SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, August 25, 2026 – Puerto Rico defeated Trinidad and Tobago in straight sets 3-0 (25-7, 25-5, 25-5) to earn a spot in the fifth-place match of the 2026 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship at the Prof. Ricardo Gioriver Arias Volleyball Palace.
Puerto Rico will face the winner of the Mexico-Costa Rica match for fifth place on Wednesday. The winner of the fifth-place match will secure a berth in the 2027 FIVB Women’s World Cup and qualify for the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament for the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Trinidad and Tobago will face the loser of the Mexico-Costa Rica match for seventh place.
Puerto Rico dominated in attacks (39-4), blocks (7-1), and aces (13-1). The Puerto Ricans committed 11 errors compared to Trinidad and Tobago’s 16.
Puerto Rico’s offense was led by Ivania Ortiz with 15 points (9 attacks, 1 block, and 5 aces), followed by Leandra Mangual with 14 and Neira Zortiz with 12. Sadie Torkar scored 2 points for Trinidad and Tobago.
Juan Carlos Núñez, Puerto Rico’s coach: “This game was important for us because we want to qualify for the World Championship, so tomorrow we’re playing for that spot. It was also important to come out of this match as healthy as possible, which is why I gave more playing time to the reserves, because tomorrow’s game is do or die for us.”
Gideon Dickson, Trinidad and Tobago’s coach: “Puerto Rico is a superior team to us. The girls are young, 19 and 21 years old, and from the beginning we knew how we would fare in this tournament, but the experience gained is very valuable for the future and for moving up a level.”
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