TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, November 10, 2026. – Costa Rica had to work hard to secure a 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-23) victory over Guatemala in a closely contested Pool B match at the 21st AFECAVOL U21 Women’s Central American Championship, held at the Jorge A. Galeano Gymnasium 2 in Tegucigalpa.
Despite winning in straight sets, Costa Rica faced strong resistance from Guatemala, particularly in the second and third sets, when the Guatemalans built significant leads but were unable to hold on as their opponents fought back.
Costa Rica controlled the opening set 25-18, but the momentum shifted in the second as Guatemala made adjustments and took the lead at crucial moments. The Guatemalans earned a set point at 24-23, but Costa Rica responded, capitalizing on errors in reception and defense to claim the set 27-25.
The third set presented an even greater challenge for Costa Rica. Guatemala built a five-point advantage (20-15) and appeared on course to extend the match. However, Costa Rica rallied behind Natalia Zavaleta’s attacks, which found gaps in Guatemala’s defense, and key contributions from Camila Díaz in both blocking and attacking to take the set 25-23 and secure the victory.
Costa Rica held the advantage in all three scoring categories, outscoring Guatemala 41-38 in attacks, 7-4 in blocks, and 7-3 in aces. Costa Rica also benefited from 22 opponent errors while conceding 21 points through its own mistakes.
Natalia Zavaleta led Costa Rica’s offense with 13 points, followed by Luciana Vargas and Camila Díaz with 11 points each. For Guatemala, Andrea Garcés was the leading scorer with 12 points, while Melissa Guerra added 8.
Costa Rica will look to maintain its winning start on Wednesday when it faces Nicaragua at 2:00 p.m., in a matchup between two teams that opened Pool B with victories. Meanwhile, Guatemala will seek to bounce back against Panama at 4:30 p.m.
Braulio Godínez, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “It was a very difficult match that could have gone either way. Guatemala also had its opportunities and came close to winning the second set. I think it was a demanding match; the first match always helps the team settle in. We had been working very well on our blocking during practice matches and training sessions, but it didn’t work as well today. I hope we can improve in that area.”
Charlotte Martínez, Captain of Costa Rica: “We feel very good, and I think we showed a lot of determination. In the third set, we were trailing by a significant margin, but we managed to recover and win it. That shows we are a very united team and that we don’t give up easily. The best part was our attitude because we never stopped fighting. Even when some technical aspects weren’t working as we expected, we maintained our team spirit, focused on the next point, and kept trying.”
Julio Domínguez, Head Coach of Guatemala: “We are just beginning the championship, and we know the team needs to find its rhythm. Today, our more experienced players lacked the finishing touch needed at crucial moments. In two sets, we had opportunities to beat our opponents, but we were missing that extra element required to win matches. We are not discouraged; there is still a long way to go in this tournament, and we will remain focused on achieving our goal.”
Melissa Guerra, Captain of Guatemala: “It was a very competitive and closely contested match. I tell my teammates that the championship doesn’t end here, that we have to keep fighting and giving everything for our country. I think we need to improve our attitude and continue working hard for the upcoming matches.”