Solo Crusaders B stayed on course to capture the T&T Table-Tennis Association second division title after winning its three matches on Sunday at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Chaguanas.
After starting the day with a comfortable 4-0 victory over the national Under-15 girls team to complete their round one schedule, Crusaders B won against the same team, and UWI, both by 4-0 similar margins.
With three matches left to play, Crusaders B carried its points tally to 43 from 15 matches, three more than closest challenger Arima Hawks while D'Abadie Youths and UTT are next with 39 and 33 respectively from 14 and 15 matches.
In their second meeting with the national Under-15 girls, Vinoo Maraj once again got the opening win for Crusaders B, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 over Danielle Dick while Imtiaz Mohammed battled past Gyshan Latchman, 14-12, 11-7, 13-11 for a 2-0 cushion in the best of six matches series.
Anthony Laquis then put Crusaders B on the verge of victory beating Anjana Valsalan, 11-6, 11-2, 11-5 before Laquis and Mohammed won the doubles, 12-14, 11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 over Latchman and Valsalan.
Against UWI, Anil Ramlakhan swept past Ambika Sitram 11-5, 11-8, 11-8; Laquis defeated Ronald Williams 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7; Riad Abasali beat Aqib Harford 11-8, 11-8, 15-13 and the pair of Abasali and Laquis overcame Sitram and Vidal Sarwan, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7.
Hawks, went one better than Crusaders B on the day as they followed up wins over felllow title-chaser Montrose United (4-1) and the Under-18 boys (4-0 by default) by trouncing UTT 4-0 and outclassing Carenage Blasters, 4-2.
Parsons got Hawks off to a perfect start against UTT easing past Reena Deosaran, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5; national senior women's champion, 14-year-old Brittany Joseph outlasted Lawrence Ince 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 15-13; Linda Partap-Boodhan brushed aside Siddiq Ramsingh, 11-2, 11-9, 11-6 and in the doubles, the Hawks women powered past Ramsingh and Davone Joseph, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9.
Parsons also won his team's opener with Blasters' Justyn Young, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5 but Nigel Morgan then upstaged Joseph 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, 11-7 to get his team level at 1-1.
Khadeem Moore then handed Blasters a shock 2-1 lead after he also won in five-sets, 10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-6 over Kerron Ali.
However, Partap-Boodhan and Joseph then came to their team's rescue with a convincing 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 doubles victory over Moore and Young to even the tie at 2-2.
Partap-Boodhan then handed Hawks the lead at 3-2 via her 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 beating of Donald Humphreys before Parsons sealed victory, beating Morning, 8-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-5.
standings
Teams P W D L SetsWon SetsLoss Pts
Solo Crusaders B 15 14 0 1 57 14 43
Hawks 15 11 3 1 55 21 40
D'Abadie 14 12 1 1 52 14 39
UTT 15 8 2 5 44 36 33
UWI 16 5 4 7 39 46 30
Montrose 13 5 4 4 37 32 27
Solo Crusaders A 15 4 5 6 37 41 28
Blasters 13 3 2 8 27 42 20
U-18 Boys 13 3 1 9 20 40 17
U-15 Girls 13 0 0 13 10 48 16
U-15 Boys 13 1 2 10 16 47 14
