The Canadian women’s volleyball team lost its second straight Olympic qualifying match to Serbia on Tuesday in Ningbo, China.
After defeating the ninth-ranked Netherlands in the first match, No. 11 Canada fell to No. 10 Dominican Republic on Sunday before being defeated by third-ranked Serbia 3-0 (25-19, 25- 17, 25-21). team that has yet to lose a set in its 3-0 start to sit atop Group A in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
SEE | Canada surpassed by Serbia:
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Serbia defeats the Canadian women’s volleyball team 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-21) at the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Olympic Qualification Tournament Road to Paris in Ningbo, China.
In the first set, Calgary’s Alexa Gray was able to keep Canada close with a pair of attacks to bring the deficit to 19-17 and 21-18, but the powerful Serbian team pulled away to win their seventh consecutive set of the tournament 25-19 . .
Tijana Boškovic dominated the second set for Serbia, connecting with nine points, including a set-winning attack to double Serbia’s lead heading into the third game.
Canada responded well with their backs against the wall, holding a 9-7 lead, their first multi-point lead of the match, and then taking a 12-11 lead on a controversial Gray point, where he appeared to execute a dig. that the protesting Serbs touched the ground, then followed up with an attack to take the point.
Gray led Canada with nine points, while Boškovic was huge for Serbia with 24 points: 19 kill points, one block and four service points.
Canada returns to action Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. ET against No. 6 China, which also has an undefeated record in Pool A of 2-0. The match will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
Road back to the Olympic Games
Canada needs to finish in the top two of its group to qualify for the Paris Olympics next summer, while another six spots will be available through world rankings next year.
Canada last qualified for the Olympic women’s volleyball tournament in Atlanta 1996, finishing ninth.
Qualifying for Paris would take the Canadian team to an overseas Games for the first time. Aside from Atlanta, Canada only participated in Olympic women’s volleyball at Los Angeles 1984 and Montreal 1976, finishing eighth in both events.
Canada List
- Kiera Van Ryk— Surrey, British Columbia
- Vicky Savard— Jonquière, Que.
- Julia Murmann— toronto
- White Jasmine – Oshawa, Ontario.
- Alicia Ogoms— Winnipeg
- Alexa Gris— calgary
- Andrea Mitrovic— Mississauga, Ont.
- Brie Rey- Langley, British Columbia
- Hilary Howe— calgary
- Shaïnah Joseph— Ottawa
- Kacey Jost— San Alberto, Alta.
- Emily Maglio— Coquitlam, British Columbia
- Avery Heppell— Langley, British Columbia
- Quinn Pelland— Wanham, Alta.