US retain women’s volleyball crown

They did so on Sunday night, after turning back previously unbeaten Cuba at the University of the West Indies Sports and Physical Education Centre in St Augustine.

The Americans who were beaten by the Cubans in a World Championship play-off recently, got their revenge winning 3-2 in the continental final when the curtain came down on the championship.

First the Americans outclassed their opponents 25-13 in the first set and although they went for the kill in the second, it was the Cubans who stormed back to draw level with a 25-22.

Cuba, the Olympic bronze medallists were favoured to win the championship but wilted under the relentless pressure of the US who won the third set 27-25. But in a match that fluctuated, the Cubans again drew level when brilliant Zoila Fernandez Barros and Yanelis Luaces Santos put them back on level terms 25-20.

And in the fifth set the US fought hard to move into an early lead,and never looked back, as they won the final set 15-10.