Pereyra gives UPCN a head start in Argentinean League finals

UPCN San Juan’s key signing of the 2021-2022 club season, opposite Federico Pereyra came up big when the team needed him the most and helped the eight-time Argentinean champions get a head start in the final series of the country’s national league on Thursday.

A Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist with the Argentinean national team last year, the 33-year-old Pereyra helped UPCN start the best-of-five series against rivals Ciudad Voley with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-21) road win that placed the team one step closer to their ninth Argentinean title in 11 seasons.

The veteran Pereyra, who also represented his country at the London 2012 Games, received the Player of the Match award after he produced a match-high 23 points (18 kills, four blocks, one ace) and led UPCN to victory in Buenos Aires.

Outside hitter Manuel Armoa, who was selected for the Dream Team of last year’s FIVB Volleyball U21 World Championship, also had a remarkable performance, scoring 21 points (18 kills, two aces, one block), including the game-winner.

Despite the setback, Ciudad had three players reaching double digits in scoring in Brazilian opposite Rodrigo ‘Alemao’ Telles with 19 (18 kills, one block), middle blocker Rodrigo Soria with 15 (nine kills, six blocks) and Chilean outside hitter Vicente Parraguirre with 14 (all in kills).

The teams will play again on Saturday, with Ciudad hosting the match in Buenos Aires again. The series will move to San Juan next week, with the third and fourth (if needed) encounters set to happen on April 14 and 16. If necessary, the fifth match will be played in Buenos Aires on April 21.

UPCN and Ciudad met in the final series of last year’s Argentinean League, when San Juan side came out on top, and also played in the gold medal match of this season’s Argentinean Supercup, when the Buenos Aires club were the winners.