Category: Volleyball

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, 10 de julio de 2024.- Manaia Ogbechie of the United States was named the Most Valuable Player MVP of the 2024 Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship that ended on Friday at Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie helped the United States to win their ninth gold medal in the history of the tournament, defeating Canada in four sets.

Also from the USA, Audrey Flanagan received the awards for Best Spiker, Best Receiver and Best Server, while Genevieve Harris was Best Setter.

Naomi Cruz of Mexico took the awards for second Best Spiker and Best Scorer.

Dominicans Carolina Rodriguez and Julia Arias were granted first Best Blocker and Best Opposite awards respectively.

Jimena Alfaro of Costa Rica was the Best Libero and Best Digger.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 19, 2024.- United States won the title 2024 Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after beating Canada 3-1 (25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 25-14) in the gold medal match on Friday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

United States finished the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record, earning their ninth NORCECA title in this category. Canada concluded with a 4-2 record and won their second silver medal in the history of the event, the first was in the previous edition in 2018, also held in Honduras.

The strong serves (17-1) of USA helped them overcome Canada, who served the U.S. their first set loss in the tournament. The Americans also held advantage in kills (53-42) but gave away 28 points on errors compared to Canada’s 18. The Canadians had a slight edge in blocks (9-8).

United States outside hitter Audrey Flanagan led all scorers in the match with 18 points (14 kills, one block, 3 aces). Middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie contributed 16 points (11 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces). Outside hitter Henley Anderson added 14 points (9 kills, one block, and a match-high of 4 aces). The fourth player in double digits was middle blocker Elena Hoecke with 11 points.

For Canada, middle blocker Carmen Waye led with 16 points (12 attacks, a match-high of 4 blocks). Outside hitter Sol Henson scored 12 attacking points.

Elena Hoecke and Henley Anderson led USA to win the first set, where they also scored 5 aces. The Canadians capitalized on consecutive errors by the Americans, and with the offense of Sol Henson and Carmen Waye, reached a comfortable five-point lead (15-10) and then tied the match 1-1, ending the Americans’ unbeaten streak in sets. In the third set, the U.S. started strong, jumping to a 13-4 lead, but the Canadians responded by tying the score at 22 points. Both teams had a chance to win the set, but it was Audrey Flanagan who scored the set point for the United States. The Americans dominated the fourth set, scoring 4 aces, and winning the gold medal with a commanding 25-14.

Jamie Morrison, head coach of United States: “Canada played a great match, they got better every single match they played, they continued to step up their game and that program is going to continue to get better. On our side I am proud of the girls for getting a gold medal in their first international competition, that’s an amazing thing and I’m glad they got this experience”.

Avaya Maga, captain of Canada: “It was an exciting match. I am so proud of our group for how hard we fought, we competed very hard and kept it very close. Overall, I am so proud of how we represented our country and battled”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 19, 2024.- Puerto Rico won the Bronze Medal at the 2024 Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship by defeating Mexico 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-23) on Friday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

This is the fourth bronze medal for Puerto Rico in the history of the event (2002, 2006, 2010).

Puerto Rico outperformed Mexico in attacks (40-34), blocks (12-10), and had a slight edge in serves (3-2). Puerto Rico conceded one less point than Mexico (19-20) on unforced errors.

Outside hitter Pamela Agosto led Puerto Rico with 15 points (13 attacks, 2 blocks), followed by middle blocker Alana Guibert with 11 points (8 attacks, 3 blocks) and outside hitter Cherisse Atilano with 10 points (9 attacks, one ace).

Outside hitter Naomi Cruz led Mexico with 13 points (10 attacks, 3 blocks). Angélica Torres added 9 points and Aylin Ravell 8.

The powerful attack of Pamela Agosto, along with Alana Guibert, helped Puerto Rico secure the first set, in addition to their targeted serves that complicated Mexico’s reception. Opposite hitter Aylin Ravell and middle blocker Aitan Rettke pushed Mexico with their blocks to tie the score at 12, but from there, Puerto Rico jumped to a comfortable lead (16-12) thanks to Angélica Reyes’ serving and Guibert’s play at the net. Although Mexico recovered from a five-point deficit (18-23) and denied Puerto Rico two set points (21-24) with Angelica Torres at the serving line, Pamela Agosto closed the set for a 2-0 lead. The teams were tied several times in the third set; tied at 23, Puerto Rico reached set point on a Mexican error, and Agosto sealed the victory with a block over Mexico’s leading scorer Alejandra Cruz.

Alana Guibert, captain of Puerto Rico: “It was difficult for us to start each of the three sets. I think the fatigue and emotions drained us all. In the end, we were able to overcome Mexico and win the bronze medal. I believe we are a team that unfortunately works under pressure; it pushes and motivates us.”

Isabella Ocampo, captain of Mexico: “We played well, we stayed united. There were moments when we lowered our intensity, but we always supported each other.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 19, 2024.- Dominican Republic took fifth place at the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship with a solid 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-13) victory over Costa Rica on Friday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Dominican Republic finished the event with four wins and two losses, while Costa Rica had two wins and four losses. In pool-play, Dominican Republic also defeated the Central Americans in straight sets.

Dominican Republic dominated every skill of the game, with a 43-12 advantage in attacks, 8-3 in blocks, and 9-4 in serves. The Dominicans made fewer errors (15-21).

The Dominicans offense was led by opposite hitter Julie Arias with 19 points on 16 attacks and 3 blocks. Middle blocker Caroline Rodríguez contributed 10 points on 6 attacks and a match-high of 4 blocks. Outside hitter Ambar Hernández added 9 points.

María del Sol Venegas and Nadia Granados each scored 4 points for Costa Rica.

Alexandre Ceccato, head coach of the Dominican Republic: “We improved a bit compared to how we started because it’s difficult to begin a tournament without friendly matches. It wasn’t the position we wanted, but we were surpassed by the teams that will finish in third and fourth place”.

Edivaldo Bonilla, head coach of Costa Rica: “Instead of focusing on the objectives and the game, the players lacked intensity. Dominican Republic was a very tactical team today, unlike in the previous match against them. It’s a lesson because the approach to each match must be different. We need to work on teaching them how to play these matches”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 18, 2024.- United States beat Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-16) on Thursday to advance to the gold medal match of the 2024 Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

United States will seek their ninth gold medal in this age-group when they face Canada on Friday at 6:00 pm. Puerto Rico will fight against Mexico for their third bronze medal in the history of the tournament on Friday at 4:00 pm.

The Americans are the top medal winners of NORCECA, with 11 overall (8 gold, 3 silver). In this edition, they are undefeated and haven’t dropped a single set.

The United States finished with a 36-26 advantage in attacks, 12-9 in blocks, and 4-1 in service points. Both teams gave away 23 points on errors.

Outside hitters Audrey Flanagan and Henley Anderson were the top scorers for the United States, with 12 points each, both including 10 kills. Middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie registered 9 points, with a match-high of 4 blocks.

Pamela Agosto led Puerto Rico with 12 points from 10 attacks, one block, and one ace. Team captain Alana Guibert followed with 10 points from 8 attacks and 2 blocks.

Puerto Rico managed to recover from a three-point deficit in the first set, tying at 11 points when Angelina Reyes stopped outside hitter Audrey Flanagan, who was leading the American offense. United States advanced to a four-point lead (20-16) with Henley Anderson attacks  and Manaia Ogbechie in blocking. In the second set, the United States again felt the pressure from Puerto Rico’s Pamela Agosto and Alana Guibert, denying them two set points before closing with a powerful attack by Ogbechie. The United States found stability in the third set, reaching match point with a wide advantage (24-16), once again with Ogbechie blocking Agosto.

Jamie Morrison, head coach of United States: “Puerto Rico got better with every match that they had here, they played great volleyball, they pushed us and that helped us. We think of this as a development plan for athletes, so thank you to Puerto Rico, they had a really good tournament. I am proud of our girls for the fight that they showed and they played better volleyball as the match went on, they learned a lot. The win was a team effort, that’s how the U.S. plays, if you look at the stats the points were spread around, there’s six people on the floor, six on the bench and anyone can step in and contribute”.

Eduardo Galarza, head coach of Puerto Rico: “We aim for a good level of play, but our margin of error is very high. For example, when the match started, the first three points for the United States were from our mistakes. In the last set, we missed 7 serves and several attacks. We are making many mistakes, and when playing against a well-structured team, we cannot afford to have such a high margin of errors. Tomorrow, we will go for the bronze medal against Mexico”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 18, 2024.- Canada advanced to the gold medal match of the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after a spectacular five-set semifinal victory, 3-2 (25-19, 7-25, 24-26, 25-21, 15-11) over Mexico at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Canada will play in the final match on Saturday at 6:00 pm against the winner between United States and Puerto Rico; before that, Mexico will seek to win its fifth bronze medal in the history of the event at 4:00 pm against the loser.

This is the second time Canada has reached the gold medal match; in the previous edition in 2018, here in Honduras, they lost to the United States.

Despite Mexico having the advantage in attacks (57-52) and service points (8-5), Canada emerged victorious with a significant advantage in blocks (16-8). Canada conceded more points on errors than Mexico (29-23).

Chloe Bradley was Canada’s top scorer with 21 points (13 attacks, a match-high of 6 blocks, 2 aces). Sol Henson added 20 points (19 attacks, one block), and Carmen Waye contributed 14 points (10 attacks, 4 blocks).

Mexico’s Alejandra Cruz led all scorers with 25 points, all on kills. Angélica Torres scored 17 points (15 attacks, one block, one ace), and Andrea Ravell finished with 13 points (8 attacks, 3 blocks, 2 aces).

Mexico started strong, jumping to an early 4-0 lead, but Canada found its rhythm to contest a close first set, with the win going to the Canadians thanks to their blocking led by Chloe Bradley. Mexico tied the match with an overwhelming 25-7 over Canada in the second set, with the offensive efforts of Angélica Torres, Naomi Cruz, and Aitana Rettke. In the third set, Canada reached set point after a block by Bradley on Cruz (24-23), who then responded with a powerful kill to tie at 24. Mexico won the set on two Canadian errors. In the fourth set, after being tied at 6 points, Canada kept the advantage. Canadians Sol Henson and Carmen Waye took control of the offense, forcing a fifth set that Canada controlled.

Gina Schmidt, head coach of Canada: “Our team did a good job of sticking to the game plan, we executed that well. Whoever we face in the gold medal match, we played them both in pool-play, so hopefully we’ll learn from our fist match against them”.

Ignacio Ramírez, head coach of Mexico: “I think in the fourth set we completely dropped the pace we had been maintaining, and that marked the difference. Our morale declined, and we couldn’t recover some easy balls that we couldn’t finish. We are going to fight for the bronze medal; we need to keep our heads up.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 18, 2024.- Costa Rica recovered from losing the first set to beat Cuba 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19) and will play for fifth place in the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

On Friday at 2:00pm, Costa Rica will face the Dominican Republic for fifth place; meanwhile, at noon, Cuba will play against Honduras for seventh place.

Costa Rica earned the win scoring 38 points on Cuban errors compared to 18 and with a 13-11 advantage in serves. Cuba was superior in attacks 46-39 and in blocks 7-4.

Costa Rica’s captain, middle blocker María del Sol Venegas, led her team with 13 points (12 attacks, one block). Outside hitter Galia Luconi also contributed to the victory with 13 points (11 attacks, one block, one ace). Mariela Navarro added 10 points (7 attacks, one block, 2 aces).

The top scorer of the match was Cuba’s Salet Castillo with 16 points (13 attacks, one block, 2 aces). Middle blocker Lizt López and team captain Yesica Brito each scored 10 points for Cuba.

María del Sol Venegas, captain of Costa Rica: “It was a team effort. We tried to improve our attitude because we know that when that happens, we do things well. Our game is about teamwork, being a team on the court, and our system is communication”.

Norka Latamblét, Cuba’s coach: “The team knows the game fundamentals, but they lack the energy to play”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 18, 2024.- Dominican Republic defeated the host country Honduras 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11) and will play for fifth place in the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Dominican Republic will play for positions 5-6 on Friday at 2:00pm against the winner between Cuba and Costa Rica. Honduras will go against the loser for positions 7-8 at noon.

In the pool-play, the Dominican Republic also defeated Honduras in straight sets.

Dominican Republic finished the match with a 41-18 advantage in attacks, 5-2 in blocks, and 9-8 in serves. Both teams committed 20 unforced errors.

Opposite Julie Arias scored 17 points (14 attacks, 3 blocks) for the Dominican Republic. She was joined by outside hitter Ambar Hernández with 12 points (11 attacks, one serve).

Opposite María Fernanda Merino led Honduras with 10 points (7 attacks, one block, 2 serves).

Julie Arias, top scorer for the Dominican Republic: “I think at the beginning we were a bit overconfident, but Honduras never gave up. In the end, we were able to adjust for the result we wanted. We were good in serving, receiving, and defense”.

María Fernanda Merino, top scorer for Honduras: “I believe that in this match we were more united and encouraged, which helped us score more points. The Dominican Republic is a team with a lot of development; they are very fast and taller, which gives them a greater advantage”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 17, 2024. – Canada defeated Costa Rica 3-0 (25-4, 25-19, 25-11) on Wednesday, to advance to the semifinals of the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Canada will face Mexico in the first semifinal on Thursday at 6:00 pm. And Costa Rica will play in the classification matches for positions 5 to 8, starting with Cuba at 4:00 pm. In the other semifinal, United States faces Puerto Rico at 8:00pm.

Canada’s force over the net was significant, finishing with advantage in attacks (44-14), blocks (9-2), and aces (7-4). Canada made one less error than Costa Rica (14-25).

Outside hitters Sol Henson and Chloe Bradley led Canada with 15 points each. Henson had 11 attacks, one block, and a match-high of three aces. Bradley scored on 13 attacks and 2 blocks. Middle blocker Maya Bukovcan added 11 points.

Costa Rica’s captain María del Sol Venegas finished with 6 points.

Canada was dominant in the first set, not allowing Costa Rica to respond. In the second set, Costa Rica improved their game, which allowed them to limit errors and force Canada to lose three set points (16-24) with the attacks of Nadia Granados and the serves of Manuela Alcalá. Canada finally closed the set 25-19 with a kill from Sol Henson. In the third, Canada quickly advanced to a large lead to secure the victory.

Avaya Maga, Canada’s captain: “In the first set we started off with really tough serving and they (Costa Rica) were stuck in a rotation that we capitalized on. In the second set we gave them a lot of points off of our unforced errors and then in the third set we were able to limit our errors and control the game. We are excited to be in the semifinals”.

Nadia Granados, Costa Rica’s setter: “I feel that in the second set we trusted ourselves more and improved our attitude. I am satisfied with our performance in the second set. In the first set, we didn’t give one hundred percent of our capability because we were afraid”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 17, 2024. – Puerto Rico defeated Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-21) in quarterfinals to advance to the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship semifinals being held at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Puerto Rico will know their opponent in semifinals depending on the result of the other quarterfinal match between Canada and Costa Rica.

The Puerto Ricans controlled the Dominicans with an advantage of 37-25 in attacks, 10-5 in blocks, and 7-1 in aces. Puerto Rico benefited from 21 Dominican errors compared to 19 on their side.

Three players scored double digits in Puerto Rico’s victory, led by captain Alana Guibert with 14 points (10 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace), followed by outside hitter Pamela Agosto with 12 points (10 attacks, 2 blocks) and outside hitter Cherisse Atilano with 10 points (8 attacks, 2 aces).

The only player with double digits for the Dominican Republic was opposite hitter Julie Arias with 13 points on 12 attacks and one block.

Puerto Rico took a four-point lead (10-6) in the first set with the attacks by Alana Guibert and Cherisse Atilano. Puerto Rico increased the lead (18-10) despite the efforts of Julie Arias, who was Dominican’s top scorer, in addition to Puerto Rico’s errors. The teams tied several times before reaching the first technical timeout. From there forward, Puerto Rico jumped to a five-point lead (11-6), which increased with Pamela Agosto and Jomailee Reyes joining the net control until closing at 25-13. In the third set, the blocking of Guibert and Agosto pushed Puerto Rico to a comfortable four-point lead (12-8), but with consecutive points from Arias and Estel Santos, the Dominicans managed to tie at 13 points and stay close until reaching point 20. Alondra Adorno came to the service line, leading Puerto Rico to a straight set victory.

Alondra Adorno, outside hitter of Puerto Rico: “The blocking helped us a lot to get the positive result, as well as good defense and consistency in serving. For the upcoming matches, we need to practice having a lot of definition to dominate the games and finish strong”.

Virelys Rivera, outside hitter of Dominican Republic: “In the third set, we had more concentration in receiving and blocking, which helped us a lot, along with better control in serving. Puerto Rico had good defense and pressured us with their serves”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 16, 2024. – Mexico defeated the host country Honduras 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-8) in their third consecutive victory to advance directly to the semifinals of the Girls’ U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Mexico finished first in pool B undefeated and without losing a single set, advancing to Thursday’s semifinals. Honduras, winless (0-3), will play in the classification matches for positions 5 to 8.

Mexico dominated Honduras without setbacks, holding a significant advantage of 40 to 12 in attacks and 12 to 1 in service aces. In blocks, Mexico held a slight edge of 3 to 2. Both teams were similar in errors, with Mexico committing 18 and Honduras 20.

The top scorer of the match was Mexico’s Angélica Torres with 15 points. Naomi Cruz and Aylin Ravell added 10 and 9 points respectively. Aitana Rettke scored a match-high of 4 aces.

Outside hitter Sasha Kawas was the leading scorer for Honduras with 10 points.

Angélica Torres, top scorer for Mexico: “We had the opportunity to try new things on the court to prepare for the upcoming matches. We analyzed plays, some couldn’t be completed, and others could. Everyone played today. In the semifinals, we hope to give more than a  hundred percent, which is what Mexico deserves”.

Sasha Kawas, top scorer for Honduras: “Mexico plays very fast, and we didn’t defend well. We couldn’t execute the reception and we should have had more spirit to fight harder. It’s over now, the tournament continues”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 16, 2024.- Canada defeated Cuba 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-21) to take second place in pool A of the Girls’ U19 NORCECA U19  Continental Championship being played at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Canada finished pool-play with a 2-1 record and will compete in the quarterfinals as the second-place team in pool A. Cuba, with a 0-3 record, will play in the classification matches for positions 5 to 8.

Canada dominated every skill, attack (34-23), blocking (9-5), and serving (9-7). Canada committed 18 errors, while Cuba committed a total of 23.

Chloe Bradley of Canada scored 13 points (8 attacks, 4 blocks, 1 ace) as the top scorer of the match. Sol Henson contributed 10 points, all from attacks, in Canada’s victory.

Yesica Brito and Salet Castillo were the top scorers for Cuba with 11 points each.

Canada and Cuba had a close first set, but the North American team always maintained the lead, taking advantage of the 24 errors conceded by Cuba. Canada dominated set two entirely, closing it with a huge margin of 25-12. Cuba made a comeback in the third set with Yesica Brito and Salet Castillo leading the offense, managing to tie at 18 points, but Maya Bukovac, Sol Henson, and Chloe Bradley pressured and stopped Cuba’s momentum.

Chloe Bradley, top scorer for Canada: “The second set was really strong, we had the energy going through it and we kept up the whole set, we had no drops. We had a few dips in the first and third sets, I believe our energy went down and maybe we were a bit scared”.

Yesica Brito, captain of Cuba: “We always kept our spirits high, trying to fight. Despite the ups and downs, it was a very good game. I don’t know what happened in the second set, I can’t explain it”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 16, 2024. – United States topped pool A undefeated and advanced to the semifinals of the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after defeating Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-22) on Tuesday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

United States closed the preliminary round with a perfect 3-0 record, without losing a single set and earning a direct ticket to Thursday’s semifinals. Puerto Rico finished with a 1-2 record and awaits the result between Canada (1-1) and Cuba (0-2) to determine their final position.

The Americans relied on their strength in attacks (40-26) to dominate Puerto Rico. They also had an advantage in blocking (8-5) and serving (8-3). Puerto Rico committed fewer unforced errors (19-24).

Outside hitters Kelly Kinney and Hanley Anderson led the United States with 11 points each. Kinney on 8 kills, one block, and one ace; Anderson on 10 kills and one block.

Puerto Rico’s outside hitter Cherisse Atilano led all scorers with 12 points on 11 attacks and one block. Alana Guibert contributed 9 points.

The first set was very close, with both teams taking turns in the lead until reaching the second technical timeout tied when the attacking efforts of Halle Thompson and Henley Anderson pushed the Americans to close at 25-20. USA reached a comfortable six-point lead (15-9) in the second set with Elena Hoecke leading the offense. In the third, Puerto Rico pushed again, with a 16-14 advantage with strong blocking and attacking by Cherisse Atilano. The teams were tied at 21 points, but Kelly Kinney sealed the match for the United States with a service point.

Kelly Kinney, top scorer for United States: “I think the match challenged us more mentally than it did competition wise. We just stayed strong physically and mentally, and that’s what helped to win. We trusted each other a lot and we supported each one on and off the court. Our team did a good job serving aggressively”.

Cherisse Atilano, top scorer for Puerto Rico: “It was an exciting match. In the second set, the sun affected us, but despite that, we did very well. We gave it our all in the first and third sets, raising our level of play, which we had been striving for. We stood out in our team unity and pushing forward at key moments”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 16, 2024 .- Dominican Republic complete pool-play at the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship with a 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-18) victory over Costa Rica on Tuesday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Dominican Republic finished pool B with a 2-1 record, while Costa Rica ended with a 1-2 record. Both teams await their final standings after Honduras (0-2) faces Mexico (2-0) in the last match of the day.

The Caribbean team outscored the Central Americans 41 to 21 in attack points, 12 to 7 in block points, and 6 to 2 in services. Dominican Republic committed 19 errors compared to Costa Rica’s 16.

Three players led the Dominican Republic with double digits.  Middle blocker Caroline Rodríguez was the top scorer of the match with 17 points, including a match-high of 7 block points and 9 kills. Outside hitter Thais Cochy added 11 points on 8 kills, 2 blocks, and an ace. Virelys Rivera contributed 10 points.

For Costa Rica, middle blocker and captain María del Sol Venegas, along with outside hitter Mariela Navarro, scored 9 points each.

Dominican Republic quickly took an 11-3 lead in the first set, overpowering Costa Rica with the offensive efforts of Caroline Rodríguez and Thais Cochy. In the second set, Costa Rica kept the score close thanks to the attacks from María del Sol Venegas and opponent errors, tying the set at 17 points before the Dominicans pulled ahead with blocks from Rodriguez and Rivera’s attacks to take the set. Dominican Republic regained control in the third set, never trailing.

Caroline Rodríguez, top scorer of the Dominican Republic: “The coach’s instructions were to be strong in blocking, take risks in serving, and be prepared to defend. In the quarterfinals, we will give our best, continue fighting, and put into practice what we have trained. We are going to represent our country with heart”.

Jimena Alfaro, libero of Costa Rica: “In the second set, we tried to be more organized on the court because that affected us in the first set where we were disoriented and unfocused. We will see what position we end up in, but we will strive to perform at our best against any opponent”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 15, 2024. – Dominican Republic defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-12) to score their first win in the Girls’ U19 NORCECA Continental Championship on Monday night at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Dominican Republic improved their record in pool B to 1-1, while Honduras stands at 0-2.

On Tuesday, Dominican Republic (1-1) will face Costa Rica (1-1) at 2:00 pm to determine their final position in pool B. Honduras (0-2) will meet Mexico (2-0) at 8:00 pm.

Dominican Republic executed their strategy with a sizeable advantage of 40-19 in attacks and 10-3 in service points. Additionally, the Dominicans dominated blocking 5-3 and committed fewer unforced errors (18-20).

The only player in double digits was Dominican middle blocker Caroline Rodríguez, who scored 13 points on 8 kills, 2 blocks, and 3 service points. Outside hitter Thais Cochy and captain Yalyn Firpo each added 9 points.

Sasha Kawas was the top scorer for Honduras with 8 points.

In the first set, Honduras started strong, surprising the Dominicans by keeping the score close. Thanks to the offense of Thais Cochy and Ambar Hernández, the Dominican Republic regained control to finish the set on top. Dominican Republic controlled Honduras the rest of the match with skillful directed serves and powerful attacks.

Ana Patricia Encarnación, setter for the Dominican Republic: “We were in trouble in the first set. I feel that some players, due to inexperience, found it hard to start strong. We executed our game strategy, which is to play intelligently, observe the opponent to always score, and direct our serves”.

Jimena Aguilar, setter for Honduras: “It was difficult to keep up with the Dominican Republic’s pace. The team’s spirit was affected. We started with a lot of energy but didn’t continue fighting. I hope we can all perform better tomorrow than we did today”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 15, 2024. – United States downed Canada 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-15) for their second victory in the Girls´U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

With a perfect 2-0 record in pool A, the United States will conclude the preliminary round on Tuesday at 4:00 pm against Puerto Rico (1-1). Canada, with a 1-1 record, will face Cuba (0-2) at 6:00 pm in their last pool-play match.

The Americans finished with a huge advantage in the statistics: attacking (39-14), blocking (10-4), and serving (7-0); but committed more errors (29-19).

Middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie and outside hitter Audrey Flanagan led the United States with 13 points each. Ogbechie ended with 7 kill points, 3 blocks, and 3 service points. Flanagan recorded 9 kill points, 2 blocks, and 2 aces. Kelly Kinney contributed 10 points.

On the Canadian side, Sydney Bell, Abby Wasutyk, and Alyssa Flack each scored three points.

Manaia Ogbechie, top scorer for the United States: “In the first part of the first set we were figuring out Canada and then we started playing our game, once that happened it was perfect. Our game is consistent, it’s like a snake, we wrap around, and we coil together. We are always cheering one another”.

Kylie Savin, libero for Canada: “We communicated better in the first set, we made less errors and we were disciplined, playing it clean to stay closer to them. Tomorrow, we need to use our pins more, hitting strong and running a few more balls. We must make sure the passing stays strong”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 15, 2024. – Puerto Rico earned its first victory in the Girls’ U19 NORCECA U-19 Continental Championship after defeating Cuba 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-10) on Monday at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Puerto Rico improved its record to 1-1 in pool A, while Cuba remains winless at 0-2.

Puerto Rico (1-1) will conclude pool-play on Tuesday against the United States at 4:00 pm, and Cuba (0-2) will face Canada at 6:00 pm.

The Puerto Ricans capitalized their victory with a huge advantage of 35 to 17 in attacks, 10 to 5 in blocks, and 12 to 2 in service aces.

Outside hitter Pamela Agosto of Puerto Rico was the top scorer of the match with 16 points (14 kills, 2 blocks). Middle blocker Jomailee Reyes also contributed to the win with 13 points (5 kills, a match-high of 5 blocks, 3 aces). Team captain Alana Guibert added 10 points (7 kills, 2 blocks, one ace).

Salet Castillo of Cuba scored 8 points as the team’s top scorer.

The attacks of Alana Guibert and the serves of Jomailee Reyes pushed Puerto Rico to recover from a four-point deficit (0-4) in the first set. The Puerto Ricans advanced with better control of their serves, gaining a comfortable lead. In the second set, Puerto Rico quickly jumped to a five-point lead (15-10), maintaining it throughout the set. Puerto Rico was dominant in the third set.

Pamela Agosto, top scorer for Puerto Rico: “We were a bit nervous; it’s the second international match for almost everyone on the team. We managed to improve, limit our errors, and did a great job. I think our serving was very good, but the key to our victory was our communication. We know we can advance to the quarterfinals”.

Ashley Simón, setter for Cuba: “We started with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. When we try to do things right, we get nervous, and that causes us to make mistakes. I think there’s a lack of communication among us; there are arguments that hurt us as a team. We’ll see what happens tomorrow against Canada. We need more unity and to be a team”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 15, 2024. – Mexico defeated Costa Rica 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-15) to remain undefeated in the Girls’ U19 NORCECA U-19 Continental Championship being held at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Mexico has an undefeated record of 2-0 in pool B, while Costa Rica stands at 1-1.

On Tuesday, Costa Rica (0-2) will conclude pool-play against the Dominican Republic at 2:00 pm, and Mexico (2-0) will face Honduras at 8:00 pm.

Mexico set the pace of the match with advantages in every skill of the game, attacking (37-18), blocking (8-5), and service aces (7-1). Mexico committed one less error than Costa Rica (22-23).

Costa Rica managed to contain Mexico up to point ten in all three sets; from then on, the Mexicans dominated with the offensive play of Naomi Cruz, who led all scorers with 16 points on13 attacks, one block, and two aces, supported by Angélica Torres with 14 points on 10 attacks, one block, and a match-high of three aces.

Opposite hitter Dayna Barrantes and outside hitter Mariela Navarro led Costa Rica with 6 points each.

Naomi Cruz, top scorer for Mexico: “Costa Rica managed to contain us at the beginning; we started the sets a bit slow. We gave our best, without pressure, to keep the match from getting complicated. As the sets progressed, our confidence and game intensity increased. We all supported each other, just like our coaches, who always help us improve. There is a lot of unity in the team”.

Dayna Barrantes, top scorer for Costa Rica: “We entered the match knowing Mexico is a tough opponent. We gave our best, especially at the start of each set. Mexico is a team with greater physical capabilities than us, and it motivated us to stay close on the scoreboard until almost halfway through each set. We played well against Mexico. We are waiting for the result of Honduras today and the results of tomorrow’s matches in the group to know if we advance to the quarterfinals”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 14, 2024. – Costa Rica kicked off the Girls U19 NORCECA Continental Championship defeating host Honduras 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-14, 18-25, 15-13) in pool B of the event, which began on Sunday in Tegucigalpa.

The match was full of ups and downs, with both teams taking turns in the lead. In the end, Costa Rica emerged victorious, leading in attacking points 52 to 50 and in blocking points 8 to 2. Honduras led in service aces 10 to 8. Both teams committed 40 unforced errors throughout the match.

Outside hitter Mariela Navarro was the top scorer for Costa Rica with 15 points (13 attacks, one block, one ace). She was followed by outside hitter Galia Luconi with 14 points (13 attacks, one ace) and middle blocker María del Sol Venegas with 11 points (6 attacks, a match-high of 4 blocks, one ace).

For Honduras, opposite María Fernanda Merino was the best scorer with 14 points (12 attacks, 2 aces). Outside hitter Sasha Kawas finished with 13 points (12 attacks, one ace). Middle blocker Sofía Ghadesi contributed 10 points.

On the second day of the event, Costa Rica (1-0) will play against Mexico (1-0) at 2:00 pm, and Honduras (0-1) will face the Dominican Republic (0-1) at 8:00 pm.

In the tie-break, Honduras tied the score at 10 points after recovering from a five-point deficit (5-10) with the offensive efforts of Andrea Schmucker, combined with Costa Rica’s errors. An attack by Galia Luconi and an error by Honduras put Costa Rica ahead, but Honduras tied again at 13 points. An error by Honduras, followed by a kill from middle blocker Nadia Granados, sealed the victory for Costa Rica.

María del Sol Venegas, captain of Costa Rica: “The match got complicated for us; I feel like we got a little too confident. We achieved the result. There were ups and downs. Costa Rica is very mental, but when we are confident, we play a good game, the best we can. Tomorrow we will face a strong opponent, but we are confident in our game”.

Sofía Ghadesi, captain of Honduras: “I am very proud of my team. I am still euphoric about what we were able to achieve. We had a lot of energy. That’s sports; we had good things and made mistakes. We almost defeated Costa Rica. We supported each other throughout the match, had good energy, and were euphoric. We held our heads high”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 14, 2024. – The United States defeated Cuba 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-21) on the first day of competition in the Girls’ U19 NORCECA Continental Championship in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

United States obtained their first victory in pool A with a dominant performance, using all their players over the course of the match and overpowering Cuba 35-5 in attacks and 13-2 in service points. Both teams scored three blocking points. United States gave away more points from errors than Cuba (30-24).

Hazel Alevok and Elena Hoecke led the United States’ offense with 9 points each. Hazel Alevok scored a match-high of 4 aces.

Cuba’s outside hitter and captain, Yesica Brito, was the top scorer for her team with 4 points.

Cuba (0-1) will face Puerto Rico (0-1) on Monday at 4:00 PM, and the United States (1-0) will play Canada (1-0) at 6:00 PM.

The United States controlled the first and second sets with no difficulty, using their powerful serves and strong kills as their main strengths. In the third set, Cuba managed to surprise the Americans by keeping the score tight and tying at 16 points. In the end, the United States finished strong.

Aniya Warren, captain of United States: “We played strong. We started the first set, we played our game and performed what we knew how to do, being ourselves. We did good keeping up the entire game, despite it getting kind of rocky in the third. But overall, we kept fighting”.

Yesica Brito, captain of Cuba: “It was a tough start, facing one of the best teams in the tournament, a very strong team. This is only the first game, and for some of the players, it’s their first international tournament. We played well at the end of the match. Tomorrow, we will look to start strong like we did at the end today”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 14, 2024. – Canada started the NORCECA U19 Girls’ Continental Championship with a 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-15, 25-21) over Puerto Rico in pool A at Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Canada controlled every skill of the game,  attacks (34-26), blocks (7-3), and service points (8-3). Both teams gave away 26 points on unforced errors.

Two Canadian players scored double digits, opposite hitter Sydney Bell with 13 points on 8 attacks, 3 blocks, and 2 service points, and outside hitter Sol Henson with 11 points on 10 attacks and on service point.

Outside hitters Cherisse Atilano and Pamela Agosto led Puerto Rico with 9 and 8 points, respectively.

On Monday, Puerto Rico will face Cuba at 4:00 PM, and Canada will play against the United States at 6:00 PM.

The first set was very close, with both teams sharing the lead until they were tied at 22 points. Canada managed to pull ahead thanks to two errors by Puerto Rico and an attack point by opposite hitter Sydney Bell. Canada looked more comfortable in the second set, benefiting from 9 errors by Puerto Rico, in addition to the offense from Bell and Sol Henson. Canada lost four set points before celebrating the straight-set victory when Puerto Rico’s setter Daniella González came to the service line.

Avaya Maga, captain of Canada: “For a lot of us it’s our first international tournament, so getting into the competition and our style of plan took some time in the first set. In the second and third sets we capitalized on our game plan. We stayed aggressive the whole match. Credit to Puerto Rico for serving tough in the last points and got us stuck in that rotation”.

Alana Guibert, captain of Puerto Rico: “I think we lacked defense and communication. There are several players on the team who lack experience, and there was a bit of desperation. We put up a good fight at the end. We will do better in the next match.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 14, 2024. – Mexico won the opening match of the NORCECA U19 Girls Continental Championship, which began in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with a straight-set victory, 3-0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-18) over the Dominican Republic.

In the first match of pool B, Mexico outperformed Dominican Republic 44-26 in attacks, 7-5 in blocks, and 5-4 in serves. The Dominican Republic committed fewer errors (22-28).

Opposite hitter Aylin Ravell led Mexico with 17 points (14 attacks, one block, 2 aces), followed by outside hitter Naomi Cruz with 16 points (14 attacks, 2 blocks) and outside hitter Angélica Torres with 11 points (9 attacks, 2 aces).

Julie Arias was the top scorer for Dominican Republic with 13 points, all on attacks.

On the second day of competition, Mexico will face Costa Rica at 2:00 PM, and the Dominican Republic will play against Honduras at 8:00 PM.

Mexico started a bit slow, with the Dominicans taking an early 3-0 lead in the first set, but Mexico stabilized and closed with a comfortable 25-19 advantage. Mexico imposed their game, reaching 21-18 when three consecutive points from Julie Arias and a precise block from Caroline Rodríguez gave the Dominican Republic a boost. They battled point by point until Mexico continued with the lead. Aylin Ravell and Naomi Cruz led Mexico’s offense to secure the victory in straight sets.

Isabella Ocampo, captain of Mexico: “It was hard for us to start; there were some nerves because it was the first time the team was competing together. We managed to neutralize the Dominican Republic with our strong serves, which helped us control our attack better”.

Yalyn Firpo, captain of the Dominican Republic: “I think everything was a consequence of our attitude. We are a team that sometimes gives up a little when we are behind in the score. Our spirits dropped a lot, and that greatly influenced our performance. I think our blocking was dominant.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 13, 2024.- The coaches of the eight teams that will compete in the NORCECA Girls’ U19 Continental Championship in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, are ready to face a new challenge from July 14 to 19.

The event, which is part of the qualification process for the age-group FIVB World Championship, will be streamed on Facebook Live Federación Hondureña de Voleibol

Gina Schmidt, Head Coach of Canada: ““Our preparation period was fairly short, but we have a great group of athletes, and it will be just a matter of how quickly we can get used to playing together. I can see us improving with each game of the tournament”.

Norka Latamblét, Head Coach of Cuba: “We are coming with a very young group, U17 players. We have had problems with training, but we are here to play with a good attitude,  hoping that things will turn out as well as possible. We aim for the girls to project themselves for future competitions and for Cuba to achieve a better ranking as in previous years”.

Alexandre Ceccato, Head Coach of Dominican Republic: “Some players competed at the U19 continental and others at the U21, they have been training together for two weeks. The goal is to reach the semifinals and we are focused on doing so”.

Marcos Sugiyama, Head Coach of Honduras: “Honduras is very pleased to host another international event. The teams from Honduras for the underage categories are made up of players from a previous category. The team is mostly composed of players from last year’s U17 category. We are very eager to participate in the competition. We are motivated to play in front of our home crowd, for the players to be happy playing with the support of their families, which is an advantage for the team. I believe it will be a very important competition for the players”.

Ignacio Ramírez, Head Coach of Mexico: “We are bringing several U17 players, we want them to gain more experience since they will participate at the World Championship soon. Our expectation is to reach the semifinals to compete for a medal. We trained for 21 days before arriving here and the team has gradually improved. In addition, each match will give us a measure of how we are progressing”.

Eduardo Galarza, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “This is a group from a new cycle, and we have only one athlete returning (the team captain). The group is very talented, tall, plays fast, and has great ball control. Our goal is to qualify for the World Championship and win the tournament”.

Jamie Morrison, Head Coach of the United States: “This is a learning opportunity for our young athletes that we see having the potential to be in the national team one day. We had a shorter five-day training block during the summer and then a three-day training block leading up to this. I’m proud of our athletes for the amount of dedication they put in this short period of time and how much better they’ve gotten. We’re excited to show the world who we are on the volleyball court in this tournament”.

The arrival of Costa Rica is expected on Saturday night.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 8, 2024. – The NORCECA U19 Girls’ Continental Championship will take place at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, from July 14 to 19, an event that is part of the qualification process for the age-group World Championship.

The participating national teams are eligible to compete in the 2025 NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup; both events are part of the qualification process for the 2025 FIVB U19 Girls’ World Championship.

The last edition of the championship was held in 2018, also in Honduras, when the age-group was classified as U18. The United States won the championship for the eighth time, Canada claimed its first silver medal, having previously won its first bronze medal in 1998, and Cuba made history by securing their first medal since the creation of the event, taking the bronze medal.

The United States has also dominated the U19 Pan American Cup, winning the last two editions (2023, 2022).

Eight teams will compete in the event, divided into two groups. Group A includes Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and United States. Group B consists of Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the host Honduras.

Shcedule Preliminary Round

July 14

2:00 pm              Mexico vs Dominican Republic

4:00 pm              Canada vs Puerto Rico

6:00 pm              United States vs Cuba

8:00 pm              Honduras vs Costa Rica

July 15

2:00 pm              Mexico vs Costa Rica

4:00 pm              Cuba vs Puerto Rico

6:00 pm              Canada vs United States

8:00 pm              Honduras vs Dominican Republic

July 16

2:00 pm              Costa Rica vs Dominican Republic

4:00 pm              United States vs Puerto Rico

6:00 pm              Canada vs Cuba

8:00 pm              Honduras vs Mexico

HISTORIC MEDALS GIRLS’ U19 NORCECA

MEDAL COMPOSITION