United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba Set

for Women’s Semifinals in Punta Cana

 

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, October 24, 2026. – The women’s semifinals are set at the eighth stop of the 2026 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour in Punta Cana, with the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba advancing after Saturday’s quarterfinal action.

 

Sunday’s semifinals will begin at 9:00 a.m., featuring a showdown between USA’s Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep and Mexico’s Susana Torres and Abril Flores. In the other matchup, Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and Keishlyann Sánchez will face Cuba’s Kailin Garrido and Maykelin Drik for a place in the gold medal match.

 

Connor and Inskeep delivered one of the most dominant performances of the quarterfinals, defeating El Salvador’s Karla Tovar and Dana Funes 2-0 (21-6, 21-10) to secure their place among the final four.

 

Mexico’s Torres and Flores also advanced in straight sets, overcoming host duo Julibeth Payano and Crismil Paniagua of the Dominican Republic 2-0 (21-16, 21-15).

 

Puerto Rico’s Navas and Sánchez faced a tougher challenge, battling through three sets against Canada’s Darby Dunn and Alison McKay before securing a hard-fought bouncing back from dropping the first set for a 2-1 (11-21, 21-19, 15-11) victory.

 

Cuba’s Garrido and Drik completed the semifinal lineup with a convincing 2-0 (21-11, 21-11) win over T’ara Austin and Amber Bennett of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

In the classification matches for positions 9–12, Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez defeated Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Daphnie Smith 2-0 (21-16, 21-12). Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic’s Yerelin Reyes and Zoe Paniagua (DOM2) came from behind to defeat Guatemala’s Paola Alvarado and Daphne Mendoza 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-12).

 

In the classification matches for positions 13–16, Canada’s Kristen Almhjell and Christina Malbrecht (CAN2), along with the Cayman Islands’ Julissa Kelly and Elise Swaby, advanced without playing.

 

Other results:

(DOM1) Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua def. (ISV) T’Ara Austin/Amber Benneth 2–0 (21–16, 21–12); (PUR) Keishlyann Sánchez/Allanis Navas def. (GUA) Paola Alvarado/Daphne Mendoza 2–0 (21–10, 21–10); (MEX) Susana Torres/Abril Flores def. (NCA) Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez 2–0 (21–11, 21–11); (CUB) Kailin Garrido/Maykelin Drik def. (CAN2) Kristen Almhjell/Christina Malbrecht 2–0 (21–11, 21–14); (DOM2) Yerelin Reyes/Zoe Paniagua def. (CAY) Julissa Kelly/Elise Swaby 2–0 (21–7, 21–6); (USA) Ella Connor/Erin Inskeep def. (CAN1) Darby Dunn/Alison McKay 2–0 (21–18, 21–14).