Trinidad & Tobago and Bahamas secure tickets to NORCECA Zonal Phase

CHAGUANAS, Trinidad, December 18, 2010 –Trinidad & Tobago and Bahamas advanced to the finals of the Caribbean’s NORCECA Men Sub Zonal Olympic Beach Volleyball Qualification Tournament following their Golden Set triumphs on the sands of Saith Park at Chaguanas Beach on Saturday.

Both finalist countries are secured of berths in next year’s Zonal Phase Continental Tournament against the four best teams from Eastern Caribbean zone.

The Trinidadians Daneil Williams and Fabien Whitfield overcame a 14-11 deficit to prevail 16-14 in an exciting tie-breaker against Aruba’s Mitchel Daniel and Eargenell De Cuba.

Daniel/De Cuba claimed the win 21-14, 21-16 in the first match over Christian Francois/Kevin Rivers and Williams/Whitfield then scored a 21-13, 21-13 victory over Fransua Angela/Emelindo Robles.

Meanwhile, the experience of Bahamas’ Renaldo Knowles and Muller Petit was a key factor as they edged Jamaica’s Wayne Scott and Andre McLean 15-13 in the Golden Set joining the host country in the finals.

The duo of Knowles/Petit had scored a 21-19, 21-12 victory over Jamaicans Stephen Yee Sing and Dellan Brown while Scott/McLean won 21-12, 21-12 against Byron Ferguson and Princtanique Wilson.

In the morning session on Saturday, Barbados and Curacao stayed in contention for one of the top-four positions prevailing in Golden Sets in their best-of-three series against U.S. Virgin Islands and Suriname respectively. Barbados is to play Aruba and Curacao will clash with Jamaica in the battles for the two remaining tickets to the Zonal Continental event.

Barbados’ Elwin Oxley and Winston Gittens defeated Marc Lomeli and Winston Cintron of U.S. Virgin Islands (15-12) while Humprey Vrutaal and Giandro Tokaay of Curacao overcame Suriname’s Dion Brunings and Roberto Jovals (15-13).

Oxley/Gittens won 21-0, 21-0 against Diehl Cullen/Anthony Pippen while Lomeli/Cintron defeated Hugh Sealey/Jamaal Nedd by score of 21-15-21-18.

Suriname’s Brunings/Jovals won 21-18, 21-14 over Kyran Li-Fo-Sjoe/Quinten Anthony while Vrutaal/Tokaay scored a 23-21, 21-13 victory against Michael Ong-A-Kwie/Clyde Akaamba.