JERUSALEM, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Spanish side Avarca de Menorca achieved an away win over Israel's Hapoel Kfar Saba 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-13) in the main phase of the women's European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) Challenge Cup on Wednesday evening.
The first set of the match, played at the Einstein Hall in the central city of Kfar Saba, was dominated by the visitors, mainly thanks to points by Wanda Banguero and Alicia De Blas.
The second set was close, decided for the hosts with a spike by Fernanda Tome.
Maira Westergaard inspired Menorca to win the third set comfortably, but Kfar Saba dramatically took the fourth set thanks to a block by Sherilyn Bashorun.
The thriller continued in the deciding set, where an impressive block by Westergaard gave the match victory to Menorca.
Westergaard and De Blas contributed 20 points each to the win, while Banguero added 18 more. Yunieska Batista finished with a game-high 24 points for the Israeli team.
The second-leg match will be played in Ciutadella de Menorca on December 21, and the winner on aggregate will face Czech champion VK Prostejov or Hungary's Fatum Nyiregyhaza in the last 16. ■
