Poland started the second weekend of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix with a 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25- 12) victory over Cuba in the Gran Chimu Arena on Friday.
Poland started the second weekend of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix with a 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25- 12) victory over Cuba in the Gran Chimu Arena on Friday.
• Malwina Smarzek topped the scorers for Poland with 15 points, while Melisa Vargas scored 19 for Cuba.
• Both teams had nine blocking points, while Poland edged the serving stats 6-5.
• Poland's Katarzyna Zaroslinska, the top scorer of the opening weekend with 64 points, only appeared as a sub in the first set and scored two points.
• Poland are now 4-0 in this year’s World Grand Prix; Cuba are 0-4 and extended their record losing streak in the competition to 18.
• Poland have won five straight World Grand Prix matches for the first time in four years.
• Cuba and Poland have now met four times in the World Grand Prix with each team winning twice.
In the first set, Cuba took advantage of the absence of some key Polish players to take the lead. At 16-12, coach Piotr Makowsky brought in top scorer Katarzyna Zaroslinska and then Klaudia Kaczorowska. The changes boosted Poland and they took control of the set, winning it 25-21.
Led by an outstanding performance from young Melissa Vargas, Cuba fought hard in the second set, but Poland’s experience allowed them to close the second set 26-24.
Poland were determined to finish things off quickly in the third set and pressed hard from the service line, cruising to a 25-12 win.
On Saturday, Poland will face Puerto Rico, while Cuba will challenge Peru.
