Five Setters ruled the volleyball night

Anguilla VS St. Maarten

The Digicel sponsored National Volleyball Championships lived up to the imagination. On Saturday 10th April the lady Spartans tangled with Dynamite for third place, in the first of four thrilling matches.  Team Dynamite shook up the young lady Spartans with good passing and good execution, thereby winning the first set with relative ease.  Having lost the first set the lady Spartans rushed out in the lead but fizzled as they neared the end.  Dynamite sensed victory and soon began savoring it as the third set began.  Unfortunately the mental celebration began too early as they lost the third and fourth set.  With each victory the lady Spartans grew in confidence as their serves peppered their opponents and their covering allowed nothing to touch the ground.  Though the lady Spartans were buoyed by the presence of Gwyneth Webster, faith intervened and victory was snatched by Dynamite.  The score was 25, 18; 25, 17; 18, 25; 20, 25; 15, 10.

In the second match the debutant Long Bay Sea Gulls (LBSG) showed a new level of intensity in trying to defeat Kumite.  With a new setter, LBSG fought tooth and nail but lost the first set due to some tactical errors.  LBSG struck back in the second set to level the sets.  Kumite was reliant on their main hitter Andre ‘half man, half amazing' Samuels but his inability to convert opportunities into points pushed Kumite into the corner.  Despite that set back Kumite won the third set, thanks mainly to some intelligent playing from Justus “Bumsee” Connor and Brandon ‘Bede’ Hennis.  It was prevail or perish for the Long Bay boys and prevailed they did.  The new setter “Max” worked his magic, guiding his team to victory and forcing a fifth and final set.  Again inexperience on behalf of the LBSG and unforced errors gave Kumite the set and third place in the male division.  The scores were 25, 18; 19, 25; 25, 20; 18, 25; 15, 10.

On Sunday the action got even better as the Super powers of Anguilla volleyball traded volleys like heavy weight boxers.  After Shock, the perennial brides’ maids to team Spikas came to rewrite history with intensity levels above the chart..  Despite this Spikas remained poised as they won the first set despite heroic efforts by Susan Webster and Marsha Edwards.  With mounting pressure After Shock wilted, as they handed the second set to Spikas.  Realizing the familiar signs coach Merrick Richardson, rallied After Shock, trying to get them to shake them selves out of desolation. It worked as Marsha Edwards began striking the ball with unusual venom.  She was well supported by her setter, Susan Webster and the rest of the team.  Connie, Kia B and Ludiann were stunned by the complete change in their opponents.  The fourth set was more of the same as Spikas began making uncharacteristic errors and After Shock capitalized by winning it.  With backs against the wall on the fifth set, the true metal of both teams surfaced.  With little room for error and no time for nervousness the Spikas showed why they were the reigning volleyball champions.  Kia B, Connie, Vivian and Ludiann were relentless as they scooped up anything that came in their direction and pulverize all sets.  The game concluded with a 25, 20; 25, 19; 19, 25; 20, 25; 15, 10 victory for Spikas.

The much anticipated men’s finals were played between arch rivals Uprising and Hylanders.  Both teams possessed a wealth of talent as Hylanders has the leading blocker and scorer, while uprising has the best setter and third best blocker and scorer in the Leeward Islands.  Expectations were satisfied from the first ball as the main hitter for Hylanders Sherwin ‘Skywalker’ Richardson was doubled and tripled blocked by Uprising.  Despite the menacing presence of the mean, green machine, Uprising, Skywalker persisted and he eventually got through the iron curtain.  His hitting support in the form of Randy “Swagat” Thompson also experienced severe resistance.  However his trade mark quick hit through the middle and on the wings kept blockers honest.  Despite Skywalker’s presence, Uprising won the first set. 

With several quick adjustments Hylanders won the second set and soon worked at optimum efficiency.  Everything fell in place by the third set for Hylanders, as “Skywalker’ and “Swagat” pulverized the Uprising defense and suffocated any offense they tried to generate.   Setter Lester “Fishy” Connor began rallying his Uprising troups but there was no change.  With Uprising seemly walking along the slippery slope of no return, the injured captain of Uprising  Ian ‘Tucker’” Connor came off the bench to provide his team with a much needed jolt of energy and calmness.  The highly polarized crowed sensed a drastic shift in momentum.  Some began cheering for the shift, while some began feeling despair.  As the fourth set was wrestled away from Hylanders, Tucker began building the confidence of his team by providing much needed blocking and hitting in the final set.  With no margins for error the mean green machine romped to victory by defeating their long time rivals Hylanders with a score line of 25, 21; 20, 25; 19, 25; 25,23; 15,13. 

Congratulations to all the teams participating in the Volleyball Championships.