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| Women’s volleyball squad qualifies for WC |
Kelsie Johnson
Guardian Sports Reporter kelsie@nasguard.com
Published: Aug 04, 2012
Despite finishing sixth, at the recently held regional tournament for English-speaking Caribbean countries, the women’s national volleyball team was still able to advance to the first round of the World Championships Qualifiers. The women’s national squad was among the favorite in the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championships, staged in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Island. However, Team Bahamas was only able to win their first game, against host country and fell flat in the remaining three. Trinidad and Tobago successfully defended their title and is the top team heading into the qualifier at the end of the month. The Bahamas is also seeded high for the qualifiers set for the August 31-September 4 in Suriname. Host country, Suriname, is being referred to as the ‘spoiler’ in the group. The national team will return to training with a new focus on Tuesday at the Sir Kendal GL Isaacs gymnasium. Captain, Krystel Rolle is confident that the team can rebound and execute effectively. “The previous tournament gave us a chance to see how we look as a unit so we now know exactly what we have to work on,” said Rolle. “Our focus has changed so the coaches will see a new team when we step into the gym again. No one likes to lose and we, as a team, has made that commitment that we will do whatever it takes to remain in the winning bracket. “The qualifiers are very important and it will give us the ranking that we need. If we plan to make it to the next level we will definitely need to perform. We already know that the Trinidad and Tobago will be in our group. They are the champions of CVC so in order to win the entire grouping we must go through them and we have accepted the challenge and are all ready.” Four teams are expected to play in the qualifying round, however only three were confirmed. The list is inclusive of The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname. The first round for the men’s team will also be held this year, in the Cayman Islands. The Bahamas is the favorite in the grouping after pulling off the five-set victory over former champs Trinidad and Tobago. The historic feat was scored 25-17, 25-15, 24-26, 16-25 and 15-13. Captain and outside hitter Prince Wilson won Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the best spiker awards. Byron Ferguson was the best blocker in the tournament. The Bahamas is now the number one squad in the English-speaking Caribbean. They have qualified to play in the Pan American Cup next year. |
