2006 World Championships
Barbados and Jamaica continue dominance at Norceca first round event (FIVB)
06/16/2005
Bridgetown, Barbados, June 16, 2005 – Favourites Barbados and Jamaica continued their dominance at the 2006 Men’s World Championships first round tournament - Norceca Pool A at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Barbados after both sides recorded their second victories on Thursday.

Jamaica, who were runners-up to Barbados in the 2004 Caribbean Volleyball Championships, dismissed all pre-tournament threats from the Netherlands Antilles by winning 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-19) while hosts Barbados convincingly beat the Cayman Islands 25-16, 25-19, 25-13. With late arrivals the Netherlands Antilles losing their game to Jamaica in straight sets, the clash between Jamaica and Barbados on Saturday could be critical in determining who will go on to the second round.

Once again the Bajans were supported by a vociferous crowd as the high leaping Fabian Cox lead an aerial assault of power hitting against the hapless Cayman Islanders. There was no ‘cease-fire’ even when coach Ludger Niles decided to give some court time to his reserves.

The Jamaican-based Adrian Price, Shawn Simpson and junior captain, Daran Gill seized the playing time to destroy the visitors’ net and court defence to carry Barbados to an easy triumph.

Coach Niles stated in the post match interview that Barbados was moving towards the next level of competition mentally and physically to ensure that victories would be achieved against Jamaica on Saturday and the Netherlands on Sunday.

The Caymans’ coach Shannon Emslie stated that his team’s goal was to continue competing at this level in order for his country to fulfil the goal of creating a top Volleyball team within the next five years.
(Released by FIVB)