DOUBLE?CROWN queens Flow Sentry Brokers Insurance Deacons rebounded from their first- match loss to defeat Bois-de-Boulogne College Cavaliers in straight sets when the VolleyBarbados Championship continued on Monday night at the Wildey Gymnasium.
With coach Andrew Culpepper opting for his best six which included guest players Shari Matthews, Anicia Wood and Rhe-Ann Niles along with Julia Lewis, De-Ann Smith and setter Sharleen Browne, Deacons stopped the Cavaliers from Canada 25-23, 4-32, 25-20.
Deacons ended second in Group B and tonight at eight they will meet the defending champions the University of Montreal Carabins, with the winner advancing to play Brandon in the semi-finals. Brandon had beaten Deacons in straight sets in the group match.
Unlike Deacons, the Carabins failed to recover from their opening night loss as they went down in five sets to the University of British Columbia 25-21, 25-14, 25-27, 19-25, 15-7. The Carabins had battled from two sets down to carry the game to the decider when they stopped competing to end without a win in Group A.
In spite of some excellent setting by Garielle Dubuc-Gaudreau and complementary attack from Ariane Broz, Rowan Fletcher and Elinora Pentcheva, Deacons took charge of the first set, with Matthews, Wood, Lewis and Smith carrying the fight to the visitors. However, the familiar meltdown saw Deacons handing over the lead at 20-21 after holding a score of 20-16.
Facing set point 21-22, Deacons survived with a scorching quick attack from Wood and then they regained the advantage thanks to a stifling double block by Wood and Lewis on Broz. After taking the first set, Culpepper gave court time to most of the reserves with Deacons struggling once again to close out the second set in the latter stages.
Niles struggled in attack as both setters Browne and then Taymar Maynard failed to sync with the multitalented player, who was blocked repeatedly. However, Wood, Matthews and Lewis carried a consistent fight, with Deacons showing great improvement in their passing and serves which had destroyed their game in the opener against the Brandon University Bobcats.
With the reserves coming off of the bench to give support to the core group of Matthews, Lewis, Wood, Niles and Smith, Deacons took the extended second set before casually strolling to victory in the third. Matthews’ backcourt ground defence saved many points for Deacons.
Yesterday, the final group matches were played with Brandon topping Group B and the University of Columbia doing likewise in Group A, with both advancing directly to the semi-finals. Columbia dismissed Calgary 25-14, 25-13, 25-17. Brandon were tested but still stopped the Cavaliers in straight sets, 25-15, 26-24, 26-24.
This evening at five, Calgary will meet Cavaliers with the winner moving on to face Columbia.
