Chargers women start season with win

By Morissa Lindsay

Two of the traditionally top volleyball clubs on the island faced off against each other in their opening match of the 2022 Barbados Volleyball Association Junior Knockout Competition and Chargers women defeated Deacons 2-0 at the Hill Road hardcourt, St. Michael last night.

The two best of three sets showdown was keenly contested and at the end, it was the ladies of Chargers team winning 25-13, 25-23 as they got their campaign off to a good start.

Given that this is over two years that sports has not been played, including volleyball, there were a couple of young new faces on both teams.

However, Chargers dressed in their usual red and black uniforms, managed to put defending junior ladies champions Deacons on the back foot as early as the first set
as they took the first game by a whopping 12 points.

And they looked poised to take the game comfortably until the Deacons unit responded from 2-11 down, rallied strongly and threatened to make a comeback.

They accounted for five straight points thanks to the efforts of the talented Serena Edwards with five lovely service points. Within no time, the Deacons’ attack cut the deficit by three (10-13) and put pressure on Chargers. However, Chargers with some brilliant touches from national setter Dashonta Addison along with attackers Amariah Williams and Latifah Wood and their supporting cast of players, ensured the ladies advanced with the lead 16-10 at the break.

The Deacons team, coached by Andrew Culpepper however did not back down and were still in it at 15-17. Chargers coach Lerone Knight saw it fit to call time out at this stage of the match with his side down by two points. That strategy did not prevent the Deacons team from taking the lead 18-17 and from there on the intensity was heightened as Chargers wanted to prevent a third set.

At this stage of the encounter, the scores were extremely close. The occasional bad serve on both sides of the net did not help either team, indeed, they did each other the favour of keeping the score-line close. Those unforced errors further extended the wait for the Deacons unit to equalize 1-1 and considering the scores were tied 21-21, 22-22, 23-23, Charges with two crucial points (25-23) were the ones celebrating.

The next match that was scheduled to be played between Chargers men’s junior team and the home side Hill Road was unable to start because of rain.

\There was only one other result on the night and that was Hill Road ladies
beating Club United 17-25, 25-21, 15-5 at Free Hill.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb