T&T's Under-19 boys, coming off a rest day and hosts Jamaica, face off today in the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Youth (Under-19 and Under-18) Championships for the right to contest the bronze medal match on Saturday in St Catherine, Jamaica.
Both T&T and Jamaica will enter the 6.30 pm match-up with 1-2 win-loss records, with the winner cementing bronze medal match status.
Currently, US Virgin Islands is bottom of the five-team round-robin pool with a 0-3 mark after losing to Suriname (3-1) on Thursday's opening match 19-25, 25-20, 19-25, 12-25 and faces unbeaten Barbados in their final match today from 4 pm.
Victory for Suriname ensured a top-two finish and a spot in Saturday's gold medal contest against two-time winners Barbados, who advanced to the gold medal match after they outplayed Jamaica 25-18, 25-17, 19-25, 25-17 yesterday to improve to 3-0 and is assured of a top-two finish as well.
When Barbados and Suriname met in round-robin play, the Bajans triumphed 10-25, 25-22, 25-13, 25-21.
A shock for USVI over the Bajans will see them joining the loser of the T&T/Jamaica clash with a 1-3 record, forcing the fourth spot in the round-robin standings to be determined based on points won for wins.
The tournament is serving as the first round of the Under-18 Girls’ and Under-19 Boys’ FIVB World Championships qualification, with the winners of the tournaments advancing to the second round in August 2020 in Puerto Rico and USA respectfully.
On Thursday night, the T&T Under-18 girls faced off with hosts Jamaica in the second of two quarterfinals for a place in today's semifinal against defending champions Barbados or Suriname, who both advanced directly to the final four as pool winners.
US Virgin Islands joined Barbados and Suriname in the final four after beating Guadeloupe 25-21, 25-10, 20-25, 25-15 in the first quarterfinal.
On Wednesday night in the final round of pool matches, T&T's girls stunned defending champions Barbados in five sets 25-18, 16-25, 15-25, 25-19, 15-11 to close out Pool B round-robin play on Wednesday night for a 1-1 record, the same as Barbados and Guadeloupe.
This after Barbados beat Guadeloupe 25-16, 25-15, 25-4 and the latter overcame the junior ‘Calypso Spikers’ 24-26, 20-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-13.
With all three teams locked on 1-1 records, Barbados, by virtue more sets won against sets loss (5-3), topped the table ahead of T&T (5-5) and Guadeloupe (3-5) to earn the automatic semifinal spot on Friday.
T&T, winners in 2007, 2012 and 2013, and Guadeloupe, as second and third-placed pool finishers, will contest cross-over quarterfinals today against the second and third-placed teams in Pool A from Suriname, USVI or host Jamaica.
In Pool A, Suriname swept Jamaica 27-25, 25-10, 25-4 to add to their win over USVI 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17 for a 2-0 record, while USVI swept Jamaica 25-19, 25-18, 25-20 for second at 1-1.
Remaining matches
Under-19 Boys'
Today: USVI vs Barbados, 4 pm; Jamaica v T&T, 6.30 pm
Tomorrow (Saturday): Third v Fourth - Bronze match, 11 am; Barbados vs Suriname - Gold match, 5 pm
Under-18 Girls' schedule
Today (Semifinals): Barbados v USVI/T&T/Jamaica, 11 am; Suriname v USVI/T&T/Jamaica, 1.30 pm
Tomorrow (Saturday): Bronze match, 1 pm; Gold match, 3 pm.