Raymariely Santos, incoming freshman for the University of Arkansas volleyball team, is playing with the Puerto Rico Junior National Team this week at the 2010 NORCECA Junior Continental Championship in Tijuana, Mexico. Santos is the team captain for Puerto Rico, which is paired with Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago in Group B.

Play began Monday with a straight-sets victory over Trinidad & Tobago, 25-10, 25-9, 25-20. Santos was in the starting lineup as the team’s setter and finished as the assist leader in the match. She shares the setting duties as Puerto Rico runs a two-setter offensive system. Santos also added a service ace against Trinidad & Tobago.

Puerto Rico will next play Cuba in a July 7 matchup that will likely determine the Group B winner. After pool play is complete, quarterfinal action begins July 8 with the championship match scheduled for July 10. In other pairings, Group A consists of Canada, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, while Group C is comprised of El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Mexico and the United States.

Santos’ appearance with Puerto Rico continues a successful run with the national team. In 2008, she participated in the NORCECA youth tournament with the Youth National Team and went on to capture a silver-medal finish with the Junior National Team at the Peru Invitational. Santos has also played with the National Team at the Grand Prix in Brazil, Japan and Thailand and the NORCECA Championships.

Information for this article was provided by the University of Arkansas.