MORELOS, Mexico, August 13, 2026.- Puerto Rico secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Men’s Pan American Cup after defeating Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-18) on Thursday at Poliforum 2 of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM).
Puerto Rico closed pool play in third place in Pool A with a 2-2 record and will face the second-place team from Pool B in the quarterfinals, which will be determined later today.
Trinidad and Tobago finished fifth in Pool A and will compete in the classification matches for positions 7-10.
Puerto Rico led Trinidad and Tobago in attacks 43-30, blocks 11-3, and serves 11-0. Puerto Rico committed 20 unforced errors compared to Trinidad and Tobago’s 10.
Jair Santiago led Puerto Rico with 18 points on 12 kills, three blocks, and three aces, while Antonio Feliciano contributed 10 points, including seven kills and three aces.
Michael Burkett was Trinidad and Tobago’s leading scorer with 14 points on 13 attacks and one block.
Arnel Cabrera, captain of Puerto Rico: “In the preliminary round, we faced two great teams that made us think and brought us face-to-face with the reality of where we are as a team. We had to restructure a little, stay united and, above all, understand that this is a long tournament and that we are improving as we go. That’s the mentality we have for tomorrow’s match and the matches that remain, with the best mindset and staying as positive as possible.”
Akram Askoul, middle blocker of Trinidad and Tobago: “It was a tough game. We fought our hardest, but in the end, their blocking was too strong and their serving was strong, but we tried our best. Now we’re waiting for our next opponent, and we have to fight for placement. We’re not going to fight any of the top teams, but we don’t want to come last in this tournament. Right now, we’re fighting for pride.”
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