Honduras Defeats Costa Rica and Hands

Nicaragua the AFECAVOL Final Four Title

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, September 28, 2025.– Honduras defeated Costa Rica 3-2 (18-25, 26-24, 20-25, 28-26, 15-10) in a dramatic finish to the AFECAVOL Women’s Final Four Central American Championship, held at the San Francisco de Dos Ríos Gymnasium. The result allowed Nicaragua to be crowned back-to-back champions of the tournament.

Costa Rica started strong and took the first set 25-18 with contributions from Tannia Carazo and Tatiana Sayles, but Honduras responded in the second set, closing 26-24 to tie the match thanks to the power of Ana Gabriela Marcelin and Sasha Pamela Kawas. In the third set, the Costa Ricans regained control with a 25-20 win led by Krystel Vargas and Victoria Rojas, but the Hondurans refused to give up and forced the tiebreak with a dramatic 28-26 fourth set.

In the fifth set, Marcelin was once again decisive and, along with Kawas, guided Honduras to a 15-10 victory that left Costa Rica without championship hopes.

ÁLBUM HON vs CRC

Marcelin was the  top scorer of the match with 31 points, followed by Kawas with 23 and Rocío Duron with 13. For Costa Rica, Sayles and Rojas scored 23 points each, while Carazo added 22.

The statistics reflected how close the match was: Honduras led in attack points 75 to 73 and in service aces 7 to 5. Costa Rica was superior in blocking, 12 to 9, and committed fewer unforced errors, 15 to 20.

The result placed Costa Rica second with two wins and one loss, while Nicaragua, with a better set ratio, was crowned 2025 Final Four champion, confirming its regional dominance. Honduras finished third.

Marvin Ulloa, Honduras’ head coach: “It’s been many years since we beat Costa Rica at the senior level. The team has been growing; unfortunately, we had a bad start, but starting yesterday, we began to really play, and the players gave everything. They are happy. It was a beautiful spectacle; for those who love volleyball, having a packed gym with the crowd cheering for the home team is wonderful. This win is for my old man.”

Braulio Godínez, Costa Rica’s head coach: “Today was a match that maybe we thought Honduras wouldn’t be so strong in, but they went from less to more, and today they played very well. Honduras outperformed us in every aspect; they were more focused. Maybe after beating Nicaragua yesterday, the girls thought today might be a bit easier. We struggled to get into our rhythm; we played at their pace, and it took a lot to get back to our level. We could have won the fourth set—we had several set points—but we lacked the calm needed to close it. This tournament shows that the Central American Games will be very competitive, where small details will make the difference.”