Canada, Cuba and USA sweep NORCECA Championship openers

Three straight-set matches were played on the opening day of the 2023 NORCECA Senior Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship at the Charleson Coliseum and Convention Center in the United States. From 5 to 10 September, seven teams will compete for the 2023 continental title and the remaining spots on the podium.

Canada, Cuba and hosts USA celebrated as winners on Tuesday’s opening day, after managing 3-0 victories over the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Suriname, respectively. Mexico will join the action on Wednesday.

Two-man Canadian block against Dominican Republic’s Adrian Jose Figueroa (Photo credits: norceca.net)

In the Pool A opening match, Canada mastered a 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-12) victory over the Dominican Republic, with outside hitter Stephen Marr leading the way with 14 points, including two blocks and an ace. Opposite Arthur Szwarc added another 10 points, including three blocks. Canada are on a streak of six consecutive NORCECA Championship medals. They have been on the continental podium 21 times, but triumphed as champions only once, in 2015.

Cuba got Pool B underway with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-15) sweep of defending 2021 champions Puerto Rico. Cuba’s outside hitter Miguel Angel Lopez, Most Valuable Player of the 2019 NORCECA Championship, impressed with four aces and led the match scorers with 13 points, including a kill block. His cross-court teammate Marlon Yant added another 12 points, while opposite Jamal Ellis was Puerto Rico’s best scorer with 11. Cuba is the most decorated team in the history of the competition. They have collected 16 titles (most recently in 2019), five silver and four bronze medals, while Puerto Rico’s 2021 gold was the team’s first, after picking up one silver and two bronzes.

Cuba’s Miguel Angel Lopez in reception (Photo credits: norceca.net)

In Pool B’s second game (pictured in the main photo with US setter Micah Ma’a serving; credits: norceca.net), hosts USA met little resistance from Suriname and registered an emphatic 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-10) win. Opposite Jake Hanes produced a match-high 14 points, including one ace. Middle blocker Jeffrey Jendryk and outside hitters Garrett Muagututia and Thomas Jaeschke contributed 11, 11 and 10 points, respectively, towards the victory. The United States had so far piled up nine gold (most recently in 2017), 11 silver and four bronze medals, but missed out on the podium at the most recent NORCECA Championship edition in 2021.

The two pool winners will advance directly to the semifinals, while the two pool runners-up will face the two third-placed teams in a quarterfinal round. Additional classification matches will be played to determine the full final standings from first to seventh place.

It is the 28th edition of the NORCECA Championship. It has been organised biennially since 1969 and the United States is hosting it for the sixth time, after 1975, 1983, 1993, 2007 and 2017.

2023 NORCECA Senior Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship results

2023 NORCECA Senior Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship live streaming