ECVA Olympic Beach Volley Tournament gets underway
 

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, November 19, 2010 - Thirty two teams from as far north as Anguilla to as far south as Grenada have assembled at Jolly beach in Antigua to participate in the inaugural Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association Olympic Beach Volleyball Tournament. St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, the top ranked teams in the region will be looking to exert their dominance over the other teams.  The army of volunteers and volleyball fans in Antigua will be flocking to see the eight represented nations do their best to advance in this important volleyball tournament.

The sun bathed beach of Jolly Harbor, with a back drop of turquoise crystal clear water and pearl white sand served as the ideal setting for the initial Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association Olympic Beach Volleyball qualifying tournament.   In the first matches of the day the second highest ranked female team in the region, St. Lucia (A) entertained Dominica (A) in a nail biting encounter.  The score was 21-19 and 21-17 in favor of St. Lucia.  In the other female game Antigua (A) defeated a young St. Vincent (A) squad with a score of 21-19, 21- 17. 

The initial men’s matches witnessed power house St. Kitts and Nevis (A) dominate the young St. Vincent (A) team.  The scores were 21-12, 21-8 in favor of St. Kitts and Nevis.  The unranked Anguilla (A) experienced the wrath of an experienced Dominica (A).  The latter mentioned team dispatched of Anguilla in quick succession with a score line of 21-7 and 21- 9. 

As the men’s games continued, St. Kitts and Nevis (B) played St. Vincent (B) in a very clinical volleyball game.  St. Kitts and Nevis were effective and efficient, as they easily dispatched of their opponents.  Lead by the serving of Percival, St. Kitts and Nevis won with a score of 21-13 and 21-2.  Anguilla (B) and Dominica (B) slugged it out in a very testing first set.  Being unable to match the energy of the first set and attacking skills of Dominica (B), Anguilla (B) were easily disposed of in the second set.  The score was 21-15 and 21-8 in favor of Dominica (B). 

Antigua’s women (B) withstood the stern test presented to them by St. Vincent (B).  With points been traded in the initial part of the set, the more experienced Antigua ladies settled down and clinched the game with a score of 21-16 and 21-15.  Dominica (B) experienced a minor bout of resistance from a very young St. Vincent (C) team.  However, with years of playing experience, the Dominican ladies rose to the occasion and defeated their young opponents with by a score line of 21-12, 21-10.  

The highly regarded St .Lucia male team exercised their power as they routed the British Virgin Islands in a relatively easy manner.  In the first game St. Luca (A) easily defeated the British Virgin Islands (A) with a score of 21-9 and 21-11.

St. Lucia (B) displayed similar tactics as their fellow countrymen, as they secured a victory against the second British Virgin Islands (B) squad.  Though St. Lucia won, their opponents provided stout resistance though it was futile.  The scores for the game were 21-14 and 21-13 in favor of St. Lucia.

Traditional sporting foes St. Kitts and Nevis renewed volleyball rivalries with Anguilla.  The women of St. Kitts having more beach volleyball experience took advantage of Anguilla’s inability to pass effectively.  Consequently Anguilla (A) was soundly defeated by a score of 21-4 and 21-9, giving St. Kitts  and Nevis the victory.  

As the second teams for both countries met, team St. Kitts (B) was rudely awakened to the determination of Anguilla (B).  The young Anguillans fought tooth and nail against their Kittian and Nevisian counterparts but there was no reprieve from the inevitable.  The match was won by St. Kitts with a score line of 21-16 and 21-16.

 Both Dominican male teams continued their complete dominance over their Anguillan adversaries.  In the first game Dominica (A) vanquished Anguilla (B) with little resistance.  Basic errors on the Anguillians behalf resulted in a score of 21-9 and 21-8 in favor of Dominica.  Learning from the errors of their counterparts Anguilla (A) played with new found intensity in the first set.  Unfortunately the level of dedication dissipated as the second set progressed.   The game culminated with a 21-18, 21-10 victory for Dominica. 

St. Kitts and Nevis, the other dominant force at this year’s tournament continued crushing their opponents.  St. Kitts and Nevis (B) withstood the initial attack from St. Vincent (A) and thwarted it with sound volleyball skills.  The scores for that match were 21-14 and 21-11. Seeking to avenge the loss of their fellow countrymen, St.Vincent (B) gave their opponents St. Kitts and Nevis (A) stiff resistance.  However the heat of the afternoon sun and the tactical knowledge of St. Kitts and Nevis proved insurmountable for St. Vincent (B).  The scores were 21-18 and 21-12.

The girls of Antigua (A) signaled their intentions as they made relative quick work of their opponents St. Vincent (B).    The inexperienced ladies of St. Vincent showed signs of courage as they provided more resistance in the second set but it was not enough.  Antigua (A) won with a score line of 21-7 and 21-13. 

In the second meeting of the countries there was a reversal of fortunes for St. Vincent.  Their ladies atoned for the short comings of their fellow team mates by winning the two sets against Antigua (B) with a score of 21-19 and 21-14.

Team Grenada displayed good beach volleyball techniques as their ladies dominated their British Virgin Islands opponents.  The Grenada (A) ladies defeated the British Virgin Islands (BVI) (A) with a score line of 21-13 and 22-20. The dominance continued as the second Grenada team (B) continued plundering the BVI (B) with stingy defense and good aggression.  The score line for that match was 21- 15 and 21-10. 

Unlike the women, the Grenada men bore witness to the talent of the Antiguan men.  Antigua (A) easily defeated Grenada (B) with a score line of 21-9 and 21-12.  Now fully aware of what errors to avoid, Grenada (B) served Antigua a shocking surprise.  Antigua won the first set and seemed confident about winning the remaining games.  Grenada struck back with nerves of steel as they defeated Antigua with a score of 18-21,21-14 and 15-8.

Antigua’s (A) men were served up a surprise when they faced St.Vincent.  The St. Vincent team dispatched of Antigua with a score line of 21-19 and 21-14. 

The second meeting of the women Grenada (A) and the British Virgin Islands (B) was a repeat of earlier events.  Grenada (A) narrowly defeated their opponents by a score of 21-19 and 21-19.  As lady luck would have it the exact same score line occurred when Grenada (B) played BVI (B).  The result was 21-19 and 21-19. 

Antigua’s males moaning the defeat of their colleagues, vented their Grenadian counterparts.  Antigua (B) and Grenada (B) tangled but the more experienced Antiguans prevailed despite some setbacks.  The scores were 21-23, 21-18, 15-7, in favor of Antigua (B).  Antigua A continued on the winning note of their fellow countrymen but worked really hard for it against Grenada (A).  The score for the match was 21-19 and 21-18 in favor of Antigua (A). 

The seemly error less St.Lucians encountered a road block from the British Virgin Islands.   The British Virgin Islands stunned their opponents with good blocking and a score of 13-21, 21-19 and 15-13.  Windward Islands female Volleyball giants St. Lucia (B) and Dominica (B) squared off in what was to be an epic struggle.  The “Lucians” well versed in the field of beach volleyball stunted the opponents’ intentions by defeating by a score line of 21-13 and 21-13.  Dominica (A) took out their fellow countrywomen’s frustrations on young St. Vincent (B).   Dominica wasted no time as they ran through their opponents with a score of 21-9 and 21-3. 

With both teams tied St.Lucia and Dominica played one set to determine which country had the more points.  As faith would have it the lady “Lucians” came out the winner with a score of 15-8.

Anguilla (B) played arch nemesis St.Kitts (A).  The result was the same as before as the experienced “Kittian “team easily defeated Anguilla with a score of 21-9 and 21-10.