As expected the University of T&T and Arima Hawks, the top two teams at the end of the round-robin series in the WASA table-tennis invitational inter-team tournament won their semifinals on Sunday.
In the semifinals at WASA Sports Club, St Joseph, UTT led by top junior player and national senior men's team member Arun Roopnarine crushed Solo Crusaders 5-1 and Hawks defeated D'Abadie Youths.
Roopnarine got his team off to a positive start with an 11-5, 11-5, 11-4, while team-mates captain Alaric Humphreys and Kyle Borneo defeated Anthony Brown (11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9) and Andrew Alexander (11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 5-11, 11-6) respectively for a 3-0 sweep on table One.
On table two, Solo Crusaders' Vinoo Maraj made a winning start for his team, battling past former national women's champion, Brittany Joseph, 10-12, 12-14, 11-4, 11-4, 15-13.
But that was the only bright spot for Crusaders as Kamal Hunt then outlasted Merle Baggoo 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9 for a 4-1 lead, while Davonne Joseph defeated Kwame Laurence 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 to complete the 5-1 victory.
Hawks were equally as impressive as five-time national champion, Reeza Burke spanked Michael Nanton 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2 while veteran Lionel Darceuil stopped Everton Sorzano 10-12, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 and Anson Wellington overcame Haadiy Brooker 11-8, 10-12, 13-11, 11-4.
D'Abadie then got back into the contest when Edwin Humphreys beat Riad Abasali 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 and Sherdon Pierre humbled Rawle Parson 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 on table two, but Linda Partap-Boodan killed off any chances of a the clash going to a seventh and deciding match when she rallied past Ronald Williams 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8.
Tomorrow's final will be a repeat of their top-of-the-table clash from last weekend which UTT won 4-2.The winners of the final will take home $10,000, while second gets $6,000, third $$4,000 and fourth, $2,000.
Admission is $10.