The Commercial Volleyball League continued over the weekend at the Beausejour Indoor Facility.
On Friday the Ministry of Youth and Sports received some much needed help and got it following the return of captain Julian Bissette (from beach volleyball tour in Mexico). His return sparked enthusiasm amongst his teammates as they rallied to defeat NSDC two sets to nil (25-18, 25-12) to secure the seventh placement in the tournament.
Later that evening it was the battle for fifth and sixth place between Sandals Resorts and the Ministry of Education.
Ministry of Ed led by national setter Servin Mongroo, won convincingly over the less experienced Sandals Team winning in straight sets 25-11, 25-13. Ministry of Education now stands in fifth place.
Play continued on Saturday with semi-final match ups, the first being between ECFH and WASCO. A short handed ECFH, led by national players Amobi Armstrong and Gifta Dujon took the floor to face WASCO, led by national player Denny Samson and coached by former national coach Terry Verdant.
ECFH started the first set with an onslaught of spikes from Armstrong assisted by brilliant setting from Gift Dujon, winning convincingly 25-11.
The second set proved more difficult for ECFH. WASCO implemented some strategic defensive changes to funnel the onslaught by Amobi. Despite the commendable efforts by WASCO, ECFH etched a win of 25-22.
The third set saw as much action as the first two sets as a tiring ECFH looked to close out the match and WASCO tried to stay alive. Defence was the obvious key to the game as both teams put on a remarkable display of hustle and ball smarts. ECFH finished with another narrow win of 25-23 to propel them into the finals.
The second semi-final matchup featured a “supermarket sweep” as Consolidated Foods Ltd (with the Super J supermarket chain) battling Goddard Group of Companies (with GL Supermarket). This promised to be an epic matchup and did not disappoint.
CFL led by national players Keson Edmund and Gillan Octave had a battle on their hands from the first set. They were facing a Goddard group led national players Tramaine Edward and Natalie Edward (returned from college in the US).
The two teams exchanged points through a series of endless rallies in the first and second sets. CFL clinched the first two sets 25-18, 25-16 but battle was far from over.
Goddard Group smelled blood in the water as CFL switched their national players in the third to find a rhythm. Goddard rallied to win the third and stayed alive 25-15.
The fourth set was no picnic, both teams needing desperately to win this set; CFL to close out the match and Goddard to force a tie breaking fifth set. “Tooth and nail” is the only expression to be used as the teams hashed it out in the fourth-the lead margin two points at most throughout. The fourth set ended 25-23 in favour of Goddard Group forcing the tie break set.
The fifth set saw the shear will of Goddard Group win the game over the power of CFL15-10.
The 2012 Commercial Volleyball League finals will feature for third place CFL vs WASCO and for the Championship ECFH vs Goddard Group of Companies. The Finals take place on Friday at the Beausejour Indoor Practice Facility from 6:30 pm.
