Former champions Deacons men and Brydens Rockets women formalized their top-of-the-table qualification for Friday’s semi-final match ups of the Cooperators General Insurance volleyball knockouts when the finals games were concluded on a long, hot night at the Wildey Gym on Sunday.
Deacons seemed ready to follow the trend set by Cawmere earlier by starting with a second six to lose the opening set to Foundation United before winning 22-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-19.
A plucky effort from Nate Williams, Leshon Alexander and Kimba Alleyne looked likely to end Deacons run.
However, Jamaal Nedd, Kyle Brown and Sheldon Roach moved the game to a level above Foundation’s. Roach woke up the court and almost put Alleyne to sleep with a blast into the slimly built player’s chest which left him stumbling and the crowd wondering why the referee did not issue a standing eight count.
Cawmere had started the drawn out night of uninspiring volleyball when they laboured to a five-sets win over the Juniors 25-21, 25-27, 25-22, 24-26, 15-13. The Juniors won one game in the preliminaries, while Foundation did not win any, and they were the two teams failing to advance. (KB)
