FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup: Colombia Wraps Up Pool A; Puerto Rico Earns Sweep

2018 FIVB WOMEN’S CHALLENGER CUP:

• June 20-24, 2018
• Lima, Peru

A chance at making the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League is on the line, as the winner of the 2018 FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup will keep their hopes alive (more on what is needed to qualify below). The tournament, hosted by Peru, will work into the championship match on June 24 to culminate the action. Results, standings and more can all be seen below.

FORMAT:

• What’s on the line?
  • The winning team of the tournament will get to face the lowest ranked challenger team from the 2018 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League.
    • Whichever team wins that match will make the 2019 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League
• Six teams are split into two pools (three in each)
  • The six are made up of the host nation (Peru), South American qualifier (Colombia), Asian qualifier (Australia), North American qualifier (Puerto Rico) and Golden European League qualifiers (Bulgaria & Hungary)
  • The top two teams from each three-team pool will move on to the semifinals
    • Pool A#1 vs. Pool B#2 & Pool B#1 vs. Pool A#2

RESULTS:

Pool A:

• World Rankings: #26 Peru, #28 Colombia, #30 Hungary

COLOMBIA DEF. HUNGARY 3-0

• Colombia def. Hungary 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-7)
• Colombia improves to 2-0; Hungary falls to 0-1

After upsetting Peru on their home court, Colombia wrapped up the Pool A crown by making quick work of Hungary in straight sets. While they will await the runner-up from Pool B in the semifinals, Hungary now has a winner-move-on match with Peru tomorrow for the other elimination round spot.

In the match that went in favor of the South Americans 75-39, Colombia won the battle of spike (39-28), block (7-2) and serve (7-4). Amazingly even through more aggression, Colombia had 16 less team errors. The combination of it all led to the blowout. Hungary had Bernadett Dekany (13 points) and Reka Szedmak (nine points) lead the way, but no one else had more than three points. That contrasted to poorly for them to Colombia, who had four at four or more points even after the duo of Dayana Segovia (14 points) and Amanda Coneo (14 points).

Pool B:

• World Rankings: #13 Puerto Rico, #17 Bulgaria, #42 Australia

PUERTO RICO DEF. AUSTRALIA 3-0

• Puerto Rico def. Australia 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-15)
• Puerto Rico improves to 1-0; Australia falls to 0-2

The top ranked team in the event took down Australia, eliminating the Aussies from any chance at the semifinals. Beyond that, it clinches a bid in the next round for Puerto Rico, who now awaits Bulgaria tomorrow with the winner claiming Pool B and the loser ending as the runner-up.

The main cause of the sweep was the difference in attack. Puerto Rico notched 16 more kills (42-26) and even had 10 less team errors. 10 players scored in the process for Puerto Rico too, with six at five or more led by former Minnesota star Daly Santana (10 points). Beth Carey (seven points) did her best for Australia, but with just a trio at five or more points Australia did not have enough.

STANDINGS:

Pool A

		Matches		Pts	Sets			Points
Rank	Team	W	L		W	L	Ratio	W	L	Ratio
1	Colombia	2	0	6	6	0	MAX	151	87	1.736
2	Peru	0	1	0	0	3	0.000	48	76	0.632
3	Hungary	0	1	0	0	3	0.000	39	75	0.520

Pool B

		Matches		Pts	Sets			Points
Rank	Team	W	L		W	L	Ratio	W	L	Ratio
1	Bulgaria	1	0	3	3	0	MAX	75	42	1.786
2	Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	MAX	0	0	MAX
3	Australia	0	1	0	0	3	0.000	42	75	0.560

Full Schedule:

Pool A:

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total	Report
20 Jun	19:00	Peru	0–3	Colombia	24–26	12–25	12–25			48–76
21 Jun	19:00	Colombia	3–0	Hungary	25–13	25–19	25–7			75–39
22 Jun	19:00	Hungary	–	Peru	–	–	–			0–0

Pool B:

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total	Report
20 Jun	17:00	Australia	0–3	Bulgaria	11–25	16–25	15–25			42–75
21 Jun	17:00	Puerto Rico	3–0	Australia	25–10	25–19	25–15			75–44
22 Jun	17:00	Bulgaria	–	Puerto Rico	–	–	–			0–0