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By Samuel Peters
Antigua and Barbuda’s men’s volleyball team concluded their Pan American Cup campaign in disappointing fashion, finishing in 12th place after suffering consecutive straight-set defeats in the classification playoffs.
The twin-island nation’s tournament woes continued on Saturday when they faced Dominican Republic in the 9-12 playoff bracket, falling 3-0 in a comprehensive defeat. The Dominican Republic dominated proceedings throughout, winning the sets 25-17, 25-9, and 25-10 to advance to the 9th/10th place playoff.
Despite the lop-sided scoreline, Antigua and Barbuda showed glimpses of resistance, with ECVA MVP Adrian Constant leading the team’s scoring efforts with 10 points. However, they were outmatched by Dominican Republic’s Hector Cruz, who topped all scorers with 11 points in an impressive individual display that helped secure his team’s comfortable victory.
The defeat relegated Antigua and Barbuda to the 11th/12th place classification match, where they faced Guatemala on Sunday in what would prove to be another challenging encounter. Unfortunately for the Caribbean representatives, they found themselves once again overmatched against superior opposition.
Guatemala proved to be equally dominant, handing Antigua and Barbuda their fifth consecutive straight-set loss of the tournament with a convincing 3-0 victory. The final scoreline of 25-10, 25-16, 25-17 reflected the gulf in class between the two teams, as Guatemala controlled the match from start to finish to claim 11th place.
The result consigned Antigua and Barbuda to 12th position overall, marking the end of a difficult Pan American Cup campaign that highlighted the challenges facing the nation’s volleyball program at the continental level. The team’s inability to win a single set throughout their final classification matches underscored the work that lies ahead in developing the sport domestically.
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