2006 World Championships
Barbados victorious at home (FIVB)
06/19/2005
Bridgetown,
Barbados, June 19, 2005 – Both the Barbados men’s and
women’s teams advanced comfortably into the second round
of the 2006 World Championships in Norceca on Sunday
after both winning their respective first round
tournaments.
The Barbados men’s side predictably booked a trip to the
second round in Puerto Rico in August, where they will
play the hosts USA, Mexico and Guatemala, after winning
round one without losing a match in the Norceca Group A
at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Barbados.
The Caribbean kings dropped their only set of the
tournament but still dismissed the Netherlands Antilles,
25-16, 25-18, 20-25, 26-24 on the final day. Best Spiker
Fabian Cox slammed a game high 12 kills for the Bajans
while captain and tournament MVP Elwyn Oxley was the
best scorer with 14 points. Paulina Gilbert scored 13
points for the Netherlands Antilles.
Jamaica placed second with a record of 2-1 while the
Netherlands Antilles finished third after winning two
games and losing two. The British Virgin Islands
finished fourth after completing a hard fought, 25-11,
14-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-11, over the Cayman Islands.
Meanwhile, the Barbados women’s team easily defeated St.
Kitts, 25-13, 25-7, 25-21, to win Norceca Group A at the
same venue to also advance to the second round.
The Bajans (ranked 39th in the world) will now play USA
(3), Puerto Rico (19), Canada (22) and Mexico (28) after
finishing top of the four-team contest without dropping
a set. Dominica finished second after coming from a set
down to beat Anguilla, 22-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-20. St.
Kitts placed third and Anguilla fourth.
Tournament Best Server and MVP Barbadian Shari Matthews
rattled the Kittitians with some vicious spike serves
while the attack and blocking of her teammates
extinguished any hopes of an upset. It was only the
attack of Antoinette Nery and Shanicia Dyer which
prevented a total rout by the Bajans.
Bridgetown,
Barbados, June 19, 2005 – Both the Barbados men’s and
women’s teams advanced comfortably into the second round
of the 2006 World Championships in Norceca on Sunday
after both winning their respective first round
tournaments.