Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
A MOUNTAINOUS task awaits Jamaica's world No. 47 ranked female volleyballers this afternoon in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic when the 'Riddim Girls' take on the mighty United States in their first ever Pan-American Cup game.
The Ortnel Findlay-coach girls qualified for the tournament in April after topping the Jamaica leg of the North, Central America and the Caribbean (NORCECA) qualifiers.
As it is the Jamaican's first time at the Pan American Cup, the team's technical director, Phillip Greenland, said his girls were not on a winning mission.
Instead, they are using the Pan American Cup for three main reasons: a warm-up to the second round qualifiers for the World Championships; spying on Costa Rica and getting the girls in top physical shape.
Jamaica are drawn in Group B of the competition along with Cuba, the United States, Canada, Mexico and Barbados.
A day before the team's departure on Tuesday, Findlay also hinted that Jamaicans should not expect too much from the girls when they play against higher quality opposition.
"We don't expect to win the competition, but we expect to put up a good fight," Findlay said.
"Cuba (ranked fifth), the U.S. and Canada (22nd) are world-class teams ... we aren't as exposed as those countries."
The 'Riddim Girls' are being led by Tracyann Pryce, and the squad includes Ptamony Fletcher, Natalee Carty, Romaine McNeill, Claudia Miller, Cherine Richards, Kamille Dwyer, Cheryl Daley, Shanique Sterling, Najwa Pagon, Shedeiky Hamilton and Naima Stennett.
