Puerto Rico, USA, Mexico and Canada Reach Women’s NORCECA

Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifier Semifinals

VEGA BAJA, Puerto Rico, November 7, 2026. – The teams from Puerto Rico, the United States, Mexico and Canada secured their spots in the women’s semifinals of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifier on Saturday at the Areia Sports Complex in Vega Baja, where a direct berth to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is at stake.

Sunday’s semifinals will feature home favorites Allanis Navas and Keishlyann Sánchez (PUR) against Megan Kraft and Kelly Cheng (USA), while Susana Torres and Abril Flores (MEX) will face Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson (CAN).

The day began with an important victory for Mexico’s Susana Torres and Abril Flores, who remained undefeated in Pool A after defeating Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and Keishlyann Sánchez 23-21, 21-11.

Torres and Flores later confirmed their dominance of the pool with a 21-14, 21-12 victory over T’ara Austin and Taylor Buckner of the U.S. Virgin Islands, completing the preliminary round undefeated and securing a direct berth to the semifinals.

In Pool B, Americans Megan Kraft and Kelly Cheng battled past Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson in three sets, 21-23, 21-16, 15-12, improving their record to 3-0.

Kraft and Cheng later secured first place in the pool with an undefeated record after defeating Costa Rica’s Ashly Chavarría and Laura Molina 21-7, 21-4, also earning a direct spot in the semifinals.

Home favorites Navas and Sánchez bounced back from their earlier loss to Mexico with a 21-14, 21-10 victory over El Salvador’s Adriana Vargas and Daniela Vigil, finishing pool play with a 3-1 record.

In the quarterfinals, the Puerto Rican duo delivered a commanding performance in front of the home crowd, defeating Belize’s Nelissa Ramírez and Clara Sabal in straight sets, 21-10, 21-6, to secure a place among the tournament’s final four teams.

Meanwhile, Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson secured second place in Pool B with a 21-11, 21-6 victory over Belize’s Ramírez and Sabal, advancing to the quarterfinals, where they went on to defeat Austin and Buckner of the U.S. Virgin Islands 21-11, 21-16, claiming the last semifinal berth.

In other Pool A results, Austin and Buckner defeated El Salvador’s Vargas and Vigil 21-17, 21-17 to earn their second victory of the tournament.

Dominican Republic’s Azmabeth Infante and Crismil Paniagua also defeated the Salvadoran duo 21-15, 21-18.

In Pool B, Belize’s Ramírez and Sabal improved their record to 2-1 with a 21-18, 22-20 victory over Guatemala’s Paola Alvarado and Daphne Mendoza, a result that contributed to their qualification for the quarterfinals.

Guatemala closed pool play with a three-set victory over Costa Rica, 21-17, 16-21, 15-9, leaving both teams to compete in the classification matches.

The semifinals will take place on Sunday, November 8, at the Areia Sports Complex in Vega Baja. The winning teams will advance to the final, where NORCECA’s sole women’s berth to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will be decided.