In a battle of the established and experienced teams, Castrol Strikers defeated Young Achievers in a five-set thriller 3-2, when the Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA) Senior Men’s division one league continued at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.
Young Achievers set the tone of the competitive matchup, as they clinched the first set, prevailing 25-21.
However, Castrol Strikers responded in equal measure to secure the second set, restoring parity to proceedings via an identical 25-21 score.
The momentum was then maintained by the Castrol Strikers outfit, who seized a 2-1 lead, as they stormed to a 25-20 result in the pivotal third set. However, the back and forth nature of the encounter continued in the fourth stanza, as Young Achievers lived up to their billing as an elite local unit.
The West Demerara side pushed the contest into the fifth and final set, as they leveled the contest at 2-2 following a hard fought 25-22 score. The final set continued in the same competitive vein, as both teams battled for the early ascendency. However, the exchanges were eventually won by Castrol Strikers who overcame their opponent 18-16.
In terms of individual scorers, Steffon Norah, who was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match, led Castrol Strikers with 22 points, while Vance Harding recorded 17 points. Adding seven, seven, six and three points were Clarence Williams, Ray Manuel, Devon Bowman, and Lerone Souvenir respectively.
For the losers, Geno Carroll top scored with 20 points, while Ryan Mangru and Corwyn Richards were the next best contributors with 13 points each.
Adding six and two points apiece were Tyrece Farley and Ryan Monroe.
The tournament continues tomorrow at the same event from 19:00hrs when newcomer Venguy will lock horns with Eagles. The other team competing in the tournament is the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
