Cuba Off to a Strong Start with Sweep

of Puerto Rico at Santo Domingo 2026

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, August 2, 2026. – Cuba opened its Pool B campaign at the women’s volleyball tournament of the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026 with a straight-set victory over Puerto Rico, winning 25-19, 25-22, 25-23.

The Cubans controlled much of the match behind an effective offense and steady play in the key moments. While Puerto Rico stayed within striking distance throughout the second set, it was in the third that the Puerto Ricans mounted their strongest challenge. Cuba appeared on its way to a comfortable finish after building a 22-17 lead, but Puerto Rico rallied to pull within one point at 24-23. However, Yalain De La Peña sealed the victory with a powerful match-winning kill.

Cuba built its victory on a 41-33 advantage in attacks while capitalizing on 24 Puerto Rican  errors, compared to 19 of its own. Puerto Rico held a slight edge in blocks (10-8), while both teams finished with two aces.

Yalain De La Peña led the Cuban offense with 16 points, followed by Diaris Pérez with 10. For Puerto Rico, Decelise Champion scored a team-high 11 points, while Diana Reyes added 10.

On the second day of Pool B action, Cuba will face host Dominican Republic, while Puerto Rico will look to rebound against Costa Rica.

Cuba’s captain Laura Suárez highlighted the team's preparation and the importance of opening the tournament with a victory.

“We worked very hard for this competition and for the events ahead. I think today reflected the results of that preparation and the strong foundation this team has. We had gone to several tournaments without beating Puerto Rico, and we wanted to change that. We stayed focused throughout the match, and our coach guided us point by point. Starting the tournament with a victory gives us a lot of confidence.”

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s captain Shara Venegas said the team is still fine-tuning details as it continues adjusting to changes within its system.

“We are still building our system and making a lot of changes. We still need to fine-tune some details, and that showed in today’s match. Now it's time to recover quickly, keep working, and look ahead.”