1 week ago
6
Jamaica men’s and women’s teams endured mixed results in their opening games at the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Senior Volleyball Championships, as the men’s team defeated Bahamas while the women’s team fell to Barbados.
The men’s team opened their campaign with a hotly contested 3-2 win over host nation The Bahamas in Pool A action.
Bahamas started the stronger of the two as they took the first set 25-20, to the approval of their home crowd.
Jamaica would rally soon after, and took a 2-1 lead as they swept the next two sets 25-15 and 25-21.
Needing a win to keep themselves in the contest, The Bahamas captured the fourth set 25-20 and forced the game into a decisive fifth set.
This time, it was the Jamaicans who held their nerves as they took the win, edging the Bahamians 15-11.
Ryck Webb led the way for Jamaica as he scored a game-high 27 points, with support from Mark Blake, 16, and Shavar James, 11.
The women’s team were defeated 3-0 by a strong Barbadian team.
Jamaica, who are the defending champions in the women’s championships, had to contend without several of their key players, but head coach Ricardo Chong said he expects the team to remain competitive.
“While we added a number of new players, we are also short with just 10 players, as the timing of the tournament denies us some of our players who are at college in the United States. However, our group will be a competitive squad.”
The defending champions lost the first set 25-20 and fell further behind their opponents when they gave up the second set 25-19.
Barbados sealed the win despite a strong challenge by Jamaica when they took the third and final set 25-21.
The men’s team will continue Pool A action when they face off against defending champions Suriname on Tuesday, while the women’s team will look to rebound when they face Suriname today in Pool C action.
English (US) ·