MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 18, 2026.– Costa Rica was crowned champion of the 3rd AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four after defeating host Nicaragua in a thrilling five-set final, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 20-25, 27-25, 20-18), in a dramatic showdown that kept the excitement alive until the final point and ended Nicaragua’s reign of two consecutive titles.
The Costa Ricans staged a remarkable comeback after trailing 1-2 in sets, saving a championship point in the fourth set when Nicaragua led 24-23. The hosts had another opportunity to clinch the title in the fifth set, holding a 13-12 advantage, but were unable to capitalize.
The closing moments turned into an intense battle of nerves and resilience. Costa Rica needed six championship opportunities before finally sealing the victory, prevailing 20-18 in a tension-filled fifth set to celebrate the title on Nicaragua’s home court.
Although Nicaragua held a commanding 75-52 advantage in attacks, Costa Rica found its greatest strength at the net, dominating the blocking category 20-8. María del Sol Venegas led the defensive effort with six blocks, followed by Valeria Campos with five. The champions also held an 8-5 edge in aces and committed 26 unforced errors compared to Nicaragua’s 31.
Venegas led Costa Rica’s offense with 24 points, supported by Tannia Carazo with 20 and Tatiana Sayles with 9. For Nicaragua, captain Brittany Forbes was the match’s top scorer with 27 points, while María Belén Arcia added 24 and Samantha Vargas contributed 17.
With this result, Costa Rica ended Nicaragua’s streak of two consecutive championships, leaving the hosts with their first silver medal in the tournament. Guatemala completed the podium with bronze, while Belize finished in fourth place.
Costa Rica head coach Ciro Zoratti praised his team’s determination in overcoming preparation challenges and highlighted the performance of 16-year-old setter Kellianny Rodríguez.
“I’m very happy because only we know how difficult the preparation for this tournament was. We had many problems in Costa Rica. We forgot that we had a 16-year-old setter and said, ‘Well, let’s play with the senior team.’ She had a great tournament. We have Tannia Carazo, who had said she was going to retire from the national team. I asked her to please play, and she was one of the MVPs. I knew we would face another battle against Nicaragua. They played a great match, and we were strong enough to beat them in the fifth set. Now it’s time to celebrate,” Zoratti said.
Rodríguez, meanwhile, celebrated the championship and expressed her gratitude for the confidence and support she received from her teammates throughout the competition.
“It feels really good to win the title because I’ve worked very hard for this. I was hoping for the opportunity. I know what this team is capable of, and we did what we knew we could do. The support of my teammates was important. They were always there for me, and whenever I made a mistake, they told me not to worry. I was also a champion at the U17 level and at the U15 level here in Nicaragua,” said the young setter.