Suriname off and running in CAZOVA

PARIMARIBO, Suriname, August 11 – Suriname won a very entertaining opening match of the 17^th edition of the Men’s CAZOVA (Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association) Championships in four sets against Haiti (25-19, 19-25, 28-26, 25-22) today at the Ismay Van Wilgen Sporthal.

Gino Naarden and Kevin Sporkslede were in tremendous form for Suriname with 21 and 22 points, respectively, while Kensky Jean Baptiste and Jean Phillipe Bayol led the way for Haiti with 14 and 17, respectively, in the 116-minute contest.

Suriname’s Cuban coach Sergio Valdes thought it was a “very good game,” but pointed out that his team will be taking it one match at a time. And captain Casey Foe A Man confessed that “the victory feels good because Haiti beat us” in this tournament last year.

He is hoping that they will show improvement when they tackle Bahamas in the fourth and final match of tomorrow’s schedule.

Haitian captain Christian Toussaint pointed out that “we have a young team” and agreed with assistant coach Junior Siecles that “the players made too many mistakes.”