UTT survives five-set Glamorgan test

Port of Spain, Trinidad - The University of T&T (UTT) women’s team served off the defence of its Caribbean Invitational Volleyball League title with an entertaining five set win over main rivals Glamorgan in the final match on the first day of competition at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo.

Led by Germany-based national captain Krystle Esdelle (Club Schweriner) and Poland-based duo Sinead Jack (AZS Bialystock) and Channon Thompson (AZS Bialystock), the UTT women took the encounter 25-23, 29-31, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12 in two hours, 37 minutes .

As the result would show, the outcome was no walkover for UTT as Glamorgan which featured Åmerican pair, Andrea Justine Landi and Jessica Yanz along with Christine Anthony (Curacao), Lecia Brown (Jamaica) and Shari Matthews (Barbados) showed enough quality to pull off the upset but could not complete the job against a well polished unit.

Earlier in the day, Technocrats led by France-based national spiker Kelly-Anne Billingy and the overseas trio of Kamille Dwyer (Jamaica), Cherine Richards (Jamaica) and Janice Valies (Suriname) outgunned the Rachael Walters-captained Defence Force and its trio of international’s Carla Rudea (Peru), Mannika Charles (USVI) and Nakini Thompson (Suriname) 25-23, 25-15, 25-7 in one hour, 21 minutes.

In the men’s Open, both Glamorgan and Technocrats battled to five-sets victories over BIG South East Port-of-Spain and Defence Force respectively.

First up, Glamorgan men led by national setter, Saleem Ali and boosted by the inclusion of Dellan Brown (Jamiaca), Byron Ferguson (Bahamas), Jamaal Ferguson (Bahamas) and Shedrick Forbes (Bahamas) outlasted SEPoS 25-23, 25-18, 22-25, 28-30, 15-13 in two hours, 14 minutes.

The SEPoS line-up led by national captain Nolan Tash and three other T&T national players on in roster also featured Barbadians, Fabien Cox and Allian London as well as Jamaica’s Mark Lewis.

Technocrats with T&T’s lone men’s professional player, Marc-Anthony Honore in its ranks along with his national team-mates Sean Morrison, Simon Blake, Kevin Nimrod and Ryan Mahadeo, Jamaican pair of Ricardo Chong and Delford Morgan as well as Barbadian, Dale Addison edged past a determined Defence Force 25-16, 25-27, 23-25, 25-18, 15-9 in two hours, 16 minutes.

Among the guest players for Defence Force which is captained by Christian Francois are Bahamian trio Ronaldo Knowles, Tony Simon and Prince Wilson.

The tournament which forms part of the T&T Volleyball Federation (T&TVF) 50th anniversary celebrations is being hosted by the local body with the support of the Federation International Volleyball (FIVB) and the Government of T&T.

At the end of today’s round-robin series, the top team will face the fourth placed team and the second and third placed clubs will meet in semifinals ahead of Sunday’s third place and finals. The winners will collect, US$5,000 each.

Caribbean Invitational Volleyball League results:

Women:
Technocrats bt Defence Force 25-23, 25-15, 25-7
UTT vs Glamorgan 25-23, 29-31, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12.

Men:
Glamorgan bt BIG SEPoS 25-23, 25-18, 22-25, 28-30, 15-13
Technocrats bt Defence Force 25-16, 25-27, 23-25, 25-18, 15-9