St. Vincent and the Grenadines were not able to survive a 5 set battle against St. Lucia in an epic final of the ECVA Under 21 Male Zonal Championship in Antigua. At the end of the game the SVG players were overcome with emotion realising they were not able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and secure not only the gold medal but also a berth in the NORCECA Continental Championship scheduled for Mexico in 2020 which would have completed a three-peat for the country after winning the competition in 2011 and 2015. 

After pool play St. Vincent and the Grenadines were ranked second behind St. Lucia who they had lost to in a thrilling 5 setter (25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 22-25, 11-15). St. Lucia was able to come back from a 2-0 deficit to take the win 3 sets to 2. In their semi-final game, St. Vincent and the Grenadines played Antigua who they had won 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-13) in pool play but had to overcome a one game deficit to win in 4 sets (17-25, 25-16, 25-18, 26-24) in front of a rowdy Antiguan home crowd. 

This set up the final between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia who had easily defeated St. Kitts and Nevis in their semi-final game. St. Vincent and the Grenadines got off to a slow start losing the first two sets 22-25 and 21-25 but stormed back winning the next two sets 25-23 and 25- 19. This set up the 5th set with SVG trying to do what St. Lucia had done to them in pool play but this was not to be as they conceded the set 9-15. 

For their efforts SVG’s Enrico Louraine copped the best receiver and best digger, Kyle Liverpool shared the best spiker award and Shemor Baynes shared the best middle blocker award. 

Final team placing: 1 – S. Lucia, 2- St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3- Antigua and Barbuda, 4- St Kitts and Nevis. 

Back row l-r – Vance Andrews (coach), Marques Thomas, Shadron Delpesche, Jamaar Crooper (captain), Kyle Liverpool, Shemor Baynes, Daryl Franklyn (assistant coach) 

Front row l-r - Ezra Browne, Enrico Lourraine, Kaif Fraser, Lancelot Charles 

Suzanna-Marie Leigertwood-Ollivierre 

President 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association P.O. Box 57 Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.