T&T’s senior women’s hockey team have been drawn in a relatively tough Pool B for the FIH World Hockey League Round Two qualifiers set for Montevideo, Uruguay from February 14 to 22.
The local squad which will be without no fewer tha nine key players will meet world 19th ranked Azerbaijan in their opener before on February 14 before facing off with 37th ranked Kenya (February 15) and 24th ranked France on February 17 to end round-robin play. Pool A will feature, Dominican Republic (#52), Italy (#17), Mexico (#28) and Uruguay (#31)
With the tournament being an eight-team affair, all participants have already qualified for the cross-over quarterfinals from which the winners will advance to the semifinals, and then the championship and bronze medal encounters.
From this tournament, the top two teams will qualify automatically for Round 3 which is the Semi-Finals of the FIH Hockey World League, which are due to be played in Valencia, Spain from June 10th to 21st, 2015 and Antwerp, Belgium from June 20th to July 5th, 2015. An additional qualification spot may also be available to the third place finishing team depending on its ranking and the rankings of the other teams that finish 3rd in other Round 2 tournaments being held in Delhi, India and Dublin, Ireland
On a positive note, Marcano will have the services of a few experience heads in Krizia Layne, Petal Derry, Brianna Govia, Brittney Hingh, Oire Trotman, Aime Olton, Kayla Brathwaite, Blair Wynne and co-captains Alanna Lewis and Patricia Wright-Aleixis while the rest of the team will comprise members of the national Under-21 squad who are preparing for the Pan American Junior Championship next year.
Women’s team members
Alanna Lewis (Co-captain), Patricia Wright-Alexis (Co-captain), Savannah De Freitas, Chelsea Dey, Amie Olton, Samantha Olton, Kayla Brathwaite, Brianna Govia, Brittney Hingh, Oire Trotman, Fiona O’Brien, Gabrielle Thompson, Jessica Lee, Lisa Smith, Petal Derry (GK), Arresia Sandy (GK), Blair Wynne and Krizia Layne.
Women’s team technical staff: Anthony Marcano (Head Coach), Valisha Sylvester (Team Manager), Nicholas Baldeosingh (Videographer), Kemba Noel-London (Physiotherapist) and Dr Timothy Hosein (Team Doctor).