ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 22, 2024: With a display of consistency, team spirit and sticking to the fundamentals Grenada stitched together a solid performance to beat Antigua and Barbuda and most importantly take the bronze in the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
Grenada showed intent from the first whistle, winning the first two sets 25-23, 25-19, but Antigua and Barbuda rebounded to win the third set 25- 22.
However, the Grenadians ensured that there was no repeat of their match up in the preliminaries, when Antigua and Barbuda won the five-setter, by taking the third set, 25-19.
In the process, Grenada reversed the 3-2 defeat they suffered earlier in the championships.
It was Grenada’s fourth successive win, whilst Antigua and Barbuda suffered their third loss in succession.
Delighted that his team was able to finish on the podium- Head Coach of Grenada, Raphael Braithwaite said: “Credit must go to my team for coming back from two defeats and win four on the trot and we will be returning to Grenada with bronze and that is good for our Volleyball”.
Brathwaite said that the success can only spur other women to be part of Volleyball in Grenada.
Not deflated that his team faltered when it mattered most, Antigua and Barbuda’s Head Coach- Olsen Joseph, was still high in players for the efforts of his team.
“I think the girls put up a fight but they were a bit nervous, but Grenada wanted it more than we did, so they showed that they wanted it and they claimed it”, Joseph contended.
He thinks though that the youthfulness of the team, is an investment for the future of Antigua and Barbuda’s Volleyball.
“It is a young group of girls so I understand it is a challenge for them and experience for them as well, so they have two years to get it right and keep working on their game, and get themselves ready for pressure”, Joseph claimed.
Before the third place match, St Maarten had a 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-17) win over Anguilla.
Bermuda and St Lucia play next in the gold medal match.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 21, 2024: Bermuda and St Lucia will play in the gold medal match of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
Additionally, apart from being crowned champion, the gold medallist will get a chance to represent the ECVA at the Continental Championships in 2025.
Both Bermuda and St Lucia earned the right to get a crack at the title, as they finished the six – team preliminary round, with a 4:1 win/loss ratio.
On the other hand, the two enter the title match coming off different results in their last preliminary round matches.
Bermuda was beaten 3-0 (22-25, 23-25, 23-25) by Grenada, while St Lucia had to come from a set down to stave off Antigua and Barbuda, winning 3-1(17-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-17).
St Lucia ended the preliminary round winning 14 sets and lost 4, while Bermuda won 12 sets and 6.
Now, it is all to play for, and the two camps have expressed confidence going into the final.
Putting the loss to Grenada behind them, Bermuda’s Head Coach- Shalae Rae underscored that the final is what counts.
Noting that her team used the Grenada match strategically, Rae disclosed that it should serve them in good stead in the gold medal match.
“We found this to be a learning experience because we know who our best servers/ receivers are going to be, so what we have learned from this game is how we can use this opportunity to our strategic advantage in our gold medal match”, Rae explained.
St Lucia’s Head Coach – Kendell Charlery: We have a score to settle… We lost to Bermuda in the preliminary round, but we are better now, as we have tidied up some of our mistakes and I think we have a good show up, in defending our title”.
When the two teams met in the preliminary phase, Bermuda trumped 3-2.
Preceding the gold medal match, Anguilla and St Maarten play for fifth and sixth places, while Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda rumble for the bronze medal.
MESA, Arizona, October 21, 2024. – After Team Abercrombie and Team De La Cruz-Mejía closed Week Two with an exciting result, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the two squads fashioned another match to remember in Monday night’s Week Three finale.
Not only did the two teams deliver in the rematch, but they sent the fans at Arizona Athletic Grounds home with a match they won’t soon forget as Team Abercrombie thwarted a comeback bid by Team De La Cruz-Mejía to secure a 75-72 Golden Set win in Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action.
The memorable victory allowed Team Abercrombie to close Week Three with a perfect 3-0 record, while Team De La Cruz-Mejía dropped to 2-1.
Libero Morgan Hentz posted an AU Pro Volleyball season-high 22 digs to capture MVP 1 laurels and 318 leaderboard points, while outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara smashed 14 kills on a .385 hitting percentage with seven digs and a solo block in route to MVP 2 honors and 293 leaderboard points.
Captain Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía garnered MVP 3 plaudits with 19 kills, including eight kills in the third set to help force the Golden Set, while adding seven digs, a service ace and a block to collect 216 points.
Outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide pitched in eight kills and eight digs for Team Abercrombie, while setter Alisha Childress added 36 assists and 15 digs in the victory.
Outside hitter Claire Hoffman downed 10 kills, including nine in the third set, with 11 digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía and setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson guided the offense with 36 assists in the loss.
Four players finished with 11 digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía.
How It Happened: Team Abercrombie edged Team De La Cruz-Mejía, 25-21, in the opening set and needed a few extra points in the second frame to open up a 51-45 match advantage. Team De La Cruz-Mejía battled back in the third set, 25-19, to tie the match at 70-all and send the match to a Golden Set where Team Abercrombie secured the victory.
Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie remains in the top spot through three weeks with 2,914 points, while De La Cruz-Mejía stays in second with 2,709 points. Hentz jumped four spots in the Week Three finale and sits in third with 2,021 points to return to the captain’s seat in Week Four.
MESA, Arizona, October 21, 2024.- Team Member-Meneh built a commanding lead in the first two sets and withstood a third-set rally from Team Drews to secure a 76-59 victory in the opening match of Monday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Team Member-Meneh closes Week Three at 1-2 with the three-set sweep, while Team Drews ends the week winless in its three contests.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel put down 14 kills with 15 digs and a pair of solo blocks to claim MVP 1 honors and a season-high 399 leaderboard points, while setter Marlie Monserez pitched in 30 assists and a match-high 18 digs for MVP 2 plaudits and a season-best 392 leaderboard points.
Middle blocker Kayla Haneline smashed nine kills on a remarkable .643 hitting percentage and matched the AU Pro Volleyball single-match record with seven solo blocks to claim MVP 3 laurels and 353 leaderboard points. She also dropped in a service ace and recorded three block assists in the victory.
Opposite Willow Johnson struck at a .300 clip and added 13 kills with seven digs for Team Member-Meneh, which hit .267 as a team.
Captain Dani Drews downed 11 kills for her squad in the loss, while outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller chipped in 10 kills. Libero Mary Lake collected a season-high 17 digs to anchor the Team Drews defensive effort.
How It Happened: Team Member-Meneh opened up a 25-16 lead after the first set and increased the advantage to 50-35 through two frames. Team Drews kept things close in the final frame, but Team Member-Meneh claimed the third set, 26-24, to secure the victory and the win points sweep.
Leaderboard Impact: Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh slid into the third spot on the leaderboard with 1,996 points while Kingdon Rishel vaulted seven positions into fourth place with 1,895 points ahead of the Week Three finale between Team Abercrombie and Team De La Cruz-Mejía. Drews also maintained a top-10 position, standing seventh in the league standings with 1,730 points.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 21, 2024: Grenada and St Lucia, both were in winners’ row during the morning session, on day four of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
However, their wins were in contrasting styles, as Grenada was taken the distance by St Maarten, while St Lucia had a straightforward win over Anguilla.
For Grenada, it was second time lucky, as they came out on the better side of their five- setter duel with St Maarten, as they both battled to the end.
Grenada trumped 3-2(20-25, 25-17, 21-25, 25-16, 16-14), while St Lucia won 3-0 925-17, 25-13, 25-9).
Day four results placed the championships in a tough battle for the other spot, as St Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda will be seeking to join Bermuda in the title match.
St Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda, thus are in a must win scenario in Match fifteen, the final encounter in the preliminary round.
Preceding them will be Grenada and Bermuda, in the penultimate Match fourteen.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 21, 2024. – Luis “Luismi” Beltrán, player of the Gigantes de Carolina, was selected as the Most Valuable Player and Best Libero in Week #12 of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico.
In this week, the last of the tournament, Beltrán, a graduate of Purdue University Fort Wayne, accumulated 69 digs in 17 sets played, for an average of 4.06.
Additionally, he made 81 receptions with an average of 4.76. Luis Beltrán, MVP of the week, finished first with 264 digs in 75 sets, for an average of 3.52.
In reception, he was also number one, with an average of 4.97, and the best libero with 264 positive digs and 373 positive receptions, for an average of 8.49.
Luismi and the Gigantes de Carolina finished in fourth place in the Metro section with a record of 8-12 and 25 points, advancing to the quarterfinals to face the Caribes de San Sebastián, defending champions and leaders of the Island section.
MESA, Arizona, October 20, 2024. – Led by middle blocker Molly McCage, Team Abercrombie outlasted Team Member-Meneh to claim a 73-71 verdict in a back-and-forth contest in the finale of Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
With the result, Team Abercrombie moves to 2-0, while Team Member-Meneh sinks to 0-2 in Week Three.
McCage, the match’s MVP 1 selection, swung at a .400 clip and smashed eight kills in the victory while matching her career high with six solo rejections to secure a season-high 329 leaderboard points.
League newcomer Madi Kingdon Rishel tied her season high with 17 kills and added nine digs to claim MVP 2 plaudits and 217 points, while teammate Willow Johnson tallied a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs on her way to MVP 3 accolades and 155 leaderboard points.
Captain Brittany Abercrombie finished with 10 kills, seven digs, a service ace and a solo block to guide her team to the victory, while setter Alisha Childress dished out 35 assists. Libero Morgan Hentz chipped in a match-high 12 digs to pace the Team Abercrombie defense.
Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh put down nine kills with six digs and a pair of blocks in the setback, while setter Marlie Monserez registered a season-high 40 assists and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season.
How It Happened: The teams battled to a 48-all tie through two sets before Team Abercrombie rallied to secure the match win with a 25-23 verdict in the final set. McCage led the charge by tallying five kills and three solo blocks in the final frame. Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie owns the top spot for another day with 2,649 points, while teammate Morgan Hentz slides into the sixth spot. Member-Meneh is the only member of her squad in the top 10, holding fourth place with 1,756 points.
MESA, Arizona, October 20, 2024. – A trio of players finished with double-digit kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía fended off a third-set push from Team Drews for a 66-64 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball victory on Sunday afternoon at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Team De La Cruz-Mejía stays perfect in Week Three at 2-0, while Team Drews drops to 0-2.
Opposite, Khat Bell finished with a season-high 15 kills on a .351 hitting percentage with eight digs and a pair of solo blocks to garner MVP 1 honors and a season-high 361 leaderboard points.
Outside hitter Claire Hoffman struck at a .435 clip with a season-high 12 kills and eight digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía to claim MVP 2 honors and 309 leaderboard points, while middle blocker Tori Dixon put down five solo blocks with two block assists, four digs and a pair of kills to receive MVP 3 plaudits and 261 points.
Captain Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía finished with 13 kills and four digs in the victory, while setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson dished out 38 assists with eight digs. Libero Manami Kojima chipped in a match-high 14 digs in the victory for Team De La Cruz-Mejía.
Outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller led the way for Team Drews with 10 kills, while setter Sydney Hilley pitched in 30 assists in the setback. Libero Mary Lake paced the squad with 11 digs.
How It Happened: Team De La Cruz-Mejía opened up a seven-point advantage with a 25-18 triumph in the opening frame before upping the lead to 50-39 after two sets. Team Drews avoided being swept by picking up a 25-16 win in the final frame, but Team De La Cruz-Mejía held on for a 66-64 match victory.
Leaderboard Impact: De La Cruz-Mejía rose back into the top spot on the leaderboard but holds a slim 63-point edge over opposite Brittany Abercrombie pending Sunday’s nightcap between Team Member-Meneh and Team Abercrombie. Bell, meanwhile, surged six spots up the leaderboard into eighth place.
MESA, Arizona, October 18, 2024.- Team Abercrombie used strong performances from opposite Brittany Abercrombie, libero Morgan Hentz, setter Alisha Childress and outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara to move past Team Drews, 75-68, in the second match of Friday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Team Abercrombie moves to 1-0 after winning its Week Three opener, while Team Drews slides to 0-1.
Abercrombie dialed up a match-high 15 kills on a .324 hitting percentage with 14 digs to claim MVP 1 plaudits and 355 leaderboard points. Hentz, meanwhile, garnered MVP 2 honors following a 17-dig performance to receive 272 points.
Childress, who made her first start of the season, earned MVP 3 distinction and 274 leaderboard points after a season-best performance that saw her dish out 40 assists with 10 digs, three blocks and a pair of kills.
Thomas-Ailara posted her first double-digit kill effort of the season with 13 kills while contributing six digs and a pair of blocks in Team Abercrombie’s victory, while outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide put down seven kills with a pair of service aces, 10 digs and a solo block.
Middle blocker Molly McCage chipped in five solo blocks, four block assists and seven kills for Team Abercrombie.
Outside hitter Dani Drews paced her squad with 11 kills and seven digs in the loss, while libero Mary Lake registered a team-high 15 digs.
How It Happened: Team Abercrombie opened up a 25-21 lead in the opening frame and advanced the lead to 50-41 after the middle frame. Team Drews took the final set, 27-25, but could not overcome the deficit.
Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie remains in the top position on the leaderboard following the opening night of Week Three with 2,430 points, while Childress and Thomas-Ailara each jumped six places in the standings.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 20, 2024.- In an exciting Sunday action of the Superior Men’s Voleibol League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico, the Caribes de San Sebastián, Mets de Guaynabo, and Gigantes de Carolina wrapped up the regular season with convincing victories in their respective matchups, setting high expectations for the postseason series.
At the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco, the national champions Caribes de San Sebastián defeated the Cafeteros in four sets 25-19, 25-21, 18-25, and 25-15.
The combined offense of Pelegrín Vargas, Jalen Penrose, Pablo Guzmán, and Pedro Nieves with 19, 18, 12, and 10 points respectively, was more than enough to secure their 17th win of the season, finishing with an impressive 17-3 record and 51 points, solidifying their lead in the island region.
Carolina celebra
For the Cafeteros, who ended the regular season with a 12-8 record and 34 points, Mark Frazer and Jessie Colón stood out with 12 and 10 points respectively.
San Sebastián outperformed Yauco in all facets of the game: 55 to 35 in attacks, 8 to 7 in blocks, 6 to 4 in aces, 41 to 33 in digs, and 27 to 16 in assists.
The Mets de Guaynabo closed the regular season of the LVSM with a straight-set victory over the Changos de Naranjito. The set scores were 25-22, 31-29, and 25-23.
Jorge Mencía led the Mets’ offense with 18 points, followed by Gregory Torres with 14. For the Changos, Adrián Iglesias contributed 12 points, and Johansen Negrón added 8.
The match took place at the legendary Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito, where Guaynabo outperformed Naranjito in attacks (43 to 34), digs (27 to 20), and assists (28 to 16).
The Mets finished in first place in the metro section with a 15-5 record and 45 points, while the Changos ended in second place with a 12-8 record and 37 points.
Guaynabo celebra
Gigantes Get Revenge on Plataneros
At the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum, the Gigantes de Carolina defeated the Plataneros de Corozal in five sets, avenging their loss from Saturday.
The set scores were: 17-25, 19-25, 28-26, 25-23, and 15-9. Pedro Pastrana led the Gigantes’ victory with 23 points, while Luis Pabón contributed 17. For the Plataneros, Joseph Cuevas stood out with 13 points.
Thus, the Gigantes de Carolina concluded the regular season with an 8-12 record and 25 points in fourth place in the metro section, while the Plataneros de Corozal occupy third place with an 11-9 record and 31 points.
Both teams finished with 55 attacks each; Corozal outperformed Carolina in blocks (16 to 9) and aces (6 to 4), while Carolina was better in digs (69 to 58). In passing, Corozal was superior (63 to 56), and they also led in assists (29 to 14).
Expectations are high for the LVSM quarterfinals, where the top teams will battle to continue their way to the championship.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 20, 2024: Bermuda shut out the cacophony of noise and the shenanigans and focused on what was before them on the court, to beat Antigua and Barbuda 3-1(25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-16) in the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
In a clash of the two unbeaten teams, as this was reflected in the competitive nature of the first three sets, before Bermuda closed out the contest in the fourth.
Hence, Bermuda marched to their fourth straight win, and with a match in hand, has all but booked a place in the final.
Revealing that they were well prepared for what the Antiguans had to throw at them, Bermuda’s Head Coach- Shalae Rae, in an expression of accomplishment, said, “The mood is ecstatic…We know Antigua was the team to beat… We prepared for it and we are thrilled that we pulled it off”.
She shared that they were mentally prepared for the battle, given the home support for the Antiguans.
“We had a lot of team talk… We talked about strategies to overcome the crowd… There is going to be heckles. It is gonna be loud … It is gonna be annoying … We need to overcome that, bring your energy to overcome that”, Rae related.
Joining Rae in assessing the big effort by the Bermudans was team Captain- Kaylee Trott, who confirmed: “We didn’t think it will be easy by any means … We had to make a big effort to keep our energy up… Our bench really helped with that”.
On the other hand, reviewing his team’s first loss, Antigua and Barbuda’s Head Coach- Olsen Joseph summed up, “It was a little hard one … It was a lot of mistakes on our end, we need to work on improving that”.
Joseph disclosed that although they had strategized against the technically strong Bermuda team, they were not able to execute as planned.
“We tried to put the taller blockers on the main attackers but we were unable to get it stop”, the Antigua and Barbuda Head Coach conceded.
For Rosemarie Simon, the Antigua and Barbuda Captain: “I am a little disappointed that we lost the game … I have seen Bermuda play throughout the tournament and I know that they are a technically inclined team, so I knew it would have been a fight but I knew that our team could have played a little bit better”.
A confident Simon believes her team can and will rebound in their remaining matches.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 20, 2024: A rejuvenated Grenada team was in a no -nonsense mood when they faced off against Anguilla in match nine of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
Bent on making amends for their two previous defeats, Grenada was switched on from the first whistle, and at the close of the match, was celebrating their 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19) win.
Grenada’s attacks and defenses could not be matched by the Anguillans.
The win for Grenada was welcomed by their Coach- Raphael Brathwaite and Outside Hitter-Thornia Mitchell.
For Brathwaite, he owes the win to his team being well rested and putting behind the losses in their two previous matches.
“We had a very good game against Antigua and
As a team we had one motive so we came here with the motivation to win… We came to execute and we executed
Personally, for Mitchell, who was a standout in the match, joined in Brathwaite’s assessment of the team being well rested, hence their output against the Anguillans.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 20, 2024. Antigua and Barbuda extended their unbeaten run, but not without a bump on the way in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Tournament here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
Facing the ever- improving St Maarten team, the Antiguans had to dig deep at times to eke out the 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 25-14) win.
In the process, Antigua and Barbuda notched up their third successive win, joining Bermuda who also has three wins.
On the other side of the court, it was St Maarten’s third straight defeat, but had the consolation of winning their first set.
Antigua and Barbuda’s success thus far, was embraced by Head Coach Olsen Joseph, although cautioning that it was “one match at a time”.
In his assessment of the win, Joseph admitted: “This one was a bit challenging because one of my main players that I would have come in as a sub, got injured before coming to the court, so I had to mix and match”.
Joseph is riding the positives coming from the three wins, hoping that the momentum will take them to the title match.
Not disgraced by his team’s string of losses, St Maarten’s Head Coach- Dimitri Beauperthuy, lauded his charges for their continued improvements.
“I am extremely proud of the performance… This is what I expected from the team… I believe in the first and second sets, we missed the opportunity based on our service”.
Likewise in high spirit was St Maarten’s Captain- Chelsey Augustine, who said, “I am pleased how my teammates came out; I mean really came out, when they really needed to”.
Augustine strongly holds the view that the continued improvements in the championships shown by the team augurs well for the sport of Volleyball in St Maarten.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 21, 2024.- The final positions for the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico have been determined for the Quarterfinals, which begin on Wednesday, October 23. The Quarterfinals will feature the 8 teams that qualified from the Regular Series, divided into four exciting matchups.
Series A will consist of the team that finished first in the Metro Section and the team that finished fourth in the Island Section: METS DE GUAYNABO VS. INDIOS DE MAYAGÜEZ.
Series B will be composed of the team that finished second in the Metro Section and the one that finished third in the Island Section: CHANGOS DE NARANJITO VS. GIGANTES DE ADJUNTAS.
Series C will feature the team that finished first in the Island Section and the team that finished fourth in the Metro Section: CARIBES DE SAN SEBASTIÁN VS. GIGANTES DE CAROLINA.
Series D will consist of the team that finished second in the Island Section and the one that finished third in the Metro Section: CAFETEROS DE YAUCO VS. PLATANEROS DE COROZAL.
The Quarterfinal Series will be played in a best-of-five format, with the first team winning three games advancing. The teams in the 1st position in Series A and C, and the teams in the 2nd position in Series B and D, will have home-court advantage.
In this phase, the points system will not be used, instead, it will be based on wins and losses.
Quarterfinals Schedule:
Wednesday, October 23:
Mayagüez at Guaynabo (8 pm)
Adjuntas at Naranjito (8 pm)
Thursday, October 24:
Corozal at Yauco (8 pm)
Friday, October 25:
Guaynabo at Mayagüez (8 pm)
Carolina at San Sebastián (8 pm)
Naranjito at Adjuntas (8 pm)
Saturday, October 26:
Yauco at Corozal (8 pm) at the “Gelito” Ortega Coliseum
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 19, 2024: Bermuda again showed why they have emerged as one of the favourites to go all the way in the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Tournament here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
A straightforward 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25 -21) over Anguilla left Bermuda perfect from three matches, and in pole position for one of the two top places at the end of the preliminaries.
On the other hand, Anguilla, after three matches, has a solitary win, but has conceded twice.
Smarting after their hard- fought win over St Lucia in their previous match, the Bermudans were all round better than their opponents, showing prowess and poise especially whenever Anguilla sought to take the upper hand.
The overall effort of the Bermuda team, pleased their Head Coach- Shalae Rae.
“We keep positioning ourselves well… We came here wanting to win and that hasn’t changed and having a three- nil record can only help us going into the final games”, Rae stated.
Despite the win, Bermuda’s Captain- Kaylee Trott said there were some anxious moments.
“We were not playing our true game at the beginning… It took a little while to find our footing and when we found it, we were in a grove and we are hoping to start the next game right off the bat, playing our game”, Trott related.
Coach of Anguilla- Jason Liburd, thumbed, “passing” and “setting”, for his team’s demise.
“We had issues passing… The setting was (also) really the problem why we couldn’t really get over the hump, but not being able to fix the passing in the situation, was our downfall”, Liburd bemoaned.
A dejected Anguilla’s Captain Rikiesha Leveret, acknowledged that losing the match, left her “down”.
This as she felt, “I feel we could have played a better game… We just needed the passes and that’s a crucial part of the game… To get the passes up to get the play going; if there are no passes, there is no play”.
Despite the disconsolateness, Leveret still has faith in her players, to rebound in the remaining matches.
Match eight pits Antigua and Barbuda against St Maarten.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 19, 2024: In a thrilling match, Antigua and Barbuda triumphed in five sets, 3-2 (18-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10), in the sixth encounter of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Tournament, held at the YMCA Sports Complex.
On several occasions, both teams tied and exchanged leads, alternating set wins, but it was Antigua and Barbuda who prevailed over Grenada in this exciting five-set match.
Antigua and Barbuda was indebted to the crowd support that rallied around them when the chips were down, as Grenada clawed back ever so often in the contest.
However, the two teams were guilty of incurring errors at critical points of the match, giving advantage to each other.
Antigua and Barbuda thus, after two matches is unbeaten, while Grenada remained winless, also after the same number of outings.
Following the nerve wracking, energy sapping match, Olsen Joseph, the triumphant coach on the night, said that nerves on the part of the younger players, allowed Grenada back in the match.
“The younger players that we have, the nerves got the better of them as they tried not to make any mistakes and that caused them to make mistakes”, Joseph opined.
Meanwhile, Rosemarie Simon, Captain and Libero of the Antigua and Barbuda team commented, “We did not expect to play five sets, but the mode of the game changed… I think we weren’t settled enough, then we (eventually) found our footing, and tried to work together as a team”.
Simon said that they will be drawing on the match as a fillip to condition themselves to go to five sets, so “we can know what the strengths and weaknesses are, with the combinations we have”.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 19, 2024: In a match that had all the elements of a true duel, Bermuda came from set down to register an epic win over pre – championship favourites St Lucia.
When the last ball dropped, it was Bermuda that had improved their status with a 3-2 (15-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 15-9) win in the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Championships here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
The win put the Bermudians to a 2: 0 win/ loss ratio in the six- team championships, whilst St Lucia goes 1:1.
The humdinger of a contest, saw both teams not giving much, neither asked for any benevolences, fighting tooth and nail, to gain ascendancy and supremacy.
Bermuda’s Head Coach- Shalae Rae, who was smiling from ear to ear, in a post- match remarked: “Nothing like a win that you really had to work for …We came in pretty blind, but watched the warm up and adjusted the game as we went along”.
Rae added, “We had a team that was really, really tired… St Lucia was giving us a run for our money, they had big blocks, strong attacks and we had to adjust and when they scored points they earned those points, so it was our job to clean up our mistakes, clean up our serves and we also had to make some strategic adjustments”.
Rae thought that the timely insertion of 15- year-old Olivia Gazzard, a setter, was one of the turning points of the match to their advantage.
Delighted with the historic win, Bermuda’s Captain- Kaylee Trott said of team mates, “They held their ground and were able to get back up out of our rot fast after that first set and am really proud of them …We plan to keep the same momentum for the rest of the championships”.
Contrarily, the countenance of St Lucia Head Coach- Kendell Charlery was glum.
A disappointed Charlery apportioned blame on the defeat to “a procession of errors” on his team’s part.
“Defensive errors cost us many points at crucial times in the game…The game exposed many areas that we need to tighten up on moving forward in the competition”.
Whilst congratulating Bermuda on a “job well done”, St Lucia’s Captain- Cindy Wilson “We played our game very slowly… At times we became very complacent but we look forward to doing a better job in our upcoming games”.
The championships continue with Grenada facing Antigua and Barbuda.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 18, 2024: Antigua and Barbuda recorded a workmanlike 3-0 (25-8, 28-26, 25-18) to get the home crowd going, in match two of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Tournament, here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
After winning the first set with some ease, Antigua and Barbuda met a roadblock in the second set, as the Anguillans displayed character and intent.
However, the Antiguans recalibrated in the third set to hold on to win and set themselves in good stead for the remainder of the tournament.
Buoyed by the win, it was a happy Head Coach of Antigua and Barbuda- Olsen Joseph.
“It was a nice little experience for the first game, we have some little things that we have to work out but all in all it was okay”, Joseph stated.
Joseph however disclosed that the issue of communication on the court among players will be addressed, as according to him, “We need to be more focused on what we are doing”.
Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda’s Captain- Rosemarie Simon proffered: “I am excited, because over the years, Anguilla has been a team that fights to the end and we expected, however, with our rounded team, we had service going for us and we were working together”.
“In the second set, we got a little bit flustered, committing little errors, but we came out in the third set adamant that we were going to execute and that was exactly what we did”, Simon added.
In his commiseration, Head Coach of Anguilla, Jason Liburd believed that had the nervy second set gone their way the outcome could have been different.
“The first set was like a warm up; the second I think we should have won and the third set was not out of hand… It was a disappointing end to the match, but I think we would learn from here”, Liburd assessed
Reflecting on her team’s overall performance, Anguilla’s Captain – Rikiesha Leveret, commented, “After we lost the first set, our coach was on the side encouraging us …So for the second set we were prepared, as we saw who were serving, who were attacking and we were able to talk about it on the sideline and become better”,
Both Liburd and Leveret assured that they possess the attributes to play better and get positive results in their ensuing matches.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 18, 2024: St Lucia completed an uncomplicated 3-0(25-20, 25-9, 25-10) dismantling of Grenada, in match one of the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s Tournament, here at the YMCA Sports Complex.
St Lucia though had to fight hard to ward off a busy Grenada team in the first set, but found their groove thereafter, whilst Grenada’s energy dropped appreciably.
As such, St Lucia made the full use of the court attacking the Grenadians from different areas, forcing them into errors.
Commenting on his team’s win, St Lucia’s Head Coach- Kendell Charlery assessed:” We were a little bit cold but all in all in the end, we showed our muscle and at the same time, maintained our composure”.
Despite winning the contest with some ease in the end, Charlery thought a “better start” was needed by his players.
Joining Charley in the assessment of the opening match, St Lucia’s captain Cindy Wilson, whilst commending the overall performance of the team, noted, “It feels good; we came prepared, we stuck to our game plan, and gained the victory”.
The sentiments from the Grenada camp were understandably different.
Conceding that his team did not play their best Volleyball on the night, Head Coach of the Grenada outfit- Raphael Brathwaite related, “There is not much to be said because of the standard at which these girls could play, it is hard to find some positive…Not that we are making excuse, but it was a case of tiredness… Having said that, I expect a better showing in the next match, because we are a better team than what was put out here tonight”.
Similarly, Grenada’s Captain- Ezia Paul concurred, “The thing about the ladies, is when we are up there, we are up there but once we go down it is hard to bring back the team”.
Paul promised to lead from the front and endeavour to motivate her team mates in the remaining matches.
Match two pits Antigua and Barbuda versus Anguilla.
MESA, Arizona, October 18, 2024. – The duo of outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía and opposite Khat Bell combined for 29 kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía downed Team Member-Meneh, 72-64, to start Week Three of Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action on Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Team De La Cruz-Mejía begins the week at 1-0, while Team Member-Meneh falls to 0-1.
De La Cruz-Mejía amassed a match-high 17 kills with a service ace and eight digs to claim MVP 1 honors and 356 leaderboard points, while libero Manami Kojima added 20 digs for MVP 2 plaudits and 300 points.
Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh set a season high with 16 kills and chipped in 10 digs to earn MVP accolades and 183 leaderboard points in the defeat.
Bell tallied 12 kills with seven digs and a pair of solo blocks for Team De La Cruz-Mejía, while setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson finished with 35 assists and 16 digs in the victory.
Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel recorded nine kills and nine digs in the loss for Team Member-Meneh and setter Marlie Monserez added 30 assists with a team-high 15 digs.
How It Happened: Team De La Cruz-Mejía took the opening set by a 25-18 count before Team Member-Meneh trimmed the match deficit to 47-43 with a 25-22 score in the second frame. Team De la Cruz-Mejía secured the match victory with a 25-21 triumph in the final set.
Leaderboard Impact: De La Cruz-Mejía returns to the top spot on the leaderboard with 2,277 points, while Kojima and Valentin-Anderson each moved up one spot into fourth and fifth places with 1,611 points and 1,522 points, respectively.
MANAMI KOJIMA
Notes of Interest
Member-Meneh and De La Cruz-Mejía faced each other as opposing captains for the first time in their Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball careers.
Member-Meneh, the 25th player in AU Pro Volleyball history to serve as a team captain, made her debut as a team leader on Friday night.
De La Cruz-Mejía moved her AU Pro Volleyball career captain’s record to 25-12 … She is the second player in all Athletes Unlimited sports to reach 25 victories as a team leader … Attacker Sam Apuzzo, the 2024 AU Pro Lacrosse champion, is the all-time leader with 27 wins as a captain.
Teams wearing the Orange jersey have won five straight matches after Team Abercrombie went 3-0 in Week two, while teams donning the Blue top have now lost their last six contests.
Outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine suffered the first loss of her Athletes Unlimited career after opening the season at 6-0 … Opposite Brittany Abercrombie is the only remaining player in the league with a perfect match record this season.
Monserez lost her sixth straight contest after being on the winning side in the league’s first match day of the season.
Valentin-Anderson posted her seventh double-double of the season, which tops the league … It marked her 26th career AU Pro Volleyball double-double, extending her all-time lead.
Member-Meneh surpassed 15 kills for the first time in her AU Pro Volleyball career with her season-high 16 kills … She also posted her second double-double of the season.
Bell finished with double-digit kills for the fifth time this season, including the fourth outing in a row.
Kojima is the second player to record 20 or more digs in a single match this season, joining Morgan Hentz (October 11 vs. Team Caffey) … She is the ninth player in league history to achieve the mark.
Libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto secured her 42nd match with 10 or more digs to increase her existing league record.
De La Cruz-Mejía became the first player in the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball season to reach 100 kills … She is the league’s all-time leader in the category with 694 kills.
De La Cruz-Mejía surpassed 15 kills for a league-record 23rd time in her AU Pro Volleyball career, including her fourth instance this season.
Monserez piloted her second double-double performance of the season … She also finished with 15 or more digs for the first time this season.
De La Cruz-Mejía claimed her 33rd career Match MVP award, including the 17th MVP 1 certificate … Both marks stand as league records.
Kojima earned the first Match MVP honor of her AU Pro Volleyball career … She is the 69th different player in league history to receive a Match MVP award.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Adolfo Rivas of Guatemala was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Central American Championship, held from October 11 to 17 at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Adolfo Rivas, from the undefeated champion Guatemala, received the MVP award at the conclusion of the event. Rivas was also recognized as the tournament’s Best Setter. Additionally, from Guatemala, Yeferson Zavala received the award for Second Best Spiker, and Josué González was named Best Digger.
Christian Flores of silver medalist Panama was honored as Best Server.
Eleazar Mejía of Belize was named Best Spiker, and his teammate Kaelen Ingram earned the recognitions of Best Opposite and Best Scorer (144 points). Belize won the bronze medal.
Fernando Navarro of El Salvador took home two awards: Best Libero and Best Receiver.
Jeremy Vanegas of Costa Rica was recognized as the Best Blocker, and Edwin Humphreys as the Second Best Blocker.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Panama won the silver medal at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship after defeating Costa Rica 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-16), while Belize claimed the bronze.
This is Panama’s fourth silver medal out of a total of 10 medals, which also include 2 gold medals and 4 bronze. Panama finished the tournament with a 5-1 record and 21 points.
Belize won the bronze medal, their first medal in the history of the event, with a 4-2 record and 19 points.
Victor Perez PAN
Panama bounced back after losing the first set, finishing the match with advantage in attacks (53-33) and serves (8-6). Costa Rica outperformed Panama in blocking (14-8). Panama committed 29 errors, while Costa Rica had 28.
Three players led Panama in the win, with Víctor Pérez scoring 20 points, David De León adding 15, and Víctor Araúz contributing 11.
For Costa Rica, Denzel Jiménez was the top scorer with 13 points.
Despite Panama rallying from a four-point deficit (16-20) in the first set to tie at 22 points, Costa Rica dominated with Sheydrian Wilson blocking to secure the lead. In the second set, Panama gained a three-point advantage (20-17) and took control with a block from Christian Flores and a serve from David Della, leveling the match. Panama started strong in the third set (6-0) with blocks from Víctor Araúz and effective serves from Christian Flores, maintaining their lead throughout. With Pérez, supported by David De León, Panama sealed the match in the fourth set to win the silver.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Guatemala defeated Nicaragua 3-2 (24-26, 25-14, 25-19, 26-28, 15-11) in their final match of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship to celebrate their ninth title in the history of the event.
Guatemala had already secured the championship after their victory over Panama one day before. The champions finished the tournament with a 6-0 record and 26 points. Nicaragua finished 2-4 with 14 points.
The champions led in attacks (58-55) and aces (6-3) and benefited from 36 points from Nicaraguan errors compared to their 24. Nicaragua led in blocks (16-15).
Jerry Duran GUA
Guatemala’s captain, Yeferson Zavala, was the top scorer of the match with 23 points (18 attacks, 4 blocks, one ace). Opposite hitter Jerry Durán and middle blocker Christian Alvarez contributed 18 and 11 points, respectively.
Nicaragua’s middle blocker Edwin Humphreys scored 23 points, including a match-high of 7 blocks. Outside hitters Kenneth Martínez and Evans Solís recorded 17 and 14 points, respectively.
After losing the first set, Guatemala dominated the second, mostly due to their blocking (4-0) and the 24 points that Nicaragua gave away on errors. Guatemala won the third set, coming back from a seven-point deficit (4-11) with efforts from Yeferson Zavala and Christian Alvarez. Guatemala reached match point in the fourth set (24-22), but Nicaragua tied the score with an error and a kill from Kenneth Martínez, winning it 28-26 with an advantage in attacks and blocks. In the tie-break, from point five onwards, Guatemala stayed ahead, losing a match point on a kill from Edwin Humphreys. Guatemala earned the victory with a kill from Daniel Delgado.
Edwin Humphreys NCA
Jerry Durán, opposite hitter of Guatemala: “We feel happy to have won the championship undefeated. However, we are left with a bitter taste from the results of the last two matches because we couldn’t play our usual game, and it wasn’t our best performance. Still, we managed to face the challenge and get the win”.
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “Since we started our preparation, this was our goal. We came with a team that wasn’t very experienced and without a strong bench, but we believed the boys could handle the responsibility. We divided the competition into two phases. In the first phase before the day off we played very well, winning the first three matches in three sets. After the day off, the second phase included the match against Costa Rica, which was easy and without much pressure. In the last two matches, Panama played very well and had a chance to win, but we closed the game, which was very satisfying for us. We’re happy; we accomplished our goal and defended the title”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Belize defeated El Salvador 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-18) to secure a medal at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship in the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the win, Belize secured a medal, finishing 4-2 with 19 points and now awaits the completion of the day’s matches to determine their final position in the tournament. El Salvador finished with a 1-5 record and 10 points.
Eleazar Mejia BIZ
Belize held an advantage of 50-39 in attacks and 15-4 in blocks. El Salvador performed better in serves, 8-4, and committed fewer errors, 27-30.
Belize’s opposite hitter Kaelen Ingram led all scorers with 24 points (22 attacks, 2 blocks), followed by team captain Eleazar Mejía with 20 points (16 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace).
El Salvador’s captain, Abner Cano, led his team with 14 points (10 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces).
Yamill Herrera, Coach of Belize: “From the beginning, I said it would be a tight competition due to the level of most teams. It was a tough tournament. We won four matches, falling short in key games, but the goal was to win a medal”.
Eleazar Mejía, Captain of Belize: “With the result we are possibly winning the bronze medal, maybe the silver medal depending on the result of Panama”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- Guatemala is the undefeated champion of the 20th AFECAVOL Men’s Central American U21 Championship with one day remaining in the event, after defeating Panama 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10) at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Regardless of the result of their match against Nicaragua on the last day of the event, Guatemala has already claimed the title with a 5-0 record and 23 points.
This is Guatemala’s second consecutive title, and their ninth overall. Panama holds a 1-4 record and 17 points.
On the final day of competition, Guatemala (5-0) will face Nicaragua (2-3) at 4:30 pm, and Panama (1-4) will play Costa Rica (3-2) at 7:00 pm.
Yeferson Zabala GUA
This was Panama’s third consecutive five-set match, having previously defeated Belize and Nicaragua in five sets.
Guatemala held the advantage in attacks (64-61) and blocks (10-9), while Panama dominated in serves (8-2). Guatemala committed 27 errors, while Panama had 31.
In Guatemala’s victory, Yeferson Zavala scored 20 points (19 attacks, one block), Roberto Recinos tallied 19 points, all from attacks, and Jerry Durán added 15 points (10 attacks, a match-high of 5 blocks).
Víctor Pérez led Panama with 21 points (20 attacks, one ace), followed by David De León with 20 (19 attacks, one block), Víctor Aráuz with 13 (10 attacks, 3 blocks), and Kendrieck Newby with 12 (9 attacks, 2 blocks, one ace).
Yeferson Zavala, along with Roberto Recinos, kept Guatemala ahead in the first set from point 12 onwards. Guatemala rallied in the second set (15-19) to tie at 23 points but conceded their first set of the tournament after an attack from Panama’s David De León. Panama took a five-point lead in the third set (17-12) with David Della and Víctor Serra joining the offense alongside De León, putting them ahead 2-1. Guatemala forced the tie-break by maintaining control from point five of the fourth set. After a tie at seven points in the fifth set, Guatemala stayed ahead to celebrate the victory.
Victor Perez PAN
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “We are very happy to win a back-to-back championship for Guatemala. The tournament isn’t over yet, but we are already champions. Today’s win was hard-fought and difficult because Panama is a high-level team. We knew that the team that won today would remain undefeated. We managed to get the result”.
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “It was a very interesting match. We knew the top spot was on the line. I congratulate Panama for playing very well and working hard. We reached the end with both teams having many chances. Perhaps what helped us was our determination and a bit more experience. We are aware that we didn’t play a great match, but sometimes, even without playing well, you need to know how to win, and we managed to do sotoday”.
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “Today we demonstrated that our work was focused. Guatemala is a team with a lot of international experience, well-organized, and Coach Reider has done a great job. We pushed them to the limit. We showed we could make Guatemala struggle, but they proved their capability with a more established game structure and displayed their quality. I’m very happy with my team’s effort; it’s their first time together. We have worked to reach the podium, and tomorrow, against Costa Rica, we will reinforce what we’ve been aiming for”.
October 16, 2024.- The American Athletes Unlimited women’s volleyball 2024 season enters week three. This is the fourth season and it’s being held in Mesa, Arizona over the course of five weeks.
In partnership with USA Volleyball, Athletes Unlimited launched its professional women’s indoor volleyball league in the U.S. in 2021.
With international stars and American national team players on the court, a unique competition system and every match available for international subscribers on VBTV.
The teams are set for the third week of the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season, which gets underway on Friday, October 18, at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Opposite Brittany Abercrombie, who paced the league with 1,013 leaderboard points in Week Two, climbed into the top spot in the league standings and will guide the Gold team into the middle week of the campaign. The former USC standout paces the league with 94 kills through two weeks and has earned Match MVP distinction in all six matches, including a league-best four MVP 1 certificates.
Brittany Abercrombie
Outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía earned her league-record 13th stint as a team captain after closing Week Two in second place with 1,933 leaderboard points. De La Cruz-Mejía, the 2022 AU Pro Volleyball champion, will lead the Orange squad into Week Three after piloting her teams to a 5-1 record in the first two weeks.
Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh, who has been on De La Cruz-Mejía’s side in the season’s first two weeks, will now be on the opposite side of the court after earning her first career stint as a team captain. The AU newcomer is tied for fifth in the circuit with 59 kills and owns a 5-1 match record through two weeks.
Outside hitter Dani Drews returns to the captain’s chair for the first time since 2022 after vaulting into fourth place on the leaderboard after Team Abercrombie’s 71-54 victory over Team De La Cruz-Mejía in Monday night’s Week Two finale. Drews, who has accumulated 1,383 leaderboard points, was a three-time captain in 2022 and will serve as the Purple team leader in Week Three.
Week Three begins with Team Member-Meneh vs. Team De La Cruz-Mejía on Friday, October 18, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT followed by Team Abercrombie vs. Team Drews on Bally Sports and Volleyball TV.
The Athletes Unlimited volleyball league has a unique format, unlike any other tournament, as players earn points individually for every action they make on the court and accumulate them over the five weeks of the season. At the end of the fifth week, the one with the most points will be crowned as the champion.
The league has a 44-player roster, which is used to form four different teams every week – four players are designated as captains each week and get to draft their teammates a few days before the start of the matches of that week.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- Costa Rica overcame Nicaragua 3-2 (16-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17, 15-6) on the penultimate day of the 20th AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Costa Rica improved their record to 3-2, while Nicaragua fell to 2-3.
This was Costa Rica’s third five-set match. Nicaragua also lost in five sets last night against Panama.
Ignacio Morales CRC
Nicaragua’s final opponent is the reigning champion Guatemala, with their match set for Thursday at 4:30 pm. The tournament’s 20th edition will conclude with Costa Rica facing Panama at 7:00 pm.
Costa Rica’s significant advantage in blocking (17-8) was crucial to their victory, and they also outperformed Nicaragua in serves (6-1). Nicaragua held advantage in attacks (59-54) and made fewer errors (23-26).
Four players led Costa Rica’s offense, scoring double digits: Denzel Jiménez (18), Johan Cerdas (16), Ignacio Morales (16), and Jeremy Vanega (11), the latter recording a match-high of 6 blocking points.
Nicaragua’s Edwin Humphreys was the game’s top scorer with 22 points, while Evans Solís contributed 13 points.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Costa Rica forcing a fifth set after taking control of the fourth set with 4 blocks and 3 aces, while Nicaragua had none in both skills. Costa Rica dominated the tie-break, capitalizing on 6 Nicaraguan errors and attacks from Johan Cerdas and Ignacio Morales.
Edwin Humphreys NCA
Gabriel Ventura, captain of Costa Rica: “I feel like we gave away the first set too easily, but in the second, with some changes, we found ourselves as a team. It helped that we finished very strong in the fourth and fifth sets. I had to leave the game because my knee started hurting during a play, but my teammate who replaced me did an amazing job”.
Félix Palacios, captain of Nicaragua: “It was a tight game. We started off strong, but in the end, the team’s energy dropped. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result, but we gave it our all on the court. Tomorrow, we face Guatemala, and we hope to beat them”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- El Salvador captured their first win in the 20th AFECAVOL Central American Men’s U21 Championship by defeating Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-14) at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the victory, El Salvador improved their record to 1-4 and will face Belize (3-2) on the final day of competition at 2:00 pm. Honduras finished the tournament with a 6-0 record.
El Salvador celebra
In just over an hour (1:08) El Salvador outscored Honduras in attacks 28-26 and in serves 9-1. Both teams scored 4 blocking points. El Salvador capitalized on 34 points from Honduran errors, while committing 14.
In El Salvador’s victory, Ricardo Alegría, Abner Cano, and Julio Jiménez contributed 9, 8, and 7 points, respectively.
Outside hitter Fernando Herrera led all scorers with 12 points, all from kills, followed by team captain Jonathan Meza with 11 points.
Abner Cano, captain of El Salvador: “We haven’t performed well in this tournament. Today, we managed to win against Honduras, which is a good team. We won 3-0, and we’re happy. Tomorrow we’ll finish the tournament facing Belize, and we’ll try to win so we don’t leave with only one victory”.
Jonathan Meza, captain of Honduras: “Unfortunately, we couldn’t win. We didn’t accomplish our goals. From the beginning of the tournament, we had some issues with certain players, and our plan didn’t work. This is the result of each player not fulfilling their responsibilities”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Panama remains undefeated with a dramatic 3-2 (25-16, 21-25, 25-27, 25-20, 19-17) victory over Nicaragua in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Panama holds an undefeated 4-0 record with 15 points and will face defending champion Guatemala, also unbeaten but with 20 points, on Wednesday at 8:00 pm.
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, both with a 2-2 record and 10 points, will play on Wednesday at 5:30 pm.
Victor Arauz PAN
Panama led in attacks (69-64), blocks (13-11), and serves (6-1), but gave away more points from errors (29-27).
Panama had five players scoring in double digits, led by Víctor Pérez (22), followed by Víctor Araúz (19), David De León (16), David Della (15), and Kendrieck Newby (11).
Nicaraguan Evans Solís led all scorers with 23 points. Edwin Humphreys added 22 points.
After Nicaragua lost the first set by a significant margin, the dynamic of the match changed dramatically. Both teams battled, exchanging leads. The intense fifth set went to Panama with two attacks from Víctor Pérez, after the team had lost three match points.
David de Leon PAN
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “We take it game by game, knowing that no team is easy. The whole team came to do their job. Nicaragua improved a lot in the second set, using their attack against our block. Their defense is very good, which complicated our high ball attacks in zone four. Nicaragua did an excellent job. We made a series of adjustments, and we managed to secure the victory”.
Jorge Luis Mena, Coach of Nicaragua: “It was a good match. I’ve always said that details define the game; when it’s time to attack, you have to attack; when it’s time to play the ball, you have to play it. In the fourth set, we were ahead and couldn’t regain control of the game. The fifth set is pure luck; the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins, and we had two players who couldn’t handle the ball in zone four, which is where matches are decided. We’ll keep moving forward.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Belize edged Honduras 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-20) to improve their record to 3-2 in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship that’s being held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Belize holds a record of three wins and two losses, with 15 points. Honduras remains winless with a 0-5 record.
On Wednesday, October 16, Honduras (0-5) will play their final match of the tournament against El Salvador (0-4) at 3:00 pm. Belize (3-2) has a day off.
Belize
Despite giving up more points from errors (26-16), Belize controlled the game in attacks (39-24), blocks (11-2), and serves (8-6).
Three Belizean players scored in double digits: Kaelen Ingram (17), Eleazar Mejia (16), and Preston Smith (10).
Fernando Herrera, with 9 points, was Honduras’ top scorer.
From the point 9 in the first set, Belize never trailed. Their blocking was key in fully controlling the second set. The third set was the most competitive, reaching a 13-point tie, but Mejia’s offense, along with Smith and Ingram led Belize to victory.
Brayden Richardson BIZ
Yamill Herrera, Coach of Belize: “In this tournament, every game is like a final. They (Honduras) haven’t had a victory, but they show up on the court and play. We didn’t start well, but we knew how to come back. The attack was strong. Our reception didn’t work, but we managed to face the match and resolve it in three sets, which was essential to earn five points and stay in contention for a medal. We have one match left, and we hope to come out on top to finish 4-2 and go for a medal”.
Carlos Funez, Coach of Honduras: “The team showed very little attitude, little desire to win. Given the results we’ve had in previous matches, it’s hard to lift morale. There was little drive to want to win. Although it’s true that Belize is a strong team, it wasn’t impossible. We played far from what we had planned. We missed serves that were crucial since we complicated their reception, especially with player #2. We have one match left, and hopefully, things will be different tomorrow”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Guatemala swept Costa Rica 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 to remain unbeaten in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Tuesday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After five days of competition, defending champion Guatemala remains unbeaten with a perfect 4-0 record and 20 points, without dropping a set. Costa Rica holds a 2-2 record with 10 points.
Costa Rica will face Nicaragua on Wednesday at 5:30 pm, while Guatemala will play Panama at 8:00 pm.
Yeferson Zabala GUA
Guatemala was dominant and had no complications in controlling Costa Rica with advantages of 45-20 in attacks, 7-5 in blocks, and 3-1 in serves. Guatemala scored 20 points from Costa Rica’s errors, against 20.
Guatemala’s opposite hitter Jerry Durán scored 16 points (13 attacks, 3 blocks), as the top scorer of the match. Outside hitter Yeferson Zavala added 12 points, all on attacks. Roberto Recinos finished with 10 points.
Denzel Jiménez and Ignacio Morales each scored 6 points for Costa Rica.
Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “I thought the match would be a bit more difficult, but it was one-sided. Fortunately, the boys knew how to stay focused and did their job on the court. We are very happy with the positive attitude within the team, and the boys are very focused on the competition. We still have two matches left, and we hope to achieve the results we came here for”.
Roberto Argüello, coach of Costa Rica: “I feel like nothing we planned worked. We knew where Guatemala’s serves were going. We tried to build a foundation for our game, but Guatemala pressured us with their serve, and we couldn’t set in the middle. It was also very difficult to play on the outside of the net. Of the three matches we’ve played, two went to five sets, and the load has been heavy. It’s not an excuse, but we’ve been working to help the boys. We really struggled with reception and decision-making while attacking”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024. – Panama is undefeated with a five-set victory, 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 18-16), against Belize at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Monday night at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Panama stands unbeaten at 3-0 after four days of competition, while Belize holds a 2-2 record.
On the fifth day of competition, Belize (2-2) will face Honduras (0-4) at 5:30 p.m., and Panama (3-0) will play against Nicaragua (2-1) at 8:00 p.m.
Panama
Panama secured the win by capitalizing on 40 errors from Belize compared to their 23, and with an 8-6 advantage in aces. Belize dominated in attacks 69-53 and in blocks 14-11.
Four Panamanian players scored in double digits, with David De León leading with 20 points. Víctor Araúz and Víctor Pérez each added 13 points, and David Della Sera contributed 10.
The top scorer of the match was Belize’s Kaelen Ingram with 31 points, followed by his teammate Eleazar Mejia with 27, including a match-high of 4 aces. Preston Smith and Ryan Usher scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Usher recording a match-high of 6 blocks.
Kaelen Ingram BIZ – David Della Sera y Yuslin Gantes PAN
The game was a back-and-forth battle, with each team taking turns winning sets, and each rally full of energy. The match ended dramatically, as Belize recovered from a two-point deficit (12-14), saving two match points against Panama, both on errors. Belize tied the score at 14 with a block by Preston Smith against David De León. Panama once again reached match point (16-15) thanks to De León’s offense, but Belize tied it at 16 with a spike by Kaelen Ingram. Víctor Pérez then scored two consecutive attack points to secure the win for Panama.
Jesús Moreno, libero of Panama: “From the start, we knew the game wouldn’t be easy, and Belize proved it. We were able to win thanks to the coaching staff and the team’s effort”.
Daunte Gill, libero of Belize: “We were technically together as a team. We made some simple mistakes, but we couldn’t keep the momentum for the team. We’ll just have to play hard for our next two games and try to win a medal”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024. – Costa Rica defeated El Salvador in a remarkable comeback, 3-2 (20-25, 26-28, 25-16, 26-24, 15-9), on the fourth day of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the win, Costa Rica improved to a 2-1 record, while El Salvador remains winless at 0-4.
Costa Rica (2-1) will face the current champion Guatemala (3-0) on Tuesday, October 15, at 3:00 p.m., and El Salvador (0-4) will have a rest day.
Johan Cerdas CRC
Costa Rica recovered from a 0-2 set deficit with an 11-7 blocking advantage and committed fewer errors, 27-39. El Salvador led in attacks 61-59 and in serves 7-3.
Denzel Jiménez led Costa Rica with 16 points, all on kills. Jeremy Vanega scored 15 points (9 attacks and a match-high of 6 blocks). Johan Cerdas and Kevin Parra contributed to the win with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Abner Cano from El Salvador led all scorers with 22 points (19 attacks, 3 aces), followed by Ricardo Alegría with 20 points (16 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces). Julio Jiménez added 13 points, and Andrés Reyes contributed 10.
El Salvador started strong and fought hard to win the second set, which was tied several times before a tight 28-26 finish, thanks to an opponent error and a powerful attack from Ricardo Alegría. Costa Rica was dominant in winning the third set, and in the fourth, they had another close finish, closing it out with an attack from Ignacio Morales and an error from El Salvador to force the fifth set. Costa Rica sealed the tie-break with a 9-5 advantage in attacks, benefiting from five errors by El Salvador.
Oswaldo Chacón, libero of Costa Rica: “It was a very tough match against El Salvador. We were down 2-0, but by working as a team, we were able to achieve anything. I’m very happy with the whole team because it’s not easy to come back like that. For the rest of the championship, we’ll give it our all to try and reach the podium and, if possible, win the championship”.
Fernando Javier Navarro, libero of El Salvador: “We have a new team with several new players, and we lacked the sporting maturity to close out the match, making mistakes on several points”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024.- Nicaragua blocked Honduras (21-7) all the way, earning 3-1 victory (27-29, 25-23, 25-19, 25-15) in their second win at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Monday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After four days of competition, Nicaragua has a 2-1 record, while Honduras is 0-3.
On Tuesday, October 15, Honduras will face Belize at 5:30 p.m. and Nicaragua will face Panama at 8:00 p.m.
Josue Leon NCA (2)
Nicaragua’s blocking was crucial (21-7) in securing the victory, building a wall that prevented Honduras from scoring easily. Nicaragua also outperformed Honduras in serves, 5-3. Both teams scored 49 attacking points and committed 27 errors.
Six Nicaraguan players contributed to blocking points, with middle blocker Edwin Humphreys leading the way with a match-high of 8 blocks. Outside hitter Evans Solís was the top scorer of the match with 22 points. Edwin Humphreys added 17 points, opposite hitter Yader León scored 14, and outside hitter Kenneth Martínez contributed 10 points.
For Honduras, Fernando Herrera led with 19 points, followed by Leonardo Villegas and Jonathan Meza, each with 14 points.
Osmar Peralta, libero of Nicaragua: “The game was very tough, but we managed to pull through with the help of the coaches. At the beginning, things weren’t going well, but we knew how to take control of the team. We are thankful to God for the victory”.
Alejandro Funez, libero of Honduras: “Today we had a good match against Nicaragua. We lost our momentum, couldn’t finish, and in the end, we lost. We made mistakes that cost us the second set, and we couldn’t get out of certain rotations to close the game”.
October 13, 2024.- With four editions of the Age Group Volleyball World Championships scheduled for next year, excitement is building as the participating teams for the U19 Boys’ and Girls’ events have been confirmed and the Drawing of Lots date has been set.
The Drawing of Lots for the U19 and U21 World Championships 2025 to be held on 4 December 2024
Participating teams for the U19 World Championships
In 2025, a record number of 24 teams per gender from all five Continental Confederations, including the host nation(s), will battle it out for the prestigious title of world champions in the age group categories.
Since the African qualifier for the girls’ tournament featured only two teams, falling short of the required minimum of four, an exception was approved by the FIVB Board of Administration to allocate one qualification place to the champion of the African girls’ qualifier to ensure the principle of universality. The remaining two places were awarded to the highest-ranked teams not yet qualified which, as per the U19 Girls World Ranking, are Egypt (ranked #11) and Chile (ranked #20).
Consequently, the teams participating in the FIVB Boys’ and Girls’ U19 World Championships have been confirmed.
Meanwhile, the teams qualified for the U21 World Championships 2025 will be announced next month.
Drawing of Lots: The Drawing of Lots to determine the composition of the pools for the U19 and U21 World Championships 2025 will be held on 4 December 2024 and streamed live on Volleyball World YouTube.
The FIVB Girls’ U19 World Championship will be staged from 3 to 13 July 2025 in Osijek, Croatia and Belgrade, Serbia, with the preliminary phase (3-8 July) followed by 1/8 Finals and playoffs (9-13 July). The bronze and gold medal matches will be held in Osijek, Croatia on 13 July. At the hosts’ request, the event dates have been moved up by one week.
Hosted in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship will take place from 24 July to 3 August with the preliminary phase from 24-29 July, and 1/8 Finals and playoffs between 30 July and 3 August. The winners will be decided on 3 August with the gold and bronze medal matches.
The FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship will be hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia from 7-17August 2025 with the preliminary phase from 7-12 August, followed by the 1/8 Finals and playoffs starting on 13 August. The event will culminate with the finals on 17 August.
Meanwhile, China will stage the FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship 2025 during the weeks of 18-31 August. The confirmed competition schedule and host cities will be announced shortly.
The FIVB Age Group World Championships provide an incredible opportunity for the sport’s rising stars to compete at the top level and showcase their talent on the international stage. Held biennially, these championships have played an important role in the journeys of many Olympic and World Champions.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- With a 13-3 blocking advantage, Costa Rica dominated Honduras 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-17) for their first victory in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Sunday night at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Costa Rica improved their record to 1-1, while Honduras remains winless at 0-3.
On the fourth day of the event, Honduras (0-3) will face Nicaragua (1-1) at 3:00 pm, and Costa Rica (1-1) will play against El Salvador (0-3) at 5:30 pm.
Hector Duarte HON – Keylor Rodriguez y Johan Cerdas CRC
In addition to their superiority in blocking, Costa Rica also held a 38-33 margin in attacks. Honduras outperformed in service points, 6-1. Costa Rica committed 16 errors, while Honduras had 23.
Outside hitter Johan Cerdas led Costa Rica with 16 points (14 attacks, 2 blocks). Middle blocker Jeremy Vanega added 9 points, including a match-high of 5 blocks.
Fernando Herrera scored 16 points for Honduras (13 attacks, one block, 2 aces), and Leonardo Villegas contributed 13 points (8 attacks, 2 blocks, 3 aces).
Costa Rica tied the first set at 11 points after recovering from a four-point deficit (7-11) with the offensive efforts of Jeremy Vanega, Dennis Jenher, and Johan Cerdas. From point 15 onwards, Costa Rica pulled away from Honduras to win the set. Although Honduras led the second set up to point 21, thanks to the attacks of Fernando Herrera and Leonardo Villegas, Costa Rica came from behind again to take a 2-0 lead, relying on their strong blocking. Costa Rica controlled the third set with their effective blocking, with Venega scoring 5 of the team’s 9 total blocks.
Kevin Parra CRC
Johan Cerdas Badilla, top scorer Costa Rica: “We started off a bit slow, but fortunately, we managed to lift our spirits and improve our technique. We achieved a great result, finishing as a strong and united team. If we continue like this, staying strong and confident, I expect us to win a medal”.
Leonardo Villegas, outside hitter of Honduras: “It was a very dynamic and entertaining match for the crowd. It was definitely a back-and-forth game; each team had their moments. Costa Rica was better than us, more consistent, but we’re still eager to win tomorrow”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated El Salvador 3-1 (27-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20) on Sunday, earning their first victory in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Nicaragua now holds a 1-1 record, while El Salvador remains winless at 0-3.
On the fourth day of competition, Nicaragua will face Honduras at 3:00 pm, followed by El Salvador taking on Costa Rica at 5:30 pm.
Diego Navarrete NCA – Fernando Ortiz y Abner Cano ESA
Nicaragua clinched the victory with a 58-45 advantage in attacks and 12-9 in blocks. El Salvador had a better performance in serves with a 7-2 advantage but committed more errors, 27-25.
The top scorer of the match was Nicaragua’s Evans Solís with 21 points, followed by Kenneth Martínez with 18. Yader León contributed 14 points.
For El Salvador, Ricardo Alegría led with 17 points, while Abner Cano and Julio Jiménez each added 14.
Nicaragua dominated the first set until El Salvador came from behind to tie at 21 points and reached set point (24-22) with an attack by Andrés Reyes. Evans Solís, alongside Yader León, put Nicaragua ahead 25-24, and despite El Salvador tying again (25-25), two attacks from Solís gave Nicaragua a 1-0 lead. Nicaragua controlled the second set, but El Salvador fought back to extend the match by winning the third set, leading in attacks (12-9) and serves (2-0). Nicaragua used its blocking strength to close the match in the fourth set.
Kenneth Martinez NCA – Gabriel Vargas y Andres Reyes ESA
Evans Solís, top scorer of Nicaragua: “We knew it would be a tough match, but we stayed focused after the loss. The team is coming together more, and that’s helping us a lot. We’re moving forward because nothing is set in stone. In the third set, there was some miscommunication, maybe we got overconfident, but we got the result, and that’s what matters”.
Ricardo Alegría, top scorer of El Salvador: “We prepared a lot for the tournament, but unfortunately, we’re not getting the results we expected. All the effort we’re putting in will pay off at some point. We’ll keep our heads up and move forward. Most of the time, we’ve only lost by two points; we just need to push harder at the end to get the win and show what El Salvador is made of”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- Guatemala defeated Belize 3-0 (25-19, 27-25, 25-14) to remain undefeated in the 20th Central American U21 Men’s Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After three days of competition, the defending champions hold a 3-0 record and 15 points. Belize now has a 2-1 record and 8 points.
On Monday, Guatemala (3-0) will have a rest day, while Belize (2-1) will face Panama at 8:00pm local time.
Jerry Duran GUA – Preston Smith BIZ
Guatemala led in attacks (41-31) and in serves (7-3), while Belize was stronger in blocks (9-8). Guatemala benefited from 21 errors by Belize, compared to 15.
Yeferson Zavala scored 21 points (15 attacks, 3 blocks, 3 aces) in Guatemala’s victory, and Roberto Recinos contributed 12 points (10 attacks, one block, one ace).
Eleazar Mejía and Kaelen Ingram led Belize with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Guatemala came back from a five-point deficit (16-21) in the second set with the offense of Roberto Recinos and Yeferson Zavala; Belize then reached set point (24-19) with Brayden Richardson serving, but an attack by Daniel Delgado (who came off the bench), along with a Belize error, allowed Guatemala to tie at 24. Delgado brought Guatemala to set point, and Belize tied at 25 with an attack by Eleazar Mejía. Finally, an attack by Delgado and a block by Recinos on Belize’s Kaelen Ingram secured the set for Guatemala.
Jerry Durán, opposite hitter for Guatemala: “The game started off very tight, with both teams scoring good points. In the second set, things got a bit complicated at the start, but we were able to take advantage of our strength in blocking and won the set. In the third set, we came in with a lot of confidence to win the match”.
Kaelen Ingram BIZ
Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “In the second set, we were down by five points, and we had already used both timeouts. We had to make a substitution to hold the score, and it worked. We replaced our opposite hitter, and Daniel Delgado came in and helped with two serves that disrupted Belize’s first line of defense. This contributed to our serve getting stronger, and we ended up blocking very well, allowing us to tie the game. Our attitude improved, and both our offense and defense started to perform, allowing us to win the match”.
Kaelen Ingram, opposite hitter of Belize: “It really comes down to who wants it the most. We wanted to win but you have to stick to the plan and that’s what Guatemala did, they had more consistency. Guatemala is a really good team. It’s a loss but it’s not over for us as yet for the gold. We’re going to come out strong again and we’re going to give a good competition as we always planned to do”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Panama took a hard-fought victory over El Salvador, 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23), on Saturday night in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
The host team remains undefeated with a 2-0 record and 9 points, while El Salvador stands at 0-2.
Panama bounced back after losing the first set, finishing with a slight advantage in attacks (51-50), dominating in blocks (11-7) and serves (5-3), but conceding more points on errors (35-32).
Victor Arauz PAN
David de León led Panama with 25 points (20 attacks, 4 blocks, one ace). Víctor Pérez and Víctor Arauz contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
El Salvador’s Ricardo Alegría was the top scorer of the match with 27 points (25 attacks, one block, one ace). Julio César Jiménez added 11 points, all on kills.
Before winning the third set, Panama lost two set points due to attacks from Jiménez and Alegría of El Salvador. A block by Carlos Mejía denied Panama a match point in the fourth set, but Víctor Pérez sealed the victory with a kill.
Panama (2-0) will rest on Sunday, while El Salvador (0-2) will face Nicaragua (0-1) at 5:30 PM.
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “This was a tough match, with pressure from El Salvador. They lost to Guatemala yesterday but played well, so we knew they could make the match difficult for us today. We made the necessary adjustments in the second set and were able to win it, along with the next two sets. We are taking it match by match because we know the teams are prepared to reach the podium, and we’re aiming for that as well”.
Andrea Genova, Coach of El Salvador: “Both teams were always close, battling through all four sets. In the first set, we had a bit more luck, with several balls going our way, and we managed to win it. We kept fighting in the following sets, but Panama deserved more. It was a high-level match, with both teams playing strong and evenly. This is the second match where we’ve experienced this”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Defending champion Guatemala earned a dominant victory over Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-15) on the second day of action at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship in Chitré, Panama.
Guatemala earned its second straight-set victory, improving its record to 2-0 with 10 points. Honduras remains winless at 0-2.
Guatemala used their entire roster, finishing with a 41-25 advantage in kills, 9-2 in blocks, and 4-2 in service points, while giving away 15 points from errors compared to 21 by Honduras.
Fernando Delgado GUA
Jerry Durán of Guatemala was the top scorer in the match with 14 points. Guatemala’s team captain finished with 10 points. Roberto Recinos and Christian Álvarez also contributed to the win, each scoring 9 points.
Fernando Herrera led Honduras’ scoring with 12 points, followed by Jonathan Meza with 9.
On the third day of the event, Guatemala (2-0) will face Belize (2-0) at 3:00pm, and Honduras (0-2) will play against Costa Rica (0-1) at 8:00pm.
Fernando Herrera HON – Jareth Duran GUA
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “My impressions of the match are very positive. We were able to close with a good 3-0 result. Every day we aim to win all our matches with better outcomes. There is still a long way to go. We are going to give it our all to achieve a good result in the competition”.
Jonathan Meza, captain of Honduras: “We’ve faced several challenges. Our main middle blocker got injured in the first training, and we had to improvise a bit with the rest of the players. This has caused difficulties that we’ve been trying to address in morning practices, but we haven’t been able to fully execute and be solid in our game. Tomorrow will be better”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Belize secured its second win at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship after a five-set victory, 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 17-25, 25-27, 25-13) over Costa Rica, on Saturday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Belize improved its record to 2-0, outperforming Costa Rica 58-40 in attacks and 8-6 in serves. This was Costa Rica’s (0-1) first match in the tournament, leading in blocks 18-10 and committing fewer errors (31-41) than Belize.
Eleazar Mejia BIZ
Kaelen Ingram from Belize led all scorers with 31 points (26 attacks, 3 blocks, 2 aces). Eleazar Mejía also contributed to the win with 21 points (19 attacks, 2 aces).
Dennis Jenher and Johan Cerdas led Costa Rica with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Jeremy Vanega added 11 points. Keylor Rodríguez had a match-high of six blocks among his 9 points.
On day three of the competition, Belize will play against Guatemala and Costa Rica will face Honduras.
Gabriel Obando CRC
Eleazar Mejía, Captain of Belize: “Once again today we were victorious over Costa Rica. We went to a hard battled five sets. Like I said yesterday, it’s a hard tournament so we have got to play hard, if you want to win you have got to play at your best and that’s what we’re doing, me and my teammates. All we have to do is execute and hope for the best”.
Gabriel Ventura, setter and captain of Costa Rica: “We struggled in the first two sets, our serve was off, and we made many errors. In the following sets, we improved our serve and reduced the errors, extending the match to a fifth set, where we missed a couple of key details that cost us the win. I’m proud of the team for tying the match and almost pulling off the victory”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- Panama defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-20) on the opening day of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium.
The host team led in attacks (29-24), blocks (10-1), and aces (7-2). Panama committed 26 errors, while Honduras had 29.
Kendrieck Newby PAN
Panamanians David León and Kendrieck Newby each scored 11 points, with Víctor Pérez adding 8.
Fernando Herrera led Honduras with 8 points, followed by Leonardo Villegas with 7.
On the second day of the event, Honduras (0-1) will face Guatemala (1-0), and Panama (1-0) will play against El Salvador (0-1).
Honduras recibe
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “The first set seemed complicated to me due to Honduras’ serves and organized defensive line. Taking advantage of the setter’s short height, we were able to align our defense and successfully take the first set. After that, the game became easier because we showed what we could do with our blocking, and we secured the victory. This is the first win, and we’ll take it step by step because we know that all teams are here to fight for a medal”.
Rodolfo Funez, Coach of Honduras: “During the morning practice, our main middle blocker got injured. We had been working with another middle blocker who couldn’t travel, so without our key players, we had to rearrange the team, and it wasn’t enough. Tomorrow, we’ll work on other tactics to improve the team. Today, the boys fought until the end, gave it their all, and never gave up.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- In a dramatic finish, Belize defeated Nicaragua 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 29-27) to start the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Nicaragua lost three set points in the third set on a kill from Kaelen Ingram and a Belizean error. Despite Kenneth Martínez managing to tie the set at 27 points for Nicaragua, Ingram, along with Eleazar Mejia, sealed the victory for Belize with their attacks.
Belize dominated every skill of the game: attacking (40-29), blocking (8-5), and serving (8-0). Nicaragua committed fewer errors (23-29).
Belize
Belizean Kaelen Ingram was the top scorer of the match with 26 points (22 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace). Eleazar Mejía contributed 13 points to the victory.
Yader León led Nicaragua with 13 points, while Kenneth Martínez added 11.
On the second day of the event, Belize will face Costa Rica at 3:00 pm (local time), while Nicaragua has a rest day.
Eleazar Mejía, captain of Belize: “I felt we played today’s game very well, exceptional. Nicaragua is a very tough team. We hope to move forward in this tournament, working on the little mistakes and go for a gold medal”.
Felix Palacios, captain of Nicaragua: “The game was not easy. The team gave it their all, but the result didn’t go our way. However, I know we will improve, and we will push through in the remaining matches because we have a good team, and I know we can do it”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- Guatemala kicked off the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship with a straight-set victory 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-22) over El Salvador at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium.
Guatemala topped in attacks (45-39) and serving (3-2), benefiting from 24 opponent errors compared to their 18. El Salvador dominated in blocking (10-4).
Outside hitters Roberto Recinos and Yeferson Zavala led Guatemala with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Roberto Carlos Recinos GUA
Three players from El Salvador scored in double digits: Ricardo Alegría (16), Abner Cano (14), and Julio César Jiménez (11).
On the second day of competition, Guatemala (1-0) will face Honduras (5:30 pm local time), while El Salvador (0-1) will play Panama (8:00 pm local time).
After reaching a 17-point tie in the second set, El Salvador stayed ahead and reached set point (24-23), but Guatemala didn’t give in and with two attacks maintained control of the match, leading 2-0.The defending champion managed to recover from a four-point deficit (11-15) in the third set, tying the game at 19 points before maintaining the lead to secure the victory.
Ricardo Arnoldo Alegria ESA
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “It was a very exciting match against El Salvador to start the tournament. It’s just the beginning, and thanks to God, we took a good step by closing the match 3-0. El Salvador has a good, competitive team. What helped us was being able to close the sets and bring emotional stability to the team because at times we lost it.”
Abner Cano, captain of El Salvador: “We didn’t get a good result against Guatemala. Our inability to close the sets and the lack of experience of many players cost us the match. We will keep moving forward because we came here to win, and we won’t leave this tournament empty-handed.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 10, 2024. – The seven Central American countries are aiming for a medal at the AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Championship, set to take place from October 11 to 17 at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
In their first interviews, the coaches agreed that it will be a tough competition, as is customary in AFECAVOL men’s events, and that their goal is to win a medal.
Yamil Herrera, Coach of Belize: “The tournament will be very interesting due to the roster each team is bringing and the competition system, every day is like a final. The seven regular players on our team have experience in this type of event. We believe the athletes will follow the tactical plan we have set for each match and earn good results.
Andrea Genova, Coach of El Salvador: “At the moment, we are preparing for this U21 AFECAVOL competition, which we know will be very good because there are teams with a lot of skill. In recent years, our results have been around fifth place, and we are looking to improve and climb a bit higher since the team we are bringing has more credentials”.
El Salvador
Roberto Argüello, Coach of Costa Rica: “We have a great commitment in this tournament because in the last two editions, we haven’t been able to make it to the podium. We know we have a good team, and our intention is to work hard, stay organized, and achieve a podium finish”.
Costa Rica
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “Our goal in the competition is to try to achieve a good result. We have prepared well for this type of event. We know the matches will be tough, as they have been in AFECAVOL and all Central America. We believe we can have a good competition, and we are hoping for those results.
Guatemala
Carlos Funes, Coach of Honduras: “Honduras has been in a preparation process since mid-January. We trained hard. Given our recent placements in the younger categories, the players are committed and determined to give their all. We are focused, we have studied the teams we have been playing against, and we hope to finish in a position that reflects our preparation”.
Honduras
Jorge Luis Mena, Coach of Nicaragua: “Nicaragua’s expectations are the same as always, to finish among the medalists. We know the tournament won’t be easy, as there are several strong teams. We will aim to bring a medal to our country, that’s the goal for all the players, who are well-prepared for this moment. We know all our close rivals, and we are going to give it our all in this tournament”.
Nicaragua
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “Our expectation as a team is to try to be on the podium. We’ve worked very hard with this team. We know that all the teams are coming to fight for a top spot in this tournament. We’re here to take it one game at a time and try to play in a way that benefits us to secure a podium finish”.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, October 7, 2024. – With the participation of 23 coaches, a Level 2 International Volleyball Coaching Course concluded, held from October 1 to 5 at the NORCECA-FIVB Regional Volleyball Development Center in Santo Domingo.
Dominican coach Jorge Guillen Rodríguez had an outstanding performance among participants from Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. Coach Guillen achieved the highest scores in both theoretical and practical evaluations.
The course was led by FIVB Instructor Francisco Hervas from Spain, along with speakers Bernardo Mesa, Dr. Victor Figueroa, Rusber Campos from Venezuela, and Dennis Céspedes.
Bernardo Mesa addressed topics related to the physical preparation of athletes. Dr. Figueroa covered medical aspects and doping. Rusber Campos shared his expertise in statistics and team analysis. Meanwhile, Dennis Céspedes, FIVB international referee, discussed the latest rule changes implemented by the FIVB.
In his closing remarks, instructor Francisco Hervas congratulated all participants for their high level of volleyball knowledge and encouraged them to continue learning about the new techniques of the game.
Mr. Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, via video conference, also congratulated all the participating coaches, urging them to continue working in their respective countries to strengthen volleyball within the NORCECA Confederation. Marte Hoffiz indicated NORCECA’s commitment to supporting training sessions and seminars organized by the Regional Development Center in Santo Domingo.
The closing ceremony was also attended by Mr. Nelson Eddy González Montilla, Technical Director of the National Institute of Physical Education.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 7, 2024.- The city of Chitré, Panama, will host the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, to be held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium from October 11 to 17.
Guatemala was crowned champion in the last edition, held in 2022 in Nicaragua, securing its eighth title in the history of the event. Nicaragua and Panama completed the medal standings, winning the silver and bronze medals respectively.
Costa Rica and Nicaragua have each won the U21 title three times, while El Salvador and Panama have been champions twice. Honduras holds one gold medal.
The seven member countries of AFECAVOL will arrive in Chitré on October 9, with the preliminary meeting scheduled for October 10, and the competition starting on the 11th, with three daily matches.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, October 1, 2024. – With the participation of 23 coaches representing Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, a Level 2 International Volleyball Coaches Course was inaugurated at the NORCECA-FIVB Regional Development Center.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Amos Anglade, Technical Vice President, accompanied by José Francisco Fernández, Treasurer of the Dominican Volleyball Federation, Mr. Franklin De La Mota, Deputy Minister of Sports, Bernardo Mesa, Technical Director of Centro Caribe Sports, Francisco Hervas, course director assigned by the FIVB, and lecturers Wilson Sánchez and Enrique Pacheco.
Mr. Amos Anglade welcomed all participants, encouraging them to apply the knowledge they will acquire during the course to benefit their national federations and ensure the development of volleyball.
Deputy Minister Franklin De La Mota expressed that the Development Center is considered one of the best in the country and worldwide for training, thanks to the excellent work of the Center’s Director, Prof. Nelson José Ramírez, and that the Ministry of Sports, led by Minister Kelvin Cruz, fully supports the Center’s continued success in training programs.
FIVB Instructor Francisco Hervas from Spain acknowledged the high quality of the Development Center in Santo Domingo, therefore the FIVB appoints experienced instructors. He added that the five days of training will feature speakers presenting the latest advancements in modern volleyball coaching.
To close the ceremony, Prof. Nelson José Ramírez expressed great satisfaction with the participation of coaches from various countries, which will strengthen volleyball within the NORCECA Confederation. He also thanked NORCECA President Mr. Cristóbal Marte for his ongoing support of the development programs through the Regional Development Center.
The course will last five days, with both theoretical and practical classes, and takes place at the National Training Center located in the Volleyball Pavilion of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Nicaragua won 3-1 (25-18, 15-25, 25-14, 25-17) against Guatemala to claim the second place in the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship.
Costa Rica became the champion of this inaugural edition undefeated, while Nicaragua secured the silver medal with a 4-1 record. Belize finished third with a 3-2 record and 14 points. Guatemala was fourth with a 2-3 record, followed by El Salvador with 1-4 and Honduras with 0-5.
For Nicaragua, the top scorer was Luisa Ríos with 10 points, Karen Bird with nine, and Brisa Bermúdez with seven. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra had nine points, followed by Natalia Pérez with eight and Andrea Garcés.
Fernanda Ríos NCA
Nicaragua outperformed Guatemala in blocking 9-7, with four blocks from Karen Bird, and had an advantage in serving 11-7. Guatemala was stronger in attacks 33-26, though they committed 44 unforced errors compared to 27 from their opponents.
Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “Today, and throughout the tournament, we saw a team full of determination, determination, attitude, and great resolve, and I believe their fight for every point to represent their country was key. The support from the crowd that cheered us on day by day motivated them and encouraged their growth. We’ve been working with these girls since they were in mini categories, in some cases, and I believe we have a good group for future national teams. This year has been wonderful for us with two gold medals and two silver medals”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Costa Rica was crowned the first U17 Central American Girls’ Volleyball champion after defeating Honduras 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 20-25, 25-16).
After battling against a determined Honduran team, Costa Rica secured the gold medal undefeated, showing resilience in every match.
Amanda Campos CRC
Amada Campos once again led Costa Rica with 15 points, while Nicole Leiva added 10. For Honduras, Ruth Villegas scored 16 points, and Luna Janania contributed 9.
Costa Rica outperformed in attack, 40-26. Both teams tied with 5 blocks, but Honduras had the advantage in serves, 10-5, with Villegas scoring five direct points. However, they committed 43 unforced errors, compared to Costa Rica’s 35.
Jimena Alfaro, Costa Rica’s libero: “This tournament means so much to me. It’s my last U17 competition, and I feel it was our tournament to win because of all the work we’ve put in. I can’t explain the pride I feel for my teammates, who always kept us motivated. From day one, we had our low points, but we learned that we could rise from our mistakes. Everyone taught us, our coaches guided us, the bench players, the parents, they all helped us mentally”.
Kareen Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica: “The level of the tournament was very good; we had elite matches, and that’s why we thank God that Costa Rica won the first U17 Central American Championship. I feel the tournament was a success. AFECAVOL promotes high-level competition from a young age, and I leave satisfied. Beyond the sport, we saw the girls grow.”
Cristiam Rodríguez, Honduras’ coach: “I think it was a good match. Even though we started losing 0-2, we won the third set and fought hard in the fourth, but we lacked that characteristic Honduran grit. This is something that develops over time, with scrimmages and tournaments, and that’s why this age group is so important.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Belize (3-2) ended with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-8, 25-22) win over El Salvador (1-4) on the final day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship.
Belize finished with a record of three wins and two losses, earning 14 points, and now awaits the result between Nicaragua and Guatemala to determine if they will reach the podium.
Akili Jones BIZ
Belize dominated in attacks 35-21, blocks 2-0, and serves 13-4, with Sara Safa contributing 4 aces. El Salvador committed 25 unforced errors compared to 24 from their opponents.
Emaun Marín and Akili Jones led Belize with 14 points each; for El Salvador, Katya Cunza scored six points.
Emanun Marín BIZ
José Fontes, coach of Belize: “As I said at the start of the tournament, our goal was to grow individually and as a team, and we progressed. Yesterday, we had a tough match that we solved 3-1, and today, the first two sets were relatively easy, but we struggled in the third. In the end, we managed to recover. Overall, it was a good tournament; we gave playing time to 12 out of 14 players, and this will be important for their future in the sport.”
Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “This is the first time this age category has been introduced, and I believe NORCECA and AFECAVOL made the right call by taking this initiative. We have a lot of work ahead as a country to continue identifying and training more girls of this age group. It was a closely contested tournament, with final positions decided in the last matches, which is commendable for all the countries. The girls’ inexperience and nerves were evident, but this serves as an excellent learning experience for them.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Amanda Campos was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy at the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship, after helping Costa Rica claim the title undefeated.
Campos, an opposite hitter, was the third-highest scorer of the tournament with 70 points, consisting of 61 attacks, five blocks, and four aces.
Also from Costa Rica, Nadia Granados received the Best Setter award, and Charlotte Martínez was recognized as the 2nd Best Blocker.
Belize took home the most individual awards, with opposite hitter Akili Jones standing out as Best Server, 2nd Best Attacker, and Best Scorer. Dasialynn Thurton was named Best Libero and Best Digger, while her teammate Emaun Marín earned the award for Best Spiker.
Melissa Guerra from Guatemala was recognized as Best Opposite, with her teammate Harumi Monney winning Best Receiver. María Evans of Nicaragua secured the award for Best Blocker.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024.- Costa Rica pulled off almost a miracle to defeat Nicaragua 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 26-24, 15-9) on the penultimate day of the 1st Central American U17 Girls’ Championship of AFECAVOL.
Nicaragua had a 21-13 lead in the fourth set, which would have secured their fourth victory of the tournament, but Costa Rica had other plans. Little by little, they pressed until tying the score at 23 and taking the match to the fifth set after a spectacular 26-24 comeback.
Costa Rica
In the fifth set, Costa Rica took advantage of the confusion of the home team, which couldn’t find a way to stop the spikes of Luciana Vargas, Nicole Leiva, and Amada Campos, as well as the strong serving of the Costa Ricans.
With this victory, Costa Rica now needs to secure their match against Honduras at 4:00 p.m. to claim the gold medal undefeated. Meanwhile, Nicaragua will face Guatemala at 6:30 p.m. to compete for the silver medal, and Belize will seek to enter the medal tally in their match against El Salvador.
Nicaragua was superior in attack with 57-35, both teams tied in serving with 11, and Costa Rica was better in blocking with 10-5, with the home team committing 47 unforced errors compared to the winners’ 32.
Costa Rica’s top player was Campos with 13 points, followed by Leiva with 12 and Vargas with 11. Nicaragua’s best scorers were Luisa Ríos with 12, Lucía Columna with 11, and Ana Carolina Rodríguez, also with 11.
Costa Rica block
Nadia Granados, Costa Rica captain: “We were super nervous at several points during the game, but both teams responded very well. In the fourth set, I think we were behind, but we managed to pull through with maturity and a cool head. Yes, I feel super proud, especially with the entire crowd against us, there was a lot of pressure, but it’s an incredibly strong sense of pride. We still have one more win to secure tomorrow and give it our last effort”.
Kareen Richard, Costa Rica coach: “Many had already given up on that fourth set, but the courage and pride of these players came through. We also had to make some tactical adjustments in the third set, including moving the opposite player to the middle, and although the results didn’t show at first, it paid off in the end. I also want to highlight the players who came off the bench and changed the course of the game. As I told them this morning, the team is 12 players, it’s 12, and it’s great to be able to look at the bench and find solutions.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024. – Belize (2-2) earned an important victory that keeps their medal hopes alive by defeating Honduras (0-4) 3-1 (25-12, 25-17, 18-25, 25-14) with one match left in the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Belize’s powerful serve caused significant damage to Honduras, with Sara Safa scoring 7 aces out of her team’s total of 16, leading that skill 16-9. Belize led in attacks 41-25, while Honduras had the edge in blocking 4-1.
Emaun Marín with 17 points was Belize’s top scorer, followed by Ikili Jones with 13 and Safa with 10; for Honduras, Ruth Villegas finished with 11.
Belize
On Saturday, in the final day of competition, El Salvador faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., while Honduras will take on Costa Rica at 4:00 p.m.
Emaun Marín, Belize’s top scorer: “I feel it could have been better, and I think there are many things we all need to work on. What was different for me today was that I stepped up when I saw the short balls and read the game better. I’m 14 years old and I just started playing volleyball about three years ago (in 2021)”.
José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Another important victory as we aim for a medal. I think, since we’re here, that’s the goal. The girls came out a bit pressured, and a good serve from Honduras complicated things for us. They improved their game and got back into competition. In the end, they secured the crucial win to keep our medal hopes alive”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024.- Guatemala (2-2) returned to winning ways by defeating El Salvador (1-3) 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-20) at the start of the fourth day of the First Central American U17 Girls’ Championship of AFECAVOL.
Guatemala’s serving made the difference in the match, applying pressure with their serves, forcing their opponents into unforced errors, and preventing strong attacks, which allowed them to counterattack. In total, Guatemala scored 17 direct points from serves compared to three from their opponents.
For Guatemala, captain Regina Porres finished with 13 points, including six from serves, and Andrea Garcés contributed 10 points, with four direct service points. Tatiana Gómez led El Salvador with seven points. El Salvador committed 27 unforced errors, compared to 31 from the winners. Guatemala outperformed in attacks (28-16) and blocking (3-2).
On Saturday, the last day of competition, El Salvador faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., while Guatemala plays Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.
Katherine Vaughn GUA
Regina Porres Garrido, captain of Guatemala: “We are super happy with our result. We worked really hard to win 3-0, and we got the result we wanted. Our attitude has been really important, and we tried to put it into action today. We always aim to keep a positive attitude. Tomorrow, we face Nicaragua, and we’ll give it our all on the court.”
Julio Domínguez, coach of Guatemala: “This category is about development, so it’s important for the players to perform and confirm what they’ve been training, regardless of the result. For the International Federation, the U19 category is where things become more formal, but we believe we’re following the right process to keep competing in future tournaments”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- Nicaragua (3-0) battled to a 3-1 victory (26-24, 25-16, 20-25, 25-21) over Belize (1-2) to close out the third day of the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Belize missed two set points in the first set, leading 24-22, but eventually lost 24-26, which energized Nicaragua to come out strong in the second and third sets.
The match was closely contested, with both teams going on scoring runs, but Nicaragua finished stronger, particularly with effective serves that threw their opponents off balance.
Jaycee Usher BIZ
Belize was slightly better in attack, 46-45, while Nicaragua led in blocking, 6-3. Both teams were even in serving, with 10 aces each. Nicaragua committed 25 unforced errors, compared to 37 by Belize.
Nicaragua’s top scorers were Luisa Ríos and Lucía Columna with 12 points each, Karen Bird with 11, and Franchesca Viera with 10. For Belize, Emaun Marín led with 21 points, and Akili Jones added 18.
On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, Belize will face Honduras at 4:00 p.m., while Nicaragua and Costa Rica will play for the undefeated record at 6:30 p.m.
Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “Belize is one of the countries that has improved significantly in volleyball development over the past few years, and this was an important match. They pushed us to the limit, but the girls managed to stay focused, which is great for our morale ahead of tomorrow’s match against Costa Rica”.
José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Emotional control was key in today’s match. Nicaragua is a very solid team in all aspects of the game. I even think we were slightly better at serving. We played a strong first and third set, and the fourth set was close until the end. We take away this positive experience and know that we need to keep working hard for better results”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- El Salvador pulled off a great comeback, winning 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-11, 25-23) against Honduras to secure their first victory in the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Honduras came into the first set energized, winning 25-22 with strong blocking and effective serves. However, El Salvador shook off that initial blow and returned to convincingly win the second and third sets, capitalizing on their rivals’ mistakes, as Honduras struggled to find a response.
In total, Honduras committed 47 unforced errors, while El Salvador had 36. El Salvador dominated in attack (39-25) and service (9-8), while Honduras led in blocking (8-2), with five effective blocks from Virginia Herdocia.
For El Salvador, Adriana Vargas scored 11 points and Katya Cunza added 10. Herdocia was the top scorer for Honduras with 12 points.
On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, El Salvador will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras will play Belize at 4:00 p.m.
Enny Ramos de Honduras
Pedro Rivas, Head coach of El Salvador: “We have been playing against two teams of almost our level, Guatemala and Belize, teams in our range. We’ve been working toward improving our game, which comes with match volume and experience. The team has been progressing, and today we saw the result against Honduras, who are also on our level. Honduras is a very resilient team that gave us trouble, but thanks to the talent of the girls, we managed to overcome the situation. After the first set, which was a bit complicated, we wanted to see how the team would perform, and we found our rhythm, which we maintained throughout the following sets, and ultimately, we won”.
Cristiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “Honestly, we had different expectations for this match. Losing in this way is a bit difficult. We made too many unnecessary errors, and El Salvador took full advantage and deserved the win. With girls this age, it’s tough sometimes. The preparation might be good, but internally, we don’t always know how they’re feeling. We’ll try to change that for the upcoming matches. I believe it’s also part of the growth in this age group. We’re looking forward to giving the younger girls, who are still U15, more experience, so that in the future, in this age group, the outcome may be different”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- Costa Rica (3-0) pushed to the limit to defeat a fierce Guatemala (1-2) with a 3-1 victory (25-17, 17-25, 25-23, 25-23) at the start of the third day of the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Costa Rica’s unbeaten streak was in jeopardy due to Guatemala’s intensity, as they fought and pressured throughout the match. However, Costa Rica’s focus and ability to win key points once again secured them the victory.
Amanda Campos with 11 points, along with Luciana Vargas and Nicole Leiva with 9 points each, were the best performers for Costa Rica. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra and Regina Porres led with 13 points each, followed by Natalia Pérez with 12 points.
Costa Rica capitalized on 41 points from opponent errors, while committing 23. They also outperformed in blocking, 6-4. Guatemala led in attacks, 49-41, and in serving, 12-4.
On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, Guatemala will face El Salvador at 1:30 p.m. and Costa Rica will take on Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.
Costa Rica
Amanda Campos Monge, Costa Rica’s top scorer: “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match, we were mentally prepared for that. We worked on it for several days and handled it very well. Guatemala played excellently, they complicated things for us in the second set, but we stayed mentally strong and managed to secure the victory. It’s a great feeling to look at the stands and see our families supporting us. It’s incredibly satisfying to know they will always be there for us through thick and thin”.
Regina Porres Garrido, Guatemala’s captain: “We had this match in our sights, and we’ve been working hard because we knew its importance. We gave it our all, with a lot of energy and everything we had, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the victory. Losses teach us a lot, and we will always keep moving forward”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024.- Nicaragua needed four sets, 3-1 (25-6, 17-25, 25-11, 25-15), to defeat a battling Honduras in the closing match of the second day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
After a dominant first set for Nicaragua, 25-6, Honduras started the second set strong, leading 7-1 thanks to their effective serving, which disrupted the defense and attack of the home team. Honduras’ lead was enough to survive several comebacks from the Nicaraguan side, who fell short and lost the set 17-25.
Karen Bird NCA
In the third and fourth sets, Nicaragua regained their strength, particularly with their serving, achieving double digits in aces (outscoring Honduras 18-6 in serves) for the second consecutive match, while also leading in attacks 35-19 and blocks 8-4.
The top scorer was Nicaragua’s Lucía Columna with 15 points, followed by Emely Gutiérrez with 13 (including six aces) and María Ebank with 10 (five blocks). For Honduras, Luna Janania had 7 points and Virginia Herdocia 6.
On Thursday, on day three, Honduras will play El Salvador at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua will face Belize at 6:30 p.m.
Denixa Zeledón, captain of Nicaragua: “I’m very satisfied with the work we did. It was a tough match because Honduras has strong defense and attack, which made things difficult for us, but we were able to get the result. We’ve improved a lot in reception and defense thanks to our coaches”.
Karen Bird NCA
Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “It was a good win, and it’s important to secure victory even if we lose a set. I think the girls became anxious and lost concentration, but in the end, we regained the rhythm of the game. We’ve been focusing on our serving, which is fundamental in this sport, and things are going well”.
Cistiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “Today’s match was very satisfying; we played better than yesterday, won a set, but unfortunately didn’t secure the victory. However, I think it shows progress as a team despite missing a key player. The level of competition in this tournament is high, and sometimes the girls can’t control their emotions because they’re so young, but it’s gratifying to see them improve with each match”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024. – Costa Rica earned their second victory by defeating El Salvador 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-19) on the second day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
At times, El Salvador put pressure on Costa Rica, staying tied until the second technical timeout (16), but from then on, Costa Rica maintained composure and relied on their serve, which once again made the difference.
Costa Rica celebra victoria
Costa Rica led in attacks 44-24, in blocks 4-1, and in serves 11-3, with seven aces from Nicole Leiva and three from Nadia Granados, though they committed more unforced errors with 23 to El Salvador’s 16.
Leiva was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 14 points, and Campos added 13, the same as Charlotte Martínez. For El Salvador, Tatiana Gómez finished with seven points.
On Thursday, on day three, Costa Rica will play Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and El Salvador will face Honduras at 4:00 p.m.
Kareem Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica: “Thank God we were able to get the victory. It was a bit difficult, but we understand that this is normal at this level. The positive thing is how the girls managed to bounce back after hitting a rough patch. Now we need to keep growing, and that’s what this age group is for – to keep learning and developing our future national team athletes”.
Pedro Rivas, Head coach of El Salvador: “We thought we were better prepared to compete a bit more against Costa Rica. We made a lot of mistakes in the first set, which cost us, but we tried to turn things around. The girls gained confidence and shook off their nerves by the third set. We know they’re young, for some this is their first event, so it was a good result. I’m proud of the girls for putting Costa Rica, a well-prepared team, under pressure”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024.- Belize secured their first victory by defeating Guatemala 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21) at the start of the second day of the AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Belize showed more organization and strength in attack, especially with captain Akili Jones, who scored 27 points, six of them from serves. Emaun Marín finished with 19 points, four of them from blocks and 14 from attacks. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra ended with 13 points, and Natalia Pérez with 9.
Belice celebra triunfo
Belize outperformed in attack 41-34, in blocks 10-4, while Guatemala took the advantage in serves 13-11. Belize committed 39 errors compared to Guatemala’s 36.
On Thursday, on the third day of competition, Guatemala will face Costa Rica at 1:30 p.m., and Belize will play against Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.
Akili Jones, captain of Belize: “We enjoyed today’s match. We are very excited, it’s our first win of the tournament, and we’re really hoping to win more. Yesterday we were off our game; we didn’t play at our best level. Today, we regrouped and played harder”.
Akili Jones de Belice remata
José Fontés, Head coach of Belize: “Yes, it was a hard-fought victory, but it’s a very important one, especially because, as I’ve said from the beginning, the goal is to keep growing and improving our game. Today, we did very well in the first two sets, the first one was played well and very effectively with our serve. Afterward, we dropped off a little, but that’s normal in these types of events and at this age. A very important factor is that we played with two athletes, one aged 15 and the other 13, on the court, and that makes me very happy with how they handled the situations at such a young age”.
Julio Dominguez, Head coach of Guatemala: “This tournament was created to develop the level in the region, and that’s how it is: you win some, you lose some. But today, we saw a very high level for this age group. I believe the team needs to make more tactical adjustments, become more disciplined, so they can keep fighting for the medals. We have a situation with the players where emotions play a very important role. But we’re going to keep fighting, trusting in God that we’ll stay strong because we still have more matches ahead”.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, September 2025.– USA Volleyball is pleased to announce that it has hired John Speraw to serve as its president and Chief Executive Officer, starting on October 1.
Prior to becoming the eighth CEO of USA Volleyball, Speraw has served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team since 2013 and has been part of the team’s leadership for almost two decades.
“My journey with USA Volleyball began in 1997 as an assistant coach for the World University Games team,” Speraw said. “Reflecting on the teams, players, staff and experiences over the years, I am filled with immense gratitude. To now be entrusted with the opportunity to lead USA Volleyball as president and CEO is both a profound honor and deeply humbling.
“This journey has deepened my passion for this organization—representing our country, advancing the sport, and elevating the experience for everyone involved.
“I am sincerely grateful to the USA Volleyball Board of Directors for this honor and responsibility. I am ready to lead. I am ready to serve.”
Speraw’s coaching and leadership roles within USA Volleyball bring a unique blend of executive vision, recognition of the diverse and complex ecosystem of the sport and expertise in the international scene.
His strategic vision of the sport’s evolution is critically important as USA Volleyball prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympics in Los Angeles and the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Speraw is also the founder of First Point Volleyball, an organization dedicated to supporting the growth of boys’ and men’s volleyball across the country.
USA Volleyball Board of Directors Chair Dave Gentile expressed gratitude for everyone involved in the extensive six-month search process for a new CEO.
“What a wonderful cadre of potential leaders that worked through the interview process,” Gentile said. “All of our finalists were highly talented on many fronts, and we thank them for their interest in and support of USA Volleyball.
“The search group composed of key USA Volleyball Board members concluded that John’s overall sport acumen, demeanor, energy, leadership skills and vision for the future of the sport were clearly aligned with the Board’s expectations for the next generation of USA Volleyball.
“Along with the full Board and staff, I look forward to working closely with John over the next several years as he prepares the organization for LA28 and beyond. We are also confident that John’s leadership will always have the mission and role of USA Volleyball as the National Governing Body of the sport of volleyball at the forefront of all we do.”
Besides coaching the U.S. Men’s Team, Speraw has been the head men’s volleyball coach at UCLA since 2012 and guided the Bruins to the NCAA Division I-II National Championship in 2023 and 2024.
Prior to UCLA, Speraw coached UC Irvine men’s volleyball (2002-12) and directed the Anteaters to three NCAA National Championships in six years.
He played middle blocker for the Bruins from 1992-95 and was a member of two national championship teams. He graduated from UCLA in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and molecular genetics
Speraw and wife Michelle live in Southern California with their two children, Hailey and Brooklyn.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024. – Nicaragua opened with a 3-0 victory (25-12, 25-09, 25-19) against El Salvador in the closing match of the first day of the AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
The home team took advantage of their strong serve, scoring 16 points, with Brisa Bermúdez contributing 5 aces and Emely Gutiérrez adding three more. Nicaragua dominated in serving 16-2, in attacking 32-20, and 3-1 in blocking, also benefiting from 24 opponent errors, compared to their own 17.
Gutiérrez finished with nine points for Nicaragua, while Lucía Columna, Brisa Bermúdez, and Karen Bird each tallied eight points. For El Salvador, Tatiana Gómez scored five points.
Karen Bird de Nicaragua ataca
On Wednesday, during the second day, El Salvador faces Costa Rica at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua will play against Honduras at 6:30 p.m.
Claudia Noguera, coach of Nicaragua: “At the beginning, the girls were a bit nervous, but that’s normal in this age group. Later, they started to focus well, began doing their job, and played as they are used to. This victory is important because it’s positive for the team to get a good result on the first day. This game gave us the opportunity to see what options we have for the upcoming matches. We know this age group is very evenly matched, and we will always focus on each game”.
Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “Honestly, the work we did with the girls paid off. We started with an advantage against Nicaragua, but like all the teams in this tournament, these are girls playing for the first time, almost 80% of the team, and in the end, it takes its toll. The anxiety of the Salvadoran girls caused them to make mistakes, but I think the first and third sets were of a good level. In the second set, our team dropped a lot emotionally, but we managed to lift it in the third set, almost forcing a fourth”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024.- Guatemala earned an important 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-21) victory over Honduras thanks to an effective serve, in the second match of the opening day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.
Honduras maintained pressure throughout the match, but Guatemala responded at key moments with their strong serving, earning 12 points, including five from Katherine Vaughn and four from Natalia Pérez.
Guatemala outperformed in attack 35-24 and in serving 12-4, although Honduras led in blocking 5-2. Guatemala made 30 unforced errors, compared to 26 by Honduras.
Andrea Garcés scored 12 points, Vaughn contributed 10, and Melissa Guerra added 9 for Guatemala; meanwhile, Honduras had Nicole Velásquez with nine points.
This Wednesday, on the second day of competition, Guatemala faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras takes on Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.
Regina Porres, captain of Guatemala: “We are very happy with this result, we have been working hard for a long time, and we must keep pushing, always putting in full effort. We knew how to handle the pressure from Honduras, especially with our serves, which are very effective, and that helped us maintain the lead”.
Katherine Vaughn de Guatemala remata
Julio Domínguez, coach of Guatemala: “Starting off like this is important for the team because, first, it’s a new category, and traditionally, the first game in any tournament is always unpredictable. But thank God the girls showed the tactical discipline that was needed, along with a positive attitude to secure a 3-0 win. The inconsistencies were expected because they are young but thank God, we were able to control the game”.
Cristiam Rodriguez, coach of Honduras: “It’s challenging to be at this stage with such young girls. We know there can be many errors in this age group, but I am very pleased despite the loss, as I can see their development, and I know things will improve even more in the future. We know they’re not immune to mistakes; we missed key points at the end of each set, but we will improve as the tournament progresses”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024.- Costa Rica started strong with a 3-0 victory (25-14, 25-16, 25-23) against Belize in the opening match of the First Central American U17 Girls’ Championship by AFECAVOL.
The Costa Rican team showed solid blocking and attacking, and although Belize put pressure in the third set, Costa Rica finished strong with good defense to secure the match point.
Jimena Alfaro libero y Nicole Leiva de Costa Rica intentan salvar el balón
Amanda Campos was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 18 points, eight of them in the first set, while Michelle Arias added 10. For Belize, Akili Jones recorded 12 points.
Costa Rica outperformed Belize in attacks 37-28, also in blocks 4-0, while both teams were tied in service points with six each. Belize committed 28 unforced errors compared to Costa Rica’s 19.
On Wednesday, during the second day of competition, Belize will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and Costa Rica will play against El Salvador at 4:00 p.m.
Nadia Granados, captain of Costa Rica: “We are super excited because this was our goal, to win. We are very motivated because we’ve worked hard for this. Now we have more matches coming up, and we will keep working hard. I think we handled the nerves and anxiety of the first match well, we were able to control our emotions and close out the game”.
Kareem Richard, coach of Costa Rica: “It’s always extremely important to start with a win. Belize is a good team, with a great coaching staff, and they always have good physical conditions. Our technique and tactics made the difference because, at this age, the first game is always challenging, even for a coach. But the girls responded well, and we have an excellent group.”
José Fontes, coach of Belize: “Our goal is to grow, and I believe we did that because the team looked different between the first and third sets. We had some issues in defense, but I’m satisfied, especially with what we did in the third set, as we were up against Costa Rica, a great team.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 23, 2024. – The first Central American U17Girls’ Championship, organized by the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations (AFECAVOL), offers a great opportunity to witness emerging talents and the ongoing development of youth volleyball in the region.
The coaches of the six competing teams emphasized the importance of such a tournament for this age group, as it marks the first competitive steps for these players.
José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Belize’s expectations are to see our players grow, as they don’t have much competitive experience. The first thing we will demand is that they improve and have the right attitude both on and off the court. It’s a great opportunity for all of them to grow and start learning what competition is about”.
Belize
Julio Dominguez, Head coach of Guatemala: “This is a very important category because it forms the foundation for our federations, as athletes for future national teams will come from here. We are eager and enthusiastic to begin this competition, which we expect to be very balanced. We thank AFECAVOL for taking the initiative to launch this age group”.
Guatemala
Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “This is a new tournament for the region, and we are very happy that AFECAVOL decided to host this event for girls in this age group. We are prepared to compete, and we hope to surprise other teams. We know all the countries are strong, but we will do our best”.
El Salvador
Cristiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “We’ve come with a solid process, and we hope to perform well and secure a spot on the podium. I believe this category is very important because the development of girls at this age is more challenging. There are more mistakes, and more corrections are needed, so being in competition will help us a lot. We all want to perform well, and it’s going to be a great tournament”.
Honduras
Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “Our goal is to represent our country with dignity. We have a group of talented young players, and we hope to be fighting for a spot on the podium. This age group is essential because it marks the beginning of an athlete’s career, and their development at this stage is key to achieving a good playing rhythm as they transition to adulthood”.
Nicaragua
Kareem Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica: “Our expectations are very high. Costa Rica always strives to be a reference point, and we have worked on both technical and tactical aspects to ensure a good performance in this inaugural tournament for this age group. The girls are excited, as is the coaching staff, and we are eagerly waiting for the event to start”.
Costa Rica
The tournament will be held from Tuesday to Saturday at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Sports Institute (IND) in Managua, with matches starting at 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the opening ceremony will take place before the third match (6:30 p.m.), with local authorities in attendance.
PARAMARIBO, September 21, 2024 – Following the conclusion of the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, NORCECA announced that Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Guatemala have qualified for the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the II Junior Pan American Games to take place in 2025 in Asunción, Paraguay.
The announcement was made by NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz during the closing ceremony of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, held from September 16 to 21 in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The four teams secured their spots in the continent’s most important youth sports event, organized by Panam Sports, after completing the two-stage qualification process established by the NORCECA Confederation.
The first stage took place during the 2023 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup held in Havana, Cuba, where Cuba emerged as the champion and the Dominican Republic as the runner-up, earning the first two NORCECA tickets.
The qualification was completed with Mexico and Guatemala, as they were the highest-ranked NORCECA teams not yet qualified from the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, securing the final two berths.
The four teams now set their sights on Asunción 2025 and will continue their preparation to achieve success on the Junior Pan American stage.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 21, 2024. – Mexican outside hitter Isaías Aguirre was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, which concluded on Saturday at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Isaías helped his team win the Cup, claiming the championship after defeating Peru in the gold medal match in four sets.
This is the second time in the history of the Cup that Mexico has won the title. The first gold medal was earned in 2021.
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Isaías also received two additional awards: Best Spiker and Best Receiver. Other recognitions for Mexico include Diego Ruiz being named Second Best Blocker, and Franky Hernández awarded Best Server.
Other individual awards went to Alonso Porras of Peru, who was named Second Best Spiker.
From the Dominican Republic team, Adrián Figueroa, with a total of 148 points, was the Best Scorer and Best Opposite. Eliander Jiménez was honored as Best Libero and Best Digger, while Moisés Ortiz received the award for Best Blocker.
Cuba’s Yonni Iglesias was recognized as Best Setter.
The Pan American Cup was held from September 16 to 22 and qualified Mexico and Guatemala for the 2nd Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025. Cuba and the Dominican Republic secured their qualification during the 2023 edition of the Cup.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 21, 2024 .- Mexico was crowned champion of the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after winning the gold medal match 3-1 (25-16, 27-25, 21-25, 25-13) against Peru at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname, on the final day of competition.
This is Mexico’s second title in the history of the Cup; they also won gold in 2021 after defeating Puerto Rico. In total, Mexico has won 4 medals: 2 gold and 2 silver.
Peru won its first silver medal in the history of the Cup; last year, they won the bronze medal, giving them a total of two medals.
CUBA, MEXICO AND PERU TOGETHER
Mexico defeated Peru thanks to their superiority in blocking (12-2), as well as their advantage in attacks (57-49) and serves (6-5). Both teams committed 23 unforced errors.
Four Mexican players scored in double digits. Oziel Aguirre led with 22 points (20 attacks, one block, one ace). Franky Hernández contributed 16 points (10 attacks, 3 blocks, 3 aces). Diego Ruiz added 11 points, including a match-high of 5 blocks. Isay Toy scored 10 points.
Peru’s captain, Leonel Despaigne, led all scorers with 25 points (24 attacks, one ace). Also from Peru, Gerardo Chicoma finished with 11 points, all from attacks, and Edgar Vertiz recorded 10 points.
Mexico won the first set, leading throughout, with Franky Hernández as the top scorer, including three aces. The second set was a different story, with the teams tying multiple times, and Peru reaching set point after an attack from their captain, Leonel Despaigne. However, an error allowed Mexico to tie the score at 24, and then Mexico reached set point twice, with Hernández’s powerful offense keeping them ahead 2-0. In the third set, Peru jumped to a three-point lead (11-8) with a serve from Edgar Vertiz and two attacks from Leonel. Mexico tied the score at 12 points with Aguirre leading and Peru committing errors. From there, the score remained close until Peru gained a three-point advantage (19-16), driven by their captain. Peru lost two set points (24-19) due to an attack by Isay Toy and a self-error, but Leonel scored the set point with a soft touch. Mexico started the fourth set with a five-point lead (12-7), with Diego Ruiz putting pressure at the net. Mexico’s dominance grew with the blocking efforts of four players, ending the match with a wide margin.
PABLO RUIZ (MEX)
Renato Soares, Head coach of Mexico: “We prepared for the tournament and the match. We trained on serving, defense, and blocking. We came here to secure qualification for the Junior Pan American Games, and we also wanted to win the competition. The set we lost was due to a lack of focus; being up 2-0, they relaxed, and we shouldn’t think that way”.
Diego Recavarren, Head coach of Peru: “I think the lack of experience in playing finals took its toll. The team entered very nervously, played well at times and not so well at others. Mexico had a very aggressive serve that hurt us a lot, and that didn’t allow us to play at the speed we like, plus their tall blocking. We had played ten sets in two days, which also had an impact. I have nothing to reproach my team for; they fought until the end and showed they know how to play”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 21, 2024. – Cuba won the bronze medal at the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-15) at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname on the last day of competition.
Cuba wrapped up the tournament with a 4-1 record to win their first bronze medal in the history of the event. Cuba has an overall of five medals: 3 gold, one silver and one bronze. While Guatemala ended 4-2.
GUATEMALA CAPTAIN JOSE ZAVALA HANGING IN THE AIR
Cuba led in attacks (41-28), blocks (16-7), and aces (5-4), but conceded more points on errors (19-12).
Cuba’s top scorers were middle blockers Thiago Suárez with 15 points (12 attacks, 3 blocks) and Jakdiel Contreras with 11 points (6 attacks, 5 blocks). Outside hitter Bryan Camino added 10 points.
Opposite hitter Pablo Pérez and captain Yeferson Zavala each scored 11 points for Guatemala.
CUBA CELEBRATING
Guatemala managed to take a 12-11 lead in the first set with a block by middle blocker Christian Alvarez on Jakdiel Contreras. With the score close at 22-20 in Cuba’s favor, Daniel Martínez scored with a kill and an ace, followed by a kill from Contreras, giving Cuba the first set. In the second set, the score remained tight, and Guatemala once again took the lead 12-11 with an ace from Daniel Ralón and then 13-12 with a block from Yeferson Zavala. An attack from Pablo Pérez put Guatemala ahead 15-14, extending to a two-point lead (17-15). For Cuba, it was a back-and-forth struggle, regaining the lead and then losing it, but Daniel Martínez’s pressure on the service line pushed them to a 21-18 advantage. With an attack from Zavala and another from Alvarez, plus a Cuban error, Guatemala tied the set at 21 points, but Cuba captured the set. Cuba elevated their level of play in the third set, gaining a significant advantage over Guatemala and sealing the bronze medal with a block by Daniel Martínez.
Jesús Angel Cruz, Head coach of Cuba: “After yesterday’s defeat, it was hard to lift the spirits of the guys because our goal was to win the title. Today we came out to win the bronze. Coming into the event already qualified for the Junior Pan American Games allowed us to see some players who hadn’t had much court time”.
Reider Lucas Mora, Head coach of Guatemala: “Today the boys were less pressured than yesterday. I think against Mexico, their desire to do well didn’t allow them to focus, and we couldn’t get into a rhythm. Today, we did things a bit better, knowing it would be difficult against Cuba’s tall blocking. This tournament was very important because we qualified for the Junior Pan American Games, and it helped us see new players in this category”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 21, 2024.- Dominican Republic defeated Costa Rica 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18) to claim fifth place at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, which concluded on Saturday at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
This was the second time in the tournament that the Dominican Republic beat Costa Rica. In the preliminary round, the Dominicans defeated the Central Americans, but in four sets.
The Dominican Republic finished with a 3-3 record, while Costa Rica ended with 1-4.
5TH PLACE WINNER DOM WITH 2 SURINAME KIDS
The Dominicans controlled all aspects of the game: attacks (48-26), blocks (7-5), and serves (6-4). Costa Rica made fewer unforced errors (14-18).
Dominican player Adrián Figueroa once again stood out as the top scorer of the match, contributing 26 points (23 attacks, one block, two aces). Middle blocker Moisés Ortiz added 14 points, including a match-high of six blocks, while outside hitter Ronny Molina contributed 11 points.
For Costa Rica, Luis Eduardo Solano and Harold Rodríguez led with 8 points each.
José Alexander Gutiérrez, Head coach of Dominican Republic: “These matches are more mental. We played with more confidence, and there was no pressure; in reality, throughout the tournament, there was no pressure on the team because we were already qualified for Asunción. We were able to test players who have only been working for a few months. This is a project for the future. Now we will prepare for the Junior Pan American Games”.
César Salas, Head coach of Costa Rica: “Today’s match wasn’t our best. I liked that my team grew during the group stage, going toe-to-toe with big teams. We played better against the Dominican Republic in the group stage. I’m satisfied because this is a new project. We did well, and we would have liked to compete more. We’re going back to Costa Rica to keep growing and adding to this project, ensuring it heads in the right direction in the short term”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 21, 2024.- Suriname finished in seventh place at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after defeating Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-10) at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Suriname ended the tournament with a 2-4 record, which took place from September 16 to 21. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines closed with a 0-5 record.
It was a match where both teams lacked energy, performing below their capabilities.
7TH PLACE FOR SURINAME
The hosts finished their last match with a 28-23 advantage in attacks, 7-3 in blocks, and 4-3 in serves. Suriname benefited from 36 errors by Saint Vincent and conceded 10.
Outside hitters Shemar Jameson and Carlo Huisden of Suriname scored 9 and 7 points, respectively.
Middle blocker Shadron Delpesche of Saint Vincent was the top scorer with 14 points.
Carlos Orta, Suriname’s coach: “We knew Suriname had to win this match because of the difference in the level of play between the teams. Our true expectation was to be among the top five. This was a new experience for everyone, even for the spectators, to see that this is not a CAZOVA level, it’s Pan-American. We need to prepare better for future events. I’m happy with the boys because they showed that we’ve made good preparations, but we need to prepare even more”.
Daryl Franklyn, Head coach of St. Vincent: “I think the guys were unmotivated because they were playing for the last spots. They came with a kind of defeated mindset, and it showed on the court. They really didn’t fight”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 20, 2024. – Mexico defeated Guatemala 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-18) in the semifinals and will play against Peru for the gold medal of the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Mexico reaches its fourth gold medal match in the history of the Cup (2014, 2018, 2021), having won once in 2021.
FINALS FOR MEXICO
Mexico will face Peru on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. for the 2024 title, following the match between Guatemala and Cuba at 3:00 p.m. for the bronze medal. Guatemala won the bronze medal in 2018.
The Mexicans had no trouble dominating Guatemala with an advantage of 34-24 in attacks, 10-2 in blocks, and 9-3 in serves. Mexico gave up 24 points from unforced errors compared to 22 from Guatemala.
Oziel Aguirre scored 13 points (10 attacks, 3 aces) in Mexico’s victory. Franky Hernández contributed 12 points (8 attacks, a match-high of 4 aces).
FIGUEROA RIGHETTO SCORES FOR MEXICO
Guatemala’s top scorer was Pablo Pérez with 8 points.
Mexico quickly jumped to a comfortable lead (12-4) in the first set, never trailing, and won it with the offense led by Franky Hernández, Oziel Aguirre, and Lorenzo Martínez. Despite Guatemala tying at six points in the second set, Mexico pulled ahead with a 4-0 block advantage, two of which came from José Adame. Mexico’s strong serving in the third set prevented the Central American team from responding, scoring 6 of the 9 total aces with which they closed the match.
Oziel Aguirre of Mexico, the top scorer of the match: “The victory was a team effort. We have worked on several strategies during practice. Besides the serves, it was a combination of factors, including the coaches’ guidance. Now we must face Peru, we saw them against Cuba, and they put on a great performance, well deserved. We can’t be overconfident, and we must give everything on the court, with each player giving their best”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 20, 2024.- Peru stunned Cuba by winning the semifinal of the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup in five thrilling sets 3-2 (25-13, 18-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-12) on Friday at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
This was the second consecutive five-set match for Peru, their third of the tournament. Peru reaches the gold medal match for the first time in the history of the Cup; last year, they won bronze, their first medal.
Peru will face the winner of the other semifinal between Guatemala and Mexico on Saturday at 5:00 pm. Cuba will face the loser at 3:00 pm in search of their first bronze medal in the history of the event, having previously won three gold medals (2014, 2018, 2023) and one silver in 2016.
LEONEL DESPAIGNE (PERU) AND BRYAN MARTINEZ (CUBA) FIGHTING FOR THE BALL
Although Cuba dominated every skill, attacks (60-53), blocks (14-7), and service (7-6), Peru committed fewer errors (22-31) to secure the win.
The top scorer of the game was Peru’s captain Leonel Despaigne with 24 points (22 attacks, 2 aces). Outside hitters Gerardo Chicoma and Piero Porras contributed to the South American victory with 18 and 11 points, respectively.
Cuba’s top scorer was outside hitter Bryan Camino with 21 points (19 attacks, 2 aces), followed by middle blocker Thiago Suárez with 20 points (19 attacks, 1 ace). Middle blocker Jakdiel Contreras added 10 points.
Cuba started with a seven-point lead (10-3) thanks to the attacks of Bryan Camino and Thiago Suárez. Cuba never trailed, closing the first set with a huge margin. Peru managed a three-point lead (5-2) to start the second set with the offense of Piero Porras, Gerardo Chicoma, and Leonel Despaigne. As the set progressed, Peru maintained the lead, doubling Cuba’s points with quick plays, solid defense, and pressure from their serve (16-8). A block by Peruvian middle blocker Andrew Luján on Thiago tied the match. Cuba recovered by jumping to a comfortable lead in the third set, with powerful attacks and taking advantage of Peru’s errors. Cuba won the third with a spike by Thiago. In the fourth set, Cuba held the lead (14-12), with Carlos Pereira joining the offense, but Peru stayed close with Luis Ñiquen scoring along with Chicoma and Despaigne to tie at 22, then 23, and went on to force a fifth set with a kill from Edgar Vértiz and a Cuban error. Peru started the tie-break ahead 4-1, and although Cuba tied at points 9, 10, and 11, Peru always stayed in front, closing the match with an ace from Despaigne.
PERU PLAYERS
Diego Recavarren, Head coach of Peru: “We didn’t give up. We knew Cuba was a superior opponent, but when you play very closely, they make a lot of mistakes, and that was the key. The team is proving to be very tenacious despite the height limitations, but we have developed a compact game system, and that’s why we are in the final”.
Leonel Despaigne, captain of Peru: “We were thinking a lot about this match. Cuba is incredibly strong, and we were eager for revenge from last year against them (at least for me, as I played in the Cup in Cuba). I’m super happy. Beating Cuba is the ultimate. We played very organized, listened well, and we are very united and determined, we never give up on any ball”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 20, 2024.- Dominican Republic defeated Saint Vincent 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-8) and will face Costa Rica on Saturday for fifth place in the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Dominican Republic and Costa Rica played in the preliminary round, with the Dominican team winning in four sets. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will compete for the 7th/8th position against Suriname.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican team secured the victory in 48 minutes, with a huge advantage in attacks (44-16), a slight edge in blocking (7-6), and scoring more service points (4-0), while benefiting from Saint Vincents’ 20 errors compared to their own 7.
The top scorer was Dominican Adrian Figueroa with 15 points (14 attacks, one block). Moisés Ortiz and Ronny Molina contributed to the win with 9 and 8 points, respectively.
Shadron Delpesche led Saint Vincent with 10 points (8 attacks, 2 blocks).
Luther Rosario, captain of the Dominican Republic: “It’s very difficult to play a match for this position; it’s a mental challenge after losing an important game. The team’s morale is a bit low. We need to stay strong, as this is part of the sport, and we must know how to get back up because we are representing a country”. Philroy Nero, libero of St. Vincent: “The focus of our team was not here today. Our team needed to focus on passing, hitting and keeping our fire on. Dominican Republic played very well”.
Philroy Nero, libero of St. Vincent: “The focus of our team was not here today. Our team needed to focus on passing, hitting and keeping our fire on. Dominican Republic played very well”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 20, 2024. – Costa Rica defeated the host Suriname in a dramatic game 3-2 (25-17, 25-27, 25-22, 29-31, 20-18) to advance to the match for fifth place at the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo.
Costa Rica will play the fifth-place match on Saturday against the winner between Saint Vincent and the Dominican Republic; Suriname will face the loser for positions 7/8.
COSTA RICA WIN’S AGAINST SURINAME
In a match that lasted over two hours (2:24), with the tie-break nearly resembling a regular set, Costa Rica claimed victory by leading in attacks (74-67) and committing fewer errors (24-34). Suriname held the advantage in blocking (15-12) and serving (9-4).
Five Costa Rican players scored in double digits, with standout performances from middle blocker Luis Eduardo Solano and outside hitter Harold Rodríguez, who scored 24 and 20 points, respectively.
The top scorer of the match was Suriname’s Lee A Leong with 28 points, supported by Carlo Huisden (17), Gianni Ritfeld (15), and Shemar Jameson (14).
SOLANO SCORES FOR COSTA RICA
Costa Rica started strong, winning the first set while always staying ahead on the score, with four players leading the attack. The second set saw several ties, until Gianni Ritfeld and Lee A Leong pressed to level the match 1-1, with Ritfeld scoring the set-winning block. Costa Rica and Suriname were tied up to 21 points in the third set, but Costa Rica won despite Suriname leading the attack (14-9). After two consecutive errors by Costa Rica near the end, Harold Rodríguez sealed the set with a kill. In a dramatic fourth-set finish, Suriname lost a set point (24-23) after a powerful attack from Costa Rica’s Juan Delgado. Costa Rica then missed a match point after a kill from Lee A Leong, and Suriname forced a fifth set by scoring two consecutive points to close it out 31-29. In the fifth set, both teams traded leads, extending the set to nearly a regular one, but Costa Rica clinched the win with a final kill from Rodríguez.
Luis Eduardo Solano, top scorer of Costa Rica: “It was a tough match. Both teams got carried away emotionally; at times one team was ahead, and then the other would take the lead, switching roles throughout the game. Thankfully, we were able to pull through and now we’re aiming for fifth place, which is a good position for a new team like ours in tournaments of this level”.
Lee A Leong, top scorer of Suriname: “We had a good game. We need to finish the sets. We all committed a series of errors. We played a good game, and we showed that we can compete with these teams. We must work to improve more”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 19, 2024. – Mexico captured the last spot in the semifinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup after defeating host Suriname 3-0 (25-19, 25-10, 25-23) at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo.
Mexico will face Guatemala on Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the second semifinal; the first one will be at 5:00 p.m. between Cuba and Peru. Suriname will play a classification match for positions 5 to 8, starting against Costa Rica at 11:00 a.m.
Mexico and Guatemala secured their berths in the II Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025 as the two best-ranked non-qualified NORCECA teams in the event. Cuba and the Dominican Republic earned their qualification in last year’s U23 Cup.
Mexico outperformed Suriname with a 44-23 advantage in attacks, 8-3 in blocks, and 4-1 in aces. Suriname made fewer errors (19-25).
AGUIRRE SCORES FOR MEXICO
Oziel Aguirre and Lorenzo Martínez each scored 12 points for Mexico, while Meson Anakaba scored 10 for Suriname.
The first set was very close, with Shemar Jameson leading Suriname, supported by Lee A Leong, both spearheading the attack. Mexico won the first set by pulling ahead mid set, gaining a comfortable five-point lead (19-14) with the push from Juan García, Lorenzo Martínez, and Franky Hernández. Mexico took the second set without complications, with Oziel Aguirre joining the offense and Alexis Alvarado scoring the final point with an ace. In the third set, Suriname led 15-13 with Meson Anakaba at the front, alongside Sandel Revelino and Carlo Huisden. Mexico ended Suriname’s good streak, tying at 21 points and then going up 22-21 thanks to an attack from Anakaba, followed by an attack from Aguirre. Mexico closed the match with a kill from Isay Toy, despite losing one match point on a kill from Huisden.
Renato Soares, Head coach of Mexico: “It was a match with many ups and downs. I always tell the players that we must maintain a high level of play. We can’t play this way because we suffer. In the match before ours, the Dominican Republic struggled against Peru and ended up losing. Our goal was to qualify for the Junior Pan American Games, and we’ve achieved that. Now, we are going to aim for the final. We have a tough semifinal against Guatemala, and we will prepare well”.
Meson Anakaba, top scorer of Suriname: “We gave our all in the last set, but at the end our mistakes cost us the set which we led most of the time. We have to work on limiting our errors to reach another level of play. I am a bit disappointed, but personally I tried my best”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 19, 2024.- Peru defeated Dominican Republic in a five set thriller 3-2 (19-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13), to advance to the semifinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The match was a rollercoaster, a point-for-point battle where Peru held an advantage in attacks (74-71), while the Dominican Republic led in blocks (12-11) and serves (4-1). Peru committed 23 errors, while the Dominican Republic had 22.
LEONEL DESPAIGNE (PERU)
Peru’s captain, Leonel Despaigne, led his team with 27 points (26 attacks, one block). Outside hitter Gerardo Chicoma scored 24 points (20 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace), and Piero Porras added 17 points (16 attacks, one block).
Dominican opposite Adrián Figueroa led all scorers with 29 points (28 attacks, one block). Ronny Molina contributed 25 points (23 attacks, 2 blocks), and Edward Rojas added 14 points (12 attacks, one block, one ace).
PERU PLAYERS FIGHTING FOR THE BALL
The Dominican Republic overcame a four-point deficit (2-6) at the start of the first set, with both teams tied several times until the Dominican side took control through a block by Moisés Ortiz and a kill from Adrián Figueroa. Peru gained a five-point lead (14-9) thanks to the offense of Gerardo Chicoma and Piero Porras. However, the South Americans couldn’t hold the advantage, as the Dominican Republic rallied to tie the set at 22, with Figueroa leading the way and Ronny Molina joining in. Peru finally tied the match by winning the second set in overtime with two attacks from Leonel Despaigne. The Dominican Republic never trailed in the third set, though Peru stayed close throughout. It was a duel of attacks between the Dominicans Molina and Edward Rojas, and Peru’s Despaigne and Chicoma, with the set ultimately going to the Dominican Republic after Molina scored on a kill. Peru quickly took the lead in the fourth set (7-1), thanks to a strong performance by Luis Ñiquen, and extended the advantage with Chicoma’s help, forcing a tie-break. The fifth set was fast-paced play, with the teams tying at 13 points. A Dominican error and an attack from Leonel Despaigne secured the victory for Peru.
Diego Recavarren, Head coach of Peru: “Aggressiveness was crucial. We entered the match with the mindset that we were on the same level as them. Serving, attacking aggressively, and counterattack speed were key. We have a very strong, fast, and smart setter. We fought for every ball”.
Gerardo Chicoma, outside hitter of Puer: “We had a very good attitude. We entered the game knowing what we needed to do. Given the opponent’s height, we had to play intelligently rather than relying on strength, and that was evident on the court. We knew how to work as a team and defend well to achieve victory”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 19, 2024. – The U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, taking place from September 16 to 22 in Paramaribo, Suriname, not only showcases the talent of the region’s young players but also a select group of international referees entrusted with officiating at this event, which serves as a qualifier for the II Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025.
Among the appointed referees, two women stand out, underscoring the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation’s (NORCECA) commitment to gender equity in sports. Cinthya Hernández of Costa Rica and Chantal Karsters of Suriname are leading this effort.
REFEREES
The complete list of referees includes:
Cinthya Hernández from Costa Rica, Chantal Karsters from Suriname, Ricardo Borroto from Cuba, Nestor Mateo from the Dominican Republic, Raúl Mejía from Guatemala, Randy Sánchez from Mexico, Herberth González from Peru, and Brian Charles from Trinidad and Tobago (representing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines).
The referees are under the supervision of Referee Coaches Jorge Isaac Villalobos from Costa Rica and Cheryll Rogers from Curaçao, who ensure the proper execution of refereeing decisions throughout the tournament.
This diverse group of officials guarantees the quality and professionalism of the refereeing in a competition that brings together teams from Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the host nation, Suriname.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 18, 2024. – Peru took second place in Pool B after a 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-17) victory over host Suriname in the Under 23 Men’s Pan American Cup, at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo.
Peru ended pool-play with 2-1 record and Suriname finished 1-2. In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Peru will face the Dominican Republic (5:00 pm) and Suriname will take on Mexico (8:00 pm).
Peru dominated every skill of the game: attacks (43-25), blocks (7-5), and serves (8-2), though they committed more errors (19-17).
PERU CELEBRATING WIN AGAINST HOST SURINAME
Three players from Peru scored in double digits: Gerardo Chicoma (17), Piero Porras (15), and Leonel Despaigne (11).
On Suriname’s side, Lee A Leong scored 15 points.
The first set was tied at 5 points before Peru took control without difficulties. In the second set, despite Suriname’s efforts through Lee A Leong, Peru once again dominated the play. The third set was tightly contested, with both teams tied early on, but Peru applied pressure with strong blocking from Piero Porras and serves from Luis Ñiquen and Adrian Gushiken to secure the victory in three sets.
POINT FOR SURINAME
Diego Recavarren, Head coach of Peru: “The host team has improved a lot in their level; it was a tough game, but fortunately, my team stayed focused on what they needed to do, including committing few errors and being aggressive with serves and blocking. I think we accomplished that. Now we face the Dominican Republic, a strong and tall team. We are going to play well and counterattack their best attackers to show the progress that men’s volleyball in our country has made”.
Carlos Orta Fellove, Head coach of Suriname: “From the beginning, I knew today’s game against Peru and yesterday’s game against Guatemala would be difficult. We did everything we could, all the efforts, all the necessary changes to win, but it was tough. The boys gave it their all and reached the peak of their performance”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 18, 2024. – Cuba defeated Mexico 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14) to secure a direct spot in Saturday’s semifinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, being held at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Cuba earned their direct pass to the semifinals as Pool A winners with a 3-0 record. Mexico (2-1) will play in the quarterfinals on Friday against third place from Pool B (Suriname or Peru).
Cuba outperformed in attacks (41-33), while Mexico led in serves (10-7). Both teams scored 9 blocking points. Cuba capitalized on 27 errors by Mexico, while committing 38 of their own.
CELEBRATING TIME
Middle blocker Thiago Suárez once again led Cuba and was the top scorer of the match with 24 points (18 attacks, a match-high 5 blocks, and one ace). Outside hitter Bryan Camino collected 14 points (12 attacks, one block, and one ace).
Outside hitter Isay Toy led Mexico with 15 points (14 attacks and one block), followed by Franky Hernández, who also scored 15 points (8 attacks, 2 blocks, and a match-high of 5 aces).
The teams traded leads throughout the first set, with Mexico pulling ahead from point 20, scoring six consecutive points with the offense of Alejandro Adame and Isay Toy, as well as the blocking from Diego Ruiz, to take a 1-0 lead. Cuba jumped to a four-point advantage (10-6) in the second set with Thiago Suárez and Carlos Pereira leading the way, but Mexico managed to tie the score on numerous occasions starting from point 12. Cuba evened the match by taking the second set with a 12-9 advantage in attacks, where Yonni Iglesias also contributed. Thiago and Camino dominated Cuba’s attack to recover from a five-point deficit (9-14) and put Cuba ahead two sets to one. With a seven-point lead (15-8), Cuba paved the way to victory with a commanding advantage, and opposite Daniel Martínez sealed the win with a kill.
MARTINEZ ATTACK’S FOR MEXICO
Jesús Ángel Cruz, Head coach of Cuba: “Mexico always comes to fight in this category; they are fighters, just like us. In the first set, their serving worked really well, especially No. 48 (Milatony), who caused us a lot of trouble in that rotation with his serve. After that, we made the necessary adjustments to control that serve. Our attack worked perfectly in the last set”.
José Alejandro Adame, setter of Mexico: “We had a good first set. There was a lot of distraction afterward. I think we will meet Cuba again in the tournament final. Cuba’s blocking caused us a lot of damage, along with the powerful attack. We need to make several adjustments”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 18, 2024.- Guatemala made it to the semifinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup being held at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo after winning Pool Be.
Guatemala defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0 (25-10, 25-12, 25-17) in their last match of pool-play. Guatemala closed with a 3-0 record. St. Vincent (0-3) will compete for positions 5 to 8.
ZAVALA SPIKE
Guatemala was superior in kills (37-16) and in service aces (5-2). Guatemala scored on 28 opponent errors and gave away 17.
Yeferson Zavala of Guatemala was the only player with double digits scoring 12 points on 11 kills and one block. Also contributing to the win were Roberto Recinos with 9 points and Christian Alvarez with 8.
The best scorer for St. Vincent was Damari Frederick with 7 points.
Guatemala controlled the game from start to finish, using all its players.
PEREIRA SPIKE (SV)
Reider Lucas Mora, Head coach of Guatemala: “Our goal was to win the pool. Against Peru we expected an even match, and we were able to get the result. The Suriname players were the hosts, and they have athletes with great potential, they didn’t make it easy, I was satisfied. And today, we were aiming for 3-0, we accomplished it. We advance to semifinals, and we want to enjoy them, playing the best we can”.
Daryl Franklyn, Head coach of St. Vincent: “I don’t think the guys played today at their full potential. As I said before, coming into the competition we lost a lot of players, so the chemistry amongst the guys was really bad. I think they could have done much better. Hopefully the guys can pull it together for our next matches and we can play for a higher position in the competition”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 18, 2024. – Dominican Republic advanced to the quarterfinals of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22) victory over Costa Rica at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The Dominican Republic (1-2) finished third in Pool A and will face the second-place team from Pool B (yet to be determined) in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. Costa Rica (0-3) will compete in the matches for positions 5 to 8.
TOUGH ACTION AT THE NET
The Dominican Republic led in attacks (59-45) and blocks (14-6). Both teams scored 5 direct points from serves. The Dominican Republic gave away 29 points on errors, while Costa Rica committed 20 errors.
Dominican opposite Adrián Figueroa led all scorers with 29 points (28 attacks, one block), followed by outside hitters Rony Molina and Edward Rojas with 16 and 13 points respectively. Cristofer Andujar had a match-high of 5 blocks.
Costa Rican middle blockers Luis Eduardo Solano and Jeremy Vanega led their team with 11 points each.
The Dominican Republic opened the match with a comfortable four-point lead (13-9), applying pressure with serves and attacks from Adrián Figueroa and Ronny Molina, and never trailed. Luis Solano and Franco Molina helped Costa Rica gain a five-point advantage (7-2) at the start of the second set, but the Dominicans tied it at eight points. From there, the score remained close until it was tied at 20 points. With three Costa Rican errors and a point from Molina, the Dominican Republic secured the second set. Costa Rica started the third set strong, building an eight-point lead (12-4) with offensive help from Diego Delgado and Jeremy Vanega. Costa Rica stayed ahead but gave up four set points on Cristofer Andujar blocking, attacks from Figueroa, and their own errors before forcing a fourth set. The fourth set was tied at 21 points; with three attacks, a serve, and an error, the Dominican Republic won.
DOM CAPTAIN FIGUEROA MAD AT HIMSELF
Eliander Jiménez, libero for the Dominican Republic: “After winning two sets, we lost focus and got overconfident. I think we underestimated Costa Rica, but they showed the opposite. Costa Rica played better than us in the third set. We adjusted our reception in the fourth set, the outside hitters woke up since only the opposite was attacking, and I improved in defense. We played with more harmony to get the result”.
Anderson Barboza, libero for Costa Rica: “I feel that we always supported each other on the court. We had several errors in reception, which I think caused us to lose today. We will work on that aspect to get the results we expect. Despite the outcome, we did well”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 17, 2024. – Guatemala remains undefeated in the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup after securing a 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 21-25, 25-23) victory over host Suriname at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo.
Guatemala holds a 2-0 record in Pool B, guaranteeing their spot in the next round. A win against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (0-2) on Wednesday will secure them a direct ticket to the semifinals as group leaders. Suriname and Peru, both with a 1-1 record, will face off to determine the final standings.
2ND WIN GUATEMALA
Guatemala’s advantage in attack (51-47) and fewer errors (22-34) were enough to overcome Suriname, who dominated in blocking (11-9) and serving (6-2).
Yeferson Zavala led Guatemala with 18 points from attacks, followed by Roberto Recinos with 16 points.
Suriname’s Jameson Shemar led all scorers with 24 points, including a match-high of 4 blocks. Lee A Leong contributed 15 points for Suriname.
JOSE SAMAYA SCORES FOR GUATEMALA
Guatemala won the first set coming from behind (12-17) following Suriname errors. Jerry Duran pushed the Central Americans forward, supported by Yeferson Zavala and Christian Álvarez. Guatemala remained solid, overpowering Suriname in the second set with blocks from José Samayoa and Daniel Ralón, despite struggling with serves from Lee A Leong and Jameson Shemar. Suriname took a three-point lead in the third set (12-9) thanks to Jameson’s blocks, but the teams tied at 13. Suriname gained a four-point advantage (18-14) with powerful attacks from Lee A Leong, giving them the confidence to force a fourth set. Guatemala reached a five-point lead (17-12) with offensive plays from Pablo Pérez and blocks from Ralón and Samayoa. Suriname’s errors benefited Guatemala, but they closed the gap (20-21) with points from Jameson. Guatemala celebrated the win with a kill from Zavala, though not before losing two match points due to errors.
Yeferson Zavala, Guatemala’s captain: “I think our attitude today was a bit lower compared to yesterday. We started the match very well but lost some energy as Suriname played better and put more pressure on us. Tomorrow, we face Saint Vincent, and we hope to play well from the start and win our pool”.
Duncan Hiwat, setter of Suriname: “It was a dramatic finish. I came off the bench in the second set and the teams’ performance stabilized, we played better and really excited. I am happy that the team played well, we gave our best even if we lost”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 17, 2024. – Cuba came back from a two-set deficit to defeat the Dominican Republic 3-2 (21-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18, 15-13) in the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup on Tuesday at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Cuba and Mexico, both with a 2-0 record, will face each other on Wednesday for first place in Pool A and a direct pass to the semifinals. The Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, with 0-2 records, will play for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Cuba led in attacks (69-52) and service points (7-2), while the Dominican Republic dominated in blocks (12-8). Cuba committed 35 errors compared to 24 from the Dominican Republic.
CUBA
Cuba’s middle blocker Thiago Suarez led the team with 24 points (21 attacks, 2 blocks, one ace). Outside hitter Bryan Camino contributed 23 points (22 attacks, one ace) to the win. Outside hitter Carlos Pereira scored 13 points, and middle blocker Alexis Wilson added 11, including a match-high of 5 blocks.
The top scorer of the game was Dominican opposite Adrián Figueroa with 26 points, all from attacks. Outside hitter Ronny Molina added 16 points for the Dominican team.
After a close score, the Dominican Republic pulled ahead with a six-point lead (15-9) thanks to the offensive efforts of Adrián Figueroa and Ronny Molina, maintaining the lead until closing the set with a serve by Molina. From point 11 of the second set, the Dominican Republic kept the advantage until the end. Cuba, with Bryan Camino and Thiago Suárez, applied pressure, but their errors, combined with the effectiveness of Dominican Figueroa, couldn’t prevent the Dominican Republic from winning the second set. The Dominicans took advantage of Cuba’s mistakes in the third set, holding the lead until Cuba recovered from a three-point deficit (11-14) with scores from Alexis Wilson and Thiago to tie it. With an attack from Camino, along with a Dominican error, they forced a fourth set. Cuba capitalized on their momentum and quickly jumped to a wide 12-4 lead, driven by Yonni Iglesias and Thiago’s attacks and Alexis Wilson’s blocks, never falling behind and extending the match to a tie-break. Cuba won the fifth set with an advantage in attacks (9-5) and by capitalizing on six Dominican errors.
RECEIVE DOM
Thiago Suarez, Cuba’s top scorer: “We didn’t have the necessary focus in the first two sets; we were too excited. We calmed down to win the next three sets. We stayed calm, added points, and had patience. Tomorrow, we will fight for first place in the group against Mexico, and we hope to get the win”.
José Gutiérrez, Head coach of the Dominican Republic: “For us, it’s about gaining experience; we are already qualified for Asunción 2025. We lost, but while playing well. The boys lack game volume, and this inconsistency (playing two sets very well, then two sets poorly) is due to a lack of matches. If the Dominican Republic doesn’t build a league that allows them to play, it’s going to be difficult for us. We need to be patient and keep working”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 17, 2024. – Peru improved their record (1-1) in Pool B after defeating St. Vincent 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-15) in the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup being held at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Peru (1-1) will close pool-play on Wednesday against Suriname, and St. Vincent (0-2) will face Guatemala.
FREDERICK DAMARI
Peru delivered a convincing victory over St. Vincent, dominating in attacks (46-17) and service points (8-1), while St. Vincent led in blocks (8-4) and committed one fewer error (17-18).
Leonel Despaigne, Peru’s captain, was the top scorer with 17 points (16 attacks, one ace), and Piero Porras added 10 points.
St. Vincent’s middle blocker Shadron Delpesche scored 10 points, including a match-high of 5 blocks.
Peru was able to use all their players in a match that lasted less than an hour (0:57).
PORRAS BALCARAZ
Piero Porras, Peru’s outside hitter: “Our coach made quite a few changes so that everyone could get on the court and find their rhythm for the upcoming matches. Today we were able to control the game as the opponent gave us the opportunities to do so. We did what we know how to do. We’re ready to face Suriname, and what we need is to control the ball because that’s how we will control the game”.
John Jaimion, captain of St. Vincent and the Grenadines: “We got off to a rough start and we couldn’t get our foot in. Passing was one of our main issues today and we hope with some training sessions we can improve for the following games”.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 17, 2024.- From September 24 to 28, the city of Managua will host the First Edition of the U17 Central American Girls’ Championship, organized by the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations (AFECAVOL).
This event marks a milestone in the development of women’s volleyball in the region and responds to a joint initiative of Central American nations to align their youth categories with international standards.
Six countries will compete in this first edition: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. All of them aim to foster young talent, provide international experience, and prepare new generations of players for future continental and international competitions.
The Volleyball Gymnasium of the Sports Institute (IND) in Managua will be the official competition hall for the tournament, which has been prepared to welcome the six participating teams, highlighting AFECAVOL’s commitment to the development of volleyball at the regional level.
Teams will go through the preliminary interview on Monday the 23rd, and the competition will kick off on Tuesday the 24th, with three daily matches broadcast live NicaSports en YouTube.
PARAMARIBO, Mexico, September 17, 2024.- Mexico beat Costa Rica 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-21) in its second win in Pool A of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, taking place at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
With two victories in Pool A, Mexico (2-0) is assured of advancing to the next round, but it remains to be seen whether they will go directly to the semifinals or compete in the quarterfinals after facing Cuba on Wednesday. Costa Rica (0-2) will play against the Dominican Republic in their final group stage match.
MEXICO BLOCK
Mexico and Costa Rica are vying for one of the two spots available for NORCECA teams at the II Pan American Junior Games Asunción 2025.
After a tough first set, Mexico secured the win with an advantage of 41-31 in kills, 9-4 in blocks, and 9-2 in serves, but Costa Rica benefited from 27 unforced errors compared to 18.
Jared Toy led Mexico with 11 points (8 attacks, 2 blocks, one ace). Oziel Aguirre scored 10 points (5 attacks, including a match-high of 5 direct serve points). Juan García also contributed 10 points (5 attacks, a match-high of 4 blocks, 1 ace).
For Costa Rica, Jeremy Vanega and Dennis Jenher each scored 9 points.
MARTINEZ OCHOA ATTACK’S FOR MEXICO AGAINST COSTA RICA
Costa Rica started strong, reaching a five-point lead (11-6) with powerful kills from Dennis Jenher and Jeremy Vanega, but Mexico quickly recovered with Oziel Aguirre’s attacks and Jared Toy’s blocks. The set remained very close, with Mexico finally closing it out in extra time. In the second set, Aguirre maintained his serve to help Mexico hold a comfortable lead over Costa Rica and stay in control of the match. In the third set, the teams tied several times until reaching 20 points, when Mexico pulled ahead with consecutive points from Franky Hernández.
Jared Toy, Mexico’s top scorer: “We started a bit slow, which is something we’ve been struggling with as a team. Costa Rica gave us a good scare. We managed to get into rhythm and come through. Tomorrow, we close against Cuba, and we expect it to be a great match, good for both teams”.
Jeremy Vanega, Costa Rica’s top scorer: “We lost control in the first set because we started making errors and gradually lowered our level of play. From there, we lost focus and Mexico’s pressure increased. This is another experience; we learn from each game and regardless of the outcome, we’re happy to be growing”.
PARAMARIBO, Mexico, September 16, 2024. – Suriname swept Saint Vincent (25-18, 25-16, 25-20) in their first match of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup, which began on Monday at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The Men’s U23 Pan American Cup is being held from September 16 to 22 and offers two berths for NORCECA teams not yet qualified for the 2025 Asunción Junior Pan American Games.
Located in Pool B, Suriname (1-0) will face Guatemala (1-0) on Tuesday, and Saint Vincent (0-1) will take on Peru (0-1).
MESON ANAKABA ATTACKING FOR SURINAME
The host country controlled Saint Vincent with advantages in attacks (36-22), serves (5-4), and committed fewer errors (21-29). Saint Vincent was superior in blocks (7-5).
Suriname’s opposite hitter, Meson Anakaba, led all scorers with 13 points (11 attacks, 2 aces). Contributing to the win with seven points each were outside hitter Anfernee Lee and middle blocker Faiq Lobo.
For Saint Vincent, setter Damari Frederick and middle blocker Shadron Delpesche scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Suriname dominated the first set with attacks from Meson Anakaba, Anfernee Lee, and Faiq Lobo. In the second set, the host country jumped to a comfortable five-point lead (10-5) thanks to the offense of Shemar Jameson and Carlo Huisden; for Saint Vincent, Damari Frederick emerged as the set’s top scorer. Saint Vincent had momentum in the third set, recovering from a six-point deficit (17-23) to close in at (20-23) with effective blocks from Kyle Liverpool and several errors by Suriname, who eventually celebrated their first victory with a match point attack from Jonovan Wijngaarde.
SAINT VINCENT ATTACK
Siryan Meijer, captain of Suriname: “It was a good beginning for us. I think we didn’t make as many errors as St. Vincent. We were more consistent than them and we played cleaner volleyball, they were kind of messy on their side. In the third set St. Vincent tried to lift, but we came back as a team, we talked in the time-out, and we were determined to go for it”.
John Jaimion, captain of St. Vincent and the Grenadines: “It took us a while to get started, we had a good third set, we got a little momentum going because we needed time adjusting. We will improve with the upcoming games. Tomorrow, we face Peru, we saw them today and they are a bit intimidating, but I think with today’s experience we will be able to formulate something for them”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 16, 2024.- Mexico began its U23 Men’s Pan American Cup campaign with a 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22) victory over the Dominican Republic at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Mexico is aiming for one of the two available spots for NORCECA teams in the II Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025. The Dominican Republic is already qualified.
On the second day of the event in Pool A, Mexico (1-0) will face Costa Rica (0-1), and the Dominican Republic (0-1) will play Cuba (1-0).
MEXICO
Mexico capitalized on 38 Dominican errors, compared to their 18. Mexico led in all aspects of the game: attacks (66-47), blocks (9-5), and serves (9-1).
Mexico’s outside hitter Isaías Aguirre and Dominican opposite Adrian Figueroa led all scorers with 23 points each.
Aguirre scored on18 attacks, one block, and a match-high of 4 aces. Mexico’s captain, Franky Hernández, added 21 points in the win (17 attacks, one block, 3 aces). Middle blocker Diego Ruiz contributed 16 points (9 attacks, a match-high of 6 blocks, and one ace). Opposite Lorenzo Martínez finished with 15 points.
Alongside Adrian Figueroa, middle blocker Moisés Ortiz scored 12 points for the Dominican Republic.
DOM VS MEX
Mexico’s serving (4-0) and blocking (3-1) were key, with points from Franky Hernández and Isaías Aguirre, helping them take the first set after tying at 18 points. From the 11th point onward, the Dominican Republic led in the second set, tying the match by taking advantage of Mexico’s errors, with the offense led by Moisés Ortiz and Adrian Figueroa. Mexico led the third set from point 15, closing it out with a kill by Juan García and a Dominican error, winning by four points. The fourth set was close, but Lorenzo Martínez joined Mexico’s offense to overpower the Dominicans.
Franky Hernández, captain of Mexico: “This is the first game we’ve played at this level. We are a completely new team, with some players in new positions, but we managed to get a good result. The Dominican Republic is a formidable team. Our spirit, our unity, we are like a family, and that makes the team always resonate”.
Luther Rosario, captain of the Dominican Republic: “We had problems with our reception, and that didn’t allow us to play our game. We also need to adjust our blocking a bit more. We will keep working hard because we didn’t show everything we have today”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 16, 2024. – Guatemala kicked off the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup with a thrilling five-set victory 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 15-11) over Peru at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The U23 Pan American Cup grants two spots to NORCECA (non-qualified) teams for the second edition of the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción 2025.
On the second day of competition in Pool B, Peru (0-1) will face Saint Vincent, and Guatemala (1-0) will play against the host, Suriname.
GUATEMALA WINS
Guatemala recovered from losing the first set, overcoming Peru with a comfortable lead in blocks (13-6) and aces (3-1). Peru had the advantage in attacks, 75-65. Guatemala conceded fewer points on unforced errors, 24-30.
Five Guatemalan players scored in double digits, led by Pablo Pérez (27, including a match-high of 5 blocks), Yeferson Zavala (15), José Samayoa (12), Roberto Recinos (11), and Christian Alvarez (11).
The top scorer of the match was Peru’s Leonel Despaigne with 34 points, all on kills. Piero Porras contributed 11 points for Peru.
Leonel Despaigne and Piero Porras helped Peru build a four-point lead (15-11) in the first set and go up 1-0, despite two attacks by Guatemala’s José Samayoa stealing two set points. Gerardo Chicoma joined Peru’s offense, but Guatemala, with Pablo Pérez and Yeferson Zavala, tied the score at 16 points in the second set and then jumped to a three-point lead (19-16) to even the match. Guatemala came from behind in the third set (6-10) to tie at 12 points and never trailed again, with Zavala leading the offense, along with efforts from Roberto Recinos and Christian Alvarez.
PERU SETTER LA JARA DEL AGUILA IN ACTION
The teams traded leads in the fourth set, which Peru eventually won in overtime, 26-24, with two attack points from Vicente Plana and Despaigne. In the tiebreak, after tying at 10 points, Pérez put Guatemala ahead with two powerful attacks. Despaigne responded (11-12), but Guatemala secured the victory with three consecutive points: an attack from Alvarez, a block by Julián Carmona, and an opponent’s error.
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “It was a very tough five-set match. I feel that what helped us was raising our spirits when our strength was running out. We were able to block their best attacker, who scored the most points (#6), and that also contributed to our victory”.
Leonel Despaigne, captain of Peru: “It was a very tough match. We didn’t know how to close at the end, which is when true players shine. We’re going to bounce back from this match, the competition is just starting, and there’s still a lot more to come from Peru. In the fourth set, we were very tenacious”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 16, 2024.- The Men’s U23 Pan American Cup kicked off with Cuba’s 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-22) victory over Costa Rica at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The U23 Pan American Cup runs from September 16 -22 and offers two berths for non-qualified NORCECA teams for the 2025 Asunción II Junior Pan American Games.
CUBA CELEBRATING THE WIN AGAINST COSTA RICA
Cuba’s next opponent in Pool A is the Dominican Republic, while Costa Rica will face Mexico.
Cuba led in kills 46-29, in blocks 7-6, and in aces 6-1, but committed more unforced errors, 20-16.
Cuban outside hitter Bryan Camino led all scorers with 21 points (17 attacks, a match-high of 4 aces). Fellow outside hitter Yusniel González contributed 11 points (10 attacks, one block).
Costa Rican middle blocker Jeremy Venega led his team with 9 points (4 attacks, a match-high of 5 blocks).
VANEGA ROMERO COSTA RICA
Cuba quickly jumped to a 4-0 lead with a block from Jakdiel Contreras and capitalized on Costa Rica’s errors. In the second set, the Central Americans performed better, taking advantage of Cuba’s mistakes as Cuba used a different lineup, pulling even at 20 points with a block from Jeremy Venega and Harold Rodriguez, along with a kill from Franco Molina. Daniel Martinez and Bryan Camino closed the set for Cuba. Costa Rica surprised in the third set, taking a 4-0 lead and holding the lead throughout the set until Cuba recovered from a five-point deficit and climbed up to a 25-22 finish with a 16-12 margin in kills.
Ronaldo Flaquet, captain of Cuba: “We got overconfident. This match helped us shake off the rust. We knew how to come back from a big deficit in the third set; we are an experienced team and knew how to resolve it. Starting with a win is good for the team”.
Andru Jones, captain of Costa Rica: “This was clearly a difficult match, against a worthy opponent. I feel we started getting into rhythm, this is a process, and each set was better than the previous one. We hope to keep improving in the coming matches, reach a good performance, and aim for a medal”.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 15, 2024.- The teams are ready to begin the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup from September 16 to 22 in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The event grants two berths for NORCECA teams (not already qualified) to the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay.
Jesús Cruz López, Head Coach of Cuba: “Cuba’s expectation is always to be in the tournament final. Last year, we won the competition in Havana, and we qualified for the Junior Pan American Games. The team is in good shape; many players competed this year at the Men’s Senior Pan American Cup in the Dominican Republic, which served as a preparatory tournament to get us ready for this event, with a clear objective in mind”.
Cuba
César Salas, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “This is a team that is still being built. We want to present a new image of the U23 national team, which is part of the senior team. We aim to fight for the chance to qualify for Asunción. We are going to revisit game ideas, systems, and more, and this is a great opportunity to evaluate the group. I know there are more players who could be here, but we are going to work hard with the twelve that are here. The hope is there, and we will fight to make a good representation for Costa Rica and the region.”
Costa Rica
Reider Lucas Mora, Head Coach of Guatemala: “This is a very interesting and important tournament for the region because it grants two more spots for the Junior Pan American Games. We are aiming to secure one of those two spots, which is our main objective, in addition to other goals set for the players and the team”.
Guatemala
Dante Mañon, Assistant Coach of Dominican Republic: “At the recent Final Six event held in Canada, we went with this team and with only two senior players to prepare for this competition. Our setter couldn’t come because his university didn’t give him permission, but otherwise, the team is complete. Since we’re already qualified for the Junior Pan American Games, we are here to keep the team playing, to improve, and to help the players continue progressing”.
Dominican Republic
Renato Soares, Head Coach of Mexico: “We are ready for the competition. Most of the team has been part of our senior team. We’ve been training for three months, and we are ready to start the competition well. The goal is to qualify for the Junior Pan American Games. We also want to win every match and the competition as well, but we want to be in next year’s Junior Pan American Games”.
Mexico
Sidney Mandros, Assistant Coach of Peru: “The team is young. We’ve been training since June with the entire team, training alongside the senior team to face this new challenge, with the projection of our athletes who will participate in the qualifying event for the U21 world championship”.
Peru
Daryl Franklyn, Head Coach of St. Vincent and the Grenadines: “Preparation for the competition was kind of rough for us, because a lot of our players had last minute injuries, so we had to switch out players and that made preparations extremely tough as we had to come up with different lineups in a very short space of time. I think the guys are prepared to do their best and we can only hope for the best”.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Carlos Orta Fellove, Head Coach of Suriname: “Suriname is a country that is just beginning to play volleyball at this level; we compete in CAZOVA and NORCECA, and now we are stepping up to a higher level. The team’s preparation has been good. We recognize that all the countries, except Saint Vincent (about whom we know little), have had international experience, and keeping that in mind, our goal is to try to win the first two games of our group. We know that afterward, we will face Peru, and we will battle against them to try to win the group and qualify for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games. Being at home, we hope our boys will play their best”.
September 14, 2024.- In a spectacular ceremony, held in Manila, the pools for the first phase of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines were drawn on Saturday.
32 teams drawn into eight pools for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines. Smart Arena Coliseum and SM Mo Arena in Manila announced as the two venues for next year’s event.
The 32 qualified teams were distributed into eight single round-robin pools of four:
Pool A: Philippines, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia
Pool B: Poland, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania
Pool C: France, Argentina, Finland, Korea
Pool D: USA, Cuba, Portugal, Colombia
Pool E: Slovenia, Germany, Bulgaria, Chile
Pool F: Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, Algeria
Pool G: Japan, Canada, Türkiye, Libya
Pool H: Brazil, Serbia, Czechia, China
The dazzling event at the Solaire Hotel in the Filipino capital was streamed on VBTV and the Volleyball World YouTube channel.
The top two teams in the final standings of each pool will advance to the knockout stage of the competition.
The World Championship host cities were also presented during the ceremony on Saturday. The tournament will be staged at two venues in Manila – the Smart Arena Coliseum and the SM Mo Arena – from 12 to 28 September 2025.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, September 11, 2024.- Eight national teams are headed to Paramaribo, Suriname, for the 2024 Men’s U23 Pan American Cup from September 16-21 at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal .
Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic are in Pool A, Guatemala, Peru, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and host Suriname are in Pool B.
Two (2) direct tickets for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games will be granted to the top placed NORCECA teams in the final ranking of the event who are not yet qualified.
Cuba and Dominican Republic, first and second place of the 2023 edition of the U23 Pan American Cup, earned their berth to the Junior Pan American Games to take place in Asunción, Paraguay in 2025
Cuba has won the event in three occasions since its inception in 2012, winning over Mexico in 2014 and 2018, and over the Dominican Republic last year. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico have one gold medal each.
Teams will play a round-robin preliminary round, qualifying the first and second places to the to the semifinals.
GUATEMALA, September 9, 2024.- The Central American Volleyball Association (AFECAVOL) has consistently positioned itself as a pioneering Zonal Association within NORCECA and the FIVB. With a strong commitment to the growth and modernization of the sport, AFECAVOL continues to introduce initiatives that enhance the game, support officials, and elevate the overall experience for players and fans alike.
IPAD
In a recent move underscoring its innovative approach, AFECAVOL provided new uniforms to referees during the inaugural Central American Men’s Final Four event held in Guatemala. AFECAVOL will be distributing these uniforms to more members of the regional officiating body in upcoming events.
This initiative, in addition to projecting a fresh and professional appearance for officials, also symbolizes the organization’s dedication to the highest standards of the sport. The new attire ensures that referees present a unified and modern image, reinforcing their role as key figures in the sport.
However, AFECAVOL’s innovations extend beyond uniforms. Recognizing the importance of clear and effective communication during matches, the organization has introduced the use of radios for referees. This enhancement is a significant step towards ensuring that officiating is as precise and coordinated as possible, especially during high-demand matches. With real-time communication now at their disposal, referees can manage games more efficiently, addressing issues promptly and ensuring a smooth flow of play.
Radio
Adding to these technological advancements, AFECAVOL has also implemented the use of iPads in the officiating process. This digital integration marks a substantial advance in how matches are managed, allowing referees to access critical information, review positions, and make more accurate decisions. The iPads serve as a tool for tracking statistics and other essential functions that are becoming increasingly important in modern volleyball.
These developments highlight AFECAVOL’s commitment and its Board of Directors’ determination to keep Central American volleyball at the forefront of the sport. By investing in the necessary tools and resources for high-quality officiating, AFECAVOL not only enhances the integrity of the game but also ensures that the region remains competitive on the international stage.
XALAPA, Mexico, September 8, 2024.– The qualification process for the Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the second Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay 2025 has successfully concluded, with the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, and Costa Rica as the teams that will represent NORCECA.
The announcement was made by NORCECA President, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, during the closing ceremony of the U23 Women’s Pan American Cup, which concluded on Sunday in Xalapa.
The four teams secured their berths in the continent’s most important youth sports event organized by Panam Sports, after completing the two-stage qualification process established by the NORCECA Confederation.
The first stage took place during the 2023 U23 Women’s Pan American Cup held in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, where the first two berths were awarded to the Dominican Republic and Mexico, who were the top-ranked NORCECA teams in the event.
The qualification process was completed today, with Cuba and Costa Rica, as the highest-ranked non-qualified NORCECA teams, securing the remaining two berths after the conclusion of the 2024 U23 Women’s Pan American Cup in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
The path to qualification has been challenging, and the four teams have demonstrated their high level of play and determination in these two tournaments.
Now, with their sights set on Asunción 2025, these national teams will continue their preparation to achieve success on the Pan American stage.
XALAPA, Mexico, September 8, 2024.- Cuban opposite hitter Lisania Grafort won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the 2024 U23 Women’s Pan American Cup, held from September 3 to 8 at the Xalapa International Velodrome in Veracruz.
Lisania Grafort received the honor during the closing ceremony after Cuba was crowned champion for the first time in the history of the U23 Pan American Cup since its inception in 2012, following their victory over the Dominican Republic, a team that had won all previous editions of the event.
Individual Awards
Also from Cuba, Yensy Kindelan was recognized as the Second Best Blocker.
Ailyn Liberato of the Dominican Republic, who earned a silver medal at the event, was awarded the Best Setter. Her teammate, Alondra Tapia, was named the Best Opposite.
From Mexico, which won the bronze medal, Marcela Herrera and Michelle Lizárraga were named Best Spiker and Second Best Spiker, respectively. Marcela Herrera also received a second award for Best Server.
From Chile, María Ignacia Nielsen was named Best Blocker, and Petra Schwartzman was the Best Scorer with 128 points.
The awards for Best Libero and Best Receiver went to Camila Arias of Costa Rica.
Brissa Nieves of Peru was recognized as the Best Digger.
XALAPA, Mexico, September 8, 2024.- The Women’s U23 Pan American Cup has a new champion after Cuba’s victory in the gold medal match over the Dominican Republic 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20) at the Xalapa International Velodrome, Veracruz.
This is the first time in the history of the U23 Pan American Cup, since its inception in 2012, that a team other than the Dominican Republic has claimed the championship. In addition to this first gold medal, Cuba has won three bronze medals (2014, 2016, 2018).
Cuba dominated the match in attacks (55-42) and serves (8-4) but gave away more points on errors (36-29). The Dominican Republic led in blocking (8-6).
CUBA
Opposite hitter Lisania Grafort led Cuba with 24 points. Outside hitter and captain Whitney James scored 15 points. Yensy Kindelan and Yalain De La Peña also contributed to the victory with 9 points each.
For the Dominican Republic, opposite hitter Alondra Tapia led all scorers with 25 points, while middle blocker Florangel Terrero added 11 points.
Cuba started strong, winning the first set after stealing a set point from the Dominican Republic with Lisania Grafort, followed by Yalain De La Peña sealing the set, both with kills. Cuba also benefited from 13 Dominican errors. The Dominican Republic tied the match after exchanging leads in the second set, pulling away at point 22, and closing with a block by Alondra Tapia and a kill in the middle with Florangel Terrero. In the third set, Cuba quickly jumped to a three-point lead, mostly through strong serving, with Grafort leading the way alongside Whitney James in the attack. Cuba didn’t allow the Dominican Republic to gain ground, despite their effective blocking in the fourth set.
Whitney James, Captain of Cuba: “We focused on our side, on our game, and not on what they were doing. We knew we could win the gold medal; it was our goal from the start of the event, and we knew we had the level. Our discipline today made the difference with the Dominican Republic”.
Leivis García, Coach of Cuba: “It was a cautious match. The Dominican Republic undoubtedly has a great history; their name carries weight, and they had players who competed in the Olympic Games, which commands respect. Our success came from tactical discipline; when we made mistakes, they grew, but when we maintained discipline, everything fell into place. We talked in the morning practice session that the game would depend on intelligence and strength.”
XALAPA, Mexico, September 8, 2024.- Mexico came out on top Chile 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-13) to win the Bronze Medal at the Women’s U23 Pan American Cup in the Xalapa International Velodrome, Veracruz.
This is Mexico’s first bronze medal in the history of the Cup, adding to their two silver medals (2021, 2023). Mexico finished in third place in the event with a 4-1 record, while Chile ended in fourth place with a 2-4 record.
CHILE AND MEXICO BATTLE THE BALL OVER THE NET
Mexico’s offense was crucial for the victory, with a 55-29 advantage over Chile. The South Americans led in blocking 13-9 and made fewer unforced errors, 25 against 28. Both teams scored 6 service points.
Seven players scored in double digits. For Mexico, Michelle Lizárraga (16), Marcela Herrera (14), María Ximena Cruz (12), Arleth Márquez (12), and María Fernanda Oregel (10). For Chile, Dominga Aylwin (15) and Petra Schwartzman (11). Chilean María Ignacia Nielsen scored a match-high of 7 blocks.
Chile rallied from a three-point deficit (9-12) to take the lead (19-15) with effective serves by Francisca Vásquez. Dominga Aylwin and Petra Schwartzman joined the offense to secure the first set. Mexico jumped to a five-point lead in the second set (12-7) with attacks from Michelle Lizárraga, Marcela Herrera, and Ximena Cruz, but Chile, with blocks from María Ignacia Nielsen and attacks from Aylwin, recovered to tie the set at 23 points; Mexico evened the match with a point by Lizárraga. Mexico dominated the third set from the beginning, winning it by a huge margin, preventing Chile from responding thanks to a 4-1 advantage in blocking. Mexico’s attack was decisive in the fourth set, with Herrera as top performer, scoring points both from kills and blocking. Mexico’s captain Ximena Cruz scored the winning point.
PETRAS SCHWARTZMAN (CHI) AND MARCELA CHIQUIS HERRERAA (MEX) BATTLE THE BALL OF TH ENET
Luis León, Head coach of Mexico: “We knew it was going to be tough, fighting for a medal with Chile after both teams had suffered a loss. We talked to the girls that the team that was better emotionally would have a better chance of winning. Chile pressured in the first set, and we lost focus, which cost us. We got back on track and are happy with the result”.
Ximena Cruz, captain of Mexico: “I’m very happy. It was hard to lose yesterday, but we managed to process it and came out strong to win the bronze medal today. I attribute the victory to our high spirits since the morning, knowing that the bronze medal would go to the team with the best attitude on the court”.
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