T&T's senior women volleyballers, dubbed the “Calypso Spikers”, will start their quest for a second appearance at the prestigious FIVB World Championship in succession when they compete at the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Senior Women Continental Championship.
The seven-team tournament will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico from Thursday until August 31.
Three years ago, the T&T women debuted at the FIVB Women’s World Championship in Japan under the guidance of Cuban-born coach Francisco “Panchee” Cruz.
This time around that responsibility will fall on the shoulders of debutant women’s head coach and former team libero, Courtnee-Mae Clifford.
However, Clifford and her team, made up of mostly members of the Under-23 team whom she recently coached at the Junior Women’s Pan American Qualifiers in Aguascalientes, Mexico, are expected to face an uphill battle as they have been grouped with defending champion Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and host Mexico in round-robin Pool B play.
The trio of USA, Puerto Rico and Canada are pooled in a very interesting Pool A.
First up for T&T will be a meeting with Mexico from 9 pm followed by the Dominican Republic on Friday and Costa Rica, a day later, both from 3 pm.
The “Calypso Spikers”, the reigning eight-time Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) champions are currently in the midst of a transitional period with experienced players like Kelly-Anne Billingy, Jalicia Ross-Kydd, Rheeza Grant and Abby Blackman having retired from national team duties.
In addition, the team has been depleted by the absence of key spiker Channon Thompson who misses out through injury while Turkey-based Sinead Jack-Kisal, Renele Forde, and USA-based Natassia Baptiste, Afiya Alexander, Aaliyah Alexis, Destiny Leon and Kiune Fletcher are all unavailable.
In their absence, veteran spiker Krystle Esdelle and Darlene Ramdin will be called upon to lead the inexperienced core along with locally-based players La Teisha Joseph, Reajanne Wallace and Danielle Noel.
Both Clifford and Ramdin are already in Mexico along with U-23 team players Rayquelle Dickson, Shanice Cottoy, Amaris Noray, Desiree Donald, and Jada Crawford who stayed on in Mexico following the completion of their qualifiers on August 15 and will be joined by Joseph, Esdelle, Noel and Wallace.
Esdelle left T&T on Monday to link up with the team while the trio of Joseph, Wallace and Noel will depart on Tuesday.
At the last NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the Dominican Republic defeated USA in five thrilling sets 25-19, 25-23, 15-25, 20-25, 15-9 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum of San Juan, Puerto Rico, to capture the title, their second overall in four finals appearances.
Schedule:
Pool A:
Aug 26: USA vs Puerto Rico, 3 pm
Aug 27: USA vs Canada, 6.30 pm
Aug 28: Puerto Rico vs Canada, 6.30 pm
Group B:
Aug 26: Dominican Rep vs Costa Rica 5.30 pm; Mexico vs T&T, 9 pm
Aug 27: Dominican Republic vs T&T, 3 pm; Mexico vs Costa Rica, 9 pm
Aug 28: T&T vs Costa Rica, 3 pm; Mexico vs Dominican Republic, 9 pm
Quarterfinals:
Aug 29: 2nd A vs 3rd B, 6.30 pm; 2nd B vs 3rd B, 9 pm
Classification:
Aug 30:
Fifth place playoff, 3 pm
Semifinals, 6.30 pm & 9 pm
Final:
Aug 31:
Third spot playoff, 6.30 pm
Final, 9 pm
