Tag: Norceca

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 19, 2024.- Outside hitter Aleksey Mikhailenko of United States was named the Most Valuable Player of the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship that finished on Sunday at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum of Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Mikailenko was also recognized as the first best spiker of the event along with a list of U.S. players that copped the individual awards during the closing ceremony.

Grant Lamoureaux received the second best spiker award. The two best middle blockers were Roman Payne and Luc  Scerensen, Rafael Urbina the best setter, Bluth Lxton the best receiver and Thomas Demps the best server.

Dominicans Malik Britton received the award for best opposite and Yandy Rodriguez was named the best libero and best digger.

Stanley Grant from Costa Rica was the best scorer with a total of 173 points.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 19, 2024. – United States was crowned undefeated champion of the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after defeating Cuba 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18) in the gold medal match on Sunday at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

In addition to winning the U19 NORCECA title, United States secured their spot in the 2025 age-group FIVB World Championship.

USA finished undefeated with a 5-0 win-loss record, dropping only one set,  precisely in this match against Cuba.

Cuba had 4 wins and 2 losses, both against the United States.

The U.S. led in blocks 7-3 and in aces 7-4. Cuba had the advantage in attacks 51-49. United States gave away 23 points on unforced errors while Cuba gave away 32.

Outside hitter Aleksey Mikhailenko with 16 points on 15 kills and one block was the U.S. Middle blocker Roman Payne also contributed to the victory with 12 points, 10 on kills and one ace. Team captain Gran Lamoureux added 10 points.

Middle blocker Luc Soerensen scored a match-high of 4 blocks, and outside hitter Thomas Demps, scored a match-high of 4 aces.

Cuban opposite player Yosdani Medina led all scorers with 21 points on 20 attacks and one ace. Outside hitter Andy Marrero had a tally of 12 points on 11 attacks and one ace.

After the United States won the first two sets, Cuba switched their setter, replacing Ronaldo Flaquet with Daniel Sainz, which led to Cuba reaching a four-point lead (15-11) that the United States could not overcome.

In the fourth set, Aleksey Mikhailenko took charge of United States’ offense scoring 4 consecutive points, along with Thomas Demps in serving, and the championship point was a kill point scored by middle  Roman Payne.

Roman Payne, middle blocker of United States: “We communicated really well, had a lot of energy, even on the bench. The court work was amazing, and it felt great scoring the last point. Cuba came out with more energy in the third set, and we were expecting to sweep them, we needed to fire up a little bit more and in the last set we came out stronger, with more attitude”.

Charles Sullivan, Head coach of United States: “Cuba made some adjustments in the third set, brought their other setter in and set a new offense, that was a great move by them, forcing us to make adjustments as well, making it a higher level of fight. The result is a communal effort from all the coaches, all the clinics and all the administration around the United States”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 19, 2024. – Puerto Rico won the bronze medal in five thrilling sets, 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 15-9), against Canada in the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

The host, Puerto Rico, finished the championship with a 4-1 record, while Canada ended with a 2-4 record.

Puerto Rico dominated in blocks with a comfortable 14-8 margin; however, Canada outperformed in attacks 61-56 and service points 7-1. Puerto Rico benefited from 37 Canadian errors while committing 23.

Puerto Rico’s offensive attack was led by Jean Paul with 23 points from 22 attacks and one block, followed by outside hitter Gustavo Alvarez with 20 points from 17 attacks and 3 blocks. Adrian Carrillo also contributed to the victory with 10 points from 8 attacks, one block, and one ace. Middle blocker Fernando Castello scored a match-high of 6 points from blocks.

The top scorer of the match was Canadian Reuben Veith with 27 points from 25 attacks, one block, and one ace. Opposite Luke Wright finished with 16 points, and outside hitter Tyson Dezutter added 14 more points.

In the first set, Canada took an early 10-6 lead, but Puerto Rico managed to tie the score at points 21 to 23. Reuben Veith, with an attack point and a service ace, put Canada ahead.

With the support of their home crowd, Puerto Rico jumped to an early lead in both the second and third sets, with middle blocker Fernando Castello closing both sets with block points.

The lead shifted in the fourth and Canada managed to push the match to a tie-break scoring four consecutive points from Puerto Rico’s errors and attacks by Aiden Vandenheuvel and Luke Wright. Puerto Rico dominated the fifth set with the offense efforts of Adrian Carrillo and Gustavo Alvarez.

Carlos De Sevilla, Head coach of Puerto Rico: “I am very satisfied and happy. I give the credit for the medal to the boys who played under pressure in their homeland and performed as they did. In the fifth set, I told them at point 12 that they had worked hard for those last three points, and to fight for them. It is a spectacular bronze medal with a group that is two years below this category”.

Adrián Carrillo, Outside Hitter for Puerto Rico: “We worked hard and gave it our all on the court. We worked as a team, and I think that was the key to winning the bronze medal”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 19, 2024. – Malik Britton scored a record 42 points, leading the Dominican Republic to fifth place in Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after a five-set victory, 3-2 (23-25, 25-14, 27-25, 21-25, 15-8), over Costa Rica.

Both teams finished the tournament with a record of three wins and three losses. They also faced each other in the preliminary round, but Costa Rica won in four sets.

Malik Britton, who led the Dominican Republic’s scoring throughout the event, recorded 39 powerful kills, 2 blocks, and one service point. Captain Melvin De Jesús contributed 18 points on 13 kills and a match-high of 5 aces. Outside hitter Ramon De Jesús also scored in double digits with 13 points on 10 kills, one block, and two service points.

Stanley Grant, the top scorer for Costa Rica, finished the match with 37 points, including 35 attacks and one block. Opposite Ignacio Morales added 10 points on 9 attacks and one block.

Dominican Republic finished with advantages in every skill, attacks 66-52, blocks 9-6, and service points 9-1.

Francisco José Lerebours, Head coach of Dominican Republic: “We achieved our goal of finishing among the top five in the tournament. We will continue with the project, work on improving the fundamentals of the game.” Costa Rica is working very well, and they have a projection like ours. Both matches we played against them were closely contested. Today, the boys’ bravery motivated them to come from behind.

Robertocarlo Argüello, Head coach of  Costa Rica: “I think the boys got overconfident. The plan was to finish well, but we failed in some crucial receptions that cost us key points and prevented us from catching up; they have two players who control the jump serve very well (number 2 and number 3).”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 19, 2024. – Guatemala defeated Suriname 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-14) for seventh place in the Boys U19  NORCECA Continental Championship on the final day of the event in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Guatemala finished the tournament with a 1-4 win-loss record, while Suriname ended with a 0-5 record.

Guatemala dominated in attack points 43-28 and service points 9-3. Suriname led in blocks 8-4, allowing more points from errors 19-15.

Outside hitters Boris González and Luis Mendizábal led Guatemala with 17 and 16 points respectively. González scored on 16 attacks and one ace, while Mendizábal contributed with 12 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces.

Opposite player Javier Nasibdar was Suriname’s top scorer with 12 points on 11 attacks and one block.

Luis Fernando Castañeda, Head coach of Guatemala: “It was a very tough competition for us. We had good matches and in others we struggled. We managed to get the victory today and we wish to continue working. This was a good experience for everyone, we learned a lot to do better in other competitions. Guatemala is very determined regardless of our opponent, and we have good performances in tournaments”.

Furjil Ong-A-Fat, Head coach of Suriname: “Our performance was bad. We failed in attack y receive, our service was too easy, and we made a lot of errors. We could have played much better; we had a bad match today”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 18, 2024. – Cuba advanced to the gold medal match of the Boys U19 NORCECA U19 Continental Championship with a thrilling five-set victory 3-2 (25-14, 22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-8) over host Puerto Rico on Saturday night at Salvador Dijols Coliseum.

In the title match, Cuba will face United States again, whom they lost to in straight sets during the pool-play. The NORCECA Champion earns a berth to the 2025 FIVB World Championship.

Puerto Rico will face Canada for the tournament’s bronze medal.

There were many inconsistencies from both teams, where Cuba secured their spot in the final with a comfortable 15-8 tie-break win, outscoring Puerto Rico 10-4 in attack points in that set.

Although Puerto Rico controlled in the blocking category (11-9), Cuba’s significant advantage in attacks (67-49) made the difference. Cuba had a slight margin in serving (6-5). Cuba committed fewer unforced errors than Puerto Rico (23-28).

Andy Marrero led Cuba’s offense with 26 points, 24 from attacks, one block, and one ace. Opposite Yosdani Medina totaled 21 points, 20 from attacks, and one ace. Outside hitter Alessandro González added 15 points and team captain, setter Ronaldo Flaquet contributed 10 more points.

Outside hitters Adrián Carrillo and Gustavo Alvarez each scored 12 points for Puerto Rico. Maximiliano Aponte contributed 11 points.

Ronaldo Flaquet, Captain of Cuba: “We have struggled a lot in every match, but the important thing is that we have come out ahead. We have fought every match to the end, just as we showed today. We wanted to secure a spot in the World Championship. We owe the victory to our determination, effort, and powerful attacks.”

Carlos De Sevilla, Head coach of Puerto Rico: “This group is under 17, we are two or one year younger than the opposing team. I am satisfied with the game; we came from behind and were able to close the second and fourth sets. I think the inexperience in the fifth set was evident. We battled until the end, gave a good show, and represented Puerto Rico with dignity.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 18, 2024. – United States outlasted Canada 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 29-27) in a hard-fought semifinal match at the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship on Saturday in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. will face the winner between Puerto Rico and Cuba for NORCECA U19 gold and a berth to the 2025 FIVB World Championship.

United States was challenged by a scrappy Canadian team that lost three set points (24-23), battling  to force a  fourth set in a dramatic finish.

United States led in attack points (43-34) and in aces (5-3). Both teams were tied with 11 blocks each. United States gave away 26 points on errors, while Canada gave away a total of 21.

Outside hitter Aleksey Mikhailenko closed the first and second sets with a huge kill, while team captain Gran Lamoureux hit against the Canadian block to seal the match.

Mikhailenko led United States with 14 points (13 attacks, 3 blocks, 1 ace), followed by Lamoureux with 11 points, all on kills. Middle blocker Luc Soerensen contributed to the winning effort with 10 points (6 attacks, 3 blocks, 1 ace).

The top scorer of the match was Canadian team captain Reuben Veith with 17 points (13 attacks, 3 blocks, 1 ace). Outside hitter Tyson DeZutter and opposite Luke Wright added 12 and 10 points respectively.

Charles Sullivan, Head coach of United States: “It was a dramatic finish. Just one more rally, they were so close, and we weren’t at our best, but we kept trying. Everyone was there, but they are all learning. Overall, we are qualifying for worlds, and we will wear USA on our back representing a great community in our country, volleyball is strong, and we are passionate, great high school coaches and it’s all part of what happened here today”.

Dan Ota, Head coach of Canada: “We just lack composure in critical moments and late in each set. The guys were a little tight because they were thinking of the win instead of what we need to do at the moment. We did a good job executing our game plan. USA has an excellent team and we made it difficult for Lamoureux (#20) and Keane (#11) towards in performing their normal game. Unfortunately, we were so close and it’s mostly about mental decisions or miscommunication, it’s normal for a young team. I am proud of how they fought against a tough opponent. There’s still tomorrow’s match and if it gives a chance for worlds, we will be ready”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 18, 2024. – The Dominican Republic will face Costa Rica for fifth place at the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship after defeating Suriname 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-18).

The Dominican Republic and Costa Rica will meet for the second time in the tournament; in pool-play Costa Rica won 3-1. Suriname will face Guatemala for positions seven and eight.  

After a shaky start for the Dominican Republic, trailing by five points (6-11), they managed to recover with their attack, finishing with a significant advantage of 49-23.

The Dominicans also led in blocking 8-6, but Suriname was more effective in serving 4-3 and committed fewer errors 6-11.

The top scorer for Dominican Republic was their captain Melvin De Jesus with a match-high of 25 points on 18 attacks, a match-high of 5 blocks, and two aces. Opposite Malik Britton scored 16 points, all on kills, and outside hitter Ramón De Jesus added 12 points, also on kills.

Middle blocker Jahmit Jambo was the top scorer for Suriname with 9 points.

Melvin De Jesus, captain of the Dominican Republic: “We entered with too much confidence, and that complicated the first set for us. We started to develop our game to improve, and things turned out well. Our defense and strong blocking were what helped us win. Tomorrow, we face Costa Rica again, and we are going for revenge; we will fight hard. We need our blocking to work.”

Jahmit Jambo, top scorer of Suriname: “In the first set we had the motivation to play, but in the other sets we lacked energy. We tried to pull through and keep the players hype, but it didn’t work for us. Tomorrow, we need a fighting spirit to win, and also, we need the pass and block to be better”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 18, 2024. – Costa Rica defeated Guatemala in straight sets 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-5) and will play for fifth place of the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

On Sunday, Costa Rica will face the winner between Suriname and the Dominican Republic for fifth place in the event; Guatemala will face the loser for seventh place.

In pool-play, Costa Rica also defeated Guatemala but in four sets.

Costa Rica dominated their Central American rival without difficulty, with advantages in kills 43-21, in blocks 8-3 and 5-1 in aces. Costa Rica benefited from 63 errors by Guatemala compared to their 34.

Three Costa Rican players scored double digits, led by captain Eytan Vargas with 18 points, outside hitter Stanley Grant with 15 points, and opposite Ignacio Morales with 13 points.

Robertocarlo Argüello, Coach of Costa Rica: “We wanted to finish the match quickly because tomorrow is an important day. In the previous match, we made some changes that cost us a set against Guatemala. Yesterday, we couldn’t win against Canada, and it was very exhausting, so we are aiming for fifth place tomorrow.”

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 17, 2024. – Cuba triumphed in quarterfinals against the Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-15, 20-25, 28-26, 25-14) and will face Puerto Rico in the semifinals of the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Cuba will face host Puerto Rico in the semifinals, while United States and Canada will compete in the other semifinal. Dominican Republic will play in the classification matches for positions 5 to 8, starting with Suriname.

Cuba overcame a determined Dominican team that managed to extend the match by repeatedly tying the scores in the second and third sets.

Cuba defeated Dominican Republic with an advantage in attack points 59 to 48, a blocking difference of 10 to 6, and service points 9 to 2. The Dominicans capitalized on 24 points from Cuban errors and conceded 20 from their own errors.

Cuba’s offense was led by outside hitter Andy Marrero with 24 points on18 attacks, 2 blocks, and a match-high of 4 service points. Outside hitter Alessandro González added 18 points on  14 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces. Opposite Yosdani Medina also contributed to the victory with 17 points on 14 attacks and 3 blocks.

Dominican opposite Malik Britton was the top scorer of the match with 29 points (26 attacks, 2 blocks, and one service point). The other Dominican player with double digits was captain Melvin De Jesús with 14 points.

Lian Sem Estrada, Coach of Cuba: “I congratulate the Dominican Republic for their total commitment and spectacular defensive work. We were able to press with our attack, and the Dominican libero performed admirably. At times, we fell into their game, but little by little we regained our playing system. Our attack managed to score in key points, the players wanted the win, and both teams knew how to fight”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 17, 2024. – Canada advanced to the Boys U19 NORCECA U19 Continental Championship semifinals after a five-set victory 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13) on Friday at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

It was a match of highs and lows, with extraordinary performances by both teams. Costa Rica led in all sets except the first. Canada recovered from a three-point deficit (10-13), just two points away from Costa Rica sealing the win in the fifth set.

Canada’s significant 14 to 4 advantage in block points and 69 to 58 in attack points was crucial in pushing the team to the semifinals, despite conceding 42 error points compared to Costa Rica’s 20. Canada also had a 4-2 advantage in service points.

Canada’s top scorer was team captain, Reuben Veith, with 30 points (29 attacks, 1 block). He was joined by opposite Luke Wright with 24 points (20 attacks, 3 blocks, 1 service) and middle Grayson McDonald with 10 points (7 attacks, 3 blocks). Middle Simon Tate scored the highest with 5 blocking points.

Stanley Grant once again led Costa Rica’s scoring, finishing with 30 points, all from attacks. Opposite Ignacio Morales added 15 points (12 attacks, 2 blocks, 1 service), and outside hitter Jean Paul Vargas contributed 11 points.

Dan Ota, Head Coach of Canada: “I don’t think that was the way we planned the game to go. This is a young team that is learning to play together. I am proud of how they played when it got difficult. Sometimes we aren’t playing well, but the boys are starting to discover this ability to come back, fighting and if they keep fighting, they’re never out of the game. I hope this match will continue to encourage them because that’s the Canadian style. Today people who got to watch the game enjoyed good volleyball. I like to give credit to Costa Rica, they are an excellent team, they have some excellent players who pushed us to our absolute limit”.

Eytan Vargas, Captain of Costa Rica: “We had a lot of adrenaline, we lost our focus a bit, there was excitement in leading the entire match, it’s part of learning and part of the game. We are a very young group. I believe there were points that shouldn’t have been called. We accept the loss, we must keep working, correct the mistakes, hold our heads high, and make Costa Rica proud”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, MY 16, 2024.- Puerto Rico earned a direct ticket to the Boys U19 NORCECA semifinals after defeating Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13) on Thursday at Salvador Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico advanced to Saturday’s semifinal as undefeated (3-0) winner of pool B. Dominican Republic finished third with a 2-1 record and will face Cuba, runner-up in pool A, in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Costa Rica, second in pool B, will play quarterfinals against Canada, third in pool A.

Puerto Rico came from behind in the first set (7-10), managing to pull ahead up to point 12 after six consecutive Dominican errors. In the following two sets, the home team had no difficulties securing the victory in straight sets.

Puerto Rico held a 40 to 33 advantage in attack points, 5 to 4 in block points, and three to one in aces. Puerto Rico scored 27 points from Dominican errors and gave away 12.

Puerto Rico’s captain, Jean Paul González, led all scorers with 19 points on 18 attacks and one block.

Opposite hitter Malik Britton led Dominican Republic with 14 points on 13 attacks and one block.

Ignacio Cruz, libero of Puerto Rico: “In the first set we made quite a few errors, but thanks to our concentration we were able to pull through and win the match. We adjusted our blocking because they have tall players, like Malik Britton, and that allowed us to defend well. We are taking it step by step because our goal is to reach the final match”.

Malik Britton, top scorer of Dominican Republic: “We started with good energy, but we couldn’t maintain it in the last two sets. In the next round, we will fight with a positive attitude”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 16, 2024. – Stanley Grant capitalized on 32 points in Costa Rica’s 3-1 victory (25-19, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19) over Guatemala to advance to the next round of the NORCECA U19 Continental Championship in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Outside hitter Stanley Grant scored 32 points on 31 attacks and one direct service point, leading Costa Rica to the next round with a record of 2 wins and one loss, awaiting to know their final position in Group B.

Guatemala will compete in classification matches for positions 5 to 8.

In the third set, Guatemala took advantage of Costa Rica’s errors (7-4) to tie the score up to point 22, forcing a fourth set with a 2-0 advantage in blocking and 3-2 in service.

Alongside Stanley, the other Costa Rican player with double digits, was opposite hitter Ignacio Sánchez who contributed 11 points.

Outside hitters Boris González and Juan Carlos Menéndez led Guatemala with 16 points each. González scored all points from kills and Menéndez with 14 kills and 2 service points.

Costa Rica held the advantage in attack (62-45) and blocking (8-5). Guatemala prevailed in service (7-5) and committed fewer unforced errors (16-19).

Stanley Grant, Costa Rica’s top scorer: “It’s an honor to represent Costa Rica and contribute to advancing to the next round. I feel that today we could have done better, maybe it could have been a 3-0 victory, but we were overconfident because we’ve been doing things so well, still, we achieved the goal. I am very satisfied, and we will give a good battle if we continue to follow the coach’s instructions”.

Juan Carlos Menéndez, outside hitter of Guatemala: “It has been a high-level tournament. Our performance could have been better, we need to have better communication”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 16, 2024. – United States defeated Cuba 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-18) with dominant blocking (16-4) to advance directly to the semifinals of the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

United States won pool A undefeated (3-0) and advanced directly to Saturday’s semifinals. Cuba with a 2-1 record will compete in Friday’s quarterfinals against third place from pool B.

Despite Cuba scoring three consecutive points to recover in the first set (19-23), their efforts were not enough.

The dominant blocking (16-4) of the United States stopped Cuba, which equaled 32 attacking points with the Americans. United States had a slim margin in direct service points 7-6. Both teams conceded 12 points on unforced errors.

The top scorers for the U.S. were outside hitter Aleksey Mikahailenko and middle blocker Roman Payne with 14 points each. Mikahailenko scored on 10 attacks, 3 blocks, and one ace , while Payne with 4 attacks, a match-high of 9 blocks, and three aces. Grant Lamoureux added 11 points (7 attacks, one block, 3 aces).

Alessandro González led Cuba with 11 points on 8 attacks, 2 blocks, and one direct service point.

Grant Lamoureux, Captain of United States: “We played very well tonight. A lot of energy, a lot of teamwork, we played really well. We controlled most of the pace, we just had the energy on our side. We’re looking forward to playing the semifinals who ever team we face”.

Alessandro González, Cuba’s top scorer: “We had many flaws. Now we must move forward since the tournament has several phases. We need to improve in every skill, along with having more competitiveness and reducing unforced errors”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 16, 2024. – Canada advanced to quarterfinals after a 3-1 victory (25-13, 22-25, 25-7, 28-26) over Suriname at the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Canada secured third place in pool B with a 1-2 win-loss record and will compete for a spot in the semifinals on Saturday against the team finishing second in pool A. Suriname concludes the pool-play with 0-3 record and will play classification matches for positions 5 to 8.

After a strong first set victory for Canada, Suriname surprised the northern team evening the scores with solid blocking and offensive attacks at the net. Canada returned mentally and physically stronger to win the third set by a huge margin (25-7). Canada survived a dramatic fourth set after Suriname overcame a seven-point deficit (16-23) and then lost a set point.

Canada led in kills 58-25, in blocks with a slim 8-7 margin, and had a comfortable 9-5 advantage in service points. Canada gave away 34 points on errors against 24 from Suriname.

Canadian team captain Reuben Veith led all scorers with 15 points on 13 kills, one block, and one ace. Opposite hitter Luke Wright added 14 points on 9 kills, 2 blocks, and a match-high of  3 ace points. Outside hitter Kai Miles contributed 10 points.

Suriname’s top scorer was Gianni Ritfeld with 11 points.

Luke Wright, outside hitter of Canada: “Our energy was shifting a lot during the match and in the third set it kind of locked in and did our best. Now in the next our talking, defense-service and blocking-defense need to improve mostly”.  

Roberto Benschop, libero of Suriname: “We had ups and downs. I told my team that if Canada went on a service run, we were going to lose because it was going to be very hard to comeback from 4 or 5 points. We played point for point in the second and fourth set, receive-pass-attack. We were pretty close in the fourth set because of our fighting spirt; we did a very good job against a highly competitive team like Canada”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, 15 de mayo de 2024.- Puerto Rico struggled to defeat Guatemala 3-1 (25-13, 26-24, 24-26, 25-21) and secure their second victory.

Puerto Rico leads group B with 2-0 record and will end pool-play against Dominican Republic (1-1). Guatemala, with 0-2, will face Costa Rica (1-1).

The host team had no trouble winning the first set, but in the following sets, they followed Guatemala’s system of play and struggled to close the match.

Thanks to a significant advantage in blocking (15-5) and effective kills (54-38), Puerto Rico overpowered Guatemala. Puerto Rico also had the advantage in serving (9-6) but committed more unforced errors (35-22).

Three players from Puerto Rico registered double digits, outside hitters Jean Paul González (18pts) and Gustavo Alvarez (16pts), followed by middle blocker Jorge Suárez (13pts).

Brothers Boris and Jorge González, both outside hitters, scored 12 and 11 points respectively for Guatemala. Opposite hitter Luis Mendizabal contributed 10 points.

Carlos De Sevilla, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “When the opponent’s game rhythm changes, the team must adapt, and we didn’t know how to do it. It was a game of many errors, especially forced errors. We need to improve against teams that don’t apply service pressure, that play a slow game; we couldn’t adapt. I’m not satisfied. We need to practice hard”.

Luis Fernando Castañeda, Head Coach of Guatemala: “It was an interesting game. Yesterday we could have won, and today the boys came with greater desire. We tried to do our best despite missing players who couldn’t be here due to visa problems; it has been complex. Tomorrow is a match that we have to prepare well for against Costa Rica”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 15, 2024. – Costa Rica notched its first victory in the Boys U19  NORCECA Championship after defeating Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-22, 29-27, 22-25, 25-19) at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Costa Rica improved its record to 1-1 in group B, Dominican Republic has the same record. On the last day of the preliminary round, Costa Rica will face Guatemala and the Dominican Republic will play against Puerto Rico.

The second and third placed teams will play in the quarterfinal round and the group winner moves into semifinals.

Costa Rica took an early lead in every set. In the second set, Dominican Republic recovered from a five-point deficit (7-12) for a dramatic 29-27 finish for the Central Americans. The Dominicans extended the match to a fourth set, but Costa Rica gained more confidence to secure the victory.

The match was a battle between the top scorers so far in the tournament, Britton and Stanley from the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica respectively.

Malik Britton scored an impressive 41 points, a record in this category, with 39 attacks and two blocks; while Stanley Grant capitalized on 30 points from 26 attacks, one block, and three service points.

Middle blocker Josué Bolaños and opposite hitter Ignacio Sánchez also contributed to Costa Rica’s victory with 11 and 10 points respectively. Meanwhile, outside hitter Melvin De Jesús contributed 13 points for the Dominican Republic.

Costa Rica performed better in service points, leading 6-4, and committed fewer errors, 18-28. The Dominican Republic led in attacks, 61-55, and in blocks, 8-7.

Roberto Carlo Argüello, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “Dominican Republic has a very good opposite hitter, and they are a strong team. The plan was to put pressure on the serve so that the ball would be separated from the net, so it would be uncomfortable for them to attack over it; the boys followed the plan. We struggled in the third set due to anxiety, but we managed to control it in the fourth to lead by a difference of 3 or 4 points”.

Francisco Lerebours, Head Coach of the Dominican Republic: “My team is young and therefore inconsistent in attacking, which complicates our games. We are learning to score consecutive points and to be able to pull away on the scoreboard. Our reception failed us”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 15, 2024. – Cuba staged a comeback from a two-set deficit in a 3-2 victory (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13) over Canada on the second day of action at the Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship being held in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Cuba, with a 2-0 record, will compete for the top spot in pool A against the United States (2-0) on Thursday. Canada (0-2) will face Suriname (0-2) for a spot in the quarterfinals.

After winning the third set, Cuba came from behind in the fourth (16-20) to force a fifth set, which remained close until point 11 when Cuba’s attack sealed the victory.

Cuba finished with a 54-45 advantage in points from kills, while Canada led in blocks 17-11 and service points 7-5. Cuba committed more errors than Canada (39-37).

Opposite hitter Yosdani Medina of Cuba scored a match-high of 28 points (27 attacks, one service), and was the only player from the Cuban squad with double digits.

On Canada’s side, team captain Reuben Veith scored 21 points (12 attacks, 6 blocks, 3 services). Opposite hitter Luke Wright contributed with 12 points.

Lian Sem Estrada, Head coach Cuba: “The game got complicated at the beginning because it was the first time they faced a team of higher level. The players knew how to follow the instructions of all the coaches and went out to fight for the game. What we did better than Canada was the fighting spirit and determination”.

Dan Ota, Head coach Canada: “I think it was a much better performance than yesterday. I am very proud of this team for only their second match together to push Cuba, who is a very strong volleyball country,  who showed their quality in the second half of the match and were difficult to stop. This is a young group, and we are only going to get better as the tournament develops. We want to play more exciting games like this one”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 15, 2024. – The United States dominated Suriname with a commanding 14-2 advantage in serves, securing their second consecutive victory in the NORCECA Men’s U19 Championship with a 3-0 scoreline (25-13, 25-11, 25-16).

The United States now holds a record of two wins and no losses in pool A, while Suriname stands at 0-2. The Americans conclude the pool-play against Cuba. Pool winners advancing directly to the semifinals.

In the first set, the United States quickly jumped to a 15-6 lead, maintaining control until the end. In the second set, Keane Cooper scored four consecutive aces for a 20-10 lead, while Thomas Demps joined the offensive in serving during the third.

In addition to outscoring Suriname in serves, the United States held a 27-10 advantage in attacks and an 8-2 lead in blocks. Both teams gave away 26 points on unforced errors.

The leading scorer was opposite hitter Thomas Demps of the United States with 14 points, the only player in double digits in the match. Keane Cooper contributed 9 points, 4 of which were aces.

Thomas Demps, top scorer of United States: “It feels great to have a second win here. Today I had good shots selection, Malak always gave me great sets and put me in position to score. I’ve been working on the serves a long time, so I am really happy it’s paying off here. This is my first international tournament and it’s really fun”.

Charles Sullivan, head coach of United States: “We just stay positive with errors, because we know we are learning a lot of new stuff, we’re improving every part of our game. Tomorrow is a big match against Cuba, they have a great program, and they have a great culture, so we are really excited”.

Gianni Ritfeld, top scorer of Suriname: “Everything is about experience, the U.S. players play a lot more than we do, what we can learn from them is about “timing” (when to hit and when to tip). This is a learning process for all the team, we could have taken our time and played better. The second set was much better, I’m pleased about that”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 14, 2024. – The Dominican Republic began the NORCECA Boys’ U19 Continental Championship with a 3-1 victory (24-26, 26-24, 25-13, 25-19) over Guatemala at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Dominican Republic recovered from losing a close first set to secure the victory over Guatemala with an advantage of 47 points to 40 in attacks, 10 blocking points to 4, and 9 direct service points to 4, but committing 19 points to 15 in errors.

Starting from the third set, Guatemala’s unforced errors in reception gave the Dominicans the necessary advantage to claim their first victory in Group B.

Three Dominicans scored double digits, led by opposite Malik Britton with 19 points (16 kills, 2 blocks, one ace), outside hitter and captain Melvin De Jesús with 16 points (12 kills, a maximum of 6 aces), and outside hitter Ramón De Jesús with 10 points (7 kills, 3 aces).

The top scorer of the match was Guatemala’s opposite  Luis Mendizábal with 20 points from 18 attacks, one block, and one direct service point. Outside hitters Boris González and Omar Mendoza contributed 8 points each.

On the second day of competition, the Dominican Republic will face Costa Rica and Guatemala will play against Puerto Rico.

Melvin De Jesús, captain of the Dominican Republic: “We were hesitant because it was the first match of the tournament. Matches with Guatemala are always close. We were overconfident at the start of the match. Our serve was crucial for the victory, but we need to improve in blocking”.

Omar Mendoza, captain of Guatemala: “Honestly, I don’t know what happened, we will analyze with the team and the coaches, and then correct the mistakes we made today. We participated very well, but we lacked courage. It was a good match”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 14, 2024. – Cuba defeated Suriname 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 29-27) in the opening match of the Boys’ U19 NORCECA Continental Championship at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Despite Cuba starting with confidence and power, Suriname did not let themselves be intimidated, pressing with their blocking, and serving, reaching set point (24-21) in the third set, trying to force the match to extend.

Cuba led in kills 44 to 19, while Suriname outperformed in blocking 7-4. Both teams scored five service points. Cuba made fewer errors than Suriname (24-28).

Cuba’s outside hitter Andy Lázarro Marrero was the top scorer of the match with 13 points (12 attacks, one block). Cuba’s opposite player Yosdani Medina and Suriname’s outside hitter  Gianni Ritfeld scored 11 points each.

On the second day of the preliminary round, Cuba will face Canada and Suriname will face the United States in pool A.

Ronaldo Flaquet, captain of Cuba: “The final minutes were very exciting; we complicated things for ourselves because we got too confident after winning the first two sets. The important thing is that we were able to solve it and get a positive result. We started with confidence in ourselves, but overconfidence made it difficult for us to close”.

Jayden Koendjbiharie, captain of Suriname: “We gave it our all; we definitely fought with more power in the last set and almost won it. For the next match, we will come out with the same energy and fight better. Today, we should have put in more effort”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, 13 de mayo de 2024.- Head coaches of the eight participating teams in the Boys’ U19 NORCECA Continental Championship, indicated that their teams are enthusiastic to compete for the NORCECA title.

The NORCECA Continental event, to be contested at Salvador Dijols Coliseum, is part of the qualifying process to the 2025 Boys U19 FIVB World Championship.

The U19 NORCECA Champion will qualify to worlds and the FIVB will confirm the number of slots available for our Confederation later on.

Livestream of the event is available on demand at www.r1live.com

Dan Ota, Head Coach of Canada: “We have not had any preparation time with this team because the athletes are all playing with their clubs currently, it’s near the end of the club season, so we had not had the opportunity to train as a team. It’ll be exciting to see them together for the first time today in practice, so we don’t know what to expect and I am looking forward to this opportunity to introduce these young athletes to international volleyball”.

Robertocarlo Argüello Quesada, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “It’s been a six-month training process to put together the team. The group has a clear job they must do on the court, they are eager and enthusiastic to compete. The team is doing well, with talented boys and the physical attributes to play a NORCECA event, we will be able to put up a fight against all our opponents”.

Lian Sem Estrada,  Head Coach of Cuba: “We are seeking to keep Cuba’s supremacy in our zone and qualify for the World Championship. We have no intention to put pressure on the team, but we will battle for the slots available for NORCECA for worlds. This team is the base of the U17 team that competed in Mexico last year, it’s a young team, with great energy and anxious to do things well”.

Francisco José Lerebours, Head Coach of Dominican Republic: “For me, this is a new challenge, it’s the first time I am head coach, and I am ready to assume the role. The team has a lot of time preparing itself, some of the players have experience at the U17 NORCECA and the whole team has the capacity, projection, and vision to do things well. This is a process of young players developing, but as a team we set some goals, looking for a good performance and finish in a good position”.

Luis Fernando Castañeda, Head Coach of Guatemala: “We have prepared strongly for this tournament for a couple of months when it was confirmed our participation. We are waiting for some athletes to come depending on their American visa. Six athletes in the team are U17 and we are looking for a good performance”.

Carlos De Sevilla Ríos, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “Being in our homeland adds a bit more pressure, but the group is the one that won the NORCECA U17 championship in Mexico, with the addition of one U19 player and two U17 players who did not travel to Mexico, so that event helped the team to withstand a lot of pressure. Participating in this championship with the U17 team that will compete in June in Mexico and in the FIVB World Championship in Bulgaria in August is a strategic decision to compete and prepare for those tournaments. I am happy that the boys are working on a 23-week program in preparation for a world event, which motivates us. I am very proud of the team and the expectation is to finish among the top three positions, despite facing teams with older players, but we are very competitive”.

Furjil Ong-A-Fat, Head Coach of Suriname: “The team is well prepared, we started to practice at the end of January, so I think the guys are ready to show on the court what we’ve been doing since then up to now. Five players are coming from the under-17 team that competed in Mexico and will bring some experience. We are excited to give everything on the court”.

Charles Sullivan, Head Coach of United States: “It’s a great group of guys that prepared very well, they worked really hard. As usual at these kinds of competitions, for a group that comes for the first time, it’s a little bit different from what we play in the United States, so It’s going to be a large learning curve to go through, so I hope we will push  them through fast and they catch on quick and do a good job here”.

PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 12, 2024.- The Salvador Dijols Coliseum in Ponce, Puerto Rico, is set to host the 2024 U19 Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship, welcoming eight national teams that start the qualifying process to the 2025 Boys U19 FIVB World Championship.

Members of the NORCECA control committee carried out inspections at the Salvador Dijols Coliseum to ensure the facilities for an intense competition scheduled to commence on May 14 and culminate on May 19.

Teams are divided into two pools, as follow:

Pool A: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Puerto Rico

Pool B: Canada, Cuba, Suriname, United States

The top ranked teams resulting from each pool after the conclusion of the preliminary round will advance directly into the semifinals. 

Livestream is available on demand at www.r1live.com

Preliminary Round Schedule

May 14

14:00    Cuba vs Suriname

16:00    United States vs Canada

18:00    Guatemala vs Dominican Republic

20:00    Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico

May 15

14:00    Suriname vs United States

16:00    Canada vs Cuba

18:00    Dominican Republic vs Costa Rica

20:00    Puerto Rico vs Guatemala

May 16

14:00    Canada vs Suriname

16:00    United States vs Cuba

18:00    Guatemala vs Costa Rica

20:00    Dominican Republic vs Puerto Rico