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Canada's Women Last Played an Olympics in 1996
Canada plays the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo on Saturday night for NORCECA's only place at the Los Angeles Games. The Dominicans have been to the last two.
Canada swept Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-10) and the Dominican Republic beat Cuba 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-15) in Santo Domingo on Friday. They meet on Saturday night for the one place NORCECA has at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
This is a separate tournament from the continental championship Canada won on Wednesday of last week. The four teams that finished highest there, excluding the United States, were sent into a two-day qualifier, because the Americans already hold a place as hosts.
The Canadian Olympic Committee lists three Olympic appearances for its women, at Montreal in 1976, Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996. Saturday night is a chance to go back to Los Angeles thirty-two years after the last one.
The Dominican Republic is not chasing a drought. Las Reinas del Caribe played Athens in 2004, London in 2012, Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024, and Saturday would make it a fifth Games and a third in a row.
Kiera Van Ryk scored 20 points against Puerto Rico on 13 kills, three blocks and four aces, and Brayelin Martínez scored 21 against Cuba.
Canada gave up one close set in Santo Domingo and nothing else.
Giovanni Guidetti coaches Canada. He spoke to NORCECA after the Puerto Rico match.
I liked the way my team played the match. Puerto Rico put pressure on us in the second set, but we were able to stay strong and close out that set with a positive result. In the third set, we regained our rhythm and controlled it very well. I'm satisfied with our performance today and am already looking forward to a great match tomorrow.
The final is at 7 p.m. local and the third-place match at 4, Puerto Rico against Cuba. Canada has not lost a set in this qualifier and the Dominican Republic has lost one.
We expect the home crowd to be worth a set and Canada to win the other three.
