MATCH INFO

Lima, Peru, July 23, 2011 - Dominican Republic earned their second win in a row at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Junior World Championship Peru 2011. At the first game of the second day in Pool D at Lima, they beat Russia in four sets (17-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-20). Russians girls are still with no wins in the tournament.

Dominican Republic's Elizabeth Martinez was the top scorer of the game with 22 points. Teammate Estefany Arias scored 14 points with a team-high four blocks and Paola Peña added 13 points. For Russia, Natalia Malykh was again on the top with 17 points, besides the 13 of Yana Manzyuk.

At the Pool D, Dominican Republic close Pool D on Sunday against China, while Russia face Japan.

At the beginning of the match, Russia showed a better attack than Dominican Republic, mostly in the fasts attacks. The Dominican Republic’s problems in the reception complicated their attack options. Also, the Dominican blocking and the serve were superior than the European’s team, which lost against China on the first day.

The game just was tight until the first technical time out, 8-6 in favor of Russia. Russia got a rally of 8-4 to leave the score 18-12. Then, four points in a row, Russians jumped the score 22-12 and the definition, very close.

Russia, which did not participate in the last two editions of the World Championship, defined the set with another fast attack from the central Safonova. It were 22 minutes of cation for the Europeans, that score with Malykh (six points), Bavykina and Safonova (five points).

Dominican Republic, team that for the first time went up in the World Championship’s podium in 2009, got better at the second set and controlled it from the beginning to the end. The first technical time out was 8-6 for Dominican Republic, and the second one to 16-14 was also to the team that beat Japan in the Pool in their first match. Elizabeth Martínez (nine points in the set) led her team in the attack, and Estefany Arias’ participation (five points in the set) was important. Russia kept their numbers in the attack, but Dominican Republic gained a lot in that point to take the set 25-21 in 25 minutes of game.

Dominican Republic improved their recuperation at the game, and also the score in the third set. Estefany Arias (five points) and Paola Peña (four points) led the team in the attack, while Russia did not find the path. Dominican always was on top (8-7 at the first technical time out, 16-14 at the second one) and just over the end, with their transition, got on the top until the end. Also, the Dominican Republic’s block gave them three important points in the set, and with a fast attack in the center Fersola, Dominican Republic won the set 25-20 in 23 minutes

Dominican Republic showed their superiority in the fourth set and reached 8-4 and 16-13 to the two technical times out since they showed offensive attacks to avoid the hard Russian blocking, which had been complicated the first set. Dominican made an attack mistake with Fersola and Russian got close 18-16, and then, just for one more blocking point from Manzyuk got even closer. Martinez kept her team from the rush at the 19-17. The Dominican Republic got a good point after one dig for the 21-18 score, but the Russian Malykh kept her team up. Peña, with one amazing transition, defined the set and the game 25-20 in 26 minutes.