by Ian Marshall
In the women’s team event that fact is certain, for the men open to conjecture.
Play conducted on a group all-play-all basis, in the women’s event, in their one fixture of the day, Mexico’s Arantxa Cossio Aceves, Clio Barcenas and Monica Muñoz continued their winning ways. They recorded 3-0 win against El Salvador’s Keren Constanza, Cecilia Orantes and Gabriela Suarez.
Similarly, by the same margin Guatemala’s Lucia Cordero, Hidalynn Zapata and Andrea Montufar accounted for Costa Rica’s Sharon Diaz, Nicole Granados and Sofia Perez.
One fixture remaining Mexico and Guatemala meet to decide the title, Costa Rica confronts El Salvador to determine third place; Honduras having concluded their schedule without a win, end matters in fifth spot.
Meanwhile, in the men’s team event, two groups, first and second in each group progressing, the semi-final stage has been reached. Mexico opposes El Salvador, Guatemala confronts Nicaragua.
Imposing 3-0 victory margins were the order of the day. Selecting Ricardo Villa, Miguel Lara and Carlos Zamora, Mexico overcame the Nicaraguan trio of Denilson Castellon, Gary Castro and Genaro Roustan to secure first place in their group.
Similarly, Guatemala with Hector Gatica, Kevin Montufar and Heber Moscoso on duty accounted for Costa Rica’s Alejandro Montoya, Daniel Araya and José Perez, before, with Allan Gutierrez replacing Kevin Montufar, the same result was posted against the Panama combination of Leonardo Castillo, Jean Carlos Tunon and Calvin Shi.
No changes to the selection, Nicaragua recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to the Honduran trio of Guillermo Muñoz, Alfredo Morazan and Porfirio Martinez, to claim second place in their group, a feat also achieved by El Salvador, but in much more testing circumstances.
Fielding Jaime Galeano, Diego Orantes and Edgar Sanchez, El Salvador posted a 3-0 win in opposition to Panama, who selected the same team to face Guatemala, before being stretched the full five matches by Costa Rica.
Diego Orantes emerged the man of the moment, Jaime Galeano the hero both teams making line-up changes. Job Martinez replaced Edgar Sanchez in the El Salvador selection; Costa Rica preferred to Ricardo Azofeifa to José Perez.
Impressively, Diego Orantes beat both Alejandro Montoya (11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3) and Daniela Araya (12-10, 11-7, 11-6), before in the fifth and deciding match of the fixture, by the very narrowest of margins, Jaime Galeano prevailed against Alejandro Montoya (11-4, 5-11, 6-11, 12-10, 12-10).
Play in Costa Rica concludes on Wednesday 19th May.
