Calypso Spikers stay perfect ahead of final

European-based duo Channon Thompson and Sinead Jack were the lone players in double-digits scoring, as host T&T blanked Bahamas 25-13, 25-13, 25-13 to end with a perfect record of 4-0 in their Women’s Division round-robin series of the 15th Senior Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championship at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo on Friday night.

T&T, dubbed the “Calypso Spikers” and champions in 1996, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012, will now come up against either Jamaica or Barbados in today’s final from 6 pm, as they seek to equal Barbados six titles.

The Jamaicans were favourites to reach the final with a 2-1 record ahead of their final round-robin match with Barbados, which entered last night’s clash with a 1-2 record, and needing a lopsided victory to finish ahead of its opponent.

In yesterday’s other women’s match, Suriname also entered with a 1-2 record like Barbados, but had no chance to reach the final. 

This was because second-placed Jamaica has 11 points, followed by Barbados with six and Suriname with four points. The latter could only reach a tally of nine should it beat winless Bahamas.

However, on Friday night it was Thompson who led her team with 12 points, while Jack got ten and the pair of Jalicia Ross-Kydd and Darlene Ramdin, six apiece for the four-time reigning champions, who dominated the Bahamians in kills 32-12 and aces, 8-1, while holding a small advantage on blocks 5-3.

The visitors also did not help their cause by giving away 30 points on errors, while T&T committed 23.

Bahamas, meanwhile, a former two-time champion got three points each from captain Krystel Rolle-Brown and Avoni Seymour. 

The trio of Jannelle Curtis, Chryse Bain and Brittney Deveaux added two each in the loss. In Friday’s opening women’s encounter, Sandrina Hunsel rattled up a tournament-high 27 points as Suriname got its first win (3-1) to dent record six-time champions Barbados chances of reaching the final.

Suriname, after losing the first set, rallied to secure a 22-25, 25-17, 27-25, 25-19 triumph for a 1-2 record, while the Barbadians, previous champions in 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004, also have a 1-2 record.

The tall figure of Hunsel had 18 kills, six aces and three blocks in her tally, while Sigourrney Kame added 14, inclusive of 12 kills, and Chavelii Wip chipped in with 12, six coming on aces.

It was an overall solid team effort from Suriname which held a slight advantage over Barbados on spikes (44-40) and dominated on service aces, 15-5, while committing few errors as well, 30 to its opponent, 34.

For Barbados, which outscored Suriname on blocks 11-6, Shari Matthews was once again the main scorer with 26 points.

Captain Thonya Joseph was the next best scorer with eight, followed by Shani Leacock’s seven and five from Anicia Wood in the loss which came nine minutes shy of two hours.