UAH's Savona Set to Try to Qualify for Rio Games with Guyana
Courtesy of UAH Athletics
HUNTSVILLE | UAH assistant women's soccer coach
Ashlee Savona is set to open up play at the 2016 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship in Houston with her teammates on the Guyana national team on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Guyana is a member of Group B at the tournament along with the national teams of Thursday's opponent Canada, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The United States is in Group A.
"The last time I played in a qualifying tournament this big was the Gold Cup in 2010 where we also faced Canada and Trinidad and Tobago," said Savona. "I am just very grateful to have the opportunity six years later to face these world-class teams again. Our team is much more mature, and we have a great chance to show CONCACAF what the Guyana Lady Jags are capable of doing."
Guyana has had to advance through two preliminary rounds to reach this stage, and that first preliminary round saw the Lady Jags use an 8-0 win over St. Kitts and Nevis and a 1-1 tie against Cuba to continue onward.
The next stage took place with the winners of the other groups of the initial prelims: Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Guyna. Only three teams earned a spot in the upcoming qualifier.
Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago won against Guyana and Jamaica, respectively, setting up a contest between Savona's squad and Jamaica.
The Lady Jags would prevail in that contest with Savona assisting on the game-tying tally in the 2-1 victory.
After Thursday's game, group play will continue for Guyana with a 12:30 p.m. contest on Saturday against Guatemala, and the team will wrap up the group stage with a showdown against Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m.