Dominican Republic, United States, Cuba, and El Salvador Advance to U23 Men’s Semifinals in Punta Cana

Dominican Republic, United States, Cuba, and El Salvador Advance to U23 Men’s Semifinals in Punta Cana

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, October 8, 2024. - The tandems from the Dominican Republic (George Wilmore/Rolvin Maldonado), United States (Ayden Keeter/Carson Barnes), Cuba (Damián Gómez/Eblis Veranes), and twins Yoel and Christopher Guardado from El Salvador have secured their spots in the men’s semifinals of the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour, currently being held at Los Corales Beach in Punta Cana.

In the semifinals, Wilmore/Maldonado (DOM) will face Keeter/Barnes (USA), and the Guardado twins (ESA) will take on Gómez/Veranes (CUB).

The Dominican pair Wilmore/Maldonado defeated Nicaragua’s duo Josué Meneses/Jesy Umaña in the quarterfinals with a score of 2-0 (23-21, 22-20). The U.S. team Keeter/Barnes overcame Costa Rica’s pair Julián Araya/Stanley Grant 2-0 (21-16, 25-23). Yoel and Christopher Guardado from El Salvador eliminated the other U.S. team, Connor Dorsey/Aiden Hilkowitz, 2-0 (21-14, 21-9), while Cuba’s Gómez/Veranes triumphed over the Dominican pair Ramón De Jesús/Melvin De Jesús 2-0 (21-10, 21-5).

In the classification matches for positions 9-12, Guatemala’s José Izaguirre/Mario Ventura defeated Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Julián Bristol/Clerique Ward 2-0 (21-11, 21-10), while Canada’s Cole Linskill/Henry Heider beat Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson/Alexander Finnikin 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-9).

In the classification matches for positions 13-16, Saint Vincent’s duo Shadron Delpesche/John Jaimion defeated Bonaire’s Luiyi Morales/Emmanuel Montenegro 2-0 (21-11, 21-15), and Kymani Greenidge/Cole Sommer of the U.S. Virgin Islands beat Bermuda’s Alexander Southern/Braedon Cooke 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-9).

The classification matches will take place on Wednesday morning, followed by the semifinals, with the medal matches scheduled for the afternoon.

Other results:

Meneses/López (NCA) d R. De Jesús/M. De Jesús (DOM) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15); Linskill/Heider (CAN) d Delpesche/Jamie (VIN) 2-0 (21-16, 21-17); Gómez/Veranes (CUB) d Bristol/Clerique (SKN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-11); Wilmore/Maldonado (DOM) d Southern/Cooke (BER) 2-0 (21-7, 21-6); Y. Guardado/C. Guardado (ESA) d Keeter/Barnes (USA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15); Izaguirre/Ventura (GUA) d Kymani/Sommer (ISV) 2-0 (21-9, 21-12); Araya/Stanley (CRC) d Dorsey/Hilkowitz (CAN) 2-0 (21-14, 21-18) y Watson/Finnikin (CAY) d Morales/Montenegro (BON) 2-0 (21-14, 21-18).