Mexico defeats Puerto Rico in four sets

and earns its second victory at the Final Six

Ponce, Puerto Rico – August 25, 2026 – Mexico earned its second victory at the NORCECA Men’s Final Six by defeating host Puerto Rico in four sets, in action held at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The set scores were 17-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-22. Both teams now hold a 2-1 record.

With the match tied at one set apiece, Puerto Rico and Mexico reached 19 points in the third set, following an attacking error from zone two by Diego González Castañeda. The final tie came at 20, when Mexico took a 22-20 lead thanks to a service error by Pelegrín Vargas and an ace from Miguel Ángel García Reséndiz, maintaining control for the remainder of the set.

The fourth set was practically a repeat of the previous one: both teams remained close on the scoreboard until the final stretch. Antonio Feliciano tied the set at 21 with an ace, but Mexico closed with a 4-1 run to secure the victory.

Mexico’s top scorers were Yasutaka Sanay with 13 points, Axel Manuel Téllez Rodríguez with 12, Diego González Castañeda with 11, and Franky Adrián Hernández Milantony with 10.

For Puerto Rico, Klistan Lawrence and Pedro Molina both scored 14 points, while Ismael Alomar added 13 and Pelegrín Vargas contributed 11.

Puerto Rico outperformed Mexico 49-44 in attacks and 7-6 in aces; both teams registered 7 blocks. Mexico committed 22 errors, while Puerto Rico totaled 35.

Miguel Ángel García Reséndiz – Mexico

“It feels really good to beat Puerto Rico in their home, because it has happened before that they beat us in Mexico, and winning here is very satisfying. It means we have worked very well.

I think the key was our serving and teamwork throughout the match. Both teams had ups and downs, but we managed to stay a bit more consistent, strong, and united. With this result, we hope to reach the semifinals and from there aim for the podium and obviously the gold medal.”

Mexico’s next match will be this Wednesday against Canada, while Puerto Rico will face Guatemala.