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Photo: Champions group photo: (back row, left) Blessed Omamurhe, Rhea Tsai, Kaleigh Cardinez, setters Avianka Avila, Sara Safa, Zanyah Hall, Jevia Leslie. Front row (left) coaches Lupita Quan and Jose Montes, best setter Ziane Henderson, Emma Solano, libero Sammani Carcamo, best spiker Gareth Bruce, Dasialynn Thurton, Akili Jones, MVP Nisaan Martinez, assistant coach Nelissa Ramirez.
Belize wins first gold medal at XX Central American Games
Civic Center hosts under-21 girls volleyball tournament
Author: William Isaguier
Belize City, Saturday, July 20, 2024
The Belize Under-21 National Women’s Volleyball Team made history, sweeping all opponents with an undefeated record, defeating all opponents 3-0 to win its first ever gold medal at the 20th U-21 Women’s Central American Championship held at the Belize Civic Center on Friday and Saturday nights, July 19-20. (In the first two games on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 16-17, Belize won 3-0, defeating Nicaragua 25-21, 25-22, 25-20 and Honduras 25-17, 25-16, 25-13.)
In the gold medal match on Saturday night, Belize defeated arch-rival Guatemala 25-17, 25-18, 25-18 to win the gold medal. MVP Nisaan Martinez slammed 14 spikes, 3 blocks and 1 ace at the net for 18 points. Diminutive captain Gareth Bruce slammed 11 hits with an impressive vertical leap at the back line! Top setter Zian Henderson swiped the ball over the net for 4 points, had 3 blocks and 1 ace for 8 points. Middle blocker Blaise de Omamurhe slammed 3 hits and had 3 blocks. Off the bench, Akili Jones slammed 3 aces, while Carly Cardinez had 3 hits and Javia Leslie had 1 hit.
Defensively, libero Dasialynn Thurton had 10 good catches, Bruce had 10 good catches and made eight saves, and Cardinez had three good catches and six good saves.
Belize hit 36 times, Guatemala 27 times, blocked 9 times, the “chapinas” only 2 times, and served 5 times, Guatemala 6 times. Belize also benefited from Guatemala’s 25 unforced errors, which cost 18 points.
Belize’s entire bench got playing time Friday night as they beat El Salvador 25-11, 25-14, 25-14. Bruce served an incredible 10 aces and hit seven smashes for 17 points. Martinez also hit 14 smashes and three blocks for 17 points. Omamur hit 14 smashes and served one ace for 15 points. Henderson had three points, Leslie hit one and served an ace, and Cardinez served an ace. Akili Jones and Zaya Hall each scored one point, Avianca Avila took over as setter for Henderson, Samani Cakamo replaced Thurton as libero, and Sara Safa and Emma Solano joined the serving battle.
Belize had 41 hits to El Salvador’s 14 and 3 blocks to El Salvador’s 0. Belize served 13 aces to the “cuzcatlecas”‘s 6, but El Salvador benefited from Belize’s 19 unforced errors while giving up only 18.
It was a proud moment for the Belize Football Association officials and all Belize fans at the Civic Center as the Belizean girls received their gold medals and championship trophies and the Belizean National Anthem was played. Nisaan Martinez won the Most Valuable Player Award, Gareth Bruce won the Best Spiker Award, and Zian Henderson won the Best Setter Award.
Nicaragua won the silver medal, with players Maria Rivera taking home the best faceoff award, Denixa Zeledon taking home the best defensive player award and Karen Bird taking second place for best middle blocker.
Guatemala won the bronze medal, with Maria Santa Cruz winning the best scorer, best server and second best main attacker awards. Andrea Mendizabal won the best secondary attacker award, Karel Del Cid won the best libero award, and Naomi Monni won the best receiver award.
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