|
|
T&T starts defence with win over Martinique
ST CROIX, Virgin Islands, July 16, 2012 - Nolan Tash led three
players in double-figure scoring as the defending champions
Trinidad & Tobago made a solid start to its defence its title
with a four-set win (25-16, 20-25, 25-15, 25-21) over 2008
winner Martinique at the 14th Senior Men's Caribbean Zonal
Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championship on Monday night.
Tash had a match-high 19 points, which included three aces and
two blocks while Sean Morrison added 17, inclusive of three
blocks and three aces, and lone professional player,
Marc-Anthony Honore, 16. For Martinique, which like T&T
committed 28 errors, Gregory Alpha tallied 18 points, which
comprised 12 spikes and five aces while Yoann Breleur chipped in
with ten.
Speaking after the match, Tash said it was a good first match
for his team and just what they needed coming off of their late
arrival from Santo Domingo on Sunday night and opting not to
train on Monday morning. Tash also praised Martinique for their
effort which made T&T work hard for each point.
|
Also on Monday, Guadeloupe denied host US Virgin
Islands a winning start as the French-speaking
Island came away with a 25-17, 25-21, 17-25, 25-21
victory in one hour 42 minutes ahead of its final
Pool B match against Bahamas on Tuesday from 6pm.
The Bahamians were on a bye on Monday.
|
|
|
For Guadeloupe which was outblocked and out served 6-11 and 2-10
respectively, Eric Mondongue had a team-high 14 tallies while
Mickael Marcelle added nine and Loic Couchy, seven in the win.
USVI's Alavaro Delugo was the top scorer in the match with 15
points while Brandon Varlack added ten, inclusive of four blocks
and Aseah Thomas, ten as well.
In another match, Jamaica made certain the event got off to a
resounding start when it stunned ten-time champion Barbados in
an entertaining five-set contest.
Going into the Pool A contest, the Bajans, winners in 1992-1996,
2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006 were expected to come out on top,
however the short-handed Jamaicans with only eight players on
their roster was in no mood to play second fiddle and came away
with a 22-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-23, 16-14 triumph in one hour, 56
minutes.
For the jubilant Jamaicans, Mark Lewis had a match-high 21
points, which included 19 kills, Ryck Webb added 19, Dennis
Nelson 15 and Conaradio Taylor, ten. Barbados, meanwhile was led
by Shawn Simpson's 20 points, while the experience Fabian Cox
got 16, Akeem Payne 11 and Daran Gill, eight.
Commenting after the match, Jamaica captain Dellan Brown said,
"First of all we have a great deal of respect for Barbados as it
had been a long time we had not beaten them in a competitive
match as the guys were discussing in the dressing room before
the match. |
