TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, November 11, 2026. – Honduras earned its first victory at the 21st AFECAVOL Central American U21 Women’s Volleyball Championship after coming from behind to defeat Belize 3-1 (28-30, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22) in a hard-fought Pool A match.
Belize surprised the hosts by taking an intense opening set 30-28, marked by lengthy offensive exchanges and unforced errors from both teams, reflecting the tension of a crucial match for their hopes of advancing in the tournament.
However, Honduras responded with significant improvements in reception and defense, gained confidence in its game, and claimed the next three sets to complete the comeback in front of its home crowd.
Luna Janania led Honduras with 21 points, closely followed by Sasha Kawas with 20. Valeria Aquino also played a key role, contributing 15 points, including seven in the fourth set. For Belize, Emaun Marin led the scoring with 19 points, while Kailee Godfrey added 15.
The powerful attacks of Janania and Kawas faced resistance from Belize’s blocking, particularly Kailee Godfrey and Kijana Rose. Nevertheless, the Honduran attackers prevailed in numerous exchanges, proving instrumental in the hosts’ victory.
Honduras held the advantage in attacks (57-45), while Belize led in blocks (8-6). Both teams were tied in service points (7-7). Honduras committed 35 unforced errors compared to Belize’s 33.
Belize will face El Salvador on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in a match that will determine the Pool A leader and the direct berth in the semifinals. Honduras, having completed pool play, must await the outcome of that match to learn its quarterfinal opponent.
Marvin Andino, head coach of Honduras: “Once again, errors became an issue, just as they did yesterday. The players came in afraid of making mistakes, and that is exactly what happened early on. We asked them to stay calm and composed, and they really improved over the next three sets. They regained confidence in themselves, and we moved closer to the goal we set from the first match: reducing errors and believing in our abilities. We also worked extensively on blocking because we know we have a team with strong potential in that area.”
Luna Janania, Honduras’ leading scorer: “We are very happy. Yesterday, we came into the match against El Salvador a little nervous, but today we were much calmer and had a more settled mindset. I want to thank the fans who always support us, especially my parents. My dad surprised me because I thought he wouldn’t be able to come, and he was playing the drum throughout the entire match. My mom, brother, grandmother, and the rest of my family were also here. I think their support really helped us stay focused and enjoy the match.”
José Fontes, head coach of Belize: “The difference between the Honduras team that played El Salvador yesterday and the one we faced today was significant. I believe they deserved to win. They played very well and committed fewer unforced errors than yesterday. We have no excuses; we failed to close out the match at crucial moments. Now we have to go out tomorrow and fight for the win. Today, we made several changes to find the six most consistent players on the court, and I think we now have a clearer idea of who should start the next match to make the most of our game.”