COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 7, 2026. – The Dominican Republic opened Pool B of the 2026 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a straight-set victory over Belize, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-21), on Tuesday at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The Dominicans controlled the match offensively, leading Belize in attacks (46-24). Belize finished with a slight advantage in blocks (3-2) and service aces (6-4).
Julie Arias and Virelys Rivera led the Dominican Republic with 11 points each. Raydi Mondesi added 7 points, while Cristal Mercedes chipped in 6.
For Belize, Akili Jones scored a team-high 11 points, followed by Emaun Marin with 10.
Alexandre Ceccato, head coach of the Dominican Republic: “It was a positive result to start the tournament. Everyone had the opportunity to play. Belize surprised us—they play good volleyball and have several young players with a promising future. The most important thing is that we earned our first victory.”
Nelissa Ramírez, head coach of Belize: “We recovered after a difficult start in the first set and competed much better in the next two. However, we weren’t quick enough in key moments, and that made the difference. We hope to continue improving as the tournament progresses.”
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