Puerto Rico announces team for Pan American Cup

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, July 1, 2018 - The national coach, Javier Gaspar confirmed the 14 players who will represent Puerto Rico starting on Sunday July 8 in the Women's Pan American Cup as they seek qualification for the Pan American Games 2019.

The Cup will be played again in the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, where five qualifiers will be defined for the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

 The team will be made up of the setters, Natalia Valentín (captain), Raymarielys Santos, Jennifer Nogueras, the outside hitters, Daly Santana, Pilar Marie Victoriá, Sofía M. Victoriá, Noami Santos, the opposite attackers, Shirley Ferrer, Julymar Otero, the middle blockers, Ana Sofía Jusino, Alba Hernández, Neira Ortiz and the líberos, Shara Venegas and Valeria León.

"We will be taking three setters in prevention to know how healthy Raymarielys' (Santos) discomfort is on his thumb. The rest of the group has already been working," said Gaspar.

The six of Puerto Rico will play in Group B of the Cup as confirmed by the NORCECA president who organizes the event that is played for the second time in the last three years in this Caribbean metropolis.

The first contest of Puerto Rico on July 8 will be at 6:00 PM against Cuba, the next day will face at noon to Trinidad & Tobago, then on July 10 they will face the United States at 6:00 PM.

The other groups were composed of the Dominican Republic, Peru, Canada and Costa Rica in the A, while in the C are Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

The best five teams in the final classification secure qualification for the Lima Games. At the moment, only Peru as the host is classified for the Pan-American Games.