This country's senior women volleyballers will be targeting an upset when they face host Mexico in the final match of today's opening round of the 11th Women's Pan American Cup. The top annual women's event in the Norceca Confederation featuring 12 teams (eight from Norceca and four from South America) serves off at two venues in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The event runs from today until July 20. The Krystle Esdelle-led world 34th ranked T&T and Mexico, ranked 27th, will serve off their Group B conest at the Colegio de Bachilleres Gymnasium, Tijuana from 9pm, two hours after the competition's opening ceremony.
The meeting between T&T women and Mexico will be the third in four months after Esdelle and company was beaten twice by the Mexicans at the Continental Olympic Qualifiers held in Tijuana in May 25-14, 25-19, 25-23 in the group stage and 25-13, 25-16, 26-24 in the fifth to eighth playoff semifinals. However, back then St John's University graduate Darlene Ramdin, Poland-based duo Sinead Jack and Channon Thompson (AZS Bialystock) and France-based Kelly-Anne Billingy were all absent from the T&T team due to different reasons and will be out for revenge tonight. Also in Group B, reigning champion and three-time winner Brazil, the second ranked team in the world faces 28th rated Costa Rica from 3pm while South American duo, Peru (#17) and Argentina (#18) battle each other at 5pm. T&T will then play Argentina tomorrow (Friday), Brazil (Saturday), Costa Rica (Sunday) and Peru, a day later, before the playoffs serves off.
In addition to Esdelle, Jack, Thompson, and Billingy, the Francisco Cruz-coached national squad comprises regulars, US-Collegiate player Renele Forde (Florida International University), libero Courtnee-Mae Clifford, Rheeza Grant, Abigail Gloud, Delana Mitchell, Andrea Kinsale and the former US-college star Jalicia Ross. The top team in each pool at the end of the preliminary round will qualify directly to the semifinals while teams placed second and third in their respective pools will meet in cross-over quarterfinals on July 18. The semifinals and medal matches will take place on July 19 and 20. The teams are competing for six spots available to next year's FIVB World Grand Prix. The top four teams from Norceca and the top South America's side other than Brazil, who are automatically qualified, get tickets to the 2013 FIVB competition.
T&T women's volleyball squad:
Krystle Esdelle (captain), Kelly-Ann Billingy, Sinead Jack, Renele Forde, Courtnee-Mae Clifford, Abigail Gloud, Darlene Ramdin, Rheeza Grant, Delana Mitchell, Andrea Kinsale, Jalicia Ross, Channon Thompson.
Technical staff: Francisco Cruz (coach), Nicholson Drakes (assistant coach), Susan Pierre (manager)
