SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, April 17, 2026.- The teams of Darby Dunn/Alison McKay of Canada, Marcela Araya/Eugenia Ramírez of Costa Rica, Susana Torres/Abril Flores of Mexico, and Torrey Van Winden/Lindsey Sparks of the United States secured their spots in the semifinals of the first stage of the 2026 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, following an intense day of competition at La Sabana that included the conclusion of pool play and the quarterfinal round.
Dunn/McKay (CAN) advanced to the semifinals after defeating Crismil Paniagua and Bethania Almanzar (DOM) 2-0 (21-9, 21-13). Meanwhile, Costa Rica’s Araya/Ramírez earned their place with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) victory over compatriots Laura Valentina Molina and Aliza Aguilar.
Van Winden/Sparks (USA) also secured their semifinal berth with a 2-0 (21-8, 21-12) win over Karla Jamileth Tovar and Daniela Sofía Vigil of El Salvador. Likewise, Mexico’s Susana Torres and Abril Flores (MEX) advanced with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-9) victory against Halle Hunt and Jade Race (USA).
Sunday’s semifinals feature Canada’s Dunn/McKay against Costa Rica’s Araya/Ramírez, and Mexico’s Torres/Flores facing the United States’ Van Winden/Sparks.
The day began with the final matches of pool play. In Pool A, Tovar/Vigil (ESA) defeated Ingrid Núñez/Keila Moreno (CRC) 2-0 (22-20, 21-13), while Dunn/McKay (CAN) cruised past Vernecia Caines/D’Keisha Jordan of the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (22-8, 21-8).
In Pool B, Van Winden/Sparks (USA) finished first place after defeating Paniagua/Almanzar (DOM) 2-0 (21-9, 21-16), with both teams advancing to the next round. Ana Sofía González Cepek/Ana Sofía Juárez (MEX) defeated Shajunee Gumbs/Jontelle Hensley Philip of St. Kitts and Nevis 2-1 (17-21, 21-9, 15-12).
In Pool C, Molina/Aguilar (CRC) defeated Chante Smith-Johnson/Amanda Robinson of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-6, 21-8), while Torres/Flores (MEX) beat Paola Alvarado/Marisabel González of Guatemala 2-0 (21-13, 21-15).
Araya/Ramírez (CRC) secured first place in Pool D with a 2-0 (23-21, 21-19) win over Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez of Nicaragua, and Hunt/Race (USA) advanced after defeating Canada’s Sophia Hladyniuk/Myriam Robitaille 2-0 (21-16, 21-15).
With pool play completed, the quarterfinals marked the start of the knockout stage, determining the four semifinalist teams of the tournament.
POOL A: Tovar/Vigil (ESA) 2-0 Núñez/Moreno (CRC) (22-20/21-13); Dunn/McKay (CAN) 2-0 Vernecia/Jordan (ISV) (22-8/21-8)
POOL B: Van Winden/Sparks (USA) 2-0 (21-9/21-16); Cepek/Juarez (MÉX) 2-1 Gumbs/Hensley Philip (SKN) (17-21/21-9/15-12)
POOL C: Molina/Aguilar (CRC) 2-0 Smith-Johnson/A.Robinson (CAY) (21-6/21-8); Torres/Flores (MEX) 2-0 Alvarado/Gonzalez (GUA) (21-13/21-15)
POOL D: Araya/Ramirez (CRC) 2-0 López/Lolette (NCA) (23-21/21-19); Hunt/Race (USA) 2-0 Hladyniuk/Robitaille (21-16/21-15)
QUARTERFINALS RESULTS
Araya/Ramírez (CRC) 2-0 Molina/Aguilar (CRC) (21-19/21-15)
Dunn/McKay (CAN) 2-0 Paniagua/Almanzar (DOM) (21-9/21-13)
Van Winden/Sparks (USA) 2-0 Tovar/Vigil (ESA) (21-8/21-12)
Torres/Flores (MEX) 2-0 Hunt/Race(USA) (21-12/21-09)
C13/16
Lopez/Lolette (NCA) 2-0 Vernecia/Jordan (ISV) (21-4/21-8); Gumbs/Hensley Philip (SKN) 2-0 Smith-Johnson/A.Robinson (CAY) (21-9/21-10)
C9/12
Hladyniuk/Robitaille (CAN) 2-0 Núñez/Moreno (CRC) (21-12/21-8); Alvarado/Gonzalez (GUA) 2-1 Cepek/Juarez (MEX) (18-21/21-12/15-10)
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