Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 26, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated Costa Rica 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 25-20), maintaining their unbeaten record and strong chances of winning the VI Central American U-23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.
The Nicaraguan team rebounded after a challenging second set, where they were overpowered by Costa Rica’s offensive, to secure a victory that edges them closer to a medal.
The match was closely contested. Nicaragua narrowly led in attacks, outscoring Costa Rica 48-47. Costa Rica, however, led in blocks (9-6) and serves (5-2). The 33 unforced errors by Costa Rica significantly contributed to their defeat.
With this win, Nicaragua now has a 4-0 record. They are set to play against Honduras on Friday and will wrap up their schedule on Saturday against Guatemala. Costa Rica, with a 2-2 record, will face Guatemala on Friday and conclude their participation against Honduras on Saturday.
Brittany Forbes led Nicaragua with 13 points, while Brisa Pérez contributed 12 points. The top scorer of the match was Costa Rica’s Ana Victoria Rojas, who scored 14 points, followed by Ester Abarca with 11 points.
Reflecting on the game, Brittany Forbes from Nicaragua said, “Costa Rica is a very tough opponent. We knew they were coming strong, but we were determined to win, and in the end, we did it. We still have two games left, and we know they will be tough, against Guatemala and Honduras”.
Ester Abarca of Costa Rica remarked, “It was a very challenging game for both teams. I feel we gave our best, but we made too many mistakes which weakened us. However, I am confident that we will go all out in the next matches and aim to climb back up the standings”.
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