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Dominica emerge as ECVA Beach Female Youth Champs
ST JOHNS, Antigua, June 17, 2018 - Fighting tooth and nail and
warding off cramps the Dominica duo of Ethlyne Lockhart and
Adicia Burton came from a set down to defeat St. Lucia’s Tenay
Joseph and Zadie St. Luce (10-21, 22- 20 and 15-8) in the
finals of the ECVA Youth Beach Volleyball tournament for
females.
At one point it look as if Dominica was down and out but a
sterling effort in the second set after trailing, gave them the
edge and they picked up momentum going into the third set. In
the final set Burton and Lockhart had to be treated for cramps
but they soldiered on showing a lot of fight to win the match.
Dominica’s path to the final came via a semifinal win against
Antigua (Josanne Lewis and Aleah Alfred) in straight sets 21-14
and 21 -12.
On the other hand St. Lucia outlasted a spirited effort from St.
Vincent and the Grenadines (Sherese Cyrus and Hollyann George)
defeating them in straight sets 21 -16 and 21-17 to be worthy
finalists.
Coach Ray Robinson of Dominica was overjoyed to the extent where
he was at a loss for words. When he gathered himself he pointed
to the overall effort of the girls before and during the
tournament. “This is the result of months of hard work during
which time I reminded them that nothing good comes easy. I have
full admiration for their fighting spirit as you would have
realized that we had to use two medical time outs during the
final set. When we return home it will be more hard work as we
will be going on to meet stiffer competition” he said.
Captain Adicia Burton too was jubilant. “I am feeling so happy
that we were able to pull this off. After we lost the first set
I felt really bad but I told my teammate that we had to go all
out and we did. I am so exhausted now that all I want to do is
sleep”, she intimated.
Terry Verdant of St. Lucia was not such a happy camper. “I am
disappointed, it seems as if my girls just gave up. There was
very little effort. After winning the first set by such a wide
margin I expect much better. But I definitely did not get that”,
he stated.
Earlier the Antigua/Barbuda took the bronze medal by defeating
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 21-9 and 21-16 relegating the
latter to 4th while Grenada occupied the 5th
spot.
Hence Dominica will represent the ECVA region later this year in
Buenos Aires – Argentina when the Olympic Youth Games gets
underway.
Final Positions:- Winner Dominica, 2nd St. Lucia, 3rd
Antigua. 4th St. Vincent 5th Grenada. |
