Trinidad and Tobago women`s volleyball team squandered a 2-1 lead to eventually lose 3-2 against Jamaica in the women`s final of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championship 2023 held at Anthony Nesty Sports Hall, Suriname on Sunday. The Jamaicans denied the Saleem Ali coached TT team from winning their eight consecutive CAZOVA title.

The Jamaicans did the double over TT after beating them in in the preliminary round robin won the final in the same margin 3-2 (25:21, 15:25, 23:25, 25:19, 15:13).

Veteran Krystle Esdelle single handedly did the scoring for TT recording a mammoth 40 points in a game where none of her teammates had double digits scores. The 38-year-old “Lefty” topped the scoring chart for the tournament with 147 points including 119 attacks, 12 blocks and 16 aces.

The TT men`s team grabbed the bronze medal by defeating Bahamas 3-1 (25:23, 25:19, 20:25, 25:18) on Saturday. Marlon “Waldo” Phillip led the scoring for TT with 20 points followed by Daynte Stewart who adding 19 points.

In the semi-final round, Esdelle produced a performance for the ages scoring 36 points to lift the twin- island republic over a stubborn Suriname team 3-2. TT needed to comeback twice in the match to defeat a determined Suriname team playing in front of their home crowd. The scoreline was 3-2 (21:25, 25:15, 16:25 25:17, 15:7).

The most experienced players on the team Esdelle and Jalicia Ross- Kydd showed their worth by scoring the bulk of the points. Esdelle tallying 36 of 107 points in the tournament and Kydd notching 13 crucial points.

The TT men had to face the same opponents as the ladies in the semis, but they were unfortunately edged out 3-2. TT squandered a two-set lead and folded to the pressure of their opponents (25:17, 25:18, 18:25, 15:25, 13:15) Us-based Daynte Stewart led all scoring with 19 points while captain Akim Bushe added 11 points. Ethan Asimia was the main destroyer for the Suriname team totalling 16 points.

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