Hunsel spikes Martinique as Suriname claim spot in semis

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 29, 2017 - Sandrina Hunsel did it again. The Suriname scoring machine scored 38 of her team’s 106 points - more than one-third - to set up a 3-1 defeat of Martinique and launch them into the semi-finals of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Second Round World Championship Qualifier here at the National Indoor Sports Complex on Saturday.

In a very competitive encounter, Suriname prevailed 25-22, 25-23, 31-33, 25-21 and will play Trinidad and Tobago in the first semi-final this evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The other semi-final, set to begin at 8:00 p.m., will be played between hosts Jamaica, the 2015 runners-up and Martinique.

The competition is also the 2017 Caribbean Association of Volleyball Associations (CAZOVA) Women’s Championship, from which two teams advance to Round Three World qualifying.

Trinidad and Tobago, the defending CAZOVA champions, are guaranteed one spot. The next goes to the next highest placed team in the tournament.  

Suriname’s win kept them in the hunt and their coach, Eric Aikman, noted inconsistencies with their start, but welcomed the win.

“It was a very good match again, same as yesterday (Friday against Jamaica) and I’m very happy that we won. The girls gave their best,” he admitted.

“We didn’t have a good start as yesterday, yesterday we started the game better. Today, I don’t know why, but the girls were a bit timid in the beginning and that’s why in every set we had to come from behind to take the set over, but we did it. Only in the third set we didn’t do it that way. But in the fourth set we did it again and I’m happy that we did,” observed Aikman.

Hunsel has been almost a one-woman army all tournament, scoring very high numbers in all the games while significantly influencing her team’s performance in this competition. She blasted in 32 kills in her high-scoring tally and made five blocks, and got big support from Sigourney Kame, who belted 12 kills in her 17 points. Odille Kame and Janice Valies contributed seven points apiece.

Aikman expressed satisfaction with their progression to the top four, noting his players had sacrificed much.

“I’m very happy, I’m very happy for the girls because we had a very long preparation, almost two years now and it’s finally paying off,” he said. “So I’m very glad for the girls because they put a lot of things aside just to play volleyball, just to train and I’m glad it’s paying off now and they’re in the semi-finals.”

His team made 30 errors, significantly lower than his opponents in the context of the match as Martinique tallied 37.

At the net, Ludmila Lican again topped Martinique’s scoresheet with 22 points, which included 20 kills, while Stephanie Trefle supported well by nailing 14 kills in 17 points. 

Speaking through an interpreter, Roger Melinard, Martinique’s coach, expressed gratitude and said they will be looking to build on the experience.

“The Martinique delegation is very proud to be here, proud to play against good teams like Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago,” he related.

“Unfortunately, we lost by lack of concentration, but after all we’re looking forward and will work on our mistakes to get better. But we thank all within the organisation for the chance that they gave us to show that Martinique is an island of volleyball.

“For the future we’re going for progress,” insisted Melinard. “For this the statement we have is ‘work in progress and go to success’.”