T&T senior women's volleyball team has been grouped with two-time defending Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games gold medal winners, Dominican Republic, for their Group A round-robin series. In addition to the Dominican Republic, who also won gold in 1946 and 1962, the T&T squad, which departed on Friday for Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, will also meet Costa Rica and regional rivals, Barbados in group play. T&T opens against Barbados today before meeting Costa Rica on Monday and Dominican Republic on Tuesday.
The 12-member local team under the guidance of coach Franciso "Panchee" Cruz is coming off of a tenth placed finish at the ninth Women's Pan American Volleyball Cup in Tijuana, Mexico. In Mexico, spiker Kelly-Anne Billingy, one of two professionals in the team along with captain Krystle Esdelle secured the "Best Server" award as T&T enjoyed its first ever wins at the Pan Am Cup, over host Mexico and Costa Rica. The Esdelle-led team then lost matches to USA, Puerto Rico and Peru in group play before defeats to Canada, in a playoff semifinal and then Mexico in the eight place playoff.
Host Puerto Rico, bronze winners four years ago, competes in Pool B alongside three-time champions Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. The pool winners, after a preliminary round-robin, will receive direct tickets to the semifinal round with the second and third placed sides facing each other in crossover quarterfinal matches. Eight time winners, Cuba, who got silver four years ago, are not competing along with Venezuela.
Team:
Krystle Esdelle (captain), Andrea Kinsale, Jalicia Ross, Channon Thompson, Kelly-Anne Billingy, Shurvette Beckles, Sinead Jack, Abby Blackman, Rheeza Grant, Courtnee-Mae Clifford, Delana Mitchell, Abigail Gloud.
Officials:
Francisco Cruz (coach), Susan Pierre (manager), Nicholson Drakes (assistant coach).
T&T women CAC Games volleyball fixture:
Group A
Today
T&T vs Barbados, 1 pm
Monday July 19
T&T vs Costa Rica, 5 pm
Tuesday July 20
T&T vs Dominican Republic, 5 pm.
