USVI seal seventh place
 

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 29, 2017 - In a battle of losers, there must emerge a winner.

The US Virgin Islands (USVI) claimed that distinction in the fight among countries that finished winless in group preliminary play, winning 3-1 against Bahamas to claim seventh place in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Group Two World Championship Qualifiers on Saturday evening.

I’tiana Taylor played way better than anyone else to accumulate a game-high 25 points and inspire the USVI to a comeback win after they had lost the first game 20-25. However, they stepped up their game and won the next three sets 25-13, 25-16, 25-18.

In the key scoring areas, Taylor proved crucial with 16 kills and six blocks. Danielle Selkridge, their team’s second highest points getter with 15, also played big at the net with 12 kills and two blocks. Valissia Brathwaite also contributed well to the USVI’s cause with 12 points, while the team’s captain, Aysha Nickels, scored seven.

Bahamas did not help their cause much as they made too many errors. While the count was basically similar between the teams, with USVI tallying 33, Bahamas’ 32, in the context that they scored 72 points, meant they were committing an error for nearly every point registered.

Brittney Deveaux was Bahamas’ leading scoring with 12 points, including eight kills, while captain Brittany Bonamy also blasted in eight kills, in nine points. Melinda Bastian was also among the team’s high scorers, with 10 points.

The tournament also doubles as the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Women’s Championship and along with defending champions Trinidad and Tobago, one other team, the highest placed contestant, will advance to the FIVB Group Three World Championship Qualifiers.

Trinidad and Tobago, who along with hosts Jamaica got a bye to Sunday’s semi-finals by virtue of topping their preliminary group, will host one of the three group play-offs in Round Three, from October 4-9.

The first takes place in Canada from September 26-30, while the other will take place from October 11-16 in the Dominican Republic.

Each group will consist of four teams and six – the top two from each – will advance to the World Championships in October, 2018 in Japan.