Canada Tops Trinidad & Tobago‏

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Canadian Men’s National Team had little trouble dispatching Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-10) on Monday on the second day of the 2007 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena.

Canada improved to 2-0 in Pool B. Trinidad & Tobago falls to 0-2.

Team Canada used all but one of its players as Head Coach Glenn Hoag used the match to work on his team’s offensive weaknesses. Everyone who played scored at least one point.

Dallas Soonias led Canada with 10 points on seven kills and three aces. Three players scored seven points: Bernier Christian (five kills, two blocks), Frederic Winters (six kills, one ace) and Leo Carroll (three kills, four blocks).

Canada led in scoring blocks, 11-2 and in aces, 8-0. The Canadians converted 69 percent of their attacks while limiting Trinidad & Tobago to a 31 percent kill ratio.

Nolan Tash led Trinidad & Tobago with seven points, all on kills.

In the first set, Canada led 8-5 at the first technical timeout. Trinidad & Tobago pulled to within one point at 8-7; but Canada turned up the heat at the net with two blocks and a kill to spark an 8-3 run and led 16-10 at the second timeout. Canada surged on to a 25-14 victory.

Trinidad & Tobago kept the second set close and were tied 12-12. But Canada used a 13-2 run to secure the eventual 25-14 victory.

“I was making substitutions, but I thought we stayed fairly focused,” Hoag said of the close score. “We were working on various parts of our offense.”

That seemed to take the wind out of Trinidad & Tobago’s sails and it fell behind in the third set 3-12 and trailed 6-16 at the second technical timeout. Canada went on to win 25-10.

“Today was a difficult day,” said Trinidad & Tobago Head Coach Gideon Dickson. “The Canadians served a lot tougher (in the third set). They were on their game today; very workman-like and professional.”