U.S. Duo Leach/McCanna Capture Girls’ Gold at NORCECA U18 Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, April 26, 2026. – The American pair of Lauren Leach and Janie McCanna claimed the gold medal in the girls’ division of the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball World Championship Qualifier, delivering a commanding 2-0 (21-9, 21-8) victory over Canada’s Julia McDougall and Natalia Casas in the final on the sands of Juan Dolio.

Leach and McCanna stormed into the championship match with a dominant 2-0 (21-6, 21-9) semifinal win against Costa Rica’s Keila Moreno and Ingrid Núñez. On the other side of the bracket, McDougall and Casas secured their place in the final by defeating El Salvador’s Fátima Rendón and Dévora Medina 2-0 (21-8, 21-11).

Rendón and Medina went on to capture the bronze medal, overcoming Moreno and Núñez in straight sets, 2-0 (21-16, 21-12).

The final berth to the 2026 Beach Volleyball World Championship was claimed by host nation Dominican Republic, as Zoe Paniagua and Yerelin Reyes battled back for a dramatic 2-1 (21-23, 21-11, 15-12) victory over Guatemala’s Daniela Campos and Fátima Reina.

The five teams qualified for the World Championship are the United States, Canada, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

In other results, Puerto Rico’s Ana Barcias and Coralys Pérez secured seventh place with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-12) win over Bermuda’s Olivia Gazzard and Sophie Weikl.

Barbados’ Destiny Layne and Gabrielle Sandiford finished ninth after defeating Nicaragua’s Kimberly Silva and Abdi Narváez 2-0 (22-8, 21-18). Meanwhile, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Rzyra Denbow and Anna-Marie Figueroa placed eleventh with a 2-0 (21-11, 21-5) victory over the Cayman Islands’ Julissa Kelly and Safirah Barbosa.

Other results from the day:

(GUA) Daniela Campos/Fátima Reina d (PUR) Ana Barcias/Coralys Pérez 2-0 (21-14, 21-13); (DOM) Zoe Paniagua/Yerelin Reyes d (BER) Olivia Gazzard/Sophie Weikl 2-0 (21-13, 21-10); (CAN) Julia McDougall/Natalia Casas d (ESA) Fátima Rendón/Devora Medina 2-0 (21-8, 21-11). (USA) Lauren Leach/Janie McCanna d (CRC) Keila Moreno/Ingrid Núñez 2-0 (21-6, 21-9); (BAR) Destiny Layne/Gabrielle Sandiford d (CAY) Julissa Kelly/Safirah Barbosa 2-0 (21-9, 21-8); (NCA) Kimberly Silva/Abdi Narvaez d (ISV) Rzyra Denbow/Anna-Marie Figueroa 2-1 (20-22, 21-12, 15-11).