From This Is Volleyball

Guaymas, Mexico, June 23, 2016 – Cuba will play Costa Rica while hosts Mexico take on Guatemala in the semifinals of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Cup as the road to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games continued in Guaymas.

The four countries advanced to the final four of the double elimination tournament with straight-set quarterfinal victories on Friday. The second and third placed teams will qualify to the FIVB World Continental Cup to take place in Sochi, Russia from July 5-10.

Cuba swept Cayman Islands, Costa Rica outplayed Jamaica, Mexico blanked Barbados and Guatemala defeated Nicaragua in a Central American duel.

Cuba’s Lianma Flores and Leila Martínez saw off Chante Smith and Ilean Powery 2-0 (21-4, 21-10), followed by a 2-0 (21-4, 21-10) victory for Yanisledis Sanchez and Lidiannis Echeverria over Stefania Gandolfi and Jessica Wolfenden. Lianma and Leila beat Gandolfi/Wolfenden 2-0 (21-11, 21-12).

Costa Rica’s Karen Cope and Nathalia Alfaro dispatched Reane Temple and Sashalee Wallen 2-0 (21-9, 21-13), Marcela Araya and Valeria Valenciano outdueled Danielle Perry and Kai Wright 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) and Cope/Alfaro won 2-0 (21-17, 21-11) againt Perry/Wright.

Guatemala’s Maria Jose Orellana and Andrea Orellana claimed a 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) win against Swan Mendoza and Socorro Lopez, followed by a straight sets 2-0 (27-25, 21-11) triumph over Claudia Machado and Lolette Rodriguez. The Orellana sisters closed with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-13) success against Machado/Rodriguez.

Mexico’s Claudia Rios and Gloria Santoyo won 2-0 (21-13, 21-5) over Sharon Bovell and Anthazia Mason while compatriots Diana Estrada and Zaira Orellana beat Shari Matthews and Anicia Wood 2-0 (21-10, 21-13). Rios/Santoyo completed the victory with a straight-set work 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) against Matthews/Wood.

Earlier on Friday, Cayman Islands edged El Salvador 3-2, Barbados overcame Trinidad & Tobago 3-2, Jamaica defeated Suriname 3-1 and Nicaragua swept St Lucia 3-0.

IMAGE: Cuba’s Leila Martinez combined with Lianma Flores for two of the three victories of Cuba over Cayman Islands on Friday

For more on this story go to: http://www.fivb.com/en/about/news/norceca-womens-rio-2016-qualifier-semifinalists-decided?id=62640