SPANISH TOWN, August 2, 2024.- Trinidad and Tobago teams played superbly to advance to both finals of the CAZOVA U19 Volleyball Championships on day seven. The men will tackle Barbados while the women will take on hosts Jamaica.
Trinidad and Tobago women had to fight for every point in their semifinal clash with Barbados, eventually prevailing 3-2 (21-25, 16 -25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-13). The Bajans were the first out of the blocks and looked unstoppable with a two-set lead.
Trinidad and Tobago proved quite resilient and dug deep to take the next two sets to level the score. Trinidad and Tobago rode the momentum in the deciding set to stretch out to an 8-2 lead and held on for the victory at 15-13.
Deon Hutchinson, coach of Trinidad and Tobago women: “We abandoned the rotation that we were using in the past. The kids are learning. They were not getting it right in the first two sets, but the last three sets were perfect. I am very confident going into the final.”
Trinidad and Tobago men, who have been gradually improving since the start of the tournament, put it all together to beat the U.S. Virgin Islands 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-22).
Curtis Burkett, coach of Trinidad and Tobago: “This is a first-time experience for us. We have never been here before. We have always fallen in the earlier rounds, and we wanted to change that. I’m glad we put our best foot forward, so it really doesn’t matter who we play. We simply come to play.”
Jamaica women, who have improved vastly since losing the first game to Barbados on day one, outdid themselves and are now in the final. They beat the U.S. Virgin Islands by 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 25-15,23-25, 15-10). The epic encounter was surrounded by vociferous supporters. Each time the hosts won a set, USVI responded in kind until they were tied at two sets apiece. Jamaica found the fortitude and concentration at the end and took the fifth and deciding set.
Oneil Ebanks, coach of Jamaica women: “This is the best junior team Jamaica has ever assembled. We are beating some of these teams for the first time”.
Finally, Barbados men proved too strong for Jamaica, brushing them aside 3-0 (25-20,26-21,25-10).
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