BRIENVENGAT, Curaçao, July 18, 2026.- Defending champions Curaçao opened their title defence in commanding fashion on home soil, defeating Bahamas in straight sets, 25-21, 25-8, 25-20), on the opening day of the 2026 CAZOVA Men’s Final Four Championship.
The victory marked a repeat of last year’s Caribbean Volleyball Championship final, where Curaçao also defeated Bahamas in straight sets to claim the 2025 title. This time, backed by a passionate home crowd, the hosts once again proved too strong, extending their dominance over the Bahamians with another impressive 3-0 triumph.
The opening set delivered exactly what fans had hoped for, with both teams displaying high quality volleyball in a fast-paced contest. Bahamas matched the defending champions point for point for much of the set, while the energetic home supporters created an electric atmosphere inside the arena. Curaçao maintained their composure in the closing stages, pulling away to secure the set 25-21.
The second set took an unexpected turn, with the score locked at 2-2, resulting in a lengthy stoppage as officials worked to rectify the situation. Once play resumed, Curaçao quickly found their rhythm and capitalized on the disruption, producing a dominant performance to overwhelm Bahamas 25-8 and take full control of the match.
Bahamas responded with renewed determination in the third set, as both teams traded points in an entertaining battle. The visitors remained within striking distance for much of the set, but Curaçao gradually created separation through disciplined serving, solid defence, and efficient attacking before closing out the match 25-20 to complete the straight-sets victory.
Curaçao captain reflected on the hard-fought win, acknowledging the challenge presented by Bahamas despite the final scoreline.
“It was a good game. We had to put up a big fight, especially in the first and third sets.”
Head coach Henrich Daal admitted there were early nerves but praised his players for settling into the contest.
“There were a few nerves at the beginning, but the athletes were able to pull through and put up a good fight to win the match.”
Bahamas captain remained encouraged despite the defeat, highlighting the experience of playing in front of Curaçao’s passionate supporters.
“I loved the atmosphere from the home crowd. We started strong, but if we had stayed strong, the results may have been different. We have to work on our consistency for the remaining games.”
Bahamas head coach Princetonique Wilson pointed to the lengthy interruption in the second set as a turning point in the contest.
“We started playing quite competitively in the first set, and then we lost our momentum in the second set due to some unfortunate mishaps. We regrouped in the third but broke down in the end. I think our defeat tonight was a result of a bit of fatigue and some mental breakdown.”
With the victory, Curaçao takes an early step toward defending its regional crown, while Bahamas will look to regroup quickly as the round-robin stage continues in the quest for a place in the championship final.
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