Trinidad & Tobago overcome Suriname ahead of Pool A final

Paramaribo, Suriname, September 2, 2012 - Team captain Krystle Esdelle notched 21 points in leading four of her team-mates in double-digit scoring as Trinidad & Tobago defeated hosts Suriname in four sets to top the preliminary round the 2014 FIVB World Volleyball Women's Norceca First Round Group A in Paramaribo, on Sunday morning ahead of its final with Guadeloupe.

Kelly-Ann Billingy and Sinead Jack tallied 13 points each and Channon Thompson 11 for Trinidad & Tobago which won 25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 25-6 in one hours, 29 minutes in the final round-robin match at the Ismay Van Wilgen Sports Hall.

The win gave Trinidad & Tobago a 3-0 record to top the group with 13 points, six more than Guadeloupe (2-1) and Suriname (1-2) while Bahamas (0-3) ended with two points.

For Suriname, which needed a victory over Trinidad & Tobago to finish ahead of Guadeloupe and book a finals spot, Sandrina Hunsel was kept to only seven points and Chavelli Wip five while 14-year-old Kame Sigourney added four.

The "Calypos Spikers", the reigning five-time Caribbean champions, while not playing to their full potential still controlled most of the match and led in all key facets of the match, 41-13 in spikes, 11-6 in blocks and 17-3 on service aces.

Reflecting on her team's defeat, Suriname captain, Cheryl Brunings said the result of the first match between Guadeloupe and Bahamas on Sunday morning made it difficult for her team to try and get to the final.

"We went into the match needing to beat T&T to qualify and the girls did their best but it was not good enough,” she said. “I also was not pleased with the way we played in the last two sets and against Bahamas in the third place match we need to step up our game to advance to the next round.”

Esdelle was quick to point out that the last set performance was more like the level she expects from her team.

"Early on in the match we were too complacent, making many errors and over thinking the match. We eventually settled down and played better and we now look ahead to the match with Guadeloupe which we want to win to claim the gold medal,” Esdelle stated.

Eric Aikman, coach of Suriname echoed the views of his captain saying he was not very happy with the way his team played.

"We have to train more to become better in all aspects of our game,” he said. “At the same time we still have a third place match which is very important because it carries a qualification spot to the next round with it.”