MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 15, 2024. – On the fifth and final day of competition, Costa Rica defeated Nicaragua 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-15, 26-24) to claim the title as undefeated champions in the inaugural Central American “Invitational” U15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship, held at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Nicaraguan Sports Institute (IND).
Costa Rica finished the event with a perfect 5-0 record, Belize secured second place with a 4-1 record, and El Salvador took third place with a 3-2 record.
Guatemala finished in fourth place with a 1-4 record, while Honduras closed the competition in fifth place without any victories in five matches.
Costa Rica
In other matches played on the final day, Belize defeated Guatemala 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-20) and El Salvador 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-12).
During the awards ceremony, the following individual recognitions were presented:
Sofía Quesada of Costa Rica, MVP and Second Best Spiker
Kelliany Rodriguez of Costa Rica, Best Setter
Emaun Marin of Belice, First Best Spiker and Best Scorer
Charlotte Martínez of Costa Rica, First Best Blocker
Gabriela Salter of Nicaragua, Second Best Blocker
Adriana Vargas of El Salvador, Best Opposite
Kimberly Silva of Nicaragua, Best Digger and Best Libero
Jamielee Espejo of Belice, Best Service and Best Receiver
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 14, 2024.- Costa Rica triumphed in a hard-fought battle against Belize, winning 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-23) to move within reach of the championship at the inaugural U15 Central American “Invitational” Girls’ Volleyball Tournament on Saturday at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Nicaraguan Sports Institute (IND).
With this victory, Costa Rica secured its fourth consecutive win, having previously defeated Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Costa Rica are now preparing to conclude their participation in grand style, taking on hosts Nicaragua this Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
In another intense match, El Salvador overcame Guatemala 3-1 (25-9, 25-23, 21-25, 25-10) to stay in contention for a medal. This marked El Salvador’s third victory, along with one loss. El Salvador has defeated Nicaragua and Guatemala but fell to Costa Rica.
Nicaragua also delivered a standout performance, remaining in the hunt for a podium finish after defeating Honduras 3-0 (25-9, 25-17, 25-14).
The final day of competition features a pending match between Guatemala and Belize at 8:00 a.m. Additionally, Belize will face El Salvador at 2:00 p.m., and Guatemala will take on Honduras at 4:00 p.m.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 14, 2024.- Panama’s opposite hitter Víctor Pérez was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship, the final official tournament of 2024 in the region.
Pérez was one of the tournament’s top scorers, finishing with 26 points in the championship match against Guatemala. He led Panama to a historic title, breaking a nearly 40-year drought after falling short in the finals in 1986 and 1996, where they earned silver medals.
The best players
The Panamanian standout Víctor Pérez was also the tournament’s Top Scorer and the Second Best Spiker.
Guatemala’s players also excelled, with Santiago Mena earning the Best Server award, Josué González recognized as the Best Receiver, and Christian Álvarez as the Second Best Blocker.
From Belize, Lawrence Mahler was named the Best Setter, while Orion Butler claimed the award for Best Blocker. David Garbutt was recognized as the Best Digger and Best Libero.
Nicaragua’s Devin Hooker received the award for Best Opposite, while Costa Rica’s Ignacio Morales was named the Best Spiker.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 14, 2024.- Panama overcame a tough challenge, battling through a dramatic five-set match to defeat Guatemala 3-2 (13-25, 25-19, 32-30, 14-25, 15-10), and claim an undefeated championship title in the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
With this victory, Panama stamped its name as champions in the category for the first time. Previously, Panama had earned two silver medals in 1986 and 1996, and two bronze medals in 2009 and 2017.
Second Place
The top three places of the tournament were confirmed with Panama finishing at the top with a perfect 6-0 record. Costa Rica took second place with a 5-1 record, while Guatemala secured third with a 4-2 finish.
Panama had to dig deep and remain composed against a formidable Guatemalan team that led in blocking, earning 22 points to Panama’s 9.
Despite this, Panama was more effective in attack points 49-45 and service points 11-7, though they gave away 35 unforced errors compared to Guatemala’s 30.
Third place
Victor Pérez led Panama’s offense with an impressive 26 points, supported by Víctor Araúz with 17. For Guatemala, Omar Mendoza and Christian Álvarez each scored 16 points.
After securing the championship, Panama’s head coach Horacio Angulo said: “We knew it would be a tough match against Guatemala, but we made the necessary adjustments and secured the title. Guatemala gave us a hard time in the first set, but the team stayed calm and focused”.
Meanwhile, Guatemala’s head coach Luis Castañeda reflected: “We never give up on a match. Guatemala is known for its fighting spirit and determination, regardless of the opponent. We leave with a sense of pride; things didn’t go as we hoped, but third place is still a good result”.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 14, 2024.- El Salvador triumphed in a hard-fought battle against Nicaragua, winning 3-2 (17-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22, 21-19) to claim fourth place in the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
This match marked the conclusion of the tournament, with El Salvador finishing in fourth place with a 3-3 win-loss record, while Nicaragua settled for fifth with a 2-4 record.
El Salvador maintained composure during crucial moments, leveraging their offensive edge to outscore Nicaragua 66-55 in attacks and leading slightly in blocks, 11-10.
Rafael Vargas ESA
Nicaragua failed to capitalize on the 38 unforced errors committed by El Salvador, while committing only 22 themselves.
Rafael Vargas led El Salvador’s offense with an impressive 38 points, supported by Lorenzo Sánchez with 11. For Nicaragua, Devin Hooker stood out with 20 points.
After the match, Rafael Vargas, captain of El Salvador, shared: “For us, this experience helps us improve. We wanted to be on the podium, but it wasn’t possible. We managed to win a very tough match against Nicaragua, and the key to victory was our focus, we never lost concentration throughout the game. Above all, we thank God for being with us”.
On the other side, Félix Palacios, captain of Nicaragua, reflected: “We gave our best on the court. Overall, we made too many mistakes and couldn’t secure crucial sets. We got confused at times, but these things happen. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and keep training to do better next time”.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 14, 2024.- Belize wrapped up the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22) victory over El Salvador in the opening match of the event’s final day.
With this result, Belize secured sixth place with a 1-5 win-loss record, while Honduras finished in seventh place without a single victory in the tournament.
Securing the win wasn’t easy for Belize, as they had a shaky start with Honduras showing greater effectiveness early on. However, Belize made the necessary adjustments and, thanks to improved blocking, managed to neutralize their opponent’s momentum.
In the end, Belize led in attack points 54-39 and blocking 15-7. They committed 39 unforced errors compared to Honduras’ 22, while Honduras had the advantage in service points 6-4.
For Belize, Hayden Requena stood out with 19 points in attack, while Nelson Valladares led Honduras with 13 points.
After the victory, Belize’s head coach Yamill Herrera said: “It was a very challenging tournament for us, as we couldn’t find a way to win until the final match. Against Honduras, we delivered a stable performance. Our tactical serving worked well with our blocking, and that was the key to our success in the match”.
Meanwhile, Honduras head coach Carlos Funez reflected: “We have to keep working hard. At times, the players looked good during matches, but then their performance dropped. The mental aspect greatly affected our decision-making in key moments. We need to continue working hard for future events.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 13, 2024. – Panama defeated El Salvador 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-17) and is just one step away from securing the title at the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship, achieving their fifth consecutive win in the tournament.
Panama holds a 5-0 win-loss record with 23 points, placing them in second position. To clinch the championship, they must prevail in their final match against Guatemala on the seventh and final day of the tournament.
Currently, Costa Rica leads the standings with a 5-1 record and 25 points, while Guatemala sits in third place with a 4-1 record and 19 points.
In their match against El Salvador, Panama faced little resistance on their way to victory, outperforming their opponent in attack points 30-29, in blocks 8-4, and service aces 5-0. They also committed fewer unforced errors, conceding 15 points compared to El Salvador’s 32.
Panama’s best attacker was Víctor Pérez, who scored 14 points, while Víctor Araúz contributed 10. For El Salvador, Rafael Vargas finished with 10 points.
Reflecting on the win, Panama’s head coach, Horacio Angulo, said: “In our final match, we’ll face a very experienced team like Guatemala. It won’t be an easy game, but we’ll stick to what has worked for us so far. We knew El Salvador would try to complicate things in the first set, every team has tried to do that, but we made the necessary adjustments in some positions, and it worked.”
El Salvador’s head coach, Guillermo Polanco, commented: “We had a very poor performance in serving and receiving. That said, in this match, we gave an opportunity to a couple of very young players, and they performed quite well. Now we’ll fight for fourth place, and we’ll do it with dignity to secure that position.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 13, 2024. – Costa Rica and Belize continue their perfect run in the I Girls’ Under 15 Central American “Invitational” Volleyball Championship, being held at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Nicaraguan Institute of Sports (IND).
On the third day of competition, Costa Rica showcased their strength by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-21, 25-11, 25-15), extending their unbeaten streak to three matches.
Costa Rica
Belize is the other undefeated team after two matches, following a hard-fought 3-1 (25-23, 29-27, 22-25, 27-25) victory over host Nicaragua, which now holds a record of one win and two losses.
Meanwhile, El Salvador defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-16).
El Salvador now has a record of two wins and one loss, Guatemala stands at 2-0, and Honduras has lost all three of their matches.
Saturday’s schedule begins with Guatemala facing El Salvador at 2:30 p.m., followed by the clash of undefeated teams, Costa Rica and Belize, at 4:30 p.m., and concludes with Nicaragua against Honduras at 6:30 p.m.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 13, 2024. – After losing the first set, Guatemala rallied to a 3-1 victory over Nicaragua (25-27, 25-21, 25-17, 25-21), securing a spot on the podium of the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
With this result, Guatemala improved its record to 4-1 and has one match left against Panama on the final day to determine the color of its medal. Meanwhile, Nicaragua will close its schedule against El Salvador.
Nicaragua started the match strongly, needing a win to stay in contention for the podium. However, it was Guatemala that executed better to claim the victory.
Guatemala outperformed Nicaragua in attack points 49-48, blocks 9-5, and serves 10-4 and committed fewer unforced errors, 29 compared to Nicaragua’s 32.
For Guatemala, José Samayoa led the attack with 16 points, supported by Borís González with 15. On Nicaragua’s side, Cristopher García collected 19 points, while Kenner Muñoz added 12.
Following the victory, Guatemala’s head coach, Luis Castañeda, commented: “We knew we had to win 3-0 to fight for the gold, but it didn’t happen. We must keep fighting to see what color our medal will be. Nicaragua is a tough team; they started playing very well and losing that set impacted our chances for first place.”
Nicaragua’s head coach, Jorge Mena, reflected: “In the first set, the team entered with a strong desire to win, but they lost morale, and the team fell apart. We must accept the loss. Now, we aim to beat El Salvador in our last game to finish with a victory, even if we don’t win a medal.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 13, 2024.– Costa Rica concluded the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Championship with a convincing victory over Belize, 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-15), securing a spot on the podium.
Costa Rica will rest on the seventh and final match day, finishing with a record of 5-1 in wins and losses. This performance guarantees them a place on the podium, though the final rankings depend on the outcomes of matches involving Panama, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
Costa Rica faced no difficulties in dominating the match, leading in attack points 40-21, blocking 7-1, and service points 2-1. Belize gave away 26 points from unforced errors compared to 18 by Costa Rica.
On offense for Costa Rica, Ignacio Morales scored 15 points, while Jeremy Vanega contributed 13. For Belize, Daniel Musa stood out with 8 points.
Belize, with five losses, will face Honduras in the first match of the final day.
Reflecting on the victory, Costa Rica’s captain, Edser Barrantes, stated, “Congratulations to Belize; they have a great team that never stops fighting, with very tall players. We’ve completed our schedule and are very happy with everything we’ve achieved. We hope to take home a medal.”
Belize’s captain, Lawrence Mahler, added, “Costa Rica is a very good team, one that inspires you to keep fighting and that attacks a lot. We’ve improved as a team, and we performed quite well against Costa Rica. We hope to continue like this in our next match.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, October 12, 2024.- Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Belize claimed important victories on the second day of the inaugural Central American U15 Girls’ Volleyball “Invitational” Championship, held at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Nicaraguan Institute of Sports (IND).
After a stumble on opening day, host Nicaragua earned its first victory in dramatic fashion, defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 26-24) with a nail-biting finish.
“It was a tough match. The girls were very nervous, so we made adjustments, gave more players experience under pressure, and managed to win,” said Nicaragua’s coach, Julio Alfaro.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica maintained its perfect record, securing a second consecutive win by overcoming a resilient El Salvador team.
“We owe it all to our coaches. We’ve built a great team, and it’s a new team. Beating El Salvador wasn’t easy. Having our families here is very motivating,” said Costa Rica’s captain, Luciana Vargas.
Belize made an impressive debut by defeating Honduras 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-12).
“It was a first game with some challenges, especially emotional ones, but that’s normal at their age. I’m pleased with their determination to win,” explained Belize’s coach, José Fontes.
On day three of competition, El Salvador and Honduras meet at 2:30 p.m., followed at 4:30 p.m. by Costa Rica and Guatemala, and at 6:30 p.m. Honduras faces Nicaragua.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 12, 2024.- Panama faced a determined Honduras, which despite its efforts on the court, could not avoid a 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-23) defeat in the final match of the fifth day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
With this result, Panama maintains a perfect record of four wins and no losses, remaining the only unbeaten team in the tournament. They have two matches left, against El Salvador and Guatemala, to complete their schedule. Honduras, on the other hand, remains winless in five outings, with one match remaining against Belize on the final day of competition.
Although Panama did not display its best performance, it managed to prevail against a persistent Honduras that applied pressure throughout the match.
Diego Perez PAN
Panama led in attack points 46-33 and service points 4-3, while both teams were tied in blocks (6-6). Unforced errors were also close, with Panama committing 20 and Honduras 19.
For Panama, Víctor Pérez and Víctor Araúz each contributed 16 points, while Honduras’ top scorer was Gabriel Flores with 13 points.
Víctor Pérez, captain of Panama, expressed his thoughts on the victory: “We are very happy with the win and to remain undefeated, but we must acknowledge that the team didn’t play at 100 percent. We hope to perform better in the next match and play the way we know we can.”
Honduras’ captain, Héctor Duarte, reflected on his team’s performance: “We fought for most of the match. In the second set, we started to wake up halfway through, but it was already too late. Personally, I believe no team is invincible, and I always try to motivate my team to give it their all. We only have one match left against Belize, and we’ll do our best to win so we don’t finish last.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 12, 2024.- In a hard-fought battle from start to finish, Costa Rica edged out Nicaragua 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-14, 15-9) in a crucial match for both teams as they vie for a podium finish at the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
Costa Rica improved its record to four wins and one loss, while Nicaragua’s chances for a podium finish took a hit as they dropped to two wins and two losses. Nicaragua’s next matches are against Guatemala and host El Salvador, while Costa Rica will conclude its schedule on Friday against Belize.
Costa Rica performed better under pressure, which proved decisive in clinching the victory. They dominated Nicaragua in blocking (18-4), and also led in service points (6-3) and attacks (54-52). However, Costa Rica committed more unforced errors, with 37 compared to Nicaragua’s 24.
Ignacio Sánchez led Costa Rica’s offense with 22 points, supported by Jeremy Vanega with 15. For Nicaragua, Devin Hooker was the best player, scoring 24 points as the only Nicaraguan to surpass double digits.
After the match, Costa Rica’s coach Roberto Argüello commented: “We didn’t expect the match to be this challenging. Credit to Nicaragua, as they put us under a lot of pressure with their serves in the first and third sets, which made it difficult to set the ball through the middle. We reverted to our starting rotation from the match against Guatemala, and it worked better. Credit also goes to my players for staying calm and pulling through.”
Nicaragua’s coach Jorge Mena shared his thoughts: “We had the game in the second set, but our players couldn’t close it, and that’s where we lost the match. We managed to take the third set, but in the fourth and fifth, the team fell apart. Our attack weakened, and we couldn’t recover. All that’s left is to keep fighting because anything can happen.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 12, 2024.- Guatemala remains persistent in its quest for a podium finish after defeating Belize 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-13) in the first match of the fifth day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
The victory improves Guatemala’s record to three wins and one loss, with two matches remaining in the tournament against Nicaragua and Panama. Meanwhile, Belize’s record stands at 0-4.
Guatemala displayed a more consistent offense and effectively countered Belize’s strong blocking to secure a decisive victory.
Daniel Musa BIZ
Belize put up a strong effort to challenge their opponent but conceded 29 points due to unforced errors compared to Guatemala’s 12. While Belize held a slight edge in blocks 5-3, Guatemala dominated in attack points 41-32. Both teams were evenly matched in service points at 2-2.
Omar Mendoza led Guatemala’s attack with 16 points. For Belize, Lebron Baizar and Daniel Musa were the top scorers, each contributing 8 points.
Reflecting on the victory, Guatemala’s head coach Luis Castañeda stated: “All victories are important. The good thing is that we earned five points with this win, and we hope to continue adding points in the rest of the tournament. Against Belize, our service was key. The team serves very well, and that made blocking much easier, helping us neutralize the opponent.”
Belize’s head coach Yamill Herrera shared his perspective after the match: “We couldn’t finish. We worked well on reception and defense, but there was no definition in our attack. Many balls we controlled on defense didn’t translate into points. We have two matches left, and they are very important. We need to try to win at least one to avoid finishing the tournament on such a low note.”
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 11, 2024.- The Nicaraguan Volleyball Federation, in collaboration with the Managua City Hall, is hosting the First “Invitational” Central American U15 Women’s Championship from December 11 to 15.
The event, endorsed by AFECAVOL, is taking place at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Nicaraguan Sports Institute (IND), featuring teams from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
On the first day of competition, Costa Rica and El Salvador emerged victorious.
Costa Rica dominated Honduras 3-0 (25-12, 25-9, 25-11), while El Salvador had to give their all to overcome the host team Nicaragua 3-2 (29-27, 25-23, 11-25, 20-25, 15-11).
Three matches were originally scheduled for the opening day; however, due to flight delays, Belize arrived in Managua late, and their match against Honduras was rescheduled for Thursday.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 11, 2024.- Costa Rica showed no mercy to El Salvador, securing a 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-23, 25-19) in the final match of the fourth day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
The win improves Costa Rica’s record to 3-1, while El Salvador now has two wins and two losses. Costa Rica will face Nicaragua in their next match, while El Salvador will have a rest day.
El Salvador displayed great determination during the match, but it was not enough against Costa Rica, who effectively handled the pressure, particularly in the second set, where their superior blocking played a decisive role.
Costa Rica outscored El Salvador in attack points 38-30, blocking 11-6, and serving 5-0, while both teams were even in points by unforced errors (21-21).
Ignacio Sánchez led Costa Rica’s offense with 19 points, while Rafael Vargas was El Salvador’s top scorer with 12 points.
Regarding the victory, Edser Barrantes, captain of Costa Rica, remarked: “We achieved the result we were hoping for. We must acknowledge that El Salvador is a great team with a lot of courage and resilience; they never let a ball drop easily. Our goal is to win as many matches as we can. Unfortunately, our only loss was against Panama, but it was a great game.”
On the other hand, Rafael Vargas, captain of El Salvador, shared his thoughts after the match: “We leave with a bitter taste. We wanted to give more and demonstrate what we’d learned in training, but unfortunately, we couldn’t secure the victory. We struggled a lot in the attack. Despite having good receptions, we couldn’t finish our attacks effectively.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador December 11, 2024.- In a one-side game, Guatemala beat Honduras 3-0 (27-25, 25-16, 25-15), improving their record to two wins and one loss, after four days of competition at the 15th AFECAVOL Men’s Volleyball Central American Championship.
Guatemala was only challenged in the first set against a Honduras squad that was insistent, but did not show the same inspiration in the rest of the match.
Honduras, although it has shown certain flashes in the Central American U-19, has yet to win in four games. The Hondurans’ next rival will be Panama, while Guatemala faces Belize.
Guatemala was better in all aspects of the game, with a better attack in which it collected 34 points against the rival’s 22. Guatemala was also better in points achieved in attack 7-5, and service 5-3. In points due to unforced errors, Guatemala gave up 26 to Honduras’ 31.
On the attack for Guatemala, José Samayoa was the best with 14 points on his account, supported by Christian Álvarez with 11. For Honduras, Gabriel Flores and Jonathan Mendoza finished with 8 points each.
Josué González, captain of Guatemala, mentioned after the victory: “It is a very important victory for us, because of the points it gives us, that favors our goal of reaching the podium. The key to success against Honduras was that we played as a team and things went very well for us”.
For his part, Rafael Vargas, captain of Honduras, said: “I feel like there wasn’t that much difference between both teams, but what did make the difference was the attitude and confidence. As a group we also missed a lot of serves, we needed a little blocking, that didn’t help much in the first set, but after that we didn’t block much”.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 11, 2024.- Panama remains unstoppable in the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship, securing their third consecutive victory without defeats by overpowering Belize 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-11) in the opening match of the fourth day of the event.
Belize put up more resistance in the first set, but Panama proved vastly superior, leading in attack points 37-25, blocking 11-3, and serving 4-2. Moreover, the Panamanians committed fewer unforced errors, with just 14 compared to Belize’s 23.
Panama stands as the only undefeated team with a record of 3-0, while Belize has yet to achieve a win, with three losses.
Panama
Victor Pérez was Panama’s top scorer with 17 points, supported by Kendrick Newby with 12. For Belize, Daniel Musa contributed 7 points, while Albert Guy added 6.
Panama will face Honduras on the fourth day of the U19 Central American Championship, while Belize takes on Guatemala.
Regarding their victory, Panama’s coach Horacio Angulo stated: “We knew Belize would complicate things for us in the first set. We had studied them; they put a lot of pressure on the opening set. What I like about my team is that they’re starting to loosen up and show the volleyball they know how to play. But as I always tell them, we must take it one game at a time.”
On the other hand, Belize’s coach Yamill Herrera commented: “Things aren’t going our way. The players’ performance has been low, and the opponent has done better. We were leading in the first set but made four consecutive errors and losing that set affected our morale. We couldn’t recover after that.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 10, 2024 – Guatemala claimed a much-needed first victory over El Salvador, winning 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-23) in the stellar match of the third day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Guatemala entered the match determined to achieve their first win, and they delivered despite El Salvador’s strong resistance.
With this result, Guatemala now holds a 1-1 record, while El Salvador drops to 2-1, still with a long road ahead in their quest for a podium finish.
Guatemala displayed greater consistency on the court, leading in attack points 41-27, blocks 5-4, and service points 9-2. However, they conceded 28 points in unforced errors compared to 20 by El Salvador.
Guatemala
Offensively, Guatemala attained a well-distributed attack, with Omar Mendoza scoring 11 points and José Samayoa, Santiago Mena, and Christian Álvarez contributing 10 points each.
For El Salvador, Rafael Vargas was the standout player with 13 points, the only player from his team to reach double digits.
Luis Castañeda, coach of Guatemala, remarked after the match: “We needed to win this game. We knew El Salvador is a very strong opponent that increases when playing at home in front of their fans. Step by step, we’re making progress. Now we must focus on the next match.”
Guillermo Polanco, coach of El Salvador, commented: “We know this is a very evenly matched competition. Against Guatemala, our reception failed us, and it hurt us significantly. The tournament is about halfway through for us, and we still have a shot at the podium. The path is now longer, but it’s not impossible.”
In the fourth day of the U19 Central American Championship, Guatemala will face Honduras, while El Salvador takes on Costa Rica.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 10, 2024. – Panama secured a decisive victory over Nicaragua, winning 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-12), to claim their second win without defeats in the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Panama allowed Nicaragua little freedom on the court, handing the Nicaraguan team their first setback in the competition, where they now hold a 2-1 record.
Panama led offensively, scoring 37 points compared to 29 by Nicaragua. They also outperformed in blocking(9-3 and service points 3-1. In unforced errors, Panama conceded 21 points, while Nicaragua gave away 26.
Víctor Pérez led Panama’s offense with 19 points, while Víctor Araúz added 14. For Nicaragua, Devin Hooker and Joaquín Padilla scored 7 points each.
Nicaragua will rest on Wednesday, December 11, while Panama faces Belize.
After the victory, Horacio Angulo, coach of Panama, stated: “The work we did in training paid off for this match. Nicaragua came to play, but the boys were motivated, and we earned the win. We take it one match at a time because each game is different.”
Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua, commented after the match: “We knew we were going up against one of the strongest teams in the championship. Our team has players who are still very inexperienced, but we have to face reality, accept the loss, and work on lifting the team’s spirits. This isn’t over yet.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 10, 2024.- Costa Rica got back on the winning track, but had to push themselves to defeat Honduras 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-17) in the opening match of the third day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Costa Rica improved their tournament record to 2-1, while Honduras remains winless after three appearances.
Although the match was one-sided, Honduras maintained constant pressure throughout the challenge but lacked the final push to extend the match.
Costa Rica dominated all aspects of the game, leading in attack points 36-27, blocks 9-5, and serves 6-4. Honduras gave away 24 points on unforced errors, compared to 22 by Costa Rica.
For Costa Rica, Ignacio Sánchez led the attack with 14 points, followed by Jeremy Vanega with 10. For Honduras, Jonathan Mendoza stood out offensively with 12 points.
After the victory, Roberto Argüello, coach of Costa Rica, stated: “This victory is important to help us achieve our goal. Honduras is an interesting team with fairly tall players. Even so, we managed to control the second and third sets, although the first was a bit challenging. We controlled it and secured the match.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Funez, coach of Honduras, commented: “This is our third match together, and we are starting to become a bit more cohesive. We must acknowledge that Costa Rica is a great team, while we are still trying to figure out the best positions for our players. We just have to keep fighting.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 9, 2024.- El Salvador stood strong on the court to secure an important victory over Belize, 3-1 (25-21, 17-25, 25-19, 25-20), in the final match of the second day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
From the start of the match, the Salvadoran squad showed their determination to claim victory against a Belizean team eager for success.
The inspiration of El Salvador’s players prevailed as they outclassed in attack points, collecting 52 compared to Belize’s 37. Belize, however, led in blocks, 11-4, and service aces, 4-3. Both teams were evenly matched in unforced errors, with 33 each.
El Salvador
ÁLBUM ESA VS BIZ
El Salvador now features two wins and no losses in the tournament, while Belize remains winless after two matches.
Rafael Vargas was El Salvador’s top scorer with 19 points, supported by Stanley Fuentes with 11. For Belize, Francis Thomas and Hayden Requena each contributed 13 points.
Rafael Vargas, captain of El Salvador, reflected on the win: “It was an intense match, and we achieved a great victory that allows us to keep adding points towards our goal of earning a medal. We knew what to do at key moments, and that helped us push through.”
Lawrence Mahler, captain of Belize, remarked: “It was a very close game. El Salvador is a very good team, but we didn’t trust ourselves enough. We made quite a few serving errors, as well as in our attack. We needed to attack more, defend more, and block more, but overall, it was a good game.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 9, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated Honduras 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21) to claim their second victory in the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
Nicaragua managed to respond effectively to the challenge posed by Honduras. After losing the first two sets, Honduras claimed the third and pressured Nicaragua in the fourth, but they were unable to change the outcome of the match.
With this result, Nicaragua now holds a 2-0 record after two days of competition, while Honduras is 0-2.
A key factor in Nicaragua’s victory was their blocking, where they outperformed Honduras 9-8. They also had an advantage in service aces, 4-3. Honduras led in attacks, 54-45, but gave away more points through unforced errors, 40 compared to Nicaragua’s 27.
Cristopher García commanded Nicaragua’s offense with 16 points, followed by Devin Hooker with 14. For Honduras, Josué López led with 23 points, supported by Jonathan Mendoza with 18.
Félix Palacios, Nicaragua’s captain, shared his thoughts after the match: “We’re happy because we managed to get the result, although our goal was to win 3-0. The game got a bit complicated for us in the end, but we knew how to handle it. The key to our victory was staying calm and working as a team. That fueled our determination to win, which showed in the last set”.
Héctor Duarte, captain of the Honduras team, commented: “This was our second match, and it’s not over yet. We still have a chance to achieve something, and we won’t stop fighting until we do. Against Nicaragua, we lacked a bit more attitude, but I think we didn’t play poorly. We just need to focus on improving for the upcoming matches.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 9, 2024.- Panama earned an epic victory by defeating Costa Rica in five intense sets, 3-2 (27-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-27, 16-14), in their opening match of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship.
The first challenge of the second day of the event was intense from start to finish, with Panama’s squad determined to secure the win, while Costa Rica fought to the very end.
After winning the first two sets, Panama was overwhelmed by a strengthened Costa Rica. However, Costa Rica’s efforts were not enough to counter Panama’s fierce attack.
Panama focused all their efforts on offense, collecting 63 points compared to Costa Rica’s 55. They also led in service aces 3-1, while Costa Rica outperformed in blocking 10-8. Costa Rica gave away 41 points through unforced errors, compared to Panama’s 48.
Víctor Pérez was instrumental in Panama’s victory, scoring 30 points, including 27 attacks, 2 blocks, and one service ace. Víctor Araúz added 19 points. For Costa Rica, Ignacio Sánchez led with 22 points, supported by Jeremy Vanega with 18.
With this result, Panama earned their first victory, while Costa Rica’s record now stands at 1-1.
Reflecting on the triumph, Víctor Pérez, Panama’s captain, said: “Costa Rica is a highly competitive team. They gave us a tough battle and managed to recover after losing the first two sets. They are a very tenacious team. The key for us was staying positive, supporting each other, and staying focused on the game.”
Meanwhile, Edser Barrantes, Costa Rica’s captain, commented: “We’re leaving with mixed feelings. We didn’t do things well, even though we gave it our all. Volleyball is like this, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We were so close to coming back in this match, and that fifth set was excellent. Things aren’t over for us yet; our goal is still to reach the podium.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 8, 2024.- El Salvador secured a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 31-29) win over Honduras in the final match of the opening day at the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Honduras put up a strong fight to extend the match but was victim by their service errors, including several at critical points to close the third set, ultimately benefiting a determined Salvadoran squad.
El Salvador led in attack points 37-35 and blocks 8-5, while Honduras had a slight advantage in service points 6-4. However, Honduras struggled with unforced errors, committing 32 compared to El Salvador’s 25.
El Salvador
Rafael Vargas led El Salvador’s offense with 14 points, 13 from attacks and one from a service ace. Carlos Fuentes added 9 points, and Lucas Espindola contributed 7. For Honduras, Jonathan Mendoza, Nelson Valladares, and Josué López each scored 10 points.
After the match, El Salvador’s coach Guillermo Polanco shared: “Thank God we got the result. We came into the match a bit apprehensive since I have a very young group, many of whom will still be eligible for the next U19 tournament. Overall, they did well and managed to recover in two sets where we were behind.”
Honduras coach Carlos Funez commented: “Unfortunately, we lost the match due to our inability to make effective serves. We missed three consecutive serves on set points, and you can’t win like that. We have no choice but to learn from this situation and continue improving”.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 8, 2024.- In an intense match that went the distance, Nicaragua secured a crucial victory over Belize, winning 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-27, 29-27, 15-7) in the debut for both teams at the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Nicaragua took the first set, but Belize responded by claiming the next two. Belize was even one point away from winning the match in the fourth set but failed to close it out.
Belize was superior in blocking with a 13-6 advantage and led in service points 3-1 but was held up by unforced errors, conceding 42 points compared to Nicaragua’s 36.
In attack points, Nicaragua outscored Belize 68-54, with their defensive plays proving pivotal in critical moments.
Christopher Reyes NCA
Cristopher García was the leading scorer for Nicaragua with 20 points, while Devin Hooker added 17.
For Belize, Daniel Musa was the standout with 24 points, supported by Lebron Baizar with 12.
Reflecting on the victory, Nicaragua’s coach Jorge Mena stated: “The team struggled with receiving, and we had to make some changes that worked well, especially with the setter, who gave the match a new rhythm. I’m proud of how the boys never gave up.”
Belize’s coach, Yamill Herrera, commented: “This loss could affect us later; it’s crucial to start with a win to keep the team’s morale high. We had the chance to win in the fourth set, but one of our players let a critical ball drop. Credit to Nicaragua for their excellent defense, it was key to their success. We must also acknowledge that our best attacker cannot win the match on his own.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 8, 2024.- After a fiercely contested first set, Costa Rica picked up the pace to defeat Guatemala 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 26-24), claiming their first win at the opening of the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Guatemala managed to apply pressure in the first and third sets but could not sustain it against Costa Rica, who dominated in blocks with a 15-5 lead and outscored Guatemala in attacks 37-32.
Guatemala led in service points 7-3, while both teams were evenly matched in unforced errors, each tallying 21.
Costa Rica
For Costa Rica, Jeremy Antonio Vanega stood out as the top scorer with 16 points, supported by Ignacio Sánchez with 14 points. On Guatemala’s side, José Samayoa contributed 15 points, while Santiago Mena added 10.
After the match, Costa Rica’s coach, Roberto Quesada, remarked, “We started a bit nervously and made several mistakes in both attacks and touching the net too often. However, it was a very interesting match. We know Guatemala is a strong team, so taking this step is crucial for the goal we have in mind.”
Meanwhile, Guatemala’s coach, Luis Castañeda, commented, “We didn’t want to start with a loss, but that’s what happened. Now we look forward to the next match to improve. There’s a lot to work on, so we need to focus on correcting those aspects.”
On the second day of the U19 Central American Championship, Costa Rica will face Panama, while Guatemala will have a rest day.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 7, 2024.- Despite the youth of its participants, the XV AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men’s Volleyball Championship promises plenty of excitement. Matches will take place from December 8 to 14 at the FESAVOL Gymnasium.
After completing the preliminary interview protocol, the seven team coaches agreed that the battle for a spot on the podium will not be easy.
Regarding Costa Rica’s goals, head coach Roberto Argüello shared:“We understand the commitment we bring to this tournament, as we are the current U19 Central American champions. We have a young team, but with experience. We know the other teams are well-prepared and very strong. We worked hard for our first goal, which is to be among the top three, and once that spot is secured, we will aim for first place.”
Costa Rica
Meanwhile, Belize’s coach Yamil Herrera remarked: “It will be a very tough and competitive tournament. Belize has had good preparation. Fifty percent of our athletes competed in the Codicader Games on the same court where the U19 will be held, so they have international experience. We hope they execute the tactical plans we’ve worked on in training and maintain consistent performance to achieve good results”.
Beñize
Guatemala’s coach Luis Castañeda added: “We know the teams have prepared hard for this competition, and they are coming with a high level of play. As a national team, we’ve prepared well and are eager to perform well to achieve the best results. Our aim is to reach the podium, but we also recognize the high level of this event, so we will work step by step to achieve our goal.”
Guatemala
Discussing El Salvador’s participation, coach Guillermo Polanco explained: “We have a mostly new group, but we have high expectations and hope to surprise everyone. Our goal is to reach the podium, and we’ve prepared for it. This will be a very competitive tournament, where the team that stays focused and applies themselves during the matches will get the best results.”
El Salvador
Honduras’ coach Carlos Funez commented: “We are bringing a fairly young team, including four U17 players for development, while the rest are U19. We hope the team performs well, as we prepared well in advance. In this tournament, we have very young players in an intermediate stage of their athletic development, so their personality and psychological preparation will be crucial for their performance.”
Honduras
Nicaragua’s coach Jorge Mena emphasized: “We’ve prepared intensely for this championship, and we’re ready to face a new challenge. I must thank the Nicaraguan Volleyball Federation for their support. Our goal is to finish on the podium. We’ve trained for it, and we’re ready to achieve it.”
Nicaragua
Finally, Panama’s coach Horacio Angulo shared: “Panama comes with a base of U21 players who earned us a second place previously. We’re here to play match by match and aim for another medal for our country. This U19 event represents an intermediate category, featuring enthusiastic young players with a high level of play. We expect a tough tournament.”
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 4, 2024.- The 15th edition of the AFECAVOL Under 19 Men’s Central American Championship is headed to San Salvador, El Salvador, to be held December 8-14 at the FESAVOL Gymnasium.
Costa Rica is aiming for its fourth consecutive Central American title, after winning the last three editions of the event undefeated (2022, 2019, 2018). They are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with an overall of 13 medals ( eight golds, two silvers, three bronzes) and having reached the podium in every edition since the tournament’s inception in 1982.
Guatemala and Nicaragua have each won the championship title; Guatemala on three occasions and Nicaragua two times. Guatemala also has seven silver medals and two bronze medals, while Nicaragua has one silver and one bronze medal.
In the last edition, held in Copán, Honduras in 2022, Belize achieved a historic milestone by earning its first-ever medal in the event, finishing in third place.
The round-robin competition will feature all seven Central American countries and kicks off on Sunday, December 8, with three daily matches.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, December 1, 2024. Julián Araya and Stanley Grant, alongside Valentina Molina and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica, are the champions of the III Central American Under 19 Beach Volleyball Championship held at La Sabana Metropolitan Park in San José, Costa Rica.
With a flawless performance, Araya/Grant secured Costa Rica’s second consecutive championship in the men’s division, after defeating Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios and Deyner López 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) and later triumphed over El Salvador’s Diego Barrera and Josué Alvarado 2-0 (21-10, 21-11).
Araya and Grant completed the tournament undefeated, without dropping a single set, earning the gold medal with a perfect score of eight points.
The silver medal went to Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios and Deyner López with a 3-1 record, while Guatemala’s José Guevara and Daniel Morán secured bronze with a 2-2 record.
Costa Rica Champions Female and Male
In the women’s division, Costa Rica’s Valentina Molina and Sofía Vega faced a tough match against Nicaragua’s Yuliana Cháves and Ella Resau, winning 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-8). In their second game, they cruised past Honduras’ Valery Rodríguez and Greisy Cardona 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) and later defeated El Salvador’s Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) to clinch the Central American championship for the second consecutive time.
The silver medal went to El Salvador’s Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda (3-1), while Guatemala’s Maritza Zúñiga and Dulce Aguilar claimed bronze (2-2).
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, December 1, 2024. The tandems of Fátima Rendón and Dévora Medina of El Salvador, and Cristian Oporta and Ángel Carranza of Costa Rica, emerged as the undefeated champions of the second edition of the Under 17 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship held at La Sabana Metropolitan Park in Costa Rica.
In the women’s division, the U17 gold medal went El Salvadors’ Fátima Rendón and Dévora Medina, who secured their third and fourth consecutive victories on Sunday. They defeated Guatemala’s Marisabel González and Fátima Reina 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) and the host team’s Amanda Villegas and Luciana Soto 2-0 (21-18, 21-14).
The Costa Rican duo of Villegas/Soto claimed the silver medal with a 3-1 record, while González/Reina from Guatemala finished third with a 2-2 record.
In the men’s division, Cristian Oporta and Ángel Carranza of Costa Rica won the U17 championship, marking a back-to-back title for Costa Rica. Oporta celebrated his second gold medal in this category.
El Salvador y Costa Rica Winners
Oporta and Carranza concluded the event with three consecutive victories, remaining undefeated without losing a single set, successfully defending the Central American crown for their country.
On Sunday, they defeated Guatemala’s Robin Oliva and Fredy Luna 2-0 (21-10, 21-17).
The second-place finish went to Oliva/Luna of Guatemala with 2-1 record, while the bronze medal was secured by Nicaragua’s duo, Mattew Kempf and Diego Cardoza who ended with 1-2 record.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 30, 2023.- The women’s team from El Salvador and the men’s team from Nicaragua lead the standings after the first day of competition at the III Central American U19 Championship, held on the sand courts at La Sabana in the Costa Rican capital.
In the women’s division, Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda of El Salvador won both of their matches. They began the day with a 2-1 (23-25, 21-17, 15-12) victory over Yuliana Cháves/Ella Resau from Nicaragua and later defeated Valery Rodríguez/Greisy Cardona of Honduras 2-0 (21-9, 21-5) in the day’s final match.
Maritza Zúñiga and Dulce Aguilar of Guatemala secured one win and one loss. They defeated Rodríguez/Cardona (HON) 2-0 (21-8, 21-3) but fell to Valentina Molina and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica 2-0 (21-13, 21-19).
El Salvador
After their loss to Vigil/Rauda, Yuliana Cháves/Ella Resau from Nicaragua earned a quick 2-0 (21-7, 21-7) victory over the Honduras duo.
Following the results of the women’s matches, El Salvador leads the standings, followed by Guatemala, 3-Nicaragua, 4-Honduras and 5-Costa Rica.
In the men’s division, Justin Barrios and Deyner López of Nicaragua secured two victories; 2-0 (21-15, 21-10) against Diego Barrera and Josué Alvarado of El Salvador and 2-0 (21-14, 21-10) against Jairo Gálvez and Isaac Méndez of Honduras.
In their only match of the day, Julián Araya and Stanley Grant of Costa Rica defeated Guevara/Morán of Guatemala 2-0 (21-10, 21-16). The Guatemalan duo had previously claimed a hard-fought 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-12) win over Gálvez/Méndez from Honduras.
The Hondurans closed the day by defeating Barrera/Alvarado from El Salvador 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).
Thus, Nicaragua leads the men’s standings, 2-Honduras, 3-Guatemala, 4-Costa Rica y 5-El Salvador.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 30, 2024.- El Salvador women and Costa Rica men lead the II Central American U17 Beach Championship, which kicked off Saturday on the sand courts at La Sabana in San José, Costa Rica.
The competition began at 9:00 a.m. in the women’s division with a commanding victory by Fátima Rendón/Dévora Medina of El Salvador over Génesis Santamaría/Astrid Rivera of Honduras, 2-0 (21-3, 21-3). Rendón/Medina also dominated Kimberly Silva/Tania Callejas of Nicaragua, 2-0 (21-5, 21-9).
The Costa Rican duo of Amanda Villegas/Luciana Soto also earned two victories. They defeated Marisabel González/Fátima Reina of Guatemala 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) and later secured an easy win against Santamaría/Rivera of Honduras, 2-0 (21-1, 21-8).
Costa Rica Attack
The day concluded with a victory by González/Reina of Guatemala over Santamaría/Rivera of Honduras, 2-0 (21-6, 21-14).
Following the women’s results, El Salvador leads the standings, followed by Costa Rica, 3-Guatemala, 4-Honduras and 5-Nicaragua.
In the men’s division, only three matches were played, starting at 11:00 a.m. with a victory by the local duo Cristhian Oporta/Ángel Carranza over Angello Villeda/Jonathan Ortega of Honduras, 2-0 (21-11, 21-13).
In the second match, Robin Oliva/Fredy Luna of Guatemala defeated Mattew Kempf/Diego Cardoza of Nicaragua, 2-0 (21-15, 21-14).
The day ended with another win for the Costa Rican pair, Oporta/Carranza, over Kempf/Cardoza of Nicaragua, 2-0 (21-18, 21-16).
Costa Rica leads the standings, 2-Guatemala, 3-Nicaragua and 4-Honduras.
COSTA RICA, San José, November 29, 2024.- Ten teams from five countries will compete to become champions of the third edition of the 2024 AFECAVOL Central American U19 Beach Volleyball Championship.
The national teams from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica, all participating in the U19 category, successfully attended the preliminary meeting this Friday, November 29. During the session, they presented their uniforms and official documentation to the Control Committee, confirming their eligibility for the Central American beach volleyball event.
In the U19 category, five teams in both the male and female divisions will compete starting this Saturday, November 30, at the sand courts of La Sabana in Costa Rica’s capital, San José. Matches will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the pairs in each category accumulating the most points being crowned champions.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with the pairs in both genders that accumulate the most points being crowned champions on Sunday, December 1, when the competition concludes.
COSTA RICA, San José, November 29, 2024.- Five countries, in both the male and female categories, will compete to become champions of the second edition of the Central American U17 Beach Volleyball Championship.
Four male teams and five female teams will vie for the U17 Central American championship title. The national teams from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica successfully attended the preliminary meeting this Friday, November 29. During the session, they presented their uniforms and official documentation to the Control Committee, confirming their participation in the championship.
The competition will begin on Saturday, November 30, at the sand courts of La Sabana in Costa Rica’s capital, San José, starting at 9:00 a.m. The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with the pairs in each category accumulating the most points being crowned champions on Sunday, December 1, when the competition concludes.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 27, 2024.– Costa Rica will once again host the AFECAVOL Under 17 and Under 19 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships, set to take place on the sand courts of La Sabana on November 30 and December 1.
Costa Rica has hosted all editions of the U17 and U19 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships. The first event was held in 2018, when Puntarenas hosted the inaugural U19 Championship. Last year, the first U17 and the second U19 editions were held simultaneously at La Sabana.
Costa Rica dominated the U19 category in 2023, with Julián Araya and Yulius Brown, as well as Valentina Molina and Aliza Aguilar, crowned champions. The silver and bronze medals in the men’s category went to Roberto Recinos/José Daniel Guevara of Guatemala and Víctor Araúz/Adamit del Cid Moreno of Panama, respectively. In the women’s category, silver was awarded to Guatemala’s Maritza Zúñiga/Danna Aguilar, and bronze went to Nicaragua’s Yuliana Chávez/Kadderly Rosales.
In the inaugural U17 Championship, Nicaragua’s Ella Resau and Yulimar Alvarado, along with Costa Rica’s Stanley Grant and Cristian Oporta, were crowned champions. The men’s silver went to Guatemala’s Juan Carlos Menéndez and Daniel Sosa, while Panama’s Yustin Gantes and Einar Rodríguez earned bronze. In the women’s division, El Salvador’s Devora Medina and Daniela Vigil, as well as Costa Rica’s Sury Jiménez and Mariana Fallas, took second and third place, respectively.
The 2nd U17 Central American Championship and the 3rd U19 Central American Championship will feature teams from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the host country, Costa Rica.
In the U17 category, nine teams are registered, with El Salvador participating only in the men’s division. Meanwhile, the U19 category has ten teams registered, with one duo per gender from each country.
The delegations are scheduled to arrive in San José on Thursday, November 28. The preliminary meeting, court recognition, and practical refereeing clinic will take place on Friday, November 30. The competition will run on Saturday, November 30, and Sunday, December 1.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Adolfo Rivas of Guatemala was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Central American Championship, held from October 11 to 17 at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Adolfo Rivas, from the undefeated champion Guatemala, received the MVP award at the conclusion of the event. Rivas was also recognized as the tournament’s Best Setter. Additionally, from Guatemala, Yeferson Zavala received the award for Second Best Spiker, and Josué González was named Best Digger.
Christian Flores of silver medalist Panama was honored as Best Server.
Eleazar Mejía of Belize was named Best Spiker, and his teammate Kaelen Ingram earned the recognitions of Best Opposite and Best Scorer (144 points). Belize won the bronze medal.
Fernando Navarro of El Salvador took home two awards: Best Libero and Best Receiver.
Jeremy Vanegas of Costa Rica was recognized as the Best Blocker, and Edwin Humphreys as the Second Best Blocker.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Panama won the silver medal at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship after defeating Costa Rica 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-16), while Belize claimed the bronze.
This is Panama’s fourth silver medal out of a total of 10 medals, which also include 2 gold medals and 4 bronze. Panama finished the tournament with a 5-1 record and 21 points.
Belize won the bronze medal, their first medal in the history of the event, with a 4-2 record and 19 points.
Victor Perez PAN
Panama bounced back after losing the first set, finishing the match with advantage in attacks (53-33) and serves (8-6). Costa Rica outperformed Panama in blocking (14-8). Panama committed 29 errors, while Costa Rica had 28.
Three players led Panama in the win, with Víctor Pérez scoring 20 points, David De León adding 15, and Víctor Araúz contributing 11.
For Costa Rica, Denzel Jiménez was the top scorer with 13 points.
Despite Panama rallying from a four-point deficit (16-20) in the first set to tie at 22 points, Costa Rica dominated with Sheydrian Wilson blocking to secure the lead. In the second set, Panama gained a three-point advantage (20-17) and took control with a block from Christian Flores and a serve from David Della, leveling the match. Panama started strong in the third set (6-0) with blocks from Víctor Araúz and effective serves from Christian Flores, maintaining their lead throughout. With Pérez, supported by David De León, Panama sealed the match in the fourth set to win the silver.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Guatemala defeated Nicaragua 3-2 (24-26, 25-14, 25-19, 26-28, 15-11) in their final match of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship to celebrate their ninth title in the history of the event.
Guatemala had already secured the championship after their victory over Panama one day before. The champions finished the tournament with a 6-0 record and 26 points. Nicaragua finished 2-4 with 14 points.
The champions led in attacks (58-55) and aces (6-3) and benefited from 36 points from Nicaraguan errors compared to their 24. Nicaragua led in blocks (16-15).
Jerry Duran GUA
Guatemala’s captain, Yeferson Zavala, was the top scorer of the match with 23 points (18 attacks, 4 blocks, one ace). Opposite hitter Jerry Durán and middle blocker Christian Alvarez contributed 18 and 11 points, respectively.
Nicaragua’s middle blocker Edwin Humphreys scored 23 points, including a match-high of 7 blocks. Outside hitters Kenneth Martínez and Evans Solís recorded 17 and 14 points, respectively.
After losing the first set, Guatemala dominated the second, mostly due to their blocking (4-0) and the 24 points that Nicaragua gave away on errors. Guatemala won the third set, coming back from a seven-point deficit (4-11) with efforts from Yeferson Zavala and Christian Alvarez. Guatemala reached match point in the fourth set (24-22), but Nicaragua tied the score with an error and a kill from Kenneth Martínez, winning it 28-26 with an advantage in attacks and blocks. In the tie-break, from point five onwards, Guatemala stayed ahead, losing a match point on a kill from Edwin Humphreys. Guatemala earned the victory with a kill from Daniel Delgado.
Edwin Humphreys NCA
Jerry Durán, opposite hitter of Guatemala: “We feel happy to have won the championship undefeated. However, we are left with a bitter taste from the results of the last two matches because we couldn’t play our usual game, and it wasn’t our best performance. Still, we managed to face the challenge and get the win”.
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “Since we started our preparation, this was our goal. We came with a team that wasn’t very experienced and without a strong bench, but we believed the boys could handle the responsibility. We divided the competition into two phases. In the first phase before the day off we played very well, winning the first three matches in three sets. After the day off, the second phase included the match against Costa Rica, which was easy and without much pressure. In the last two matches, Panama played very well and had a chance to win, but we closed the game, which was very satisfying for us. We’re happy; we accomplished our goal and defended the title”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 17, 2024.- Belize defeated El Salvador 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-18) to secure a medal at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship in the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the win, Belize secured a medal, finishing 4-2 with 19 points and now awaits the completion of the day’s matches to determine their final position in the tournament. El Salvador finished with a 1-5 record and 10 points.
Eleazar Mejia BIZ
Belize held an advantage of 50-39 in attacks and 15-4 in blocks. El Salvador performed better in serves, 8-4, and committed fewer errors, 27-30.
Belize’s opposite hitter Kaelen Ingram led all scorers with 24 points (22 attacks, 2 blocks), followed by team captain Eleazar Mejía with 20 points (16 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace).
El Salvador’s captain, Abner Cano, led his team with 14 points (10 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces).
Yamill Herrera, Coach of Belize: “From the beginning, I said it would be a tight competition due to the level of most teams. It was a tough tournament. We won four matches, falling short in key games, but the goal was to win a medal”.
Eleazar Mejía, Captain of Belize: “With the result we are possibly winning the bronze medal, maybe the silver medal depending on the result of Panama”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- Guatemala is the undefeated champion of the 20th AFECAVOL Men’s Central American U21 Championship with one day remaining in the event, after defeating Panama 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10) at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Regardless of the result of their match against Nicaragua on the last day of the event, Guatemala has already claimed the title with a 5-0 record and 23 points.
This is Guatemala’s second consecutive title, and their ninth overall. Panama holds a 1-4 record and 17 points.
On the final day of competition, Guatemala (5-0) will face Nicaragua (2-3) at 4:30 pm, and Panama (1-4) will play Costa Rica (3-2) at 7:00 pm.
Yeferson Zabala GUA
This was Panama’s third consecutive five-set match, having previously defeated Belize and Nicaragua in five sets.
Guatemala held the advantage in attacks (64-61) and blocks (10-9), while Panama dominated in serves (8-2). Guatemala committed 27 errors, while Panama had 31.
In Guatemala’s victory, Yeferson Zavala scored 20 points (19 attacks, one block), Roberto Recinos tallied 19 points, all from attacks, and Jerry Durán added 15 points (10 attacks, a match-high of 5 blocks).
Víctor Pérez led Panama with 21 points (20 attacks, one ace), followed by David De León with 20 (19 attacks, one block), Víctor Aráuz with 13 (10 attacks, 3 blocks), and Kendrieck Newby with 12 (9 attacks, 2 blocks, one ace).
Yeferson Zavala, along with Roberto Recinos, kept Guatemala ahead in the first set from point 12 onwards. Guatemala rallied in the second set (15-19) to tie at 23 points but conceded their first set of the tournament after an attack from Panama’s David De León. Panama took a five-point lead in the third set (17-12) with David Della and Víctor Serra joining the offense alongside De León, putting them ahead 2-1. Guatemala forced the tie-break by maintaining control from point five of the fourth set. After a tie at seven points in the fifth set, Guatemala stayed ahead to celebrate the victory.
Victor Perez PAN
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “We are very happy to win a back-to-back championship for Guatemala. The tournament isn’t over yet, but we are already champions. Today’s win was hard-fought and difficult because Panama is a high-level team. We knew that the team that won today would remain undefeated. We managed to get the result”.
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “It was a very interesting match. We knew the top spot was on the line. I congratulate Panama for playing very well and working hard. We reached the end with both teams having many chances. Perhaps what helped us was our determination and a bit more experience. We are aware that we didn’t play a great match, but sometimes, even without playing well, you need to know how to win, and we managed to do sotoday”.
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “Today we demonstrated that our work was focused. Guatemala is a team with a lot of international experience, well-organized, and Coach Reider has done a great job. We pushed them to the limit. We showed we could make Guatemala struggle, but they proved their capability with a more established game structure and displayed their quality. I’m very happy with my team’s effort; it’s their first time together. We have worked to reach the podium, and tomorrow, against Costa Rica, we will reinforce what we’ve been aiming for”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- Costa Rica overcame Nicaragua 3-2 (16-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17, 15-6) on the penultimate day of the 20th AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Costa Rica improved their record to 3-2, while Nicaragua fell to 2-3.
This was Costa Rica’s third five-set match. Nicaragua also lost in five sets last night against Panama.
Ignacio Morales CRC
Nicaragua’s final opponent is the reigning champion Guatemala, with their match set for Thursday at 4:30 pm. The tournament’s 20th edition will conclude with Costa Rica facing Panama at 7:00 pm.
Costa Rica’s significant advantage in blocking (17-8) was crucial to their victory, and they also outperformed Nicaragua in serves (6-1). Nicaragua held advantage in attacks (59-54) and made fewer errors (23-26).
Four players led Costa Rica’s offense, scoring double digits: Denzel Jiménez (18), Johan Cerdas (16), Ignacio Morales (16), and Jeremy Vanega (11), the latter recording a match-high of 6 blocking points.
Nicaragua’s Edwin Humphreys was the game’s top scorer with 22 points, while Evans Solís contributed 13 points.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Costa Rica forcing a fifth set after taking control of the fourth set with 4 blocks and 3 aces, while Nicaragua had none in both skills. Costa Rica dominated the tie-break, capitalizing on 6 Nicaraguan errors and attacks from Johan Cerdas and Ignacio Morales.
Edwin Humphreys NCA
Gabriel Ventura, captain of Costa Rica: “I feel like we gave away the first set too easily, but in the second, with some changes, we found ourselves as a team. It helped that we finished very strong in the fourth and fifth sets. I had to leave the game because my knee started hurting during a play, but my teammate who replaced me did an amazing job”.
Félix Palacios, captain of Nicaragua: “It was a tight game. We started off strong, but in the end, the team’s energy dropped. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result, but we gave it our all on the court. Tomorrow, we face Guatemala, and we hope to beat them”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 16, 2024.- El Salvador captured their first win in the 20th AFECAVOL Central American Men’s U21 Championship by defeating Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-14) at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the victory, El Salvador improved their record to 1-4 and will face Belize (3-2) on the final day of competition at 2:00 pm. Honduras finished the tournament with a 6-0 record.
El Salvador celebra
In just over an hour (1:08) El Salvador outscored Honduras in attacks 28-26 and in serves 9-1. Both teams scored 4 blocking points. El Salvador capitalized on 34 points from Honduran errors, while committing 14.
In El Salvador’s victory, Ricardo Alegría, Abner Cano, and Julio Jiménez contributed 9, 8, and 7 points, respectively.
Outside hitter Fernando Herrera led all scorers with 12 points, all from kills, followed by team captain Jonathan Meza with 11 points.
Abner Cano, captain of El Salvador: “We haven’t performed well in this tournament. Today, we managed to win against Honduras, which is a good team. We won 3-0, and we’re happy. Tomorrow we’ll finish the tournament facing Belize, and we’ll try to win so we don’t leave with only one victory”.
Jonathan Meza, captain of Honduras: “Unfortunately, we couldn’t win. We didn’t accomplish our goals. From the beginning of the tournament, we had some issues with certain players, and our plan didn’t work. This is the result of each player not fulfilling their responsibilities”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Panama remains undefeated with a dramatic 3-2 (25-16, 21-25, 25-27, 25-20, 19-17) victory over Nicaragua in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Panama holds an undefeated 4-0 record with 15 points and will face defending champion Guatemala, also unbeaten but with 20 points, on Wednesday at 8:00 pm.
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, both with a 2-2 record and 10 points, will play on Wednesday at 5:30 pm.
Victor Arauz PAN
Panama led in attacks (69-64), blocks (13-11), and serves (6-1), but gave away more points from errors (29-27).
Panama had five players scoring in double digits, led by Víctor Pérez (22), followed by Víctor Araúz (19), David De León (16), David Della (15), and Kendrieck Newby (11).
Nicaraguan Evans Solís led all scorers with 23 points. Edwin Humphreys added 22 points.
After Nicaragua lost the first set by a significant margin, the dynamic of the match changed dramatically. Both teams battled, exchanging leads. The intense fifth set went to Panama with two attacks from Víctor Pérez, after the team had lost three match points.
David de Leon PAN
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “We take it game by game, knowing that no team is easy. The whole team came to do their job. Nicaragua improved a lot in the second set, using their attack against our block. Their defense is very good, which complicated our high ball attacks in zone four. Nicaragua did an excellent job. We made a series of adjustments, and we managed to secure the victory”.
Jorge Luis Mena, Coach of Nicaragua: “It was a good match. I’ve always said that details define the game; when it’s time to attack, you have to attack; when it’s time to play the ball, you have to play it. In the fourth set, we were ahead and couldn’t regain control of the game. The fifth set is pure luck; the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins, and we had two players who couldn’t handle the ball in zone four, which is where matches are decided. We’ll keep moving forward.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Belize edged Honduras 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-20) to improve their record to 3-2 in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship that’s being held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Belize holds a record of three wins and two losses, with 15 points. Honduras remains winless with a 0-5 record.
On Wednesday, October 16, Honduras (0-5) will play their final match of the tournament against El Salvador (0-4) at 3:00 pm. Belize (3-2) has a day off.
Belize
Despite giving up more points from errors (26-16), Belize controlled the game in attacks (39-24), blocks (11-2), and serves (8-6).
Three Belizean players scored in double digits: Kaelen Ingram (17), Eleazar Mejia (16), and Preston Smith (10).
Fernando Herrera, with 9 points, was Honduras’ top scorer.
From the point 9 in the first set, Belize never trailed. Their blocking was key in fully controlling the second set. The third set was the most competitive, reaching a 13-point tie, but Mejia’s offense, along with Smith and Ingram led Belize to victory.
Brayden Richardson BIZ
Yamill Herrera, Coach of Belize: “In this tournament, every game is like a final. They (Honduras) haven’t had a victory, but they show up on the court and play. We didn’t start well, but we knew how to come back. The attack was strong. Our reception didn’t work, but we managed to face the match and resolve it in three sets, which was essential to earn five points and stay in contention for a medal. We have one match left, and we hope to come out on top to finish 4-2 and go for a medal”.
Carlos Funez, Coach of Honduras: “The team showed very little attitude, little desire to win. Given the results we’ve had in previous matches, it’s hard to lift morale. There was little drive to want to win. Although it’s true that Belize is a strong team, it wasn’t impossible. We played far from what we had planned. We missed serves that were crucial since we complicated their reception, especially with player #2. We have one match left, and hopefully, things will be different tomorrow”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 15, 2024.- Guatemala swept Costa Rica 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 to remain unbeaten in the XX AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Tuesday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After five days of competition, defending champion Guatemala remains unbeaten with a perfect 4-0 record and 20 points, without dropping a set. Costa Rica holds a 2-2 record with 10 points.
Costa Rica will face Nicaragua on Wednesday at 5:30 pm, while Guatemala will play Panama at 8:00 pm.
Yeferson Zabala GUA
Guatemala was dominant and had no complications in controlling Costa Rica with advantages of 45-20 in attacks, 7-5 in blocks, and 3-1 in serves. Guatemala scored 20 points from Costa Rica’s errors, against 20.
Guatemala’s opposite hitter Jerry Durán scored 16 points (13 attacks, 3 blocks), as the top scorer of the match. Outside hitter Yeferson Zavala added 12 points, all on attacks. Roberto Recinos finished with 10 points.
Denzel Jiménez and Ignacio Morales each scored 6 points for Costa Rica.
Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “I thought the match would be a bit more difficult, but it was one-sided. Fortunately, the boys knew how to stay focused and did their job on the court. We are very happy with the positive attitude within the team, and the boys are very focused on the competition. We still have two matches left, and we hope to achieve the results we came here for”.
Roberto Argüello, coach of Costa Rica: “I feel like nothing we planned worked. We knew where Guatemala’s serves were going. We tried to build a foundation for our game, but Guatemala pressured us with their serve, and we couldn’t set in the middle. It was also very difficult to play on the outside of the net. Of the three matches we’ve played, two went to five sets, and the load has been heavy. It’s not an excuse, but we’ve been working to help the boys. We really struggled with reception and decision-making while attacking”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024. – Panama is undefeated with a five-set victory, 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 18-16), against Belize at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Monday night at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Panama stands unbeaten at 3-0 after four days of competition, while Belize holds a 2-2 record.
On the fifth day of competition, Belize (2-2) will face Honduras (0-4) at 5:30 p.m., and Panama (3-0) will play against Nicaragua (2-1) at 8:00 p.m.
Panama
Panama secured the win by capitalizing on 40 errors from Belize compared to their 23, and with an 8-6 advantage in aces. Belize dominated in attacks 69-53 and in blocks 14-11.
Four Panamanian players scored in double digits, with David De León leading with 20 points. Víctor Araúz and Víctor Pérez each added 13 points, and David Della Sera contributed 10.
The top scorer of the match was Belize’s Kaelen Ingram with 31 points, followed by his teammate Eleazar Mejia with 27, including a match-high of 4 aces. Preston Smith and Ryan Usher scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Usher recording a match-high of 6 blocks.
Kaelen Ingram BIZ – David Della Sera y Yuslin Gantes PAN
The game was a back-and-forth battle, with each team taking turns winning sets, and each rally full of energy. The match ended dramatically, as Belize recovered from a two-point deficit (12-14), saving two match points against Panama, both on errors. Belize tied the score at 14 with a block by Preston Smith against David De León. Panama once again reached match point (16-15) thanks to De León’s offense, but Belize tied it at 16 with a spike by Kaelen Ingram. Víctor Pérez then scored two consecutive attack points to secure the win for Panama.
Jesús Moreno, libero of Panama: “From the start, we knew the game wouldn’t be easy, and Belize proved it. We were able to win thanks to the coaching staff and the team’s effort”.
Daunte Gill, libero of Belize: “We were technically together as a team. We made some simple mistakes, but we couldn’t keep the momentum for the team. We’ll just have to play hard for our next two games and try to win a medal”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024. – Costa Rica defeated El Salvador in a remarkable comeback, 3-2 (20-25, 26-28, 25-16, 26-24, 15-9), on the fourth day of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
With the win, Costa Rica improved to a 2-1 record, while El Salvador remains winless at 0-4.
Costa Rica (2-1) will face the current champion Guatemala (3-0) on Tuesday, October 15, at 3:00 p.m., and El Salvador (0-4) will have a rest day.
Johan Cerdas CRC
Costa Rica recovered from a 0-2 set deficit with an 11-7 blocking advantage and committed fewer errors, 27-39. El Salvador led in attacks 61-59 and in serves 7-3.
Denzel Jiménez led Costa Rica with 16 points, all on kills. Jeremy Vanega scored 15 points (9 attacks and a match-high of 6 blocks). Johan Cerdas and Kevin Parra contributed to the win with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Abner Cano from El Salvador led all scorers with 22 points (19 attacks, 3 aces), followed by Ricardo Alegría with 20 points (16 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces). Julio Jiménez added 13 points, and Andrés Reyes contributed 10.
El Salvador started strong and fought hard to win the second set, which was tied several times before a tight 28-26 finish, thanks to an opponent error and a powerful attack from Ricardo Alegría. Costa Rica was dominant in winning the third set, and in the fourth, they had another close finish, closing it out with an attack from Ignacio Morales and an error from El Salvador to force the fifth set. Costa Rica sealed the tie-break with a 9-5 advantage in attacks, benefiting from five errors by El Salvador.
Oswaldo Chacón, libero of Costa Rica: “It was a very tough match against El Salvador. We were down 2-0, but by working as a team, we were able to achieve anything. I’m very happy with the whole team because it’s not easy to come back like that. For the rest of the championship, we’ll give it our all to try and reach the podium and, if possible, win the championship”.
Fernando Javier Navarro, libero of El Salvador: “We have a new team with several new players, and we lacked the sporting maturity to close out the match, making mistakes on several points”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 14, 2024.- Nicaragua blocked Honduras (21-7) all the way, earning 3-1 victory (27-29, 25-23, 25-19, 25-15) in their second win at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Monday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After four days of competition, Nicaragua has a 2-1 record, while Honduras is 0-3.
On Tuesday, October 15, Honduras will face Belize at 5:30 p.m. and Nicaragua will face Panama at 8:00 p.m.
Josue Leon NCA (2)
Nicaragua’s blocking was crucial (21-7) in securing the victory, building a wall that prevented Honduras from scoring easily. Nicaragua also outperformed Honduras in serves, 5-3. Both teams scored 49 attacking points and committed 27 errors.
Six Nicaraguan players contributed to blocking points, with middle blocker Edwin Humphreys leading the way with a match-high of 8 blocks. Outside hitter Evans Solís was the top scorer of the match with 22 points. Edwin Humphreys added 17 points, opposite hitter Yader León scored 14, and outside hitter Kenneth Martínez contributed 10 points.
For Honduras, Fernando Herrera led with 19 points, followed by Leonardo Villegas and Jonathan Meza, each with 14 points.
Osmar Peralta, libero of Nicaragua: “The game was very tough, but we managed to pull through with the help of the coaches. At the beginning, things weren’t going well, but we knew how to take control of the team. We are thankful to God for the victory”.
Alejandro Funez, libero of Honduras: “Today we had a good match against Nicaragua. We lost our momentum, couldn’t finish, and in the end, we lost. We made mistakes that cost us the second set, and we couldn’t get out of certain rotations to close the game”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- With a 13-3 blocking advantage, Costa Rica dominated Honduras 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-17) for their first victory in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship on Sunday night at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Costa Rica improved their record to 1-1, while Honduras remains winless at 0-3.
On the fourth day of the event, Honduras (0-3) will face Nicaragua (1-1) at 3:00 pm, and Costa Rica (1-1) will play against El Salvador (0-3) at 5:30 pm.
Hector Duarte HON – Keylor Rodriguez y Johan Cerdas CRC
In addition to their superiority in blocking, Costa Rica also held a 38-33 margin in attacks. Honduras outperformed in service points, 6-1. Costa Rica committed 16 errors, while Honduras had 23.
Outside hitter Johan Cerdas led Costa Rica with 16 points (14 attacks, 2 blocks). Middle blocker Jeremy Vanega added 9 points, including a match-high of 5 blocks.
Fernando Herrera scored 16 points for Honduras (13 attacks, one block, 2 aces), and Leonardo Villegas contributed 13 points (8 attacks, 2 blocks, 3 aces).
Costa Rica tied the first set at 11 points after recovering from a four-point deficit (7-11) with the offensive efforts of Jeremy Vanega, Dennis Jenher, and Johan Cerdas. From point 15 onwards, Costa Rica pulled away from Honduras to win the set. Although Honduras led the second set up to point 21, thanks to the attacks of Fernando Herrera and Leonardo Villegas, Costa Rica came from behind again to take a 2-0 lead, relying on their strong blocking. Costa Rica controlled the third set with their effective blocking, with Venega scoring 5 of the team’s 9 total blocks.
Kevin Parra CRC
Johan Cerdas Badilla, top scorer Costa Rica: “We started off a bit slow, but fortunately, we managed to lift our spirits and improve our technique. We achieved a great result, finishing as a strong and united team. If we continue like this, staying strong and confident, I expect us to win a medal”.
Leonardo Villegas, outside hitter of Honduras: “It was a very dynamic and entertaining match for the crowd. It was definitely a back-and-forth game; each team had their moments. Costa Rica was better than us, more consistent, but we’re still eager to win tomorrow”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated El Salvador 3-1 (27-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20) on Sunday, earning their first victory in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Nicaragua now holds a 1-1 record, while El Salvador remains winless at 0-3.
On the fourth day of competition, Nicaragua will face Honduras at 3:00 pm, followed by El Salvador taking on Costa Rica at 5:30 pm.
Diego Navarrete NCA – Fernando Ortiz y Abner Cano ESA
Nicaragua clinched the victory with a 58-45 advantage in attacks and 12-9 in blocks. El Salvador had a better performance in serves with a 7-2 advantage but committed more errors, 27-25.
The top scorer of the match was Nicaragua’s Evans Solís with 21 points, followed by Kenneth Martínez with 18. Yader León contributed 14 points.
For El Salvador, Ricardo Alegría led with 17 points, while Abner Cano and Julio Jiménez each added 14.
Nicaragua dominated the first set until El Salvador came from behind to tie at 21 points and reached set point (24-22) with an attack by Andrés Reyes. Evans Solís, alongside Yader León, put Nicaragua ahead 25-24, and despite El Salvador tying again (25-25), two attacks from Solís gave Nicaragua a 1-0 lead. Nicaragua controlled the second set, but El Salvador fought back to extend the match by winning the third set, leading in attacks (12-9) and serves (2-0). Nicaragua used its blocking strength to close the match in the fourth set.
Kenneth Martinez NCA – Gabriel Vargas y Andres Reyes ESA
Evans Solís, top scorer of Nicaragua: “We knew it would be a tough match, but we stayed focused after the loss. The team is coming together more, and that’s helping us a lot. We’re moving forward because nothing is set in stone. In the third set, there was some miscommunication, maybe we got overconfident, but we got the result, and that’s what matters”.
Ricardo Alegría, top scorer of El Salvador: “We prepared a lot for the tournament, but unfortunately, we’re not getting the results we expected. All the effort we’re putting in will pay off at some point. We’ll keep our heads up and move forward. Most of the time, we’ve only lost by two points; we just need to push harder at the end to get the win and show what El Salvador is made of”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 13, 2024.- Guatemala defeated Belize 3-0 (25-19, 27-25, 25-14) to remain undefeated in the 20th Central American U21 Men’s Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
After three days of competition, the defending champions hold a 3-0 record and 15 points. Belize now has a 2-1 record and 8 points.
On Monday, Guatemala (3-0) will have a rest day, while Belize (2-1) will face Panama at 8:00pm local time.
Jerry Duran GUA – Preston Smith BIZ
Guatemala led in attacks (41-31) and in serves (7-3), while Belize was stronger in blocks (9-8). Guatemala benefited from 21 errors by Belize, compared to 15.
Yeferson Zavala scored 21 points (15 attacks, 3 blocks, 3 aces) in Guatemala’s victory, and Roberto Recinos contributed 12 points (10 attacks, one block, one ace).
Eleazar Mejía and Kaelen Ingram led Belize with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Guatemala came back from a five-point deficit (16-21) in the second set with the offense of Roberto Recinos and Yeferson Zavala; Belize then reached set point (24-19) with Brayden Richardson serving, but an attack by Daniel Delgado (who came off the bench), along with a Belize error, allowed Guatemala to tie at 24. Delgado brought Guatemala to set point, and Belize tied at 25 with an attack by Eleazar Mejía. Finally, an attack by Delgado and a block by Recinos on Belize’s Kaelen Ingram secured the set for Guatemala.
Jerry Durán, opposite hitter for Guatemala: “The game started off very tight, with both teams scoring good points. In the second set, things got a bit complicated at the start, but we were able to take advantage of our strength in blocking and won the set. In the third set, we came in with a lot of confidence to win the match”.
Kaelen Ingram BIZ
Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “In the second set, we were down by five points, and we had already used both timeouts. We had to make a substitution to hold the score, and it worked. We replaced our opposite hitter, and Daniel Delgado came in and helped with two serves that disrupted Belize’s first line of defense. This contributed to our serve getting stronger, and we ended up blocking very well, allowing us to tie the game. Our attitude improved, and both our offense and defense started to perform, allowing us to win the match”.
Kaelen Ingram, opposite hitter of Belize: “It really comes down to who wants it the most. We wanted to win but you have to stick to the plan and that’s what Guatemala did, they had more consistency. Guatemala is a really good team. It’s a loss but it’s not over for us as yet for the gold. We’re going to come out strong again and we’re going to give a good competition as we always planned to do”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Panama took a hard-fought victory over El Salvador, 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23), on Saturday night in the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
The host team remains undefeated with a 2-0 record and 9 points, while El Salvador stands at 0-2.
Panama bounced back after losing the first set, finishing with a slight advantage in attacks (51-50), dominating in blocks (11-7) and serves (5-3), but conceding more points on errors (35-32).
Victor Arauz PAN
David de León led Panama with 25 points (20 attacks, 4 blocks, one ace). Víctor Pérez and Víctor Arauz contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
El Salvador’s Ricardo Alegría was the top scorer of the match with 27 points (25 attacks, one block, one ace). Julio César Jiménez added 11 points, all on kills.
Before winning the third set, Panama lost two set points due to attacks from Jiménez and Alegría of El Salvador. A block by Carlos Mejía denied Panama a match point in the fourth set, but Víctor Pérez sealed the victory with a kill.
Panama (2-0) will rest on Sunday, while El Salvador (0-2) will face Nicaragua (0-1) at 5:30 PM.
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “This was a tough match, with pressure from El Salvador. They lost to Guatemala yesterday but played well, so we knew they could make the match difficult for us today. We made the necessary adjustments in the second set and were able to win it, along with the next two sets. We are taking it match by match because we know the teams are prepared to reach the podium, and we’re aiming for that as well”.
Andrea Genova, Coach of El Salvador: “Both teams were always close, battling through all four sets. In the first set, we had a bit more luck, with several balls going our way, and we managed to win it. We kept fighting in the following sets, but Panama deserved more. It was a high-level match, with both teams playing strong and evenly. This is the second match where we’ve experienced this”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Defending champion Guatemala earned a dominant victory over Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-15) on the second day of action at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship in Chitré, Panama.
Guatemala earned its second straight-set victory, improving its record to 2-0 with 10 points. Honduras remains winless at 0-2.
Guatemala used their entire roster, finishing with a 41-25 advantage in kills, 9-2 in blocks, and 4-2 in service points, while giving away 15 points from errors compared to 21 by Honduras.
Fernando Delgado GUA
Jerry Durán of Guatemala was the top scorer in the match with 14 points. Guatemala’s team captain finished with 10 points. Roberto Recinos and Christian Álvarez also contributed to the win, each scoring 9 points.
Fernando Herrera led Honduras’ scoring with 12 points, followed by Jonathan Meza with 9.
On the third day of the event, Guatemala (2-0) will face Belize (2-0) at 3:00pm, and Honduras (0-2) will play against Costa Rica (0-1) at 8:00pm.
Fernando Herrera HON – Jareth Duran GUA
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “My impressions of the match are very positive. We were able to close with a good 3-0 result. Every day we aim to win all our matches with better outcomes. There is still a long way to go. We are going to give it our all to achieve a good result in the competition”.
Jonathan Meza, captain of Honduras: “We’ve faced several challenges. Our main middle blocker got injured in the first training, and we had to improvise a bit with the rest of the players. This has caused difficulties that we’ve been trying to address in morning practices, but we haven’t been able to fully execute and be solid in our game. Tomorrow will be better”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 12, 2024.- Belize secured its second win at the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship after a five-set victory, 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 17-25, 25-27, 25-13) over Costa Rica, on Saturday at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Belize improved its record to 2-0, outperforming Costa Rica 58-40 in attacks and 8-6 in serves. This was Costa Rica’s (0-1) first match in the tournament, leading in blocks 18-10 and committing fewer errors (31-41) than Belize.
Eleazar Mejia BIZ
Kaelen Ingram from Belize led all scorers with 31 points (26 attacks, 3 blocks, 2 aces). Eleazar Mejía also contributed to the win with 21 points (19 attacks, 2 aces).
Dennis Jenher and Johan Cerdas led Costa Rica with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Jeremy Vanega added 11 points. Keylor Rodríguez had a match-high of six blocks among his 9 points.
On day three of the competition, Belize will play against Guatemala and Costa Rica will face Honduras.
Gabriel Obando CRC
Eleazar Mejía, Captain of Belize: “Once again today we were victorious over Costa Rica. We went to a hard battled five sets. Like I said yesterday, it’s a hard tournament so we have got to play hard, if you want to win you have got to play at your best and that’s what we’re doing, me and my teammates. All we have to do is execute and hope for the best”.
Gabriel Ventura, setter and captain of Costa Rica: “We struggled in the first two sets, our serve was off, and we made many errors. In the following sets, we improved our serve and reduced the errors, extending the match to a fifth set, where we missed a couple of key details that cost us the win. I’m proud of the team for tying the match and almost pulling off the victory”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- Panama defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-20) on the opening day of the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium.
The host team led in attacks (29-24), blocks (10-1), and aces (7-2). Panama committed 26 errors, while Honduras had 29.
Kendrieck Newby PAN
Panamanians David León and Kendrieck Newby each scored 11 points, with Víctor Pérez adding 8.
Fernando Herrera led Honduras with 8 points, followed by Leonardo Villegas with 7.
On the second day of the event, Honduras (0-1) will face Guatemala (1-0), and Panama (1-0) will play against El Salvador (0-1).
Honduras recibe
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “The first set seemed complicated to me due to Honduras’ serves and organized defensive line. Taking advantage of the setter’s short height, we were able to align our defense and successfully take the first set. After that, the game became easier because we showed what we could do with our blocking, and we secured the victory. This is the first win, and we’ll take it step by step because we know that all teams are here to fight for a medal”.
Rodolfo Funez, Coach of Honduras: “During the morning practice, our main middle blocker got injured. We had been working with another middle blocker who couldn’t travel, so without our key players, we had to rearrange the team, and it wasn’t enough. Tomorrow, we’ll work on other tactics to improve the team. Today, the boys fought until the end, gave it their all, and never gave up.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- In a dramatic finish, Belize defeated Nicaragua 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 29-27) to start the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship at Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
Nicaragua lost three set points in the third set on a kill from Kaelen Ingram and a Belizean error. Despite Kenneth Martínez managing to tie the set at 27 points for Nicaragua, Ingram, along with Eleazar Mejia, sealed the victory for Belize with their attacks.
Belize dominated every skill of the game: attacking (40-29), blocking (8-5), and serving (8-0). Nicaragua committed fewer errors (23-29).
Belize
Belizean Kaelen Ingram was the top scorer of the match with 26 points (22 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace). Eleazar Mejía contributed 13 points to the victory.
Yader León led Nicaragua with 13 points, while Kenneth Martínez added 11.
On the second day of the event, Belize will face Costa Rica at 3:00 pm (local time), while Nicaragua has a rest day.
Eleazar Mejía, captain of Belize: “I felt we played today’s game very well, exceptional. Nicaragua is a very tough team. We hope to move forward in this tournament, working on the little mistakes and go for a gold medal”.
Felix Palacios, captain of Nicaragua: “The game was not easy. The team gave it their all, but the result didn’t go our way. However, I know we will improve, and we will push through in the remaining matches because we have a good team, and I know we can do it”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 11, 2024.- Guatemala kicked off the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship with a straight-set victory 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-22) over El Salvador at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium.
Guatemala topped in attacks (45-39) and serving (3-2), benefiting from 24 opponent errors compared to their 18. El Salvador dominated in blocking (10-4).
Outside hitters Roberto Recinos and Yeferson Zavala led Guatemala with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Roberto Carlos Recinos GUA
Three players from El Salvador scored in double digits: Ricardo Alegría (16), Abner Cano (14), and Julio César Jiménez (11).
On the second day of competition, Guatemala (1-0) will face Honduras (5:30 pm local time), while El Salvador (0-1) will play Panama (8:00 pm local time).
After reaching a 17-point tie in the second set, El Salvador stayed ahead and reached set point (24-23), but Guatemala didn’t give in and with two attacks maintained control of the match, leading 2-0.The defending champion managed to recover from a four-point deficit (11-15) in the third set, tying the game at 19 points before maintaining the lead to secure the victory.
Ricardo Arnoldo Alegria ESA
Yeferson Zavala, captain of Guatemala: “It was a very exciting match against El Salvador to start the tournament. It’s just the beginning, and thanks to God, we took a good step by closing the match 3-0. El Salvador has a good, competitive team. What helped us was being able to close the sets and bring emotional stability to the team because at times we lost it.”
Abner Cano, captain of El Salvador: “We didn’t get a good result against Guatemala. Our inability to close the sets and the lack of experience of many players cost us the match. We will keep moving forward because we came here to win, and we won’t leave this tournament empty-handed.”
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 10, 2024. – The seven Central American countries are aiming for a medal at the AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Championship, set to take place from October 11 to 17 at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium in Chitré, Panama.
In their first interviews, the coaches agreed that it will be a tough competition, as is customary in AFECAVOL men’s events, and that their goal is to win a medal.
Yamil Herrera, Coach of Belize: “The tournament will be very interesting due to the roster each team is bringing and the competition system, every day is like a final. The seven regular players on our team have experience in this type of event. We believe the athletes will follow the tactical plan we have set for each match and earn good results.
Andrea Genova, Coach of El Salvador: “At the moment, we are preparing for this U21 AFECAVOL competition, which we know will be very good because there are teams with a lot of skill. In recent years, our results have been around fifth place, and we are looking to improve and climb a bit higher since the team we are bringing has more credentials”.
El Salvador
Roberto Argüello, Coach of Costa Rica: “We have a great commitment in this tournament because in the last two editions, we haven’t been able to make it to the podium. We know we have a good team, and our intention is to work hard, stay organized, and achieve a podium finish”.
Costa Rica
Reider Lucas, Coach of Guatemala: “Our goal in the competition is to try to achieve a good result. We have prepared well for this type of event. We know the matches will be tough, as they have been in AFECAVOL and all Central America. We believe we can have a good competition, and we are hoping for those results.
Guatemala
Carlos Funes, Coach of Honduras: “Honduras has been in a preparation process since mid-January. We trained hard. Given our recent placements in the younger categories, the players are committed and determined to give their all. We are focused, we have studied the teams we have been playing against, and we hope to finish in a position that reflects our preparation”.
Honduras
Jorge Luis Mena, Coach of Nicaragua: “Nicaragua’s expectations are the same as always, to finish among the medalists. We know the tournament won’t be easy, as there are several strong teams. We will aim to bring a medal to our country, that’s the goal for all the players, who are well-prepared for this moment. We know all our close rivals, and we are going to give it our all in this tournament”.
Nicaragua
Horacio Angulo, Coach of Panama: “Our expectation as a team is to try to be on the podium. We’ve worked very hard with this team. We know that all the teams are coming to fight for a top spot in this tournament. We’re here to take it one game at a time and try to play in a way that benefits us to secure a podium finish”.
CHITRÉ, Panama, October 7, 2024.- The city of Chitré, Panama, will host the 20th AFECAVOL U21 Men’s Central American Championship, to be held at the Papa Francisco Gymnasium from October 11 to 17.
Guatemala was crowned champion in the last edition, held in 2022 in Nicaragua, securing its eighth title in the history of the event. Nicaragua and Panama completed the medal standings, winning the silver and bronze medals respectively.
Costa Rica and Nicaragua have each won the U21 title three times, while El Salvador and Panama have been champions twice. Honduras holds one gold medal.
The seven member countries of AFECAVOL will arrive in Chitré on October 9, with the preliminary meeting scheduled for October 10, and the competition starting on the 11th, with three daily matches.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 17, 2024.- From September 24 to 28, the city of Managua will host the First Edition of the U17 Central American Girls’ Championship, organized by the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations (AFECAVOL).
This event marks a milestone in the development of women’s volleyball in the region and responds to a joint initiative of Central American nations to align their youth categories with international standards.
Six countries will compete in this first edition: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. All of them aim to foster young talent, provide international experience, and prepare new generations of players for future continental and international competitions.
The Volleyball Gymnasium of the Sports Institute (IND) in Managua will be the official competition hall for the tournament, which has been prepared to welcome the six participating teams, highlighting AFECAVOL’s commitment to the development of volleyball at the regional level.
Teams will go through the preliminary interview on Monday the 23rd, and the competition will kick off on Tuesday the 24th, with three daily matches broadcast live NicaSports en YouTube.
GUATEMALA, September 9, 2024.- The Central American Volleyball Association (AFECAVOL) has consistently positioned itself as a pioneering Zonal Association within NORCECA and the FIVB. With a strong commitment to the growth and modernization of the sport, AFECAVOL continues to introduce initiatives that enhance the game, support officials, and elevate the overall experience for players and fans alike.
IPAD
In a recent move underscoring its innovative approach, AFECAVOL provided new uniforms to referees during the inaugural Central American Men’s Final Four event held in Guatemala. AFECAVOL will be distributing these uniforms to more members of the regional officiating body in upcoming events.
This initiative, in addition to projecting a fresh and professional appearance for officials, also symbolizes the organization’s dedication to the highest standards of the sport. The new attire ensures that referees present a unified and modern image, reinforcing their role as key figures in the sport.
However, AFECAVOL’s innovations extend beyond uniforms. Recognizing the importance of clear and effective communication during matches, the organization has introduced the use of radios for referees. This enhancement is a significant step towards ensuring that officiating is as precise and coordinated as possible, especially during high-demand matches. With real-time communication now at their disposal, referees can manage games more efficiently, addressing issues promptly and ensuring a smooth flow of play.
Radio
Adding to these technological advancements, AFECAVOL has also implemented the use of iPads in the officiating process. This digital integration marks a substantial advance in how matches are managed, allowing referees to access critical information, review positions, and make more accurate decisions. The iPads serve as a tool for tracking statistics and other essential functions that are becoming increasingly important in modern volleyball.
These developments highlight AFECAVOL’s commitment and its Board of Directors’ determination to keep Central American volleyball at the forefront of the sport. By investing in the necessary tools and resources for high-quality officiating, AFECAVOL not only enhances the integrity of the game but also ensures that the region remains competitive on the international stage.
GUATEMALA, September 6, 2024.- Axel Gutiérrez of Nicaragua was honored as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1st AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four, held from September 4 to 6 at the Alfonso Gordillo 7 de Diciembre Gymnasium in Guatemala City.
In addition to being the tournament’s MVP, Axel was also the Best Scorer and Best Opposite.
Other Nicaraguan players who received recognition include Jonny Zeledón as the Second Best Spiker and Emilio Andrews, who won the Best Blocker award.
Yefferson Zabala of Guatemala received the Best Server award; also from Guatemala, Carlos López was named Best Spiker.
Fernando Navarro of El Salvador received three awards: Best Libero, Best Receiver, and Best Digger. Manuel Platero, also from El Salvador, was recognized as the Second Best Blocker.
GUATEMALA, September 6, 2024.- Guatemala defeated El Salvador 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-22) to claim the Silver Medal, relegating El Salvador to the Bronze Medal in the 1st AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four Championship.
Guatemala outperformed El Salvador in all areas of the game, with 45-28 in attacks, 8-5 in blocks, and 4-3 in serves. It was a match with few unforced errors, as Guatemala had 17 and El Salvador had 18.
Carlos Fernando López, captain of Guatemala, was the top scorer of the match with 17 points, including 3 blocks and one serve, while Andy Alexis Leonardo scored 15 points. For El Salvador, the top scorer was Abner Cano with 12 points.
Luis Fernando Castañeda, assistant coach of Guatemala, commented, “It was a very important tournament for us; we always aim for the best position in every event. This time, with many young players, we are trying to make the generational change in the senior team. We secured second place, and we will continue working to achieve better goals”.
Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador, said, “It was a good tournament, and it was evident that the best four teams in Central America were present. Every day, the matches were very competitive, and it gave us the opportunity to test new players who give us a lot of hope for the future. We are satisfied with the work we did, but we are aware that we can improve even more”.
GUATEMALA, September 6, 2024 – Nicaragua claimed the Gold Medal at the First Central American Senior Men’s Final Four Championship by defeating Belize 3-2 with set scores of 20-25, 25-15, 25-18, 28-30, and 15-10.
Nicaragua outperformed Belize in attacks with a 62-60 advantage. Belize was stronger in blocks with a 15-12 lead, and both teams were tied in serves with 3 each. However, Belize committed 19 service errors compared to Nicaragua’s 7.
Once again, Axel Gutiérrez was Nicaragua’s top attacker, scoring 26 points, with Jonny Zeledón contributing 21 points, Emilio Andrews scoring 15 points, and Denis García adding 10 points.
For Belize, Karym Coleman scored 26 points, Francis Hauze contributed 17, Ernest Broaster added 15, and Kerwin Palacio scored 13.
Karym Coleman, BIZ
Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua, stated, “We are very happy. We prepared for this tournament, and I selected players in whom I had confidence from the beginning. I am proud and dedicate this to my country, to the people who supported us, to those who were always with us. We won the Gold Medal, and we have to celebrate it”.
Yamill Herrera, assistant coach of Belize, said, “We played a very good first set with a strong offensive serve, which helped us win it. We slowed down a lot during the match but managed to win the fourth set. In the fifth set, we made errors that allowed Nicaragua to take the lead. When you face a team with good reception and a high level of attack, you have to take risks with the serve”.
GUATEMALA, September 5, 2024.- Nicaragua secured a 3-2 (21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12) victory over Guatemala, maintaining their unbeaten record in the inaugural AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four Championship, at the Alfonso Gordillo Gymnasium on December 7th.
This victory places Nicaragua at the top of the tournament standings, and they will face Belize this Friday, who has a record of two losses. If the Nicaraguans win, they will be crowned champions.
Nicaragua
Meanwhile, Guatemala, with a record of one win and one loss, will face El Salvador, which has the same record. The winner will have a chance to contend for the silver medal, but if Belize wins the first game, the gold medal will depend on the result of that match.
Guatemala outperformed Nicaragua in attacks 64-53 and in serves 6-3, while blocks ended in a tie with 9 each. Nicaragua secured the victory thanks to the 44 unforced errors given by Guatemala throughout the game (equivalent to almost 2 sets).
Edras Pineda, GUA
Axel Gutiérrez of Nicaragua was the top scorer of the match with 23 points, and Jonny Zeledón contributed 16 points to the victory. For Guatemala, Carlos López was the top scorer with 20 points, supported in the attack by Yeferson Zavala with 19 points.
Axel Gutiérrez of Nicaragua said, “We came for the game, we fought until the last point, and tomorrow we will go for the gold, without a doubt”.
Yeferson Zavala of Guatemala commented, “We knew we were facing a very strong Nicaragua. We managed the first and third sets well. In the second set, we lost our rhythm and couldn’t close out the fourth and fifth sets. Tomorrow, we depend on the game between Nicaragua and Belize to see if we can make it to the podium”.
GUATEMALA, September 5, 2024.- El Salvador earned its first victory in the AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four on Thursday, defeating Belize 3-1 in four closely contested sets, 25-18, 23-25, 26-24, and 25-23.
Belize outperformed El Salvador in attacks 54-52 and in aces 4-3, while both teams were tied in blocks at 7.
Francis Hauze of Belize led all scorers with 23 points, including 3 blocks and one ace. For Belize, Kerwin Palacio added 17 points, and Ernest Broaster contributed 11, supporting Hauze in the attack.
On the other hand, El Salvador had Abner Cano with 20 points and Rodrigo Chávez with 11 points as their top scorers.
El Salvador capitalized on Belize’s 37 unforced errors to secure the victory.
Kerwin Palacio, BIZ
Belize will conclude its participation this Friday at 5 PM facing Nicaragua, while El Salvador will play against Guatemala at 7:30 PM.
Abner Cano of El Salvador said, “After yesterday’s defeat, we sat down as a team and committed to winning the last two games to make it to the podium. The result was what we expected. In the last games we’ve played against Guatemala, we haven’t been able to beat them, but we’re here to change history”.
Elton Anderson, Captain of Belize, commented, “It was a bad result. It wasn’t the result we wanted. We worked hard, but somehow in the last parts of the sets, we just couldn’t finish. Tomorrow, it’s a must-win against Nicaragua, at least we’ll leave with a victory. We wanted three wins, but tomorrow we all need to come focused and play hard from start to finish”.
GUATEMALA CITY, September 4, 2024. – Guatemala struggled to secure a 3-1 victory (25-18, 25-17, 13-25, 25-21) over Belize in the opening match for both teams in the AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four, held at the Alfonso Gordillo Gymnasium on December 7.
It was a hard-fought match, with both teams showcasing powerful hitters; a total of seven players reached double digits.
For Guatemala, Carlos López scored 15 points, Andy Leonardo had 13 points, and both Yeferson José Zavala and Jason Omar Hernández contributed 12 points each. On the Belizean side, Karym Coleman was the top scorer of the match with 16 points, followed by Francis Hauze with 14 points and Ernest Broaster with 12 points.
Guatemala outperformed Belize in attacks, 49-43, while Belize exceeded Guatemala in blocks, 9-4. Both teams were tied in serves, with 6 points each.
Karym Coleman, BIZ, remata
Carlos López, captain and top scorer for Guatemala, said, “Guatemala started strong, leading 2-0. In the third set, we lost focus and made many mistakes that Belize capitalized on. The fourth set was the most contested. I congratulate Belize on the work they’re doing and Guatemala’s bench players for their significant contribution in the final set”.
Karym Coleman, top scorer for Belize and the match, explained, “The match was very good. Belize started off slow, but in the third set, we started strong and won. Tomorrow, I hope we can come out stronger and more focused than in the first two sets today”.
GUATEMALA, September 4, 2024. – Nicaragua began the Men’s Final Four with a 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) in the historic opening match of this first edition of the tournament organized by AFECAVOL.
The Nicaraguans fought hard to win the first set, but from the second set onward, they were far superior to the Salvadorans, who could no longer find their rhythm.
Axel Guitierrez, NIC, ataque
Nicaragua greatly outperformed El Salvador in blocks 13-3 and attacks 13-3, while El Salvador led in serves 3-1.
Nicaragua’s Axel Gutiérrez was the top scorer of the match with 23 points, 20 of which came from attacks, 2 from blocks, and one from a serve. Emilio Andrews supported Nicaragua’s offense with 14 points, making him the best blocker of the match with 7 points.
Rodrigo Chávez scored 11 points for El Salvador, along with Abner Itiel Cano and Manuel Platero, who each contributed 9 points each.
Nicaragua celebra
Nicaragua’s Axel Gutiérrez, the top scorer of the match, stated, “We came hungry, thirsty for victory; we want to achieve what we have dreamed of for so long, which is the gold medal. El Salvador showed a good level of play, but in the end, we secured the victory”.
Rodrigo Chávez, El Salvador’s top scorer, commented, “I believe the team’s sporting maturity came through. We are a fairly renewed team with many young players who have little experience in this category. Nicaragua took advantage of those weaknesses, and they were more decisive. We will gradually develop a better game and give a stronger performance against the other two teams”.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, September 3, 2024: The first AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four Championship kicked off this Tuesday with the preliminary interviews with the coaches and representatives from Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua—the teams that secured the top spots in last year’s Central American Championship.
Everyone agrees that this is a great initiative by the AFECAVOL Board of Directors, as this tournament allows the senior national teams to have annual competition.
Albert Humes, coach of Belize, said, “I believe the Final Four is an excellent tournament. What it does is, if you play here, it helps develop the senior category program, as you get to play in AFECAVOL every year. As for Belize, we are always knocking on the door, and today we are trying to open that door and step inside. Our guys have trained very hard to do well in this tournament. Profe Yamill Herrera from Cuba has greatly helped in trying to take Belize to the next level, so that’s our expectation for this tournament”.
Belize
Italian coach Andrea Génova of El Salvador commented, “This is the first time this tournament is being organized, and it’s a great incentive because it features the top 4 teams from last season. I think it’s going to be a good tournament, with extra motivation for senior teams, as they will now compete every year. We have come well-prepared, but the competition will be very tough because everyone has brought a very good team”.
El Salvador
Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala, expressed, “This is going to be a very interesting and important tournament since it’s the first time it’s being held with the top four ranked teams in Central America. In our region, there is a lot of competitive rivalry, and this helps improve the level of our teams and the level of the area. We believe it will be a very close competition. We have prepared well, we have a fairly renewed team, and we want to do well and try to achieve the objectives we’ve set for ourselves”.
Guatemala
Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua, stated, “We appreciate the opportunity to play in this first edition of the Final Four. Our team comes to work, to give our best, and we are well-prepared for this tournament. Our expectations are to reach the highest spot on the podium. We are 100%, we feel good, and the young players are ready to give it their all”.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 29, 2024.- The first edition of the AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Final Four Championship will take place from September 4 to 6 at the 7 de Diciembre “Alfonso Gordillo” Gymnasium in Guatemala City.
The AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four gathers the four highest-ranked senior teams in Central America from the year prior to the competition, based on the XXII Central American Men’s Championship in 2023: Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and Nicaragua.
The creation of this event, as well as the women’s event which was held earlier this year in Honduras, aims to provide annual competition for the senior category rather than every two years.
The winner of the AFECAVOL Central American Final Four Championship will qualify for the NORCECA Continental Championship.
Guatemala Senior National Team
Streaming available for Guatemala’s matches (7:30 pm) on Facebook Live:
The teams are scheduled to arrive on September 2, with preliminaries the following day, and the competition will begin on September 4, featuring two daily matches at 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, August 29, 2024. – The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation NORCECA and its president, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, join in profound grief and sadness over the passing of Pilar Marie Victoriá, a distinguished member of the Puerto Rican National Volleyball team.
We extend our deepest condolences to her parents, family, and loved ones, during this difficult time. Pilar Marie Victoriá was an exemplary athlete whose passion and commitment to volleyball left an indelible mark on our community.
NORCECA offers its heartfelt sympathies to the Puerto Rican volleyball family, to Dr. César Trabanco, President of the Puerto Rican Volleyball National Federation and Vice President of our Confederation, for this irreparable loss.
We stand in solidarity with all those who had the privilege of knowing her and working alongside her.
May she rest in peace and may her legacy in the sport inspire future generations.
BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 20, 2024. – Nisaan Martínez, opposite hitter from Belize, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL, which concluded at the Belize Civic Center.
Nisaan Martínez was a key player in Belize’s historic achievement of winning their first gold medal in an AFECAVOL event.
Also from Belize, Gareth Bruce and Ziane Henderson were recognized as the Best Spiker and Best Setter, respectively.
From Nicaragua, the event’s runners-up, Karen Bird was named the second Best Blocker, María Rivera the Best Opposite, and Dnixa Zeledon the Best Defense.
María Santacruz of Guatemala received the awards for second Best Spiker, Best Server, and Best Scorer. Also from Guatemala, Andrea Mendizábal was named the Best Blocker, Karen Del Cid the Best Libero, and Naomi Monney the Best Receiver.
Belize City, Belize, July 20, 2024. – Belize claimed the crown of the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship in perfect fashion by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-18) in the event’s final match. They concluded the competition with four victories and no defeats, without losing a single set on their way to glory.
This is the first gold medal in Belize’s history in any AFECAVOL event. In the U21 category, Belize had only achieved a silver medal in the 2022 edition, held at home, where Guatemala won the title.
This time, Belize did not falter, imposing their superior blocking against Guatemala and effectively executing all their attacks to secure a solid victory that assured them their first title in this category.
Gareth Bruce BIZ
With the loss, Guatemala finished with a 2-2 record, placing them in third, while Nicaragua, with a 3-1 record, took second place.
For Belize, Nisaan Martínez was the best attacker with 18 points, 14 on attacks, three on blocks, and one from a serve.
For Guatemala, María Santa Cruz was the top scorer with 15 points, 12 on attacks, one block, and two from serves.
Belize led in points from attacks (36-27) and blocks (9-2), while Guatemala had a slight advantage in serves (6-5) but fell behind in unforced errors (25-18).
Regarding the victory, Belize coach José Fontes said: “This is our first gold medal. We finally achieved this long-desired medal for the people of Belize, and we did it undefeated. The athletes rose to the occasion. Winning a tournament undefeated is not easy”.
Guatemala coach William Fernández added: “Central American events are now very tough, with medals being contested until the very last moment. I can only congratulate Belize; their quality in this tournament was undeniable”.
Belize City, Belize, July 20, 2024.- Nicaragua closed with a solid victory over Honduras, 3-0 (25-4, 25-12, 25-10), concluding their participation in the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL. They are now awaiting the result between Belize and Guatemala at the end of the day to determine the color of their medal.
Nicaragua’s record of 3-1 gives them a strong chance of securing second place in the tournament. However, they must wait for the result between Belize and Guatemala to finalize the standings. Meanwhile, Honduras ends with four defeats and no victories.
Honduras showed effort throughout the match but could not do much to trouble Nicaragua, who dominated in attack points (40-8), blocks (5-2), and serves (10-1), and made fewer unforced errors (15-20).
Samantha Vargas NCA
Norma Brenes was the best attacker for Nicaragua with 12 points, nine on attacks and three on serves. Francesca Medrano scored ten points, five on attacks, one on a block, and four on serves.
Victoria Aparicio was the top scorer for Honduras, collecting three points throughout the match.
Regarding the victory, Nicaragua’s coach Claudia Noguera stated: “I am happy with the result. The girls were focused and managed to impose their rhythm. We just have to wait for the result of the match between Belize and Guatemala, but any medal is positive regardless of its color”.
Honduras’s coach Cristiam Rodríguez commented: “I am very proud of all the girls for taking on this challenge and not turning their backs on the team. Our team is mostly of U17 players, with only two U21 players. It is very enriching for them to have been on the court against such strong teams.”
Belize City, Belize, July 19, 2024.- With a solid 3-0 victory (25-11, 25-14, 25-14) over El Salvador, Belize remains an unbeaten record at the 20th AFECAVOL Central American U21 Women’s Championship and is now on the verge of winning the title with one match remaining in the event.
Belize has a record of three wins and no losses and will conclude the tournament on Saturday against Guatemala, a match that will determine the event’s champion. Meanwhile, El Salvador finished their participation with a record of 1-3.
Belize
Gareth Bruce and Nisaan Martínez led Belize’s offense, both scoring 17 points. Bruce scored 10 points on serves and seven on attacks, while Martínez had 14 on attacks and three on blocks.
For El Salvador, María Ramírez was the best attacker with eight points, five from attacks and three from serves.
Belize dominated the entire match, collectively scoring 41 points from attacks compared to their opponent’s 14. They also led in serves 13-6 and blocks 3-0 but conceded more points on unforced errors, 19-18.
Looking ahead to the final match, Belize’s coach, José Fontes, stated: “We have a crucial match against Guatemala. We are not celebrating anything yet, as we know that match is crucial for both teams. Regarding the match against El Salvador, I am satisfied with the offensive part but not with the defensive part, as I feel we made many mistakes”.
On the other hand, El Salvador’s coach, Karen Orellana, commented: “We knew Belize is not an easy team, but I think we achieved about 50 percent of the goals we had set for this match. Overall, I am happy with the work the girls have done in this tournament.”
Belize City, Belize, July 19, 2024.- Guatemala earned a comfortable victory over Honduras 3-0 (25-14, 25-8, 25-13), keeping them in the running for medals in the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship.
With one match remaining, Guatemala has secured their place on the podium with a record of 2-1 in wins and losses. Their upcoming match against Belize will determine the color of their medal.
Guatemala played at their own pace and had little difficulties defeating Honduras, which suffered its third loss of the competition.
Guatemala
María Santa Cruz was the top scorer for Guatemala with 11 points, eight on attacks and three on serves. Her teammate, Dulce Trigueño, also performed notably with nine points, five on attacks and four on serves.
For Honduras, Victoria Aparicio was the best with four points from attacks, while Ivanna Almendarez scored three points.
Guatemala completely dominated all aspects of the match with 30 points in attacks compared to 15 from Honduras, serves 16-1, and blocks 2-0. They also committed fewer unforced errors, 19 against 27 from Honduras.
Regarding the victory, Guatemala’s captain María Santa Cruz stated: “We are still in the fight for medals. After this match, we all feel more united. Now we must give our all in our match against Belize. After the defeat against Nicaragua, we had to rebuild and see what we needed to fix”.
Meanwhile, Honduras’ captain Mónica Vásquez commented: “We had ups and downs in the match. In the midst of everything, we did well according to our capabilities. For us, this event is a very good experience ahead of the U17 Central American Championship. We are all very aware that the plays in which we failed are ones we can execute. We have to learn from our mistakes”.
Belize City, Belize, July 18, 2024. – El Salvador defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-16), securing their first victory in the closing match of the third day in the XX Central American U21 Women’s Championship.
El Salvador’s record is now 1-2 in wins and losses, with only one match left to play this Friday against Belize, while Honduras suffered its second loss without any victories and still has matches pending against Guatemala and Nicaragua.
For El Salvador, Gabriela Flores was the best offensive player with 14 points, 13 of which were from attacks and one from a serve. Honduras had Victoria Aparicio as its top performer with 14 points, 11 from attacks and three from serves.
El Salvador
El Salvador led in collective attack points 30-26, while Honduras was ahead in blocking 5-2 and in serves 9-6, but was affected by unforced errors, committing 37 compared to 14 by their opponent.
After achieving their first success of the tournament, Karen Orellana, coach of El Salvador, stated: “We are very happy with this victory, the girls applied everything we had trained and followed all our instructions.”
Meanwhile, Cristiam Rodríguez, coach of Honduras, commented: “We lacked a bit of attitude. I think it’s important for the girls not only to think about winning but also to have a bit of attitude and try to do things better. We had good moments, but also moments that cost us”.
Belize City, Belize, July 18, 2024. – Nicaragua achieved an important victory over Guatemala in five intense sets, winning 3-2 (21-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-16, and 15-8). This triumph revitalized their chances of winning a medal in the XX Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL.
Nicaragua’s record now stands at 2-1 in wins and losses, while Guatemala has a 1-1 record. Belize, which had a rest day, has two wins without losses.
It was a match where Nicaragua maintained their fighting spirit to secure a game that almost opens the doors to the podium, with one more challenge against Honduras on Saturday to close their schedule.
María José Rivera NCA
Meanwhile, Guatemala has matches pending against Honduras and will face Belize in the final round on Saturday.
Norma Brenes was the main attacking figure for Nicaragua with 21 points, 18 in attack and three in serves. María José Rivera was also effective with 16 points, 13 in attack, and three in blocking.
For Guatemala, María Santa Cruz led the offense with 25 points, 19 in attack, and six in serves, while Naomi Monney finished with 17 points, 14 in attack, two in blocking, and an ace.
As a team, Nicaragua achieved 54 points in attack, compared to 40 for Guatemala, which led in blocking 11-6 and serves 12-5, but conceded 41 points on unforced errors compared to 37 for Nicaragua.
Regarding the victory, Claudia Noguera, Nicaragua’s coach, stated: “It is a very important victory that places us on the podium. We only have one match left against Honduras in which we will try to change the color of the medal.”
On the other hand, William Fernández, Guatemala’s coach, pointed out: “Our team stopped fighting at crucial moments, in contrast to Nicaragua, who fought with everything throughout the match.”
Belize City, Belize, July 17, 2024.- In a one-sided match, Belize defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-13), to maintain their strong performance with two victories and zero losses in the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship.
For Honduras, it was their first setback of the event, as they did not play on the first day.
Belize clearly dominated the match, imposing their superior attack, which suppressed the opponent’s momentum, they established a clear advantage of 16-5 in the first set before Honduras responded.
Zanyah Hall BIZ
Belize was dominant in attack points 40 to 14 and in serves 10-3, although they committed 25 unforced errors compared to 23 from Honduras, who also had a slight advantage in block points 4-2.
In offense, Belizean captain Gareth Bruce scored 17 points, 15 on attack and two on serves, while Nissan Martínez contributed 10 points, nine on attacks and one serve.
For Honduras, Victoria Aparicio and Nicole Velásquez each finished with seven points. Aparicio had five on attacks, one on blocks, and one serve, while Velásquez had five on attack and two on serves.
Regarding the victory, Belize captain Gareth Bruce stated: “We were focused on doing our best work, we had the energy, for us this game was great, we are focused on always keeping the same spirit in every match.”
Meanwhile, Honduras captain Mónica Velásquez said: “As a team, we did a good job within our capabilities. It’s true that there are many areas we can improve. I must congratulate my teammates because for many, this is their first national team and many of them are very young, even for this U21 age-group.”
Belize City, Belize, July 17, 2024.- Nicaragua earned a comfortable victory over El Salvador 3-0 (25-7, 28-8, 25-13), in the first match of the second day of the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL.
With the win, Nicaragua stands with one win and one loss, while El Salvador has two losses without any victories so far in the event.
María José Rivera was the best attacker for Nicaragua with 15 points, and Samantha Vargas also stood out offensively with 13 points, 11 on attacks and two in service.
Michelle Vasquez and Alejandra Andrade ESA
For El Salvador, María Ramírez finished with four points, while Gabriela Flores and Gabriela Rivas contributed three points each.
Nicaragua was superior to El Salvador in attack points 48 to 10, blocks 3-2, service 8-2, and committed fewer unforced errors 14-16.
Regarding their first success, Norma Brenes, captain of Nicaragua, stated: “We prepared for this victory, we knew we had to win the match, it was important for us because we are still in the fight for the medals.”
Meanwhile, Ariana Joachin, captain of El Salvador, commented: “Nicaragua is a very strong team, and with the preparation time we had, we gave our best effort. In the end, with this match, we have gained experience that will be useful for the future.”
Belize City, Belize, July 16, 2024. – Belize earned an important first victory over Nicaragua, winning 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-20) in the closing match of the opening day of the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship.
Belize did not disappoint their fans at the Belize Civic Center, delivering a strong performance against Nicaragua, which could not do much against their opponent’s momentum.
Individually, Belize found their best offensive player in Nissan Martínez, who scored 22 points, with 18 from attacks, two from blocks, and two from service, supported by Gareth Bruce, who scored 17 points, 15 from attacks, one from blocking, and one from service.
Belize celebrate
For Nicaragua, María José Rivera scored a total of 10 points, eight from attacks and two from blocks. Samantha Vargas also stood out with eight points, five from attacks, one from blocking, and two from service.
As a team, Belize led in attacks 41-27, in service points 8-5, and committed fewer unforced errors 19-24. Both teams were even in blocking points, with seven each.
After their first victory, Belize’s coach José Fontes mentioned: “It was a very tense match despite the 3-0 score. We know the quality of Nicaragua; they never gave up during the match and always stayed close on the scoreboard. For us, this is a very important victory that gives us a lot of confidence for the upcoming matches”.
On the other hand, Nicaragua’s coach Claudia Noguera stated: “Belize is a very difficult team with very tall players, many of whom already have knowledge about our team. The key is not to lower our heads; the tournament is just beginning, and we can still make a difference”.
Belize City, Belize, July 16, 2024.- Guatemala defeated El Salvador in straight sets (25-14, 25-22, 25-21) in the first match of the 20th Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL, held at the Belize Civic Center in Belize City, Belize.
The Guatemalans were superior in collecting attack points, 45-16, and were more effective in service points, 11-6. El Salvador was affected by 32 unforced errors, compared to 16 by the winners.
María Santa Cruz led Guatemala’s attack with a total of 26 points, 21 of which were attacks and five in service. Naomy Monney was also effective offensively with 12 points, ten from attacks and two from service.
Guatemala celebrate
For El Salvador, Araiana Joachin was the best attacker with nine points, two from attacks and blocks, and five from service.
Regarding the first victory in the tournament, Guatemala’s coach William Fernández commented: “The first match of an event is always very difficult; it’s the first step to take, which is why every match is like a final. We must acknowledge that El Salvador fought until the end, especially in the last two sets, which shows that it will be a very close competition.”
On the other hand, El Salvador’s coach Karen Orellana stated: “It was a good match; I feel we had some difficulties closing the sets. As the matches progress, we will adjust as a team to resolve those issues we had in the sets.”
Guatemala will rest on the second day this Wednesday 17th, while El Salvador will face Nicaragua.
Belize City, Belize, July 15, 2024 – After completing the mandatory preliminary interviews, the five teams participating in the XX Central American U21 Women’s Championship of AFECAVOL have declared themselves ready to take to the court at the Belize Civic Center gymnasium in Belize City, Belize.
Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize will compete for the coveted U21 title and a spot in the NORCECA Continental Championship in the contest that will take place from July 16 to 20, with two daily matches.
Before the start of the tournament, each of the coaches leading the participating teams evaluated their squads and shared their goals for the event.
William Fernández, Coach of Guatemala, stated: “We have a U21 team with a lot of experience. We have players who were here two years ago in Belize, and most of the players who were in the U23 team. Our goal is to be on the podium. This will be a very competitive tournament, even though there are only five teams, all have the chance to win a medal”.
José Fontes, Coach of Belize, commented: “We have a very young team with some experienced players. Our expectations are high to be on the podium, and we always aspire to the highest, that is, to fight for the gold medal for Belize”.
Cristiam Rodríguez, Coach of Honduras, affirmed: “We have high expectations with this group that is very young. Many will make their debut, marking a promising future for volleyball in Honduras. We want to perform well in the tournament, and if things go well, make it to the podium”.
Claudia Noguera, Coach of Nicaragua, expressed: “We have a young team. Nicaragua has already presented many of these players in other events such as the Final Four and the U23, where we achieved first place in both. We will fight to be on the podium. We have the team to achieve a good position”.
Karen Orellana, Coach of El Salvador, commented: “Our team is very young. We are looking to make a generational change in El Salvador for future tournaments. For this event, we expect to compete, for the girls to give their best. It’s a good group, and we truly hope to surprise”.
BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 11, 2024. – Belize City will once again host the AFECAVOL U21 Women’s Central American Championship, this time in its twentieth edition, to be held from July 16 to 20 at the Belize City Civic Center in Belize City, Belize.
Two years ago, the Belize City Civic Center was also the venue for this age-group Central American Championship, where Guatemala was crowned champion in five thrilling sets 3-2 (25-19, 20-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-11) over hosts Belize.
The XX AFECAVOL U21 Women’s Central American Championship will feature teams from Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, who will compete for the AFECAVOL title and qualification for the NORCECA Continental Championship.
Guatemala returns to defend its title, having won the event six times overall. The most successful team in the history of the competition is Costa Rica with nine titles. Panama has won twice, and Honduras once. Costa Rica and Panama will not participate in the event.
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, July 7, 2024.- During the last day of sessions of the 27th NORCECA Congress, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz was re-elected as the President of the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation NORCECA. This re-election underscores the confidence and respect he commands within the regional volleyball organization.
Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, a pivotal figure in the volleyball world, has been at the helm of NORCECA since 2001. His leadership has seen remarkable growth and development in the sport across the region. Under his guidance, NORCECA has expanded its reach and influence, promoting volleyball and beach volleyball through numerous programs and competitions aimed at nurturing young talent and enhancing the sport’s popularity.
The esteemed volleyball leader retains position for another term (2024-2028).
Lic. Cristobal Marte Hoffiz
Marte Hoffiz’s tenure is marked by several key initiatives, including the enhancement of grassroots development programs and the successful organization of high-profile tournaments. His commitment to fostering talent and providing opportunities for athletes to excel has significantly contributed to the region’s vibrant volleyball culture.
The announcement of Marte Hoffiz’s re-election has been met with widespread acclaim. Most notably, Dr. Ary Graça, President of the International Volleyball Federation FIVB, extended his heartfelt congratulations. In his message, Dr. Graça emphasized the remarkable progress NORCECA has made under Marte Hoffiz’s stewardship and expressed confidence in an even brighter future ahead.
Dr. Graça stated, “Under Cristóbal’s visionary leadership, NORCECA has reached new heights. I have no doubt that the work they will continue to do will surpass even the outstanding achievements we see today. His dedication and strategic vision are invaluable to the volleyball community”.
As he embarks on another term, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz has laid out a forward-looking agenda focused on innovation and excellence. He aims to continue building on the solid foundation established over the years, with a particular emphasis on leveraging technology to enhance training and competition.
Marte Hoffiz also plans to strengthen the cooperation with national federations and their zonal association bodies to create more opportunities for athletes and coaches. This approach is expected to further elevate the standard of volleyball and beach volleyball in the region, ensuring that NORCECA remains a powerhouse in the global volleyball landscape.
Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz’s re-election as President of NORCECA signals a continued era of progress and development for volleyball in North, Central America, and the Caribbean. With his proven leadership and the support of the global volleyball community, NORCECA is poised to achieve even greater heights in the years to come. NORCECA members eagerly anticipate the innovations and successes that this new term will bring.
NORCECA’s Executive Committee and Board of Administration was also confirmed unanimously.
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, July 5, 2024.- In a significant event for the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation NORCECA convened its Executive Committee and Board of Administration for an extraordinary meeting on the eve (July 6-7) of to the 27th NORCECA Congress in Punta Cana.
This session marked a pivotal moment as new members were appointed to the executive committee and the board of administration for the 2024-2028 period, and crucial discussions took place, including a proposed amendment to the NORCECA constitution and the presentation of a new working commissions composition.
The meeting chaired by NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, with special guest FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça, saw the appointment of several new members to the NORCECA Executive Committee and Board of Administration. These appointments are expected to bring fresh perspectives and drive to the organization, as it continues its mission to promote and develop volleyball across the region.
NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz and FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça
These distinguished sports leaders bring a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to advancing NORCECA’s objectives. Their diverse backgrounds in volleyball administration, and business are expected to enrich the leadership of the confederation.
One of the critical agenda items was a proposed amendment to the NORCECA constitution, whereas the proposal presented by the Legal Commission, which contains an amendment to the NORCECA Constitution establishing that the President and the Board of Administration may appoint four (4) members to integrate the NORCECA Board of Administration, to adopt a similar amendment to that of the FIVB in NORCECA, and both the President and the board members have the ability to propose individuals to be appointed to the board.
The amendment will be put to a final vote scheduled for the NORCECA Congress.
Another highlight of the meeting was the proposal for the new composition of the NORCECA working commissions. These commissions play a vital role in the operational aspects of the confederation.
Each commission is tasked with specific objectives aligned with NORCECA’s strategic goals, and their composition reflects a balance of expertise and representation from the member countries.
As NORCECA looks to the future, these changes signal a strong commitment to evolving and improving the organization’s governance and operational efficiency.
The extraordinary meeting concluded with a sense of optimism and determination to build on NORCECA’s rich legacy while embracing innovation and progress.
NORCECA President Cristobal Marte Hoffiz concluded, “ As the confederation moves forward, the volleyball community can look forward to exciting developments and continued growth in our region. This meeting’s outcomes set the floor for a successful NORCECA congress which robust agenda reflects a forward-thinking approach to governance and a renewed focus on advancing volleyball throughout its National Federation members”.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 29, 2024.- Nicaragua’s setter, Norma Brenes, was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 6th Central American Women’s U23 Championship.
Brenes received the award during the closing ceremony after Nicaragua won the gold medal, emerging as the undefeated champion of the tournament. They topped the standings, followed by 2nd place Costa Rica, 3rd place Belize, 4th place Guatemala, 5th place Honduras, 6th place El Salvador, and 7th place Panama.
Biz Bronce, NCA gold, CRC Silver
Other individual performance awards, based on statistical data from the event, were also presented.
From Costa Rica, the team that finished in second place, Ana Victoria Rojas was awarded Best Opposite, and Rashanny Solano was named Best Libero. Additionally, Nhya Barley from Costa Rica was recognized as the 2nd Best Blocker.
Individual awards
Belize’s Fatuomata Camara received honors as the tournament’s Top Scorer and Best Spiker, while Nissan Martínez was recognized as Best Blocker.
For Guatemala, María Andrea Santa Cruz was named the 2nd Best Spiker, Ana Granados received the award for Best Receiver, and Jimena Castellanos was honored as Best Setter.
Honduran Natalia Reyes was awarded Best Server, and Salvadoran Mónica Portillo was recognized as Best Defense.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 29, 2024. – Costa Rica defeated Honduras 3-1 with set scores of 25-21, 25-14, 19-25, and 25-13 to secure the Silver Medal at the 6th Central American Women’s U-23 Championship, which concluded at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
With the victory, Costa Rica tied with Belize with 4 wins and 2 losses, accumulating 21 points. However, Costa Rica finished in second place with a better set ratio (2.000 to 1.875) and a better points ratio (1.230 to 1.206). Guatemala finished in fourth place with the same number of wins and losses but with 19 points.
Costa Rica dominated the game in attacks, leading 55-32 against Honduras. The teams were tied in blocks with 7 each, while Honduras led in serves, surpassing Costa Rica 8-4.
Costa Rica
Ana Victoria Rojas of Costa Rica was the top scorer of the match with 21 points. Lakysha Thompson added 13, and Krystel Vargas contributed 10 to support the Costa Rican attack. Rocío Duron led the Honduran offense with 20 points.
This was the last match of the 21 played in the 6th Central American Women’s U-23 Championship.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 29, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated Guatemala 3-1 with set scores of (11-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19) to claim the title of the 6th Central American Women’s U-23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
The Nicaraguan team finished the tournament with a perfect record of 6 wins and no losses. Guatemala ended with a 4-2 record. With this result, Belize reached the podium, and both teams are now waiting for the outcome of the match between Costa Rica and Honduras to determine their final standings.
Guatemala outperformed Nicaragua in blocks (8-5) and serves (10-3), while both teams were tied in attacks with 37 points each. The difference in the game was that Guatemala committed 41 unforced errors compared to Nicaragua’s 29.
Nicaragua
Brittany Forbes of Nicaragua led all scorers with 16 points. Samantha Vargas and María José Rivera also scored in double digits for Nicaragua with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
For Guatemala, María Andrea Santa Cruz finished with 14 points, Naomi Monney with 12, and Andrea Michelle Mendizábal with 10.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 26, 2024.- Belize defeated El Salvador 3-0 (25-15, 25-10, 25-20) and could become the runner-up of the 6th Central American Women’s Under-23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
Belize’s comfortable victory leaves them awaiting the results of the matches Guatemala vs. Nicaragua and Costa Rica vs. Honduras to determine their position in the Championship. A loss for Guatemala and Costa Rica could place Belize as the tournament’s runner-up.
Belice
Belize finished the tournament with a record of 4 wins, 2 losses, and 21 points. Guatemala, with one match remaining, is at 4-1 and 18 points, while Costa Rica, playing later tonight, stands at 3-2 with 17 points.
Belize was superior to El Salvador in all aspects: 32-16 in attacks, 11-2 in blocks, and 10-2 in serves.
Fatoumata Camara once again led the Belizean team to victory, scoring 16 points. She was supported in the attack by Blessed Omamurhe and Nisaan Martínez, who each scored 10 points. For El Salvador, their best attacker was Allison Naomi Méndez with 9 points.
Nisaan Martinez BIZ
Fatoumata Camara from Belize said after the match, “I think this has been a very good tournament, despite us starting off really slow because we lost our first two games. But then we ended up winning all the rest of our games which is a good thing. We just decided to finish the tournament strong and for me personally I think I had a great tournament; my team depends on me, so I need to make sure I am aggressive on the court”.
Daniela López, captain of El Salvador, expressed, “I congratulate the Belize team; it was a good game for them. They are quite tall and strong, and we don’t have those qualities. We hope that for the upcoming tournaments, our team can be better prepared; I think that’s what we were missing.”
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 26, 2024: Nicaragua defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-20), putting them in a commanding position to win the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
Nicaragua started the game with complete dominance over Honduras. Honduras’ coach, Marcos Sugiyama, called the first technical timeout when they were trailing 2-13. The Honduran team managed to close the gap but couldn’t do enough to win the first set.
Nicaragua will face Guatemala on Saturday, and with their victory over Honduras, they are now just one step away from the title. Even losing to Guatemala 3-1 would still secure them the U23 Central American Championship, thanks to the points system in the standings.
Meanwhile, Honduras has a record of 2-3 and will play against Costa Rica in the final match of the tournament.
Nicaragua outperformed Honduras in all aspects of the game: 37-20 in attacks, 10-2 in blocks, and 6-5 in serves.
Brittany Forbes NCA
Masiel Brenes of Nicaragua was the top scorer of the match with 16 points, including 5 blocks. Brittany Forbes added 12 more points to the victory. For Honduras, Andrea Duarte was the top scorer with 8 points.
Nicaragua’s coach, Claudia Noguera, said, “We had many ups and downs during the game, but in the end, the team managed to focus and made fewer mistakes to secure the victory. Tomorrow, we will give our all on the court and try to play at our highest level in the final game.”
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024: Costa Rica defeated Guatemala 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 26-24), re-entering the race for medals at the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
The victory keeps Costa Rica’s hopes alive and puts Guatemala in a tough spot, as they now no longer solely control their path to the Gold medal match. A loss to Nicaragua tomorrow could even push them off the podium.
Costa Rica improved their record to 3-2 and will face Honduras on Saturday. Guatemala now stands at 4-1 and will face Nicaragua.
Costa Rica surpassed in serves, leading 6-0, while Guatemala missed 7 serves. The differences in attack and blocking were small, yet still in favor of Costa Rica, at 37-35 and 8-5, respectively.
Ana Victoria Rojas from Costa Rica dominated the game, being the most effective scorer with 19 points. Nhya Barley assisted with 12 points, including 4 on serves and 2 on blocks. For Guatemala, Ivana Sopegno was their best attacker with 12 points, and Naomi Monney contributed 9.
Nhya Barley CRC
Ana Victoria Rojas of Costa Rica said, “Thank God we were able to win 3-0 today. This result puts us back in the competition. We now have the chance to fight for the Silver medal, and that’s what we’ll aim for tomorrow when we play against Honduras. Today, the team had great energy; we worked together, and that helped us secure the victory.”
Guatemala’s coach, William Fernández, commented, “The team did not meet the expectations for this game. They started well in the first set, but after Costa Rica came back, they couldn’t recover psychologically, losing confidence in themselves. Now we have to fight back tomorrow.”
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 26, 2024.- El Salvador won 3 sets to 0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-18) against Panama in the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
The Salvadoran team secured their first victory on Thursday at the start of the penultimate day of the tournament, bringing their record to 1-4, while Panama concluded their participation in the Central American Women’s Championship with 6 losses and no wins.
El Salvador will face Belize on Saturday, in the first game of the final day; Belize had a rest day today.
The Salvadorans dominated the match with 35 attack points compared to Panama’s 24. In blocks and serves, El Salvador also led 6-1 and 5-2, respectively.
El Salvador’s captain, Daniela López, was the top scorer of the match and the only player with double digits, scoring 15 points for her team, including 2 from serves. For Panama, Krisleen González scored 8 points, including 1 block and 1 serve.
Panama’s coach, Donaldo Ureña, commented, “This tournament was a great learning experience. We faced challenges due to our lack of preparation and the technical and tactical aspects we need to improve. These are part of our plan for future tournaments”.
“It was a very good match. We played as a team, and our goal was to win this game, so we are very happy we achieved it. Tomorrow, we aim to give it our all again. We know Belize is a strong and tall team, so we must give it our best with enthusiasm and the right attitude”, said Daniela López, captain of El Salvador.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024. – Guatemala defeated Honduras in straight sets (25-19, 25-19, 25-20), continuing their undefeated streak in the VI Central American U-23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
The Guatemalans won their fourth consecutive match and remain unbeaten. Alongside Nicaragua, they are the only two national teams yet to lose. This Thursday, Guatemala will face Costa Rica and will conclude their participation on Saturday against Nicaragua.
With this loss, Honduras has a 2-2 record. They will play against Nicaragua on Friday and finish the tournament on Saturday against Costa Rica.
Guatemala outperformed Honduras in attacks (36-22) and serves (9-3), with 5 aces by Andrea Mendizábal. Honduras led in blocks, 7-3.
Naomi Monney and Andrea Mendizábal were the top scorers of the match with 13 points each, with Mendizábal scoring 5 aces. María Andrea Santa Cruz added 11 points. For Honduras, the top scorers were Rocío Duron with 7 points and Shantte Siliezar with 6.
Gabriela Gómez HON – Ivana Sopegno GUA
Andrea Mendizábal commented after the game, “Today, we had a great attitude. From the start of the tournament, our goal was to win all the games, and so far, we’re doing well. Today, we defeated the host team, which makes us very happy. I feel confident that we can win the title”.
Reizel Dunechka Bruhier from Honduras said, “The game required a lot of focus. We started the sets well but lost concentration midway through. We got anxious when it came to scoring points.”
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 27, 2024.- Keisy Janeth Fuentes, born in the province of Veraguas in the Atlantic region of Panama, made her debut for the Panamanian national team at just 13 years old. Today, on June 27, she celebrates her 14th birthday while participating in the VI Central American Women’s Championship, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Keisy had never defended Panama’s colors in indoor volleyball before, and her debut at any level in national teams is at the U23 level. She had previously represented Panama in a beach volleyball event in Costa Rica.
Keisy Fuentes PAN
We spoke with her, and through tears of joy, she shared:
“This is my first time on the indoor volleyball national team. I’m much younger than the rest of my teammates, but I feel very happy, and they have all supported me a lot. I am thrilled to represent Panama in a Central American championship.
I started playing volleyball when I was very young because my mom (Janeth Gallardo) played on a court where they would put up a net. Being so little, they wouldn’t let me play, but I loved watching my mom play and decided that I wanted to learn this sport.
Keisy Fuentes PAN
Soon after, my mom began teaching me. Thanks to her academy and her connections in the volleyball community, people saw me play and invited me to train.
Playing in this category with the national team made me a bit nervous at first, but after my first game, my first point, and with the support of the coaches and my teammates, those nerves disappeared.
I want to thank my mom and my dad (Ronald Fuentes) very much for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to be here, to fulfill my dream of playing volleyball, and to represent my country”.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024. – Belize secured a quick victory over Panama 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-20), extending their winning streak in the VI Central American U-23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium.
After starting the tournament with two losses, the Belizean team has been undefeated since their third match, winning their next three games. Belize now holds a 3-2 record. Meanwhile, Panama suffered its fifth consecutive defeat, remaining winless in all five of their matches.
Belize
Belize will rest this Friday, while Panama will face El Salvador in the opening match of the day.
Belize outperformed Panama in all aspects of the game, leading in attacks (47-20), blocks (3-1), and serves (9-1). It was a match with few unforced errors, with Belize committing 16 and Panama 12.
Avianka Avila BIZ
Avianka Ávila, setter of Belize said, “Our win today was a very important one because we won it in three sets, and it helps us get a step closer to hopefully being able to bring a medal home. Tomorrow, we have a rest day so we are going to take that time very wisely, we’re going to rest and prepare ourselves for our last game against El Salvador, which we will work very hard to win. A medal for third place is possible”.
Lurianis González of Panama stated, “Belize is a very good team, and their players are quite tall. We played a good game, but we didn’t get the desired results. However, we know that with a lot of training, we have great potential. We still must play against El Salvador, and we have high hopes that we can secure the victory.”
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 26, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated Costa Rica 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 25-20), maintaining their unbeaten record and strong chances of winning the VI Central American U-23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.
The Nicaraguan team rebounded after a challenging second set, where they were overpowered by Costa Rica’s offensive, to secure a victory that edges them closer to a medal.
Brittany Forbes – Masiel Brenes NCA
The match was closely contested. Nicaragua narrowly led in attacks, outscoring Costa Rica 48-47. Costa Rica, however, led in blocks (9-6) and serves (5-2). The 33 unforced errors by Costa Rica significantly contributed to their defeat.
With this win, Nicaragua now has a 4-0 record. They are set to play against Honduras on Friday and will wrap up their schedule on Saturday against Guatemala. Costa Rica, with a 2-2 record, will face Guatemala on Friday and conclude their participation against Honduras on Saturday.
Brittany Forbes led Nicaragua with 13 points, while Brisa Pérez contributed 12 points. The top scorer of the match was Costa Rica’s Ana Victoria Rojas, who scored 14 points, followed by Ester Abarca with 11 points.
Melina Ester Abarca CRC
Reflecting on the game, Brittany Forbes from Nicaragua said, “Costa Rica is a very tough opponent. We knew they were coming strong, but we were determined to win, and in the end, we did it. We still have two games left, and we know they will be tough, against Guatemala and Honduras”.
Ester Abarca of Costa Rica remarked, “It was a very challenging game for both teams. I feel we gave our best, but we made too many mistakes which weakened us. However, I am confident that we will go all out in the next matches and aim to climb back up the standings”.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024.- Belize defeated Honduras 3 sets to 1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-21, and 25-22) in the final match of the fourth day of the VI Central American U23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.
In the second set, Honduras made a comeback from a 13-21 deficit to win the set 25-23. In the third set, history almost repeated itself as Honduras quickly closed the gap with Belize, but the Belizeans managed to secure the final points to close out the set.
Belize found their rhythm and secured their second consecutive victory, now holding a record of 2 wins and 2 losses. Meanwhile, Honduras lost their undefeated record and ended the day with 2 wins and 1 loss.
This Thursday, Belize will play against Panama, and Honduras will face Guatemala.
Belize outperformed Honduras in all areas of play, 52-33 in attacks, 9-6 in blocks, and 9-3 in serves.
For Belize, three players scored in double digits, Fatoumata Camara with 23 points, Nisaan Martínez with 18 points, and Gareth Bruce with 13 points. For Honduras, Rocío Duron and Andrea Aceituno each scored 10 points.
“In the second set I think we got comfortable the game, we were up a lot, we had it in the bag and that’s why we lost in the second set. Our coaches talked to us very well and told us we shouldn’t lose our confidence in ourselves no matter what is happening. We’ve trained so hard for a good outcome and that was what motivated us to come back in the third and fourth set and fight really hard”, said Gareth Bruce of Belize.
Rocío Duron from Honduras expressed, “We lacked that extra push in the game; we were giving it our all, but we still fell short. We have tough matches ahead, and we’re going to fight and achieve our goal”, she emphasized.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024.- The Costa Rica National Team returned to the victory path after defeating El Salvador 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-22) in the second match of the fourth day of the VI Central American U23 Women’s Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.
Following yesterday’s painful defeat against Belize, Costa Rica is back on track and remains in contention for the top position in the tournament. The Ticas now have a record of 2 wins and 1 loss. On the other hand, El Salvador suffers its fourth consecutive defeat, remaining winless with a 0-4 record.
This Thursday, Costa Rica will face Nicaragua in the first match of day five, a crucial game for the tricolor team if they want to keep their title hopes alive. El Salvador will rest on that day.
Costa Rica outperformed El Salvador in attacks 34-18 and was much more effective in serving with a 14-3 advantage. El Salvador held their ground well at the net and was better in blocking with a 5-4 edge.
Allison Méndez ESA
Ester Abarca of Costa Rica was the top scorer of the match with 11 points, two of them from serves. Ana Victoria Rojas and Bennet Blackwood supported the attack with 10 points each. For El Salvador, their captain Daniela López was the top scorer with 8 points, and Silvia Inés Juárez assisted with 7 points.
“Today, the team was very good. After yesterday’s match, it brought us closer together and motivated us to focus on each game and keep winning the remaining matches to achieve our ultimate goal, which is the title,” said Bennet Blackwood from Costa Rica after the match.
Meanwhile, Daniela López, the captain of El Salvador, commented: “We congratulate Costa Rica on the victory. In the first sets, we were a bit unfocused and weren’t fulfilling our roles on the court. It wasn’t until the third set that we started scoring points. I hope we can continue like this for the rest of the tournament.”
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