St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) took revenge on St, Kitts and Nevis by beating them in a crucial game 3-2 (25-18, 24-26, 27-25, 23-25, 15-6) to capture the Men’s Under-23 Volleyball title in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) tournament on Sunday in Tortola.
In addition to being crowned champions, SVG earned a place in the 2024 Pan American championships.
When team SVG opened the tournament versus St. Kitts and Nevis, they were outscored 25-22, 25-16, 25-22. However, on Sunday, the Vincentians pulled out all the stops.
In other preliminary matches, the newly minted champions, saw off power house St. Lucia 3-2, (23-25, 22-25, 25- 15, 25- 22, 15- 13), coming from two sets down.
They then downed Antigua and Barbuda — 25-14, 25-13, 25-16 — and thereafter blanked Saba, 3-0 (25 -7, 25- 9, 25 -13).
In the semi -finals, SVG continued their 3-0 winning streak, beating Dominica (25 -17, 25- 21, 25- 19).
SVG’s Captain- Jamaar Cropper was awarded MVP of the tournament. Cropper was the best scorer and joint best out-side hitter, along with Rio Jaden Victor of St. Lucia.
Another Vincentian, Shadron Delpesche, pouched one of two best middle blockers award with the other going to Malcolm Christopher of the British Virgin Islands.
In the final tally, Dominica placed third, St Maarten – fourth, with St. Lucia docking in fifth and host the British Virgin Islands sixth.
Completing the list of placings were Grenada, seventh and Antigua and Barbuda, eighth. Saba placed ninth and Anguilla 10th.