Cuba's women's volleyball team to compete in China

HAVANA - The Cuban women's volleyball team will travel to China Monday to compete in the traditional Spring Tournament, the sport's national representative Ariel Sainz announced Friday.

The team will compete in China as part of its preparation for the 12th Pan-American Cup, whose top teams will be able to take part in the 2014 Grand Prix.

Cuban players will be able to test their skills against the Chinese, as well as teams from Thailand and Puerto Rico, one of Cuba's rivals at the upcoming Pan-American tournament, to be held in Lima, Peru from June 8 to 16.

Cuba's team will feature offensive-receivers Yoana Palacio, Sulian Matienzo, Dailiris Cruz and Melisa Vargas, at 14 years of age, the youngest of the players.

Middle hitters include Rosanna Giel, Alena Rojas Orta, Daymara Lescay and Heydi Rodriguez.

Rounding out the team are Ana Yilian Cleger, one of the most experienced players, Lilianne Marcillan, Jennifer Alvarez and Emily Borre, as the team's libero, or specialized defensive player.

Coach Juan Carlos Gala will accompany the team, along with trainers Wilfredo Robinson and Juan Carlos Cruz, and Dr Ramses Raymon Yanez.

Also competing at the Pan-American Cup will be the Dominican Republic, the United States, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico, all looking to score one of four slots to the Grand Prix accorded teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean (Norceca). The tournament's host, Peru, along with Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, will compete for two slots given the South American region.

After Lima, Cuba's team will travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, to compete in the Boris Yeltsin Cup, and later they will take part, for the 19th time, in the Grand Prix.

In September, Cuba's players will compete in a Norceca tournament in the US state of Nebraska, to qualify for the Grand Champions Cup in Japan at the end of the year.