标签： Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia kicked off their campaign in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Under-23 Men’s Championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over defending champions St Vincent & the Grenadines on Wednesday, November 12, at the YMCA in St John’s, Antigua & Barbuda. The 2021 champions secured their win with set scores of 25-17, 26-24, and 25-12, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the championship trophy and a spot in the NORCECA 2026 Pan American Cup.

Head coach Levi Leonce expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, ‘The game was very informative; it was a good start. We still have some areas to improve, particularly our blocking, but we were strong behind the service line. I expect the team to be more technically sound and convincing in the upcoming matches.’

Saint Lucia set the tone early in the first set, racing to a 7-1 lead and forcing St Vincent & the Grenadines to call a timeout at 12-6. Despite a late push from their opponents, Saint Lucia closed out the set 25-17. The second set saw a resilient effort from the defending champions, who led for most of the set. However, Saint Lucia fought back, tying the game multiple times before clinching the set 26-24. The final set was a dominant display from Saint Lucia, who extended a narrow lead to a decisive 25-12 victory.

In other matches on Wednesday, Antigua & Barbuda defeated Anguilla 3-0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-17), while Dominica overcame Grenada 3-1 (28-26, 25-16, 23-25, 25-18). Saint Lucia is set to face Anguilla and hosts Antigua & Barbuda on Thursday, aiming to continue their winning streak.

The Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) Laborie Credit Union Under-13 Grassroots Tournament witnessed a thrilling weekend of cricket, with Kaiden Charlery emerging as the standout performer. His impressive half-century propelled Sulphur City into the semifinals after a dominant 37-run victory over South Castries in the quarterfinals held on November 9 at Desruisseaux. Batting first, Sulphur City posted a total of 119 runs, with Charlery contributing a commanding 62. South Castries struggled in response, managing only 82 runs, despite efforts from Kaylan St Juste and Alaska James, who claimed three wickets. Meanwhile, Desruisseaux secured their semifinal spot by defeating Mon Repos, chasing down a target of 124 with five wickets to spare. Dennery also advanced, crushing Micoud by 78 runs, thanks to captain Kaiden Emile’s stellar bowling performance of 5-8. In another match, Babonneau triumphed over South Castries by four wickets, with Vincy Cadasse leading the charge. Despite their elimination, South Castries’ Ariana Dujon praised her team’s spirit, emphasizing the joy of the game. The tournament continues on November 15, with Babonneau facing Choiseul and Laborie taking on Dennery in the next round of quarterfinals.

The Saint Lucia national men’s football team faced a challenging start to the Concacaf Friendly Series on Wednesday, November 12, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat against Cuba. The match, held at Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, marked a tough beginning for the Caribbean squad in Group A. Despite missing key players, head coach Stern John entrusted Canada-based forward Caniggia Elva with the captain’s armband. The team’s lineup included Donavan Jn Baptiste, Trent Alexander, and Ridel Stanislas in attack, with Bayan Aman and Hamaiel Charlery controlling the midfield. The defense was anchored by Kurt Frederick, Melvin Doxilly, Joshua Sololon-Davies, and Ajani Louis, while Vino Barclett guarded the goal. The game remained balanced in the early stages, but Cuba’s Romario Torres broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, scoring his first goal for the senior national team. Yasnier Matos extended the lead just before halftime, and Dairon Reyes sealed the victory in the 53rd minute. This match also marked the debut of Cuban coach Pedro Pablo Pereira. Cuba, historically the first Caribbean team to compete in the FIFA World Cup in 1938, narrowly missed advancing to the final round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, Saint Lucia, ranked 164th in the FIFA World Rankings, finished third in Group C of the Second Round of Concacaf Qualifiers. The team will next face St Vincent & the Grenadines on November 15. The Concacaf Friendly Series, featuring 16 nations, commenced during the November FIFA international match window, with games hosted across the Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, and the Cayman Islands.

New Zealand clinched a decisive eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the final T20 international on November 12, securing a series win in front of a lively crowd at the University Oval in Dunedin. Unlike the closely contested earlier matches in the five-game series, this encounter was one-sided, marking an anticlimactic conclusion to what had been a fiercely competitive battle between the two teams. The West Indies, needing a win to level the series after a rain-affected fourth game, struggled from the outset. They lost four wickets during the powerplay and were reeling at 48-5 before Roston Chase and Jason Holder staged a brief recovery with a 42-run partnership. However, their efforts were insufficient as the team was eventually bowled out for 140, thanks to a late flourish from Romario Shepherd, who scored 36 off 22 balls. Jacob Duffy was the standout bowler for New Zealand, claiming 4-35. In response, the Black Caps chased down the target with ease, powered by Devon Conway’s 47 and Tim Robinson’s 45, sealing the win in just 16 overs. West Indies captain Shai Hope acknowledged his team’s shortcomings, particularly in the powerplay, but praised the lower-order resilience. He emphasized the need for better mental preparation ahead of the upcoming One Day International series, which begins on Saturday.