Renegades created what would be considered two minor upsets when the inaugural Warrens Volleyball Champions League was served off at Oldbury on Wednesday night.
The Renegades female team came from a set down to ground Hi-Flyers 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-22. The males were even more shocking over the Hi-Flyers men by storming from two sets down to take their contest 25-27, 17-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-12.
Without selected setter Afiya Taylor, Hi-Flyers lost a key attack with former national captain Anthazia Mason filling the role of setter. However, they survived a serving onslaught from Talya Layne who moved Renegades from 7-5 to 14-5.
Hi-Flyers locked the scores at 23 to take the first set and then threatened to do likewise in the second. Another former Barbados captain Thonya Joseph rose o the occasion for Renegades and she along with Layne and Deann Smith pulled the team home.
Barbados setter Alain London seemed like he was orchestrating a revenge win for Hi-Flyers men with the attack of Mark Lewis, Ahkeem Mayers, Akeel Oxley and Kadeem Morris giving their team a two sets advantage.
However, Dale Addison and Jerome Stuart came off of the bench to give assistance to starting setter Paul Doughty with the aggression of Robert Andrews, Ashe Oxley and Pernell Blunt taking the opener.
The action continues this Sunday at the same venue with the Renegades looking for repeat performances when they meet Thunders females and males. (KB)
