The Juniors romped to an impressive 3-0 record when the Co-operators General Insurance Senior Volleyball Knockout Competition continued Sunday at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
Playing their high level of attack and defence, the Juniors defeated Cawmere 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, 25-18 on a night that saw the women’s fixtures being scuttled by a malfunctioning basketball ring on the B court.
Cawmere welcomed two former Barbados juniors to their squad in setter Jamal Branch and the high leaping Ricardo Yearwood.
However, the combined might of Jabarry Goodridge, Ammuniki Wood, Andriy Stapleton and Carlos Cyrus proved too potent for Cawmere who saw their Barbados player Shawn Simpson playing his fiery spiking game to keep them in the battle.
The Juniors’ lead in the standings will be tested tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. when they meet defending champions Deacons.
On Sunday night, a rebuilding Deacons met a Foundation team that displayed tremendous spirit but were beaten 25-22, 31-29, 25-18. Darien Seale, who plays for the Juniors as well as Foundation, along with Kevin Harding provided an unexpected fight for Foundation.
The superior attack of Deacons’ Kyle Browne and Sheldon Roach neutralized the fine setting from Ramon Blades, who joined from Cawmere this year. In spite of having too many rotations where no penetrative spiker was in the front court, Foundation should have taken at least one set.
Costly errors with serves and reception, as well as poor attack from the support spikers, denied Foundation their first set of the season and suggested a bleak 2013.
An equally bleak year is forecast for former kings Progressive who tumbled to their second loss, going down to league champions Chargers in four sets 25-19, 25-15, 26-28, 28-26. The slimly-built Akeem Payne returned to the court to give some assistance to attackers Fabian Cox, Reneir Grace and Junior Cyrus.
However, the blocking prowess of Mark Lewis, Romel Agard, Junior captain Wood and setter Alain London made Progressive’s attack meaningless.
The inability to stop Jamaican Lewis, who struck from both front and back courts constantly, created headaches for Progressive. But, after squeaking home in the third set, Progressive let slip the chance to go to a decider when they lost a 22-20 advantage as well as set points in the fourth.
