2017 NORCECA MEN’S WORLD QUALIFIER
- September 26-October 1
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Schedule/Results
- Live Scoring
- Watch Live
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Day 3 Recap
- Semifinals Recap
The 2017 NORCECA Men’s World Qualifier saw some surprisingly easy matches with just two utilizing extra points for the entire competition. Costa Rica and Canada were the two teams that needed extra points in their matches to lift them to the set victory over their opponent.
Costa Rica needed extra points to take a 26-24 third set away from Martinique and the 2-1 match advantage in the 7/8 classification match. This momentum they gained, however, was not enough for them to steal away the match, as they dropped the next two losing in five and taking eighth place in the competition.
Also needing extra points was Canada in the third set against Mexico in the bronze medal match, extending to 27-25. The Canadians dropped the first set against the Mexican side but redeemed themselves in the next three to earn the third place honor and a big to the 2018 World Championships.
Additionally, only five of the 25 matches extended past the needed three sets to win and most teams outscoring their opponents by 20 or more points on their way to victory.
Outside of these two matches, most teams did not have difficulties taking away either a set or a match in the competition. Is this something to be said about the NORCECA region and their competition level? With Team USA and Canada sitting at #1 and #2, respectively, in the NORCECA ranking, there is not much competition for these two powerhouses, especially now that Canada has begun to find their footing in the volleyball world.
Now, Team USA, the Dominican Republic and Canada have made their way to the 2018 World Championships that will take place in Italy and Bulgaria next year. Two more NORCECA spots are up for grabs as well, as Cuba and Puerto Rico were unable to attend the competition due to the devasting hurricanes that hit their countries just days prior to the competition. They will face off against Mexico and Guatemala later this month, the fourth and fifth place finishers, to determine the next two open bids for the championships.
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