Dominican Republic, Canada, USA, and Nicaragua

in Women’s Semifinals at NORCECA U23 Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 24, 2025.-  The Dominican duo of Crismil Paniagua and Yari Cleto, Canada’s Sophie Hancock and Emma Cudmore, USA’s Emma Donley and Portia Sherman, and Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes have all advanced to the women’s semifinals of the 2025 NORCECA U23  Beach Volleyball Tour, taking place on the beautiful shores of Juan Dolio.

The host team, Paniagua and Cleto, will face Hancock and Cudmore from Canada in the first semifinal. In the other matchup, Donley and Sherman of the United States will go head-to-head with Nicaragua’s Silva and Brenes.

In the quarterfinals, Paniagua and Cleto cruised past Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney in straight sets, 21-8, 21-14. Hancock and Cudmore followed with a dominant 2-0 win (21-12, 21-10) over Aliza Aguilar and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica. Donley and Sherman overpowered Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier 21-15, 21-9, while Silva and Brenes took a convincing 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) victory over Joanna Robinson and Luna Banks of the Cayman Islands.

Earlier in the competition, all four semifinalist teams topped their respective groups in pool play.

In the classification matches for 9th to 12th place, El Salvador’s Ashley Rauda and Keiry Guzmán defeated Kristiana Richards and Adalia Badroe of Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (21-10, 21-13), while the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Kirra Lambert and Sophia Peifer beat Dominicans Zoe Paniagua and Steyce Turbi 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).

For 13th to 16th place classification, Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben advanced by a bye.

Semifinals and placement matches will take place on Sunday morning, with the bronze and gold medal matches scheduled for the afternoon.

Other results:

Hancock/Cudmore (CAN) d Richards/Badroe (TTO) 2-0 (21-16, 21-3); Silva/Brenes (NCA) d Aguilar/Vega (CRC) 2-0 (21-18, 21-5); Donley/Sherman (USA) d Aguilar/Monney 2-0 821-14, 21-12); Paniagua/Cleto (DOM) d Rauda/Guzmán (ESA) 2-0 (21-7, 21-9); Rivera/Bruhier (HON) d Neagle/Houben (CAN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-6).