The T&T Tobago Volleyball Federation will stage the Third Leg of its National Beach Volleyball Circuit (NBVC) this weekend at Saith Park, Chaguanas. The first serve is at 10 am on both Saturday and Sunday.
This weekend’s competition will be of utmost importance to the teams currently at the top of the respective women’s and men’s standings, as the leaders of the points table at the conclusion on Sunday will earn the right to fly the national flag at the opening leg of the 2018 North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Beach Volleyball Tour carded for April 19-22 in La Paz, Mexico.
In the women’s competition, the top two seeded women’s teams in Rheeza Grant and Abby Blackman, and Malika Davidson and Phylecia Armstrong are locked on 14 points each, having won the second and first leg of the national tournament, respectively.
And this weekend, both teams will be fancied again to meet in the final with only the pair of La Teisha Joseph and Suraya Chase, who are third on the table with eight points, having an outside chance of upsetting the form book.
Top-ranked local men’s duo, Daneil Williams and Daynte Stewart lead their table with 16 points, six clear of nearest rivals Abraham Eccles and Joel Theodore, and undefeated in the last eight legs of the NBVC.
Based on their healthy advantage, Williams and Stewart only require a top three finish to make it mathematically impossible for Theodore and Eccles to catch up to them in time for the NORCECA Beach Circuit opener.
Following this leg, the local tournament will pause for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia, which will see beach volleyball featured at the games for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
The beach volleyball tournament of the games runs from April 5-12 and T&T will be represented by Williams and Stewart in the men’s and Grant and Blackman in the women’s division.
This after both teams topped the 2017 NBVC which was used for the selection of national teams.
Points
WOMEN:
1. Rheeza Grant/Abby Blackman - 14 pts
1. Phylecia Armstrong/Malika Davidson - 14
3. La Teisha Joseph/Suraya Chase - 8
4. Tsyan Selvon/Brittney Choon - 4
5. Romelia Fermin/Asma Charles - 1.5
MEN:
1. Daneil Williams/Daynte Stewart - 16 pts
2. Abraham Eccles/Joel Theodore - 10
3. Nathanael Noreiga/Marlon Phillip - 8
4. Steffon Hutson/Stephen Enile - 5
5. Kareem Thomas/Kurt Edwards - 2
6. Evlon Pounder/Devaughn Martin - 1
6. Jason Dennis/Kevin Rivers - 1
8. Rashaun Wright/Kameron Donald - 0