By: Carolina Rivas/NORCECA

Mexico reached the semi-finals with a spectacular five-set quarter-final win over Canada 3-2 (23-25, 25-17, 29-27, 23-25, 15-12) at the Cup NORCECA Women’s Pan American U-19.

Mexico will face hosts Puerto Rico in the semi-finals on Saturday, while Canada will play for positions five through eight.

Mexico and Canada put on a great show, in a battle full of twists and turns. In the third set, Canada lost two set points first and then Mexico in what was the highest-scoring set so far in the tournament. Mexico recovered from a seven-point deficit (6-16) before falling in the fourth set, forcing a tie-break.

Canada lost to Mexico despite a 62-52 lead and a wide 20-12 margin in blocking, but conceded 47 points on errors at 23. Mexico were better at the service line, 4-1 .

Three players scored in double figures for Mexico, Aimé Topete led with 15 points from 12 eliminations, two blocks and an ace, Luz Solano and Ximena Cordero each contributed 14 points; Solano (9 attacks, 5 blocks) and Cordero (11 attacks, 2 blocks, 1 ace).

Canadian team captain Taylor De Boer set a tournament record with 33 points, thanks to 25 kills and 8 blocks. Trinity Shadd-Ceres contributed 16 points on 11 kills and 5 blocks.

During the match between Mexico and Canada, the women’s national team was present with their coach Eduardo “Cocolo” Galarza to see their semi-final rival up close.

Puerto Rico and Mexico will face off for the last ticket to the tournament’s Grand Finals today at 8:00 p.m. at the Dolores “Toyita” Martínez de Juana Díaz Coliseum, which is why it was important for players to see and study who would be their opponent. .

“We have seen that Mexico are a team that likes to ‘damage’ a lot, and we will prepare our defense against their attack; and we will prepare our advice. Their blockade (of Mexico) is not as big as Canada’s and that’s an advantage,” Galarza said after concluding the challenge.

“We told the girls we were going to watch the game. Let them see real game situations and see what might happen. It was important to keep them in the game, to keep them focused,” the Puerto Rican coach said of Puerto Rico’s visit to the Coliseum tonight.

Galarza underlined that as a team “we were well focused. The girls took what they were doing very seriously.

In the other semi-final, the United States awaits the winner of the match between the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica tonight, which started late for the five sets match between Mexico and Canada.