T&T, Cayman Islands, St Lucia, St Kitts/Nevis reach Boys U-19 quarterfinals

BLACKROCK, Tobago, May 25, 2024.-  Host Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Cayman Islands, and St Kitts/Nevis all topped their respective round-robin pools to advance to the quarterfinals of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA)/Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) FIVB World Championship Boys' BUnder-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers with perfect records.

Playing under overcast conditions which was to the players liking Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison, who participated at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games at the same venue, and new playing partner Darion Sparks overcame British Virgins Islands’ Jason Dunkley Maduro and  Alexander 2-0 (21-6, 21-7), and Grenada’s Javon Charles, and Kibose Hamilton 2-0 (21-5, 21-15) to finish with a 2-0 record in Group A while Grenada defeated British Virgin Islands 21-16, 21-1 for the runner-up spot to qualify to t last-eight as well behind Trinidad and Tobago.

In Group B, Rio Jaden Victor and Peter Emmanuel of St Lucia (LCA) also ended with a 2-0 record in group play courtesy of victories against Ange Gaspard Volckaeart and Lucas Berard of Martinique 2-0 (215, 21-14, and Antigua and Barbuda’s Shamar Bannis and Miguel Lugo 2-0 (21-6, 21-5) and will meet Grenada for a spot in the semifinals.

Volckaert and Berard took the second spot in the pool to advance to a quarterfinal meeting with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday after beating Antigua and Barbuda 2-0 (21-12, 21-6).

Group C comprised only two teams with Jedediah Pencheon and Julian Bristol of St Kitts/Nevis beating Kalen Applewhaite, and Cael Greenidge of Barbados 2-0 (22-20, 21-15) to advance to the quarterfinals where they meet Bahamas, after the latter pair of Jamaal Key Jr, and Raphael Kemp was defeated in their similar two-team Group D series by Cayman islands’ Dylan Lynee, and William Duty 0-2 (16-21, 16-21) but rebounded to top British Virgin Islands 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12) in one of two round-of-12 playoff matches.

And in the other round-of-12 playoff encounter, Barbados also won 2-1 (13-21, 21-14, 17-15) against Antigua and Barbuda to set up a quarterfinal versus Cayman Islands.

At the end on the two-day qualifiers on Sunday, only the winner will earn a direct ticket to the FIVB World Championship main draw while the second and third placed teams will qualify to the qualification draw in China from August 27 to September 1. 

CAZOVA/ECVA FIVB World Championship Under-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers results:

Saturday:

GROUP A: Jovan Charles/Kibose Hamilton (GRN) bt Jason Dunkley Maduro/Alexander Wheatley (BVI) 2-0 (21-16, 21-1); Jerome Morrison/Darion Sparks (TTO) bt Jason Dunkley Maduro/Alexander Wheatley (BVI) 2-0 (21-6, 21-7); Jerome Morrison/Darion Sparks (TTO) bt Javon Charles/Kibose Hamilton (GRN) 2-0 (21-5, 21-15)

GROUP B:Ange Gaspard Volckaert/Lucas Berard (MQE) bt Shamar Bannis/Miguel Lugo  (ANT) 2-0 (21-12, 21-6); Rio Jaden Victor /Peter Emmanuel (LCA) bt Ange Gaspard Volckaeart/Lucas Berard (MQE) 2-0 (215, 21-14); Rio Jaden Victor/Peter Emmanuel (LCA) bt Shamar Bannis/Miguel Lugo (ANT) 2-0 (21-6, 21-5)

GROUP C: Jedediah Pencheon/Julian Bristol (SKN)  bt Kalen Applewhaite/Cael Greenidge (BAR) 2-0 (22-20, 21-15)

GROUP D: Dylan Lynee/William Duty (CAY) bt Jamaal Key Jr/Raphael Kemp (BAH) 2-0 (21-16, 21-16)

PLAYOFFS:

Round-od-12: Kalen Applewhaite/Cael Greenidge (BAR) bt Shamar Bannis/Miguel Lugo (ANT) 2-1 (13-21, 21-14, 17-15); Jamaael Key Jr/Raphael Kemp (BAH) bt Jason Dunkley; Maduro/Alexander Wheatley (BVI) 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12).