Caribbean men’s teams reach semifinals in St Lucia

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, October 27, 2012 – Two teams from the Caribbean region are for the first time in the semifinals of an event of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, which speaks loudly about the progress achieved in recent times.

The Trinidad & Tobago-A team of Fabien Whitfield and Daniel Williams and the home boys Julian Bissette and Joseph Clercent of St Lucia-A had to battle hard to reach the final-four stage of the Saint Lucia Beach Volleyball Tournament, the ninth stop of 2012.

In Sunday’s semifinals Whitfield/Williams will meet William Montgomery and Jonathan Mesko of USA-A while Bissette/Clercent will clash with Jeffrey Carlson and Antonio Ciarelli of USA-B. Both American teams advanced directly through the winners’ bracket of the tournament played under a double-elimination format.

Whitfield/Williams began the day with a 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-8) victory over Costa Rica’s Esteban Escobar and José Suarez and then lost in a hard game 2-1 (11-21, 27-25, 15-13) to Carlson/Ciarelli of USA-B. Then they fought compatriots Simon Blake and Colin Bernard for the semifinal berth and prevailed by score of 2-0 (24-22, 21-17).

Bissette/Clercent, the principal team of St Lucia, dispatched U.S. Virgin Islands in a good game. The revelations of this year’s circuit won against the duo of Marc Lomeli and Anthony Pippen 2-0 (21-18, 21-13). They would lose to Montgomery/Mesko in an exciting match 2-0 (21-16, 28-26) but bounced back to prevail against Aruba.

It was the last match of the night at 10 p.m. and the people from St. Lucia could not wait for. Bissette/Clercent played against Daniel/De Cuba and triumphed 2-1 (15-21, 21-19, 15-13) in 53 minutes.

The two first male matches on Saturday had both of USA team in court. Montgomery/Mesko, won easily over Grenada’s duo of Adam Lafeillee and Gregg Gilbert by 2-0 (21–13, 21–8). Then USA B team played against Aruba and Carlson/Ciarelli won also against Daniel/De Cuba by 2-0 (21–13, 21–12).

Men’s results of Saturday: USA-A d GRN 2-0 (21-13, 21-8), USA-B d ARU 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), TRI-1 d CRC 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-8), LCA-A d. ISV 2-0 (21-18, 21-13), ISV d GUA 2-1 (23-25, 21-16, 15-12), TRI-B d GRN 2-0 (21-16, 21-17), ARU d LCA-B 2-0 (21-13, 21-18), CRC d BAR 2-0 (21-14, 21-13), USA-A d LCA-A 2-0 (21-16, 28-26), USA-B d TRI-A 2-1 (11-21, 27-25, 15-13), TRI-B d ISV 2-1 (16-21, 21-9, 15-11), ARU d CRC 2-1 (13-21, 21.19, 15-11), TRI-A d TRI-B 2-0 (24-22, 21-17), LCA-A d ARU 2-1 (15-21, 21-19, 15-13).