Category: Volleyball

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.- Setter Luke Harrison Ramírez of the Dominican Republic was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held from July 29 to August 3 at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City, where the Dominican Republic claimed the gold medal with an undefeated run.

Other award recipients from the champion team included Adrián José Figueroa, who earned two honors: Best Opposite and Best Scorer; Moisés Alexander Ortiz as Second Best Blocker; and Melvin de Jesús as Best Server.

From the silver medalist United States, Cameron Thorne received the Best Blocker award, while Nathan Flayter was recognized as Best Setter.

Carlos Eduardo Beroes of Venezuela earned the First Best Spiker award, and Elezar Mejía of Belize was named Second Best Spiker. Oswaldo Chacón of Costa Rica was awarded Best Receiver.

Both the Best Libero and Best Digger honors went to Roberto Benschop of Suriname.

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.- In a thrilling five-set battle, the Dominican Republic was crowned champions of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after defeating the United States 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

It was a power-packed match, with both teams showcasing their offensive strength. The Dominican defense stood out, led by libero Eliander Jiménez, who kept the ball off the floor. The Dominicans executed better to take the first set.

The second and third sets went to the United States, who despite their attacking and blocking power, struggled to close out each set. In the fourth set, the Caribbean side quickly pulled ahead on the scoreboard, forcing a dramatic tie-break to decide the title.

The Dominicans capitalized on the 44 unforced errors committed by the United States to secure the Gold Medal.

Team USA led in attacks (58-50) and blocks (16-10), while the Dominicans were superior from the service line (6-5).

For the Dominican Republic, top scorer Adrián José Figueroa tallied 27 points (23 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces), followed by Albert Molina with 14 and Moisés Alexander Ortiz with 10.

The United States spread the scoring across nearly all players, with four reaching double digits: Jalen Phillips with 18 points, Cameron Thorne with 17 (9 attacks, 8 blocks), Ryan Barnett with 16, and Marc Smith with 12.

José Alexander Gutiérrez, head coach of the Dominican Republic, said: “It was a tough match, tough because playing against the United States at the end is not the same as at the beginning; they adjust and know how to study their opponents. My guys are super young and have a lot of ups and downs. This result is thanks to the work being done in the Dominican Republic. It shows we are on the right path, and we must keep working.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.- Venezuela claimed the bronze medal by defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-22) at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup held at the Domo Polideportivo.

Venezuela started the match looking to pull away early on the scoreboard. Taking advantage of Mexico’s lack of control, they built a solid lead in points, which ultimately cost the Mexicans the first set.

In the second set, Venezuela took control from the start, reaching a lead of up to 8 points. Mexico tried to rally back, but it wasn’t enough. The last set was practically dominated by Venezuela, while the Mexican team played unfocused.

The match statistics were balanced: Venezuela led in attacks (37-31) and service points (4-2), while Mexico was superior in blocking (12-9). Both teams committed few unforced errors, Mexico with 25 and Venezuela with 21.

Carlos Berrios led Venezuela with 17 points, including 13 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces. Also standing out for the South American team were Yoisbel Josue Galeno with 13 points and Carlos Eduardo Beroes with 12.

For Mexico, Ariel Hernández scored 14 points, 9 from attacks and 5 blocks.

Venezuela’s head coach Yanni Capuzzi said, “We are very happy, we worked so hard for this, seeking to bring joy to our country. We dedicate this bronze medal to all Venezuelans who supported us throughout these days of competition. It was a tough tournament, but we did it and here we are Bronze for Venezuela.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.- Guatemala won the Central American derby against Costa Rica 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-14) to secure fifth place at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala’s capital.

This was the second time the Central American squads met in the tournament; during the preliminary round, Guatemala defeated Costa Rica 3-1.

The match started evenly until point 15, when Guatemala took a 4-point lead, which Costa Rica quickly erased, but Guatemala ultimately came out on top to win the set.

The second set was a back-and-forth battle until point 20, when Guatemala pulled ahead to claim the set. The third set was entirely dominated by Guatemala, clearly outperforming Costa Rica.

In attacks, the match was very even, ending in favor of Guatemala (37-35), who also led in blocks (8-4). Costa Rica was superior in serves (6-1).

Roberto Mendizábal led Guatemala’s offense with 14 points, including three blocks, being the only Guatemalan player in double digits. For Costa Rica, Dowshel Mc Donald was the top scorer of the match with 18 points (15 attacks, 1 block, 2 aces), followed by Ignacio Morales with 11 points.

Guatemala’s coach Reider Lucas stated, “I’m going to be honest, we should have qualified to the semifinals, we made every effort and couldn’t make it, then we had to fight for positions 5-8. We know this is a high-level event, with great prospects for the teams.”

“Our boys did their job, they gave their best, and we played the kind of volleyball we aim for and keep improving every day,” he concluded.

Costa Rica’s coach Cesar Salas said, “We accomplished what we wanted; we are trying to build a group of players. We saw good things, like against Venezuela, but we also saw that we still have a long way to go. We saw Guatemala’s team very well structured, and we know we have things to improve.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.– Belize secured seventh place at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after defeating Suriname 3-2 (16-25, 25-14, 27-25, 22-25, 15-8) at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13.

Suriname jumped to an early lead from the start of the match, gradually extending it to take the opening set in a power duel at the net; 70% of Belize’s points came from attacks.

Belize came alive in the second set, quickly taking the lead. The team’s top scorers in the tournament, Kaelen Ingram and Eleazar Mejía, began to showcase their quality.

Belize managed to rescue the third set, while Suriname responded strongly in the fourth to force a tiebreaker. The Belizeans held firm to clinch the seventh spot in the tournament.

Belize delivered a spectacular performance in attacks, outscoring Suriname by a huge margin (71-48). Blocking was more balanced but still in Belize’s favor (10-9), while Suriname had the edge in serving (5-2).

As in all of Belize’s matches, team captain Kaelen Ingram led the charge. This day was no exception, as he finished as the match’s top scorer with 31 points. Suriname’s Gianni Ritfeld tallied 19 points to lead his side.

Belize’s assistant coach Brandon Reeves commented, “I think we came out really focused. This whole tournament has been a learning curve for us. I’m very proud of the guys. I think we had ups and downs, but today they went out and proved to themselves that they are a great team. I think after this tournament we have a lot to work on, and I believe we will be better.”

Suriname’s head coach Carlos Orta said, “We expected to win today, but well, they played better than us. In the first set we didn’t put in the extra effort needed, and losing the next two sets made the match harder for us. Belize played better and I congratulate them; that’s why they won.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 2, 2025.- Dominican Republic defeated Mexico 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20) to qualify for the  Men’s U23 Pan American Cup finals, being held at the Domo Polideportivo.

Dominican Republic returns to a final after facing Cuba in 2023, when they earned the silver medal. This year, the Dominicans are back and will face the United States on the last day of competition at 6 PM. Mexico will battle for the bronze medal against Venezuela at 4 PM.

The opening set was evenly matched, with both teams exchanging control until Dominican Republic pulled ahead slightly at point 16. Mexico didn’t back down and came close to tying the set. The second set also started tight; as Mexico gradually pulled away and reached point 18, the Dominicans began to react but couldn’t close the gap.

The third and fourth sets followed a similar pattern with alternating control, but in the final points the Caribbean side pulled ahead to win both sets and the match. Just two days ago, the teams also met in the group stage, where Dominican Republic prevailed in five sets.

Mexico led in attacks (51-39), but Dominican Republic outperformed in blocking (16-8) and serving (5-1).

José Adrián Figueroa of Dominican Republic was the top scorer of the match with 21 points (17 attacks, 4 blocks). Albert Molina and Antonio de Jesús contributed to the win with 12 and 11 points respectively. For Mexico, Ariel Hernández led with 18 points, followed by Leonardo Maldonado with 12.

José Alexander Gutiérrez, head coach of Dominican Republic: “When you have a group of young athletes, there are a lot of ups and downs during the match. I think that’s the toughest part of this category because they are not adults yet, but they aren’t kids either.”

“With the years we’ve been working with this group, they have the drive and desire to excel and achieve big things. Now that we’re in the final, we’ll give everything we have and see what happens,” he concluded.

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 2, 2025.- United States defeated Venezuela 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-17) to advance to their first-ever Men’s U23 Pan American Cup final, held at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

The U.S. had never competed in this category, and in their debut tournament they managed to reach the final after an uncertain start where they lost to the Dominican Republic.

Although the U.S. led the entire first set, it was a hard-fought win. In the second set, Venezuela was ahead until point 16, when the Americans tied the score and never gave up the lead to go up 2-0.

The third set was all for the U.S. From the start, they applied pressure, using powerful attacks, blocks, and serves to build an early lead they never surrendered.

The final will be played on August 3 at 6 PM. The United States awaits the winner of the other semifinal between the Dominican Republic and Mexico, while Venezuela will play for bronze at 4 PM.

The U.S. outperformed Venezuela in all areas: attacks (44-26), blocks (8-5), and serves (5-1). The Americans committed 25 unforced errors compared to Venezuela’s 18.

Three U.S. players scored in double digits: captain Ryan Barnett with 16 points (15 on attacks), Cameron Thorne with 14 points (11 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace), and Patrick Rogers with 12 points. For Venezuela, Carlos Berrios led the scoring with 10 points.

United States’ head coach Nicolette Sanlin said, “We are just doing it together, playing as a team, we think about one match at a time and staying focused on what we do. They executed really well and played clean volleyball. Focused on what we do and not worrying about anybody else. It’s the first time in two days that we’ve had a full group, finally at the right time, we’re coming together as one team.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 2, 2025.- Guatemala needed three sets to defeat Suriname (25-23, 25-20, 25-17) and move on to the fifth-place match of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, taking place at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

The first set was highly contested, with Guatemala’s attack prevailing in the end, led by José Pablo Pérez. The second set was just as tight, but Guatemala managed to pull away slightly to take it. In the third, Guatemala was more dominant, building an early lead that allowed them to control the pace.

Guatemala and Suriname had already met in the tournament’s opening match, also resulting in a straight-set win for the Guatemalans.

The victory sends Guatemala to face Costa Rica on August 3 at 2:00 p.m. for fifth place, while Suriname will battle Belize for seventh at 12:00 p.m.

Three Guatemalans reached double digits in scoring: José Pablo Pérez with 18 points (17 attacks, 1 block), Jerry Duran with 16 points, and Luis Roberto Mendizábal with 10. For Suriname, Gianni Ritfeld and Jonovan Wijngaarde both scored 9 points.

Guatemala outperformed Suriname in attacks (46-35) and serves (3-0). Suriname led in blocks (10-6) but committed more unforced errors (20-16).

José Pablo Pérez said, “Suriname is quite a strong team. We’ve been working together for a while; there are many young players, but little by little they’re gaining experience. We achieved the result, which was the most important thing. We were also able to give playing time to the younger guys, which is good.”

Guatemala’s head coach Reider Lucas explained, “Despite losing two straight matches, this result in the 5-8 round puts us in a slightly more comfortable position. We knew it was going to be a demanding match, but the guys stayed focused, and we were able to pull off the victory, which was the most important thing.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 2, 2025. – In a Central American clash, Costa Rica defeated Belize 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 15-10) at the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup being held at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13.

Belize came out swinging, taking an early lead with their attacker Kaelen Ingram scoring 4 quick points to start the match. Costa Rica made a setter change, bringing in Gabriel Obando for Juan Ignacio Calderón, managing to even the set but falling short in the end.

In the second set, Costa Rica took control early on. After trailing 6-11, Belize struck back to take a 12-11 lead, but Costa Rica ultimately claimed the set.

For Costa Rica, a monster awakened in attack: Ignacio Morales. In the fourth set, Belize regained control of the game, forcing a tie-break. Costa Rica managed to contain Belize’s offense and sealed the victory.

With this win, Costa Rica will play for fifth place on the final day of competition at 2 PM against the winner of Guatemala vs. Suriname, while Belize will battle for seventh place at 12 PM against the loser.

Belize held the edge in attacks (66-61), blocks (9-7), and aces (3-2). However, Belize’s 34 unforced errors paved the way for Costa Rica’s victory.

Ignacio Morales was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 29 points, all in attacks, followed by Dowshel Mc Donald with 19 points. For Belize, Kaelen Ingram came close to breaking the scoring record set in this tournament but fell five points short, finishing with 31 points (29 attacks, 2 blocks). Eleazar Mejia contributed 17 points.

Ignacio Morales of Costa Rica said, “I’m very happy to be here representing my country. Without the contribution of all my teammates, this victory wouldn’t have been possible.”

Costa Rica’s coach, Cesar Salas, commented, “At the start of the match, I made a couple of tactical changes that paid off and allowed us to win the second and third sets. In the fourth, things got complicated; reception has been a big issue for us in this tournament. In the last set, we went back to the starting lineup, and it worked very well. We’re happy with the win; Belize is a tough and challenging opponent.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 1, 2025.– Mexico defeated Guatemala in straight sets 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-20) in the quarterfinals, taking an important step toward defending the title they won last year at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup.

One year ago, Mexico defeated Peru in the final, and now they are looking to keep the championship and become the first team in the history of the tournament to win back-to-back titles.

The match started evenly, but little by little the Mexican side gained confidence and built a comfortable lead. In the second set, Guatemala managed to keep the score closer, but Mexico’s strong attacking and blocking secured them the set. In the third, Mexico lowered their intensity slightly, sensing the win, which allowed Guatemala to put up a fight, but ultimately the victory went to Mexico.

With the win, Mexico will face the Dominican Republic on August 2 at 8 PM in the semifinals. The other semifinal will see Venezuela take on the United States at 6 PM. Classification matches for 5th–8th place will be: Belize vs. Costa Rica at 2 PM and Suriname vs. Guatemala at 4 PM.

Mexico outperformed Guatemala in attacks (40-25) and blocks (16-3). Both teams tied in service points with three apiece.

Mexico’s offense came from all areas of the court, with only two players reaching double digits, both from the Mexican side: Jorge Ariel Hernández and Lorenzo Martínez, who scored 10 points each. Hernández tallied 7 kills, 2 blocks and 1 ace, while Martínez contributed 7 kills and 3 blocks.

Jerry Durán led Guatemala with 8 points.

Mexico’s libero Josimar Navarro commented, “This match helped us gain confidence and get back into rhythm to be ready for tomorrow’s semifinal against the Dominican Republic. I think it’s going to be a tough match, just like we had in the group stage, and we hope to win so we can play the final, which is what we came here for.”

Guatemala’s libero Josué González said, “We are sad about the loss, but we showed we have the level. They played much better and made fewer errors. Now we just have to focus on winning our last two matches.”

GUATEMALA CITY, August 1, 2025. – The United States secured a spot in the semifinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup by defeating Costa Rica 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-19) in a match held at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City’s Zone 13.

In the first set, the Americans focused on assessing their opponent, using simple yet effective plays. In the second set, the U.S. team turned up the intensity with more elaborated attacks and looser play, building a comfortable lead.

The United States rotated its entire lineup in the third set to give all players court time.

The Americans outperformed Costa Rica in attacks (44-18), blocks (5-1), and serves (7-0).

Among all players, only Jalen Phillips from the United States reached double digits, scoring 10 points (8 attacks, 2 aces). For Costa Rica, Dowshel Mc Donald led with 7 points, all on attacks.

With this victory, the United States will play in Saturday’s semifinal; the other semifinalist is still to be determined to complete the bracket. Semifinal matches are scheduled for 6 PM and 8 PM (local time).

Costa Rica, on the other hand, will compete for positions 5-8, awaiting the outcome of the other quarterfinal to determine its opponent.

Ryan Merk, U.S. libero: “I think this match for us was mainly about controlling what we could. Our main job was to receive the other team’s serves. About 90% of their serves were floaters, so we focused on good reception. I think we did a good job. Our first outside hitters and our middles were dominant and won the match with their kills.”

Osvaldo Chacón, Costa Rica libero: “We knew the United States is a very powerful team, and we did what we could. It was a tough match, but it also helped us because as a group we are preparing for the Central American Cup, so this level of play is very important for us to keep improving.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 31, 2025.– Venezuela advanced to the semifinals of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after an intense five-set battle against Guatemala, winning 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-21, 25-27, 15-6) at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 in Guatemala City.

The first set was closely contested until Venezuela pulled ahead at point 14, taking a lead, they never gave up. The second set was a back-and-forth affair; at times it looked like Guatemala’s set, and then it shifted toward Venezuela. In the end, Guatemala closed it out to even the match 1-1.

The third set followed a similar pattern, but at point 21 Guatemala lost momentum, allowing Venezuela to take the set. In the fourth, the South Americans came out strong (4-0), but Guatemala steadily closed the gap, defending every ball as if it were the last. They erased a four-point deficit to win the set and force a fifth.

In the decisive final set, Venezuela maintained their dominance from the start and controlled the game to the end.

With this result, Venezuela tops Pool A with 3 wins and no losses. Guatemala finishes second with 2 wins and 1 loss, Costa Rica third with 1 win and 2 losses, and Suriname ends the group stage with 3 losses.

Venezuela’s head coach Yanni Capuzzi said, “It was a very tough match against the hosts, Guatemala. They have a great team. We were able to make some key adjustments to get the victory. It wasn’t easy at all, but the boys showed their grit in that fifth set, and we pulled through.”

Guatemala’s head coach Reider Lucas commented, “This is a very tough tournament. Now we have to recover from this loss and come out tomorrow ready to fight against Mexico. Nothing is lost yet; we can still make it to the top four. We need to work on our focus and be more efficient. The match we played wasn’t bad; we managed to take it to five sets. The last one got away from us early on. Venezuela won, and I congratulate them.”

Quarterfinal matches (local time)

5PM – United States vs Costa Rica

7PM – Guatemala vs Mexico

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 31, 2025.– The United States defeated Belize 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-13) to claim second place in Pool B of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 of the capital.

In the so-called “group of death,” the Dominican Republic finished first with 3 wins and 0 losses (earning a direct spot in the semifinals). The United States secured second place and awaits the third-place team from Pool A to face tomorrow in the quarterfinals. Mexico finished in third position and will meet the second-place team from the other group. Belize will play on Saturday for positions 5–8.

Belize put up a fight in the first set, pushing it to 26-24 before falling. The second and third sets were practically a monologue from the United States.

U.S. head coach Nicolette Sanlin stated, “We are moving in the right direction. We are sticking to our plan of improving every day, especially while dealing with some elements. I am very proud of the group for surviving and continuing to move forward.”

Belize head coach Albert Humes said, “The United States is a very strong and big team. My guys were really pumped up in the first set, but as the game went on, errors here and there caused their momentum to drop. The U.S. gained confidence with their serve, and our reception was the weak part of our performance, which cost us today’s match.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 31, 2025.–  Adrián Figueroa scored 36 points in Dominican Republic’s 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-12) victory over Mexico to advance to the semifinals of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup being held at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13.

Adrián Figueroa of Dominican Republic set a new single-match scoring record with 36 points (31 attacks, 4 blocks, 1 ace). The previous record was held by Peru’s Leonel Despaigne with 34 points, set last year against Guatemala. Ronny Molina added 14 points.

Dominican Republic had a promising start in their bid to secure first place in Pool B and qualify directly to the tournament semifinals, taking an early 2-to-3 point lead.

With great effort, Mexico managed to take control in the second set, pulling four points ahead of the Dominicans. The Mexicans’ weapon was their attack, capitalizing on Dominican Republic’s unforced errors.

Dominican Republic claimed the third set after trailing for most of it. Mexico dominated the fourth. In the fifth, the Caribbean squad recovered control to win the match.

Mexico outperformed Dominican Republic in attacks (62-60) and aces (7-4), while Dominican Republic led in blocks (12-8).

Mexico’s top scorers were Jared Toy with 21 points, Nahum Vásquez with 14, and Pablo Ruiz with 10.

José Alexander Gutiérrez, head coach of Dominican Republic: “For us this is a joy; it’s a group of young men who have been working together for two years, constantly trying to raise their level. Finishing first in this pool, which I believe was the toughest, is proof that we are on the right path and doing things well.”

Renato Junior, head coach of Mexico: “We came with the goal of winning 3-0, unfortunately we didn’t achieve it. We started off poorly and improved as the match went on. We made mistakes in reception and in setting plays; we have to give everything we can in the remainder of the tournament.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 30, 2025. – Guatemala defeated Costa Rica 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-20) on Wednesday, moving within one win of clinching a direct berth to the semifinals of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13.

Costa Rica started strong, dominating Guatemala in all aspects and building a six-point lead (19-13) to take the first set. In the second, Guatemala recovered, taking a four-point lead to tie the match. In the third and fourth sets, Guatemala controlled the game, though Costa Rica made several attempts to turn the tide.

Guatemala will face Venezuela at 8:00 p.m. on the final day of pool play in a match that will decide the top spot in Pool A. Costa Rica will take on Suriname at 6:00 p.m. to determine who advances to the quarterfinals.

In the Central American clash, Guatemala outperformed Costa Rica in attacks (61-47) and service aces (4-1), while Costa Rica held the advantage in blocking (12-7).

Four Guatemalan players scored in double digits, led by captain Jerry Duran with 19 points (17 kills, 1 block, 1 ace). Roberto Mendizábal added 16 points, José Pablo Pérez tallied 14, and José Luis Samayoa chipped in 12.

For Costa Rica, Ignacio Morales finished with 17 points and Dowshel Jekeal Mc Donald with 15.

Jerry Duran, captain of Guatemala: “We started playing Costa Rica’s game, but we were able to capitalize on their mistakes. In the second set, we began playing our own style and controlling the pace. We always managed to stay ahead on the scoreboard. Tomorrow, we play Venezuela, a tough opponent, but we know we can beat them.”

Jeremy Vanega, captain of Costa Rica: “It was a very important match for us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the result we wanted, but Guatemala made fewer mistakes, and that helped them. I hope we can keep advancing and reach the quarterfinals, but to do that we need to fix our errors.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 30, 2025. – Venezuela had no trouble dispatching Suriname 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-20) on the second day of pool play at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 of Guatemala City.

From the start, the Venezuelan side set the tone, building a comfortable lead to take the first set. In the second, Suriname put up more resistance and scored more points but still dropped the set. The third was dominated by Venezuela from beginning to end.

Venezuela led in attack points (58-25) and service aces (5-1), while Suriname held the edge in blocking (6-3).

Yoisbel Josué Galeno was the match’s top scorer and Venezuela’s leading man with 13 points, including 12 kills. Carlos Eduardo Beroes contributed another 10 points for  Venezuela.

For Suriname, Gianni Ritfeld and Meson Anakaba both finished with 10 points.

Carlos Bello, captain of Venezuela: “We have a very solid team; we are very united and have been playing together for quite some time. Like every team here, we are aiming for the gold medal or at least a spot on the podium.”

Faiq Lobo, captain of Suriname: “Playing this match was very important for us. The game was really good. There were a few mistakes here and there, but it was a great match. I’m proud of my team. We fought hard and made very few errors.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 29, 2015. – The United States secured its first win at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after defeating Mexico 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 25-27, 25-23) at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 of Guatemala City.

With this victory, both the United States and Mexico are tied with one win and one loss (1-1). On Thursday, they will define the final standings in Pool B, currently led by the Dominican Republic with two victories.

To determine pool positions, the United States will face Belize at 4 PM, while Mexico will have a tough match against the leaders, the Dominican Republic, at 2 PM.

The U.S. took a slight lead in the first set and held onto it to claim the set. In the second, the Americans established a comfortable advantage as Mexico started off unfocused, trailing 1-6 early on.

In the third set, Mexico rallied from a five-point deficit to tie the score at 23. In the fourth, the Mexicans again came back from a five-point deficit to take the lead, but it wasn’t enough as the U.S. recovered to win the set and the match.

The U.S. held the edge in attacks (52-50) and blocks (13-11), while Mexico led in service aces (5-4).

Marc Smith stood out for the U.S.  with 18 points, including 8 attacks, 8 blocks, and 2 aces. Also scoring in double digits were Theo Snoey with 14 and Cameron Thorne with 13 points, while Jalen Phillips added 11.

For Mexico, four players reached double figures: Leonardo Maldonado with 14 points, and Ariel Hernández, Isay Toy, and Lorenzo Martínez each with 11.

Marc Smith, United States: “We did well today. The guys felt good together. Mexico is a great team, and we lost the third set, but we came back in the fourth and took it to get the victory. I give a lot of credit to my pins who helped me block well; I just had to make sure to jump.”

Salvador “Chava” García, Mexico’s captain: “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match. We know the United States and that they are not an easy rival to beat. We did everything we could and left it all on the court. We have one more match ahead, we are strong, and we have worked hard. This isn’t over; it was just a stumble, but we are going to keep moving forward.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 29, 2025.- Guatemala started the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup with a straight-set win 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-19) over Suriname at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

Suriname came out strong, playing without hesitation or pressure against the home team, taking an early lead (6-2). Little by little, Guatemala caught up, and by point 15 the score was tied; the hosts eventually claimed the first set.

The second set was very close, with Guatemala maintaining a slim 2-point lead for most of the frame until the point 15, when the Central Americans pulled away to secure the set.

Guatemala dominated Suriname in attacks (43-28), blocks (11-7), and aces (5-2). It was a match with few unforced errors; Guatemala committed 20, while Suriname had only 16.

José Pablo Pérez led Guatemala with 17 points, including 13 kills, 3 blocks, and 1 ace. Luis Roberto Mendizábal added 10 points for the hosts. For Suriname, Gianni Ritfeld scored 12 points (9 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace) and Shemar Jameson finished with 10.

Reider Lucas, head coach of Guatemala: “Even though we didn’t play our usual game, it was very unstable with a lot of ups and downs. The goal was to win, even if we didn’t play well.”

“Not every day is a good day, I hope we have better matches in the tournament, but it’s also good to know that when things don’t go as planned, we can still pull off the win,” he added.

Carlos Orta, head coach of Suriname: “I think that regardless of the loss, my players did everything they could to win. We played against a team that just finished competing in the NORCECA Final Four, and they showed a level of play we haven’t reached yet.”

“I think it was a good match; my guys gave their best effort, but the better team won today, and in this case, it was Guatemala,” he concluded.

Wednesday July 30 schedule (Local Time):

2 PM – Dominican Republic vs Belize

4 PM – Mexico vs USA

6 PM – Suriname vs Venezuela

8 PM – Guatemala vs Costa Rica

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 29, 2025. – In the opening match of Pool A at the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, Venezuela bounced back from losing the first set to defeat Costa Rica 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-11) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

The first set was up for grabs until point 18, when Costa Rica pulled ahead and never lost momentum. In the second set, Venezuela trailed most of the way as Costa Rica led up to point 16, but the Central Americans lost their advantage and the South Americans capitalized on the loss of control to win the set and tie the match 1-1.

In the third set, the Venezuelans took control from the start, and in the fourth set, Costa Rica faded away, leaving too many open spaces for Venezuela to execute their attack.

Venezuela outperformed Costa Rica in attacks (53-30) and service aces (5-2). Both teams tied in blocks with 8 apiece.

Four Venezuelan players led their team’s offense: Carlos Luis Berrios topped with 16 points, followed by Nixon Gabriel Reyes with 13, Carlos Eduardo Beroes with 12, and Yoisbel Josue Galeno with 11. For Costa Rica, and the match’s top scorer, Dowshel Mc Donald scored 17 points.

Yanni Capuzzi, Venezuela’s head coach, said: “Thank God we started the U23 Pan American Cup on the right foot. The match was a bit complicated for us at the beginning, we missed a lot of serves, but later we made some adjustments in that area, as well as in distribution and how we would work with our setter, and we won. We’re moving forward.”

Cesar Salas, Costa Rica’s head coach, commented: “We had two sides, a very solid and good team in the first set. We did a great job in the second, but from there we became a totally different team. The opponent is very strong, a heavyweight rival, but I can’t justify the fact that we made too many reception errors and completely lost our attack.”

“This is part of what we came here to do – to build and correct. It’s part of the objective, and this match served that purpose,” Salas concluded.

GUATEMALA CITY, July 29, 2025. The so-called “group of death,” Pool B of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, saw the Dominican Republic bounce back from losing the first set to defeat the United States 3-1 (23-25, 26-24, 31-29, 25-16) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

It was a tight match throughout. In the opening set, Dominican Republic was more effective on offense, while the United States dominated at the net with better blocking. After a hard-fought battle, the U.S. managed to take the first set. The Dominicans leveled the score in the second set, forcing the match into at least four sets.

In a thrilling third set (31-29), Dominican Republic completed the comeback to go up 2-1. In the fourth, the Caribbean side built an early lead and held it to secure both the set and the match.

The Dominicans outscored the Americans in attacks (62-51), but the U.S. led in blocks (12-4) and aces (4-2). Both teams committed a high number of unforced errors, with Dominican Republic registering 27 and the United States 37.

Adrián José Figueroa was the main offensive weapon for Dominican Republic, scoring 25 points—all on attacks at the net. Albert Molina followed with 16 points, while Antonio de Jesús Albino finished with 15.

For the U.S., three players reached double digits. George Bruening led with 20 points, while Ryan Barnett and Cameron Thorne each added 15. Thorne was the top blocker of the match with five stuffs.

Dante Mañon, head coach of Dominican Republic: “We are completely satisfied. We had a very long trip last night and thought the team would react differently. These young guys are highly motivated; they bring a whole new vision. They came here to win. This tournament can definitely count on us.”

Nicolette Sanlin, head coach of the United States: “We weren’t clean, they were more consistent. They had a better transition game, and we’re still trying to find connections and get into a groove. We hope for more tomorrow. We expect to continue improving, finding our lineup and building relationships between the guys, figuring out the right combination for us and getting better with each consecutive match.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 29, 2025.- Mexico earned a hard-fought first win at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, defeating Belize 3-1 (29-31, 25-21, 25-21, 25-22) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

Belize started the match strong, dominating Mexico in the early points (10-8). It wasn’t until point 18 that the Mexicans managed to even the score in the first set. From there, the lead alternated until Belize pulled away by two points to take it 31-29.

The second set followed a similar pattern; except this time it was Mexico who held the lead throughout. The third set was no different, with Mexico staying a couple of points ahead and eventually turning the match around to lead two sets to one.

Mexico’s offense was dominant, outscoring Belize 67-45 in attacks and leading in blocks 7-2. Both teams scored 3 aces from the service line. Belize was unable to capitalize on the 45 unforced errors committed by Mexico during the match.

Leonardo Maldonado was the top scorer with 22 points, 21 of them from attacks. Jorge Ariel Hernández also scored in double digits for Mexico with 17 points, including 16 kills and 1 block.

For Belize, three players finished in double digits: Eleazar Mejía with 17 points (15 kills, 1 block, 1 ace); Hakan Godoy with 10 points (9 kills, 1 block); and Kaelen Ingram with 10 points (all from attacks).

Mexico’s head coach Renato Junior said, “We started very differently from what we talked about before the match, from what we had planned to do. The nerves affected my team, and we couldn’t do much. We have a lot more to improve, and we’re going to do better things during the tournament.”

Belize’s head coach Albert Humes commented, “I’m very proud of my boys. We had a good practice this morning and did even better today in the match against Mexico. Mexico is a very good team, but this shows that our team was ready to face them, is ready for the competition, and has come to make an impact.”

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 28, 2025.- The 2025 U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, to be held from July 29 to August 3 at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 of Guatemala City, marks the beginning of the qualification pathway for the third Junior Pan American Games in 2029.

For teams of the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), the U23 Pan American Cups, both men’s and women’s, held in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, will award ranking points valid for qualification to the 2029 Junior Pan American Games. The qualification process will close on December 31, 2028.

The South American Volleyball Confederation (CSV) will establish its own qualification system.

On the subject, coaches shared their thoughts:

Luis Fernando Castañeda, Guatemala’s assistant coach, said, “It’s a very tough tournament; this category is a prelude to the senior team. The level of every team participating is high, and we will try to do a good job and tournament as hosts.”

United States coach Nicolette Sanlin commented, “This is their first time in an international competition. They are very excited and eager, but ready to show the best of themselves.”

Albert Humes, Belize’s coach, expressed, “I’m very excited and happy to be here. This is not only a stepping stone for the development of the program, but attending this U23 tournament is a plus for our country. Our team is here to give their best and show mutual respect. If we do that, we will do well in this tournament.”

Jair Morales, Mexico’s assistant coach, pointed out, “There are several experienced teams; a Pan American Cup is always a very important event for us. Our team comes well-prepared and with high aspirations. Our squad will participate in the Junior Pan American Games, and we aim to achieve a good result here to boost our morale heading into Paraguay.”

Suriname’s coach Carlos Orta Fellove explained, “This tournament is very important for all countries, especially for us as we are developing our national teams. We have a very young team coming up from U19. Our main goal is to try to win the tournament, but we know it won’t be easy.”

Costa Rica’s coach Cesar Salas said, “We’re happy to be in Guatemala. We’ve brought a very young team, about half-and-half in experience. We want to give a new generation the opportunity to contribute to this category. That doesn’t mean we won’t try to win, but we also want to prepare for the next Central American Cup. We want to shape this group since this is their first international experience.”

Venezuela’s coach Yanni Antonio Capuzzi stated, “We have very high expectations. We believe we can do very well in the group stage and aim to reach the semifinals directly. It’s worth noting that our team is U21, the same one we will take to the U21 Pan American Cup in Canada as preparation for the Bolivarian Games in Peru later this year.”

The Dominican Republic team is arriving at midnight, so their interview will take place on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

LEÓN, Guanajuato, July 27, 2025.- Cuba staged a memorable comeback to defeat Canada 3-2 (18-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-18, 17-15) in their opening match of the Women’s U23 Pan American Cup held at the Domo de la Feria in León, Guanajuato.

Canada started strong, jumping to a 10-4 lead in the first set, supported by their blocking (4-2) and aces (4-1), with Raya Surinx and Lucy Borowski as their key players. Despite Cuba’s improvement in the second set, the Canadians managed to edge out a tight finish to go up 2-0.

Under pressure, Cuba responded in the third set, sealing it with an ace from Lisania Grafort that kept their hopes alive. In the fourth set, the Caribbean side took an early 7-1 lead, showing smart play and doubling Canada in attack points (16-8), led by Lisania Grafort, Lianet García and Claudia Tarín.

The fifth set was electrifying. Canada rallied from 6-9 to tie the score at 9 behind Borowski’s offense. A block from Surinx put the North Americans at match point 14-12, but Cuba answered with a kill from Grafort and a block by Yalain de la Peña to level the score. After exchanging points to 15-15, Yalian de la Peña closed with a powerful spike and Yensy Kindelán sealed the Cuban victory with a block.

Cuba led in attacks 61-59, while Canada held the edge in blocks (13-8) and aces (8-6). The difference came from unforced errors, where the Cubans gave up fewer points (27-34).

Four players from each team scored in double digits. Lisania Grafort led Cuba with 15 points, followed by Whitney James with 13, while Lianet García and Claudia Tarín each tallied 11; Yalain de la Peña added 10. For Canada, Raya Surinx topped all scorers with 19 points, Madyson Saris contributed 18, Lucy Borowski had 17 and Jessica Andrews 12.

In the next Pool B match, Cuba will face Nicaragua, while Canada will go up against hosts Mexico.

Cuban head coach Wilfredo Robinson said, “A victory that truly has a lot of flavor and character. The team knew how to come back and reorganize, even though we had many deficiencies. We must improve our blocking and reception. Canada gave us the opportunity for this great win.”

Matt Krueger, Head coach of Canada spoke “We started off aggressive, we were playing some good volleyball. Credits for Cuba, they turned it around in the third set, they made few switches that gave them that spark, and we couldn’t quite catch up”.