Acina inspires Guadeloupe's upset of host Suriname

Paramaribo, Suriname, September 1, 2012 - Guadeloupe captain Isabelle Acina led from the front with a team-high 22 points as her team overcame a 0-2 sets deficit to stun hosts Suriname 3-2 in the second match of Session One of the 2014 FIVB World Volleyball Women's Norceca First Round Group A.

In addition to Acina, whose tally included 16 kills and six aces, Sylvia Sidney got 12 and Natacha Clairville, nine important points for Guadeloupe in the 18-25, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-8 victory in one hour and 38 minutes to silence what started out as a lively crowd at the Ismay van Wilgen Sports Hall.

Commenting on the win Acina whose team held the edge on spikes and blocks, 36-31 and 10-4 respectively said, "We are happy for the win after our slow start. Our service was very good which was a key to our victory."

"After losing the first two sets our coach (Jean-Louis Delag) said to us we have to move the ball around a lot more and we made a few adjustments from there on and we eventual won an exciting match."

A disappointed Cheryl Brunnings, captain of Suriname, the 2010 Caribbean Championship runners-up noted that after winning the first two sets in convincing style her team stopped playing.

"Our serving and passing game just fell apart, while Guadeloupe stepped up its game and we could not respond and in the end we did not win," Brunnings said.

Eric Aikman, coach of the host nation echoed the views of his captain saying: "In the first two sets Guadeloupe did not play well but from the moment they got going and played better we dropped our service and passing game. Guadeloupe also played a good match technically and we did not have an answer for it today."

An elated Delag said he was happy for his girls because they played a good match despite the slow start. Reflecting on the first two sets, Delag said he believes his players were a bit afraid of playing.

"I said to them if you do not improve on how you are playing you will not win the match and the girls responded nicely. We began to play much better and were able to force the match to five sets and won against a good team."