Calypso Spikers make in four-in-a-row ...Esdelle voted as ‘MVP’

By Nigel Simon

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

T&T captain Krystle Esdelle was voted as the tournament “Most Valuable Player” after she led her team to its fifth overall crown and fourth straight, over Babados 3-0 in the final of the 14th Senior Women’s Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association Championship (CAZOVA) on Sunday night. Led by captain Esdelle’s 22 points, T&T registered a 25-16, 25-19, 25 win in 72 minutes at the Richard “Ranchee” Charles Gymnasium, Kingshill, St Croix, US Virgin Islands. Kelly-Anne Billingy chipped in with 15 points and Channon Thompson, nine for the “Calypso Spikers” which out-blocked Barbados 7-6 and dominated on service aces, 10-1. For Barbados, Shari Matthews had a team-high 15 points and was also the lone player in doublefigure scoring.

The title was also the fourth straight for T&T’s Cuban-born coach Francisco “Panchee” Cruz, who took over the team in 2006. T&T’s first senior team triumph came in 1996 in USVI and is now within one of equalling the Barbadians, six triumphs. Speaking after the match, Esdelle said even though the opponents throughout the tournament considered by many as weak her team had to remain on the job at hand. “Barbados and T&T over the years have fought many tough battles so we knew the match was going to be tough and we prepared for that, stuck to our game plan and came out on top in the end.

Thonya Joseph, captain of the Barbados team and six-time winners first congratulated T&T. “For me T&T has the best team in the Caribbean, they are excellent athletes and great opponents. “On the other hand, we fell short on our service receive and while we went into the match with our own tactics, it seemed as though T&T had an answer for everything. Joseph noted that despite the loss, Barbados had a lot to be happy about and will go back to training and prepare harding for its World Championship Qualifying Tournament later this year.

Andrew Brathwaite, the Barbadian coach also congratulated T&T on its victory saying they are undoubtedly the best team in the Caribbean. We planned well for this match, but T&T did a great job in countering what we had to offer. They were far more aggressive and had an answer for everything we tried. Our team was also a little too weak on attack, but I am proud of my girls because they fought well against a good team. Francisco Cruz, T&T’s coach commended Barbados on a well played tournament and good match. However, Cruz was very critical of the tournament saying in order for CAZOVA to move forward things had to be done differently with regards to rules and administrative work.

“When players go the higher level their is no problems with some rules but when we participate in CAZOVA their are different rules. We must adapt to the rules of international world volleyball and not confuse the players. He added, “Everywhere you go you will here the Caribbean have the best natural athletes for the sport of volleyball but the mentality of the associations and persons in charge makes it difficult for the players to develop Earlier on, in the third placed match, USVI won 25-20, 25-21, 25- 23 over Jamaica in 74 minutes to pick up a first ever medal to the delight of their home supporters led by Valissia Brathwaite tallied 14 points and 13 from captain Sacha Gumbs.

For Jamaica captain Shedelky Hamilton-Barnes had 15 and Lecia Brown, ten in the loss. On Saturday night, in the semifinals, Esdelle led from the front with 14 points in her team’s 25- 16, 25-23, 25-24 79 minutes win over host US Virgin Islands. In addition to Esdelle, Kelly-Anne Billingy chipped in with nine points, and Sinead Jack and Channon Thompson, eight points each for the winners who dominated on blocks and service aces, 10-5 and 15-5 respectively. Valissia Brathwaite had a teamhigh six, while Janelle Sarauw and Sacha Gumbs got five each.

Barbados defeated Jamaica, also in straight sets in its semi-final, 25-17, 25-20, 25-15 in 70 minutes led by the experienced duo of Shari Matthews and Anica Wood with 17 and ten points respectively. For the Jamaicans, who held an 8-7 edge on blocks but were outscored 3-10 on service Aces, Lecia Brown had eight points, Tracy- Ann Findlay got seven and Shedelky Hamilton-Barnes and Makini Thompson, six points each.