Four Undefeated Men Teams in the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier

TLAXCALA, Mexico, June 21, 2024.- Suspense dominated the first day of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the men’s division, with Canada, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Nicaragua remaining undefeated under intense pressure from their opponents.

In Pool A, Mexico’s duo Juan Virgen and Ricardo Galindo, along with Bryce Mayer and Tyler Penberthy from the U.S. Virgin Islands, are unbeaten.

Virgen/Galindo won a hard-fought three-set match against Costa Rica and also defeated Saint Kitts and Nevis. Mayer/Tyler Penberthy surprised by also beating Costa Rica and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

On Saturday, Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will face off to determine who advances to the quarterfinals as pool top finisher, while Costa Rica will aim to secure a spot as one of the best third-place teams.

Bryce Mayer from the U.S. Virgin Islands said, “It feels great to get these wins today, and we are ready for tomorrow’s match against Mexico. Costa Rica is a very good team; they play really well. I think beating them was important for boosting our morale and looking forward to bigger things. We are very excited to play against Mexico”.

In Pool B, Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing from Canada defeated El Salvador and Suriname. They will play against the Dominican Republic on Saturday, who lost to El Salvador and need a victory to reach the quarterfinals.

In Pool C, Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Danny López secured two wins, against Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala’s Andy Leonardo and Luis García, who had earlier defeated Arnaldo Torres and William Rivera from Puerto Rico. Mora/López will aim to secure the top spot in the group when they face Torres/Rivera.

Rubén Mora from Nicaragua said: “First, I want to thank God for being here once again at an Olympic Qualifier and especially for starting the competition with these two wins. We are physically well-prepared and have quickly adapted to the altitude here in Tlaxcala, as we were here last year for the Beach Volleyball World Championship. Tomorrow, we have a very important game against Puerto Rico, and we will give it our all on the court because with each victory we achieve, we are closer to our Olympic dream.”

Friday Results:

Pool A: Galindo/Virgen (MEX) d Nage/Hodge (SKN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-6); Mayer/Penberthy ISV d D. Dyner/Varela (CRC) 2-0 (21-17, 1-16); Galindo/Virgen (MEX) d D. Dyner/Varela (CRC) 2-1 (17-21, 21-16, 15-11); Mayer/Penberthy ISV d Nage/Hodge (SKN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-16)

Pool B:  Guardado/Guardado (ESA) d De Jesús/Martínez (DOM) 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 15-13); Schachter/Dearing (CAN) d Sporkslede/Dwarkasing (SUR) 2-0 (21-13, 21-14); De Jesús/Martínez (DOM) d Sporkslede/Dwarkasing (SUR) 2-0 (21-11, 21-11); Schachter/Dearing (CAN) d Guardado/Guardado (ESA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-13)

Pool C

Blanco/García (GUA) d Torres/Rivera (PUR) 2-0 (21-16, 21-17): Mora/López (NCA) d Theodore/Enile (TTO) 2-0 (21-11, 21-13); Torres/Rivera (PUR) d Theodore/Enile (TTO) 2-0 (21-8, 21-12); Mora/López (NCA) d Blanco/García (GUA) 2-0 (21-17, 21-18)