St. Lucia reigns as ECVA U19 male Beach Volleyball Champs

Basseterre St. Kitts, September 03, 2023.- St. Lucia duo of Peter and Rio poured in a sterling performance in the finals of the ECVA U 19 competition beach Volleyball. Their opponents were the home team pair of Vikash and Bristol and despite having the support of a small but noisy home crowd they could not find answers to the power and control of Rio in particular.

In the first set, St. Lucia took an early and extended it bigger and bigger as the game went on.  The set ended with St. Kitts and Nevis on 10 points.

A similar pattern started in the second set but this time St. Kitts and Nevis gave a spirited fight back. They were down 0-7 but pulled the score back to within 1 (8-9)

However, that’s the closest they got  as St. Lucia increased their lead once again  and then secured the game at 21-14

Rick Swann coach of the St. Kitts and Nevis team: “I am a bit disappointed in the result but extremely proud of the guys. They showed that they have the ability to fight against tough conditions. This was shown particularly in the second set when they went toe to point with St. Lucia. They (St. Lucia) are a very strong team. Rio is amazing. In order to win we needed to get him off of his game we were not able to do that and so he literally controlled most of the game. This means that we have a lot more work to do and look forward to more battles over the years to come”.

Sheldon Nicholas Coach of St. Lucia: “The guys were able to continue the energy they picked up in the semi-final hence garnering the energy in the finals was easier. We just kept our composure and controlled the game from there. Winning the finals was a great result for us. We will continue to do some more technical work with Peter in particular but at the moment he is pretty solid we have areas to work on including teamwork and communication”.

Earlier, Dominica was able to take Bronze over Grenada in straight sets thereby relegating Grenada to fourth place.

The final places are as follows:-

1. St. Lucia  2. St. Kitts and Nevis 3. Dominica 4. Grenada 5. Anguilla 6. Bermuda 7 St. Vincent  8. Antigua 9. BVI

Dominica takes top spot in ECVA U19 female Beach Tournament

Basseterre, St. Kitts, Sept 03:-Dominica defeated Antigua and Barbuda in straight sets 21 18 21 15 in the finals of the female U-19 beach volleyball competition.

The victory was achieved in a workman-like manner. The pair of Edmund and Bully were the smallest physically in the entire tournament but they had the biggest heart and wore down the opponents with their tenacity

On the opposite side, Carr and Joseph of Antigua came into finals as somewhat the favourites and were given a shock as Bully and Edmund stuck to their guns.

Yahn Joseph Florent Coach of Dominica: “I am over the moon right now, I am just super happy with my girls right now. They are the shortest in the competition and everyone doubted them but it goes to show that height does not win volleyball. It was down to our serving, passing, and communicating with one another and being able to trust one another”.

Coach Olsen Joseph of Antigua:  “My girls fell into the trap of playing to match the style of the opponents and what is worse they were becoming annoyed and frustrated with themselves and as a result their game fell apart. I trust that this motivates them to come and work harder for the next event coming up”.

Earlier in the day, Anguilla took the third spot in a come-from-behind victory over Grenada ( 19-21, 21-18 and 15-8). Grenada missed out on the medal podium and had to settle for 4th.

The overall seeding at the end of the tournament is as follows

1. Dominica  2. Antigua 3. Anguilla 4. Grenada 5. St. Lucia 6 St. Vincent 7. BVI 8. Bermuda

St. Kitts and St. Lucia through to ECVA U 19  Males Finals

Basseterre St. Kitts September 03, 2023 –  Both St. St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia  made the way to the finals of the ECVA beach Volley Male finals. The routes  to the finals were very similar, in that they both won their quarterfinals easily then were made to sweat in the semi.

St. Kitts first met Anguilla and won 2-0 with score of 21-11 and 21 -15. Then in their semifinal match up against Grenada they found themselves one down losing 18 – 21 in the first set. With the backing of a small partisan crowd the St. Kitts team roared back and took the other two sets 21 -17 and 15 -11

Meanwhile, St. Lucia knocked off St. Vincent and the Grenadines  21-15 and 21-9 in the quarterfinals. Then in the semis it was their Windward Island rivals (Dominica) that pushed them to bring out their best.

After sharing the first two sets  21-14 and 13-21 both teams rallied point for point in the third set  until St. Lucia was able to pull away in the crucial part of the decider eventually winning 15 -13.

Hence the St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis meet at 5 pm to determine the champion each having played 5 sets to get there.

Grenada males and Dominica females take top seed at ECVA U19 Beach Volleyball Day 1

Basseterre, St. Kitts September, 2nd – When the sand settled at the Marriot Beach on the Atlantic side of St. Kitts, it was Grenada males and Dominica females who took the pole positions in the male and female categories respectively at the end of day 1 in pool play.

In the male category, it was the Grenada team that surprised everyone with their dominance over their opponents. They were unbeaten winning by huge margins over BVI (21 -3 and 21 – 5) and comfortable margins (21- 12 and 21- 12 )over Bermuda.

St. Lucia too were unbeaten when they played their games against St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua Barbuda. The St. Kitts and Nevis opponents challenged for a while could not extend the fight losing 21 -12 and 21 -15.

However, Antigua and Barbuda made them sweat for almost every point but eventually, St. Lucia persevered winning 21-18 and 21 -16. It was this point ratio that gave Grenada the edge over St. Lucia.

Attaining the number 1 seed after being in this type of competition for the first time made Coach Deannedre John very pleased. “I am very proud of my boys as I think they listened and executed what I was trying to impart. I know it might get tougher as we go along but regardless of the outcome they have already made me proud”. She said.

In the female category, it was Dominica that eclipsed the 7 other teams for the top spot. They won comfortably against BVI (21-15 and  21-6)

Added to that,  they pipped archrival St. Lucia 2-1 after losing the first set (13-21, 21-15, and 15-6).

“We did well, very well, I was satisfied that the girls kept their composure and executed when it was necessary”.  Coach Joseph Florent said.

Matches continue on Sunday 3rd September including quarter-finals, semis, and finals in both categories to determine the eventual winners

St. Kitts and Nevis Welcomes ECVA U19 Beach Volleyball Tournament

Basseterre, St. Kitts September, 2nd – Everyone lauded the idea of having a male and female competition in this age category with the long-time objective of having the best ECVA team compete in the World Youth Games in 2025.

Nine male teams and eight female teams will compete with each other and the eventual winner in the long run will get the opportunity to compete as an ECVA entity in the NORCECA segment of the World Youth games (U21) in 2025.

Consequently, there was a common theme among all the coaches. It is mainly about development but winning was a secondary objective.

Coach Alli Settle of Bermuda was excited about the proposal being played out. “This is definitely about development for us as we have brought some new girls and boys to this competition, but of course, along the way, we hope to win some games.” She said.

Jason Liburd coach of the Anguilla team said that it was a great idea. “The introduction of this competition aligned itself with the goals and objectives for volleyball in Anguilla as we too try to grow the sport. Also, it comes at a time when we are preparing for an indoor competition in October. Hence it is all about the transferring of skills from the hard court to the sands”. He intimated

Rick Swann, the head coach of the beach volleyball teams in St. Kitts and Nevis had this to say. “Every time one enters a competition one wants to win but for these boys, it is an opportunity to grow and learn each time they step onto a court”. He said

The view of first-time Deanne John of Grenada was an assessment of progress while in competition. “I believe in exposure, I think it is a good initiative and a chance for us to learn and grow and improve next time around. It will be their first time in a competition like this hence there will be no pressure just to do their best”. She concluded.

Olsen Joseph o Antigua and Barbuda was focused both on the long term and the present. “We are hoping to do well but this is also a pilot project so we are looking to see where we are so we can chart a development course. I think it a great idea as by the time we get to the U 21 level we can compete”. He said.

“We are cautiously optimistic in a competition of this nature. This is a combination of both wanting to win as well as development. We have just one experienced person on each team and so the focus is also building”. Said  Sheldon Nicholas of St. Lucia.

Coach Arnel Horn of St. Vincent and the Grenadines was excited over the prospect of playing in this tournament. This is definitely about development but we want to win a few games along the way.  This is an ideal opportunity for them to learn as it is their first time and so they are all ecstatic” He Stated.

Coach of the Dominica team Yan Joseph Florent’s eyes lit up when he was asked for his opinion. “It’s not just a good idea it’s a great idea as it gives us a chance to learn and grow. Both teams are new to the sand and it’s now an opportunity for them to apply what they learned. He noted.

Matches in both males and females begin simultaneously on September 2nd at 9 a.m. on the sands of the Atlantic Beach now known as the Marriott Beach. There, the nervousness will dissipate and competition will be in full swing.

St Lucia wins both titles at ECVA Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament

CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 27, 2023:  St Lucia won both the Male and Female segments of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament that ended here at the Cul de Sac Bay, on February 26.

The pair of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent copped the Male Division, with the duo of Denila Prospere and Chenao Evans, trumping the Females.

Descartes and Clercent, representing St Lucia Team One beat the experienced St Kitts and Nevis’ St Clair Hodge and Shawn Seabrookes,  2-0 ( 21-14, 21-14) , thus ending the tournament undefeated. It

It was a similar pathway for Prospere and Evans, as they too were unbeaten.

Also representing St Lucia  Team One, Prospere and Evans  saw off Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford of Grenada 2-1(  21-16, 18-21, 15-11) in the gold medal match.

Speaking after his team’s victory, the much travelled Clercent on behalf of his partner- Descartes disclosed that they had planned for match up versus the Kittians in the final.

“ The final was not that difficult for us because we used more techniques … We knew we were approaching a more experienced team… We watched a few of their games … We didn’t slip or slide because we knew if we did, we would have been punished”, Joseph reasoned.

Meanwhile, relishing the Female title, Team Captain Evans related , “ We have been training hard, about five times per week…  We have been active in Tournaments since last November, so we were prepared for this”.

Making the separations between the two teams on the day, Evans analysed, “ We tried to keep the focus our movements, our fitness and our agility were better than the Grenadians …The errors we made were our own errors”.

The Tournament, originally slated for last October, saw participation from seven countries, featuring 32 players.

The participating countries were Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and host St Lucia.

Nine teams contested the Male Division and seven were in the Female Division.  

President of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association Glenn Quinlan considers the recently concluded beach volleyball tournament hosted by Volleyball St. Lucia to have been one of the better-staged events he has attended.

Descartes and Joseph stay tops

CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 26, 2023: The pair of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent confirmed their supremacy as the top team in the Men’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

Facing the experienced St Kitts and Nevis’ St Clair Hodge and Shawn Seabrookes, Descartes and Clercent, saw off their opponents, 2-0 ( 21-14, 21-14) to cop the gold, and ended the tournament undefeated.

It was a triumph that pleased, Clercent, who said that they planned for their in the finals.

“ The final was not that difficult for us because we used more techniques … We knew we were approaching a more experienced team… We watched a few of their games … We didn’t slip or slide because we knew if we did, we would have been punished”, Joseph reasoned.

The experienced Joseph added that winning the title on home soil, made it all the more rewarding.

Meanwhile, Clercent’s opposite- Hodge, stated, “ Overall we are happy with our performance… We came through a zone where we weren’t actively pushed and in this the final, we lost some of our focus and made some unforced errors and we didn’t make the adjustments on court and  that led to us dropping the championships”.

The two reached the title match with similar victories over their opposing semi- finalists.

As such, Descartes and Clercent eased past Bermuda’s Ryan Davies and Brandon Sousa, 21-12, 21-14, while Hodge and Seabrookes ousted Antigua and Barbuda’s Adrian Constant and Jamarie James, 21-19, 21-17.

Constant and James ensured a podium finish with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Davies and Sousa in the bronze medal match.

Dominica, Grenada,  St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia Team Two and Team Three competed the lineup of participants.

St Lucia  Women take gold medal

CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 26, 2023:  Playing unbeaten throughout, St Lucia Team One pouched the gold medal of the Women’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

Buoyed by some vocal home support, the pair of Denila Prospere and Chenao Evans thwarted the meticulous play of the Grenadian duo of  Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford, 21-16, 18-21, 15-11.

Relishing the title, Evans related , “ We have been training hard, about five times per week…  We have been active in Tournaments since last November, so we were prepared for this”.

Making the separations between the two teams on the day, Evans analysed, “ We tried to keep the focus our movements, our fitness and our agility were better than the Grenadians …The errors we made were our own errors

Apart from their presence and abilities on the court, Evans said that  playing in the presence of friends and family was boost in their confidence, as well as keeping them focused.

Gracious in defeat, Mitchell said:  “ Placing second, we are proud; We are happy with the result… We had good team spirit, we were supportive of each other”.

Mitchell however noted that it was their own undoing that cost them the title.

“We made some simple errors, service errors, hitting the ball into the net”, Mitchell concluded.

Before reaching the final, Prospere and Evans blanked a spirited St Lucia Team Two of Clio Phillip and Jemima Evans , 21-14, 22-20.

In the other half of the semis, Grenada defeated St Kitts and Nevis’ Brenda Allen and Zenelle Edwards  15-21, 21-18, 15-13.

St Kitts went to take the bronze medal, as Allen and  Lake registered a 2-1 ( 19-21, 21-13, 15-8) win over Phillip and Evans.

The other competing teams were Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Women set up title charge in ECVA Beach Volleyball  

CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 25, 2023.- Following two days of play, the semi-finalists are known in the Women’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

Advancing to the last four from the initial seven team race,  are Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, along with St Lucia’s Team One and Team Two.

 Grenada, represented by Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford emerged as Pool A winners, after  beating St Lucia’s Team Two of Clio Phillip and Jemima Evans 21-14, 19-21, 15-9.

Topping Pool B was St Lucia Team One of Denila Prospere and Chenao Evans, who beat Tamerca Cabey and Nyla Edmund, 2-0 ( 21-15, 21-12).

Prospere and Evans also defeated St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shanadia Sylvester and Saquanna Duncan, 21-11, 21-7.

Other Day Two Results

St Kitts and Nevis’ Brenda Allen and Genelle Lake beat  Sylvester and Duncan,  21-10, 21-14 and Josanne Lewis and Zenelle Edwards of Antigua and Barbuda 21-14, 21-11.

And, St Lucia’s Team Two of Phillip and Evans beat Cabey and Edmund 21-7, 21-14.

The semi-finals pit Grenada against St Kitts and Nevis, with St Lucia One and Two battling in the other.

The winners then go for gold, with the losers seek the consolation bronze.

Semi- finalists decided in ECVA Beach Volleyball  Men’s Play

CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 25, 2023:  St Lucia Team One, Bermuda, St Kitts and Nevis as well as  Antigua and Barbuda, are through to the semi-finals of the Men’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

The match ups feature St Lucia Team One against Bermuda, while St Kitts and Nevis opposes Antigua and Barbuda.

The four emerged from Pool play and elimination matches decided on day two.

St Lucia Team One , composed of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent  beat Grenada’s Darron Oxford and Isaac Nelson  21- 13, 21-16 , to top Pool A, before gaining a 2-0 win over St Lucia Team Three, who forfeited their elimination match.

The Descartes and Clercent combination  meet Bermuda’s Ryan Davies and Brandon Sousa in the semi-finals.

Bermuda, after finishing second in Pool B, with a 1-1 win/loss ratio, crossed path with second place in Pool C, St Vincent and the Grenadines. Davis and Sousa though beat Asmond Franklyn and Jad Martin 2-0 (21-13, 21-16).

Meanwhile,  Antigua and Barbuda’s  Adrian Constant and Jamarie James had straight sets win 21-15, 21-9, over the St Lucia’s Team Three, composed of  Charles Blair and Mario Victor, to finish Pool C perfect with two wins.

Constant and James then defeated Yhan Florent and Keaun Reefe 2-1( 16-21, 21-19, 15-11), to clinch their semi-final spot.

Similarly, St Kitts and Nevis’ St Clair Hodge and Shawn Seabrookes  overcame St Lucia’s Team Three duo of  Rio Victor/ Anil Larcher   21- 6, 21-12, to top Pool B .

Hodge and Seabrookes then went on to beat Darren Oxford and  Isaac Nelson of Grenada, 21-8, 21-7, to set up their showdown with Antigua Barbuda.

The other result on day two, saw St Lucia’s Team Two of Rio Victor and  Anil Larcher defeating St Lucia Team Three of Charles Blair and Mario Victor,  21-18, 21-17.

The two semi-final winners meet in the Gold medal match, before the two losers left to battle for the bronze.

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