Lisset Isabel Ricardo

The Cuban men’s team defeated the United States 3-0 to be declared champion of the Fourth Men’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, which concluded August 16, in the Mexican city of Tijuana, Baja California.

The young Cuban squad was proclaimed Pan American champion in Tijuana, Mexico. Photo: Teo Guerrero/Norceca.

The final scores were 25-16, 25-23 and 25-23 in a match where Cuban Rolando Cepeda scored 20 points, followed by Osmany Uriarte with eight; while in the new U.S line-up Taylor Crabb and Taylor Averill also excelled, both scoring nine points each.

"We are happy, the result was the product of a great collective effort in all aspects, we are returning with a medal, and now we will prepare ourselves even more for what is to come," stated Capitan Cepeda, voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Also included in the dream team were Cubans Javier Jiménez, outside hitter and best attacker and center David Fiel, second most outstanding blocker, only surpassed by Puerto Rican Mannix Román. Argentines Rodrigo Villalba, second best goal scorer and Franco López, best defender in his role as libero; U.S. Robert Boldog (passer); Puerto Ricans José Rivera (receiver) and Maurice Torres, highest scorer with 102 (84-8-10); Venezuelan Kervin Piñerau (server) and Dominican José Cáceres (opposite) completed the team.

"We achieved the objective of this tournament, now we have the commitment of the World Championship in Poland and to be ready for the World League next year, in which we hope to play at a higher level," said Rodolfo Sánchez who won another medal in less than two months after winning Group Three of the annual FIVB competition.

Charles Sullivan, U.S. team coach, commented that he felt proud of his players, given their limited international experience but who nonetheless reached the final, stated press official Arturo C. Amador.

"As a team we had never competed at this level before and I am pleasantly surprised by what they showed," said Sullivan while guiding his team to the podium, after the U.S. squad failed to make it to the finals of the 2013 tournament.

Meanwhile, Argentina took bronze after defeating Puerto Rico in five hard-fought sets (25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 24-26 and 18-16) during which Puerto Rican Torres scored 32 points, joining the Cup’s historic 30 Club.