Defence Force created a big upset in the Women's Open Division of the Fourth Players League hosted by the T&T Volleyball Federation when they stunned joint pre-tournament favourites, University of T&T (UTT) in their semifinal 3-2 at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Chaguanas, yesterday.
Having beaten Defence Force 25-21, 25-14, 25-17 for one of their two round-robin victories in the four-team tournament, UTT featuring national duo, Abbi Blackman and Courtnee-Mae Clifford was expected to secure another straight forward victory to secure a spot in last night's winner-take-all $10,000 final. However, Defence Force boosted by guest players, national senior women's team duo, Rechez Lindsay and Marisha Herbert, battled its way to a 22-25, 26-24, 13-25, 25-20, 15-9 victory to set up a title match with unbeaten Technocrats.
Technocrats which ended the round-robin phase with a 3-0 record swept past West Side Stars for the second time in the competition, 25-12, 25-15, 25-23 to reach the final. When both clubs met in the preliminary round, Technocrats scolded West Side Stars 25-10, 25-18, 25-12 while it also spanked Defence Force 25-13, 25-7, 25-5.
A new champion will be crowned among the women after last year's winner the University of the West Indies did not register to defend its title.Meanwhile, Toco Youth Academy booked a placed in the winner-take-all $18,000 Men Open final for a second straight year following its 25-13, 25-22, 25-19 beating of Technocrats in the first semifinal. It was the third win from as many matches in the tournament for Toco after its topped its Pool A three-team round-robin series with victories over two-time defending champions, BIG South East Port-of-Spain (SEPoS) 25-18, 25-22, 25-21 in their group decider after beating Defence Force 25-16, 25-16, 31-29 in its opener to qualify to the last-four automatically.
Technocrats reached the semifinals via its marathon 25-17, 25-17, 23-25, 11-25, 15-13 win over Defence Force in the second of two quarterfinals on Sunday night.
This after Technocrats ended second in Group B round-robin play to Southern United after a 23-25, 16-25, 25-21, 25-21, 12-15 loss in their decider. In their previous matches, Technocrats defeated West Side Stars 25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23 and Guyana 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21. In the other men's semifinal Southern United dumped two-time defending champions SEPoS 26-24, 20-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-8.
Southern United also swept past Guyana 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 and West Side Stars 25-19, 25-22, 25-23 for its 3-0 record in round-robin play. SEPoS which was also beaten in the round-robin of last year's competition by Toco at the Mayaro Indoor Sports Arena, before turning the tide in the final against the same opponent, spanked Defence Force, 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 in its other pool match for second behind Toco and then outgunned Guyana 25-18, 25-19, 25-20 in their quarterfinal meeting while
The tournament ended last night.
Results
Yesterday
Women Open semifinals
Defence Force bt UTT 22-25, 26-24, 13-25, 25-20, 15-9
Technocrats bt West Side Stars 25-12, 25-15, 25-23
Men Open semifinals
Toco Youths bt Technocrats 25-13, 25-22, 25-19
Southern United bt BIG SEPoS 26-24, 20-25, 25-22, 17-25, 15-8
Sunday matches
Women
Technocrats bt UTT 23-25, 25-11, 25-14, 25-17
Defence Force bt West Side Stars 19-25, 18-25, 28-26, 25-20, 15-6
Men B
Guyana bt West Side Stars 25-18, 25-16, 27-25
Men's quarterfinals
BIG SEPoS bt Guyana 25-18, 25-19, 25-20
Technocrats bt Defence Force 25-17, 25-17, 23-25, 11-25, 15-13