Photo: Belize U-21 Men’s Volleyball Team
by William Ysaguirre
CHITRE, Panama, Tues. Oct. 15, 2024
The Belize volleyball men are one more win away from claiming the bronze medal or possibly silver at the AFECAVOL Central American Under-21 volleyball championships, having won 3 of 5 games so far at the Padre Francisco Gym in Chitre, Panama, in the tournament which began last Friday, October 11-17.
The Belize men dominated Nicaragua, 3-0, last Friday, as Kaelen Ingram hammered 22 hits, 3 kill blocks, and served an ace to win the first set, 25-15. Team captain Eleazar Mejia scored 8 hits, a block, and served 4 aces for 13 pts; while Kyron Sutherland scored 5 hits, 3 blocks, and served an ace; and Ryan Usher scored 4 pts to win the 2nd set, 25-21. Preston Smith scored 3 pts, and Brayden Richardson added 1 pt, and they profited from Nicaragua’s 23 errors, to win the 3rd set, 29-27. Kenneth Martinez and Yader Leon led the “pinoleros” attacks with 11 pts each, and Belize conceded 29 pts by unforced errors.
Belize won a hard-fought duel with Costa Rica that went the full 5 sets on Saturday. Ingram hammered 26 hits, 3 kill blocks, and served 2 aces to win the first set, 25-20. Mejia scored 19 hits and served 2 aces, to take the 2nd set, 25-20. Unfortunately, Belize made 41 errors, allowing the “ticos” to win the next 2 sets, 25-17, 27-25. Smith scored 4 hits and a kill block, Usher served 2 aces to score 5 pts, and they profited from the “ticos” 31 errors to win the decisive 5th set, 15-13.
Belize also dominated Honduras, 3-0, on Tuesday, led by Ingram who hammered 13 hits, a kill block, and served 3 aces, to win the first set, 25-21. Mejia scored 15 hits and a block; and Smith scored 5 hits, 2 blocks, and served 3 aces to win the 2nd set, 25-17. Ryan Usher scored 5 hits, 2 blocks, and served an ace; Sutherland scored 4 pts, Richardson added 3 pts, and they profited from the “catrachos” 16 errors, to win the 3rd set, 25-20. Fernando Herrera led the catrachos with 9 pts, and Belize conceded 26 pts by errors.
Belize also shared the points with the hosts Panama in our 2-3 heartbreak loss on Monday. Ingram hammered 28 hits and 3 kill blocks, to win the first set, 26-24. Mejia scored 21 hits, 2 blocks, and served 4 aces, to win the 3rd set, 25-20. Smith scored 12 hits and a block; and Usher scored 5 hits, 6 blocks, and served an ace. David De Leon led the hosts’ counterattack with 20 pts; Victor Perez and Victor Arauz added 13 pts each, as the “canaleros” won 2 sets, 25-22 and 25-23. Sutherland scored 4 pts, and Richardson added 3pts, but Belize’s 40 errors allowed Panama to win the critical 5th set, 18-16.
Belize did not do so well in the 3-set loss on Sunday to the eventual gold medalists, Guatemala, who remain undefeated with 23 pts from 5 wins; they are unlikely to lose to Nicaragua in their 6th and final match.
Belize is currently ranked 3rd with 15 pts and can only reach 20 pts by a 3-0 win over El Salvador. Panama is ranked 2nd with 17 pts, but need a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in Thursday’s nightcap to win the silver medal. If Costa Rica wins, this would allow Belize a chance to win the silver.