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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, July 10, 2015 - Newcomers Bonaire
comfortably defeated three-time defending champions Trinidad and
Tobago 25-23, 25-13, 19-25, 25-17 when both teams rounded out
their campaign in the round-robin phase of the CAZOVA Youth
Girls’ Championships.
The under-18 girls from Bonaire, who had lost the last six
points after leading Curacao 13-9 in the deciding set the night
before, won the last five points to close out the first set
after being down 23-20.
A shell-shocked T&T team did not recover until mid-way through
the third set when they won 14 of the last 19 points.
But the Bonaire girls regained their composure and were never
really pressed in the fourth as they went on to prevail in 101
minutes.
The captains were the only players to reach double figures in
scoring, but T&T’s Nicolette De Mille’s tally of 14 did not come
close to total attained by her opposite number.
Jahela Angela tallied a tournament-high 32 points, – comprised
of an incredible 26 spikes and three services winners and
blocked shots apiece – to surpass the mark of 24 set by De Mille
in T&T’s five-set victory over Curacao in the morning session.
Both teams finished even (13) on service winners, but Bonaire
dominated (31-20) in the spiking department and blocked more
shots (5-3), despite being a team of shorter players.
Despite winning just one of their three matches in the
round-robin phase, both teams are confident ahead
of tomorrow’s semifinals.
Barbados is the team to beat and defeated both these opponents
in straight sets, but Bonaire’s coach Rudy Anthony noted that
“after almost three hours last night (in the loss to Curacao),
the girls were tired this morning and could not play, but we’ll
be ready for them next time.”
T&T’s assistant coach Courtnee Mae Clifford said: “I’m confident
having seen all the teams that we can gain revenge over Barbados
and also win the tournament.” |
