Tag: AFECAVOL U17 Women Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.-  Nicaragua won 3-1 (25-18, 15-25, 25-14, 25-17) against Guatemala to claim the second place in the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship. 

Costa Rica became the champion of this inaugural edition undefeated, while Nicaragua secured the silver medal with a 4-1 record. Belize finished third with a 3-2 record and 14 points. Guatemala was fourth with a 2-3 record, followed by El Salvador with 1-4 and Honduras with 0-5. 

For Nicaragua, the top scorer was Luisa Ríos with 10 points, Karen Bird with nine, and Brisa Bermúdez with seven. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra had nine points, followed by Natalia Pérez with eight and Andrea Garcés. 

Nicaragua outperformed Guatemala in blocking 9-7, with four blocks from Karen Bird, and had an advantage in serving 11-7. Guatemala was stronger in attacks 33-26, though they committed 44 unforced errors compared to 27 from their opponents. 

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Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “Today, and throughout the tournament, we saw a team full of determination, determination, attitude, and great resolve, and I believe their fight for every point to represent their country was key. The support from the crowd that cheered us on day by day motivated them and encouraged their growth. We’ve been working with these girls since they were in mini categories, in some cases, and I believe we have a good group for future national teams. This year has been wonderful for us with two gold medals and two silver medals”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Costa Rica was crowned the first U17 Central American Girls’ Volleyball champion after defeating Honduras 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 20-25, 25-16).

After battling against a determined Honduran team, Costa Rica secured the gold medal undefeated, showing resilience in every match.

Amada Campos once again led Costa Rica with 15 points, while Nicole Leiva added 10. For Honduras, Ruth Villegas scored 16 points, and Luna Janania contributed 9.

Costa Rica outperformed in attack, 40-26. Both teams tied with 5 blocks, but Honduras had the advantage in serves, 10-5, with Villegas scoring five direct points. However, they committed 43 unforced errors, compared to Costa Rica’s 35.

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Jimena Alfaro, Costa Rica’s libero: “This tournament means so much to me. It’s my last U17 competition, and I feel it was our tournament to win because of all the work we’ve put in. I can’t explain the pride I feel for my teammates, who always kept us motivated. From day one, we had our low points, but we learned that we could rise from our mistakes. Everyone taught us, our coaches guided us, the bench players, the parents, they all helped us mentally”.

Kareen Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica:   “The level of the tournament was very good; we had elite matches, and that’s why we thank God that Costa Rica won the first U17 Central American Championship. I feel the tournament was a success. AFECAVOL promotes high-level competition from a young age, and I leave satisfied. Beyond the sport, we saw the girls grow.”

Cristiam Rodríguez, Honduras’ coach: “I think it was a good match. Even though we started losing 0-2, we won the third set and fought hard in the fourth, but we lacked that characteristic Honduran grit. This is something that develops over time, with scrimmages and tournaments, and that’s why this age group is so important.”

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Belize (3-2) ended with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-8, 25-22) win over El Salvador (1-4) on the final day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship. 

Belize finished with a record of three wins and two losses, earning 14 points, and now awaits the result between Nicaragua and Guatemala to determine if they will reach the podium. 

Belize dominated in attacks 35-21, blocks 2-0, and serves 13-4, with Sara Safa contributing 4 aces. El Salvador committed 25 unforced errors compared to 24 from their opponents. 

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Emaun Marín and Akili Jones led Belize with 14 points each; for El Salvador, Katya Cunza scored six points. 

José Fontes, coach of Belize: “As I said at the start of the tournament, our goal was to grow individually and as a team, and we progressed. Yesterday, we had a tough match that we solved 3-1, and today, the first two sets were relatively easy, but we struggled in the third. In the end, we managed to recover. Overall, it was a good tournament; we gave playing time to 12 out of 14 players, and this will be important for their future in the sport.” 

Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “This is the first time this age category has been introduced, and I believe NORCECA and AFECAVOL made the right call by taking this initiative. We have a lot of work ahead as a country to continue identifying and training more girls of this age group. It was a closely contested tournament, with final positions decided in the last matches, which is commendable for all the countries. The girls’ inexperience and nerves were evident, but this serves as an excellent learning experience for them.” 

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 28, 2024.- Amanda Campos was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy at the First AFECAVOL U17 Girls’ Central American Championship, after helping Costa Rica claim the title undefeated.

Campos, an opposite hitter, was the third-highest scorer of the tournament with 70 points, consisting of 61 attacks, five blocks, and four aces.

Also from Costa Rica, Nadia Granados received the Best Setter award, and Charlotte Martínez was recognized as the 2nd Best Blocker.

Belize took home the most individual awards, with opposite hitter Akili Jones standing out as Best Server, 2nd Best Attacker, and Best Scorer. Dasialynn Thurton was named Best Libero and Best Digger, while her teammate Emaun Marín earned the award for Best Spiker.

Melissa Guerra from Guatemala was recognized as Best Opposite, with her teammate Harumi Monney winning Best Receiver. María Evans of Nicaragua secured the award for Best Blocker.

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U17 BEST PLAYERS

Amanda Campos, MVP, Costa Rica 

Nadia Granados, Best Setter, Costa Rica 

Charlotte Martínez, 2nd Best Blocker, Costa Rica 

Akili Jones, Best Server, 2nd Best Spiker, and Top Scorer, Belize 

Dasialynn Thurton, Best Libero and Best Digger, Belize 

Emaun Marín, Best Spiker, Belize 

Melissa Guerra, Best Opposite Hitter, Guatemala 

Harumi Monney, Best Receiver, Guatemala 

María Evans, Best Blocker, Nicaragua

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024.- Costa Rica pulled off almost a miracle to defeat Nicaragua 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 26-24, 15-9) on the penultimate day of the 1st Central American U17 Girls’ Championship of AFECAVOL.

Nicaragua had a 21-13 lead in the fourth set, which would have secured their fourth victory of the tournament, but Costa Rica had other plans. Little by little, they pressed until tying the score at 23 and taking the match to the fifth set after a spectacular 26-24 comeback.

In the fifth set, Costa Rica took advantage of the confusion of the home team, which couldn’t find a way to stop the spikes of Luciana Vargas, Nicole Leiva, and Amada Campos, as well as the strong serving of the Costa Ricans. 

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With this victory, Costa Rica now needs to secure their match against Honduras at 4:00 p.m. to claim the gold medal undefeated. Meanwhile, Nicaragua will face Guatemala at 6:30 p.m. to compete for the silver medal, and Belize will seek to enter the medal tally in their match against El Salvador.

Nicaragua was superior in attack with 57-35, both teams tied in serving with 11, and Costa Rica was better in blocking with 10-5, with the home team committing 47 unforced errors compared to the winners’ 32.

Costa Rica’s top player was Campos with 13 points, followed by Leiva with 12 and Vargas with 11. Nicaragua’s best scorers were Luisa Ríos with 12, Lucía Columna with 11, and Ana Carolina Rodríguez, also with 11. 

Nadia Granados, Costa Rica captain: “We were super nervous at several points during the game, but both teams responded very well. In the fourth set, I think we were behind, but we managed to pull through with maturity and a cool head. Yes, I feel super proud, especially with the entire crowd against us, there was a lot of pressure, but it’s an incredibly strong sense of pride. We still have one more win to secure tomorrow and give it our last effort”.

Kareen Richard, Costa Rica coach: “Many had already given up on that fourth set, but the courage and pride of these players came through. We also had to make some tactical adjustments in the third set, including moving the opposite player to the middle, and although the results didn’t show at first, it paid off in the end. I also want to highlight the players who came off the bench and changed the course of the game. As I told them this morning, the team is 12 players, it’s 12, and it’s great to be able to look at the bench and find solutions.”

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024. – Belize (2-2) earned an important victory that keeps their medal hopes alive by defeating Honduras (0-4) 3-1 (25-12, 25-17, 18-25, 25-14) with one match left in the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

Belize’s powerful serve caused significant damage to Honduras, with Sara Safa scoring 7 aces out of her team’s total of 16, leading that skill 16-9. Belize led in attacks 41-25, while Honduras had the edge in blocking 4-1.

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Emaun Marín with 17 points was Belize’s top scorer, followed by Ikili Jones with 13 and Safa with 10; for Honduras, Ruth Villegas finished with 11.

On Saturday, in the final day of competition, El Salvador faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., while Honduras will take on Costa Rica at 4:00 p.m.

Emaun Marín, Belize’s top scorer: “I feel it could have been better, and I think there are many things we all need to work on. What was different for me today was that I stepped up when I saw the short balls and read the game better. I’m 14 years old and I just started playing volleyball about three years ago (in 2021)”.

José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Another important victory as we aim for a medal. I think, since we’re here, that’s the goal. The girls came out a bit pressured, and a good serve from Honduras complicated things for us. They improved their game and got back into competition. In the end, they secured the crucial win to keep our medal hopes alive”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 27, 2024.- Guatemala (2-2) returned to winning ways by defeating El Salvador (1-3) 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-20) at the start of the fourth day of the First Central American U17 Girls’ Championship of AFECAVOL.

Guatemala’s serving made the difference in the match, applying pressure with their serves, forcing their opponents into unforced errors, and preventing strong attacks, which allowed them to counterattack. In total, Guatemala scored 17 direct points from serves compared to three from their opponents.

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For Guatemala, captain Regina Porres finished with 13 points, including six from serves, and Andrea Garcés contributed 10 points, with four direct service points. Tatiana Gómez led El Salvador with seven points. El Salvador committed 27 unforced errors, compared to 31 from the winners. Guatemala outperformed in attacks (28-16) and blocking (3-2).

On Saturday, the last day of competition, El Salvador faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., while Guatemala plays Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

Regina Porres Garrido, captain of Guatemala: “We are super happy with our result. We worked really hard to win 3-0, and we got the result we wanted. Our attitude has been really important, and we tried to put it into action today. We always aim to keep a positive attitude. Tomorrow, we face Nicaragua, and we’ll give it our all on the court.”

Julio Domínguez, coach of Guatemala: “This category is about development, so it’s important for the players to perform and confirm what they’ve been training, regardless of the result. For the International Federation, the U19 category is where things become more formal, but we believe we’re following the right process to keep competing in future tournaments”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- Nicaragua (3-0) battled to a 3-1 victory (26-24, 25-16, 20-25, 25-21) over Belize (1-2) to close out the third day of the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

Belize missed two set points in the first set, leading 24-22, but eventually lost 24-26, which energized Nicaragua to come out strong in the second and third sets.

The match was closely contested, with both teams going on scoring runs, but Nicaragua finished stronger, particularly with effective serves that threw their opponents off balance.

Belize was slightly better in attack, 46-45, while Nicaragua led in blocking, 6-3. Both teams were even in serving, with 10 aces each. Nicaragua committed 25 unforced errors, compared to 37 by Belize.

Nicaragua’s top scorers were Luisa Ríos and Lucía Columna with 12 points each, Karen Bird with 11, and Franchesca Viera with 10. For Belize, Emaun Marín led with 21 points, and Akili Jones added 18.

On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, Belize will face Honduras at 4:00 p.m., while Nicaragua and Costa Rica will play for the undefeated record at 6:30 p.m.

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Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “Belize is one of the countries that has improved significantly in volleyball development over the past few years, and this was an important match. They pushed us to the limit, but the girls managed to stay focused, which is great for our morale ahead of tomorrow’s match against Costa Rica”.

José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Emotional control was key in today’s match. Nicaragua is a very solid team in all aspects of the game. I even think we were slightly better at serving. We played a strong first and third set, and the fourth set was close until the end. We take away this positive experience and know that we need to keep working hard for better results”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- El Salvador pulled off a great comeback, winning 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-11, 25-23) against Honduras to secure their first victory in the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

Honduras came into the first set energized, winning 25-22 with strong blocking and effective serves. However, El Salvador shook off that initial blow and returned to convincingly win the second and third sets, capitalizing on their rivals’ mistakes, as Honduras struggled to find a response.

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In total, Honduras committed 47 unforced errors, while El Salvador had 36. El Salvador dominated in attack (39-25) and service (9-8), while Honduras led in blocking (8-2), with five effective blocks from Virginia Herdocia.

For El Salvador, Adriana Vargas scored 11 points and Katya Cunza added 10. Herdocia was the top scorer for Honduras with 12 points.

On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, El Salvador will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras will play Belize at 4:00 p.m.

Pedro Rivas, Head coach of El Salvador: “We have been playing against two teams of almost our level, Guatemala and Belize, teams in our range. We’ve been working toward improving our game, which comes with match volume and experience. The team has been progressing, and today we saw the result against Honduras, who are also on our level. Honduras is a very resilient team that gave us trouble, but thanks to the talent of the girls, we managed to overcome the situation. After the first set, which was a bit complicated, we wanted to see how the team would perform, and we found our rhythm, which we maintained throughout the following sets, and ultimately, we won”.

Cristiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “Honestly, we had different expectations for this match. Losing in this way is a bit difficult. We made too many unnecessary errors, and El Salvador took full advantage and deserved the win. With girls this age, it’s tough sometimes. The preparation might be good, but internally, we don’t always know how they’re feeling. We’ll try to change that for the upcoming matches. I believe it’s also part of the growth in this age group. We’re looking forward to giving the younger girls, who are still U15, more experience, so that in the future, in this age group, the outcome may be different”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 26, 2024.- Costa Rica (3-0) pushed to the limit to defeat a fierce Guatemala (1-2) with a 3-1 victory (25-17, 17-25, 25-23, 25-23) at the start of the third day of the inaugural AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

Costa Rica’s unbeaten streak was in jeopardy due to Guatemala’s intensity, as they fought and pressured throughout the match. However, Costa Rica’s focus and ability to win key points once again secured them the victory.

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Amanda Campos with 11 points, along with Luciana Vargas and Nicole Leiva with 9 points each, were the best performers for Costa Rica. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra and Regina Porres led with 13 points each, followed by Natalia Pérez with 12 points.

Costa Rica capitalized on 41 points from opponent errors, while committing 23. They also outperformed in blocking, 6-4. Guatemala led in attacks, 49-41, and in serving, 12-4.

On Friday, during the fourth day of competition, Guatemala will face El Salvador at 1:30 p.m. and Costa Rica will take on Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

Amanda Campos Monge, Costa Rica’s top scorer: “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match, we were mentally prepared for that. We worked on it for several days and handled it very well. Guatemala played excellently, they complicated things for us in the second set, but we stayed mentally strong and managed to secure the victory. It’s a great feeling to look at the stands and see our families supporting us. It’s incredibly satisfying to know they will always be there for us through thick and thin”.

Regina Porres Garrido, Guatemala’s captain: “We had this match in our sights, and we’ve been working hard because we knew its importance. We gave it our all, with a lot of energy and everything we had, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the victory. Losses teach us a lot, and we will always keep moving forward”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024.- Nicaragua needed four sets, 3-1 (25-6, 17-25, 25-11, 25-15), to defeat a battling Honduras in the closing match of the second day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

After a dominant first set for Nicaragua, 25-6, Honduras started the second set strong, leading 7-1 thanks to their effective serving, which disrupted the defense and attack of the home team. Honduras’ lead was enough to survive several comebacks from the Nicaraguan side, who fell short and lost the set 17-25.

In the third and fourth sets, Nicaragua regained their strength, particularly with their serving, achieving double digits in aces (outscoring Honduras 18-6 in serves) for the second consecutive match, while also leading in attacks 35-19 and blocks 8-4.

The top scorer was Nicaragua’s Lucía Columna with 15 points, followed by Emely Gutiérrez with 13 (including six aces) and María Ebank with 10 (five blocks). For Honduras, Luna Janania had 7 points and Virginia Herdocia 6.

On Thursday, on day three, Honduras will play El Salvador at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua will face Belize at 6:30 p.m.

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Denixa Zeledón, captain of Nicaragua: “I’m very satisfied with the work we did. It was a tough match because Honduras has strong defense and attack, which made things difficult for us, but we were able to get the result. We’ve improved a lot in reception and defense thanks to our coaches”.

Claudia Noguera, Head coach of Nicaragua: “It was a good win, and it’s important to secure victory even if we lose a set. I think the girls became anxious and lost concentration, but in the end, we regained the rhythm of the game. We’ve been focusing on our serving, which is fundamental in this sport, and things are going well”.

Cistiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “Today’s match was very satisfying; we played better than yesterday, won a set, but unfortunately didn’t secure the victory. However, I think it shows progress as a team despite missing a key player. The level of competition in this tournament is high, and sometimes the girls can’t control their emotions because they’re so young, but it’s gratifying to see them improve with each match”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024. – Costa Rica earned their second victory by defeating El Salvador 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-19) on the second day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

At times, El Salvador put pressure on Costa Rica, staying tied until the second technical timeout (16), but from then on, Costa Rica maintained composure and relied on their serve, which once again made the difference.

Costa Rica led in attacks 44-24, in blocks 4-1, and in serves 11-3, with seven aces from Nicole Leiva and three from Nadia Granados, though they committed more unforced errors with 23 to El Salvador’s 16.

Leiva was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 14 points, and Campos added 13, the same as Charlotte Martínez. For El Salvador, Tatiana Gómez finished with seven points.

On Thursday, on day three, Costa Rica will play Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and El Salvador will face Honduras at 4:00 p.m.

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Kareem Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica: “Thank God we were able to get the victory. It was a bit difficult, but we understand that this is normal at this level. The positive thing is how the girls managed to bounce back after hitting a rough patch. Now we need to keep growing, and that’s what this age group is for – to keep learning and developing our future national team athletes”.

Pedro Rivas, Head coach of El Salvador: “We thought we were better prepared to compete a bit more against Costa Rica. We made a lot of mistakes in the first set, which cost us, but we tried to turn things around. The girls gained confidence and shook off their nerves by the third set. We know they’re young, for some this is their first event, so it was a good result. I’m proud of the girls for putting Costa Rica, a well-prepared team, under pressure”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 25, 2024.- Belize secured their first victory by defeating Guatemala 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21) at the start of the second day of the AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’  Championship.

Belize showed more organization and strength in attack, especially with captain Akili Jones, who scored 27 points, six of them from serves. Emaun Marín finished with 19 points, four of them from blocks and 14 from attacks. For Guatemala, Melissa Guerra ended with 13 points, and Natalia Pérez with 9.

Belize outperformed in attack 41-34, in blocks 10-4, while Guatemala took the advantage in serves 13-11. Belize committed 39 errors compared to Guatemala’s 36.

On Thursday, on the third day of competition, Guatemala will face Costa Rica at 1:30 p.m., and Belize will play against Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

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Akili Jones, captain of Belize: “We enjoyed today’s match. We are very excited, it’s our first win of the tournament, and we’re really hoping to win more. Yesterday we were off our game; we didn’t play at our best level. Today, we regrouped and played harder”.

José Fontés, Head coach of Belize:   “Yes, it was a hard-fought victory, but it’s a very important one, especially because, as I’ve said from the beginning, the goal is to keep growing and improving our game. Today, we did very well in the first two sets, the first one was played well and very effectively with our serve. Afterward, we dropped off a little, but that’s normal in these types of events and at this age. A very important factor is that we played with two athletes, one aged 15 and the other 13, on the court, and that makes me very happy with how they handled the situations at such a young age”.

Julio Dominguez, Head coach of Guatemala:   “This tournament was created to develop the level in the region, and that’s how it is: you win some, you lose some. But today, we saw a very high level for this age group. I believe the team needs to make more tactical adjustments, become more disciplined, so they can keep fighting for the medals. We have a situation with the players where emotions play a very important role. But we’re going to keep fighting, trusting in God that we’ll stay strong because we still have more matches ahead”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024. – Nicaragua opened with a 3-0 victory (25-12, 25-09, 25-19) against El Salvador in the closing match of the first day of the AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

The home team took advantage of their strong serve, scoring 16 points, with Brisa Bermúdez contributing 5 aces and Emely Gutiérrez adding three more. Nicaragua dominated in serving 16-2, in attacking 32-20, and 3-1 in blocking, also benefiting from 24 opponent errors, compared to their own 17.

Gutiérrez finished with nine points for Nicaragua, while Lucía Columna, Brisa Bermúdez, and Karen Bird each tallied eight points. For El Salvador, Tatiana Gómez scored five points.

On Wednesday, during the second day, El Salvador faces Costa Rica at 4:00 p.m., and Nicaragua will play against Honduras at 6:30 p.m.

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Claudia Noguera, coach of Nicaragua: “At the beginning, the girls were a bit nervous, but that’s normal in this age group. Later, they started to focus well, began doing their job, and played as they are used to. This victory is important because it’s positive for the team to get a good result on the first day. This game gave us the opportunity to see what options we have for the upcoming matches. We know this age group is very evenly matched, and we will always focus on each game”.

Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “Honestly, the work we did with the girls paid off. We started with an advantage against Nicaragua, but like all the teams in this tournament, these are girls playing for the first time, almost 80% of the team, and in the end, it takes its toll. The anxiety of the Salvadoran girls caused them to make mistakes, but I think the first and third sets were of a good level. In the second set, our team dropped a lot emotionally, but we managed to lift it in the third set, almost forcing a fourth”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024.- Guatemala earned an important 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-21) victory over Honduras thanks to an effective serve, in the second match of the opening day of the First AFECAVOL U17 Central American Girls’ Championship.

Honduras maintained pressure throughout the match, but Guatemala responded at key moments with their strong serving, earning 12 points, including five from Katherine Vaughn and four from Natalia Pérez.

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Guatemala outperformed in attack 35-24 and in serving 12-4, although Honduras led in blocking 5-2. Guatemala made 30 unforced errors, compared to 26 by Honduras.

Andrea Garcés scored 12 points, Vaughn contributed 10, and Melissa Guerra added 9 for Guatemala; meanwhile, Honduras had Nicole Velásquez with nine points.

This Wednesday, on the second day of competition, Guatemala faces Belize at 1:30 p.m., and Honduras takes on Nicaragua at 6:30 p.m.

Regina Porres, captain of Guatemala: “We are very happy with this result, we have been working hard for a long time, and we must keep pushing, always putting in full effort. We knew how to handle the pressure from Honduras, especially with our serves, which are very effective, and that helped us maintain the lead”.

Julio Domínguez, coach of Guatemala: “Starting off like this is important for the team because, first, it’s a new category, and traditionally, the first game in any tournament is always unpredictable. But thank God the girls showed the tactical discipline that was needed, along with a positive attitude to secure a 3-0 win. The inconsistencies were expected because they are young but thank God, we were able to control the game”.

Cristiam Rodriguez, coach of Honduras: “It’s challenging to be at this stage with such young girls. We know there can be many errors in this age group, but I am very pleased despite the loss, as I can see their development, and I know things will improve even more in the future. We know they’re not immune to mistakes; we missed key points at the end of each set, but we will improve as the tournament progresses”.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 24, 2024.- Costa Rica started strong with a 3-0 victory (25-14, 25-16, 25-23) against Belize in the opening match of the First Central American U17 Girls’ Championship by AFECAVOL. 

The Costa Rican team showed solid blocking and attacking, and although Belize put pressure in the third set, Costa Rica finished strong with good defense to secure the match point.

Amanda Campos was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 18 points, eight of them in the first set, while Michelle Arias added 10. For Belize, Akili Jones recorded 12 points. 

Costa Rica outperformed Belize in attacks 37-28, also in blocks 4-0, while both teams were tied in service points with six each. Belize committed 28 unforced errors compared to Costa Rica’s 19. 

On Wednesday, during the second day of competition, Belize will face Guatemala at 1:30 p.m., and Costa Rica will play against El Salvador at 4:00 p.m. 

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Nadia Granados, captain of Costa Rica: “We are super excited because this was our goal, to win. We are very motivated because we’ve worked hard for this. Now we have more matches coming up, and we will keep working hard. I think we handled the nerves and anxiety of the first match well, we were able to control our emotions and close out the game”.

Kareem Richard, coach of Costa Rica: “It’s always extremely important to start with a win. Belize is a good team, with a great coaching staff, and they always have good physical conditions. Our technique and tactics made the difference because, at this age, the first game is always challenging, even for a coach. But the girls responded well, and we have an excellent group.” 

José Fontes, coach of Belize: “Our goal is to grow, and I believe we did that because the team looked different between the first and third sets. We had some issues in defense, but I’m satisfied, especially with what we did in the third set, as we were up against Costa Rica, a great team.”

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, September 23, 2024. – The first Central American U17Girls’  Championship, organized by the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations (AFECAVOL), offers a great opportunity to witness emerging talents and the ongoing development of youth volleyball in the region. 

The coaches of the six competing teams emphasized the importance of such a tournament for this age group, as it marks the first competitive steps for these players. 

José Fontes, Head coach of Belize: “Belize’s expectations are to see our players grow, as they don’t have much competitive experience. The first thing we will demand is that they improve and have the right attitude both on and off the court. It’s a great opportunity for all of them to grow and start learning what competition is about”.

Julio Dominguez, Head coach of Guatemala: “This is a very important category because it forms the foundation for our federations, as athletes for future national teams will come from here. We are eager and enthusiastic to begin this competition, which we expect to be very balanced. We thank AFECAVOL for taking the initiative to launch this age group”.

Pedro Rivas, coach of El Salvador: “This is a new tournament for the region, and we are very happy that AFECAVOL decided to host this event for girls in this age group. We are prepared to compete, and we hope to surprise other teams. We know all the countries are strong, but we will do our best”.

Cristiam Rodríguez, Head coach of Honduras: “We’ve come with a solid process, and we hope to perform well and secure a spot on the podium. I believe this category is very important because the development of girls at this age is more challenging. There are more mistakes, and more corrections are needed, so being in competition will help us a lot. We all want to perform well, and it’s going to be a great tournament”.

Claudia Noguera, Head  coach of Nicaragua: “Our goal is to represent our country with dignity. We have a group of talented young players, and we hope to be fighting for a spot on the podium. This age group is essential because it marks the beginning of an athlete’s career, and their development at this stage is key to achieving a good playing rhythm as they transition to adulthood”.

Kareem Richard, Head coach of Costa Rica: “Our expectations are very high. Costa Rica always strives to be a reference point, and we have worked on both technical and tactical aspects to ensure a good performance in this inaugural tournament for this age group. The girls are excited, as is the coaching staff, and we are eagerly waiting for the event to start”.

The tournament will be held from Tuesday to Saturday at the Volleyball Gymnasium of the Sports Institute (IND) in Managua, with matches starting at 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the opening ceremony will take place before the third match (6:30 p.m.), with local authorities in attendance.