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Puerto Rico and Mexico expected to battle in Pool R
PONCE, Puerto Rico, May 21, 2014 – The NORCECA Men’s World
Championship Qualification Tournament Third Round Pool R from
May 22-25 features teams from hosts Puerto Rico, Mexico,
Honduras and Bahamas competing at the 8,000-seat Juan “Pachín”
Vicens Auditorium for a ticket to the final event in Poland.
Both Puerto Rico and Mexico received automatic tickets to the
third round phase of the regional qualifiers based on their
world and continental rankings and are considered the favourites
to contest the gold medal.
Puerto Rico is ranked 20th at world level and fifth
in NORCECA while Mexico sits in the 22nd place of the
world rankings and fourth in the region. Bahamas is ranked 41st
in FIVB and 7th in NORCECA while Honduras is 85th
and 16th, respectively.
“We have put together the best talent available,” Puerto Rican
Coach David Aleman said after his team´s training session on
Tuesday. “The team has been working out for several weeks now
and we have a clear goal for this tournament.”
“We are going out to play hard in each match and the objective
is well defined: Winning the ticket to Poland at home.”
Last year, Honduras won Pool N with a clear victory in straight
sets over hosts Guadeloupe 25-21, 25-14, 25-11 in the gold medal
match. In 2012 the Hondurans claimed first place in Pool G at El
Salvador with a 25-10, 25-14, 25-17 victory against Turks and
Caicos.
Bahamas finished second of Pool I in 2013 after losing to
Barbados 25-15, 22-25, 25-17, 25-23. In 2012, they defeated
Curacao 22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 to take first place in Pool
A.
The winner in Pool R earns a berth into the 24-team FIVB Men’s
World Championship that will be held Aug. 30 to Sept. 21 in six
cities in Poland.
The second-place team in Pool R, along with the other three
second place teams in third-round pools, will compete in a final
playoff July 14-20 to determine NORCECA’s fifth and final spot
into the World Championship.
Competition Schedule:
May 22
16:00 Mexico v Bahamas
18:00 Puerto Rico v Hondura
May 23
14:00 Bahamas v Honduras
20:00 Puerto Rico v Mexico
May 24
16:00 Honduras v Mexico
20:00 Puerto Rico v Bahamas
May 25
14:00 Third Place v Fourth Place
20:00 First Place v Second Place |
