Trinidad and Tobago open with victory over Haiti

HAVANA, Cuba, May 14, 2014 – Trinidad and Tobago opened the FIVB Women’s World Championship NORCECA Pool Q with a 3-1 victory over the young squad of Haiti at Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum on Wednesday.

The Haitians, however, produced an astonishing surprise by winning the first set of the match only to see the reaction of the taller Trinidadians to claim the victory 17-25, 25-3, 25-9, 25-12.

Jalicia Ross-Kydd and Krystle Esdelle each scored 12 points to lead the winners while Channon Thompson and Kelly-Anne Billingy contributed 10 points apiece in the victory. Haiti’s Esther Joachin finished with 12 tallies.

“My players were caught off guard a little bit with a slow game and low attacks,” Trinidad and Tobago coach Francisco Cruz stated. “Nevertheless they recovered as a team and as result of that I am very happy now.”

Trinidadian Kelly-Anne Billingy, the captain who turns 28 on Thursday, admitted they had a slow start.

“It is usually what happens when a team play is starting a great tournament,” Billingy, who plays in France, commented.

Frederic Francois, the Haitian coach said: “We are really aware of the opponent’s quality. They are players with more than 80 or 100 international matches of experience. On the other hand, ours is only eight.”

Haitian captain Graziella Cherry said: “They are quite fast, but we are satisfied with the set we take from them as we continue learning.”