TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, November 10, 2026. – Nicaragua opened its campaign at the 21st AFECAVOL U21 Women’s Central American Championship with a commanding 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-15) victory over Panama in the opening match of Pool B at the Jorge A. Galeano Gymnasium 2 in Tegucigalpa.
Nicaragua controlled the match from start to finish, setting the pace with an effective offense and strong serving. The Nicaraguans quickly took control of the first set, winning 25-13, maintained the pressure in the second for a 25-14 victory, and sealed the win 25-15 in the third after one hour and 11 minutes of play.
María Victoria Ebanks led Nicaragua’s offense with 13 points, followed by Karen Bird with 11 and Lucía Ruiz with 8. For Panama, Viviana Harewood was the leading scorer with 7 points, while Diana Michelle Osorio contributed 5 and Keissy Fuentes added 4.
Nicaragua held a clear advantage in the statistics, outscoring Panama 41-19 in attacks, 7-4 in blocks, and 6-1 in aces. Ebanks stood out at the net, recording five of her team’s seven blocks. Nicaragua also benefited from 21 opponent errors while committing 18.
With this result, Nicaragua earned its first victory in Pool B and will face Costa Rica on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., while Panama will look to bounce back against Guatemala at 4:30 p.m.
Claudia Noguera, Head Coach of Nicaragua: “With this competition system and format, getting the first victory is very important. Winning 3-0 gives the players confidence. Tomorrow, we have a very difficult match against Costa Rica, and we know every match will be challenging because there are teams of a high level. Today, it was important to give almost all our players an opportunity to compete because it allows them to gain experience on the court, not just during training. For many of them, this is their first experience with the national team, and representing their country is a great source of pride.”
Franchesca Viera, Captain of Nicaragua: “I feel very happy and proud of my team because, even though we are a new group, we managed to come together, win the match, and put on a good performance. Our team spirit also helped us a lot. We have been working on our celebrations, supporting each other when we make mistakes, and staying motivated. I feel all of that played an important role during the match.”
Alberto Jesús Quiel, Head Coach of Panama: “Our lack of organization affected us, and that was reflected in the result. During the first two sets, we tried to make adjustments, but it wasn’t until the third that we managed to improve and become a little more competitive. We are taking things step by step, trusting that the team will continue to adjust and that our playing system will begin to work. The format is challenging, and we were drawn against three of the strongest teams: Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. However, I believe in my players and know they will perform better in the upcoming matches.”
Anna Aráuz, Captain of Panama: “We feel a little disappointed with the loss, but we are not going to hang our heads. Tomorrow and in every match ahead, we will give everything we have to represent Panama with pride. This was the first time we played together as a team, and we lacked communication on the court, but we will work on that and continue improving.”