Tag: Norceca

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 10, 2025.- Puerto Rico defeated Dominican Republic in an epic five-set battle (25-27, 32-30, 31-33, 25-22, 15-11) to book a ticket to the championship match of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

This will be Puerto Rico’s first appearance in the tournament’s gold medal match.

Puerto Rico will face defending champion the United States in the gold medal match while Dominican Republic will take on Mexico for bronze.

Dominican Republic started strong, taking a 7-3 lead before coach Jamille Torres from Puerto Rico called a timeout to adjust the tactics. Puerto Rico gained momentum and closed the gap to 13-14, keeping the set tight and forcing extra points. The Dominican Republic sealed the set with a solid block, winning 27-25.

It was a battle in the second set, with both teams trading the lead throughout. Two attacks from Adrian Figueroa gave the Dominican Republic the first set point, but Jamal Ellis of Puerto Rico took charge and tied it at 24-24. Both teams kept fighting, but two consecutive errors from the Dominican Republic handed the set to Puerto Rico, 32-30.

The game continued with high adrenaline and outstanding offensive performances from both teams. The third set was tied 22 times, but the Dominican Republic ultimately prevailed, winning in extra points, 33-32.

As in the previous sets, the score remained close during the early stages of the fourth. It was tied at 17-17 when two powerful attacks from Puerto Rico’s Pedro Molina gave the home team a two-point edge. Puerto Rico maintained the lead to win the set 25-22 and force a fifth set.

Puerto Rico took an early 3-0 lead in the tiebreak, and although the Dominican Republic tried to keep up, the Puerto Ricans didn’t hold back and maintained their advantage midway through the set (8-4). The host team stayed focused despite the Dominicans closing the gap to 10-9. Puerto Rico closed the match with a 15-11 win.

Puerto Rico led in attacks (74-71) and serves (10-2), but the Dominican Republic was more effective in blocks (14-10) and committed fewer unforced errors (34) than Puerto Rico (36).

Jamal Ellis led Puerto Rico’s offense with 30 points (25 attacks, 2 blocks, and 3 aces) and a 62% success rate in attack, followed by outside hitter Pedro Molina with 28 points. Opposite Adrian Figueroa of the Dominican Republic was the match’s top scorer with 32 points (28 attacks, 3 blocks, and 1 ace), posting a 56% success rate in attack, while his teammate Luis Reinoso added 21 points.

Jonathan Rodriguez, middle blocker of Puerto Rico: “It was a long match, the Dominican Republic came out with a very clear offense. We had difficulty stopping their attackers, but we managed to come back and close out the match. We showed great perseverance, despite the long rallies that kept us from winning the point, but we managed to recover and win in the fifth set. Tomorrow we must practice, improve our blocking skills, and impose our serves. We must prepare well with a view to beating the United States.”

Jamal Ellis, opposite hitter of Puerto Rico: “We knew the Dominican Republic was an opponent that always gave us a fight, and we knew we couldn’t let our guard down. In the end, we did what was necessary to close out the sets, keeping our heads high and staying united. Now we need to rest and come back focused and ready for tomorrow’s match against the United States.”

Enger Miéses, libero of Dominican Republic: “We knew it was going to be a great game. We’re teams that play each other in every competition, and we know each other very well. From the start, we knew we were going to put on a good performance. The unity with which we’ve maintained ourselves throughout the competition has made a difference. Even though our team doesn’t have all its regular players, the unity and dedication with which we decided to take the field made the difference. Now we need to rest. Tomorrow will be a mental game against Mexico, and just like today, what will decide the game for us is minimizing our errors.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 11, 2025.- The United States earned a chance to defend its NORCECA Final Six title, advancing to the gold medal match after a thrilling five-set victory over Mexico (22-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13) at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The first set was highly competitive. Both teams were tied at 12-12, but Mexico gained momentum and pulled ahead with a 5-point lead at 20-15. However, two aces from Kyler Wade closed the gap to 21-23. Despite the late push, Mexico’s consistent attacking secured the set, 25-23.

The United States started strong in the second set, but Mexico found their rhythm, narrowing the gap from 8-4 to tie it at 8-8. The United States regained control and maintained the advantage despite Mexico’s pressure. A monster block by Cameron Thorne sealed the set for the United States, 25-22.

The United States took an early lead at 11-6 on the third set Mexico responded with pressure and tied the score at 15-15. The teams were level again at 18-18, but a combination of attacks from Yasutaka Sanay and Ridl Garcia guided Mexico to win the set 25-19.

The United States didn’t give up and came out focused, building a solid 11-5 lead. Mexico tried to close the gap, narrowing the score to 16-18, but the USA remained stronger and forced a tiebreak after winning the set 25-23. The tiebreak was evenly matched until the United States gained a four-point advantage at 8-4. Mexico pushed back to tie the score at 9-9, but the USA held firm and closed the match with a 15-13 win in the fifth set.

Mexico outperformed the United States in attacks (54-49), but the USA committed fewer errors (37-40). Both teams were even in blocks (9-9) and serves (8-8).

Kyler Wade, the United States’ opposite, led their offense with 20 points, followed by team captain Sebastiano Sani with 13. For Mexico, Ridl Alexis Garay was the top scorer with 20 points, while teammate Yasutaka Sanay added 18.

Cameron Thorne, middle blocker of the United States: “it was our second five-setter in a row, a long but great match and it is a team win. We have everybody in the game but had some blocking trouble and our coaches were guiding us through that. We are an energetic team, so we really show passion. There are some small mistakes that we must fix up to face either the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico tomorrow but is going to be a fun game.  Now, we are going to rest, watch a lot films and bring our best game because what matter is tomorrow, tomorrow is the biggest game.

Luis Ordoñez, setter of Mexico: “We knew it was going to be a tough, long game, and whoever made the fewest mistakes at the end would take the win. In this case, we missed key points at the end, and the game slipped away from us. Tomorrow is the bronze medal match, and We have to work a little on closing the sets. We have to prepare mentally and come here with the desire to win, with the goal of earning that third place.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 10, 2025.- The United States is heading to the semifinals of the NORCECA’s Men Final Six after a five-set thriller win against host team Puerto Rico at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium (19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11).

The United States (4-1) will face Mexico (4-1) in the semifinals, meanwhile Puerto Rico (4-1) will take on Dominican Republic (2-3).

It was a close first set, with both teams battling for the advantage. Puerto Rico gained momentum through assertive attacks and went on to win the set 25-19.

Puerto Rico opened the second set with a narrow 8-5 lead, but the United States began improving their reception and using their middle blockers to level the score at 11-11. Three consecutive errors from Puerto Rico allowed United States to pull ahead 16-13, a lead they held onto to close the set 25-23.

The third set remained tightly contested until the United States gained momentum with a series of strong attacks, pulling ahead 18-16. Puerto Rico’s three consecutive errors allowed the United States to extend their lead to 22–16 and eventually close out the set 25–18.

Puerto Rico came out determined in the fourth set, applying pressure with strong serving and organized defense to take a 14-11 lead. Even though the United States pushed and closed the gap, Puerto Rico prevailed and won the set 25-23, forcing a tiebreak.

The host team started strong in the fifth set, jumping to an 8-5 advantage, but the United States came from behind to tie it at 9–9 and eventually won the set 15-11.

The United States led in attacks (51-49) and blocks (16-8). Both teams were tied with 6 aces each, but Puerto Rico committed fewer unforced errors compared to the United States (34-39).

Outside hitter Patrick Rogers of the United States led all scorers with 24 points (19 attacks, 2 blocks and 3 aces) spiking at a 42% success rate. For Puerto Rico, opposite Jamal Ellis led the offensive registering a 57% success rate to finish with a total of 19 points.

Patrick Rogers, outside hitter from the United States: “it was a lot of fun, playing with a big crowd in front of Puerto Rico is the way you want to play against them. We did not have a lot of practice together and we are trying different lineups right now and we just adapting to it and just playing out of it. Now we rest, we got a lot people playing a lot of days in a row so we need some rest and keep us healthy.

Pelegrin Vargas, outside hitter from Puerto Rico: “Although we didn’t win, we took away many positive things in terms of the group’s character. We still have a lot to learn while playing. I liked that we didn’t give up in the face of adversity, and that’s something we must continue to work on. This group has undergone many changes, and in many ways we’re getting to know each other. Now, we need to look at what happened today as a lesson learned and we have to keep going. In the end, anyone can beat anyone and we need to use this as an experience to keep improving.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 10, 2025.- The Dominican Republic swept Canada (25-23, 26-24, 25-23) to claim a semifinal spot in the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

It was a very close match. The Dominican Republic opened the set strong, holding firm against Canada’s resilient efforts to maintain a steady lead and close out the set 25-21. Canada returned focused in the second set, applying pressure on the Dominican Republic through strong blocking. However, the Dominicans continued to push forward. The score remained tight toward the end of the set, but two aces from Wilfrido Rodriguez sealed the victory for the Dominican Republic in extra points, 26-24. The match remained tight in the third set, with both teams battling for the lead. Midway through the set, the Dominican Republic began to gain momentum and closed it out 25-23.

Dominican Republic outperformed in attacks (39-34) but Canada led in blocks (10-3). Both teams were tied with 5 aces each. Dominican Republic committed 21 unforced errors compared to 29 from Canada.

Dominican Republic’s offense was led by opposite Adrian Figueroa, registering a 53% success rate in offense to finish with 15 points. For Canada, outside hitter Thomas Friesen was the top scorer with 14 points (13 attacks and 1 block).

Dominican Republic awaits for the result between Puerto Rico and USA, which will determine their final position while Canada will face Suriname for 5 place on Sunday.

Moises Ortiz, middle blocker from Dominican Republic: “It was a really good match. We adjusted well today, came prepared and stayed focused. We continued working as a team, and I’m hopeful that everything will be positive moving forward. We stayed united, supporting each other through mistakes and moments of frustration, always maintaining a positive attitude. Now, we need to stay focused and keep moving in the same direction to succeed.”

Thomas Friesen, outside hitter from Canada: “It was a really close match. They played very well, and we played slightly less well. They were a tough team to stop offensively and served effectively. It was a fun match to play, but unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to win. I like our attitude, always staying aggressive and with energy. Now, we’ll get a little rest, review some video of what we’ve done and what Suriname has done, and work on fixing our mistakes. I know we have a good chance against them, and we’ll give it our best.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 10, 2025.- Mexico beat Suriname in straight sets (25-21, 25-14, 25-18), securing a spot in the semifinals of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Mexico started strong and dominated throughout the first set, gaining a 21-17 advantage. Suriname attempted to fight back but ultimately lost the set 25-21. Mexico maintained a solid lead in the second set and secured a 25-14 win. Suriname came out strong in the third set, jumping to an early 6-2 lead. Mexico responded by adjusting its lineup and gradually closed the gap, leveling the score at 13-13. Ultimately, Mexico took control of the set with an 18-15 lead and closed it out 25-18.

Mexico led in attacks (40-26), blocks (5-3) and serves (14-2) while Suriname committed fewer unforced errors (16-22).

Leonardo Maldonado, Mexico’s outside hitter, topped all scorers with 18 points (14 kills, 1 block, 3 aces). He was followed by Juan Salvador Garcia and Daniel Cravioto Ross, who each contributed 8 points.

For Suriname, Javier Nasibdar and Gianni Ritfeld led the way with 9 points each.

Leonardo Maldonado, Mexico’s outside hitter: “I think we could have done better, been more stable, but in the end, we won in straight sets, which is what we wanted. I feel good about my performance individually and I’m happy with what we did today. Overall, I think we lacked some things; things we need to improve, but we were confident we could win. We need to improve our consistency. I think we have enough talent to win, but we must be consistent and always focus on the game.”

Timothy Lambert, Suriname’s Middle Blocker: “I think the match went really well. It’s a new experience for us and we are working to get stronger while in the tournament so I’m really happy with the growth of the team. My team is a really young but we fight and always count and depend on each other. For our next match, we are going to train really hard, re-watch some matches and hopefully we will get a good result.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 9, 2025.- Puerto Rico swept Canada (25-15, 25-17, 25-16) to maintain their undefeated record at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, held at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium, clinching a ticket to the semifinals.

Puerto Rico started the match strong jumping to a quick 3-0 lead. The home team kept the pressure on, controlling the tempo and forcing Canada into early errors winning the set 25-15. Puerto Rico made some changes in the line-up and displayed a high level of the game guided by their setter Howard García, who organized the offensive with fast paced sets to the middle blockers. The Puerto Ricans continued their dominance, closing out the next two sets 25-17 and 25-11.

Puerto Rico outperformed Canada in attacks (36-20), aces (7-4), and blocks (6-3), also made fewer errors than Canada 21-26.

Opposite Jamal Ellis was the top scorer for Puerto Rico with 9 points (8 attacks and 1 block), spiking at an 80% success rate. He was followed by teammate Pedro Molina with 7 points (5 attacks and 2 blocks). Ryden Hargreaves led Canada’s offense with 10 points (7 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace).

On the final day of the Round Robin, Puerto Rico will face the United States, while Canada will take on the Dominican Republic.

Howard Garcia, setter of Puerto Rico: “We knew we had to come out and play hard, and obviously we’re respecting all our opponents. We minimized our mistakes that were key for our victory today. The interesting thing about this group is that there are no egos, and everyone is available and willing to play and accept their role. For the game against the United States, we have to prepare mentally first, go to practice, establish a game plan, and hope that everything we planned goes well.”

Matt Lefebvre, setter of Canada: “It was tough. Puerto Rico hasn’t lost a match yet. We played with a different lineup that we’re not used to, but I liked the challenge. This wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but it’s good to face a team of that caliber, and overall, it was a valuable experience. We committed a lot of errors, but we always reset after every point. We have a great leader in Liam Kindle, who didn’t let us give up. Our next match is really important, and we’ll be doing our best to prepare for it.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 9, 2025.- The United States defeated Suriname in consecutive sets (25-13, 25-17, 25-11) on day four of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The United States started the match by putting pressure with their serves, gaining a solid 16-10 advantage. Suriname was unable to recover and dropped the set 25-13. Suriname gained momentum in the second set, but the United States maintained control and closed it out 25-17. The United States continued to dominate throughout the fourth set, securing a 25–11 win.

Keoni Thiim, outside hitter of the United States, was the top scorer of the match with 14 points (11 attacks and 3 aces). Suriname’s top scorer was outside hitter Gianni Ritfeld with 5 points.

United States finished the match with a huge advantage in attacks (41-19) and serves (10-1). They also led in blocks (5-0). Suriname conceded fewer points on errors (19-21).

The United States will play host team Puerto Rico, while Suriname will face Mexico on the final day of the round-robin.

Keoni Thiim, outside hitter of the United States: “It was a good match. We tried a new lineup and did our best to stay disciplined, and I think we did a good job. We were experimenting, and we gave them everything we had, showing our respect by playing hard. Now we’re going to rest and prepare our game plan for Puerto Rico, watch some film, and give it everything we’ve got.”

Javier Nasibdar, outside hitter of Suriname: “The match wasn’t bad, considering we were facing a very tough opponent, and I think we did well. There are some areas to improve, but overall we played okay. I liked our fighting spirit—we didn’t give up and kept pushing. Now we have to prepare for tomorrow, improve our reception, and keep fighting.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 9, 2025.- Mexico defeated Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-15, 26-28, 25-21, 25-18), improving their record to 3-1 at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, held at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Mexico is one step closer to reaching the semifinals and will face Suriname on the final day of round-robin play, while Dominican Republic will take on Canada.

Mexico took early control of the match, establishing a comfortable 16-8 advantage and closing the first set with a decisive 25–15 win. It was a battle in the second set, with Dominican Republic gaining a small advantage 16-14 when Mexico requested a time out to regroup. Both teams kept pushing but at the end Dominican Republic held firm to win 28-26. Dominican Republic came out strong at the start of the third set, but Mexico responded and closed the match with a 25–21 victory. Mexico dominated the fourth set with powerful attacks from their opposite Ridl Alexis Garcia, winning 25-18.

Mexico outperformed their opponents in attacks (61-46) and serves (11-2), while both teams were even in blocks (7–7). Dominican Republic committed fewer unforced errors (22) than Mexico (27).

Mexico’s victory was supported by an outstanding performance of their opposite Ridl Alexis Garay Nava, who scored 31 points (28 kills and 3 aces). For Dominican Republic, outside hitter Wilfrido Hernández was the top scorer with 14 points (12 kills, 1 block and 1 ace).

Juan Salvador García, middle blocker of Mexico: “It was a match where we did our job and didn’t let our guard down, because we know the Dominican Republic is a strong team. We face each other in every tournament and know their game well, but we also know that at some point they’ll give their all, and that could hurt us. Staying united is important, and in the end, this is a team effort with one shared goal. We’ll come back determined to do our job tomorrow.”

Luis David Reinoso, outside hitter of Dominican Republic: “It was a very competitive match. Mexico came out with very good serves in this match, which made the reception difficult for us, and we couldn’t use our middle blockers, who are the team’s main weapons. For our next match, which will be the most important as it could put us in the semifinals and compete for a medal, we’re going to come with the same intensity and give it our all.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 8, 2025.- With an outstanding 11-0 advantage in serves, host team Puerto Rico dominated Suriname 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-9) in the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, currently being played at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Puerto Rico remains undefeated (3-0) and will play Canada next, and Suriname (0-3) will face the United States.

The Puerto Ricans dominated on the court throughout the match and outperformed Suriname in all scoring categories: 35-8 in spike kills, 11-0 in aces, and 9-5 in kill blocks. Although Suriname committed fewer unforced errors (20-25).

With a new lineup by coach Torres, Puerto Rico dominated Suriname from the start of the first set, building a comfortable 17-7 lead, led by opposite Sebastián Negrón, closing the set 25-16. Puerto Rico applied pressure with strong serves and committed fewer unforced errors to take the second set 25-13. The host team maintained the same tactic throughout the third set, with no response from Suriname, and won 25-9.

Middle blocker Jonathan Rodriguez and opposite Sebastian Negron led Puerto Rico’s offense with 13 points each. Middle blocker Gyles Black from Suriname finished with four points.

Axel Melendez, outside hitter of Puerto Rico: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to play in Puerto Rico for the first time. It was a super important match in this tournament, and we came here to do our job and keep winning, since the goal is to win the gold medal. I really liked our energy and good vibe before the match started, and everything went as we wanted. We had a plan, and we executed it as best we could.

Gianni Ritfeld, outside hitter of Suriname: “Even though we knew they were stronger than us, we just came to play, giving our best. Not everything was right, but we tried, and we just played to see what we could do against them. I like the team spirit of our team. Now we are going to train, work on some aspects that we are not that good like strong service and improve our blocking.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 8, 2025.- Mexico overcame the pressure from Canada to defeat them in straight sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-19) and secured their second victory at NORCECA Men’s Final Six.

After a very tight start to the first set, Mexico managed to break Canada’s pressure and secured an advantage in the closing moments with three aces from their middle blocker Juan Salvador García, closing the set 25-18. Canada kept pushing at the start of the second set, but Mexico prevailed and won 25-19. Mexico maintained control throughout the third set and sealed the match with a 25-19 win.

Mexico dominated in attacks 38-24, but Canada outperformed in blocks 4-3 and serves 7-6. Mexico scored 28 points from Canada’s unforced errors while giving up 21 points.

Opposite Ridl Alexis Garay and outside hitter Yasutaka Sanay from Mexico were the match leaders with 11 points each, while outside hitter Liam Pauls was Canada’s top scorer with 10 points.

Next, Mexico will play Dominican Republic while Canada will face host team Puerto Rico.

Matthew Siebenga, middle blocker of Canada: “It was awesome playing against Mexico, it was a good match. They’re a big and strong team. I thought our captain did really well, and we had good energy throughout the entire match, even when we were trailing. I think we did a good job overall. We just need to improve our serve and reception. We have to correct a couple of errors, but other than that, I thought we played really well. We just need to minimize their service runs and strengthen ours.”

Ridl Alexis Garay, opposite of Mexico: “We knew Canada always brings strong teams to these events, and we wanted to win. I think the team came out with that desire and thank God we got the result and we’re happy. We made some mistakes, but we managed to recover, and that’s very important because there are more games ahead. We have to keep improving overall. The team needs to continue growing and give its all in every match.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 8, 2025.- The United States bounced back after dropping the first set to the Dominican Republic, winning 3-1 (22-25, 30-28, 25-17, 25-20) to record their second victory on Day 3 of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Dominican Republic started dominating the match wining the first set 25-22. The United States started the second set with momentum, taking an early 7-4 lead. It wasn’t until point 11 that the Dominicans leveled the score, starting a back-and-forth battle for the lead until the United States pulled away by two points to claim the set 30-28. The United States then took control in the next two sets. Team USA closed out the third set 25-17 and maintained momentum through the fourth to win 25-20.

The United States outscored the Dominican Republic in attacks (60-45), blocks (9-5), and serves (8-4), but the Dominicans committed fewer unforced errors (25–36).

Opposite hitter Kyler Wade of the United States led all scorers with 21 points (16 attacks, 1 block, and 4 aces), followed by his teammate, outside hitter Sebastiano Sani, who contributed 16 points (14 attacks and 2 blocks). For the Dominican Republic, captain Wilfrido Hernández led the offense with 14 points (13 attacks and 1 block).

On day four of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, The United States will play Suriname and Dominican Republic will face Mexico.

Kyler Wade, opposite of the United States: the first set we started a little slow, during the beginning of the second we started our momentum, and we serve very well throughout the match and did our business. Our serve and pass got better after the first set and it was a big difference for us. Now we need a good rest for the next match. If we play our game no one can beat us.

Adrian Figueroa, opposite of the Dominican Republic: We started the first and the second set well. We came out strong and eager to win. We could have won the second set, but it got away from us. The rest of the sets, we let our guard down and couldn’t get back into the game. Now we have to move on and come back more prepared and stronger.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 7, 2025.- Puerto Rico beat Mexico 3-1 (25-20, 18-25, 25-16, 25-19) to remain undefeated in the NORCECA Men’s Final six taking place at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

In the first set, Puerto Rico dominated with ease, relying on outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas. Mexico came back determined and won the second set 25-18 to even the score. Puerto Rico played a well-balanced third set, building a comfortable 8-2 advantage and using tactical serving to close the set 25-16. The action was even at the beginning of the fourth set, but the Puerto Ricans rallied to win it 25-19.

Puerto Rico held advantage in attacks (48-44), blocks (12-3) and serves (7-1) but Mexico committed fewer unforced errors (26-32).

For Puerto Rico, the offensive was led by opposite Jamal Ellis with 17 points (13 attacks and 4 blocks) and outside hitter Pedro Molina with 15 points (10 attacks, 1 block and 4 aces); meanwhile outside hitter Franky Hernandez Milantony was the best scorer for Mexico with 17 points (15 attacks, 1 block and 1 ace).

In the third day of competition Puerto Rico (2-0) will face Suriname (0-2) and Mexico (1-1) will play Canada (1-1).

Jamal Ellis, opposite of Puerto Rico: “We knew it was going to be a tough match from the start, but we made sure to prepare properly for this team. We know we have the potential to win a medal, so we’re more than ready for this. For the upcoming matches, we have to keep our heads high, stay positive, not dwell on our mistakes, and keep moving forward, as in these events we need to be united as a team.”

Franky Hernandez Milantony, outside hitter of Mexico: “It was a very good match, despite losing in four sets. We were hoping to push it to five. We know Puerto Rico is a very strong team, and in this tournament, they’re the team to beat. We started off a little pressured and rushed, but in the second set, we began to calm down, doing what we know, and we were able to win the set. Our next match is against Canada, another fairly strong team, and we must keep moving forward.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 7, 2025.- The Dominican Republic defeated Suriname in straight sets (25-4, 25-17, 25-11) to record their first win in the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Opposite Adrian Figueroa was the top scorer of the match with 18 pts (13 attacks, 3 blocks and 2 aces). For Suriname, middle blocker Gyles Black was the top scorer with 8 points (4 attacks, 3 blocks and 1 ace)

In the next matches of the round robin Dominican Republic (1-1) will face the United States (1-1), while Suriname (0-2) takes on Puerto Rico (1-0).

The Dominican Republic started the first set with overwhelming superiority against Suriname, with Captain Wilfrido Hernández applying pressure with strong serves, helping secure the set 25-10. Suriname began to push back, but the Dominicans prevailed, winning the second set 25-17. Dominican Republic kept the same tactic with a serve-block combination, to win the third set 25-11.

The Dominicans led the attack 35-17, the blocking 11-4 and the service 6-1, taking advantage of 23 errors by Suriname against 10.

Francisco Arredondo, setter of Dominican Republic: “It was a good match. I think the Suriname’s team is young and inexperienced, and we were able to take advantage. I really liked our team’s energy; we always stayed united, supporting each other in every play. Our challenge is to stay healthy so we can give our all in every match.”

Arav Debisarun, setter of Suriname “I think our boys did what they could. It’s a fairly new team, and despite the inexperience, we fought hard, and I really liked our fighting spirit. Even though we were down by so many points, we were still laughing and enjoying the match. There’s still work to do, and we need to shift our mindset for the next match. Tomorrow, we’ll come back stronger and try even harder than we did today.” 

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 7, 2025.- The United States secured its first victory at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, defeating Canada 3-1 (25-18, 25-10, 23-25, 25-18) on the second day of the tournament taking place at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The United States maintained control over the first two sets of the match, with aggressive serves and fluid attack combinations. Canada gained momentum in the third set, winning 25-23. The beginning of the fourth set was very tight, but the United States prevailed and won 25-18

United States earned their first victory with a 38-20 advantage in attacking points, 9-6 in blocking points, and 14-12 lead in points from serves. Unforced errors were similar, with United States committing 33 and Canada 37.

Justin Todd from the United States was the top scorer of the match with 17 points (9 attacks, 5 blocks and 3 aces); Captain Liam Pauls led the offensive for Canada with 11 points (7 attacks and 4 aces)

Justin Todd, Middle Blocker from the United States: “We maintained strong service pressure throughout the match. Once we had the lead and they started putting pressure on us, we handled it well and turned it back around. We need to improve our passing—I think we can do a little better. When we know a good serve is coming, we should respond immediately.”

Ethan Baraniuk, Outside hitter from Canada: “I think it was a really good game. The start was a little rough, but by the end we were working hard and everything came together. We brought discipline in the third set, and that made the difference. We started digging and being aggressive, that was exactly what we needed to play our best. For the next match, we just need to come out and play our game. If we start strong, we have a great shot against any team here.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 6, 2025.- Puerto Rico won a five-set thriller match against the Dominican Republic (25-23, 25-19, 19-25, 26-28, 15-7) in their opening match at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The Dominican Republic took an early lead in the first set by six points (11–4), but Puerto Rico gradually gained control and won the set 25–23. Puerto Rico dominated the second set, winning 25–19. The Dominicans held a three-point advantage in the third set (16–13) and went on to win it 25–19. They continued their momentum in the fourth set, edging out Puerto Rico 28–26 to decide the match in a tie-break. Puerto Rico responded strongly, taking the fifth set 15–7

Puerto Rico led the Dominican Republic in attacks (67-51) and serves (8-2), but the Dominicans controlled the blocking (10-6) and committed fewer unforced errors than Puerto Rico (29-39).

Puerto Rico’s offense was led by outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas, who scored 29 points (27 attacks, 1 block, and 1 ace), followed by team captain Pedro Molina with 19 points (15 attacks, 1 block, and 3 aces). For the Dominican Republic, opposite hitter Adrian Figueroa and middle blocker Moises Ortiz were the top scorers with 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Pedro Molina, captain of Puerto Rico: “It’s always good to start our first match of the tournament well. We know the Dominican Republic always gives us a great game, and we expected nothing less. It was a very long match but thank God we took the win. It’s a new season, we have some veterans helping us with experience and leading us, and it’s a great combination. For tomorrow, we need to make fewer mistakes, close out the sets, and not rely on the other team.”

Wilfrido Hernández, Captain of Dominican Republic: “First, I want to congratulate Puerto Rico for the victory. It was a hard-fought match, and in the end, the team that was more consistent and made fewer errors won. They were much better with their aggressive serve, and I think that was the difference, although in the end, I believe we performed quite well regardless of the result. We just have to keep moving forward and try to do well on the next matches.”

On the second day of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, Puerto Rico will play Mexico, and the Dominican Republic will face Suriname.

Before the match, a small inauguration ceremony took place with the presence of the Mayoress of Ponce, Marlese Sifre; Ponce’s Senator, Marially González; First Executive Vice-President of NORCECA, Ariel Sainz; and the President of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation, Dr. César Trabanco.

The Mayoress welcomed the fans and teams, stating that they were very happy and proud to host this international event at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium. She also thanked NORCECA and the Puerto Rican Federation for selecting Ponce as the host of such an important tournament.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 6^th, 2025.- Mexico opened NORCECA Men’s Final Six with a reverse sweep over the United States (22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 15-11) at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

It was a very tight first set, but the United States closed it out with a 25–21 win. Mexico recovered, taking control of the second set from the start with a comfortable five-point lead (12–7). However, the United States made adjustments to their blocking, regained the lead, and ultimately won the set 25–21. The Mexicans came back strong, winning the third set 25–19. The United States fought hard, but Mexico prevailed 25–21 to force a tiebreak. Mexico sealed the match with a 15–11 win in the fifth set.

The United States led in attacks (57-51) and blocks (12-8) while Mexico held advantage in service points (8-6).  Mexico committed 27 unforced errors and the United States 40.

Opposite Ridl Alexis Garay from Mexico was the top scorer of the match with 24 points (19 attacks, 3 blocks and 2 aces) and opposite Kyler Wade was the top scorer for the United States with 20 points (17 attacks, 1 block and 2 serves).

Sebastiano Sani, Captain of the United States: “We started out pretty strong in the first two sets and played really good volleyball. Then we pulled back a little in the last three sets. I think Mexico got better and played really well after the first two sets, making big plays. Now we just have to bounce back tomorrow. We only had one practice, and we still need to learn our volleyball style since we haven’t played much together. We’re just trying to get better every day.”

Yasutaka Sanay, outside hitter of Mexico: “We’re responding to our game, as most of the starters are experienced players, but we have new players as well and we are developing as the match progresses. We had a slow start, but we made changes starting in the third set, where there were improvements and our serve was working well, compromising their passing. Now, we need to correct some details from today and prepare for the next match.”

Tomorrow, Mexico will face host team Puerto Rico while United States will play Canada.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 6^th, 2025.- Canada outplayed Suriname 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-16) on their opener match at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

Suriname kept it close early in the first set at 7–9, but Canada held the advantage throughout and went on to win the set 25–13. In the second set, Canada quickly jumped to an eight-point lead (16–8), maintaining a comfortable margin to secure a 25–18 victory. Canada continued their dominance in the third set, although Suriname gained momentum by scoring four consecutive points (14–21), the Canadians ended closing out the match with a 25–16 win.

Canada held advantages in kills 45-22, 4-1 in blocks and 10-0 in points from serves while Suriname committed fewer errors than Canada (16-24).

Captain Liam Pauls, outside hitters Ethan Baraniuk and Thomas Frieses, led Canada’s offensive with 12 points each. Outside hitter Ethan Asimia was the top scorer from Suriname with six points.

Liam Pauls, captain of Canada: “it was really good, we learned a lot. It is the first time our team is playing at this level, and I think there are a lot of areas to improve, a lot of areas that we struggle with that we can do better on the rest of tournament. I think we need to make adjustments in the defense and in communication, that is going to be a big challenge since we are facing really tough teams”

Carlos Orta, Suriname’s head coach: “Our goal is to compete in this tournament, gain experience and skills to participate in other events in the region. Canada is strong and has a high-level volleyball, but I think my boys did their best to achieve the best result.”

Faiq Lobo, captain of Suriname: “I found that this was a really good first match. The players needed to get used to the environment. It was a little bit rough but after a while we kind of got into the game. We did not win but I’m very proud of my team”

On day two of competition, Canada will face United States and Suriname will play the Dominican Republic.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 5^th, 2025.- The Juan ‘Pachín’ Vicéns Auditorium is ready to host the fifth edition of the NORCECA Men’s Final Six, as head coaches from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and the United States share their expectations for the event, which runs from October 6th to 12th.

Renato Soares, Mexico’s Head Coach: “For this event, we couldn’t bring our complete team, as some athletes are currently with their clubs. However, we have a core group from the main squad who have already gained experience with the national team this year, along with the return of a couple of athletes who had been absent for some time. We’re here to earn FIVB ranking points, which are highly beneficial for us and our Olympic Games project. We’ve brought a strong team to compete for the top spots, that remains our primary objective.

Jamille Torres, Puerto Rico’s Head Coach: “We’re coming with a roster very similar to the one we used in the Pan American Cup. We have two players who are out due to injury, and part of the process we had this summer was to try out young players. We have very high expectations and we’re coming to win. Playing in Puerto Rico creates a little more pressure for us because we have to compete in front of our fans in the stands. We don’t get many opportunities to play at home, so when we come here, we want to give the best performance possible, without detracting from our main goals: to continue growing and improving for the future.”

Karch Kiraly, United States’ Coach: “We are excited to have put together a young team for this tournament. Almost all of the guys are enrolled in college and are student-athletes competing in the American College Volleyball season. It’s a really fun group. Although we didn’t have much time to practice together, we look forward to the challenge of seeing how strong a team we can build in just a few days. Our main objective, for them and for all of us, is to continue learning and improving, and hopefully we’ll be better at the end of the tournament than we are today.”

José Gutiérrez, Dominican Republic’s Coach: “At the beginning of the year, we had hoped to have a full roster for this tournament, but for reasons beyond our control, that wasn’t possible. We have a group of experienced players, though they haven’t had the opportunity to practice together. As the tournament progresses, we’ll be adjusting a few things. We hope to take it step by step and improve with each match. To the extent possible, we’ll aim to advance with this group, and that’s exactly what we’re going to try to do: go out, deliver the best performance we can within our limitations, and keep our eyes on 2026 and the Central American Games.”

Grant Wilson, Canada’s Head Coach: “Our team is made up of university players who are excited to be here. We’re a young and relatively inexperienced group, but we’re looking forward to participating in this event. We’ve been training since September 1st and also played an exhibition match last weekend, so we’re glad we had the opportunity to practice and play together. Our main goal is to enjoy this experience and continue improving. We’re looking forward to competing against some of the best teams from NORCECA, seeing how this challenges us as a group, and helps us grow.”

Suriname is expected to arrive later.

The NORCECA Men’s Final Six tournament awards world ranking points to teams not competing in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and serves as part of the qualification process for the Central American and Caribbean Games, awarding continental ranking points to all participating teams.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, October 1, 2025.- The city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, is preparing to host the NORCECA Men’s Final Six tournament, scheduled to take place from October 6 to 12 at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The event will bring together the men’s national teams of Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Suriname, the United States, and Puerto Rico.

This will be the fifth edition of this prestigious tournament, which awards world ranking points to teams not competing in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and serves as part of the qualification process for the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Pan American Cup and the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship.

At a press conference, the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV) presented the tournament details, with the participation of the Honorable Mayor of Ponce, Marlese Sifre González, and FPV President, Dr. César Trabanco.

Mayor Sifre expressed her excitement: “We feel extremely pleased, proud, and happy that this tournament will be held in our city, a city that we are rebuilding with soul, life, and heart. I thank Dr. Trabanco for always putting Ponce first.”

Dr. Trabanco highlighted the significance of the tournament within the Olympic cycle:
“We started the year ranked 29th or 30th and today we are at 23. If we win the matches that count for the world ranking, we could finish at 22, which is key for the 2027 World Championship in Poland. The games against the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Suriname are the ones that add points. Although the United States and Canada do not affect the ranking, defeating them always has a special flavor.”

The United States enters the competition as two-time defending champion, having won the last two editions (2023 and 2024). The Americans also hold two bronze medals (2021, 2022). Mexico won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2021 and has earned two bronze medals (2023, 2024), while Cuba captured gold in 2022. Canada has finished as runner-up in every edition.

The competition format includes a preliminary round-robin phase, with the top four teams advancing to the crossover semifinals (2nd vs. 3rd and 1st vs. 4th) on October 11. The teams finishing fifth and sixth will play on the final day to determine their position, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches.

Round-Robin Schedule

October 6

4:00pm  Suriname vs Canada

6:00pm  United States vs Mexico

8:00pm  Puerto Rico vs Dominican Republic

October 7

4:00pm  United States vs Canada

6:00pm  Dominican Republic vs Suriname

8:00pm  Puerto Rico vs Mexico

October 8

4:00pm  United States vs Dominican Republic

6:00pm  Canada vs Mexico

8:00pm  Puerto Rico vs Suriname

October 9

4:00pm  Dominican Republic vs Mexico

6:00pm  United Satates vs Suriname

8:00pm  Puerto Rico vs Canada

October 10

4:00pm  Suriname vs Mexico

6:00pm  Canada vs Dominican Republic

8:00pm  Puerto Rico vs United Sates

Year by Year Medalists

YEAR	GOLD	SILVER	BRONZE
2021	MEX	CAN	USA
2022	CUB	CAN	USA
2023	USA	CAN	MEX
2024	USA	CAN	MEX