Team Canada defeated Curacao 25-12, 25-20, 25-14 on Friday at the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Volleyball Tournament at the Avenir Centre in Moncton. New Brunswick. This was Canada’s first game of the continental tournament. The top four teams from the tournament (excluding the United States) will stay in Moncton next weekend for a two-day Olympic qualification tournament with the winner going to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In Canada’s win over Curacao, Canada’s top player was outside hitter Eric Loeppky of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Loeppky led Canada with 14 points (nine points off the attack, four aces and one block). The entire match only lasted 57 minutes.
It was a complete team effort. A total of 10 Canadians registered a point.
Canada was one of two nations in Pool A to come away with a victory on Friday. The other nation was Mexico, who defeated Puerto Rico in four sets, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18, 25-23. Puerto Rico will be Canada’s opponent on Saturday. Canada then plays Mexico on Sunday.
In Pool B action on Friday, the United States and Cuba were victorious. The United States beat Guatemala in straight sets, 25-13, 25-13, 25-11 and Cuba beat the Dominican Republic, 25-18, 25-17, 25-19. Canada has won the NORCECA (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) Men’s Volleyball Tournament once before. That came in 2015 in Cordoba, Mexico.
