Despite an improved showing, the senior women's basketball team lost its second match 50-42 at the hands of the Dominican Republic in Group B match of the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) women's basketball tournament, at the Benito Juarez Auditorium in Veracruz, Mexico, yesterday.
Afeisha Noel was once again the top scorer for T&T and both teams on the night with 16 points, while also taking 12 rebounds in a commanding performance, while Joward Ortega improved with 13 points. Samantha Wallace and Rhea Codio scored four points each. Centre Patrice Edwards was fouled for five points.
The match followed a massive 98-40 win for Cuba over Jamaica. On Wednesday, the opening day of the women's competition, T&T was crushed 86-36 by Cuba, while the Dominican Republic also recorded an opening win with a 58-54 victory over Jamaica.
Today, T&T will face-off with Jamaica in both teams' third and final Group B preliminary match, from midday (TT time). Cuba and the Dominican Republic will clash in the final Group B fixture from 8 pm.
El Salvador, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Mexico are the Group A teams.
Table-Tennis at the Omega Complex:
Dexter St Louis beat David Vila of Dominican Republic 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-4 in the round-of-16 before losing to Mexico's Marcos Madrid 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 2-11, 5-11 with a medal at stake while Curtis Humphreys was ousted by Puerto Rico's Hector Berrios 2-11, 6-11, 2-11, 8-11 and Aaron Wilson came up short against Mexican, Ricardo Villa 4-11, 2-11, 6-11, 11-8, 5-11
In the women's singles, Rheann Chung defeated Guatemalan Analdy Lopez 12-10, 4-11, 11-6, 13-11, 14-12 in the last-32 and then took care of Puerto Rican, Melanie Diaz 11-6, 9-11, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 in the round-of-16.
However, she was then stopped by another Puerto Rican, Adriana Diaz 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11 in the quarterfinals
The other T&T women's player to reach the main draw was Ashley Quashie who was ousted by Puerto Rico's Daniely Rios, 7-11, 5-11, 5-11, 6-11
Volleyball:
Colombia bt T&T 25-15, 25-20, 25-15 and Venezuela beat Costa Rica 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 25-19 in 5th to 8th semifinals which left T&T and Costa Rica to contest the seventh spot last night.
Women's Soccer:
Mexico led by a beaver-trick from Cherlyn Veronica Corral (45th, 55th, 65th pen, 70th) crushed T&T 6-0 at the Hugo Sanchez Sports Complex on Wednesday night.
Maribel Dominguez (46th) and Carolina Jaramillo (61st) were also on target for the Mexicans.
Today, the Women Soca Warriors will go after a first win when they meet Colombia having drawn their opener with Haiti, 1-1.
Cycling:
At the Xalapa Velodrome - bronze medallist in the men's keirin on Tuesday, Kwesi Browne defeated El Salvadorean Erwin Vladimir Martinez with a time of 10.956 in the last 16.
Browne's time was the second fastest of the main qualifiers in their Men's Sprint Cycling event behind Colombian Anderson Parra who defeated Dominican Republic's Alberto Rafel Ramos with a 10.357 clocking.
On Wednesday night Emile Abraham was one of 12 riders who did not finish the 19-field Men's Points Race while Varun Maharaj was eight in the Men's Omnium Elimination finals over the 8,500 metres distance
Hockey
T&T men's hockey got back to winning ways in emphatic style, 11-0 over a hapless Guatemala inspired by a hat-trick from Marcus James in the 12th, 47th and 58th minutes.
The trio of Kiel Murray (1st & 43rd), Akim Toussaint (4th & 70th), and Tariq Marcano (57th & 67th) added two each for the "Calypso Stickmen" while
Jordan Reynos (9th) and Dillet Gilkes (35th) got the others to end with a 2-1 record and six points, the same as Cuba which came up against Dominican Republic in the men's penultimate round-robin match last night.
For T&T to miss out on the main draw semifinals against its nemesis in the 2010 gold medal match, Dominican Republic needed to topple the Cubans by 25-plus goals a margin very unlikely while in Pool B, Mexico defeated Barbados 4-2 and Jamaica 6-1 to top the three team pool.
Late yesterday, Barbados and Jamaica faced off for second spot in the pool and a semifinal meeting with likely Pool A winners, Cuba tomorrow ahead of Monday's gold and bronze medal playoffs.
The local women were earlier in the day held to a 0-0 draw by Guyana to end as runner-up in Pool B behind Dominican Republic (seven points) with five points and will meet Cuba in the main draw semifinals today after the latter drew 2-2 with Mexico to seal top spot in Pool on seven points, the same as its opponent.
Mexico and Dominican Republic meet in the other semis.
Field Archery
Recurve Mixed Teams, T&T was defeated by Guatemala 6-0 in the last-eight while in the Compound Mixed Team last-16 and
Mexico outscored T&T, 156-143 at Field Archery USBI venue while today, Jean Espinet meets Venezuelan Ricardo Vasquez and Sonia Thompson comes up against Venezuelan, Mayra Mendez in their respective men and women individual field archery encounters.
Judo
T&T's Khaliqa Mohammed was beaten in her quarterfinal by Puerto Rican Carolina Herrera, inside the first 12 seconds of the first round fight against at the World Trade Centre.
Today, bronze medal winner in the men's individual 10m Air Pistol competition, Roger Daniel along with countrymen Rodney Allen and Clement Marshall compete in the men's individual 25m Standard Pistol at El Lencero Police Academy.
Also in action will be Amrit Siew who faces Puerto Rico's Jose Reyes and George Vire battles T&T countryman Hasmath Ali in the men's Compound individual last-32, while Neela Cezair goes against Guatemalan Diana Martinez, in the women's equivalent.
At the Benito Juarez Auditorium, T&T and Jamaica women meet in their final round basketball contest.