USC, UWI clinch Tertiary Volleyball titles

Members of the UWI Volleyball team after winning the women’s title on Wednesday night. PHOTO COURTESY SHERDON PIERRE
Members of the UWI Volleyball team after winning the women’s title on Wednesday night. PHOTO COURTESY SHERDON PIERRE

THE UNIVERSITY of Southern Caribbean (USC) and University of West Indies (UWI) volleyball teams were crowned respective men and women champions of the Tertiary Sport Association of Trinidad and Tobago (TSATT) Volleyball competition held at UWI SPEC, St Augustine on Wednesday night.

The UWI ‘Lionesses’ team were seeking revenge against the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), having lost to them in the previous league match-up.

In the opening set, the game was evenly poised at 6-6 until the home team went on a winning streak that earned them a 21-13 first set victory.

Needing to win two sets to become victorious, the ‘Lionesses’ seemed to have been sailing away at 16-12 in the second set.

However, UTT`s coach and former long-standing TT women’s coach Francisco ‘Panchee’ Cruz called a time-out which resulted in his team earning seven consecutive points to eventually win 21-17, and forced the match into a third and deciding set.

UTT started the better team in the third, racing away to a three-point lead but unfortunately, anxiety and unforced errors shifted the momentum to a more determined UWI and they held on to a 15-9 victory to lift the trophy.

The UWI men`s team were aiming to make it a double celebration on the night but USC`s Nolan Tash was far too powerful and skillful for his opponents.

Tash, a former national player, proved he can still perform at this level as he led his team to a comfortable 21-14 first set victory.

UWI regrouped defensively and found some energy to contest their opponents in the second set.

The set was close throughout with either team gaining any reasonable lead. With the match tied at 24-24, USC won the next point through a valiant defensive effort giving them match-point at 25-24. The winning points of the match saw Tash leaped high above the net to spike his team to a 26-24 victory.

Performing dual coaching roles at UWI, Sean Morrison, who had mixed emotions, said, “The performance of Nolan Tash and his experience was the difference on the night. The women team came a long way and are now showing results.”

He then said that he was happy that exams are over for his players and they can now shift the focus towards UWI Games that will be held in Jamaica next month.

Comments

"USC, UWI clinch Tertiary Volleyball titles"

More in this section