SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 29, 2026.- United States, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and El Salvador topped their respective pools on the opening day of competition in the men’s division of the fifth stop of the 2026 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, taking place from May 29 to 31 at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex in San Salvador.
In Pool A, Lev Priima and Diego Pérez of the United States finished in first place after defeating A’jahnai Merchant and De Andrae Taylor of the U.S. Virgin Islands 21-4, 21-14. They then closed out pool play with a hard-fought three-set victory over fellow North American rivals, defeating fourth-stop champions Inés Vargas and Carlos Andrés Ayala of Mexico 12-21, 21-15, 15-11. On Saturday at 10:30 a.m., Mexico will face the U.S. Virgin Islands to determine second place in the pool.
In Pool B, Melvin Brown and Sebastián Valenciano of Costa Rica ended the day in first place thanks to a superior set-point ratio. Although tied on points with Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Robert Kemp of Canada, Costa Rica’s 21-11, 21-8 victory over Kyle Hamilton and Brandon Sousa of Bermuda placed them atop the standings. The two teams will meet on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to decide first place in the pool.
Pool C also ended with two teams tied in points. Francisco De Jesús and Oscar José Martínez of the Dominican Republic secured first place based on a better set-point ratio, finishing level on four points with Rubén Mora and Dany López of Nicaragua.
The Dominicans opened the day with a 21-13, 21-14 win over Zendai/Bristol of St. Kitts and Nevis, then defeated El Salvador’s Mejía/Guardado Y. 21-13, 21-11. Meanwhile, Mora/López earned two victories, beating El Salvador 21-19, 21-17 and St. Kitts and Nevis 21-11, 21-15. The two unbeaten teams will face each other on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to determine the top spot in the pool.
Pool D concluded the first day with a tie between Rafael Vargas and Gabriel Vargas of El Salvador and Edgar Maldonado and José Miguel Izaguirre of Guatemala, both with four points following victories over Irvin Armando Reyes and Adonis Rodríguez of Honduras and Francisco De Jesús and Franklin Segura of the Dominican Republic. Rodríguez suffered a knee injury and Honduras was unable to complete the remainder of its matches.
El Salvador and Guatemala will meet on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. to determine the winner of Pool D.
Competition resumes on Saturday, May 30, at 10:30 a.m.
RESULTS DAY 1
POOL A: Merchant/Taylor ISV vs Priima/Pérez USA (4-21, 14-21); Lares/Carlos Andrés MEX vs Priima/Perez USA (21-12, 15-21, 11-15)
POOL B: Brown/Valenciano CRC vs Hamilton/Sousa BER (21-11, 21-8); Rahnavard/Kemp CAN vs Hamilton/Sousa BER (21-17, 21-8)
POOL C: De Jesús/Martínez DOM vs Zendai/Bristol SKN (21-13, 21-14); Mora/López NCA vs Mejia/Guardado Y. ESA (21-19, 21-17); Mora/López NCA vs Zendai/Bristol SKN (21-11, 21-15); De Jesús/Martínez DOM vs Mejia/Guardado Y. ESA (21-13, 21-11)
POOL D: Maldonado/Izaguirre GUA vs Reyes/Rodríguez HON (21-11, 21-18); Rafa/Gabo ESA vs De Jesús/Segura DOM (21-13, 21-10); Rafa/Gabo ESA vs Reyes/Rodríguez HON (21-5, 21-0) forfeit knee injury; Maldonado/Izaguirre GUA vs De Jesús/Segura DOM (21-13, 21-14)
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