November 26, 2006, Sendai, Japan: Third-ranked Russia brushed aside Puerto Rico in straight sets on Sunday to improve their record to 4-1 in Pool E.
Russia, who were runners up in the 2002 world championships, easily won 25-20, 25-16, 25-15 despite battling against the gravity defying Hector Soto and a partisan crowd on Puerto Rico's side. Puerto Rico dropped to 1-4 in the pool.
Their coach Carlos D. Cardona didn't like what he saw early on in the game and called a time out when Russia were leading 6-3.
It didn't do much good as Hector Soto, who is top scorer in the tournament so far, saw two spikes blocked by the Russians as they went into the first TTO with a five-point lead.
Soto wasn't going to be blocked a third time, though, and he showcased his dazzling leaping ability to smash in a spike to bring it to 8-4.
Soto was seeing a lot of the ball for Puerto Rico, but the Russians were feeding their captain Semen Poltavksy well and he was firing in some punishing spikes.
A great combination saw Alexey Kuleshov rattle in a spike to make it 15-10 and Alexander Korneev hammered in as the second TTO was reached with a six-point gap.
Luis Rodriguez and Victor Rivera pulled the score back to 19-15 with some snapped spikes, but two more points for Russia forced Cardona into calling his second time out.
It didn't stop the Russians, though. Kuleshov slapped the ball into the ground for set point and, after two were missed and Russia coach Zoran Gajic called a time out, Kuleshov was at the net to claim the set with another steep spike.
Puerto Rico started the second set in a more attacking frame of mind, but the Russians coped with a little added grit to their game that saw them battle to the first TTO 8-6 ahead.
The score quickly went to 11-6, with Soto being blocked more and more frequently. Cardona decided it was time for a time out.
Russia increased their lead after the small break and went into the second TTO with a six-point advantage. They continued to move toward clinching the second set. Korneev tipped one in before Poltavsky gave them a 21-14 lead with an unplayable serve.
Set point arrived for Russia soon after and Serguei Grankine put every ounce of effort in forcing his spike to land Puerto Rico”Ēs side in order to clinch the second bracket.
Things stayed tight in the third set in the early stages, with Russia going into the first TTO 8-7 ahead. A Poltavsky pile-driver serve made that 9-7 and another missile forced a mistake that was punished by Kuleshov.
Cardona called a time out for his shell-shocked players, but it didn't help, even though Rodriguez found space a couple of times with quickfire spikes.
Another blockbuster from Poltavsky moved Russia into the second TTO 16-12 ahead and it was quickly 20-14 as Russia tightened the screw.
Alexander Volkov beat one down at the net to move it to 22-14 and after his serve Puerto Rico hit long to bring up match point, won when Alexis Matias' spike was ruled wide.
