St. Vincent and the Grenadines emerge as Champs
LA BORIE, Grenada, November 4, 2018 – St. Vincent
and the Grenadines earned the title of ECVA champs with a narrow
win (3-2) over Antigua/Barbuda in the finals.
It was a classic finals with fortunes swinging one way and then
another and in the end the scoreboard of (22-25, 25-13, 26-24,
20 - 25 and 15-12) favoured team SVG.
The Vincentians displayed true grit and determination and the
stats may not show that they were the team that never gave up;
they scrambled, dove, and ran down every loose ball to earn the
additional point.
What the stats would show is that they were also capable of
efficient passing and execution at the net.
As a team, St. Vincent and the Grenadine edged Antigua Barbuda
in Spikes 51- 50 as well as Serves 10 – 8. They trailed in
Blocks 7 to 17 but errors were dead even at 32.
Franklyn Asmond led the individual scoresheet with 27 points
made up of 23 spikes and 4 aces. Meanwhile Ronaldo Franklyn
supported with 21 and Daryl Frankly chipped in with 11.
For Antigua Barbuda Opposite Hitter Adrian Constant matched the
game high score of 27 points with 23 spikes 2 blocks and 2
aces. Three other players contributed in double figures –
Jamarie James 15, Rixon Joseph 12 and Collin Thomas 10 but all
these efforts were in vain as the team came up short.
Antigua/Barbuda: “I am distraught the players are distraught we
had it… we had it”, wailed Coach Carl Williams. “We demonstrated
what we are capable by coming from 6 points down at 18 to 12 in
the fourth set to come back and win to force the decider. We
made another herculean run in the deciding game after falling
behind again but it just did not work out for us”, he surmised.
A gleeful Eardley Martin of St. Vincent and the Grenadines was
grinning from ear to ear. “We came here greedy and now we are
satisfied. We were hyped from the win over St. Lucia last night
but today the victory is even sweeter as this is championship. I
am so proud of them for having overcome every obstacle including
our own internal squabbles. The captain must be commended for
this as we moved from playing as a unit to playing as a family”,
he stated.
For 2018 St. Vincent and the Grenadines are sole victors. |