RECAP OF OCEANIA U18 VOLLEYBALL IN SOLOMON ISLANDS

By Al Garrido | Guam Volleyball Guarintion
With reporting from Coach Manny Guarin and Shin Okada

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — The rest of the region may have underestimated them, but Guam’s U18 girls beach volleyball duo had other plans.

With grit, poise, and unmatched heart, Niesha Chen and Alessandra Leon Guerrero defeated a towering Australian squad in straight sets, 21-18, 21-16, to win the gold medal at the 2025 Oceania U18 Beach Volleyball Championships. The championship match, played earlier this month at the SIFF Academy in Honiara, capped an undefeated 7-0 run for Guam and delivered the island’s first-ever gold in the prestigious youth tournament.

“It was just our will to win,” said Leon Guerrero. “Both Niesha and I wanted this for ourselves, our families, and most of all for our home.”

Tournament Run of Perfection

Guam entered the tournament as underdogs but quickly rose through the ranks. The girls never dropped a set in round-robin play, posting dominant wins:
• vs. American Samoa – 21-14, 21-19
• vs. Solomon Islands (2) – 21-8, 21-10
• vs. Vanuatu – 21-12, 21-3
• vs. Solomon Islands (1) – 21-10, 21-16
• vs. Marshall Islands – 21-8, 21-12
• vs. Australia (Prelim) – 19-21, 21-19, 15-10

Guam finished first in pool play and was seeded No. 1 heading into the gold medal rematch against Australia—one of the region’s most established volleyball powers.

Championship Recap: Defense Wins Gold

From the first serve, Guam came out aggressive, trading blows with the much taller Australians. Chen and Leon Guerrero stunned their opponents early with a string of perfectly timed digs and intelligent offensive reads.

A drop shot from Chen broke a tense tie at 11-11 and gave Guam momentum. As the Australians leaned on their height and power game, Guam responded with hustle, diving defense, and court awareness. They closed out the first set 21-18 behind a furious flurry of smart plays and fearless defense.

In the second set, Australia jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Guam answered immediately—Leon Guerrero landing an ace and Chen sneaking a ball down the middle. Australia surged ahead 9-5, but Guam clawed back to 11-10 by the technical timeout. Then the rally began: digs, drops, aces, and sheer composure as Guam turned the tide and pulled ahead.

With the gold medal in reach, the girls never wavered. A 20-15 lead turned into a 21-16 final score—and a championship win for the ages.

“This is a huge win for our girls and for the growing beach volleyball program on Guam,” said Guam Head Coach Manny Guarin. “Playing competitively with a world-class powerhouse like Australia just shows how far our program has come and how committed these athletes are in the process.”

More Than Just a Win

For both players, the moment was bigger than volleyball.

“I don’t think it hit me yet,” said Chen. “We didn’t just win for ourselves but for our whole island. It’s a huge honor to wear the flag on our jersey, so I’m glad we could make our island proud.”

Though facing height mismatches nearly every match, the duo’s defense consistently turned the tide.

“We knew we were shorter, but when we started digging their hard hits, it showed that being short doesn’t limit you,” Chen said. “And they realized that too—when we shocked them with our defense.”

Leon Guerrero echoed the surreal feeling.

“If I’m being honest, it feels unreal,” she said. “Even now, I still haven’t fully processed how big of a win this was for both me and Niesha. This title really just means we worked really hard and knew we deserved this chance to represent our island—and we represented it well.”

Asked what stood out most in the final, she added: “Once Niesha and I picked up their hardest spiked balls in the first set, I knew we were locked in. We wanted this win.”

Chen shared a deeper reflection after the final point.

“We weren’t just playing for ourselves but for all the other Pacific islands,” she said. “We showed them not to underestimate us. This win has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me and Ally, and I’m excited for whatever the future holds.”

Boys Finish 7th After Tough Bracket

Guam’s U18 boys team showed promise early on but fell in the quarterfinals to Kiribati, 18-21, 16-21, and then lost to American Samoa to finish in 7th place. Still, CoGuarinarin praised their effort and the value of gaining international court time.

“The boys fought hard and competed. These matches and the international experience are the building blocks we need regardless of the outcome,” Guarin said.

With a gold medal in hand and the eyes of the Pacific now turned toward Guam, Chen and Leon Guerrero have not only raised the bar—they’ve raised the island’s flag at the highest level.