TRINIDAD and Tobago’s improbable dream of winning the Women’s Pan American Cup ended in Peru on Tuesday night.
The five-time Caribbean volleyball champions have no chance to advance to the knockout phase of the competition after suffering their second successive defeat.
After going down to defending champions United States in a tick under an hour when the 12th annual tournament served off the night before, the five-time Caribbean champions kept Argentina on the floor for 71 minutes.
However, the South Americans prevailed 25-23, 25-11, 25-18 for their second Group A triumph from as many matches as they had also disposed of Puerto Rico in straight sets the night before.
T&T were out-aced 10-3 and committed 18 unforced errors, six more than their opponents.
However Channon Thompson, the Most Valuable Player when this country won the gold medal a few weeks ago to advance to the penultimate round of NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean) qualifying for next year’s World Championships in Italy, notched 16 points.
The Poland-based 19-year-old scored one point more than Emilce Sosa, one less than the game’s leading scorer, Lucia Fresco, and six more than compatriot Krystle Esdelle.
Skipper Esdelle and Thompson had struggled and combined for only three points against the United States. Former national youth captain Darlene Ramdin notched only three this time after leading the way with ten in the opener.
The Puerto Ricans seemed on their way to a major upset when they led the United States by two sets to love. But the fifth-ranked team in the world clawed their way back to take the nail-biter 28-30, 23-25, 25-14, 25-17, 15-13.
The victory ensured the North Americans a place in the knockout phase alongside Argentina, but, like T&T, the Puerto Ricans will be playing for no higher than seventh place from tonight.
The round-robin group phase of the tournament concluded after press time last night, with T&T opposing Puerto Rico and Argentina clashing with the United States to determine the winner of the group.
There are three groups, and the two winners with the best ratio will move straight into Saturday night’s semi-finals. The winners of the other group and the three runners-up will be involved in the quarter-finals the night before. The champions will be crowned on Sunday night.
In Group B four-time champs Cuba prevailed for the second time (25-20, 25-14, 25-17 over Costa Rica) to move into the knockout phase. But after squandering a two-set to love lead and losing to the Cubans the night before, the Canadians remained in contention by edging Peru 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-11.
The world No 2 Brazilians also kept their hopes of advancing to the knockout phase alive when the rebounded from a four-set loss to fellow two-time champs Dominican Republic to defeat Mexico 23-25, 25-16, 26-21, 25-15 in Group C.
After losing to the Mexicans in straight sets, Colombia are now forced to play for positions after their 25-20, 25-14, 25-21 defeat which ensured the Dominican Republic a place in the knockout phase.