LEÓN, Guanajuato, August 1, 2025.- Dominican Republic closed the U23 Women’s Pan American Cup in fifth place after defeating Nicaragua 3-0 (25-16, 25-7, 25-15) at the Domo de la Feria in León, Guanajuato.
The Dominican squad finished with a 4-2 record, while Nicaragua placed sixth with a 1-4 record.
A key moment came early in the first set when Nicaragua lost one of its key players, setter Francesca Medrano, due to an ankle injury. In the third set, the Central Americans put up more resistance, managing to tie the score at 8 and again at 9 before the Dominicans regained control.
The Dominican offense dominated the match with a big advantage in attacks (34-19) and blocks (9-1). Nicaragua scored the only ace of the match.
Katielle Alonzo led the Dominican Republic as the only player in double figures with 12 points, while María José Rivera topped Nicaragua’s scoring with 6 points.
Dominican Republic’s head coach, Wagner Pacheco, said: “Of course we wanted more, to be among the top four and fight for a medal. The team played well against the stronger teams, but things didn’t go our way. The two teams in the final have players from this age-group; we brought younger players.”
Nicaragua’s head coach, Claudia Noguera, stated: “Unfortunately, we had Francesca’s injury, but the team managed well with her substitute. Overall, we did a good job in the tournament. We gained a lot of experience, which has been very positive because the players are now more committed to continuing to improve.”
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