Brazil win gold, Cuba silver at U21 Pan Am Cup

Fort McMurray, Canada, May 22, 2017 - Defending champions Brazil came through when it counted to win the gold medal of the U21 Pan American Cup by defeating Cuba 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-18, 25-18) at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre at Keyano College in Fort McMurray on Sunday.

Both teams had earned their tickets to the FIVB Volleyball U21 World Championship to be held in the Czech Republic from June 23 to July 2 as the top ranked sides from South America and NORCECA at the intercontinental event.

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It was another team effort by Brazil, with Victor Cardoso logging 16 points as that side’s highest scorer.

Miguel Lopez had 22 points for Cuba including seven aces while Miguel Gutierrez added 20 in the loss.

“It was an important victory for us,” said Brazil’s coach Nery Tambeiro. “Our team is of a new composition. Cuba are very physically strong, and it’s very difficult to stop them. You have to break their reception and make them uncomfortable. There was a lot of very fast serves, but we were better. We will have to fight in the World Championships.”
 
Cuba’s coach Nicolas Vives Coffigny was satisfied with his team’s result. “I’m very happy that we have a silver medal and are qualified for the U21 World Championships (as first finisher in the NORCECA zone). I feel the team is getting better.”

Canada finished on a high note to pick up the bronze medal with an overwhelming 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-19) victory over Guatemala.

Sharone Vernon-Evans was the match's top scorer with 17 points, followed by the consistent Eric Loeppky with 12 points.

Chile swept Barbados 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-17) to take sixth place. Bastian Fuentes was the winners’ top scorer with 15 points.
 
Final Positions
1. Brazil
2. Cuba
3. Canada
4. Guatemala
5. Puerto Rico
6. Chile
7. Barbados

Individual Awards
MVP: Victor Cardoso (BRA)
First Outside Hitter: Miguel Lopez (CUB)
Second Outside Hitter: Henrique Honorato (BRA)
First Middle Blocker: Javier Concepcion (CUB)
Second Middle Blocker: Flynn McCarthy (CAN)
Opposite: Miguel Gutierrez (CUB)
Setter: Adrian Goide (CUB)
Libero: Lucas Cavin (CHI)
Best Server: Miguel Gutierrez (CUB)
Best Receiver: Jordan Pereira (BRA)
Best Digger: Lionnis Salazar (CUB)
Top Scorer: Eric Loeppky (CAN)

Top Scorers
100- Eric Loeppky (CAN)
78- Sharone Vernon-Evans (CAN)
72- Wagner Chacon (GUA)
65- Miguel Guierrez (CUB)
63- Miguel Lopez (CUB)
60- Erick Flores (GUA)
55- Pedro Molina (PUR)
54- Victor Cardoso (BRA)
50- Henrique Honorato (BRA)
46- Osniel Melgarejo (CUB)

Most Blocks
13- Fynnian McCarthy (CAN)
10- Eric Loeppky (CAN)
9- Javier Concepcion (CUB)
9- Gabriel Bertolini (BRA)
8- Lucas Barreto (BRA)

Most Aces
19- Miguel Gutierrez (CUB)
16- Miguel Lopez (CUB)
13- Eric Loeppky (CAN)
12- Bastian Fuentes (CHI)
9- Hnerique Honorato (BRA)

Top Scorer by Day
21- Miguel Gutierrez of Cuba v Chile on 16-5-17
19- Gabriel Garcia of Puerto Rico v Chile on 17-5-17
24- Wagner Chacon of Guatemala v Barbados on 18-5-17
28- Pedro Molina of Puerto Rico v Guatemala on 19-5-17
18- Osniel Melgarejo of Cuba v Canada on 20-5-17
18- Miguel Lopez of Cuba v Canada on 20-5-17
18- Sharone Vernon-Evans of Canada v Cuba on 20-5-17
22- Miguel Lopez of Cuba v Brazil on 21-5-17

Best Scoring Performances
28- Pedro Molina of Puerto Rico v Guatemala on 19-5-17
24- Wagner Chacon of Guatemala v Barbados on 18-5-17
22- Miguel Lopez of Cuba v Brazil on 21-5-17
21- Miguel Gutierrez of Cuba v Chile on 16-5-17
21- Wagner Chacon of Guatemala v Puerto Rico on 19-5-17
20- Eric Loeppky of Canada v Brazil on 18-5-17
20- Miguel Gutierrez of Cuba v Brazil on 21-5-17

Best Blocking Performances
6- McCarthy Fynnian of Canada v Brazil on 18-5-17
5- Ahkeem Mayers of Barbados v Guatemala on 18-5-17
4- Several Players

Best Serving Performances
11- Miguel Gutierrez of Cuba v Chile on 16-5-17
7- Miguel Lopez of Cuba v Brazil on 21-5-17
6- Bastian Fuentes of Chile v Puerto Rico on 17-5-17
6- Miguel Lopez of Cuba v Puerto Rico on 18-5-17

Best Team Blocking Performances
18- Barbados v Guatemala on 18-5-17
14- Canada v Chile on 19-5-17
13- Canada v Brazil on 18-5-17
13- Brazil v Guatemala on 20-5-17
13- Canada v Guatemala on 21-5-17

Best Team Serving Performances
15- Cuba v Chile on 16-5-17
14- Cuba v Puerto Rico on 16-5-17
10- Puerto Rico v Chile on 17-5-17

Highest Scoring Sets
34-32 Guatemala v Barbados (1st Set) on 18-5-17
26-24 Barbados v Guatemala (2nd Set) on 18-5-17
25-23 Chile v Puerto Rico (1st Set) on 17-5-17
25-23 Brazil v Cuba (1st Set) on 21-5-17

Highest Scoring Matches
208- Guatemala d Puerto Rico 3-2 (25-13, 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 16-14) on 19-5-17
201- Guatemala d Barbados 3-1 (34-32, 24-26, 25-14, 25-21) on 18-5-17