Bridgetown, Barbados, June 18, 2005 – Barbados who has dominated volleyball at the English-speaking Caribbean since 1992 reduced Jamaica to tears as they put themselves within one set of winning the World Championships Qualifier Norceca Group A here at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Barbados. The Jamaicans needed to beat Barbados in order to clinch the top spot and a trip to the second round. 

However, Barbados lead by the tireless captain Elwyn Oxley with nine kills and his vice captain Renier Grace with seven, displayed a ruthlessness in destroying Jamaica, 25-17, 25-19, 28-26.While Coach Ludger Niles used just six players and the tournament’s leading libero, Dwight Carter to complete the rout of the visitors, Coach Phillip Greenland used all of his 12 players in a desperate bid to halt the onslaught of the Bajans. 

 However, only Mark Lewis with six kills proved any threat to the hosts. Jamaica forced Barbados into calling a time-out at, 0-5, in the third set with Jamaica looking like pulling back at least that set.  The visitors continued to lead in that set before Barbados took charge and rushed to game and match points, 24-22. 

Although Jamaica was able to avert the loss and locked the scores up to 26-all, the power and defence of the Bajans saw them taking the set, 28-26, with a vicious block on Lewis by Dale Addison and Gregory Burke.Barbados just need to win one set in the final match against the Netherlands Antilles to clinch the second round spot in the World Championship Qualifier in Puerto Rico in August. 

Earlier the Netherlands Antilles defeated the British Virgin Islands, 25-22, 25-19, 25-11. In the post match interview, Coach Greenland pointed to the experience and class of the Bajans in playing a tough game with superior mental control which his team could not match.  Coach Niles admitted that Barbados had spent hours analyzing Jamaica’s players to ensure success in the game.