TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, November 15, 2026. – Belize concluded its participation in the 21st AFECAVOL Central American U21 Women’s Volleyball Championship with a 3-2 (25-20, 25-27, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10) victory over Panama in the match for sixth place.
It was a closely contested and physically demanding encounter, with neither team willing to let the victory slip away. Both teams gave their all on the court, showing determination and fighting spirit throughout the five sets.
Panama held a slight advantage in attacks (52-51), but Belize made the difference in blocking (11-8), while both teams finished with 13 service aces. Panama committed 37 unforced errors compared to Belize’s 31.
Emaun Marin led Belize with 21 points, followed by Jamielee Espejo with 14 and Nathalie Popper with 13. For Panama, Viviana Harewood stood out with 22 points, supported by Keisy Fuentes with 18 and Diana Osorio with 12.
José Fontes, head coach of Belize: “In Belize’s particular case, our expectations were actually a little higher, but we are satisfied, except for yesterday’s match against Honduras, which played with only 50% of its team, and we were unable to win that match. Our girls are very young, and there are no excuses, but I believe the important thing about having played five matches is that we leave satisfied because they are growing both as players and as human beings.”
Alberto Quiel, head coach of Panama: “It continues to be a great opportunity for the girls to compete at a high level. Unfortunately, in the preliminary round we were placed in the strongest group, with the most competitive teams, and that, in addition to their performance on the court, also affects the girls psychologically to some extent.”
“They came into the final match highly motivated to play and get the result, but we faced resistance from a team with height and speed at certain moments, and we were unable to maintain our lead. It was a good match, and the truth is that we let it slip away in the final set, during the closing points. But beyond the result, the experience always provides tremendous benefits for the girls. We hope to continue developing our teams and participating in these events so that, in the medium term, we can reach the competitive level we aspire to achieve.”