• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 07 / 07 / 2011

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2011.07.06 - 15:21:16 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Havana, Cuba.- Cuba fought hard before finally losing to favorite Brazil 2-3 in the first day of the Volleyball World League finals underway in the Polish city of Gdansk.

The Cuban team started surprising its opponent, and the audience, wining the first two sets 25-18 and 25-21, but couldn’t deliver a deadly blow over the current League and world champions.

The following set saw a disappointing Cuban team that managed only to score 16 points, but they reacted in the fourth set and were two points shy of the victory when they blew a three point lead to finally succumb 30-28.

In the tie-break, Brazil left no doubts and from the start took the lead to the victory 15-12, in a game that lasted almost 2 hours.

Cuba best scorers were Wilfredo León, who accumulated 20 points, Fernando Hernández (17), Henry Bell (16) and Osmani Camejo (11).

On the Brazilian side the best were the remarkable center Lucas Saatkamp (20), Murillo Endres (16), Theo Lopes (11) and Gilberto Godoy (10).

The stats show how even the game was with Cuba leading the serves with 4 points by one the Brazilians, 13-11 in blocks, but Brazil led the spikes 67 to 61.

Cuba now will face Russia this Thursday, who beat the US 3-1 (29-31, 25-16, 25-21 and 25-22). (ACN)