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The Cuban setter Gretel Moreno Borrero, hailing from Bayamo, claimed the title of the women's A League in France with Volley Mulhouse Alsace, by defeating the defending champion Levallois Paris Saint-Cloud with a score of 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22).
The victory, achieved on May 1 in front of a completely packed stadium in Mulhouse, not only awarded the club its fourth league title—following those of 2017, 2020, and 2021—but also completed a historic domestic treble, unprecedented in French women's volleyball: French Supercup, French Cup, and league championship in the same season.
Moreno Borrero, 28 years old, plays as a setter and was a key player in an extraordinary season for Mulhouse, which finished the regular phase with 23 wins and only one loss.
In the playoffs, the team defeated Bordeaux Mérignac in the quarterfinals (3-2) and Volero Le Cannet in the semifinals (3-1 in both matches). In the first duel against Le Cannet, the player from Bayamo was named the most valuable player of the match.
In the final, Kjersti Strong led Mulhouse with 16 points, and Alondra Vázquez contributed 14 crucial points. For Levallois, Finnish player Emmi Tolvanen was pivotal in serving, and young opposite Cyrielle Depie scored 22 points, although it was not enough to stop the local comeback.
Born on January 30, 1998, in Bayamo, Granma province, Moreno Borrero joined the Cuban national pre-selection at just 14 years old.
Her professional career has taken her through leagues in Peru, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and France, following the path of other Cuban volleyball players who have excelled in European competitions under the flags of other countries.
This migratory tradition in Cuban volleyball has recognized names. Dayamí Sánchez was the first Cuban to play in the Turkish league, while Heidy Casanova also built her career abroad after leaving the Island. Rosir Calderón, for her part, reinforced the ranks of Volero Le Cannet in France, the same country where Moreno Borrero now shines.
In 2021, there were 43 Cuban volleyball players contracted in foreign leagues, including France, Brazil, Italy, and Turkey, a figure that reflects the ongoing exodus from Cuban sports.
WorldofVolley described the collective achievement as "one of the most successful in the club's history," as they wrapped up the season with a complete sweep of the domestic titles available in French women's volleyball.
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