of the third set, the first time that either squad established a significant early advantage. Poland spread the ball around, with all six players recording two or more points in the set, led by Zuzanna Czyznielewska, who had five points. Poland scored five points from serves in the set, compared to one for Cuba.

Poland led the entire fourth set, and Emilia Mucha had the winning kill to secure the victory, her sixth point of the set. Linares Sulian Matienzo had eight points for Cuba in the final set.