Tag: Afecavol

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA 

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR FEMENINA

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 

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 12, 2023 – Guatemala only needed one set to become the Champion of the 22nd edition of the AFECAVOL Men’s Central American Volleyball Cup, and they achieved this against Panama on the last day of competition, winning the game 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-18). 

Guatemala comfortably dominated in attacks with a 16-point difference, tallying 41-25. The blocks, were 10-4 in favor of Guatemala, while in services, Panama was more effective with 6 to 3.

Panama earned 22 points from Guatemala’s errors and conceded 21 to their opponent.

Outside hitter and captain of Guatemala, Carlos López, with 18 points, all from attacks, was the top scorer for his country. For Panama, outside hitter Félix Williams scored 14 points, with 10 from attacks, one from a block, and two from service.

Guatemala finished the tournament with five wins and one loss, while Panama closed with two wins and four losses.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Reider Lucas, Guatemala Coach: “I said at the beginning in the preliminary inquiry that it was going to be a very balanced tournament, and at the same time, it was going to be very competitive due to the rivalry among the countries. This makes the event even more beautiful. As you can see, the champion is decided on the last day. We are very happy; this is the fourth edition we have won. We trusted a lot of young athletes, and we knew that with them, we could achieve a result. We have athletes with a longer life in volleyball, which helps us a lot within the group. We missed some athletes due to personal commitments, but they are part of this process.”

Horacio Angulo Calderón, Panama Coach: “We faced a quite solid team; we tried to play our game, but Guatemala worked very well. The assessment I make of the tournament is that it’s quite competitive. Guatemala lost to Costa Rica. The teams came to do their job, and it shows that fatigue reveals many things at some point; my team fell due to physical fatigue, we tried and fought until the end.”

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 12, 2023 – With a score of 3-1, Nicaragua emerged victorious against the hosts in the final match of the AFECAVOL Men’s Central American Volleyball Cup, 25-18, 14-25, 25-19, and 32-30.

Belize dominated in blocks 14-5 and in services with 5-2. In the attack, both countries were tied at 57.

The top scorer of the match was Dennis García from Nicaragua, who scored 24 points, 21 from attacks, and three from services. For Belize, the top scorer was Ernest Broaster with 20 points, 14 from attacks, three from blocks, and three from services.

Belize and Nicaragua concluded the tournament with a record balance of three wins and three losses.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Albert Humes, Belize Coach: “The team has put heart and unity to make our country proud, but it hasn’t been good enough for us. We must go back to the drawing board and see where we have deficiencies and resolve them. This has been a great tournament that I have been training for over 30 years, and this is a process where I have seen the teams so competitive, for example, Honduras loses one day and then wins the next day, a constant up and down. So, this is a beautiful tournament this year, and I hope we continue to have tournaments like this. The quality of the product produced by AFECAVOL and delivered to the world is excellent, and we have shown that we can reach the level of major competitions”.

Jorge Mena, Nicaragua Coach: Did not attend the interview. 

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 12, 2023 – In the second match of the final day of the AFECAVOL Men’s Central American Volleyball Cup, Honduras defeated Costa Rica in five sets: 26-24, 25-21, 25-27, 19-25, 15-12. 

With a narrow difference, Honduras dominated the attack 63-62. The blocks were in favor of Costa Rica, with a difference of one, 10 over nine. The services belonged to Honduras 7-4.

The top scorer for Honduras in the match was outside hitter David Villatoro, with 27 points, 25 from attacks, and two from blocks. For Costa Rica, opposite hitter Andrey Quintero scored 18 points from attacks, two from blocks, and one from service, totaling 21 points.

Honduras and Costa Rica concluded the tournament with two wins and four losses.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Marco Sugiyama, Honduras coach: “Analyzing the tournament, there was a lot of competition between the teams, a lot of imbalances among us, but we need to start the next competition with better performance in order to compete for medals. I am happy with the boys, the competition is very good, and it has been a great joy to participate. We will be better prepared for the next competition”-

Johan Morales, Costa Rica coach: “I am disappointed in myself, I did not expect these results because we have a fairly strong selection. We came with a goal that was not achieved. It was a tournament with many ups and downs, with teams that caused surprises. We knew the two strongest rivals were Guatemala and Nicaragua, and coincidentally, we beat them. We forgot about the other teams. The blow of anxiety and happiness from beating the Champion after approximately eight years of not doing so was a double-edged sword because on the next day, when we played against El Salvador, a team we knew because they even practiced in Costa Rica, they beat us 3-0 and there the team declined psychologically. We tr

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 11, 2023 – Belize defeated Costa Rica 3-1 with set scores of 12-25/25-16/25-19/25-18, and their aspirations to secure a spot on the podium of the XXII Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup of AFECAVOL remain alive.

Belize has three wins and two losses in the tournament, while Costa Rica stands with two wins and three losses.

Belize dominated  44-41 in attacks, 9-6 in blocks and 5-3 in services. The home team scored 29 points from opponent errors, while Costa Ricans earned 28 points from their rival’s mistakes.

Francis Hauze was Belize’s top scorer with 14 attack points, on two block points, and two service points, accompanied by Ernest Broaster with 16 points and Karym Coleman with 15 points.

Japheth Reid, with 10 points (seven from attacks and three from blocks), was Costa Rica’s top scorer.

Belize will face Nicaragua at 7:30 pm, and Costa Rica will take on Honduras at 5:00 pm on the last day of competition.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Ernest Broaster, Outside Hitter of Belize: “We started poorly in the first set, but we recovered in the second, third, and fourth. We played a very good match. The serving pressure was good, our passing was phenomenal; when our passing is good, everything else is good, and it’s all about producing blocks. I feel that tomorrow, if we maintain our passing at a high level, we can defeat Nicaragua in three sets. We just need to come out with fast play and not start slow, apply pressure from the beginning, and finish it that way”.

Richard Smith, Outside Hitter of Costa Rica: “Happy to be in Belize, unfortunately, it wasn’t our tournament. Today’s match was exciting, a face-off, with a Belizean team that has been improving for a while. They have renewed many players and have been dedicated to preparing the players. They have players in foreign university leagues, and right now, they are showing results. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the capacity to rise. The whole week has been a roller coaster for the team, especially emotionally. Also, I think we lacked a little more preparation to get here. We congratulate Belize, who gave us a lesson on the work they’ve been doing at the Central American level”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 11, 2023 – Guatemala defeated Honduras 3-1 in the second match of the sixth day of the XXII Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup of AFECAVOL, and with this score, the dream of a fourth championship this Saturday in the tournament’s closing.

Honduras complicated the actions in the second set of the match; however, Guatemala showed its determination and won the game 25-15/22-25/25-14/25-22.

Guatemala led in all areas of the match, surpassing Honduras 51-37 in attacks, 11-9 in blocks, and 5-4 in services. Guatemalans earned 30 points from opponent errors, while Honduras scored 26 points from their opponent’s mistakes.

The top scorer of the match for Guatemala was Pablo Pérez with 17 points, including 13 on attacks and four on blocks. For Honduras, David Villatoro scored 21 points, with 20 on  attacks and one block.

With this victory, Guatemala reaches four wins and one loss, while Honduras has one win and four losses.

Guatemala will face Panama at 2:30 pm, and Honduras will compete against Costa Rica at 5:00 pm on the last day of competition.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Andy Blanco, Opposite of Guatemala: “Very happy, although it wasn’t the result we expected. Honduras came in playing very well. We’ll wait for tomorrow against Panama, and we’ll go out with a new attitude. As the team leader, I’m very content because we are very united. We are a young team, I’m the most experienced and oldest player. They are very talented young players, good camaraderie. We characterize ourselves as athletes as a whole, and I will continue supporting them, fighting every match”.

Arturo Durán, Outside Hitter of Honduras: “We had a very interesting match against the current Central American champions. It was a quite intense duel for us since we have quite a few rookies in the team. Even in this case, we put up a good fight. We hope that for the next process, this team continues to be formed with young and tall players, and we can put Honduras back on the podium”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 11, 2023 – El Salvador won in three consecutive sets over Nicaragua, completing their six matches in the XXII Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup of AFECAVOL.

With set scores of 25-21/25-14/25-21, El Salvador dominated the match. With a 10-point difference, El Salvador dominated in attacks 45-35, blocks 14-4, and services 4-1. Nicaragua scored 16 points from opponent errors, while El Salvador earned 12 points from unforced errors.

The top scorer of the match for El Salvador was outside hitter Rodrigo Chávez, who tallied 20 points for the victory on19 attacking points and one blocking point. On the other hand, for Nicaragua, opposite Dennis García scored 13 points, 12 on attacks and one from a block.

El Salvador finished the event with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses. Nicaragua will face Belize tomorrow at 7:30 pm. Nicaragua stands with 2 wins and 3 losses.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Franklin Flores, Opposite of El Salvador: “This was an important match because we were fighting for a medal here, and the result had to be 3-0. We entered the match fighting, playing good volleyball just like yesterday against Costa Rica. We’re happy with the result and hope that everything goes well, and nothing takes away our medal. Grateful to the coaching staff for their trust in me, we leave with a good feeling and happy with our performance in the tournament”.

Tito Valdivia, Corner for Nicaragua: “Things didn’t go as planned and trained in the morning. We didn’t enter with a good attitude, so we’ll have to wait for the results and the match tomorrow.”

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 10, 2023 – In the final match of the day, Guatemala, in straight sets 25-19/25-19/26-24, stifled Belize’s shout of victory in front of hundreds of fans at the Belize City Civic Center, to keep leading the standings of the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.

Guatemala dominated in attacks 35-30 and in service points 10-4. The blocks were in favor of Belize 10-4. Guatemala earned 26 points from unforced errors, while Belize scored 18 points from their opponent’s errors.

The top scorer for Guatemala was Andy Blanco with 14 points, 8 from attacks and 6 from services. For Belize, Karym Coleman converted 10 points from attacks, three from blocks, and two from services, totaling 15 points.

Guatemala holds three wins and one loss, while Belize has two wins and two losses.

The tournament’s excitement continues on Friday at 5:00 pm with Guatemala facing Honduras and at 7:30 pm Belize taking on Costa Rica.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Erik Flores, Opposite of Guatemala: “We knew it was a very tough opponent because they were playing at home and had the support of the crowd; we knew this place would be packed. Our goal was to win, and we achieved it. Given how the competition has gone, with some countries losing matches and dropping sets, we knew it was important. We were coming off a loss against Costa Rica, but that didn’t affect us because we knew we could fight for the championship. Costa Rica’s loss today gives us even more possibilities, and the closest rival was Belize, so we had to win for the ultimate goal”.

Ernest Broaster, Outside hitter of Belize: “This was a shaky night. We faltered in passing, and the attack wasn’t working for us; our service also failed us. We didn’t reach our goal, which is the gold medal, but we’re still in contention for the silver medal; we can win it, but we just need to win the next two matches”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 10, 2023.- Panama needed four sets to defeat Honduras 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 27-25, 25-18) on the fifth day of competition in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.

Honduras started by winning the first set 26-24, however, the Panamanians claimed the next three 25-18/27-25 and 25-18. Panama was superior with dominance in attacks 57-49 and blocks 14-6.

Both teams tied at 3 in services. Honduras earned 29 points and Panama 27 from opponent’s errors.

The top scorer for Panama and the match was Jason Quintero with 20 points, 19 on attacks and one from blocks. For Honduras, David Villatoro scored 16 points, 15 on attacks and one from blocks.

Panama secured their second victory in the tournament, with a balance of two wins and three losses. Meanwhile, Honduras has one victory and with today´s match, they accumulated three losses.

The event taking place at the Belize City Civic Center continues with the schedule on Friday at 5:00 pm, with Honduras facing Guatemala and Panama is the team with the day off.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Miguel Medina, Libero of Panama: “The match was quite challenging for us in the first set. We had been in the lead and didn’t maintain the advantage, which cost us the set. The guys focused more and pursued the goal of winning because it puts us in a position to dream about the medal table. Thanks to God, the perseverance of our young team helped everyone contribute their bit and secure the victory. Honduras fought hard and didn’t let us pull away until the last set”.

Irvin Reyes, middle blocker of Honduras: “We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities in the match, but we need to keep working and have the confidence that things will start going better for us”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 10, 2023.- El Salvador defeated Costa Rica 3-0 in the first match of day five of competition in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup with scores of 25-13/25-18/25-13.

The match was dominated by El Salvador in all areas, with 35 attacks to 26, 13 blocks to 5, and 4-2 in serves.

El Salvador scored 23 points from opponent errors, while Costa Rica scored 11 points from unforced errors.

El Salvador improved their win-loss record to 3-2. Costa Rica has a record of 2 wins and 2 losses.

The top scorer of the match was Rodrigo Chávez with 17 points, 13 on attacks and four on  blocks, his teammate Franklin Flores was close behind with 16 points.

For Costa Rica, Gilbert Solano scored six points from attacks and one a block for a total of 7 points, being the top scorer, followed by Richard Smith with 6 points.

The event taking place at the Belize City Civic Center continues Friday at 2:30 pm with El Salvador facing Nicaragua and at 7:30 pm Costa Rica will compete against the hosts.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Rodrigo Chávez, outside hitter of El Salvador: “This was a complicated match from a tactical point of view, our coaches read the other team very well, at this stage of the tournament, we’ve had time to study our opponents and that makes the matches more competitive. In this case, we found the key. Costa Rica stood up well, but perhaps the fatigue from last night’s game affected them, however, they are a very strong team and El Salvador showed a very different face from the previous matches. We are very grateful to the guys and coaches for boosting our spirits and we hope to maintain this rhythm of play”.

Oscar Ramírez, outside hitter of Costa Rica: “It was a very emotional match, unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for us. El Salvador read us very well on the court. Now, we need to prepare for tomorrow’s match, it’s another final to aim for the medal we came for”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 8, 2023. Guatemala only needed three sets to secure victory against Nicaragua with scores of 31-29, 25-19, and 25-14 in the second match of the third day of competition at the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup. 

The first set was the most thrilling of the game, with both teams going point by point in pursuit of victory. Eventually, it was Guatemala who emerged victorious, dominating in attacks 45 to 36, in blocks 10-7, and in services 10-2. Both teams committed a similar number of unforced errors, with Nicaragua recording 16 and Guatemala 17. 

With 18 points for his country, outside hitter Carlos López led Guatemala to victory with 15 points from attacks, one on blocking, and two on serves. On the other hand, Tito Valdivia contributed 11 points from attacks, one point from blocking, and one point from serving, totaling 13 points as the highest scorer for Nicaragua. 

On Wednesday, August 9th, Guatemala will face Costa Rica at 7:30 PM, and Nicaragua will play against Panama at 2:30 PM. 

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA 

INTERVIEWS

Carlos López, Outside hitter of Guatemala: “Today we managed to play a better game as a team, correcting many mistakes. We had better team cohesion, which helped us achieve a favorable result and giving us confidence for the what’s left of the competition”. 

Álvaro Solís, Setter of Nicaragua: “Guatemala is a tough opponent that pressured us from the beginning with their serves. In 2021, when we won the bronze, we lost to the same two teams: Costa Rica and Guatemala. So, we still aspire to make it to the medal podium and will continue working for the upcoming matches, which I believe will be within our reach. This is not over, and all countries are at the same level”.  

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 7, 2023. With a score of 3-1, El Salvador claimed victory against Panama, who had been leading the standings until today, in the first match of the third day of competition in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.

With closely contested sets of 26-24, 23-25, 25-21, and 26-24, El Salvador secured the win in a match led slightly in the attack by the winners, 61-57.

Panama dominated in blocks, 12-10, and both teams were tied at 3 in serves. El Salvador gathered 26 points from their opponent’s errors, while Panama earned 22 points on El Salvador’s errors.

From El Salvador, Rodrigo Chávez once again stood out, contributing 17 points on attacks, two on  blocks, and two aces, totaling 21 points.

Uriel Batista continued to lead Panama’s scorers, as he converted 19 attacking points and three blocks, for a total of 22 points.

On Wednesday, August 9th, El Salvador will face Honduras at 5:00 PM, and Panama will play against Nicaragua at 2:30 PM.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Diego Cerón, Libero of El Salvador: “We’re still in the fight for what we came for. The possibility of winning gold is still alive; we don’t lose sight of that mindset. The team has very high expectations. Since we left our country, we knew that this tournament would present a lot of challenges, but we Salvadorans are known by not giving up, and we will keep fighting until the end”.

Oswald Marschall, Outside hitter of Panama: “Unfortunately, we faced a defeat today that shouldn’t have happened. It put us in a tough spot for the medal tally, but we have a team with both youth and experience, which I know will serve us well in tomorrow’s game. Congratulations to El Salvador for putting up a good match”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 7, 2023.- Once again, the hosts made use of their home advantage and didn’t allow themselves to fall easily in front of their fans, rallying back from a 0-2 set deficit and extending the last match to a fifth set on the second day of the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.

With a 3-2 victory against Panama, Belize managed to rally back and win the match 20-25/19-25/25-23/25-18/15-11.

Attacks were dominated by Panama, 59-52. Belize took the lead in blocks with 14-12 and in services 8-4.

Belize earned 30 points from opponent’s errors, while Panama got 27 points on the home team’s errors.

The top scorers of the match were Ernest Broaster from Belize with 20 points, 14 from attacks, 3 from blocks, and 3 from services, and Uriel Batista from Panama with 16 attacking points, 2 from blocks, and 2 from services, for a total of 20 points.

This Tuesday, August 8, Panama will face El Salvador at 2:30 pm, and Belize will play against Honduras at 7:30 pm.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Elton Anderson, Captain of Belize: “It was a very hard match. We fought hard, and thankfully we won in the end. We feel very tired, it was difficult, but we managed to win, so we’ll try to rest and come ready to face Honduras tomorrow.”

Otto Othon, Captain of Panama: “In tonight’s game, we played well in the first two sets. We have many young players, and it was an experience for them and for us, and the match went to five sets. We need to correct what couldn’t be achieved and hope to play a good match against El Salvador tomorrow”. 

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 7, 2023. – The current Central American champions, Guatemala, made their debut with a 3-2 victory (22/25, 25/19, 18/25, 25/20, 15/9) over El Salvador in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.

The sets alternated between the two countries, leading to a decisive fifth set. El Salvador started by winning the match, but Guatemala bounced back to claim the second set, setting the stage for a highly contested challenge.

Guatemala was powerful in their attack, tallying 68 points against 45. Both teams scored 15 points from blocks, and Guatemala led in service points with 8 against 2. El Salvador earned 36 points from Guatemala’s errors, while Guatemala capitalized on 14 errors by their opponent.

Andy Blanco propelled Guatemala to victory as the top scorer of the match, contributing 28 points with 23 attacks, 2 blocks, and 3 service points. On the other side, El Salvador’s outside hitter Rodrigo Chávez achieved 22 points, with 19 from attacks, 2 from blocks, and one from service.

This Tuesday, August 8, Guatemala will face Nicaragua at 5:00 pm, and El Salvador will play against Panama at 2:30 pm.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Carlos López, Captain of Guatemala: “We started off in good energy, but throughout the game, we lost focus and made many reception errors, which complicated our journey and led us to extend the match. However, in the end, we achieved the result, which is to win”.

Juan Carlos Vargas, Captain of El Salvador: “We didn’t secure the victory, but we put up a fight. A quite extended 3-2 match, a lot of passion on the court because we were playing against the reigning Central American champions of the past years, and that always motivates us to play well and better. We had a player injured in the fourth set, which made it difficult for us to close the fourth and fifth sets properly. Our spirits are high, there are still four games to go, and we’re looking forward to giving our best performance tomorrow with the goal of winning”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 7, 2023. – The second day of the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup saw the first match of the day between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, which was decided in four sets 3-1 (25-22/25-22/20-25/25-20) for Costa Rica. 

Costa Rica dominated in attacks with a 17-point difference, 62 to 45, and in services 4 to 2, securing their first victory of the tournament. Blocks were in favor of Nicaragua with a six-point difference, 16-10. 

The top scorer of the match was Costa Rica’s outside hitter Ricky Vargas with 24 points, on 23 attacks and one ace. In the Nicaraguan team, the top scorer was Dennis García with 17 points, 14 from attacks, and 3 from blocks. 

This Tuesday, August 8, Costa Rica is the team with a day off, while Nicaragua faces Guatemala at 5:00 pm. 

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

 INTERVIEWS 

Emmanuel Villareal, Captain of Costa Rica: “This was a very important match for us after the defeat against Belize on the first day. It was a match against an excellent Nicaragua that never gives up, that defends a lot. We had to attack strongly and improve our blocking. We are very happy and with the intact goal of winning the tournament. Tomorrow, we have a day off, and on Wednesday, we will defeat Guatemala”. 

Miguel Castillo, Captain of Nicaragua: “Today’s game got away from us because we are inconsistent in reception. We knew we were up against a tough opponent, and unfortunately, we couldn’t close the fourth set to go into a fifth. The tournament is just starting, and we will continue to give our all to finish with a medal”.  

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 6, 2023.- The closing match of the inaugural day in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup saw the most closely contested game between hosts Belize and El Salvador, with scores of 25-22/13-25/25-23/22-25/15-13 in favor of El Salvador.

In a match that extended to the fifth set at the Belize City Civic Center, the spectators were treated to a thrilling matchup that was dominated by Belize in attacks (58-57) and blocks (14-8), while both teams tied at four each in the service category.

El Salvador earned 31 points from their opponent’s errors, while Belize secured 30 points from Salvadoran mistakes.

The top scorer of the match for El Salvador was Rodrigo Chávez, the outside hitter, who secured 26 points on 24 attacks, one block, and one service point.

On the Belizean side, two of their players accumulated 40 points. Outside hitter Karym Coleman scored 17 points from attacks, one from blocks, and two from serves, totaling 20 points. Meanwhile, his teammate Francis Hauze also contributed 20 points, including 16 from attacks, three from blocks, and one from serves.

On Monday, August 7, El Salvador will face Guatemala at 2:30 PM, and Belize will take on Panama at 7:30 PM.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Gabriel Linares, El Salvador’s coach: “We had to start against the home team, and we knew it wouldn’t be easy because they’re a team that has been working together for quite some time. We knew we had to give our best, and it was reflected in the scores. We had to go to the fifth set, but in the end, we steered the ship right. We worked on our serves, which we were struggling with, and thanks to God, we managed to secure the game in our favor”.

Albert Humes, Belize’s coach: “The defeat tonight was very disappointing. I believe that both the players and the coaches made mistakes at some point in the game, and El Salvador capitalized on those mistakes. El Salvador did their homework studying us; they didn’t use power but played intelligent volleyball, and that cost us the match”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 6, 2023.. The Nicaraguan National Team started their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Honduras (25-13/19-25/25-18/25-19) in the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup organized at the Belize City Civic Center.

The first set was dominated by Nicaragua, with a comfortable 12-point lead, securing the set at 25-13.

Honduras was determined to level the match and managed to win the second set with a score of 25-19.

In the third and fourth sets, Nicaragua maintained their dominance despite Honduras putting up a fight. The Nicaraguan team secured victories with scores of 25-18 and 25-19, winning the match 3-1.

Nicaragua outperformed Honduras in attacks (43-40), serves (14-4), and blocks (6-5). Nicaragua earned 31 points from opponent errors, while Honduras secured 26 points from their rival’s mistakes.

Outside hitter Jonny Zeledón emerged as Nicaragua’s top scorer with 14 points, including 10 from attacks, 1 from blocks, and 3 from serves. On the other side, also outside hitter David Villatoro from Honduras scored 16 points, making him the highest scorer with 14 points from attacks, one from blocks, and one from serves.

On Monday, August 7, Nicaragua will face Costa Rica at 2:30 PM, while Honduras will have a free day in the schedule.

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA

INTERVIEWS

Jorge Mena, Nicaragua’s coach: “The match got complicated for us; we lost a set, which wasn’t our intention. However, the players improved as the game progressed. This is just the beginning. What we wanted was to win the match. Tomorrow, we have another game against Costa Rica, and we’ll aim for the victory”.

Marco Sugiyama, Honduras’ coach: “We started the game a bit poorly, slow. We need to accelerate our process for the next match. I’ll be talking to the players, and I hope to bring about a change for the next game”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 6, 2023.- The Panama Men’s Volleyball Team made a triumphant debut with a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica (25-17/25-20/22-25/25-15) at the XXII AFECAVOL Central American Men’s Volleyball Cup.  

In the first match of the day and the tournament at the Belize City Civic Center, Panama displayed determination to secure the win. They clinched the first set with an eight-point lead (25-17). 

Panama’s dominance continued into the second set. While Costa Rica occasionally closed in on the score, the Panamanian players persisted in their pursuit of victory, ultimately securing the set 25-20. 

Costa Rica entered the third set determined to extend the match, taking the third set with a tight three-point lead over Panama, 25-22. 

Coaches Horacio Angulo of Panama and Johan Morales of Costa Rica spoke with their players ahead of the fourth set, one hoping to win the match and the other aiming to tie it for a decisive fifth set. 

Panama dominated the fourth set with a 10-point lead, finishing the match with a score of 3-1. 

Panama’s offense attacking in the match was evident, with 50 points compared to Costa Rica’s 44. Panama also outperformed in blocks, 16-7, and serves, 8-4. 

Panama earned 23 points from their opponent’s errors, while Costa Rica secured 22. 

Panama’s opposite hitter Uriel Batista was determined, scoring 26 points, including 21 from attacks, 1 from blocks, and 4 from serves. For Costa Rica, opposite hitter Gilbert Solano scored 15 points, all from attacks. 

On Monday, August 7, Panama will face Belize at 7:30 PM, while Costa Rica will compete against Nicaragua at 2:30 PM. 

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA 

INTERVIEWS 

Horacio Angulo, Panama’s coach: “We had two sets heavily in our favor that we were able to secure. Costa Rica is a challenging team, especially with coaches who understand volleyball and have worked a lot on their float serves, which somewhat gave difficulties to my team’s reception. We managed to take the third set, and in the fourth set, I made a couple of adjustments, subbing out one player and bringing in a young 19-year-old, Gherson Ortíz, who is a rising star in volleyball. The team played well with the system we’ve practiced in Panama, and thank God, we secured the victory”. 

Johan Morales, Costa Rica’s coach: “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match. Panama inflicted a lot of damage with their serves; we couldn’t control them. When we did manage to control them, we ended up one-on-one, but our attackers couldn’t close. These are things we need to change; in such a fast  tournament, we can’t afford to stay down or give up. We know our purpose here, and we still have five matches to make certain changes to achieve it. I brought mobility to the team with significant changes, but in the end, it didn’t work out. We made too many unforced errors, and our defensive tactics were lacking. We weren’t at our best, so now we need to regroup and come to play against Nicaragua, another tough opponent”.  

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 5, 2023 – On August 6, 2023, the competition for the XXII Central American Cup Belize 2023 will begin, and the teams want to earn a place on the podium, as expressed by the coaches during the preliminary inquiries held on Saturday, August 5. 

During the presentation, the Control Committee verified the paperwork and official uniforms that will be used during the competition, which will take place at the Belize City Civic Center. 

In the last edition, Guatemala took first place, Costa Rica came second, and Nicaragua was third, these last ones made history after 30 years of not stepping onto the Central American podium.

As the defending champion, Guatemala will seek to become a four-time champion, having won the 2017, 2018, and 2021 editions, aiming to catchup with Costa Rica with six titles and approaching Panama, the country that has won the most titles in the region with eight gold medals in total. 

AFECAVOL COPA MAYOR MASCULINA 

INTERVIEWS 

Albert Humes, Belize Coach: “Our tournament objective, being the host, definitely means we want to win. That’s the primary goal of this Belizean team. But we also want our country to feel proud and ensure that our fans, our families, and everyone enjoys the quality that Belize has to show to the world”.  

Reider Lucas, Guatemala Coach: “Our goal is to try to have a good competition. We come to give our all in each match. It’s a very close competition, and there’s a lot of rivalry among the Central American countries, which makes it more emotional and much more competitive. We will try to fight in every match and perform well in the competition. The players are eager to play, and we believe it will be a good competition”. 

Gabriel Linares, El Salvador Coach: “We have been preparing to regain the space we had lost within the elite of Central American volleyball. We are aware that the tournament will be tough, and we have high expectations of being among the top three on the podium”. 

Marco Sugiyama, Honduras Coach: “I am happy, and we are ready. We will fight to pave the way for future achievements”. “Our objective is to compete for a medal, and we will give it our all. We have prepared well, with a united group, and expect a surprise from us”, added Marvin Ulloa Molina, assistant coach. 

Jorge Mena, Nicaragua Coach: “The purpose is to be on the podium and try to improve our position we achieved last time. We come to compete and give it our all on the court as a team and bring Nicaragua forward without returning empty-handed to our country”. 

Johan Morales, Costa Rica Coach: “We come to this new Central American Cup with great enthusiasm. We did very well last time but fell short. The goal this year is to win the gold, which is extremely difficult with well-prepared teams. But in the end, I believe we have what it takes to compete, and the boys are highly motivated with a strong sense of unity”. 

Horacio Angulo, Panama Coach: “Our expectation is to make it to the medal standings, something we haven’t achieved in many years. We have a young team, from a group that ranges from U21 to U23. We will try to bring something back to our country, God willing”.

BELIZE CITY, Belize, August 1, 2023.- Belize will be hosting the twenty second AFECAVOL Men’s Senior Central American Championship from August 6 to 12 at the Belize City Civic Center.

Reigning champion Guatemala will seek their fourth consecutive title, after winning the past three editions of the tournament (2017, 2018, 2021), for an overall five Central American titles in the history of the event.

In the last edition held in Guatemala City in 2021, Costa Rica finished second, and Nicaragua finished third. After 30 years of not making it to the Central American podium, Nicaragua won the bronze medal, their first-ever medal in the history of the event was also a bronze, during the sixth edition of the Cup held in Honduras in 1991.

Panama is the country with the most titles in the region, with a total of eight, followed by Costa Rica with six.

Teams will arrive in Belize City on Friday, August 4th. The Preliminary inquiries will take place on Saturday, August 5th, and the competition will kick off on Sunday, August 6th, with three daily matches.

Competition schedule:

Sunday August 6

14:30  Costa Rica v Panama

17:00  Nicaragua v Honduras

19:00  Inauguración

19:30  El Salvador v Belize

Monday August 7

14:30  Costa Rica v Nicaragua

17:00  Guatemala v El Salvador

19:30  Panama v Belize

Tuesday August 8

14:30  El Salvador Panama

17:00  Nicaragua v Guatemala

19:30  Belize v Honduras

Wednesday August 9

14:30  Panama v Nicaragua

17:00  Honduras v El Salvador

19:30  Guatemala v Costa Rica

Thursday August 10

14:30  El Salvador v Costa Rica

17:00  Honduras v Panama

19:30  Belize v Guatemala

Friday August 11

14:30  Nicaragua v El Salvador

17:00  Guatemala v Honduras

19:30  Costa Rica v Belize

Saturday August 12

14:30  Panama v Guatemala

17:00  Honduras v Costa Rica

19:30  Belize v Nicaragua

Year by Year medalists

Composite