Belgium’s two middle blockers were the leading scorers of the match. Nathalie Lemmens’s 12-point match high included four blocks and an ace, as well as a 60% success rate in attack. Silke Van Avermaet raised another five kill blocks to finish with a total of 11 points. The three wing spikers – 22-year-old opposite Pauline Martin, 18-year-old outside hitter Tea Radovic and star captain Britt Herbots – also reached the double digits with 10 points apiece.
“I was pretty sure that the start would be a little rougher. We’ve got some young players and this brings a little bit of excitement and some nerves at moments of the game, but after the first set we found our own rhythm, we found our game, and that was the most important thing to do today,” Herbots told VBTV after the match. “The most important was, of course, the 3-0 at the start of the World Championship that we have been looking forward to for such a long time.”
Outsides Evilania Martinez and Claudia Tarin were Cuba’s most prolific players with eight points each.
