Six teams to compete for one Olympic spot in Monterrey

 

MONTERREY, Mexico, December 11, 2007.- Six women’s teams from NORCECA will be battling for one Olympic berth in the Pre-Olympic Continental  Tournament to be held in this Mexican city on December 17-23.

 

According to the Olympic qualification process the champion of this competition will join USA as competitors in the Beijing event. The Americans qualified to the Summer Games as third place finisher in the World Cup.

 

Cuba, currently third placed in the FIVB World Rankings as November 16, emerges as strong favourite to win the six-team tournament where Dominican Republic (14), Puerto Rico (19), Canada (24), Mexico (25) and Trinidad & Tobago (70) will be participating.

 

The core of the Cuban Team that finished fourth (8-3) in the World Cup is comprised of Nancy Carrillo and Yumilka Ruiz, the two best attackers of that event along with setter Yanelis Santos, the best server in the Japan’s tournament.

 

The Dominican Republic appears as the second strongest squad. The attack of this side is led by Bethania de la Cruz, the fifth best scorer of the World Cup, and veteran Cosiri Rodriguez with the new emerging power of lefty Sidarka Nunez.

 

The Dominican Republic last defeated Cuba in the Central American Games in Colombia in 2006 by 3-0 score, but since then Cuba blanked the Dominicans in the Pan American Cup and the Continental Championship and won 3-1 at the World Cup.

 

Aury Cruz is the biggest weapon of the Puerto Rican team that finished fifth in the NORCECA Continental Tournament in Winnipeg, and Canada (fourth at home) is led by Emely Cordonier.

 

The renovated Mexican side has Migdalel Ruiz as the most experienced player while the Trinidad & Tobago team is comprised of even younger players aiming to get more seasoning.

 

The teams are divided in two pools with Cuba, Puerto Rico and Canada competing in Pool A and Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico in Pool B. The winners of pools advance directly to the semi final round with teams placed second and third will face each other in crossed matches in quarterfinals.