Tag: Afecavol

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.

ÁLBUM ENTREVISTAS PRELIMINARES

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.

Check the Honors here: PALMARES U21 FEMENINO DE VOLEIBOL

The event consists of a round-robin format, with two daily matches starting from July 16.

AFECAVOL U21 FEMENINO

Competition Schedule:

Tuesday, July 16

4:00 pm Guatemala vs El Salvador

6:00 pm Opening Ceremony

7:30 pm Belize vs Nicaragua

Wednesday, July 17

5:00 pm Nicaragua vs El Salvador

7:30 pm Belize vs Honduras

Thursday, July 18

5:00 pm Guatemala vs Nicaragua

7:30 pm Honduras vs El Salvador

Friday, July 19

5:30 pm Guatemala vs Honduras

8:00 pm Belize vs El Salvador

Saturday, July 20

5:30 pm Honduras vs Nicaragua

8:00 pm Guatemala vs Belize

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.

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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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: 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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.

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.

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 will rest this Friday, while Panama will face El Salvador in the opening match of the day.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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 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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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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.

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.”

Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 26, 2024.- Guatemala secured a 3-0 victory over Panama a score of 25-22, 25-15, and 25-12, kicking off the fourth day of the VI Central American U23 Women’s Championship at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

With this win, Guatemala achieves its third consecutive victory, remaining undefeated. In their next match, they will face the host team, Honduras. Meanwhile, Panama is still searching for its first win, with a 0-3 record, and will play against Belize on day five.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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Guatemala outperformed Panama in attacks, blocks, and serves. They were dominant in attacks with a 42-20 lead, had a comfortable 4-0 advantage in blocks, and also led in serves 5-3.

María Andrea Santa Cruz was the top scorer of the match with 12 points, followed by Andrea Mendizábal with 10 points. For Panama, Ekaterina Ureña was the leading scorer with 6 points.

“We are very united and have worked hard to aim for the title. We are strong and determined. Panama is a team that defends a lot and well, and we had to adapt to their game,” said Ivana Sopegno from Guatemala.

Breyska Pinzón, Panama’s libero, commented, “It was a very close game. We gave it our all on the court. Our biggest strength is our defense, and that’s what we’ve been focusing on to improve as a team. We’re going to keep giving our best; we want to win and we are working towards that.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 25, 2024.- Honduras earned a huge win over El Salvador 3-0 (25-15, 25-19 y 25-12) on Tuesday, to remain undefeated in two matches at the VI U23 Women’s Central American Championship at Gimnasio Jorge Galeano in Tegucigalpa.

Honduras fought every point against El Salvador, who continued to show their great defense. With this result, Honduras has 2 wins and no losses, while El Salvador lost their third match and has yet to know victory.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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Honduras dominated every area of the game, they led El Salvador in attacks 35-17, i blocks 4 to 1 and in serves 8 to 6.

Andrea Aceituno of Honduras led all scorers, with 15 points, on 2 blocks and three serves. Also from Honduras, Andrea Duarte and Marcela Laguardia supported Aceituno and their team with 7 points each.

From El Salvador, Daniela Lopez was their top scorer with 9 points and Monserrat Joachin reached 5 points.

Andrea Zúñiga, libero of Honduras commented, “We ended up winning the match, but we were a bit low, I think we can perform better on court, we can play better, more successful. I hope tomorrow will go differently and have better results”.

Gabriela Portillo, libero of El Salvador said “We started off slow, we got together, but in the third set we lost focus and Honduras took advantage of our mental errors. In the next matches we are going to try more unity and work as a team to improve in each match”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras. June 24, 2024.- Nicaragua defeated Panamá 3-0  (25-11, 25-14, 25-20) in the second match of day three at the VI U23 Women’s Central American Championship at Gimnasio Jorge Galeno in Tegucigalpa.

Once again Panama showed to have one of the best defenses in the tournament, Nicaragua prevailed thanks to their experience and smart play on the court. In the last set, Nicaragua had to make a great effort to finish the match in three sets.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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Nicaragua benefited from Panama’s unforced errors (28) to finish the match in their favor, in addition to dominating every skill of the match, 32-24 in attacks, 5 to 2 in blocks and 10 to 3 in service aces.

Ekaterina Ureña of Panama led all scorers with 11 points, among them one block and one ace. Six players led Nicaragua’s offense, with 8 points Masiel Brenes and Marcela Martínez; and  Norma Brenes, Samantha Vargas, María José Rivera and Brittany Forbes with seven points each.

Masiel Brenes of Nicaragua explained “Panama worked hard in defense and receiving, that made the match difficult, but we were able to reach the result we were aiming for, not like we expected, but we won. We think we are still on time to keep improving and doing things better in every match”.

Ekaterina Ureña of Panama said “the match was well disputed, but our errors didn’t allow us to win sets. Little by little we are improving. Nicaragua is a great team; we have good players”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 24, 2024.- Belize surprised Costa Rica at the start of the third day of the VI Central American U-23 Women’s Championship, winning 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16).

The Belizean team showed strength in blocking and serving throughout the game. After taking a 2-0 set lead, they relaxed, allowing Costa Rica to take one set. In the fourth set, Belize again displayed their attacking and serving power and blocking skills to secure the match.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

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Belize dominated Costa Rica in blocks, 9 to 5, and slightly edged them in serves, 11 to 10. Although Costa Rica led in attacks, 45-40, Belize capitalized on the 36 unforced errors committed by the Costa Rican team.

Nisaan Martínez of Belize was the top scorer of the game with 18 points, including 2 blocks and 1 ace. She was supported offensively by Gareth Bruce with 16 points, who also contributed significantly with 5 service aces, and by Fatoumata Camara with 13 points.

For Costa Rica, the top scorers were Ana Victoria Rojas with 16 points and Nhya Barley with 12 points.

After the game, Nisaan Martínez of Belize said, “Honestly, I am super proud of my team for the win.  Ultimately what we did was watch the blocking because they are around the same height as us, so we just tried to get around the block and make block touches. Our service-receive was what got us through the game.  Overall, I am very excited about what we have in store because we started the tournament slowly, but we have the potential to finish this tournament very strongly. We are a strong team; we are a big blocking team, and I am excited to show what we have in store for this tournament”.

Ana Victoria Rojas of Costa Rica explained, “Belize is a very tall team and quite strong in attack and blocking. At the beginning, we were a bit low in attitude, but we managed to take the third set as our attitude improved. We have the mentality to defend the championship. We need to keep preparing; maybe we didn’t win today, but the tournament is not over yet, and we still have a chance”.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 24, 2024. – Guatemala defeated El Salvador 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, and 25-23) in the final match of the second day of the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

The Salvadoran team maintained strong defensive play, forcing the Guatemalans to give their maximum effort to secure the victory.

Guatemala outperformed El Salvador in attacks, with a 32-24 advantage, and in serves, leading 6-1. However, El Salvador excelled in blocking, leading 5-2.

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Daniela Alexandra López from El Salvador was the top scorer of the match with 12 points, including 2 blocks and 1 service ace. For Guatemala, Naomi Monney and Andrea Mendizábal both reached double digits, each scoring 10 points.

William Fernández, the coach of Guatemala, said “Today, we weren’t perfectly in sync, but we gave the new players an opportunity, and I believe all of them managed to score at least one point, which was our goal for this game. Tomorrow, we rest, then we face Panama, and we finish with tough matches against Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua”.

Noe Fabian, the coach of El Salvador, expressed “Congratulations to Guatemala, they are a very strong opponent and made it a great match for us. We started a bit nervous, but we improved our reception and by the end, we were playing much better. There is still some inexperience among our players, as this is their first tournament, but we hope to continue improving throughout the rest of the tournament”.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras. June 24, 2024. – Nicaragua needed four sets to defeat Belize, with scores of 25-21, 18-25, 25-18, and 25-15, in the fifth match of the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeno Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

The first two sets saw alternating dominance between the teams, but from the third set onward, Nicaragua managed to control Belize’s attacks, securing victory in both sets and the match.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

FOTOS DEL JUEGO 5

Nicaragua outperformed Belize in attacks with a 50-38 lead and in serves with a 6-2 advantage. Belize was stronger in blocking, leading 10-5, despite committing 22 errors.

Brittany Forbes of Nicaragua was the top scorer of the match with 20 points, including one block. María José Rivera supported the attack with 12 points. For Belize, Fatoumata Camara led the scoring with 15 points, followed by Nisaan Martínez with 14 points, including 3 blocks, making her the top blocker of the game.

Claudia Noguera, head coach of Nicaragua, explained “It was a significant victory for us. Belize is a strong team in attack and blocking, so it was a game that required a lot of focus, and the players executed the strategy perfectly. Defense was crucial in this game”.

Lawrence Bennett, assistant coach of Belize, said “We lost our fundamentals, especially in blocking. We were not blocking properly, and our defense fell a little weak at the end of the game. I know we could have done better, but we are here to try and improve every day we play”.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 24, 2024.- Costa Rica secured a comfortable 3-0 victory (25-14, 25-8, and 25-11) over Panama at the start of the second day of the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeno Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

After a first set where Panama tried to challenge the Costa Rican team, Costa Rica managed to maintain effective net attacks to comfortably overcome Panama in the 2nd and 3rd sets.

Costa Rica dominated Panama in all aspects of the game, with a 41-13 advantage in attacks, 4-1 in serves, and 7-1 in blocks. The match saw few unforced errors from both teams, with Panama committing 23 and Costa Rica 15.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

ALBUM DE FOTOS DEL JUEGO 4

Nhya Barley from Costa Rica commented: “I think we played quite well and were very motivated. We had a lot of strength in our attacks and achieved our goal of starting the championship with a win. The Panamanian team is very tenacious; they don’t give up and always fight for every point until the very end”.

Keisy Janeth Fuentes from Panama said: “The game was a bit intense; we started off playing well but gradually dropped our level of defense, which affected us. The Costa Rican team is taller, stronger, and has more experience than us. I think it was a good match.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 23, 2024.- The Honduran Women’s National Team secured a challenging 3-0 win (25-11, 25-14, 25-11) against Panama in the VI Central American U23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeno Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Despite the wide point margins in each set, Honduras had to work diligently for every point as Panama’s defense improved throughout the game.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

A highlight for Panama was when Janeth Fuentes, just 13 years, 11 months, and 27 days old, scored her first point in the U23 category, making her the youngest athlete to play in this tournament. Fuentes finished the game with 2 points, one from a spike and the other from a block.

Honduras capitalized on Panama’s 30 unforced errors while committing only 15 themselves. They led in every statistical category, in attacks (29-16), blocks (6-3), and serves (10-2).

Andrea Aceituno of Honduras was the only player to reach double digits, scoring 10 points, including 3 from serves. Other significant contributors for Honduras were Natalia Reyes with 9 points and Shantte Siliezar with 7 points.

For Panama, the top scorers were their captain Ekaterina Ureña and Lurianis González, each with 6 points.

After the match, Andrea Aceituno, captain of Honduras, commented, “It was a game where we could show our strengths. Panama is a team that defends very well. We managed to overcome that and gave our best. I hope we can continue winning; the tournament has just started, and starting with a win is good for us”.

Ekaterina Ureña, captain of Panama, remarked, “The game was very close. We made errors that helped Honduras win the match. Gradually, we improved, and it was evident in the consistency with which we ended up playing.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 23, 2024. – The Nicaraguan Women’s National Team secured a decisive 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-12, 25-12) over El Salvador in the VI Central American U23 Women’s Championship, at the Jorge Galeno Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

Nicaragua dominated El Salvador across all aspects of the game, leading in attacks (37-19), blocks (6-0), and serves (7-4). El Salvador committed 25 unforced errors compared to Nicaragua’s 16.

Brittany Forbes of Nicaragua was the top scorer of the match with 14 points, while María José Rivera contributed 10 points. Naomi Méndez was the only Salvadoran player to reach double digits, scoring 10 points.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

María Marcela Roa, libero and captain of Nicaragua expressed, “We saw El Salvador as always, very tenacious. They possibly struggled to find their rhythm today, but I believe they will improve with each game. Our team includes eight players who just won the Final Four last week, bringing the excitement and enthusiasm from that title. We also have new generations joining with very high skill levels”.

Daniela Alexandra López, the captain of El Salvador, commented, “I congratulate the Nicaraguan team on their victory. They are a strong team. Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve the win today, but I hope we perform better in the next match. We are a young team, not as experienced as Nicaragua”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 23, 2024.- The Guatemalan National Team struggled to overcome Belize, winning 3 sets to 2 (17-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, and 16-14), in the opening match of the VI Central American Women’s U23 Championship, at the Jorge Galeno Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

ALBUM FOTOS JUEGO 1

The first set was quite balanced up to the 6-point mark, after which Belize took control, doubling Guatemala’s points 16-8. In the second and third sets, the Guatemalan team regained control. In a thrilling fourth set, Belize once again dominated, but ultimately, in another gripping set, Guatemala secured the game.

Guatemala outclassed in attack points 51-37, while Belize outperformed Guatemala in blocks 15-10 and in aces 10-8.

María Andrea Santa Cruz and Naomi Monney were the offense leaders of Guatemala’s attack, each scoring 22 points. Santa Cruz’s points included one block and 3 aces, while Monney contributed 3 blocks and one ace.

For Belize, Gareth Bruce and Nisaan Martínez scored 13 points each. Martínez was spectacular with 5 blocks, while Bruce had 3 successful serves.

María Andrea Santa Cruz said, “The game was very close; we didn’t expect to play 5 sets, but in the end, we made it. It was a team effort; we were all ready to help each other. Belize  is very strong; they are quite tall players and have a very tight block, which complicated things for us a lot. Thank God we managed to get the victory”.

Gareth Bruce from Belize commented, “I think both teams played very well, played very hard. We’ve played Guatemala a couple of times, and they have a faster game than us. I think our team fought to the end and we did our best”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 22, 2024. – Honduras is set to host the 6th Central American U23 Women’s Championship from June 23 to 29 at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium, following the preliminary meetings and registration of the seven Central American teams.

All the coaches agree that the level of all the teams is quite balanced, and they anticipate a highly competitive tournament with a high standard of play.

Here are the insights shared by the coaches regarding the tournament and their teams and competitors.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

Álbum fotos Entrevista Preliminar

José Donaldo Ureña, Coach of Panama commented, “We have very high expectations for the tournament. Our team is a young group that we have been preparing for competitions more aligned with their age. We are very happy to be competing again in such tournaments to continue growing in our area”.

Laurence Bennett, Assistant Coach of Belize, said, “We have been working hard for this tournament. Our goal is to guide the players. We want them to develop and achieve good results”.

Noe Fabian, Coach of El Salvador, expressed, “I want to thank Honduras for resuming the U23 tournament, allowing the athletes to maintain their competitiveness. Regarding El Salvador, we come with great enthusiasm and the desire to perform our best”.

Claudia Noguera, Coach of Nicaragua affirmed, “We believe it will be a very close competition. We’ve seen that some teams have a very good level. It’s going to be a strong contest at the Central American level with several teams vying for the podium. Our team is quite young; we have refreshed some players and consider we have a team to contend for the title”.

Carlos Quezada, Coach of Costa Rica, explained, “We are very happy to be in Honduras. It’s a new opportunity to compete. It’s good to have these chances for the girls to stay active. Our team has worked very well. I feel our team is strong. We have a lot of hope, and we aim to do our best to represent well”.

Marcus Sugiyama, Coach of Honduras, stated, “Thank you for the invitation to the U23 Championship. Our team is prepared because it will be a very tough competition. We will take it step by step, as there are very strong teams in the tournament. We aim to achieve our goals”.

William Fernández, Coach of Guatemala, said, “I thank Honduras for hosting this event, which is the foundation for the senior teams. It will be a very even tournament in terms of level, as everyone has prepared extensively for this event. We come to fight for a place among the top positions”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 20, 2024.- The VI Central American U23 Women’s AFECAVOL Championship is fast approaching. The event will take place at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in the Tegucigalpa Sports Complex, Honduras, from June 23 to 29, 2024.

This is the second consecutive occasion that Honduras hosts this age-group championship, where Costa Rica has dominated since its inception in 2012.

In the previous edition held in 2022, Costa Rica clinched their fifth consecutive title defeating Honduras, with both teams progressing into the final match of the event undefeated.

AFECAVOL 2024 U23 FEMENINO

Throughout the history of the Central American U23 Women’s Championship, Guatemala has won two silver and two bronze medals. Honduras and Nicaragua are tied, each having one silver and one bronze medal. Belize reached the podium in 2022, earning the silver medal. El Salvador has secured one bronze medal.

The sixth edition of the tournament will feature all seven countries in the region, competing in a round-robin format starting Sunday, June 23.

Year by Year Podium

Year      Gold      Silver     Bronze

2012      CRC        GUA        HON

2014      CRC        NCA        GUA

2016      CRC        GUA        ESA   

2019      CRC         BIZ          NCA   

2022     CRC        HON      GUA

Competition Schedule

June 23

2:30pm               Guatemala vs Belize

5:00pm               Nicaragua vs El Salvador

8:00pm               Honduras vs Panama

June 24

2:30pm               Costa Rica vs Panama

5:00pm               Nicaragua vs Belize

7:30pm               Guatemala vs El Salvador

June 25

2:30pm               Costa Rica vs Belize

5:00pm               Nicaragua vs Panama

7:30pm               Honduras vs El Salvador

June 26

2:30pm               Guatemala vs Panama

5:00pm               Costa Rica vs El Salvador

7:30pm               Honduras vs Belize

June 27

2:30pm               Costa Rica vs Nicaragua

5:00pm               Belize vs Panama

7:30pm               Honduras vs Guatemala

June 28

2:30pm               El Salvador vs Panama

5:00pm               Costa Rica vs Guatemala

7:30pm               Honduras vs Nicaragua

June 29

2:00pm               El Salvador vs Belize

4:30pm               Guatemala vs Nicaragua

7:30pm               Costa Rica vs Honduras

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 15, 2024. – Nicaraguan player Dalia Conto Calero was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the first edition of the Central American Women’s Final Four.

Conto Calero received the award during the closing ceremony after Nicaragua was crowned champion by winning all three of their matches. She was also named the Best Opposite.

Other awards were given to recognize individual performance based on statistical data during the event.

AFECAVOL FINAL FOUR FEMENINO

From Costa Rica, Tatiana Sayles received the award for Top Scorer, Tamara Espinoza was awarded Best Server and Second Best Spiker, and María José Castro was named Best Receiver and Best Libero. Yuliana González was honored as the Best Setter of the tournament.

For Honduras, Ana Gabriela Marcelin received the award for Best Blocker.

Among the champions, Brittany Forbes was named Best Spiker, Josefat Diaz was recognized as the Second Best Blocker, and Marcela Roa was awarded Best Defense, joining the tournament MVP in the honors.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 15, 2024. – Costa Rica claimed the silver medal by defeating Honduras 3-1 (14-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-19) in the final match of the inaugural Central American Women’s Final Four Championship held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Costa Rica lost the first set to a dominant Honduras. However, starting in the second set, the Costa Rican players found new energy and comfortably outplayed Honduras, which, despite excelling in blocks, could not match the experience of the Costa Rican side.

Costa Rica nearly doubled Honduras in attack points over the net (52-37). While Honduras led in blocks (10-7), both teams scored 4 aces.

Tatiana Sayles of Costa Rica was the top scorer of the match with a total of 23 points, including 2 blocks and one ace. She was supported by Lakysha Nicolle Thompson, who scored 14 points, 4 of which were blocks (more than half of Costa Rica’s blocks in the match). Tannia Carazo also contributed with double-digit points, scoring 11.

For Honduras, the top scorer and the only player with double-digit points was Ana Gabriela Marcelin, who scored 19 points, including 4 blocks.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 15, 2024. – The Nicaraguan women’s team defeated El Salvador 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-19) to become the champions of the first AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four.

The Nicaraguan team claimed the title undefeated, having won their first two matches against Honduras and Costa Rica. They needed to win against El Salvador on Saturday to secure the championship, regardless of the later match between Honduras and Costa Rica.

AFECAVOL FINAL FOUR FEMENINO

Nicaragua was dominant in attacks and serves, outscoring El Salvador 41-26 in attacks and 7-2 in aces. El Salvador led in blocks, 5-4.

Nicaragua’s attack was led by Brittany Forbes, who scored 14 points, including 3 from serves, and Hellen Traña, who scored 12 points, with 2 from serves and 1 block, causing significant trouble for El Salvador.

El Salvador’s offense was weakened from the beginning of the second set when Tatiana Menjívar was injured. Marcela Alejandra Soriano and Daniela Alexandra López each scored 6 points.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 14, 2024. – Honduras’ 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-20, 25-17) over El Salvador keeps them alive in the first Central American Women’s Final Four Championship.

With the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium nearly full, the crowd witnessed Honduras’ first victory in this tournament. This Saturday, Honduras will face Costa Rica to determine the final standings of the round-robin event. Depending on the result of the match between Nicaragua and El Salvador, there could be a tie for first place. Honduras needs Nicaragua to lose their match.

Honduras outperformed El Salvador in all areas, with advantages in attacks (31-21), blocks (5-3), and serves (9-4), and also benefited from 30 unforced errors by El Salvador compared to the 25 made by Honduras.

Honduras’ Sasha Kawas and Andrea Aceituno were the top scorers of the match, each with 11 points. Both had 2 service aces, and Sasha also had one block point.

On the other hand, Tatiana Menjívar and Marcela Soriano were the top scorers for El Salvador with 5 points each.

Sasha Kawas of Honduras said, “We defended very well, and our setter (Gabriela Gómez) was incredible. We did what we needed to do. We came in with a lot of energy, and although sometimes that hurt us a bit, we managed to resolve it well”.

Tatiana Menjívar of El Salvador explained, “It’s been a very tough tournament. I am just coming back from knee surgery. We are a fairly young team and started training about a month ago. I think we have had a good tournament. Our opponents have been challenging and have more experience than us”.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 14, 2024. – Once again, Nicaragua bounced after losing the first set to defeat Costa Rica 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-17), remaining unbeaten in the first AFECAVOL Senior Women’s Final Four Championship.

Costa Rica managed to win the first set, but not without a tough fight. In the second set, Nicaragua reached a 21-15 lead, and although the Costa Ricans leveled the score, they ended falling 25-23.

In the third and fourth sets, the Nicaraguan dominance was evident from the start of each set, leading to a victory in the match.

Nicaragua now holds a 2-0 record and will face El Salvador this Saturday. A win would secure them the Gold Medal in the tournament. Meanwhile, Costa Rica, with a 1-1 record, will play against Honduras in the final match of Saturday.

Nicaragua outperformed Costa Rica in attacks (62-57) and blocks (7-4), while Costa Rica was more effective in serving (5-4).

Tatiana Sayles of Costa Rica and Dalia Conto Calero of Nicaragua were the top scorers of the match, each with 20 points. Tamara Espinoza of Costa Rica tied with Brittany Forbes of Nicaragua, each scoring 18 points.

Dalia Conto Calero of Nicaragua said, “I am very excited about the victory; it’s something we’ve been striving for since previous tournaments where we came close to beating them. It was a very tough game. Costa Rica is a very good team and quite tactical, but in the end, we did it, and now we need to focus on tomorrow’s match”.

Tamara Espinoza of Costa Rica commented, “It was a very complicated match for us. Nicaragua gave us a lot of trouble with their defense. The defeat is definitely a credit to the great game played by Nicaragua. Volleyball is a team sport; if we are struggling with spikes, serves, and receptions, it’s very hard to win”.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 13, 2024.- Nicaragua pulled off a spectacular comeback to secure a 3-2 victory (21-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-12, 15-09) over Honduras in the closing match of the first day of the I AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four.

After narrowly losing the first two sets, the Nicaraguans managed to dominate the next three sets, showcasing their superiority over a Honduran team that seemed to lose its way on the court.

Nicaragua outperformed Honduras in net attacks with a significant margin, scoring 72 against 47 from Honduras. Both teams were evenly matched in blocks, each with 7, but Nicaragua had a slight edge in serving, leading 5 to 4.

Dalia Conto and Brittany Forbes were the standout attackers for Nicaragua, contributing 28 and 20 points respectively. Hellen Traña also made a double-digit contribution, finishing with 13 points.

For Honduras, the attack was more distributed among four players,  Andrea Aceituno with 13 points, Ana Gabriela Marcelin with 12, Rocio Duron with 11, and Cecille Johnson with 10.

Rene Quintana, coach of Nicaragua, commented, “We realized we were struggling with blocking, so we changed our tactics to neutralize their attack, allowing us to counterattack. This helped us take control of the game. I’m not sure what happened to Honduras, but their level of play dropped significantly after the first two sets”.

Marcos Sugiyama, coach of Honduras, said, “Nicaragua played a great match against us. We lost our focus after the second set. Our serving faltered, we lost our blocking, and we left openings for Nicaragua’s middle attackers. This is just the start of the tournament, and we still have two matches to improve and get back in the fight for the top positions.”

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 13, 2024.- Costa Rica kicked off the inaugural AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four Tournament with a 3-0 win (25-22, 25-23, 25-12) over El Salvador in the opening match of the event.

Costa Rica dominated El Salvador in all aspects of the game. Costa Rica outperformed in attacks (42-26) and serves (5-0), in blocking the teams were balanced but they led 5-3 over El Salvador

Tamara Espinoza and Tatiana Sayles were key players in Costa Rica’s attack, each scoring 14 points. Espinoza scored 3 aces, while Tannia Carazo added 8 points to Costa Rica’s victory.

For El Salvador, Marcela Alejandra Soriano led the team with 8 points, followed by Daniela Alexandra López with 7 points.

Tatiana Sayles, captain of Costa Rica, commented after the match “El Salvador is a very tough team; they challenged us a lot with their defense in the first two sets. It wasn’t until the third set that we managed to focus on what we wanted, and that’s why there was such a difference in the third set.”

Carmen Chávez, captain of El Salvador, said “We played really well in the first two sets, but in the third set, we struggled a bit with our reception. Our setter got hit in the face with the ball, which distracted her for a few moments. By the time we regained our focus, the gap was too wide to close.”

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 12, 2024. – The Jorge Galeano Gymnasium will host the inaugural Central American Women’s Final Four Championship, taking place from June 13 to 15.

The event kicked off with the preliminary interviews and registration of the four participating national teams (Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador).

Both the organizing committee and members of the control committee are thrilled to host this first tournament, which brings together the top four teams in the region.

The four coaches expressed their satisfaction with the tournament, as it offers senior teams an annual competitive event. This Final Four will be held every two years, alternating with the Central American Senior Championships, which are also biennial.

AFECAVOL FINAL FOUR FEMENINO

Carlos Quezada, coach of Costa Rica, commented, “It’s a great opportunity to keep our senior teams competitive. I believe all the teams are quite evenly matched. We have prepared well, coming from the NORCECA Final Four, and for us, it’s imperative to aim for the top spot. We are here with the mindset of winning the tournament”.

Japanese Marcos Sugiyama, coach of Honduras, stated, “t’s a very challenging competition for us because we are striving to reach a high level. We have trained extensively to perform well and win the title”.

René Quintana, coach of Nicaragua, remarked, “This tournament is a first experiment by AFECAVOL. We hope this format continues so that our teams have events to participate in every year, whether even or odd years. Nicaragua always arrives as well-prepared as possible. We have some absences because a few players couldn’t make the trip, but we are committed to making a strong showing”.

Noe Fabian, coach of El Salvador, said, “This tournament is very beneficial for our AFECAVOL competition because it keeps the senior teams active every year. Last year, we finished fourth in the Central American Championship, and this year we made a significant generational shift in our team. We are bringing a very young team, possibly the youngest senior team El Salvador has had since 2014, and we want to build confidence and gain experience”.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 7, 2024. – AFECAVOL is proud to announce the inaugural edition of the AFECAVOL Central American Women’s Final Four Championship, to be held from June 13 to 16 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four brings together the top four senior teams in Central America from the previous year’s rankings, based on the XXII Central American Senior Women’s Championship of 2023: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.

The creation of this event aims to ensure annual competition for the senior category rather than every two years. Additionally, it will provide ranking points for international competitions, which will be announced later in accordance with the agreements between AFECAVOL and NORCECA.

Teams will arrive in Tegucigalpa on June 11, with preliminaries scheduled for June 12. The three days of round-robin competition will take place at the Jorge Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, starting on June 13.

FINAL FOUR FEMENINO DE AFECAVOL

Competition Schedule:

Thursday, June 13

5:00pm   Costa Rica vs El Salvador

7:30pm   Opening Ceremony

8:00pm   Honduras vs Nicaragua

Friday, June 14

5:00pm   Costa Rica vs Nicaragua

7:30pm   Honduras vs El Salvador

Saturday, June 15

5:00pm   Nicaragua vs El Salvador

7:30pm   Costa Rica vs Honduras

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 30, 2023 – Setter Daniel Ralón was declared the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s Under 23 Central American Championship, which concluded Saturday at the La Basita Sports Center in David.

Ralón also won the award for the Best Setter of the tournament and was a key piece in Guatemala’s  fifth gold medal out of a total of six editions of this tournament. Thanks to his game vision and composure in facing challenges, he managed the offensive plays well with José Pablo Pérez, Jason Hernández, Javier Lucero, Carlos Caballeros, and Leonardo Molina.

In addition to Ralón, his teammate Jason Hernández was awarded Second Best Blocker.

Nicaragua received five individual awards. Jordan Carcache took home the honors for Best Defense, Best Reception, and Best Libero; Evans Solís received the award for Best Server, and Rafael Hernández was named Best First Blocker.

For Belize, Kaelen Ingram was the Best Opposite and the Best First Spiker was Juan Delgado from Costa Rica.

The Second Best Spiker was handed to Gherson Ortiz of Panama, who was also the Best Scorer with 137 points, including a record of 39 points in a single match, achieved against El Salvador on the last day of the event.

The previous record for the highest total points in a game belonged to Bryton Codd of Belize, with 29 points achieved on July 31, 2016. José Pablo Pérez of Guatemala broke the record in this tournament with 30 points against Nicaragua, and then Gherson Ortiz achieved 32 points also against Nicaragua and closed with 39 points against El Salvador.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 30, 2023 – Guatemala defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-12) to finish undefeated with six victories at the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central Championship at the La Basita Sports Center in David.

Guatemala’s gold medal was decorated by their undefeated performance in the tournament, overcoming tough matches, especially against Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Belize, in which they came from behind with courage.

José Pablo Pérez confirmed his effectiveness scoring 16 points in the victory over Honduras. Jason Hernández led in blocks with four points, and Daniel Ralón had three direct service points. Jonathan Mendoza was the best for Honduras with six points.

Guatemala led in attacks 33-19, blocks 11-3, and services 5-4, and committed fewer unforced errors than Honduras (20-26).

AFECAVOL SUB23 MASCULINO, PANAMÁ

QUOTES

José Pablo Pérez, Guatemala’s top scorer: “We feel good because we reached our goal. It was a tough championship; the teams were evenly matched. Attitude and staying united were the key to success. It was quite exhausting and stressful for me. On the day we got here, we had to play, and we weren’t yet in sync. But gradually, we came together, and everything worked out well”.

Josué González, Guatemala’s libero: “Sometimes defense doesn’t get much attention. Thanks for the opportunity. At my young age of 16, I’m very happy to have played a good role with the U23 national team. I had previously played in a U19 Pan American Championship, and thanks to the coaches, they gave me this opportunity. I also thank my teammates who supported me to keep going and lower my head. I dedicate this victory to my parents and my great-grandparents who passed away this year”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 30, 2023 – Panama closed with an exciting victory over El Salvador 3-2 (15-25, 25-22, 27-29, 26-24, 15-11) at the VI AFECAVOL Men’s Under-23 Central American Championship, which ended this Saturday at La Basita Sports Center in David.

In a match that lasted over two and a half hours (2:36), with both teams trying to secure their position in the middle of the standings, Panama managed to prevail in five sets with the support of their fans and the outstanding performance of Gherson Ortiz, who set a Central American record with 38 points.

Ortiz scored 34 points in attack and four in blocking, accompanied by Victor Perez with 16 points and Victor Arauz with 13. For El Salvador, Julio Hunter scored 21 points, and Abner Cano contributed 19.

Panama was superior in attack 67-55 and in blocking 12-10. El Salvador had a 5-2 advantage in serves and committed fewer unforced errors (21-41).

Panama concluded the event with a record of three wins and three losses, the same as Costa Rica and Belize, but with 11 points. El Salvador finished 2-4 , also with 11 points.

AFECAVOL SUB23 MASCULINO, PANAMÁ

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 30, 2023 – Nicaragua defeated Belize 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-20) and won the Silver Medal at the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at the La Basita Sports Center in David.

With the victory in straight sets, Nicaragua finished the event with a 4-2 record and 21 points. Costa Rica, which had already completed all its games a day earlier, benefited from Nicaragua’s victory to take home the bronze medal with a 3-3 record and 19 points. Belize finished in fourth place, also with a record 3-3 but with 17 points.

After completely dominating the first set, Nicaragua recovered from a three-point deficit (21-24) in the second set to win it 26-24. In the third set, despite Belize’s resistance, Nicaragua managed to close it with a victory in straight sets.

Evans Solís led Nicaragua with 17 points, including 14 on attacks, two on blocks, and one ace. Lennin Gómez added 14 points, and Denis Espinoza contributed 10. For Belize, Ernest Broaster scored 12 points.

Nicaragua outperformed Belize in attacks 40-34, in blocks 8-3, and 4-2 in service points, capitalizing on Belize’s 24 unforced errors compared to 18.

AFECAVOL SUB23 MASCULINO, PANAMÁ

QUOTES

Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua: “We knew that this match was do or die. My players were focused and fought hard, and we worked with them psychologically. We made some changes with the setter (Victor Cruz) that worked for us, as did Denis Espinoza, who started today. As always, there are setbacks, injured players, or injuries on the first day of the tournament that made us change the game plan, but that’s how it goes”.

Evans Solís, top scorer of Nicaragua: “We feel super proud after securing this victory. We came to the tournament with different expectations, but second place is very acceptable because we knew the tournament would be tough. And this match against Belize was also challenging because we had several five-set matches, and we were a bit tired. The fighting spirit and the desire to win helped us. It also holds a special meaning for me because my uncle passed away two years ago, and I dedicate this victory to him”. 

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 29, 2023 – Guatemala defeated Panama 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-17, 25-17) and won its fifth title in the AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Championships with still one match left in the sixth edition of the tournament.

Guatemala has only stumbled once in the six editions of Age-group, which was last year against Nicaragua. Even though they faced tough matches this year, they showed courage to earn victories in games that seemed lost.

With a strong defense that allowed setter Daniel Ralón to distribute the ball effectively to his attackers, Guatemala forged their crown and put the final gem in the fourth set with a convincing 25-17.

José Pablo Pérez was once again the leading attacker for Guatemala with 22 points, and Carlos Caballeros contributed 11. Gherson Ortiz was the top scorer for Panama with 27 points, and Denzel Arboine added 12.

Guatemala had led 50-48 in attacks, 7-5 in blocks and 7-3 in aces, while committing 19 unforced errors compared to Panama’s 31.

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QUOTES

Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “This is a very interesting competition; in every  country, we have very talented athletes, and they demand that we come well-prepared. This is a competitive tournament, not just participative, and it helps us continue to improve the level of play. In fact, this category is the foundation of the senior national teams. It is played at a high level and is very demanding, with intense rivalry in Central America. We have a bright future; that’s why we give the younger players the opportunity  to take on responsibility”.

Javier Lucero, captain of Guatemala: “We dedicate the first photo to our physiotherapist who always accompanies us, for the work he does with us, but this time he couldn’t be here. We are very happy with the result; that’s what we came here for, to be champions, and we continue to collect more gold medals for Guatemala and raise its name high”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 29, 2023 – Nicaragua battled to defeat Honduras 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20) and reached three wins with two losses at the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at Centro Deportivo La Basita.

Honduras, which has no victories in this tournament, started by winning the first set due to Nicaragua’s passiveness, who couldn’t respond. Leonardo Villegas of Honduras scored 11 points in that first set.

Nicaragua managed to recover to lock the win in four sets but struggled to overcome  Honduras’ persistent offense.

Lenín Gómez and Josué Blandón led Nicaragua with 15 points each. Leonardo Villegas from Honduras led all scorers with 28 points, and his teammate Javier Díaz added 15 points.

Nicaragua scored 38 points on Honduras’ unforced errors, while Honduras held a 52-50 advantage in attacks, 10-7 in blocks, and 5-1 in aces. Nicaragua gave away 19 points on  errors.

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QUOTES

Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua: “Now, everything is getting complicated for us because we should have won in three sets. The tournament is becoming challenging for us due to our setters (one of the starters got injured before the tournament), and we had to use an opposite player to secure the match, and we did it”.

“We don’t see tomorrow’s game (against Belize) as difficult or impossible. We must bring out the best from the entire team to try to defeat Belize and have a chance at the medal, but it will be tough. My team knows that tomorrow is do or die, and it will depend on the attitude we bring to the game”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 29, 2023 – Costa Rica concluded the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship defeating El Salvador 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-19) on the penultimate day of the event at Centro Deportivo La Basita.

Costa Rica finished the tournament with three wins and three losses, awaiting the results of the other teams to determine their final position. El Salvador has a record of 2-3 and will play against Panama on Saturday at 7:30 PM (Panama time).

Yulius Brown finished strong with 17 points, Juan Diego Delgado with 13, and Andru Jones with 12 for Costa Rica. Abner Cano of El Salvador was the top scorer of the match with 19 points.

Costa Rica held a 41-38 advantage in the attacks and led El Salvador by a significant 12-2  margin in blocks, with four effective blocks from Alessandro Signini and three from Jones. Additionally, Costa Rica had a 2-1 advantage in serves. El Salvador committed 20 unforced errors compared to 14 by the winners.

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QUOTES

Johan Morales, coach of Costa Rica: “Obviously, I would have liked to finish in the top three. Now, I must wait for the results, but I am very happy with the boys. This is a new process that is just beginning. It’s the first time I have a junior national team, and I am very proud of them. In the end, we closed as we had to. We had the opportunity to beat Nicaragua and Guatemala, but these are the things that come with experience, like Guatemala has, they know how to finish”.

“That’s what we are looking for in Costa Rica, to have that experience against high-level teams because in Central America, we are very evenly matched in men’s volleyball. I’m going back home, maybe not happy, but content because we have grown with these new players.”

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 28, 2023 – Guatemala (4-0) continues its dominant performance after defeating Costa Rica 3-1 (22-25, 28-26, 25-16, 25-21) on day five of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

After losing the first set, Guatemala responded in the second by focusing on their defense, allowing them to recover from a four-point deficit (16-20) and then a two-point deficit (20-22) to close with a dramatic 28-26 and tie the match.

In the third and fourth sets, Costa Rica maintained the pressure, but setter Daniel Ralón distributed Guatemala’s attack between Carlos Caballeros and Yefeson Zavala, who each finished with 16 points, Jason Hernández with 15, and Leonardo Molina with 14.

For Costa Rica, Juan Diego Delgado scored 18 points, and Yulius Brown finished with 11.

Guatemala led in attacks 69-47 and in blocks 8-5. Costa Rica had a slim advantage in service points 4-3 but gave away 32 unforced errors compared to Guatemala’s 20.

Costa Rica plays against El Salvador on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), and Guatemala faces Panama at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Leonardo Molina, middle blocker of Guatemala: “It was difficult for us to adapt and find our rhythm, but once we started, we didn’t stop, and we managed to improve. The good thing is that we are more than a team; we are a family because we have a strong friendship, and that helps us. If someone can’t solve a situation, the other steps in and does it. Attitude was crucial today; we didn’t give up, and that helped us”.

Carlos Caballeros, opposite hitter of Guatemala: “I’m happy to contribute to the team and reach our goal. There are two important matches left, and we will try to do our best. I feel that we are a team that knows what we’re here for, and each one tries to do their best. Today, we had a good attitude, and that was important”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 27, 2023 – Belize secured a straight-set victory over Panama 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-22) in the closing match of the fourth day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

Belize improved to two wins and two losses, while Panama holds one victory and two losses.

Belize’s blocking made a difference with an 11-4 advantage, where Ernest Broaster and Kaelen Ingram contributed three blocks each. Belize also led in attacks with 44-35 and in serves 3-1. Panama committed 17 unforced errors compared to 22 from Belize.

For Belize, Broaster finished with 15 points, Ingram added 14, while Kerwin Palacio and Eleazar Mejía each scored 12 points. Denzel Airbone was Panama’s leading scorer with 14 points.

Belize will play against Honduras on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. (Panama time), and Panama will face Nicaragua at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Albert Humes, coach of Belize: “This game was very important for us because we can still stay close to the podium. So, we talked to the guys and told them we had to be fully focused. We’ve been in situations where we won the first two sets and then failed, like against Guatemala, so today we had to be more focused in the final set”.

Ernest Broaster, captain of Belize: “It feels good to win after losing yesterday and the day before. We needed to win today. We needed to show the guys that we can finish in three sets. We started slow, but we picked up and closed the set, which is what we’ve needed for a long time. Now, we just need to keep it up in the coming days”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 27, 2023 – Nicaragua rallied twice in the match to overcome Costa Rica 3-2 (22-25, 31-29, 19-25, 25-18, 15-12) on the fourth day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

In the second set, Nicaragua was trailing 12-18 but managed to tie the score, taking the action to a dramatic 31-29 finish, where both teams showed their thirst for victory.

Costa Rica seemed on track for victory as they dominated the third set, jumping to a 10-point lead that Nicaragua tried to recover from. In the fourth set, Nicaragua had complete control, securing a 20-12 lead and forcing a fifth set after closing it out 25-18.

In the fifth set, with Josué Blandón contributing six points and Evan Solís adding three, along with great team defense, Nicaragua improved their tournament record to 2-1, while Costa Rica stands at 2-2.

Evan Solís scored 24 points in Nicaragua’s victory, Yader León added 17, and Josué Blandón contributed 15.

Yulius Brown from Costa Rica was the top scorer of the match with 25 points. Harold Rodríguez contributed 20 points for Costa Rica, and Octavio González recorded 14, seven of them through blocks.

Nicaragua led in attacks 71-64 and in serves 5-3, but Costa Rica excelled in blocks 17-11. Both teams gave up 25 points on unforced errors.

Costa Rica plays against Guatemala on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), and Nicaragua faces the host team from Panama at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua: “Another bittersweet victory because we had two players injured, and we’ll see how we manage to finish the tournament. The other guys who came in did their job and showed a lot of heart and courage to recover from a good lead that Costa Rica took from us. We will keep working to recover them and try to be on the podium because I believe we still have many possibilities”.

Jordan Carcache, libero of Nicaragua: “We are super happy; it was a victory that really cost us. Everyone did their job, both those on the court and those who came in because we have players with a high level. We managed to recover from a big disadvantage, and that helped us regain some confidence”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 27, 2023 – Guatemala reached three victories with zero losses after prevailing over El Salvador 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-21) on the fourth day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

Guatemala was trailing from the beginning set with a four-point deficit 8-12 but managed to take the lead when they reached the technical timeout at 16-12 without any response from El Salvador, maintaining the advantage until the end.

Guatemala capitalized on scoring 30 points from El Salvador’s errors and gave up 18. The match was balanced with a 36-34 advantage in attacks for Guatemala, both teams tied at 6 in blocks and 3 in points from serves.

José Pablo Pérez was Guatemala’s top scorer with 12 points, followed by Jason Hernández who added 10. For El Salvador, Julio Hunter scored 12 points, while Abner Cano and Douglas Gómez each scored 10 points.

Guatemala remains the only undefeated team in the tournament, while El Salvador holds a 2-2 record. On Thursday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), Guatemala will face Costa Rica, while El Salvador will have a rest day.

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QUOTES

Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “El Salvador put us in a tight spot; they started playing a more effective game, but once again, we managed to balance, come back, and win the match. The truth is that these five points help us a lot in the standings. We still have half of the championship left, and we want to take it one game at a time to see how we progress in the competition”.

Jason Hernández, middle blocker of Guatemala: “We reached the goal of winning in three sets, which leaves us quite satisfied because it was our main objective. Now, we need to make the most of the rest day because we have another demanding match ahead, and we need to be in the best condition. We must be very aware of what we do in each game and make the most of the rest periods. We already have 13 sets under our belt halfway through the tournament”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 26, 2023 – Costa Rica defeated Panama 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-16) to secure their second victory qt the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

Costa Rica (2-1) faced resistance from Panama (1-1) in the early points of each set, but with consistent attacking and good defense, they took a lead that proved impossible for their rivals to overcome.

Costa Rica led in attacks 46-30, blocks 9-3, and serves 4-3. Both teams committed a similar number of unforced errors, Costa Rica with 15 and Panama with 16.

Yulius Brown with 19 points (15 attacks, two blocks, two aces) was Costa Rica’s top scorer, while Juan Delgado finished with 17 points, and Harold Rodríguez with 12. For Panama, Denzel Airbone led with 13 points, and Gherson Ortiz contributed 11.

On Wednesday, Costa Rica (2-1) will face Nicaragua (1-1) at 5:00 p.m. (Panama time), while Panama (1-1) will take on Belize (1-2) at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Yulius Brown, top scorer of Costa Rica: “This result helps us a lot to have a good point difference. I am very proud and happy for this victory. I think the key today was consistency, not missing serves, maintaining the attack, and continuing to work together.”

Juan Delgado, outside hitter of Costa Rica: “We are very happy because in this tournament, we have been improving gradually. In the first match, we were a bit nervous, for some of the players it’s their first time in the national team, but thanks to God, we have been able to adapt a bit more, and with the work of our coaches and all the teammates, coming together as a group, we have been able to win matches”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 26, 2023 – El Salvador secured its second victory of the event after defeating Honduras 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-10) at the beginning of the third day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

Honduras still hasn’t seen victory in three outings, and on Tuesday, they couldn’t overcome a focused El Salvador that did edged with its serves and was effective in blocking.

El Salvador (2-1) led in attacks 33-23, blocks 10-5, and serves 8-1. Oscar Martínez stood out with four effective blocks, Abner Cano and Julio Hunter with 4 and 3 aces respectively for El Salvador, which committed only 15 unforced errors compared to 24 by their opponents.

Abner Cano scored 13 points for El Salvador, and Leonardo Villegas from Honduras scored 11.

On Wednesday, El Salvador will face Guatemala at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), while Honduras has a rest day.

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QUOTES

Fernando Navarro, libero of El Salvador: “After the first game, we have gained confidence and improved as a team, which has been important. We always prepare to face strong teams; the mindset changes a lot when you come in focused and prepared for what you’ve been training for. We have the goal of defending the bronze from the last edition, and God willing, we can change the color of the medal”.

Ricardo Mira, middle blocker of El Salvador: “I’m happy that the team is starting to come together. The first day was a bit strange, as we were getting the team focused, but today we looked better and getting in better shape as a team”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 25, 2023 – Costa Rica defeated Honduras 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-18) to lock their first victory in the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at the La Basita Sports Center.

Costa Rica outperformed Honduras in attack 38-27, blocking 12-6, and serving 6-3. Both teams committed 19 unforced errors.

Juan Diego Delgado with 19 points was the top scorer for Costa Rica, with Harold Rodríguez and Yulius Brown contributing 12 points each. Leonardo Villegas with 11 and Jonathan Mendoza with 10 were the top scorers for Honduras.

Honduras will play against El Salvador on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama Time), and Costa Rica will face Panama at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Johan Morales, coach of Costa Rica: “After yesterday’s match, the team needed this victory because they seemed very nervous, very tense. We also started a bit tense in this match, but we managed to turn the circumstances around with a very important 3-0 win. Credit must be given to the opponent as they also made their effort”.

Luis Solano, captain of Costa Rica: “Today, we were better as a team. Honduras played a good game, but with confidence, we managed to gain an advantage, especially in the closing moments. We always stayed very close, even coming from behind in some sets to come back and win”.

Héctor Duarte, captain of Honduras: “I think we could have done much better, but we had lapses in concentration, and the emotional aspect affected us quite a bit. In the first and third sets, we started well and then dropped, and we couldn’t recover. We can improve so we can show a better version of us”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 25, 2023 – El Salvador managed to recover after losing the first set and overcome a three-point deficit in the fourth set to defeat Belize 3-1 (12-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22) on the second day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at the La Basita Sports Center.

Belize was dominant in the first set, establishing an overwhelming lead over El Salvador, scoring five aces and three blocking points. From the second set onward, things changed, with Belize committing 10 unforced errors and limited to just one block, without scoring points on service. In the third set, El Salvador led the attack, just as they did in the fourth set when they rallied from being down 18-21 to finish with a 25-22 victory.

El Salvador led the attack 49-48. Belize performed better in blocking 9-2 and in serving 8-3, but they committed 33 unforced errors compared to 27 from El Salvador.

Julio Hunter scored 18 points, followed by Abner Cano with 15 for El Salvador. Kaelen Ingram from Belize was the top scorer of the match with 22 points, accompanied by Kervin Palacio with 13 points and Ernest Broaster with 12.

El Salvador will play against Honduras on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama Time), and Belize will face Guatemala at 5:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador: “The fatigue from the first day was important because it didn’t allow the boys to concentrate. Today, we were more relaxed, more rested, and we found some changes that went in our favor during the game. Now, it’s evident that we’re a better team, as we didn’t have much training this year. Our team is good, and we know we have a lot to develop, but it’s a matter of gaining confidence and reacting”.

Abner Cano, captain of El Salvador: “We feel happy, proud of what we’ve accomplished  because we improved a lot compared to the first game, and we enjoyed the match. We came with the desire to win, and we showed it on the court. The team couldn’t quite click at first, but then we did, and we turned it into a good match”.

Albert Humes, coach of Belize: “We have to go back to the drawing board and try to make the players understand the importance of every point in the game. It wasn’t that the other team was better in serving or attacking; it was our focus on the game. El Salvador scouted us well, and our team couldn’t recover quickly. The sets were close, and at the last moment, we got nervous. The lack of matches to get our team in good shape and better prepared was evident in this game”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 24, 2023 – Panama displayed strength in their 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-11, 25-13) victory over Honduras in the closing match of the opening day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at the La Basita Sports Center.

Despite losing the second set, the home team excelled in attack and blocking, especially with Gherson Ortiz scoring 19 points (18 attacks, one block) although suffering an ankle injury in the fourth set. Victor Arauz added 17 points (13 attacks, 3 blocks, one service), and Denzel Airbone contributed 15 points (14 attacks, one block).

Honduras’ top scorer was Leonardo Villegas with 15 points.

Panama dominated with a 55-35 advantage in kills and an overwhelming 12-0 lead in blocks, closing with a 6-3 edge in serving. Honduras committed 25 unforced errors compared to Panama’s 28.

Honduras will play against Costa Rica on Monday at 5:00 p.m. (Panama time), and Panama has a rest day.

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QUOTE

Eric Lucero, coach of Panama: “It’s super important to start with a win, especially as hosts. The second set was a bit complicated for us, but we managed to regroup, evaluate, and win the match. It’s positive how the guys reacted; we can’t be overconfident when we have the upper hand. They need to know that other teams also prepare”.

Daniel Andrade, captain of Panama: “I feel very happy; thanks to God, we got the victory. It wasn’t easy; we fought for it as a team. One important thing is that we didn’t lose our spirit after losing the second set. We kept fighting and climbing to win the match”.

José Reyes, coach of Honduras: “Honestly, I’m pleased; the guys did a good job against the host team. We have experienced players and many young ones who need that experience, and there are several scenarios where you can give them the opportunity, hoping they gain experience. Overall, I liked how they performed and faced the first game”.

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 24, 2023 – Nicaragua began with a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-16, 25-18) over El Salvador in the second match of the opening day of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at the La Basita Sports Center.

Defending champion Nicaragua was strong in blocking with a 9-3 advantage, they also led 5-2 in service points and 28-25 in attacks. El Salvador committed 33 unforced errors, while Nicaragua had 23.

Josué Blandón scored 10 points for Nicaragua, while Gustavo Ortiz secured eight for El Salvador.

El Salvador will face Belize on Monday at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), and Nicaragua will go up against Guatemala at 7:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua: “Today is a bittersweet day because we don’t know if our opposite player (Yerick García) who got injured today will continue, and we had to win the match, and that was the objective. Let’s see what awaits us tomorrow; we can only take it one game at a time”.

Rafael Hernández, captain of Nicaragua: “We did well today; the team achieved the objective even though El Salvador put up a fight. I think the best thing we had and what helped us a lot was our reception, which allowed us to have a strong attack”.

Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador: “Our team had a long journey; they even canceled our flight, and we arrived yesterday with little rest. I believe this is normal with a young team that needs more time to improve. As the tournament progresses, we will see a better team”. 

David, Chiriquí, Panama, September 24, 2023 – Kaelen Ingram with 28 points, led Belize to  a 3-1 (25-16, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19) victory against Costa Rica, in the opening match of the VI AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship at La Basita Sports Center.

Ingram was unstoppable with 24 points on sattack, 3 in blocking, and one ace, joined by Ernest Broaster, who contributed 19 points, and Eleazar Mejía with 18. Yulius Brown scored 21 points for Costa Rica.

Belize led in attacks 66-37, blocks 9-4, and service 7-5, although they committed 32 errors compared to 14 from Costa Rica.

Belize will play its second match on Monday against El Salvador at 2:30 p.m. (Panama time), and Costa Rica will face Honduras at 5:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Albert Humes, coach of Belize: “I feel very good; thanks to this victory, we feel more confident for the upcoming matches. I think we had some doubts at the beginning because not the entire team had trained together, but then the players showed what they had trained for, and everything went well”.

Kaelen Ingram, top scorer of Belize: “I feel very good about coming to the tournament; it’s the first time I’ve met the entire team but getting to know each other and seeing what they’ve learned is completely different. Half of the team is in the United States, and the other half is in Belize, but when we play, we do it very well. This was like my first practice with the entire team, but we came with a sharp mindset that we were here for victory”.

Johan Morales, coach of Costa Rica: “We knew about the strength of the Belizean team; historically, they have been like that. There was a work plan that the boys didn’t follow, and for many, as it was their first playing for the national team, nerves got the best of them. Now, we need to correct things because we haven’t lost our chances for medals. It’s only the first game, and we need to focus on tactics and fix the reception, which was terrible today”.

DAVID, Chiriquí, Panama, September 23, 2023 – Seven national teams eager to claim the gold medal have gathered in this city to compete in the VI AFECAVOL Men’s Under-23 Central American Championship, to be held at La Basita Sports Center.

All the delegations have submitted their documents meeting the requirements of the Control Committee, chaired by Mr. Carlos Enrique Santis, General Secretary of AFECAVOL. They are ready to fight “point by point” to step onto the podium, as their coaches have indicated.

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Albert Humes, coach of Belize: “Our expectations are high. Belize is knocking on the door of greatness, of being number one in Central America. Our expectation is to come here and give our best and make our country proud. In fact, we have a fairly young team. We have young players as young as 16, even one who is 15, so most of our players are under 21, some can play in the U19 team and the U17 team. So, we still have a good progression of players for the future greatness of our country”.

Johan Morales, coach of Costa Rica: “We come here with a happy group, very united. We have been working for quite some time, and I believe this is the team I have been able to work with the most because of the time with the boys. We come with young players with a lot of talent and hunger to bring Costa Rica its first gold medal in this category. That’s the goal, to go step by step and steadily. At this age, concentration is crucial, and in the men’s competition, it’s very close, respecting all the opponents, as seen in the Senior Central American Championship”.

Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador: “We expect to perform well. Our team is not bad; we can fight for a spot on the podium and see if we can get a medal in the competition. We know that everyone has the same goal; it’s a fairly even competition, but some teams stand out more. We will go point by point in each game. It’s the last youth tournament before reaching the senior level, and several athletes are already in the senior national team, which is why the level is very high”.

Reider Lucas, coach of Guatemala: “We want to progress through the event. We know it’s very important because many athletes are part of the senior national teams, and it’s a tournament with a high level in the region. We want our boys to enjoy the competition, continue to develop, and try to achieve the goal match by match, fighting point by point, and having a good competition”.

José Reyes, coach of Honduras: “We have a generation that has had a lot of experience in U19 and U23 tournaments, along with the addition of new young players that we have started to form, with the aspiration of reaching the senior national team. We are happy; we have a renewed group with the desire to do things well, everyone is ready, including the coaching staff, to perform well”.

Jorge Mena, coach of Nicaragua: “We know it’s a tough tournament, and we will try to do our best, but we know that all the teams are strong, and a great tournament awaits us, of a high level. We know our rivals and the level of some countries like Guatemala or Costa Rica, but we are going game by game to see how we can land on the podium and then change the medal, but above all, give our best in each match”.

Eric Lucero, coach of Panama: “We have high expectations, aiming for the podium, as we did years ago. A very good job has been done in forming the national team; we have athletes with good experience in the younger categories. In the U21 category, we managed to get on the podium with a silver medal. We have realized that all the countries in the region are working hard. Volleyball has grown, we have all grown, and we are aiming for the highest level”.

First day, Sunday, September 24

2:00 PM Costa Rica vs. Belize

4:30 PM El Salvador vs. Nicaragua

7:00 PM Opening Ceremony

7:30 PM Panama vs. Honduras

DAVID, Panama, September 19, 2023 – The sixth edition of the AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship will be held at the Centro Deportivo La Basita in David, the capital of Chiriquí, Panama, from September 24 to September 30.

The seven Central American countries will arrive in David on Friday, September 22, and undergo preliminary inspection on Saturday, September 23. The round-robin competition will kick off on Sunday, September 24, with three daily matches.

Guatemala has dominated the event since its inception in 2012, having won four consecutive gold medals (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). Guatemala lost the title to the current champion, Nicaragua, who won the gold medal in the last edition in San Salvador. Guatemala finished in second place, and El Salvador in third.

In addition to a gold medal, Nicaragua has one silver medal. Costa Rica has a total of three medals, two silver and one bronze, El Salvador has two bronze medals, and Honduras has one bronze.

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Competition Schedule

Sunday, September 24

2:00 pm Costa Rica vs Belize

4:30 pm El Salvador vs Nicaragua

7:00 pm Opening Ceremony

7:30 pm Panama vs Honduras

Monday, September 25

2:30 pm Belize vs El Salvador

5:00 pm Honduras vs Costa Rica

7:30 pm Nicaragua vs Guatemala

Tuesday, September 26

2:30 pm El Salvador vs Honduras

5:00 pm Guatemala vs Belize

7:30 pm Costa Rica vs Panama

Wednesday, September 27

2:30 pm Guatemala vs El Salvador

5:00 pm Nicaragua vs Costa Rica

7:30 pm Belize vs Panama

Thursday, September 28

2:30 pm Costa Rica vs Guatemala

5:00 pm Honduras vs Belize

7:30 pm Panama vs Nicaragua

Friday, September 29

2:30 pm El Salvador vs Costa Rica

5:00 pm Nicaragua vs Honduras

7:30 pm Guatemala vs Panama

Saturday, September 30

2:30 pm Belize vs Nicaragua

5:00 pm Honduras vs Guatemala

7:30 pm Panama vs El Salvador

Medalists year by year:

Year	Gold	Silver	Bronze
2012	GUA	CRC	HON
2014	GUA	CRC	ESA
2016	GUA	PAN	CRC
2018	GUA	NCA	PAN
2022	NCA	GUA	ESA

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 12, 2023 – Marcela Araya, team captain of Costa Rica was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup, which concluded on Tuesday at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

Araya played a crucial role in helping Costa Rica win its 19th title in the history of this tournament, with 16 of them in a row. Araya also received the award for Best Outside Hitter. Her teammate, María José Castro, received recognition as the Best Defese and Best Libero.

The Best Service award went to María Andrea Santa Cruz from Guatemala, the Best Receiver award was given to Carmen Chávez from El Salvador, and her teammate Daniela Sánchez was awarded Best Setter.

From Belize, Nelissa Ramírez was named the second Best Outside Hitter, and Nissan Martínez was the second Best Blocker.

The awards for Best Blocker and Best Scorer went to Ana Gabriela Marcelín from Honduras.

The Best Opposite award was presented to Lolette Rodríguez from Nicaragua.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA 

After receiving the recognition as the Most Valuable Player of the event, Marcela Araya said, “It’s truly a night filled with many emotions. Thank God we were able to finish strong despite that first set we had. I am infinitely thankful to God for my health, for allowing me to play for almost 17 years with the national team, which makes me proud. I am happy to have ended my indoor volleyball career with this group of warriors; that’s what they are, and now it’s time to celebrate”.

She added, “I also want to thank the coaching staff, each and every person who supports us, and the girls for their commitment, which is reflected on the court, but it’s the result of what we have cultivated during our training”.

Costa Rica’s coach, Pablo Acuña, praised Marcela, saying, “She is a player who is prepared to be the best in every game, with an exemplary work ethic. Today, she bids farewell to the National Team; it was her last game, and she deserves all the highest honors as the best player of the event”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 12, 2023 – Costa Rica defeated Honduras 3-1 (17-25, 25-17, 25-12, 25-18) on the final day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Championship at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex adding another title to their collection that began in 1977

Costa Rica clinched their 19th title, their 16th in a row since 1993. Besides Costa Rica, only Panama and Honduras have claimed the Central American title; Panama twice (1974, 1976) and Honduras once in 1991.

This is the second silver medal for Honduras, their first was in 1997, and they hadn’t reached the Central American podium since then.

After losing the first set, coach Pablo Acuña adjusted, bringing in Tannia Carazo and Angélica Rodríguez, who contributed to their team’s strong control of the game.

Costa Rica dominated in attacks 49-31, blocks 9-4, and serves 9-6, while committing 31 unforced errors (mostly in the first set) compared to Honduras’ 25.

Tatiana Sayles was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 19 points, Tannia Carazo scored 16, and Marcela Araya contributed 13. Ana Marcelín was Honduras’ top scorer with 13 points.

Both Carazo and team captain Marcela Araya received a recognition from their teammates as they announced that this was their last match with the national team, concluding careers of over 15 years with the Costa Rican national team.

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QUOTES

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “The game was challenging; we knew Honduras would play a good game. They are a team that has been improving, with good players and coaching staff. I’m very pleased that all the players were able to contribute to the team as they did throughout the tournament. Against Nicaragua, it was Mónica, today it was Tannia, Tamara stood out in another match; that says a lot about their character and preparation”.

Tannia Carazo, outside hitter of Costa Rica: “I’m very happy to have contributed to my team. From the beginning of the tournament, I brought a mentality of fighting and helping my teammates, whether on or off the court. Today, I was given the opportunity, and I’m truly delighted because I came with a strong desire to contribute to my team; that was very clear to me. This is a day filled with many emotions. I’m very happy to say farewell in this way. It has been a beautiful and enriching journey as an athlete”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 12, 2023 – Nicaragua prevailed over Belize 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 26-24) to win the bronze medal at the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Championship at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex.

This is the ninth bronze medal for Nicaragua, they also have won seven silver medals, with the last four in 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2021.

Nicaragua staged a comeback from being down 20-24 in the third set, thanks to Juny Aguilera’s serves, which included a couple of aces and disrupted Belize’s attack, allowing them to turn the score around.

Lolette Rodríguez scored 16 points, and Erica Calero contributed 11 for Nicaragua, while Shantell Arnold scored 11 points for Belize. Nicaragua committed 18 unforced errors compared to 22 from Belize.

Nicaragua did better in attacks 43-24 and in serves 8-6, while Belize outperformed them in blocks 6-3.

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QUOTES

René Quintana, coach of Nicaragua: “The girls deserve all the recognition. Almost all of them train, work, or study, and some even have to take care of their children because they are already mothers, and all of that is a great sacrifice. We knew it would be a tough match, and they gave their all on the court with the support of this great crowd”.

Miriam Blandino, libero of Nicaragua: “I feel very happy because I’m retiring from the national team with a bronze medal. Maybe we wanted more, a medal of a different color, but we all made a great effort, and I think we deserve the medal. It has been a sporting life filled with sacrifices and a lot of effort, and here are the fruits of that”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 12, 2023 – El Salvador defeated Panama 3-1 (25-8, 25-19, 24-26, 25-9) to conclude the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Championship with three wins and three losses at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

El Salvador dropped the second set to a determined Panama to finish the event with a 3-3 record and 16 points, awaiting the result between Belize and Nicaragua to determine their final position.

El Salvador led in all aspects of the game, with a 46-29 advantage in attacks, a 10-6 lead in blocks, and an impressive 19-3 advantage in serves, including 6 aces from setter Daniela Sánchez. Both teams committed 24 unforced errors.

María Jiménez Hunter led El Salvador with 19 points, and Gabriela Funes contributed 11. Hashlyn Cuero finished with 16 points for Panama.

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QUOTES

Adriana Flores, captain of El Salvador: “We had the opportunity to win the game 3-0, but the coach wanted to give the girls who will be in the under 23 team in the coming months in El Salvador a chance and measure their level. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win that set, but in the next one, we managed to recover our rhythm. Obviously, you always want more, but overall, we had good matches and a good performance, especially considering it’s a young team with a bright future”.

Maria Jiménez Hunter, top scorer El Salvador: “I’m happy to contribute to my team’s victory and motivated for the next tournament. I think it was a good tournament; there were many surprises, teams that weren’t high in the rankings managed to stand out. It was quite an interesting tournament”.

Managua, Nicaragua, September 12, 2023 – Kevanna Sebastian, a player from Belize, has become an internet sensation due to her use of sunglasses during the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Central American Volleyball Cup in Nicaragua.

Born in 1998 (25 years old), has already played more than 40 matches with the Belize national team, but it’s during this competition that she has attracted attention for a particular accessory she uses while playing.

It’s her eye-catching sunglasses that she wears due to a vision problem, making the Belizean middle blocker the talk of volleyball forums and even on Volleyball World social media.

“I have a curve in my right eye. My left eye is stronger. My eyes are very sensitive to bright lights; they give me headaches that lead to migraines. I have trouble driving at night with bright car lights, and my glasses adjust to the light’s brightness to protect my eyes.”

“I started wearing glasses in 2018, but they were regular ones. My vision worsened, and my eyes are very sensitive. If I’m not wearing my glasses, I get a headache, and after that, it turns into a migraine, and then I can’t do anything. What my glasses do is remove the glare and bright light, simply.”

Due to this condition, the use of these glasses had to be evaluated by the event’s medical committee, and they approved their use during the Central American Championship, without imagining that this would set a precedent in the history of international volleyball.

“It’s not a luxury, they’re just glasses, but they are medical prescription. I received them a couple of months ago; before that, I only had glasses for bright light. About three months ago, I started using them. While I was playing, bright light used to affect me a lot; if it hit my eyes directly, I couldn’t see. But now I have no problems, and it doesn’t affect my play; they are comfortable, and there’s no issue in using them.”

Kevanna is aware of the effects of her condition, but that doesn’t stop her from representing her country and motivating the younger generations. Thanks to her new glasses, she can continue playing without any side effects.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 11, 2023 – María Andrea Santa Cruz with 12 aces led Guatemala over Panama 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 27-25), a tournament-high on points from serves at the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

Santa Cruz was unstoppable in her serves, and in addition to the 12 aces, she added five points on kills, for a total of 17 points in Guatemala’s final match in the event, finishing with a 1-5 record.

Hashlyn Cuero was Panama’s top scorer with 13 points, three of them also in serves.

Guatemala earned the victory thanks to a huge 16-7 advantage in service points, while Panama led 3-1 in blocks. Both teams scored 29 attacking points, with Guatemala committing fewer unforced errors (22-31).

Panama concludes the tournament against El Salvador at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

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QUOTES

William Fernández, coach of Guatemala: “Psychologically, it’s good to finish with a victory. We didn’t meet the goal we had set, without blaming the youth of the athletes, but it’s something to consider. If they stay together, they will achieve good results in the future. They worked well yesterday, as well as today. We had many sets where we didn’t close, like yesterday when we were leading 10-5 (against Nicaragua in the fifth set), but we lacked confidence”.

María Santa Cruz, outside hitter of Guatemala: “Honestly, I’m relieved. I was able to make my serve, but I didn’t have it at the beginning of the tournament until the game against Costa Rica, where I managed to figure out where and how to do it. I’m satisfied with myself and the work we’ve been doing. Also, I didn’t know I had made so many “aces”.  I think overall we were a bit unfocused and couldn’t come together, work as a team properly. It’s a shame that we only achieved it at the end, but we are satisfied with our performance”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 11, 2023 – El Salvador had no trouble defeating Belize 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-14)  to start the sixth day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

Both, El Salvador and Belize have a 2-3 win-loss record and 12 points.

El Salvador led in attacks 41-24, in service points 8-6, and Belize had a slim 3-2 advantage in blocking 3-2. El Salvador committed 15 unforced errors, while Belize totaled 24.

María Jiménez Hunter was the top scorer for El Salvador with 15 points, and for Belize, Nissan Martínez scored 13.

El Salvador will face Panama at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and Belize will take on Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Adriana Flores, captain of El Salvador: “Each team is played differently, each one has a different strategy, and that’s the rhythm of the game. Today we were calmer, but always with that bittersweet taste because we expected a different result throughout the tournament, and right now it’s not a loss, it’s all about adding points, being calm and confident in what we are doing”.

María Jiménez Hunter, top scorer of El Salvador: “We came with the mindset of putting on a better performance than last time, trusting in our coaching staff and our abilities. I think we were prepared to do better, but something worked against us, I don’t know if it was nerves, pressure, something affected us, and for this match, we prepared on our day off, and things went well”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 10, 2023 – Nicaragua earned a thrilling five-set victory over Guatemala 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-14, 15-11) in the closing match of the fifth day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

The home team, supported by hundreds of fans, rallied from a 1-2 set deficit to win the fourth set and in the fifth set, trailing 5-10, mounted a comeback with 8 consecutive points, clinching the triumph.

Lolette Rodríguez once again played an important role in Nicaragua’s victory scoring 20 points, including seven in the fourth set to revive Nicaragua’s hopes, and closing the fifth set with five points, giving them a better chance at a medal. Josafat Díaz contributed 13 points and Erika Calero added 10.

Andrea Mendizabal led Guatemala with 19 points, María Santa Cruz scored 16, and Aury Alvarez contributed 11.

Nicaragua dominated in attacks 53-48, but Guatemala performed better in blocks 8-6 and serves 11-6. Nicaragua scored 35 points from Guatemala’s errors and gave up 28.

On Monday, Guatemala will face Panama at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua will play against Honduras at 6:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

René Quintana, coach of Nicaragua: “We knew that all the games in this round are tough; there are no small enemies here. But the good thing is that we achieved the victory, even when we were down by five points in the fifth set. The team knew how to do things, and all the credit goes to them. Our rookies have responded, and in the end, they did their job and fulfilled their role”.

Brisa Pérez, outside hitter of Nicaragua: “I’m very excited, very happy with this victory, with the adrenaline still at a hundred. I had the opportunity to come in, and thank God, I was able to do things right. I’m grateful to my coaches for the opportunity to be here”.

Andrea Mendizabal, middle blocker of Guatemala: “We’ve put in a lot of effort, even though we haven’t achieved the result we were pursuing, which we had back in  Guatemala. Since yesterday’s game, we’ve been playing well, putting in our courage and heart, and that’s what matters. As my dad says, one team must win, and unfortunately, this time it wasn’t us, but the spirit and heart are always there”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 10, 2023 – Honduras won a long battle against Belize 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-5) to remain undefeated and secure a place on the podium at the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

Honduras secured its fourth victory in over two hours of play, earning 17 points on the standings, ensuring at least the third-place finish.

The last medal won by Honduras in the Central American Cup was in 1995 when they finished in second place. In 1991, they won the gold medal.

Honduras did better in attacks 52-47 and in blocks 10-9 , while Belize was better in serves  10-8. Honduras committed 34 unforced errors, while Belize had 40.

Cecille Johnson was Honduras’ top scorer with 22 points, followed by Ana Gabriela Marcelín with 20. For Belize, Nelissa Ramírez finished with 14 points, and Nissan Martínez scored 13.

Belize will play against El Salvador at 1:30 p.m., while Honduras will face Nicaragua on Monday at 6:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Cecille Johnson, Honduras’ top scorer: “We are very excited; it’s been years since we won a medal, and today we are very happy. More than 30 years without winning anything, and just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Today the match was very tough; fatigue and the heat affected us, but we fought for every point to get the victory”.

Bessy Inestrosa, captain of Honduras: “Thanks to God, we managed to secure the medal. It was quite challenging; Belize is an excellent team, but we were able to overcome them. We lost a bit of focus in the game, and some fatigue affected us because several matches have been demanding, and the body takes its toll, but we always have high spirits”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 10, 2023 – Costa Rica had no trouble defeating Panama 3-0 (25-13, 25-10, 25-18) on the fifth day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex.

It was Costa Rica’s fifth consecutive victory, as they took an early lead in each set, thanks to their serving that troubled Panama’s reception and reduced their attack.

Costa Rica led 40-17 in attacks, 4-3 in blocks, and both teams scored 5 service points. Costa Rica scored 26 points from Panama’s errors and gave away 16.

Tamara Rodríguez and Marcela Araya each scored 12 points for Costa Rica, while Hashlyn Cuero scored nine for Panama.

Costa Rica will rest on Monday, and Panama will face Guatemala at 4:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “Satisfied with this match, we told the players that it was a match to minimize errors and capitalize on our strengths, and fortunately, they were very focused on that. Now, we have the final push, and we are prepared for that last match”.

María José Castro, libero for Costa Rica: “We are happy; every match is tough, and every team has its strengths, and we must get stronger each time for the goal. We must stay very focused because it can slip away from us by a small margin. We have players from different generations, and we are quite united both on and off the court; we support each other, and together we all play well”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 9, 2023 – Honduras had to push themselves to the limit to overcome Panama 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 28-26) on the fourth day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Central American Cup.

Honduras, with a 3-0 win-loss record started each set coming from behind. In the second set, Honduras bounced back from a 15-20 deficit with an eight-point streak that Panama couldn’t control. Panama couldn’t finish strong, and their opponents capitalized on the experience of their players to win the match.

In the third set, Panama had two set points, but Honduras responded with strong defense and attacks from one of their best players, Ana Gabriela Marcelín, who finished with 17 points, including four blocks, and Cecille Johnson with 10. For Panama, Hashlyn Cuero scored 11 points.

Panama outperformed Honduras in attacks 32-20 and service points 9-7 but was down 3-7 in blocks, however, Panama committed 34 unforced errors compared to Honduras’ 28.

On Sunday, Panama faces Costa Rica at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras takes on Belize at 4:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Marcos Sugiyama, coach of Honduras: “Panama’s approach is very strong, and we let our guard down, which is something we cannot do. We were playing at a high level of volleyball, and we let our guard down, which caused us many problems. It’s necessary to fight, despite fatigue, and we got the victory. Tomorrow, we face another battle, and the truth is that every day feels like a final. The girls’ reaction today was good because it’s not easy to always play from behind on the scoreboard and come back to win”.

Andrea Zuñiga, libero of Honduras: “I think we came in a bit overconfident; it was noticeable that Panama was eager to win. They played a great game, defending and attacking everything. I think it was a very tough game, and I felt bad at one point due to the heat and pressure, but my teammate came in and did a great job as well. Today’s lesson was not to be overconfident and not underestimate any team”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 9, 2023 – Costa Rica’s national team secured their fourth consecutive victory as after defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-17, 30-28, 25-19) on Saturday at the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Central American Cup.

For Guatemala, it was their fourth consecutive defeat, still without any wins, despite putting up a fight in all sets, as seen in the second set where they had three set points. However, Costa Rica managed to finish strong and take the set, which gave them greater confidence heading into the third.

Marcela Araya continues to be a key player for the Costa Rican team, this time scoring 13 points, and Tatiana Sayles added 10. For Guatemala, María García contributed 13 points.

Costa Rica led in attacks 38-30, blocks 8-5, and service points 5-3. Additionally, they benefited from 29 unforced errors by their opponents while committing 26 themselves.

On Sunday, Costa Rica will face Panama at 1:30 p.m., and Guatemala will go up against Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “When it’s Central America, it’s a different tournament for Costa Rica. All the opponents prepare to beat us, and we take it as a big challenge. We prepare so that each player is ready to play her role, and today, what I appreciate is that we had a better start than in the previous match”.

Julissa Rodríguez, middle blocker of Costa Rica: “We are super happy, but it’s thanks to the teamwork that both the coaching staff and we have been doing. In reality, we haven’t won anything yet; we still have games to go, and we need to keep working as we have been and show what we know how to do with the goal we’ve set for ourselves”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 8, 2023 – Belize struggled to defeat Panama 3-0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-21) and secure their second victory in the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup.

Panama fought hard in each set but failed to finish strongly, and Belize capitalized on their strong serving and net presence to secure the result, also taking advantage of their opponents’ errors.

Panama led in attacks 42-30 and in serves 7-6, but they committed 37 unforced errors, while Belize committed 15 and led in blocks 5-2.

Nelissa Ramírez was Belize’s top scorer with 11 points, while Hashlyn Cuero scored 12 for Panama.

On Saturday, Panama (0-2) faces Honduras (2-0) at 4:00 p.m., and Belize (2-1) has the day off.

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QUOTES

José Fontes, coach of Belize: “To be honest, I’m not very happy with the game; there are things we need to improve, and today we weren’t very effective. We also gave playing time to some non-regular players; our main setter is injured, and we wanted to see if she was fit to continue in the tournament. We need to keep improving to have more options in the tournament”.

Clara Sabal, libero of Belize: “I feel like we fought hard, and I’m glad that we were able to close the match in the end. We made many minor mistakes between the sets, but I’m glad that our team could come together and finish with the victory. I think we underestimated Panama, and that tends to happen a lot, so it was good that we decided to work hard, and I think our defense and reception were the best”.

Jenny Madrid, coach of Panama: “This is a process in which we go step by step, and we have made progress. We lack preparation and exposure, and as we progress in the tournament, we will improve. Today, we made some adjustments, and they worked; we kept the opponent under control, but in the closings, we couldn’t make the points”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 8, 2023 – Costa Rica had to use its best weapons to defeat El Salvador 3-1 (27-29, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19) and maintain its undefeated record in three matches at the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup.

Led by an effective Marcela Araya with 22 points, Costa Rica bounced back after losing the first set to a resilient Salvadoran team that showed great defense.

For the rest of the match, Araya was joined by Tamara Espinoza and Tatiana Sayles, who scored 14 and 10 points respectively, to lead Costa Rica 54-37 in attacks and 9-3 in blocks, five of them by María Alfaro.

For El Salvador, Gabriela Funes scored 14 points, and María Jiménez Hunter added 10. El Salvador was better in service 6-4 but conceded 35 points on errors, while Costa Rica committed 42.

On Saturday, Costa Rica (3-0) plays against Guatemala (0-3) at 1:30 p.m., and El Salvador (1-2) will face Nicaragua (1-1) at 6:30 p.m.

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QUOTES

Tamara Espinoza, standout player for Costa Rica: “I’m very happy to contribute to my team; we are quite united. All the effort is not luck, it’s not a coincidence; it’s pure determination and effort that we’ve given throughout the year. I hope to keep improving for my team and because of my team. We are fortunate to have several players who, no matter what, will contribute on the court”.

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “The good thing about a team is that we all complement each other, and everyone adds to the team, but it was a very difficult match. El Salvador played very well; they taught us not to enter passively against any opponent. If there was something we had to learn today, it is very clear to us”.

Carmen Chávez, libero of El Salvador: “We always play with our hearts; every game we go in with the expectation of winning it. We put in the effort to obtain each victory, and that leads us to improve our attitude and show determination. We all contribute together, and each one does what we must do on the court. For us, losing 1-3 doesn’t disappoint us that much because Costa Rica is a great rival, and we hadn’t won a set against them in a long time”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 8, 2023 – Honduras secured their second victory of the tournament by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-11, 25-23, 25-19) to tart the third day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup.

Cecille Johnson led Honduras to victory with 12 points, scoring eight in the first set and four in the second when she had to leave the match due to a knee injury. However, middle blocker Ana Gabriela Marcelín contributed 9 points, and opposite hitter Dazly Durán added eight. For Guatemala, outside hitter María Santa Cruz scored 10 points.

Honduras held the advantage with a 30-26 lead in attacks, 7-4 in blocks, and 5-3 in service, with 33 points from unforced errors by their opponents compared to 20 committed.

On Saturday, Guatemala, that has no wins in three outings, faces Costa Rica at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras takes on Panama at 4:00 p.m.

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QUOTES

Dazly Durán, standout player for Honduras: “We feel excited, euphoric because we have two consecutive victories, and we hope to get into form for the upcoming tough matches. We must improve; we have the toughest games at the end, that’s why these early matches should help us fine-tune our team play. In the third set, we felt a bit discouraged due to Cecille’s (Johnson) injury, but we hope to have her back tomorrow”.

María Alvarez, captain of Guatemala: “Honestly, it has been a quite challenging tournament for us. We don’t know what’s happening; we didn’t expect these results in these matches. We came well-prepared, but I think fear of making mistakes got to us. We’ve been there, we’ve been close to winning sets, but they slipped away from us. We’re still standing, and we must keep going. We trained a lot for this, for a whole year, put in a great effort, the sets are there, but we need that final push”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 7, 2023 – Costa Rica prevailed over Nicaragua 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-16, 25-23) to secure their second victory in the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup.

In a highly significant match to reach the top spot in the tournament and a rivalry from many years, both teams came out determined, but it was Costa Rica who took the first step by gaining an advantage thanks to their excellent serving and blocking, especially against Nicaragua’s outside hitters.

Costa Rica was better in blocking with an 8-2 advantage, while Nicaragua took the lead in attacks with 51-48. They tied in 5 blocking points, but Nicaragua conceded 30 points on unforced errors, compared to 26 from Costa Rica.

Opposite hitter Tatiana Sayles led Costa Rica with 19 points, including 15 attacks, three blocks, and one ace, while Marcela Araya contributed 15 points, including 14 attacks and one block. For Nicaragua, Lolette Rodríguez scored 14 points, with 12 attacks, one block, and one ace, joined by Juny Aguilera with 13 points, including 12 attacks and one direct serve.

On Friday, Costa Rica will face El Salvador at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua has a break.

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QUOTES

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “We knew Nicaragua wanted the victory just like us; the matches are always very tough. This game felt like a five-setter because it was so intense. They came out to give it their all, but we also have experience, determination, and the tactical plan to stand our ground”.

Tatiana Sayles, top scorer of Costa Rica: “All games are important, but this one is even more so because Nicaragua thrives when they play at home, their fans support them a lot, and they are very tenacious. We wanted to come and give our best, and we achieved this crucial win”.

René Quintana, coach of Nicaragua: “I am proud of the girls’ efforts. Sometimes, the winner isn’t necessarily the one who plays better or does things better, but the one who is luckier, and today, Costa Rica had luck on their side”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 7, 2023 – Honduras recovered from losing the first set to defeat El Salvador 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-23) with a victorious debut in the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup.

El Salvador started strong and confidently, taking the lead from the beginning against an unadjusted Honduras. But in the second set, Honduras regrouped and based on tactical work with their serves and effective blocking, turned the game around despite the efforts of their opponents.

Honduras led in attacks 40-39, blocks 7-3, and serves 10-6. Honduras made 34 errors compared to El Salvador’s 37.

Cecille Johnson was Honduras’ top scorer with 17 points, Ana Gabriela Marcelin scored 15, and Dazly Durán added 11. For El Salvador, Adriana Flores contributed 16 points, and María Jiménez Hunter finished with 12.

On Friday, Honduras will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and El Salvador will take on Costa Rica at 4:00 p.m.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

QUOTES

Marcos Sugiyama, coach of Honduras: “The decision-making to change the attitude after the first set was important, we were very dry in the beginning, but things settled down, and from there, we could see that we could grow. The basics worked, and what we trained paid off”.

Bessy Inestrosa, captain of Honduras: “El Salvador is a very tenacious team, and it was a very complicated game, but thank God it went in our favor. The spirit played an important role in our comeback”.

Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador: “In the morning, we had the injury of our starting libero, which forced us to make adjustments that didn’t work out in the end. It also affected us that we won the first set and then relaxed; I think that was crucial. We lost some discipline due to overconfidence, but tomorrow we have a tougher match, and we need to focus”.  

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 7, 2023 – Belize defeated Guatemala 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-22), securing their first victory after a loss in the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex.

For both teams, a win was crucial after losing on day one of the competition, and a second defeat would reduce their podium chances; it was team Belize who took advantage of the opportunities, especially with Nelissa Ramírez scoring 18 points and Nisaan Martínez with 10. María Santa Cruz was the top scorer for Guatemala with 14 points.

In the third set, with the score at 20-18 in favor of Guatemala, starting setter Avianka Ávila suffered an ankle injury that forced her out of the game, and Ayana Godfrey had to step in. Together with her teammates, they rallied to turn the score around and secure the set and the match.

Belize was better in attacks (35-30) and blocks 8-1 (with three from Martínez), while Guatemala led in service points (5-4). Both teams made 28 unforced errors.

On Friday, Guatemala, with two losses, will face Honduras at 1:30 p.m., and Belize will take on Panama at 6:30 p.m.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

QUOTES

José Fontes, coach of Belize: “After Guatemala’s defeat yesterday against El Salvador and despite some of our players having little preparation, we told them that we had to step onto the court with character and determination, with the desire to win because it was within reach. In the end, we had the situation with the setter, but the substitute player did the job, and we achieved an important victory that makes us think about bigger things”.

Avianka Avila, setter of Belize: “I am very proud of my team. We really worked hard, and it was a great improvement from yesterday. They really managed to take Guatemala out of the game. After the injury, the last two points were very exciting. I was frustrated because this was not the time to get injured, but I am very happy that my team had my support from the bench and could pull away on the scoreboard”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 6, 2023 – Nicaragua showed dominance in their debut by defeating Panama 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15) in the conclusion of the first day of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex.

Nicaragua led in attacks 41-16 and blocks 5-3, with Panama taking the advantage in serves 6-2, but committed 27 unforced errors compared to 23 by their opponents.

Lolette Rodríguez and Fernanda Campos each scored 7 points for Nicaragua, while Hashlyn Cuero contributed 7 points for Panama.

On Thursday, Nicaragua will face Costa Rica at 6:30 p.m., while Panama has a rest day.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

QUOTES

René Quintana, coach of Nicaragua: “It’s always good to start with a win. We played against a Panama team that pushed us to tighten up at times, but the important thing is that we came out with the victory. I believe that in some parts of the game, the girls adapted to the opponent’s style of play, and that’s not good. We used the technical timeouts to make some adjustments, and they reacted positively”.

Erica Calero, captain of Nicaragua: “I think there are many things to tune up as the tournament progresses, but tomorrow, we have a tougher match (against Costa Rica). One key is to communicate a bit more because sometimes during the game, we lack that support and encouragement that we all need to give each other”.

Jenny Madrid, coach of Panama: “This is a team that is starting a process with a mix of veterans and under-23 juniors, and it will take some time to blend and achieve our objectives. It has been a couple of long days, and the idea is that as the tournament goes on, we will improve, especially in the technical aspect”.

Hashlyn Cuero, captain of Panama: “It was a long journey we made, but despite that, we came here very willing to compete. We are clear about the work we came to do here. As the days go by, we hope to improve because it’s a young team, and we have some experienced players”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 6, 2023 – El Salvador showed its strength in its debut by defeating Guatemala 3-0 (25-14, 26-24, 25-15) in the second match of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex.

After being dominant in the first set, El Salvador recovered from a deficit of up to 4 points at the start of the second set and fought until the end when they won the set 26-24 thanks to their counterattacks on a solid defense. In the third set, it was a complete dominance that allowed them to add five points to their standings.

El Salvador led in attacks 20-14 and serves 6-4, while both teams 5 points on blocks. Guatemala committed 45 errors compared to the winners’ 30.

María Hunter, Gabriela Funes, and Marcela Soriano each finished with 7 points for El Salvador. For Guatemala, María García scored 5 points.

This Thursday, Guatemala will face Belize at 1:30 p.m., and El Salvador will play against Honduras at 4:00 p.m.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

QUOTES

Andrea Genova, coach of El Salvador: “We started with a good match; Guatemala is a strong opponent who wanted to start well, and it turned out to be a good match. We managed to execute everything we practiced in the final phase of our preparation for this tournament. We need to improve our rest management since it’s a long tournament, and we must pace ourselves well. The team that is better physically prepared will excel in the crucial final games”.

Adriana Flores, captain of El Salvador: “We have been preparing for a year and a half, and this tournament was our main goal. We have a team that has been playing together for several years, and team synergy helped us a lot today. We knew how to play against Guatemala; we implemented the strategies planned by our coaches, and that helped us secure a convincing 3-0 win”.

Julio Dominguez, Guatemala’s assistant coach: “We faced a very strong and experienced opponent today, and our team didn’t come out with the right attitude. Our tactics and strategy didn’t produce any results, so we hope to transform what happened today. In these short tournaments, anything can happen”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 6, 2023 – Costa Rica began the defense of their title with a strong start, defeating Belize 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-21) in the opening match of the XXII AFECAVOL Women’s Senior Central American Cup at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex.

Marcela Araya was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 18 points, while Tatiana Sayles finished with 11. Nelissa Ramírez contributed 13 points and Nisaan Martínez added 8 for Belize.

Costa Rica dominated in attacks 37-22, blocks 6-3, and serves 8-4, while conceding 33 points due to errors that Belize couldn’t capitalize on, while they committed 24.

On Thursday, Belize will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and Costa Rica will play against Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

QUOTES

Pablo Acuña, coach of Costa Rica: “It was a tough start, we had a long trip yesterday, we didn’t find our rhythm as we arrived a bit late, so it was normal for them to start a bit timid, out of sync, somewhat inconsistent. But with each set, we improved, and the bench players, the best ones, started to adapt and did very well”.

Marcela Araya, captain of Costa Rica: “First of all, I want to thank God for the opportunity to be here. I’m very happy to be with my teammates. I think it was a very good game. It’s always challenging to adjust in the first match, to break the ice. I feel good, happy, and I believe the team did a good job, both the players on the court and those on the bench did very well, and that was crucial because we all are important for winning”.

José Fontes, coach of Belize: “In a way, I’m satisfied because the first game is always complicated, especially against a team like Costa Rica. Although they made too many unforced errors, it allowed us to maintain some balance until point 16. However, we couldn’t close out the match, and they deserved the victory”.

Nelissa Ramírez, captain of Belize: “I feel good. I think the first part was challenging because we had to break the ice, and the girls were nervous. I feel we played very hard, fought, and towards the end we lost energy, but at some point, we could have regained our momentum, but it didn’t happen”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 12, 2023 – With an outstanding performance, outside hitter Carlos López from the Guatemala was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 22nd edition of the AFECAVOL Men’s Central American Volleyball Championship on Saturday, August 12.

Carlos López, alongside his teammates, celebrated Guatemala’s fourth consecutive title. El Salvador won the silver medal, and Belize secured the bronze medal.

For the first time in the history of the Championship, the Best Scorer award was given to two players, Rodrigo Chávez from El Salvador and Andy Blando from Guatemala, both scoring a total of 120 points each.

Guatemala dominated the individual awards, taking four of them spread across two players. In addition to being the Most Valuable Player, Carlos López earned the First Best Spiker award. His teammate Andy Blanco stood out with the Best Service award and one of the Best Scorers awards.

Belize received three individual awards, with Ernest Broaster as the Second Best Spiker, Karym Coleman as the Best Opposite, and Raheem Flowers as the Best Receiver.

Panama also secured three individual awards. Miguel Medina was recognized as the Best Libero and Best Defense, while his teammate Astergio Díaz was awarded as the Best Setter.

Nicaragua’s Emilio Andrews earned the award for the Best First Blocker, and Manuel Platero from El Salvador received the award for the Second Best Blocker of the championship.

Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player (MVP): Carlos López, GUA

1st Best Spiker: Carlos López, GUA

2nd Best Spiker: Ernest Broaster, BIZ

1st Best Blocker: Emilio Andrews, NCA

2nd Best Blocker: Manuel Platero, ESA

Best Setter: Astergio Díaz, PAN

Best Opposite: Karym Coleman, BIZ

Bext Libero: Miguel Medina, PAN

Best Receiver: Raheem Flowers, BIZ

Best Defense: Miguel Medina, PAN

Best Service: Andy Blanco, GUA

Best Scorers: Rodrigo Chávez, ESA / Andy Blanco, GUA