MORELOS, Mexico, August 11, 2026.- Guatemala bounced back after dropping the first set to defeat Curaçao 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-17) and celebrate its first victory at the 2026 Men’s Pan American Cup, being held at Poliforum 2 of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM).
Guatemala improved its record to one win and one loss in Pool B, while Curaçao remained winless with three losses.
On the fourth day of competition, Guatemala will face Cuba, while Curaçao will close out pool play against the Dominican Republic.
Guatemala outblocked Curaçao 11-9 and committed fewer unforced errors, 23 compared to 35. Both teams finished with 48 attack points and four service points.
Guatemala’s Andy Blanco led all scorers with 20 points, José Pablo Pérez contributed 17 and Carlos López added 13.
Timothy van Henneigen led Curaçao with 18 points, while Marlison Kleinmoedig and Raygid Isenia added 13 points each.
After dropping a tight first set, Guatemala responded in the second. In a close finish, the Guatemalans prevailed 25-23 to even the match.
Curaçao opened the third set with a 4-0 lead, but Guatemala responded by turning the score around and taking control of the set, winning it 25-19. In the fourth, Guatemala took the lead from the start and pulled away to close out the match 25-17.
Andy Blanco of Guatemala, the match’s top scorer: “We lacked attitude at the start and they caught us by surprise. We made adjustments, and our experience in these tournaments, playing at a competitive level against teams such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, among others, helped us stay composed to come from behind and get the win. We stepped on the gas all the way to achieve our goal.”
Ernaldo Mota, libero of Curaçao: “We had a good start, but we lacked the enthusiasm we needed to win. I think we showed a good level of play.”
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