Argentina won all the friendly matches against the last World League´s bronze in Buenos Aires and the hitter was important in all of them.

 

Rodrigo Quiroga is on fire. Last Saturday was top scorer of Argentina national team with 18 points and became a key player to the new team of Javier Weber in the pre-World League 2013. Before knowing he will not continue as the captain (Luciano De Cecco is the new one), Quiroga was interested to show that he can be in the first line up as the last four years. And he did it.

On Tuesday, Argentina beat 3-1 Cuba in the first friendly match played in Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires. Coach Weber lined up setter De Cecco, opposite Castellani, Solé and Crer as middle blockers; Pablo Bengolea and Federico Pereyra as hitters, covered by Alexis González. Quiroga wait his chance and get 13 points as a replacement.

 On Thursday it was the most competitive of the matches: Cuba was winning 2-1 and the local team made an important effort to change in their favor the development In the last sets, Weber inserted Quiroga (another 11 points) to continue unbeaten at home.

On Saturday, Argentina`s line up was different: it starts with young Finoli (setter) and Bruno Romanutti (opposite), Nicolàs Bruno and Quiroga to work in reception and the dùo Solé-Crer in the middle of the net. Facundo Santucci, the new face of Tolouse team, was the lìbero. Rodrigo scored his record: 18 points and Argentina won 3-0.

Looking to the future, it appears that the San Juan´s player has sufficient merit to be in the starting lineup but Weber said that during the World League regular phase will consolidate the team and test some tactical variants. For now, Argentina won three important games against the third best team in the World League 2012 and that enhances their illusions.