T&T senior women's volleyballers will be hoping to end a three-match losing skid when they compete in the fifth to eight place semifinal play-off of the 24th NORCECA Continental Championship Olympic Qualifiers in Michoacana, Mexico, today from 5pm.
This after the local women, reigning five-time Caribbean champions ended with a 0-3 record in Pool B play to miss out on advancing to the main draw quarterfinals, and with it a chance at qualification to next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
In their final pool match on Tuesday, the Renele Forde-led "Calypso Spikers' fell 14-25, 14-25, 21-25
at Bicentenario Auditorium of Morelia, Michoacan.
It followed defeats against host Mexico (16-25, 12-25, 23-25) and Dominican Republic (16-25, 14-25, 17-25).
The victory guaranteed Puerto Rico to reach the quarterfinals with 2-1 record and 10 points and a spot in the quarterfinals against Group A third placed finisher, Cuba (seven points) while T&T finished its preliminary round without a point.
In today's fifth to eighth placed semifinal, T&T will come up against one of the losers of the two quarterfinals contested last night between Puerto Rico and Cuba, and Canada and Mexico.
Speaking after Tuesday's loss both Forde and Krystle Esdelle gave their impressions on the T&T team's progress.
Renele said "I believe we could have done better, we are obviously improving, and it has been a challenge. Now we must focus on the next match".
Esdelle added, "It's been a difficult transition, mostly because of government funds that have affected sports in general back home; we had little practice before the tournament".
T&T is making its sixth appearance at the Continental Championship since debuting in 2005 at home with an eight place finish.
This was followed by a sixth place showing in 2007 (Mexico), eighth in Puerto Rico (2009) and seventh in Caguas, Puerto Rico in 2011 after outplaying Costa Rica, 26-24, 25-21, 25-12 and sixth again in 2013.
Dominican Republic, winners in 2009 and reigning two-time runner-up defeated Mexico 25-16, 25-18, 25-23 to book one of the four tickets to the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament as Pool B winners as they advanced to the semifinals with 3-0 record and 13 points. Mexico took third place with 2-1 record and seven points.
Seven-time winner and two-time reigning champions USA became the first to qualify as they beat 13-time champions Cuba 25-16, 25-18, 30-28.
The Americans topped Pool A with perfect record 3-0 with 15 points and advanced directly into the semifinals.
Canada outdueled Costa Rica 25-15, 25-12, 25-10 to conclude the preliminary round with 2-1 record and eight points. Costa Rica ended with a 0-3 record.
The main draw semifinals will also take place tonight, with USA and Dominican Republic coming up against the main draw quarterfinal winners.