Tag: Volleyball

LEÓN AND IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 25, 2024.- Argentina’s Bianca Farriol was honored as the Most Valuable Player MVP of the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, held from August 18 to 26 in León and Irapuato, Guanajuato.

Middle blocker Bianca Farriol, with 7 stuff blocks in the gold medal match against the United States, led her team to a back-to-back Pan American Cup championship.

Farriol also received the award for Best Blocker of the event.

From the United States, Veronica Perry was named Second Best Spiker. Kendall Kipp and Claire Hoffman were awarded Best Opposite and Best Receiver, respectively.

Colombian Ana Karina Olaya received the distinction of Best Spiker, and her teammate Camila Gómez was named Best Libero and Best Digger.

Karen Rivera won the Best Setter award, and Grecia Castro was named Best Scorer, both from Mexico.

Candida Arias of the Dominican Republic was recognized as Second Best Blocker, and Cuba’s Dezireth Madame was awarded Best Server.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 25, 2024.- Argentina won their second consecutive Pan American Cup title after defeating the United States 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-19) to claim the gold medal at the 21st edition of the Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, which concluded in León, Guanajuato on Sunday.

Argentina finished the event with a 7-1 record, with their only loss coming against the United States in the preliminary round. United States finished 6-1, with their only defeat coming against Argentina.

In the history of the Pan American Cup, Argentina has won two gold medals and three bronze. The U.S. continues to be the most successful team in the Cup with 7 golds, 3 silvers, and 5 bronzes, for an overall of 15 medals.

United States led in kills (39-35), but Argentina held advantages in blocking (12-5), serving (7-1), and limited their errors (12-21) to secure the victory.

With 7 stuff blocks, Bianca Farriol led all scorers with 15 points for Argentina. Bianca Cugno scored 13 points.

Veronica Perry of the United States led her team with 13 points. Kendall Kipp and Serena Gray added 10 points each.

Argentina maintained advantage throughout the first set, with Elina Rodríguez as their top scorer. In the second set, Argentina recovered from a three-point deficit (8-11) to never fall behind again; however, with a service error and a kill from Veronica Perry, they lost two set points before taking the 2-0 lead. With the U.S. ahead by five points (10-5), Argentina turned the score around again, enduring tighter plays to finish with the win.

Bianca Farriol, top scorer of Argentina: “We never gave up; we gave our last breath to win the gold medal. I’m very emotional. The loss against them in the group stage helped us become more aggressive, and we were able to study them better.”

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 25, 2024. – Mexico defeated Puerto Rico 3-1 (25-20, 15-25, 25-19, 25-16) for fifth place in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato.

With strong blocking from Uxue Guereca and Jocelyn Urías, Mexico managed to control Puerto Rico’s attacks, forcing them into unforced errors due to the local team’s effectiveness at the net.

Urías finished with five effective blocks, while Guereca added 3, contributing to a total of 14 blocks for Mexico, compared to nine from their opponents. Mexico also outperformed in attacks 55-43 and in serves 3-2, with 26 errors committed compared to 18 from Puerto Rico.

Six Mexican players scored in double digits: Uxue Guereca with 16 points, Jocelyn Urías with 14, María Fernanda Rodríguez with 13, and Grecia Castro and Karina Flores with 12 each. For Puerto Rico, Neira Ortiz contributed 11 points.

Jocelyn Urías, captain of Mexico:

“We are happy with our performance, but we know we could have achieved a better result; it just didn’t go our way. We put up good fights in five-set matches against strong teams and came very close. The goal in the end was to adjust, and we managed to do that to win the last two games.”

“Everyone is in good spirits. We overcame the loss to Argentina and finished in a good position. Our season with the national team ends here; now it’s time to return to our clubs, keep preparing, and improve, because next year there are many events like the World Championship, Final Six, and another cup.”

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 25, 2024.- Canada defeated Chile in straight sets 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20) to secure seventh place at the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato. 

Canada struggled in the first two sets against Chilean pressure, who tried to snatch the game, especially with the offensive efforts of Beatriz Novoa and Petra Schwartzman on the sides. Canada managed to close out each set strongly with good serving and the attacking power of Gabrielle Attieh and Abagayle Guezen, which was impossible for Chile’s block to stop. 

The third set was always in Canada’s favor, Lucy Borowski offense, who finished with 12 points, and 11 from Gabrielle Attieh, along with 10 from Abagayle Guezen. Beatriz Novoa was Chile’s top scorer with 15 points, followed by Petra Schwartzman with 12. 

Canada was better in attack 41-35, in blocking 6-4, as well as in serving 8-3, with 24 unforced errors from the Canadians compared to 20 from the Chileans.

Averie Allard, captain of Canada: “We got better every game and that’s important for us, especially as a younger group. I’m looking forward to LA 2028, that’s our goal. Any win was important, just to acknowledge the things that we’ve made, eleven games in such a short period of time is not easy, but I applaud every person in this team, including staff”.

Shannon Winzer, Head Coach of Canada: “Pan Am Cup is a great tournament, we get to play against some pretty good teams. I think the format is not healthy for players, having to play eight games in eight days is not safe for anyone, but the level of play is getting better every year. Pan Am Cup is a valuable tournament for us because we bring a young team who get great experience against some A teams”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 25, 2024.- Colombia won the bronze medal at the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-14) victory over the Dominican Republic in León, Guanajuato. 

Colombia finished the event with a 4-3 record, while the Dominican Republic ended with a 5-2 record. 

This is Colombia’s second bronze medal in the history of the Cup, the first was won in 2019. Overall, the South Americans have accumulated 3 medals (1 silver, 2 bronze). 

In the preliminary round, the Dominican Republic had defeated Colombia in five intense sets. 

Colombia built their victory with an advantage in attack (48-30), blocking (7-6), and serving (2-1). Additionally, they committed fewer errors (15-18). 

The top scorers of the match were Colombia’s Dayana Segovia and Laura Grajales with 14 and 13 points respectively. Ana Karina Olaya added 11 points. 

Gaila González was the top scorer for the Dominican Republic with 11 points. 

Colombia set the pace and level of intensity throughout the match, stopping the Dominican Republic to counterattack. 

María Alejandra Marín, captain of Colombia: “We knew that the Dominican Republic is a very strong team with a lot of experience, but they are very tired from the international events they have recently played in (VNL, Olympic Games), and it was Colombia’s moment to take advantage. Despite not having trained much, we had a good tournament.” 

Hernán Osorio, coach of Colombia: “We corrected many of the issues from this week and went out to propose a more aggressive game, with more determination, convinced that it was possible to win. The result was very favorable for us; we expected tighter scores because the Dominican Republic is such a strong team, with a lot of experience and Olympic players. For us, the tournament has been about strengthening certain aspects.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 24, 2024.- Argentina will defend its title against the United States after defeating Colombia 3-1 (15-25, 28-26, 25-18, 25-23) in the semifinal of the Women’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup on Saturday in León, Guanajuato.

Argentina will defend its title on Sunday at 6:00 pm (local time) against the United States. Argentina won the Women’s Pan American Cup for the first time in history last year in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Colombia will compete for the bronze medal against the Dominican Republic at 3:00 pm. In the group stage, the Dominican Republic defeated Colombia in five sets.

A 15-8 advantage in blocking points was crucial for Argentina’s victory, along with a 6-2 lead in service points. Colombia finished with an advantage of 55-52 in kills and committed fewer errors, 20-27.

Argentina’s opposite, Bianca Cugno, was the top scorer of the match with 21 points. Dalma Pérez contributed 14 points, Bianca Farriol 13, and Candelaria Herrera 12, with the trio combining for 12 blocking points.

Ana Karina Olaya led Colombia with 19 points, followed by Valerin Carabali with 15 points and Dayana Segovia with 10.

Colombia started strong, taking the first set comfortably 25-15, with Valerin Carabali and Melissa Rangel leading in offense. Argentina regained territory with an extended score in the second set, after losing two set points to Dayana Segovia, but the attacks by Bianca Cugno and the blocks by Dalma Pérez and Candelaria Herrera tied the match. In the third set, Argentina dominated with five blocks, three by Herrera and two by Cugno, and outperformed Colombia in attacks 15-10. Tied at 23 points in the fourth set, an attack error by Ana Karina gave Argentina the match point, which Pérez sealed with a block over Segovia.

Victoria Mayer, captain of Argentina: “It was a match worthy of a semifinal. As we’ve been doing throughout the tournament, we kept growing. There was a lot of rotation, and every player on the court and those who came off the bench gave everything they had. We bounced back from losing the first set with grit and team unity, which is key for us. Tomorrow will surely be a great match against the United States.”

Facundo Morando, coach of Argentina: “After losing the first set, we adjusted with blocking; we figured out how to block their opposite (Dayana Segovia) and neutralize Ana Karina, who has a very powerful attack, hitting very high and hard. Colombia did well, adjusting the rotation to target Vicky, but as always, and as it has been throughout the tournament, the team held strong and secured the victory.”

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 24, 2024. – Cuba triumphed over Peru in straight sets 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-21) to secure ninth place in the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

Cuba dominated the match with a 43-30 advantage in kills and an 8-5 margin in blocks, but Peru performed better in service 6-4. However, Peru committed 20 errors compared to Cuba’s 12.

Peru put pressure on Cuba with their serves at the start of the game, keeping the score close until the point 10, after which Cuba took the lead with two streaks of four consecutive points to take the first set.

Cuba was more decisive in the second set, with an advantage of 13-8 in attacks, 3-0 in blocking, and 3-1 in service, with Evilania Martínez scoring 7 points in that set.

Peru tried to extend the match with strong serving, managing 34 direct points and a total of 7 points from Karla Ortiz, but it wasn’t enough against Cuba’s solid performance, which ended strongly with blocking.

Yalain de la Peña and Evilania Martínez led Cuba with 15 points each, while Dezirett Madan contributed 11 points. For Peru, Karla Ortiz scored 11 points.

Cuba had finished in fourth place in Pool B, defeating Chile and Costa Rica, but lost the classification match for positions 7-10 against Canada. Peru finished fourth in Pool A, with victories over Dominican Republic and Suriname, but fell to Chile in five thrilling sets in the classification match.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 24, 2024 – Mexico recovered from losing the third set to win 3-1 (28-26, 25-12, 22-25, 25-14) against Chile and will play for fifth place in the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup against Puerto Rico.

Mexico will face Puerto Rico for fifth place in the Cup, while Chile will play against Canada for seventh place.

Mexico struggled in the first set but used their experience, with two good defenses and counterattacks with hits from Uxue Guereca and Grecia Castro, to take the set 28-26.

The second set was an easy win for Mexico, pulling ahead from the start, but in the third, they struggled from the beginning with Chile leading 8-1, then 18-13. Mexico put pressure on at 19-18, but Beatriz Novoa, Petra Schwartzman, and María Nielsen managed to finish the set, reducing the set score to 1-2.

Once again, in the fourth set, Mexico showed their strength and secured the match in front of a good number of fans who came to the Inforum in Irapuato to support their team.

Mexico outperformed Chile in attacks 61-47, in blocking 10-4 (with four from Jocelyn Urias), and in service aces 6-3, with both teams committing 23 errors.

Grecia Castro, with 21 points, was Mexico’s top scorer, Jocelyn Urias finished with 15, and María Rodríguez added 12 points. For Chile, Beatriz Novoa scored 17 points, and Petra Schwartzman finished with 16.

Jocelyn Urias, captain of Mexico: “We really wanted to finish the match in three sets, but we struggled in the third. I think we got a bit overconfident, but in the fourth set, we were able to refocus and secure the win. We really appreciate the support from the fans; of course, I would love for more people to come to watch our matches, but we are happy with the support, both here and in León”.

Nicola Negro, coach of Mexico: “We are happy with the victory; we didn’t play our best game. Yesterday against Argentina, I think we played our best game of the Cup so far, but we didn’t get the win. Today we felt a bit of fatigue, the seventh day, seven games, and we had a mix of good and not-so-good moments.”

LEON, Mexico, August 24, 2024. – The United States booked their place in the final of the 21st Women’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup by defeating the Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 28-26) in the semifinals.

This marks the tenth time that the United States has advanced to compete for the gold medal in the Pan American Cup, having won it seven times, making them the most successful team in the Cup’s history.

United States will compete for the gold medal on Sunday at 6:00 pm (local time) against the winner of the other semifinal between Colombia and Argentina. The Dominican Republic will battle for the bronze medal at 3:00 pm against the loser.

The United States outperformed the Dominican Republic in kills (50-44) and blocks (8-4). Dominican Republic held a slight edge in service aces (4-3). In errors, United States committed 15, while the Dominican Republic had 17.

USA’s opposite Kendall Kipp led all scorers with 20 points (18 kills, 2 blocks). Team Captain and outside hitter Veronica Perry scored 12 points (10 kills, one block, one ace). Claire Hoffman added 11 attack points.

Yonkaira Peña led the Dominican Republic with 14 points (13 kills, one ace). Middle blocker Candida Arias contributed 10 points (6 kills, 3 blocks, one ace).

USA never trailed in the first set, holding up to an eight-point lead, with Kendall Kipp and Veronica Perry leading the way, joined by middle Serena Gray’s blocks. In the second set, the Dominican Republic rallied to tie at 16 with Yonkaira Peña and Gaila González, but USA pulled ahead again, reaching set point (24-19), with the Dominican Republic extending the set to 25-23. The Dominican Republic reached set point in the third (24-22), which the Americans fought with an attack by Claire Hoffman and a block by Tia Jimerson to tie at 24. Florangel Terrero reached a new set point for the Dominican Republic, which USA extended to an overtime 28-26 win with a Dominican error.

Veronica Perry, captain of United States: “There were a lot of technical parts in this game. I think our staff members had us well prepared for this match, in technical and tactical strategies. Our team did a good job staying steady and executing those things. Dominican Republic is a really good team, and we came in with a good strategy, but they made adjustments from the second set forward”.

Brad Rostratter, Head Coach of United States: “We did a good job from the service line, they did too. There were longer plays, both teams were out of system that we would’ve liked. We were in system a little bit more and that gave us the advantage over time. In the first set we played well, and they played well the next two”.

Marcos Kwiek, Head Coach of the Dominican Republic: “It was a good match. We made mistakes at key moments due to the lack of maturity of some players; the last point is proof of that, it’s part of the process. We are in a transition phase, it’s natural. We’re going for the bronze medal.”

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 24, 2024. – Puerto Rico, in a nearly two-hour match and after falling in five sets last night against the Dominican Republic, prevailed 3-2 (16-25, 25-16, 25-16, 16-25, 15-10) over Canada, advancing to the fifth-place match of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

In a very even match-up in all aspects, Puerto Rico gained a slight advantage in attacks, 57-54, especially during moments when Canada was putting pressure when they reached halfway in each set. They managed to pull ahead by playing through the middle of the net with Neira Ortiz and through the corners with opposite hitter Dariana Hollingsworth.

Canada led in blocking 13-12, while Puerto Rico led in service aces 5-2; both teams committed 23 unforced errors.

For Puerto Rico, Dariana Hollingsworth scored 21 points, Neira Ortiz added 19 points, and Diana Reyes contributed 13 points. For Canada, Emma Boyd scored 15 points and Nyadholi Thokboum added 13.

On Sunday, Puerto Rico will face the winner between Mexico and Chile, while Canada will play for seventh place against the loser.

Shara Venegas, captain of Puerto Rico: “We are prepared for this type of scenario. It has been a tough, intense tournament with many games and little rest, which speaks to how well we are doing physically. I am happy and proud of the work Puerto Rico has done, as we have performed at a high level, and we will continue to give it our all until the end.”

Neira Ortiz, middle blocker of Puerto Rico: “We started the match behind; it’s not easy to play for these positions, but we always have to finish strong. We try to stay positive and fill ourselves with good energy, which is what we’ve tried to do throughout the tournament. I think our performance has had many ups and downs, but as long as we finish well, play hard, with a positive mindset and that fighting spirit, I’ll be happy.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 23, 2024.- Argentina reached the semifinals of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup after a five-set comeback victory over Mexico 3-2 (15-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-13, 15-12) on Friday at the Domo de La Feria in León, Guanajuato.

Argentina will face Colombia in the second semifinal on Saturday, while the first semifinal will feature the United States against the Dominican Republic, who also came back in five sets against Puerto Rico.

Mexico will compete in the classification matches for the positions 5-8 in Irapuato, starting against Chile.

Argentina led in blocks (14-6), while Mexico held advantages in attacks (59-53) and service points (5-3). Argentina scored 31 points off opponent errors and gave away 22.

Argentina’s outside hitter Dalma Pérez was the top scorer in the match with 22 points from 19 attacks and 2 aces. Contributing to the victory were middle blocker Bianca Farriol with 16 points, including a match-high of 7 blocks, outside hitter Elina Rodríguez, and opposite hitter Bianca Cugno, each with 10 points.

Once again, Mexico’s outside hitter Grecia Castro led her team with 19 points. Uxue Guereca added 13 points, and both María Rodríguez and Karina Flores contributed 11 each.

Mexico started strong, gaining a nine-point lead (20-11) in the first set, with Grecia Castro and Uxue Guereca at the wings and Karina Flores in the middle as their key players. In the second set, Argentineans Dalma Pérez and Bianca Farriol adjusted better to Mexico’s game, which lost a set point before Castro secured the set. The match turned around as Argentina dominated the third set entirely, overpowering Mexico by a huge margin (25-17). The South Americans forced a tiebreak by significantly improving their blocking (3-0) and winning it with an ace from Pérez. The teams were tied several times in the fifth set until the point 12, when Argentina’s Elina Rodríguez and Pérez scored two consecutive points and sealed the victory with a Mexican attack error.

Dalma Pérez, top scorer of Argentina: “I feel that our attitude is what defines us the most. We are growing as a group, and I’m one of the youngest, but I feel that when I step in, the whole team gives me the confidence to do whatever I want. I believe that our attitude led us to victory. We started the match very slow, but we refocused”.

Facundo Morando, coach of Argentina: “The girls deserve all the credit. They showed character, as they have throughout the tournament. They wait, adapt, and then strike”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 23, 2024.- Led by their captain Beatriz Novoa, Chile achieved an exciting 3-2 (25-20, 26-28, 28-26, 19-25, 15-8) victory over Peru in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, to play for positions 5 to 8 of the event.

Novoa scored 33 points, the highest in a single match in the Pan American Cup so far, supported by Petra Schwartzman with 22 points and María Nielsen with 12 points.

Lesly Johansson finished with 16 points for Peru, and both Diana de La Peña and Aixa Vigil scored 14 points each.

Chile outperformed in attacks 73-63 and in serves 6-2, while both teams were tied with 8 blocks each. Chile committed 34 unforced errors compared to 26 from Peru.

On Saturday, Chile will face Mexico to determine the positions 5 to 8, after Mexico lost to Argentina in five sets.

The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, especially in the second and third sets, when both teams had set points. However, effective blocking and powerful kills from De La Peña on one side, and from Novoa and Schwartzman on the other, gave Chile the advantage in the third set.

In the fourth set, Peru was more effective with solid defense and second-chance plays. In the fifth set, Novoa and Petra once again remained focused and secured the Chilean victory.

Beatriz Novoa, captain of Chile: “It was a great match. The kind of game we were looking for. We knew we were at a similar level with Peru, that it would be a tough match, and I think each one of us gave 100 percent. I’m very happy about that, for my team, and because we are very united as a team”.

“We followed the game plan to the letter. Our statistician guided us really well, he’s amazing. We were aware and did it; I think we played very organized, and that was part of the victory.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 23, 2024.- The Dominican Republic bounced back from two sets down to defeat Puerto Rico 3-2 (19-25, 24-26, 25-23, 27-25, 15-8) and secure a spot in the semifinals of the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in León, Guanajuato.

Dominican Republic will wait to learn their semifinal opponent, while Puerto Rico will compete in the positions 5 to 8 matches in Irapuato (pending opponent).

Dominican Republic controlled in attacks (60-57) and blocking (17-14), while Puerto Rico led in serving (6-0) and committed one more error (31-30).

Dominican Gaila González led all scorers with 31 points (27 attacks, 4 blocks). Yonkaira Peña contributed to the victory with 14 points, and Cándida Arias added 11, including a match-high of 7 blocks.

Dariana Hollingsworth led Puerto Rico with 23 points, supported by Diana Reyes and Neira Ortiz with 15 points each.

Puerto Rico never trailed in the first set, with attacks from Dariana Hollingsworth, Diana Reyes, and Neira Ortiz, combined with blocking and serving from Wilmarie Rivera, reaching a lead of up to 7 points. Puerto Rico overcame a four-point deficit in the second set, but the Dominicans led until 23-23, thanks to the offense of Gaila González and Yonkaira Peña, before surrendering a set point, allowing Puerto Rico to win the set 26-24. In the third set, the Dominican Republic led 18-14, but Puerto Rico managed to tie the score at 20 and stayed close with strong blocking from Diana Reyes; the Dominicans won the set with a block by Yokaty Peralta and a kill from Gaila. Puerto Rico led the fourth set with a 21-16 advantage, but the Dominicans came back to steal the match point (24-23) after consecutive blocks by Arias, Peralta, and Gaila, forcing a fifth set. Dominican Republic maintained the lead throughout the final set, securing their place in the semifinals.

Niverka Marte, captain of the Dominican Republic: “There are days when you play well and lose, and others when you play poorly and win; today we played poorly. We made a lot of mistakes at the beginning, especially in blocking and defense. It was a very important win. Puerto Rico is an intense team, and they played really well. We knew we must always put pressure on them, and I’m happy with the victory”.

Gaila González, top scorer of Dominican Republic: “Matches against Puerto Rico are never easy. We started poorly, a bit slow, and Puerto Rico took full advantage. We adjusted what we were doing wrong, and I think that’s why we came out victorious. We focused and followed our coach’s instructions to secure the win. I try to help my team, and today I was able to do that”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 23, 2024.- Canada defeated Cuba 3-1 (27-25, 20-25, 25-19, 26-24) to advance to the battle for positions 5 to 8 at the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

Canada will play a classification match for positions 5 to 8 on Saturday at the Inforum in Irapuato, while Cuba will await the loser of the match between Chile and Peru to determine the final positions for 9 and 10.

Canada recovered from two set points in favor of Cuba (the first at 24-23 and 25-24) to win the first set with two attacks by Gabrielle Attieh when the match was tied at 25-25.

Cuba won the second set after gaining an advantage from point 10 with Dezirett Madan and Laura Suárez each scoring 4 points. In the third and fourth sets, both teams had to adjust due to injuries of key players, such as middle blocker Abagayle Guezen for Canada, who left the court in the second set, and Cubans Madan and James, both key players for their team.

Canada’s superior attack made the difference, outscoring Cuba 61-43. Cuba led in blocks (13-12) and service points (5-3), with 32 unforced errors by Canada compared to 22 from Cuba.

The top scorer was Canada’s Nyadholi Thokboum with 19 points, followed by Gabrielle Attieh with 15 and Lucy Borowski with 13. Dezirett Madan and Laura de la Peña each scored 12 points for Cuba.

Nyadholi Thokboum, top scorer of Canada: “It was a hard game to get through because we got some injuries on our starters, so it was important to dial in and do the best for my team. We had a game plan going in, we had some shots we wanted to make, some block assignments and I think we got away from it a little bit; we got refocused towards the end. It was a team effort”.

Shannon Winzer, Head coach of Canada: “That was a very hard match. We did not play good volleyball. We made a lot of unfocused errors, and obviously we had a lot of interruptions with injuries and leaking roofs. I’m glad that we won in the end, but it was not good volleyball on our part at all. We lost our starting middle blocker and our captain right now, but we will reases. We can definitely fight better with the people we have on the floor”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 23, 2024.- Costa Rica secured 11th place at the 21st Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup after defeating Suriname 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-13).

Both teams were seeking their first win of the tournament and started evenly in the first set, with blocks on both sides. However, Costa Rica pulled ahead from the point 11, scoring seven consecutive points and creating a gap, thanks to six points from Tatiana Sayles.

In the following two sets, Costa Rica maintained strong serving and effective attacks, building a comfortable lead and closing the match smoothly.

Costa Rica was superior in attacks (42-15) and serves (6-4), while Suriname led in blocking (6-3) but committed 24 unforced errors compared to Costa Rica’s 16.

Tatiana Sayles scored 11 points for Costa Rica, with Melina Abarca contributing 10 and Ana Rojas adding 9. Jose Ruth Tammenga led Suriname with 8 points.

Tatiana Sayles, captain of Costa Rica: “We’re leaving happy because we closed with a victory. It was a very tough tournament with challenging opponents, but that helps us grow as a team”.

“I think we played well in the group stage. Although the matches were tough, the team showed great potential as we look ahead to next year’s Central American competition. All the players got some action today, which also makes us happy”.

“This group has come together very well. We started this process almost a month ago, maybe not with much time, but we still managed to get to know each other well during training and integrated well as a team. Now we’ll return home, where other players are waiting in Costa Rica to continue the process and prepare for this year”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 22, 2024.- Colombia reached to the semifinals of the Women’s Pan American Cup as first place in Pool A after defeating Mexico 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21) on Thursday at the Domo de La Feria in León, Guanajuato.

Mexico finished third place with a 3-2 record in Pool A and will face Argentina in the quarterfinals on Friday (8:00 p.m.). The Dominican Republic (4-1), second place in the pool, will play a Caribbean derby against Puerto Rico in the other quarterfinal match (5:00 p.m.), both matches in León.

Colombia outperformed Mexico in attacks (64-54) and serves (3-2). Mexico dominated the blocking with a huge 12-5 margin, but conceding 34 points on errors compared to 14 by Colombia.

Ana Karina Olaya led Colombia with 18 points. Dayana Segovia contributed 13 points. Laura Grajales and Valerin Carabali also helped secure the victory with 11 points each. Carabali was the top scorer in blocks with 9 points.

Mexico’s Grecia Castro all scorers with 24 points. Karina Flores added 21 points, along with Uxue Guereca who finished with 14. Team captain Jocelyn Urías added 11 points.

Jocelyn Urías denied Colombia a set point in the first set, and then a spike from Karen Rivera tied the score at 24; Colombia took the set (26-24) after two opponent errors. Colombia recovered from a three-point deficit (8-11) to win the second set, scoring 10 points from Mexican errors, with Ana Karina Olaya leading in scoring. In the third set, Mexico stayed close and managed to even the score at 22 points; two powerful attacks by Grecia Castro extended the match. The fourth set was equally contested, with the score tied at 20 points before Colombia pulled ahead, closing the match with a serve from Dayana Segovia.

Hernan Osorio, Head Coach of Colombia: “Mexico is a team that plays an aggressive game with speed and explosive actions, and at this stage of the competition, fatigue, the accumulation of training and matches take a toll. It was a big challenge, especially since Mexico prepared well for this match at home. It was a hand-to-hand and point-to-point game. Colombia managed to stay calm, handle the timing well, and the collective response was very positive”.

Nicola Negro, Head Coach of Mexico: “The first three sets were decided by details. We managed to win the third set. We are not happy with the loss, but honestly, today was our best match; we attacked and blocked better, technically it was our best performance. Now we need to focus on tomorrow, as we have a very tough quarterfinal match ahead of us”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 22, 2024.- United States won Pool B unbeaten (5-0) over Argentina 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) and got a direct ticket to the semifinals in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup. 

Argentina (4-1) will play the quarterfinals on Friday against the third-place team from Pool A, Mexico. In the other quarterfinal match, the Dominican Republic will face Puerto Rico. 

It was a battle of blocks, spectacular defensive plays, and powerful spikes, with the United States leading in attack 55-50, in blocking 15-12, with 6 effective blocks by Serena Gray, and in serving 4-2, with 19 unforced errors by the United States and 22 by Argentina. 

Kendall Kipp once again excelled for the United States with 25 points, while Veronica Perry scored 18 points. 

For Argentina, Bianka Farriol finished with 14 points and Daniela Bulaich with 11.

Kendall Kipp, máxima anotadora de USA: “I feel like all the things we’ve been working on with the group the last couple of weeks just came together. Argentina was a really great team but we just did a good job executing our scouting report and we played well as a team. We’ll get some rest and recover, get some rest, get good practice and get really back to battle again, because we’re going to face some good teams back there (Leon)… it’s not done yet”.

Brad Rostratter, Head Coach of United States: “We had to play hard, they are a very talented team. We were eager to take on the challenge of getting to play them, with some really class players on the other side of the net. We won our pool so that gives us an off day for tomorrow, we’ll have a little training session in Leon and figure out what that venue’s like and get comfortable there. Our serving, our blocking and our defense was really the difference for us. They were the best attacking team coming into this match and our block and our serve did a great job getting them out rhythm; that was a key factor in building up that success and force them to try some different attacker to manufacture kills”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 22, 2024. – The Dominican Republic dominated Canada with a significant advantage in blocking (10-4) for a 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-17) victory in the XXI Women’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup in León, Guanajuato. 

The Dominican Republic finished Pool A with a 4-1 record and is awaiting the result between Colombia and Mexico to determine its final position, but they have guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals. Canada, with a 2-3 record, will play in the matches for positions 7 to 10, starting against Cuba. 

In addition to outblocking Canada, the Dominicans held advantage in attacks (38-34). Both teams scored 4 service points, and the Dominican Republic committed fewer unforced errors (12-23). 

Dominican outside hitter Yonkaira Peña scored 16 points, all from kills. Middle blocker Candida Arias contributed 11 points, including a match-high of 6 blocks. 

Opposite hitter Lucy Borowski scored 10 points for Canada. 

The Dominican Republic’s blocking was key to taking the first set by a wide margin, with five different players scoring five blocking points. After a tie at 11 points in the second set, Canada jumped to a four-point lead (17-13) thanks to effective block-attacks from Abagayle Guezen and attacks from Avery Heppell. The Dominicans were well organized to recover, forcing Canada into errors, and eventually, Yonkaira Peña put the team ahead. However, the teams tied again at 22 and 23 points until a Canadian serving error and then a service ace from Samaret Caraballo decided the set. In the third and final set, the Dominican Republic kept the lead, and just like the previous set, Caraballo won the match with an effective serve. 

Marcos Kwiek, head coach of the Dominican Republic: “We did what was necessary to secure the victory in three sets. The team has been improving with each match. Today we played at a good level against a strong opponent. We need to keep improving. We will likely play a quarterfinal match. One game at a time”.

Shannon Winzer, head coach of Canada: “I think there’s some big differences between Dominican and us. We asked our hitters to hit high and try to fight hands and the errors we were making were in line with that. Dominican is such a physical team, and we were trying to play against that. Where am I more frustrating? As soon as we get to the end of the game, we become undisciplined; and that’s the difference between playing in the senior A game and not, you have to play disciplined whether it’s in the first ten points or last five points, I think that’s where our problem is now”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 22, 2024 – Cuba secured fourth place in Pool B by defeating Chile 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18) in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, thanks to a strong blocking game that limited their opponents’ options.

Cuba finished the group stage with a 2-3 record, while Chile ended with 1-4. Both teams will compete in the matches for positions 7 to 10.

In total, Cuba achieved nine effective blocks, limiting Chile’s offense, with setter Thalia Moreno scoring 5 of them, and opposite hitter Yalain de la Peña contributing three.

Cuba dominated in attack (48-27), blocking (9-5), and serving (3-2), with 17 unforced errors compared to 15 from their opponents.

The top scorer of the match was opposite hitter Dezirett Madan with 11 points for Cuba, while her teammate Laura Suárez also had 11, and De la Peña added 10. Beatriz Novoa, captain of Chile, finished with 10 points.

On Friday at 5:00 p.m., Cuba will face Canada, fifth place in Pool A, while at 8:00 p.m., Chile will take on Peru, fourth place in the other group.

Laura Suárez, captain of Cuba: “It was a very good match for us, we were very disciplined, and our plan came through. Each one of us contributed, and we got the result. We studied the opponent well, but the main thing was that each of us did our job. We were more focused because we knew we needed this victory”.

Leivis García, Head Coach of Cuba: “We knew that Chile is a team with a very important rhythm of play and a well-organized combination of attacks and tips, and the girls paid attention, they were attentive, and they recovered many balls. They adapted to Chile’s game, read it, and interpreted it, using blocking as the main weapon”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 22, 2024. – Peru ended the group stage with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-8) victory over Suriname in Pool A of the XXI Women’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup in León, Guanajuato. 

Peru finished with a 2-3 record in Pool A and will compete in the matches for positions 7 to 10. Suriname closed without wins and will face Costa Rica for positions 11-12 

Peru led in attack points (48-12), blocks (4-2), and serves (6-0), conceding 15 points on errors against 17. 

Four Peruvian players scored in double digits: María Paula Rodríguez (14), Kiara Vicente (12), Claudia Palza (11), and Johansson (10). 

Janneke and Jose Ruth Tammenga each scored 4 points for Suriname. 

Despite Peru’s dominance in the match, Suriname managed to take a two-point lead at the start of the second set, marking the first time in the tournament they held any advantage.

Besna Villegas, libero of Peru: “We started the group stage on the right foot. We had some issues with injuries to some players, and that affected us a bit. We will keep moving forward, thinking about the three matches we have left in the tournament and will give our best. I think we need to improve communication among ourselves, have more confidence to close sets because there were matches we could have won”.

Janneke Tammenga, captain of Suriname: “We were on top for one moment. It was really happy to have that highlight, we were in front with good spikes. We need to work on every skill because this level is way above what we play back home, so it’s a whole experience of adaptation and then becoming stronger. We look forward to our next game, we hope for the best and as long as we grow step by step we will improve as a team”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 22, 2024 .- Puerto Rico qualified for the quarterfinals after defeating Costa Rica 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-19) in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup. 

Puerto Rico (3-2) finished in third place in Pool B and will move to León to play in the quarterfinals on Friday, awaiting to know their opponent. Costa Rica (0-5) will face Suriname, the sixth place in Pool A, on Friday to determine the final standings. 

For Puerto Rico, Dariana Hollingsworth was the leading scorer with 20 points, and Solimar Cestero finished with 11. Tatiana Sayles was Costa Rica’s top scorer with 15 points. 

Puerto Rico was superior in attack (43-25), blocking (8-3), and serving (5-3), taking advantage of 19 opponent errors compared to their 14. 

Dariana Hollingsworth, top scorer of Puerto Rico: “It feels great to advance because this tournament has been very competitive, it was a bit difficult for us, but we found a way to move forward, to unite as a group, trusting in the coaching staff and their game plan, and that has helped us a lot. Any of the opponents will be tough, we must go out and play with everything we have, with everyone ready to do the job”.

José Mieles, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “One of our goals was to advance to the next round, but more than that, I think we’ve gradually found our rhythm in the game, we’ve been improving with each match, and we’ve been able to give confidence to some players who had lost it, so we’re happier about that than advancing to the next round”.

Braulio Godinez, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “We’re just getting into the group, but we’ve taken the opportunity to test different variations. We’ve worked on defense, reception, we tried Tamara (Espinoza) as libero, and other variations, and in the first matches, we had some issues. The idea is to keep working towards the Central American Games, and I feel that the experience here will help us a lot to set goals and work this year”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 21, 2024.- Argentina (4-0) showed character and courage to defeat Cuba (1-3) in straight sets 3-0 (27-25, 25-15, 25-23) in the last match of day four in Group B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

Cuba took a 21-16 lead in the first set, but Argentina tightened their block and managed to level and take the lead 24-22, although they missed two set points before Elina Rodríguez and team captain Verónica Mayer came through with powerful killd to close the set 27-25.

Argentina gained momentum after turning the score around, and Cuba couldn’t handle the South Americans’ serves, which limited their attack. Argentina’s effective blocking contributed 12 points, 5 from Candelaria Herrera.

Elina Rodríguez was Argentina’s top scorer with 17 points, followed by Bianca Cugno and Bianca Farriol with 9 each. For Cuba, Dezirett Madan scored 8 points.

Argentina led in attacks 35-28, blocks 12-6, and both teams scored on 4 aces. Cuba committed 26 unforced errors, while Argentina had 25.

Argentina will close the group stage on Friday at 5:00 p.m. against the United States, fighting for first place in Pool B and a direct ticket to the semifinals. Cuba will face Chile at 2:00 p.m.

Victoria Mayer, captain of Argentina: “We came here looking for a match that I think was very important because Cuba had been playing very well; yesterday, they had a great match against the United States, and we knew it wouldn’t be easy. I think we showed character, and that’s why we were able to close the first set. The end of the match was very tight, so luckily, we were able to close it out and bring it home. Now we’re thinking about tomorrow, as the group will be decided, and we’re going to fight with everything”.

Facundo Morando, Head Coach of Argentina: “Yesterday, we saw that our team has the ability to wait, endure, and when the time comes, make the breakthrough; I think that’s a good display of character. It’s been like that since the match against Chile, and if we review the  games, it’s been happening. Today, once again, serving and blocking were two key weapons. Cuba is also strong in blocking, but we managed the game well, and Vicky (Mayer) played a great match, moving the attack around. We’re really happy with another victory”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 21, 2024.- Mexico defeated Peru in exciting five-sets (22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 15-11) in Pool A of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in León, Guanajuato.

This was Mexico’s second consecutive five-set match, improving their record to 3-1, the same as Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Peru now stands at 1-3.

On the last day of the group stage, Peru will play Suriname at 2:00 p.m. (local time) and Mexico will face Colombia at 8:00 p.m.

Mexico dominated in attacks (74-50) and serves (4-3). Peru led in blocks (14-10). Mexico benefited from 40 errors from Peru and gave away 22 points on their own errors.

Grecia Castro was once again Mexico’s top scorer with 27 points (25 attacks, one block, one ace). Uxue Guereca scored 19 points (18 attacks, one ace). Jocelyn Urías added 16 points (12 attacks, 4 blocks), and Karina Flores contributed 15 points (11 attacks, 3 blocks, one ace).

Karina Ortíz was Peru’s leader with 19 points (17 attacks, 2 blocks). Ysabella Sánchez scored 14 points (12 attacks, 2 aces). Kiara Montes, who came off the bench, and Diana De La Peña added 11 and 10 points respectively. De La Peña scored a match-high of 6 blocks.

Peru came from behind to take the first set, recovering from a five-point deficit, capitalizing on 9 errors from Mexico, supported on Aixa Vigil and Ysabella Sánchez kills. Mexico took the second and third sets by dominating in attacks with Grecia Castro and Uxue Guereca and scoring on Peru’s errors. The South Americans didn’t give up and stayed ahead in the fourth set from the ninth point, stopping Mexico with 9 blocks to force the tiebreaker. Mexico didn’t give a break to Peru, with Karina Flores stepping up in key moments and winning the match with a block by Jocelyn Urías against Aixa Vigil, who returned as a substitute in the fifth set.

Karina Flores, Mexico’s middle blocker: “I am very proud. We are all going through many processes to grow as players, to improve our volleyball. We give our all for Mexico; we train for this, and we keep fighting and working hard. Seeing that this hard work is paying off is very gratifying. We all feel the pressure to do things well, and we are thrilled with the results and the team we are creating”.

Karina Ortiz, captain of Peru: “We need to close out sets. We haven’t figured out what happens in those moments, but from point 20 on, the ball feels heavier. We need to have the resolve to finish and close out sets. Even though I had a good individual performance, this is a team game, and we depend on everyone”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 21, 2024.- Puerto Rico (2-2) overcame a tough battle to defeat Chile (1-3) 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 15-9) in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

It was a crucial match for both teams, as the quarterfinal qualification and ranking position were at stake.

The top scorer of the match was Chile’s Schwartzman with 24 points, and Beatriz Novoa added 18. For the winners, Solimar Cesteros scored 15 points, while Neira Ortiz and Dariana Hollingsworth each contributed 13 points.

Puerto Rico was better in attack, leading 60-55, and in blocking with a 9-6 advantage; Chile led 5-4 in serving and committed 28 unforced errors compared to 32 from their opponents.

Chile came out determined in the first set, with Petra Schwartzman inspired, scoring six points and taking advantage of seven opponent errors, especially in attacks. However, Puerto Rico responded by comfortably winning the next two sets, despite Chile’s attempts to pressure in the closing moments. In the fourth set, the story shifted back to Chile, who capitalized on 11 points on opponent errors, with Schwartzman scoring five points to extend the match to a fifth set. In the fifth set, Puerto Rico gave no room for Chile, with Diana Reyes and Stephanie Rivera scoring three points each, supported by a strong defense from their team captain Shara Venegas.

Puerto Rico will face Costa Rica on Thursday at 11:00 a.m., while Chile will play against Cuba at 2:00 p.m.

Shara Venegas, Captain of Puerto Rico: “This victory is important, and it helped us regain our confidence. We have a new team, with players who have gradually joined in and haven’t had much practice time, but we are proud of the whole team. I think it’s normal to have ups and downs, but we have managed to push through. We’re not thinking about the standings; we want to play all our matches and then see where we stand. We’re focusing on tomorrow’s game (Costa Rica)”.

Solimar Cesteros, standout player for Puerto Rico: “It feels good that we were able to get the win. At one point, we were strong, and we let it slip, but I’m glad we were able to bounce back. I feel like we let our passing slip a bit, but we managed to recover; I started a little inconsistently, but we improved, and I’m happy we were able to win the match”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 21, 2024.- Dominican Republic clinched an important victory over Colombia, putting them in the fight for first place in Pool A at the XXI Women’s Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato.

Dominican Republic defeated Colombia 3-2 (18-25, 25-17, 28-26, 28-30, 15-10) to improve their record to 3-1. Colombia has the same record but remains in the lead with 17 points; Dominican Republic has 13.

Dominican Republic will close the group stage against Canada on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. (local time), while Colombia will face Mexico at 8:00 p.m.

The Dominican blocking made the difference, with an 18-9 advantage; they also led in attacks 69-60 and committed fewer errors (25-36). Colombia had a slight advantage in service (3-2).

Outside hitter Yonkaira Peña scored an impressive 30 points, the highest so far in the event. Opposite Gaila González followed with 27 points, while middle blocker Candida Arias added 10 points.

Opposite hitter Dayana Segovia and outside hitter Ana Karina Olaya led Colombia with 19 points each. Middle blocker Melissa Rangel contributed 10 points.

Colombia won the first set, making an impact with their serving, which gave them a comfortable four-point lead (19-15), which later extended through consecutive errors by the Dominican Republic and Valerin Carabali’s blocking. The Dominicans responded strongly by winning the second set, the first set that Colombia had lost in the tournament, thanks to the excellent performance of Yonkaira Peña and Florangel Terrero. Dominican Republic denied Colombia two set points in a tight finish (28-26) with Gaila González’s decisive play in the third set. In the fourth, the Dominicans came from behind (15-19) thanks to Colombia’s errors, along with Peralta’s attacks and Marte’s blocking, to tie at 19, but it extended to a dramatic 30-28 for Colombia, forcing a tiebreaker. The Dominicans started the fifth set 5-0 and maintained a five-point lead throughout to secure the victory.

Niverka Marte, captain of the Dominican Republic: “There was a lot of drama. This victory was important for us today and for them as well. Colombia played extremely well; they are a team that brings a lot of intensity and doesn’t give up. We played better. I’m happy with the victory; we really needed it”.

María Alejandra Marín, captain of Colombia: “It was a very good match for us. You could see our fatigue; we have trained a lot these days with little preparation for this Cup. We gave our best today. Tomorrow, we finish against Mexico, but we know that the result still leaves us in the lead, and we hope to reaffirm what we have executed in this tournament”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 21, 2024. – Canada improved its record in Pool A (2-2) after defeating Suriname 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-13) in the 21st Women’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup being held in León, Guanajuato.

Canada had no trouble securing advantages in every skill: attacks (45-6), blocks (5-3), and serves (14-2), but they conceded 27 points from errors compared to 11 from Suriname.

Middle blocker Emma Boyd and outside hitter Raya Surinx each scored 15 points for Canada. Middle blocker Nyadholi Thokbuom and outside hitter Gabrielle Attieh also finished with double digits, scoring 13 and 12 points respectively.

Jose Ruth Tammenga scored three points for Suriname.

On the final day of Pool A, Suriname will face Peru at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and Canada will play against the Dominican Republic at 5:00 p.m.

Emma Boyd, top scorer of Canada: “We did a really good job taking care of our side and playing our game, respecting our opponents and focusing on the parts we wanted to execute, such as controlling the first contact, thinking about deep shots while attacking. We did a good job taking care of the simple things”.

Claudius Straal, Head Coach of Suriname: “They performed better than the previous days. But we lack experience. We are not playing at this level continuously. Hopefully we’ll improve, maybe we’ll play Costa Rica in our last match and try to get the win”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 21, 2024. –  United States (4-0) continues its perfect run in pursuit of the top spot in Pool B to advance to the semifinals after defeating Costa Rica (0-4) with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15) victory in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

With one match remaining against Argentina on Thursday at 5:00 p.m., the United States leads Pool B, although they dropped a set to Cuba, a team that Argentina will face in today’s last match.

United States outperformed Costa Rica in attack 42-15, in blocking 9-3, and in serving 7-1, with 16 unforced errors compared to Costa Rica’s 17.

Amber Igiede was the top scorer for the United States with 12 points, Claire Hoffman and Jaali Winters contributed 11 points each, while Breland Morrissette stood out in blocking with five. Tatiana Sayles scored 10 points for Costa Rica.

Costa Rica will finish their preliminary round schedule this Thursday at 11:00 a.m. local time.

Amber Igiede, USA’s top scorer: “I feel very happy. The win made us go into the next round. I think we worked hard as a team and had a lot of fun . We had a lot of smiles and laughs; for me that’s the best way to play, having fun. Volleyball is my happy place, which makes me looser and be more confident with my teammates. We had a great win for team USA”

Brad Rostratter, USA Coach: “It was nice for us to have some specific focuses for us heading into this match and with specific players. Having these matchups helps us to continue to develop, to grow as a team; so, it was good to be able to see us grow in those specific phases, execute a little bit better and hopefully that will translate later on in the tournament”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 20, 2024. – Mexico locked its second victory in Pool A with an exciting five-set match (19-25, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24, 15-12) against Canada in the XXI Women’s Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato.

Mexico improved its record to 2-1, while Canada fell to 1-2.

On the third day of the event, Canada will face Suriname (0-3) at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and Mexico (2-1) will play against Peru (1-2) at 8:00 p.m.

The statistics were balanced, with Mexico leading in attacks (58-53) and blocks (11-10). Both teams scored 7 direct service points. Mexico committed fewer errors (32-25).

Mexican Grecia Castro was the top scorer in the match with 27 points (the highest so far in the tournament). Uxue Guereca added 16 points, and Jocelyn Urías scored a match-high of 6 blocks out of her 15 points.

Four players scored in double digits for Canada, led by Avery Heppell (17 points), Jasmine Rivest (14 points), Nyadholi Thokbuom (13 points), and Abagayle Guezen (12 points).

Canada took control of the first set, quickly jumping ahead (10-6); the blocking by Nyadholi Thokbuom and Avery Heppell neutralized Mexico’s offense. The roles reversed in the second set, with the home team taking a comfortable lead (17-8) thanks to Grecia Castro, along with Jocelyn Urías and Uxue Guereca, but Canada managed to contain and reduce the lead. In the end, with a block by Urías on Thokbuom, Mexico tied the match. Mexico came from behind (0-4) in the third set to turn it around (11-7) once again with their block-defense, but Canada was patient and tied the set at 22 points, eventually winning it with a block by Heppell and on two opponent errors. Mexico won the fourth set to force the tiebreak, which they closed with an advantage in attacks (9-6) and scored on five points from Canadian errors.

Nicola Negro, Head Coach of Mexico: “It was hard-fought, especially after giving away a third set that we had in our hands. We are not playing our best volleyball, but today the girls showed great character and heart. We managed to win an important match to continue our goal of finishing among the top three”.

Shannon Winzer, Head Coach of Canada: “It was an exciting game. I thought that they were moments in the game we could have just given up. We scraped through in the third set and that kept us alive. We’re still making errors in key moments and sometimes move away from the game plan when we need to sink through into the game plan”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 20, 2024. – United States (3-0) had to battle after losing the first set to secure a 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10) victory against Cuba (1-2) to close out the third day of Pool B in the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

It was the first set that the United States dropped in three matches.

The Americans managed to overcome Cuba’s game with their serving, earning 11 direct points, and strengthening their play on the sides through Kendall Kipp and Verónica Perry, as well as quick plays by the middle with Serena Gray and Tia Jimerson.

Verónica Perry led the United States with 15 points, followed by Serena Gray with 13 and Kendall Kipp with 11. For Cuba, Yalain de la Peña scored 16 points.

United States outperformed Cuba in attacks 53-39, in blocks 7-5, and in serving 11-4, with 20 unforced errors compared to Cuba’s 25.

United States (3-0) will face Costa Rica (0-3) on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. local time, while Cuba (1-2) will play against Argentina (3-0) at 8:00 p.m. at the Inforum in Irapuato.

Verónica Perry, captain of United States: “It was a great match. Cuba is a tough team. It was a fun challenge for us to settle back into our good and stay strong as a team. Cuba is a team that obviously is very physical and very emotional, so they really pushed us in a lot of ways, and I think that we responded really well. We just had to press back and play our volleyball. We started the second set really strong and that just kept us going for the rest of the match. We learned a lot tonight and I think that having that pressure from another team is going to be good for us going forward in this tournament”.

Brad Rostratter, Head Coach of United States: “Every match is good for us, we need to keep playing because we’ve only been together for three weeks. Every opportunity to compete against great teams like Cuba is great for us. It was good for us to play some adversity; they forced us to step up, which is what we want to see. We had some difficulties in the first two sets with serves, trying to be a little bit too aggressive and they passed really well (especially #17 from Cuba). Serving on made a big difference”.

Leivis García, Head Coach of Cuba: “From the analysis and preparation at the hotel, we decided to focus on our own team’s objectives, to let the girls feel free on the court, to perform their individual specialties, and to get the most out of their abilities to address the elements of the game. It was interesting because the United States has a great level; the mistakes you make or the balls you hand over, they turn them into points. They have great effectiveness. We are happy with the girls”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 20, 2024. – With a dramatic finish, Colombia defeated Peru 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 35-33) to maintain their undefeated record in Pool A of the 21st Women’s Pan American Cup being held in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. 

Colombia has a 3-0 record in Pool A and Peru is now 1-2.

Colombia (3-0) and the Dominican Republic (2-1) will face off on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. (local time), and at 8:00 p.m., Peru (1-2) will play against Mexico. 

Colombia secured the victory with a 62-43 advantage in attacks. Peru held a slight margin in blocks 6-5. Both teams scored one ace. Peru conceded fewer points from errors (17-21). 

Colombian Ana Karina Olaya was the top scorer in the match with 21 points (19 attacks, one block, one ace). Laura Grajales added 19 points, all from attacks. Valerin Carbali contributed 11 points, and Dayana Segovia 10. 

Ysabella Sánchez led Peru with 14 points (13 attacks, one block), and Karina Ortiz finished with 13 points (12 attacks, one ace). 

Colombia started the first set strong, gaining a comfortable lead (5-1) with effective kills from Ana Karina. Dayana Segovia joined the Colombian offense, overcoming the Peru’s efforts with  Aixa Vigil, Karina Ortiz, and Ysabella Sánchez. Once again, in the second set, Colombia stayed ahead, with Laura Grajales as the top scorer, contributing to the significant lead over Peru. In the third set, Peru recovered from a four-point deficit to tie the score at 16 points with the offense led by Ysabella and María Rojas. What followed was a point-for-point battle, where Peru capitalized on 11 Colombian errors, but in the end, Colombia sealed the set with a dramatic 35-33 finish. 

Hernan Osorio, Head Coach of Colombia: “The finish was dramatic because they are a strong opponent who always challenges and demands a lot from us. Peru has experienced and competitive players. We knew it was going to be tight, but we had to stay calm and resolve it well. We have very good players who are maturing with these challenges, and that allows us to stabilize our game and gain confidence to fulfill our task in the competition”.

Walter Lung, Head Coach of Peru: “In the third set, we tried to get the team to click, we moved pieces around, and the team was bolder in their play. In yesterday’s match, the injury to our setter had a negative impact on us mentally, so we had to change the lineup today, and the team is coming together”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 20, 2024. – Argentina remains undefeated (3-0) after defeating Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16) in Pool B of the XXI Pan American Volleyball Cup. 

Argentina resisted the pressure from Puerto Rico at the start of the first set, but gradually settled in, building an initial two-point lead that grew to five by mid-set, ensuring a calm finish, especially with the performances of Elina Rodríguez and Bianca Farriol, who each scored 6 points. 

In the second set, Argentina used different lineups, with Candelaria Herrera standing out as the best player with 5 points, including two blocks, alongside three points from Rodríguez, who was the leading scorer of the match with 18 points, while Daniela Bulaich contributed 11. For Puerto Rico, Stephanie Rivera scored 11 points. 

Argentina was superior in attack (44-28), blocking (8-2), and serving (5-2), committing 19 unforced errors compared to 18 by their opponents. 

Puerto Rico will play Chile on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. (local time), while Argentina will face Cuba at 8:00 p.m. 

Victoria Mayer, captain of Argentina: “We are very happy with the victory. Puerto Rico is an opponent that has become very competitive over the years, so a win against them is very important for our consolidation. We are building set by set, and you can see how we’ve been gradually improving on the court, taking it match by match”.

Facundo Morando, Coach of Argentina: “In these tournaments, it’s always important not to drop sets, for several reasons, including fatigue and points. Puerto Rico plays volleyball very well, fully utilizing all their skills, but the girls handled it in the best way possible. One of the team’s greatest strengths is patience; when Puerto Rico was applying pressure, there came a point where we broke through, either with blocking or serving”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 18, 2024. – Chile defeated Costa Rica 3-0 (25-09, 25-22, 25-20) to secure their first victory in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. 

After a first set that was completely dominated by Chile, Costa Rica tightened up in the second with quick attacks through the middle and outside, especially with Tatiana Sayles, taking the lead 17-14. However, Chile responded after a timeout requested by their coach Eduardo Guillaume and turned the set around to win it 25-22. 

In the third set, Costa Rica pressured until point 7, but Chile took a 9-5 lead that their opponents couldn’t recover from. 

Chile was superior in attack (42-24), blocking (10-6), and serving (10-1), committing 20 unforced errors compared to 11 from Costa Rica.

Beatriz Novoa finished with 18 points for Chile, Petra Schwartzman with 15, and Dominga Aylwin with 14. For Costa Rica, captain Tatiana Sayles scored 14 points. 

Costa Rica will face the United States on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and Chile will play Puerto Rico at 5:00 p.m. at the Inforum in Irapuato. 

Petra Schwartzman, standout player for Chile: “It got a little complicated, but in the end, we managed to maintain our rhythm. We tried to do things right and minimize errors because Costa Rica is a team that pressured us the entire time. I’m very happy that the game is improving each time. We are aiming for as many victories as possible in this tournament, so we’re happy to add another one. We know that there are tough teams left in our pool and that the playoffs will also be challenging, but we will do our best.” 

Beatriz Novoa, captain of Chile: “I think we played an organized match; each of us did our job well. In the end, we managed to put pressure on them with our serve and were smarter with our attacks, trying to secure the difficult balls. They (Costa Rica) did a good job, causing more damage through the middle with their middle blockers, but we managed to close out strong; it was a good match.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 20, 2024. –  Dominican Republic secured their second victory in the XXI Women’s Senior Pan American Cup after defeating Suriname 3-0 (25-7, 25-13, 25-14) in Pool A, held in León, Guanajuato. 

The Dominican Republic improved their record to 2-1, while Suriname remains winless (0-3). 

On Wednesday, Suriname (0-3) will face Canada at 2:00 pm (local time), and the Dominican Republic (2-1) will go up against Colombia. 

Dominican Republic used their youth team, dominating every skill of the game: in attack (48-10), blocking (4-3), and serving (10-0). The Dominicans committed 11 unforced errors, while Suriname committed 13. 

Outside hitter Samaret Caraballo led the Dominican Republic with 15 points (14 attacks, one block), and opposite hitter Alondra Tapia contributed 10 points, all from kills. 

Middle blocker Avaira Sengwai led Suriname with 7 points (5 attacks, 2 blocks). 

Before the end of the second set, Suriname scored six consecutive points (7-23) thanks to their strong blocking. 

Samaret Caraballo, top scorer of Dominican Republic: “The coach had the opportunity to use the younger players since this was the match to do it, keeping in mind the future of the senior team. I am very happy; we did very well and will keep moving forward.”

Avaira Sengwai, top scorer of Suriname: “I think we could do better, but we are still improving. We tried our best, the second set was exciting. We are going to be positive for our next performance and just play”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 19, 2024. – Dominican Republic defeated Mexico 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 26-28, 25-16)  in Pool A on Monday at the XXI Women’s Pan American Cup at the Domo de la Feria in León, Guanajuato.

Dominican Republic (1-1) continues the pool-play against Suriname (0-2) at 2:00 pm (local time), while Mexico (1-1) faces Canada (1-1) at 8:00 pm.

The Dominicans dominated in attacks (47-43) and blocks (19-11). Mexico led in serves (7-2), committing 33 unforced errors compared to 24 by Dominican Republic.

Dominican outside hitter Madeline Guillen was the top scorer with 17 points (15 attacks, 2 blocks). Middle blocker Candida Arias and opposite hitter Gaila González also contributed to the victory with 11 points each. Arias recorded a match-high of 9 blocks.

Outside hitter Grecia Castro led Mexico with 15 points, supported by Uxue Guereca and middle blocker Jocelyn Urías with 12 points each.

After tying at 16 points in the first set, the Dominican Republic pulled ahead with attacks from Madeline Guillen and Gaila González. Mexico’s María Rodríguez neutralized with her serve, but Florangel Terrero sealed the set for the Dominican Republic through the middle. The Caribbean team doubled Mexico’s score in the second set (12-6), but Mexico fought back offensively, narrowing the gap, but not enough. Mexico forced a fourth set by applying pressure with their serves, needing three set points before Urías blocked Guillen to close it out. The Dominicans dominated the fourth and final set, scoring 11 points off Mexico’s errors and controlling the match with their blocking.

Madeline Guillen, top scorer for Dominican Republic: “They served very well, and we had problems with reception. We were able to come back and win the match by focusing better. Our weakness is reception, and we need to improve in that area, as well as try to be more aggressive in blocking and defense”.

Nicola Negro, Head Coach of Mexico: “It was exciting because both teams fought hard on the court. It wasn’t a good game for us because we lacked tactical discipline, had poor defense, and attacked poorly. Now we need to focus on Canada, which is a strong team”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 19, 2024 – The United States remains unstoppable (2-2) after defeating Puerto Rico (1-1) 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15) to conclude day two in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato.

Kendall Kipp was flawless with 18 points, including 16 kills and two blocks, joined by team captain Veronica Perry with 16 points.

For Puerto Rico, Neira Ortiz scored seven points.

United States significantly outperformed Puerto Rico in attacks (47-21), blocks (9-6), and serves (6-3), with 19 unforced errors compared to Puerto Rico’s 13.

The United States will face Cuba (1-1) at 8:00 p.m. local time, while Puerto Rico (1-1) will play against Argentina (2-0) at 5:00 p.m. at the Inforum in Irapuato.

Kendall Kipp, top scorer for the United States: “I think the team played really well. We are still getting used to playing together in competition. We did a good job adjusting to what Puerto Rico was doing, they played a good game. It’s fun to get all the nerves out and play some volleyball. We have so many talented players and it’s so good to finally play with them all in one gym; I’ve played against them in college so it’s fun to get to be on the same side of the net”.

Brad Rostratter, Coach of the United States: “It was cool to see a different group and a little bit different mixture of athletes, just continue to play well as a group and utilize our depth to our advantage. Kipp had a nice match. Jenna Gray did a really good job as setter and we did have a bit of advantage offensively at the center against their blocks, definitely part of our plan; she’s a bit taller and we used to our advantage”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 19, 2024.- Argentina came from behind in the first set to defeat Chile 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-08) in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup.

Chile dominated the start of the first set with a lead of up to 4 points, but Argentina fought back as the set was coming to an end at 18-20, tying at 23 and winning the set with an effective block by Candelaria Herrera, in addition to a service error by their opponents.

In the second and third sets, Argentina didn’t allow Chile to find their rhythm. With strong serving and solid blocking, Argentina limited their opponents’ actions, finishing with a 42-24 advantage in attacks, 10-1 in blocks, and 3-2 in aces. Argentina capitalized on 20  opponent errors, committing 17 on their side.

Elina Rodríguez and Candelaria Herrera each scored 11 points, while Bianca Cugno added 10 points in Argentina ‘s victory. Beatriz Novoa contributed 9 points for Chile.

Argentina will play against Puerto Rico on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. local time, while Chile will face Costa Rica at 2:00 p.m.

Candelaria Herrera, standout player for Argentina: “Chile played very well; they knew how to pressure us at the beginning, but we reacted in time. They know how to play; they have a game with many variations, but we managed to work well with our blocking/defense, and that’s how we secured the victory. The best part of today was the team’s reaction. We were down by a lot, they had a good lead, and we knew how to turn it around. Now we’re going all out; every game is a final because that gives us more ranking points”.

Facundo Morando, Coach of Argentina: “We started very uncomfortably, making too many errors, but the important thing to highlight is the team’s character; they held on and when it needed to break through at the end, it did. We relied heavily on serving/blocking, which is what we aim for, and I think we made the breakthrough. We played very well in the last two sets. In a long tournament like this, winning quickly and giving the players rest is very positive”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 19, 2024.- Canada bounced back from losing the first set to beat Peru 3-1 (22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-23) in the twenty first edition of the Women’s Senior Pan American Cup, being played at León and Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Both Canada and Peru have a record of one win and one loss in Pool A of the event, which is being played at the Domo de la Feria in León.

On Tuesday, Peru (1-1) will face Colombia (2-0) at 5:00 p.m. (local time), and Canada (1-1) will play against Mexico at 8:00 p.m.

Canada finished with an advantage of 61-51 in attacks, 9-4 in blocks, and 5-4 in aces, benefiting from 34 Peruvian errors. Canada committed 23 errors.

Outside hitter Abagayle Guezen and opposite Lucy Borrowski led Canada with 18 points each. Outside hitter Jasmine Rivest contributed 15 points, and middle blocker Avery Heppell added 12 points.

Outside hitter Aixa Vigil was once again Peru’s top scorer with 14 points, while team captain Karla Ortiz finished with 13 points.

Both teams traded the lead throughout the match, but the critical moment for Canada to seal the win in four sets came when they recovered from a four-point deficit (1-5) and then came back from (2-6) with three consecutive points by middle blocker Avery Heppell. From there on, they tied several times, and Canada’s blocking was crucial in finishing ahead.

Abagayle Guezen, top scorer of Canada: “It was a really exciting game. It was good to come out on top, we were waiting for a victory and it’s awesome. I think we put a lot of service pressure on them tonight”.

Aixa Vigil, top scorer of Peru: “We were always close, but in the end, we made too many errors as a team. Canada is a strong team, and you can’t give them anything. This is just a bump in the road. We’ll keep training; the tournament is long, and we can bounce back”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 19, 2024.- Cuba earned its first victory of the tournament (1-1) by defeating Costa Rica (0-2) with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) score at the start of the second day of action in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Cuba was superior from the beginning, although at times Costa Rica pressured them by closing the gap to three points. Cuba’s service pressure caused trouble for their opponents, with 6 points coming from aces.

Cuba was better in attack 37-23, in blocking 10-4, and in service 6-0, with Lianet García and Yalain de la Peña each scoring 10 points.

Ester Abarca scored 11 points for Costa Rica, which committed 22 unforced errors, compared to 28 from their opponents.

On Tuesday, Costa Rica will face Chile at 2:00 p.m., while Cuba will play against the United States at 8:00 p.m.

Laura Suárez, Captain of Cuba: “We’re doing quite well. Yesterday’s match was tough; it was a close game against Puerto Rico, and we didn’t get the win, but today we came out more relaxed, knowing we had to win without underestimating our opponent. We regained confidence in ourselves, and tomorrow we’ll give our best”.

Leivis García, Coach of Cuba: “First, we have to acknowledge Costa Rica’s progress. This team is more organized than the one that participated in the Final Six. We see that there’s good work being done, which helps us grow even more. We took the opportunity to rotate players and create a tactical plan for the coming years. On an individual level, each athlete had their task, and some of them stood out in what they were assigned”.

Tatiana Sayles, Captain of Costa Rica: “We’re very happy to be here. We know this is a high-level competition, and it serves us well in the new process we’re starting. We’re experimenting with new things and new roles for some players. Some of them are in their first senior national team, and they’re getting an opportunity. I think we’re doing very well; the little time we’ve spent together has helped us grow as a team”.

LEÓN, Mexico, August 19, 2024.- Colombia earned a 3-0 (25-4, 25-12, 25-9) victory over Suriname in Pool A of the XXI Senior Women’s Pan American Cup, which is being held simultaneously in the cities of León and Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Colombia’s next opponent (2-0) will be Peru on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. (local time). Suriname (0-2) will play against the Dominican Republic at 2:00 p.m.

Colombia topped in every scoring skill, in attack (39-11), blocking (9-3), and service aces (7-1). Colombia committed 10 unforced errors, while Suriname had 19.

Middle blocker Valerín Carabali and opposite hitter Valentina Gaviria led Colombia’s offense with 9 and 7 points, respectively.

Middle blocker Juliet Leter was Suriname’s top scorer with 6 points.

Colombia had the opportunity to use all its players, dominating the match from the start. Suriname, on the other hand, showed better performance in the second set.

Valerín Carabali, Colombia’s top scorer: “We had the opportunity for everyone to play and stay active during the competition. We knew that Suriname wasn’t a very strong opponent, and we focused on doing our job. Everyone contributed. The victory helps us grow individually, but especially as a team”.

Juliet Leter, top scorer of Suriname: “I am quite satisfied with today’s performance. I think our pass was very good, of course they are top players, so we had difficulty with our spikes. Overall, I can’t be that disappointed with the loss, of course I want better for Suriname. There was growth compared to yesterday, and we’re going to grow with each game”

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 18, 2024. – The United States showcased their strength defeating Chile 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18) in the third Pool B match of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

The North American team was dominant in attack (35-29) and showed strength in blocking (9-5), thanks in part to the good service of their players, which limited the opposing attack.

Logan Eggleston contributed 10 points for the United States, and Stephanie Samedy had 9; for Chile, Beatriz Novoa and Petra Schwartzman both scored 9 points.

The United States (1-0) will face Puerto Rico (1-0) at 8:00 p.m. local time, while Chile (0-1) will face Argentina (1-0) at 5:00 p.m. at the Inforum in Irapuato.

Veronica Perry, Captain of USA: “I think our team did a really nice job, just focusing on the things that we’ve been working on. We had a strong energy throughout the match. This tournament is going to take every single one of us, ready to contribute”.

Brad Rosttrater, Head Coach of USA: “It was good. We’ve been focusing a lot on our first contact, in service and serve-receive obviously, that’s important. Our teams’ serve has been an important part of our training block and it showed with the pressure we put on today. We’ll have everyone playing and everyone getting rhythm, especially with so many matches in a short period of time, we like to use our depth to our advantage”.

Eduardo Guillaume, Head Coach of Chile: “The superior play of the United States was evident; we never reached 20 points. With our style of play, we were good in reconstruction since we defended many balls. However, we didn’t reorganize well, and they outplayed us by a lot. It was a match we could have played better. Tomorrow, we will face a familiar opponent (Argentina), and we have faced them many times. We need to focus on our rivals and not lose sight of our goal, as the United States seems to be on a different level.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 18, 2024. – Mexico was dominant over Suriname, winning 3-0 (25-6, 25-12, 25-10) in Pool A of the XXI Senior Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, which began simultaneously on Sunday in León and Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Mexico (1-0) will face the Dominican Republic (0-1) in their second match on Monday at 8:00 p.m. (local time). Suriname (0-1) will face Colombia (1-0) at 2:00 p.m.

Mexico dominated in attack (43-6), in blocking (5-1), and in service aces (9-2). Suriname committed one less unforced error than Mexico (18-19).

Opposite María Fernanda Rodríguez and outside hitter Garciglia Bañuelos were Mexico’s top scorers with 11 points each. Rodríguez scored a match-high of 4 service points.

Janneke Tammenga scored 4 points for Suriname as their leading scorer.

The hosts had no complications in their debut, starting the first set with a huge 13-0 lead and finishing with total dominance. Suriname managed to contain the Mexican ambush, achieving longer rallies in the next two sets, but the home team controlled the action.

Jocelyn Urías, Captain of Mexico: “We came in strong. Regardless of the opponent, we will maintain our strength and try to execute our game plan without inventing anything new. Our goal was to finish 3-0 and as quickly as possible. Tomorrow will be tougher against the Dominican Republic, but today Peru beat them, so anything can happen.”

Janneke Tammenga, Captain of Suriname: “We are excited to be here with a new team and we are looking forward to how to play better, knowing the competition is really strong. Today was a hard game and we have to adapt to the strong spikes. We must improve our service and we must be faster in our attack”.

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 18, 2024 – Puerto Rico defeated Cuba 3-2 (25-22, 15-25, 22-25, 28-26, 15-8) in a blocking battle that saw a total of 31 effective blocks between both teams, in the second match of Group B at the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

The Puerto Ricans won the first set but fell in the next two due to Cuba’s strong blocking. In the fourth set, both teams were tied at 26 points when a Cuban service error and an effective block by Neira Ortiz gave the set to Puerto Rico, paving the way for an easy fifth set and the win.

Puerto Rico outperformed Cuba in blocking (16-15), attacking (55-51), and serving (8-4).

Of Puerto Rico’s total blocks, six came from Neira Ortiz, who finished with 17 points, and three from Solimar Cestero, who was the top scorer with 18 points.

For Cuba, Yalain de la Peña scored 18 points, and Evilania Martínez added 16.

Puerto Rico (1-0) will play the United States on Monday at 8:00 p.m. local time, while Cuba (0-1) will face Costa Rica (0-1) at 2:00 p.m.

José Mieles, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “It was a tough match, and we are satisfied with how the team pulled through. We made changes due to injuries, and the young players who came in, such as 17-year-old setter Daniella González, did their job, and we achieved an important victory. I think the best part was staying calm and patient; we came from behind and reached our goal”.

Shara Venegas, Captain of Puerto Rico: “I feel very happy because we managed to react. The whole team played very well, Solimar and Daniella did a great job, the outside hitters played wonderfully, and Neira had an outstanding game. I believe that, in the end, the victory was due to our teamwork.”

Leivis García, Head Coach of Cuba: “First, we have to congratulate the Puerto Rican team; they have great players and did a good job. We need to keep improving in some areas, not be overconfident, and finish sets better. I think we weren’t strong enough in the final points, and that affected us. Now, we need to work on the upcoming matches and try to correct our mistakes.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 18, 2024 – Colombia defeated Canada 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-18) in their debut in Pool A of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, which is being held in the cities of León and Irapuato in Guanajuato, Mexico.

On Monday, Colombia (1) will face Suriname at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and Canada (0) will play Peru (1) at 5:00 p.m.

The South Americans controlled the attack (48-40) and serving (4-3), while the Canadians dominated in blocking (9-5). Colombia scored 20 points from Canadian errors and conceded only 12 points on their own unforced errors.

Laura Grajales led Colombia’s offense with 16 points, followed by Ana Karina Olaya with 15 points, and Dayana Segovia with 12 points.

Lucy Forowski was the top scorer for Canada with 11 points, while Abagayle Guezen and Nyadholi Thokbuom contributed 10 points each.

In the first set, Canada reached set point (24-22) after a series of scoring points from both sides, but Colombia took advantage of a service error and a powerful kill from Ana Karina to tie the game. Laura Grajales earned a set point for Colombia with an attack (25-24), but Layne Van Buskirk denied it, tying the score again. Colombia reached their second set point with another attack from Laura, and then a Canadian error handed out the set. In the second and third sets, Colombia always kept the lead, controlling the game with attacks from Laura and Dayana Segovia, while also benefiting from consecutive errors by Canada.

María Alejandra Marín, captain of Colombia: “This is our only international competition of the year, yet we faced the match with a lot of maturity. At the beginning, maybe nerves caused us to make mistakes. In the end, we controlled the match. I think we were very disciplined in blocking and defense; they (Canada) played very fast, and we’re not used to that speed. Our attackers were very consistent in controlling the ball”.

Averie Allard, captain of Canada: “We almost had the first set. We needed to keep our foot a little bit longer on the pedal and control our unforced errors. We need to execute the little things better. I believe Colombia is a more experienced team than ours, most of us play in the university. Experience and game situation goes so far in a tournament like this one. I am proud that at times we fought back and bounced some sort of grit”.

Shannon Winzer, Head Coach of Canada: “We are a really young team, so there were some really good things. I think we showed our inexperience in key situations tonight. We served way too easy and allowed Colombia to be insistent way too much. We made the easy things look hard, and the hard things we did pretty well. It’s a good starting point and we have a lot more in the tank, you’ll see us play a lot better volleyball as the week goes on. For our first game against an A team like Colombia, there’s a lot to build on”. 

IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 18, 2024. – Argentina opened with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-22) victory over Costa Rica in Pool B of the XXI Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup, which is taking place simultaneously from August 18 to 25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Defending champion Argentina gave Costa Rica few opportunities, taking the lead in attack 41-26, in blocking 8-2, and in serving 8-3, while committing 18 unforced errors compared to 21 from the Central Americans.

Bianca Cugno was the top scorer for Argentina with 12 points, followed by Bianca Farriol with 10. For Costa Rica, Tatiana Sayles scored 12 points.

Argentina will play Chile on Monday at 5:00 p.m. local time, while Costa Rica will face Cuba at 2:00 p.m.

Facundo Morando, Coach of Argentina: “I think the first two sets were very good, but in the third, we rotated the team quite a bit, as we had been doing throughout the game, but we dropped off a little with very young players, some of them experiencing this for the first time, and nerves played a role. In the end, it was an important 3-0 win that allows us to accumulate valuable points.”

Victoria Mayer, Captain of Argentina: “Obviously, we are happy with the win; it’s about breaking the ice in the first match, and I think we did that together as a team. We all played, and we worked hard. The important thing is being on the court, getting used to the stadium and everything new, and I think the 3-0 win gives us confidence to continue in the tournament, which is very long.”

Braulio Godínez, Coach of Costa Rica: “For us, I think it’s positive because we’ve been trying new outside hitters, new positions for some players, but overall, we did what we set out to do against a very strong team like Argentina, the defending champion. Obviously, we have a lot of areas for improvement, a lot of things to work on, and we could also include players in other events, but this is the first step in evaluating the entire process.”

LEÓN, Mexico, August 18, 2024 – Peru opened the twenty-first edition of the Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup with a 3-1 (27-25, 25-14, 15-25, 25-15) victory over the Dominican Republic in Pool A, which is being held in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Peru had an advantage of 49 to 42 in attacking points and benefited from 35 Dominican errors, compared to 22. Dominican Republic was better in blocks with a 9-6 lead and in service aces with a 6-2 margin.

Peru will play its second match against Canada, while Dominican Republic will face Mexico.

Peruvian outside hitter Aixa Vigil led all scorers with 18 points on 17 attacks and one block, followed by team captain Karla Ortiz with 16 points, all on attacks.

On the Dominican side, middle blocker Candida Arias led with 13 points on 9 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces. Opposite hitter Alondra Tapia contributed 10 points on 9 attacks and one block.

Dominican Republic held an early lead in the first set, but Peru recovered from a 4-point deficit (12-16) to tie the score at 19, with Aixa Vigil leading the offense. Peru reached their first set point (24-23) with a block from Vigil on Vielka Peralta, but after an error, the Dominican Republic tied the score and reached a set point (25-24) with a powerful attack from Madeline Guillén. Peru reached their second set point with a kill from Karla Ortiz and closed the set in their favor with a Dominican error. Peru dominated the second set with a wide margin, scoring from all angles. The third set was a different story for the Dominican Republic, with Samaret Caraballo, Candida Arias, and Alondra Tapia leading the attack. Peru secured the victory by closing the fourth set with a comfortable 15-7 lead in attack points, with Kiara Montes joining the offensive effort.

Karla Ortiz, captain of Peru: “We stayed patient, and that helped us a lot. We know that the Dominican Republic came in with a lot of rhythm from the VNL and the Olympic Games, while we have only been training amongst ourselves. We remained calm and communicated a lot with each other, which helped us”.

Niverka Marte, captain of Dominican Republic: “It was a bad start for us. The team played terribly, and Peru played better than us. We had a very long trip, and I think the team performed poorly”.

LEÓN & IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 17, 2024. – A significant challenge awaits the 12 teams and their coaches who will compete in the XXI Women’s Pan American Women’s Volleyball Cup, to be held from August 18 to 25 in the cities of León and Irapuato in Guanajuato, Mexico.

The Pan American Cup grants FIVB World Ranking points and will kick off on Sunday in two venues simultaneously; Poo A at the Domo de La Feria in León and Pool B at the Inforum Irapuato in Irapuato.

Facundo Morando, Head Coach of Argentina: “We are bringing a very new team, in the process of renewal, aiming to score as many ranking points as possible, as well as preparing for next year’s World Championship. Argentina’s goal at this moment is to prepare the new players with the upcoming competitions in mind: World Championship, Pan American Cup, trying to earn points for the VNL, and starting a new process with an eye toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games”.

Shannon Winzer, Head Coach of Canada: “We are looking forward to this year’s PanAm Cup. It is a great opportunity for us to work with our NextGen athletes against strong national teams from the region and give them invaluable international experience that is so essential as we look towards LA2028. We arrived a week early for an exhibition series vs Mexico and this preparation will put us in a great position to have a strong showing at this event”.

Eduardo Guillaume, Head Coach of Chile: “We have been solidifying ourselves in recent years. What’s coming in the Cup? Gaining more experience, solidifying our game. Last year was very positive, with historic results like fourth place in the South American Championship and fifth place in the Pan American Games, entering ranked in eighth”.

Hernán Osorio, Head Coach of Colombia: “It is clearly a very big challenge. The name of Colombia in volleyball has been building a significant history in the continent. Therefore, at this moment of change in the process, with a new coach and federation, our goal is to do it in the best possible way, in line with what the girls have developed in recent years. It is a great responsibility, both for them and for us, because of what it means to represent the country. We are making many administrative and technical efforts to fulfill this commitment and ensure that the name of Colombia is held high”.

Braulio Godinez, Head Coach of Costa Rica: “I just took over the national team, and we have a group that I feel has talent, but I’m not sure if we’ll be able to show it now. Our goal is to start preparing for the Central American Games and the Central American Cup next year. Since the level of play in Central America has become much more competitive, we want to see if we can regain the dominance we had many years ago. We are working with a mixed group of young and some experienced players, trying to build empathy between the players and me, as they have been with other coaches before. I believe the advantage is that many have gone through a process with various teams, and that helps us a lot in consolidating the group. The idea is to channel that experience.”

Leivis García, Head Coach of Cuba: “We are presenting a team with some new players, including girls who haven’t been able to compete this year, and some of them had health issues in the final stage, leading to a preparation deficit. We are focused on evaluating some athletes for the next four-year cycle, but with a strong desire to play volleyball. We will face opponents we’ve met before, and this Cup will be very exciting; we will have to give it our all to get as close to the podium as possible.”

Marcos Kwiek, Head Coach of the Dominican Republic: “We have just returned from a great experience, and we are coming with a very different team. We will be testing young players who are already part of the project but will have the opportunity to play with the senior team. We hope everything goes well, and that everyone can contribute and help the team reach our goal, which is to compete for a medal.”

Nicola Negro, Head Coach of Mexico: “After winning two medals in the first events of 2024 (silver in Final 4 and bronze in Final 6), we would really like to finish the season with another medal. We know it will be much more difficult because the level of competition is higher. Very strong and good teams are coming to Mexico. We had some issues with our roster during preparation; some players won’t be able to participate due to university commitments and others due to injuries, so we are not in an ideal position. We will aim for the best possible result, knowing that the strength of the opponents is significant”.

Walter Lung, Head Coach of Peru: “Professor Rizola entrusted me with the task of facing this new challenge for Peru at a time when there is a small restructuring process across all of Peru’s women’s national teams; he is committed to the U17 World Championship. We have worked with the senior team over the past two and a half months in the best way possible. The players here are giving their best. This is a test for them, as they have accepted Professor Rizola’s challenge and are eager to showcase themselves on the senior team”.

José Mieles Monge, Head Coach of Puerto Rico: “We are here aiming to be on the medal stand, to end the year as it should be, which is reaching the podium. We have a fairly diverse group, with both veterans and young players trying to improve every day; we have players from the U19 team, trying to maintain continuity in our transitions, and we believe that in this tournament we can achieve that”.

Claudius Straal, Head Coach of Suriname: “Facing a new challenge will be a good contest for our girls. They are going to experience what high level means to them and how the young ones have to practice reaching that level. We are bringing three or four players who have experience”.

Bradley Rostratter, Head Coach of United States: “We’re excited. There are 12 good teams, there’s a lot of volleyball ahead of us for the next eight days. Our team is prepared. We played a lot of volleyball in the last three weeks and had a tough training block. We brought 14 athletes, and we think they will all be able to play roles on the court to help us manage such a heavy load and high volume of matches and tournament play. For USA the goal is always to bring back the gold medal and strive to be the best we can be every single day”.

LEÓN & IRAPUATO, Mexico, August 17, 2024.- Domo de la Feria in León and Inforum Irapuato in Irapuato, the two competition halls for the twenty first edition of the Senior Women’s Volleyball Pan American are set for the event that runs from August 18 to 25 in Guanajuato, Mexico.

The Women’s Pan American Cup that provides FIVB World Ranking points, is the qualification competition to the 2025 Women Pan American Cup, the 2025 NORCECA Women Continental Championship and the 2027 Pan American Games.

Domo de la Feria in León will host Pool A, composed of Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, and the host Mexico.

Inforum Irapuato in Irapuato will be the venue for Pool B, consisting of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and United States.

The event will be Livestreamed On www.tvcuatro.tv. Follow COMUDE Leon and CODE Guanajuato on Facebook for updates.

Preliminary Round Schedule

Pool A

August 18

2:00 pm     Dominican Republic vs Peru

5:00 pm     Colombia vs Canada

8:00 pm     Mexico vs Suriname

August 19

2:00 pm     Colombia vs Suriname

5:00 pm     Peru vs Canada

8:00 pm     Mexico vs Dominican Republic

August 20

2:00 pm     Dominican Republic vs Suriname

5:00 pm     Colombia vs Peru

8:00 pm     Mexico vs Canada

August 21

2:00 pm     Canada vs Suriname

5:00 pm     Dominican Republic vs Colombia

8:00 pm     Mexico vs Peru

August 22

11:00 am   Peru vs Suriname

2:00 pm     Dominican Republic vs Canada

5:00 pm     Mexico vs Colombia

Pool B

August 18

2:00 pm     Argentina vs Costa Rica

5:00 pm     Puerto Rico vs Cuba

8:00 pm     United States vs Chile

August 19

2:00 pm     Cuba vs Costa Rica

5:00 pm     Argentina vs Chile

8:00 pm     United States vs Puerto Rico

August 20

2:00 pm     Chile vs Costa Rica

5:00 pm     Puerto Rico vs Argentina

8:00 pm     United States vs Cuba

August 21

2:00 pm     United States vs Costa Rica

5:00 pm     Puerto Rico vs Chile

8:00 pm     Cuba vs Argentina

August 22

11:00 am   Puerto Rico vs Costa Rica

2:00 pm     Chile vs Cuba

5:00 pm     Argentina vs United States