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MVP Esdelle inspires UTT dramatic title repeat
Port of Spain, Trinidad - Germany-based Krystle Esdelle was
voted as the "Most Valuable Player" of the tournament after she
led the University of T&T from thr brink of defeat to an
unlikely successful defence of their title with a pulsating
come-from-behind five-set win over Glamorgan in the Caribbean
Invitational Volleyball League women's final at the Jean Pierre
Complex, Mucurapo on Sunday night.
Watched by a very packed house at the Mucurapo venue, Glamorgan
looked set to avenge a round-robin five-set loss to its bitter
rival, when it took the first two closely fought sets, 29-27,
25-23 led by the power of Barbadian Shari Matthews, American duo,
Jessica Yanz and Andrea Landi as well as Jamiacan Lecia Brown
and and T&T's Jalicia Ross.
It all seemed to be over for UTT when Glamorgan took command of
the third set as well and enjoyed a 18-14 cushion but led by
Poland-based Channon Thomspon, Esdelle, Delana Mitchell and the
blocking of Sinead Jack, Abigail Gloud and Renele Forde, the
defending champions managed to get back into the contest by
eking out a 25-23 third set win to trail 2-1 in the best-of-five
sets match.
Both teams continue to trade points in the fourth set early
before Glamoragn took charge and climbed to within one point of
the title at 24-21, however the Macsood Ali-coached club wilted
under the pressure with Landi being the main culprit and
eventually surrendered the set to UTT at 26-24 to set up a fifth
and deciding set to the delight of the crowd.
Just as the previous four sets, the fifth also proved as
entertaing with UTT overcoming two match points at 14-12 before
stealing the title at 17-15 and with it the US$5,000 winners'
cheque.
On the other side of the net, the Glamorgan players were
expectedly distraught too the point, that libero Rechez Lindsay,
who was involved in a vehicular accident earlier in the day but
still played in the match was brought to tears, along with
team-mate Ross.
Lindsay's display during the tournament did not go un-noticed
though as she copped both the "Best Libero" and "Best Digger"
awards.
On Saturday night in the semifinals, UTT swept past Defence
Force 25-15, 25-18, 25-8 while Glamorgan stopped Technocrats
25-14, 25-19, 25-12 in the other. Technocrats got some
redemption on Sunday, as it ended third after beating Defence
Force 25-22, 25-17, 25-17.
Glamorgan men outlasts Technocrats
Glmaorgan men were also taken to five sets by national champions
Technocrats before securing a 26-24, 28-30, 18-25, 31-29, 16-14
inspired by the athleticsm of guest player Germany's Sebastian
Haehner, the men's tournament "Most Valubale Player" award
winner and libero Jamaal Ferguson of Bahamas.
On Saturday in the semifinals, Glamorgan battled past Defence
Force 25-23, 22-25, 25-18, 27-25 in the semifinal while
Technocrats showed its national championship qualities when it
clawed its way back from two sets down and saved four match
points in the fifth set to beat BIG South East Port-of-Spain,
3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-15, 20-18).
SEPoS overcame the disappointment of its semifinal let down by
sweeping past Defence Force 25-22, 25-13, 25-23 for third
Final standings:
Women:
1. UTT
2. Glamorgan
3. Technocrats
4. Defence Force
Men:
1. Glamorgan
2. Technocrats
3. BIG SEPoS
4. Defence Force
Individual awards:
Women:
Best Scorer: Krystle Esdelle (UTT)
Best Spiker: Krystle Esdelle (UTT)
Best Blocker: Lecia Brown (Glamorgan)
Best Server: Andrea Landi (Glamorgan)
Best Setter: Jessica Yanz (Glamorgan)
Best Receiver: Andrea Landi (Glamorgan)
Best Digger: Rechez Lindsay (Glamorgan)
Best Libero: Rechez Lindsay (Glamorgan)
Most Valuable Player: Krystle Esdelle (UTT)
Men:
Best Scorer: Nolan Tash (BIG SEPoS)
Best Spiker: Simon Blake (Technocrats)
Best Blocker: Marc-Anthony Honore (Technocrats)
Best Server: Simon Blake (Technocrats)
Best Setter: Dale Addison (Technocrats)
Best Receiver: Sebastian Haehner (Glamorgan)
Best Digger: Jamaal Ferguson (Glamorgan)
Best Libero: Jamaal Ferguson (Glamorgan)
Most Valuable Player: Sebastian Haehner (Glamorgan) |
