Canada's Kiera Van Ryk spikes the ball in her team's bronze medal victory over Cuba in the the 2023 NORCECA Senior WomenÕ³ Volleyball Continental Championship, in Quebec City in a Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Norceca, Mathieu Belanger, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
RIO DE JANEIRO – Kiera Van Ryk of Surrey, B.C., had a game-high 27 points as Canada defeated China 3-1 in women’s Volleyball Nations League on Friday.
Canada, ranked 11th in the world, won the opening set 25-22 before No. 6 China took the second set 25-20.
Canada responded by winning the third set 25-23 and finished China off with a 25-22 fourth-set victory.
Canadian captain Alexa Gray of Calgary added 21 points. Canada’s women are still vying for a place at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Seven women’s teams have already qualified.
The remaining five spots will go to the top five not-yet-qualified teams in the FIVB rankings at of the end of the Nations League’s preliminary phase.
Canada opened with a four-set loss to host Brazil on Tuesday night before rebounding with a 3-0 win over the Dominican Republic on Thursday.
The team’s next match is Saturday against Thailand.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2024.
