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Cuban players Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo could not maintain their perfect record at the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, as they lost this morning to the Americans Chaim Schalk and James Shaw, who won in two very close sets: 21-19 and 22-20.
The match, one of the tensest so far for the Cuban duo, showcased a balanced contest in almost every aspect. Both pairs tied in attack (26-26) and points gained from the opponent's errors (10-10), but the Americans were more effective at crucial moments, with an advantage in blocks (2-1) and serves (5-2), according to the site JIT.
The American Schalk was the top scorer of the game with 20 points, while Shaw contributed another 13. For Cuba, Alayo led with 18 points, followed by Díaz with 11.
A solid performance that fell just short of the top eight
Díaz and Alayo arrived inspired after winning Group F decisively, with victories of 2-0 against Benin and New Zealand, and a hard-fought 2-1 against Portugal. In the round of 32, they pulled off one of the tournament's surprises by eliminating the American duo Benesh–Partain, also in three sets, one of the top tactical pairs on the circuit.
Their round of sixteen rivals, Schalk and Shaw, had just finished second in group I and had defeated the Argentine duo of Tomás and Nicolás Capogrosso in a tough match. The American pair had also reached the podium this year, winning a bronze medal at the Quintana Roo stage of the Pro Tour.
A remarkable 2025 for Cubans, despite the setbacks
Although the elimination leaves the Caribbean athletes with the bitter taste of not being able to compete for medals, Díaz (23) and Alayo (24) delivered one of their best performances at a World Championship. They were ranked 10th in the world rankings and managed to improve their results from 2022 and 2023, when they finished in 17th place.
Their triumph at the Elite 16 in Playa del Carmen and the silver medal achieved in Rio earlier this year had established the duo as one of the most promising teams on the circuit.
In Adelaida, they once again demonstrated that they have the caliber to compete with the elite. However, this time, luck and tactical details favored the American side. Despite the loss, their progress remains intact, and the path to international podiums continues to be open.
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