Chargers found out the hard way that once a champion is floored everyone wants a piece of him or her.
After playing unbeaten for 364 days of 2011, the local double crown queens were beaten by defending Volley Barbados champions Montreal Carabins on the final night of the year.
Then, on the second night of the new year, Monday, they were thumped by the Rockets 25-18, 25-12, 17-25, 25-17 at the Barbados Community College Gym.
Chargers’ fans might argue that was not the Rockets team which had finished second to Chargers in the 2011 league and knockout competitions, since the Rockets were boosted by Anthazia Mason, Julia Lewis, Janelle Chase-Mayers, Sophia Walcott, Shennell Pooler and Andrea Flores. Â
They could also argue that Chargers’ main weapon Dania Hamilton sat out the game with an injured hand.
Another sound argument would be that win or lose, Chargers and the Rockets would finish second and/or third and, barring a miraculous upset by the Cavaliers over the Carabins, the two local teams would have had to battle each other again in the semi-finals.
However, Lewis played a superb match along with genuine Rocket Shari Matthews to stop the Chargers.
Coach Paul Payne decided to give some play time to his reserves, including founding member of the Rockets, former national captain Ingrid Mason.
That generosity allowed the Chargers some respite, but after taking the third set, they could go no further.
Carabins then beat Cavaliers 25-16, 17-25, 25-17, 26-24 in a very entertaining feature match.
Playing a similar style of attack and defence to the Canadians, the Cavaliers looked their best and surprisingly made a fight of the match.
Crowd favourite Ashley Norfleet carried the attack for the Cavaliers but they could not match the overpowering offense nor defence of the Carabins who remained unbeaten.
Today, one team from Canada and one from Barbados will meet in the final at 8 p.m. at the Barbados Community College, as both Canadian teams and both Barbadian teams were scheduled to meet again last night in the semi-finals.
The third-place game will start at 6 p.m.
