BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC
JAMAICA'S women's team rebounded from the whipping handed them by champions Barbados, to register a therapeutic 25-11, 25-20, 25-15 win over Martinique in the 10th Caribbean Volleyball Championships yesterday.
Tracy-Ann Pryce was at the forefront of Jamaica's victory charge, sending down 12 kills and recording two blocks, while Cherine Richards scored seven kills and registered two blocks.
With one match remaining against Guadeloupe, Jamaica have all but qualified for Saturday's semi-finals.
The Jamaican men's team was not as fortunate in their match the previous night, however, when they lost to Martinique.
The workman-like four-set win over title contenders Jamaica enabled Martinique to remain comfortably on course for a semi-final spot.
The French team rallied well after losing the first set, to overturn Jamaica's advantage and post a 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 25-20 win and keep their unbeaten streak alive in Zone B of the tournament.
Martinique spread its attack around with attacker Rodrigue Larcher leading his team's victory charge with 18 kills while Roberto Dinal counted 12 kills.
THREE BLOCKS
Jean-Charles Yala scored three blocks in counting nine kills while Nicolas Desert had two blocks in also scoring nine kills.
The Jamaicans, who easily beat Trinidad & Tobago on Monday, were led by attacker Mark Lewis, who hammered 14 kills and three blocks, and fellow hitter Danny Wilson who scored 14 kills.
In other men's action in Zone B, Trinidad & Tobago's captain Nolan Tash continued his excellent form in the tournament, sending down 18 kills as his team rebounded from their previous loss to Jamaica, to spank a pedestrian Cayman Islands side in straight sets 25-16, 25-19, 25-22.
Meanwhile, a day after losing a close five-setter to the Bahamas, St. Lucia's men's team won their first match, beating minnows Guadeloupe in four sets.
St. Lucia, who placed sixth at the last CVCs in Trinidad & Tobago, edged the French team 25-22, 21-25, 25-15, 25-23, condemning Guadeloupe to their second loss of the tournament and to the bottom of Zone A.
Attacker Allister Sealy took charge of the match for the St. Lucians scoring 14 kills in an overall 18 points, while his compatriot Dayne Williams also had a big game, hammering 10 kills and five blocks, as well as leading the team in digs.
The win pushed St. Lucia to second in the standings with three points, one behind hosts and title-holders Barbados who they play tonight.
"Barbados is a very good team and they usually reserve their very best for
every time they play St. Lucia," Terry Vernant, the team's head coach, told CMC in anticipation of the upcoming match.
