July 06, 2009 to July 08, 2009 -
FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G (Third Round)
At Orlando, Fla. (UCF Arena)
July 6:
Costa Rica def. Barbados 25-17, 25-19, 25-17
USA def. Netherlands Antilles 25-10, 25-9, 25-5
July 7:
Costa Rica def. Netherlands Antilles 25-16, 25-9, 25-23
USA def. Barbados 25-6, 25-11, 25-12
July 8:
Netherlands Antilles def. Barbados 25-22, 20-25, 27-25, 21-25, 16-14
USA def. Costa Rica 25-15, 25-9, 25-15
The FIVB World Championship NORCECA Pool G qualification tournament, scheduled for July 6-8 at University of Central Florida Arena in Orlando, has finalized the four-team round-robin field with a berth into the 2010 FIVB World Championship at stake for the winner.
The U.S. Women’s National Team and Costa Rica, based on ranked in NORCECA (North, Central Amercia and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation), automatically qualified for the third round of NORCECA qualification. Netherlands Antilles finished second in NORCECA Pool C to advance to Pool G. On June 14, Barbados defeated Jamaica to win Pool D.
About the Teams
The U.S. Women’s National Team is ranked second in the world by the FIVB world ranking. The squad earned the 2008 Olympic Games silver medal, and although the final competition roster has yet to be determined, the preliminary U.S. roster includes seven Olympians.
Costa Rica, ranked 30th in the FIVB world ranking, finished 17th in the previous FIVB World Championship edition held in 2006. Both the U.S. and Costa Rica will compete at the Eighth Women’s Pan American Cup held June 26-July 4 in Miami before traveling north to Orlando for the FIVB World Championship qualification tournament.
The Barbados Bajans, ranked 50th in the world, finished as runners-up at the last two Caribbean regional competitions held in 2006 and 2008, after winning the four previous tournaments held between 1998 and 2004.
Last year, No. 53 Netherlands Antilles finished in fourth place in the Caribbean behind Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica.
In addition to the matches, Team USA and UCF volleyball coaching staffs will hold a pre-match clinic involving chalk talk and skills demonstration.
