For the first time ever, Team Canada has qualified for the quarterfinals of the Women’s Volleyball Nations League. They made the final eight after beating the Dominican Republic in four sets by a score of 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 25-18 on Sunday from Hong Kong.
Four Canadians reached double digits in points. Opposite Kiera Van Ryk of New Westminster, British Columbia led Team Canada with 21 points (18 attack points and three aces). Outside hitter Alexa Gray of Lethbridge, Alberta had 20 points (19 attack points and one block), Abby Guezen of Sherwood Park, Alberta had 13 points (11 attack points and two blocks), and middle blocker Nyadholi Thokbuom of Calgary, Alberta had 10 points (eight attack points, one block point and one ace). Captain and middle blocker Emily Maglio of Coquitlam, British Columbia led Canada with four block points.
Canada finished the preliminary round in fifth place with a record of eight wins and four losses for 24 points. They will next face Turkey in the quarterfinals on July 23 at 2am MT from Macau, China. The other three quarterfinal matchups have Italy versus the Netherlands, Brazil versus Japan and United States versus China. The Chinese got a berth as the automatic hosts and qualified despite being behind Poland in the preliminary round. Poland was eighth with 20 points and China was ninth with 19 points.
