Title-holders St Joseph's Convent, St Joseph and Iere High School of Siparia stormed into the semifinal round of the Girls' Open Division of the Secondary Schools Volleyball League Championship Playoffs after playing unbeaten at the National Cycling Velodrome, Centre Court, Balmain, Couva, on Wednesday.
Playing in a five-schools Pool A round-robin series, the Macsood Ali-coached St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) first won by default against the late-arriving St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-0, 15-0) before adding victories against South East Port-of-Spain Secondary 2-1 (12-15, 15-7, 15-12), ASJA Girls' 2-0 (15-9, 15-4) and International School Port-of-Spain (ISPS) 2-1 (15-8, 6-15, 15-13) to end with a perfect 4-0 record and a direct spot in the semifinals on Tuesday, February 11.
The International School (PoS) and SEPoS finished with 3-1 and 2-2 records respectively in Pool A to grab the two quarterfinal places as second and third-placed finishers.
This after International School defeated SEPoS 2-0 (15-12, 15-7), ASJA Girls' 2-0 (15-8, 15-3) and St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-5, 15-8) in their other matches, while SEPoS registered wins against ASJA Girls 2-0 (15-10, 15-8) and St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-13, 15-13).
In Pool B, which only consisted of four schools, Iere High brushed aside St George's College 2-0 (15-8, 15-13), Pleasantville Secondary 2-0 (15-5, 15-9) and St Joseph's Convent, Port-of-Spain, 2-0 (15-13, 15-10) for a 3-0 record and straight passage to the semifinals.
Taking the two quarterfinals places from Pool B were St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (2-1) and St George's College (1-2).
In their two other matches, S Joseph's Convent (PoS) beat St George's College 2-1 (15-6, 13-15, 15-7) and Pleasantville Secondary 2-1 (11-15, 15-12, 15-13), while St George's battled past Pleasantville Secondary, 2-1 (15-13, 13-15, 15-9) in a winner-take-all clash for third in the pool.
In the semifinals on Tuesday, February 11 at the same venue, St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) will face South East Port-of-Spain while Iere High comes up against International School PoS.
International School PoS earned their final-four place after easing past St George's College 15-12, 15-7 in the first quarterfinal, and South East PoS humbled St Joseph's Convent PoS 15-11, 15-9.
Following the semifinals on Tuesday, the losers will meet for the third spot also on the same day while the winners advance to the final on February 22.
Last year in the girls' finals St Joseph's Convent St Joseph had it tough against Bishop Anstey High School before prevailing 25-18, 25-21 to take the gold medals.
In the semifinals, St Joseph Convent St Joseph dumped Iere High School and Bishop Anstey High humbled host International School PoS.
It was a clean sweep on the day for the St Joseph Convent girls and their coach, former T&T senior and youth women's volleyball team coach Macsood Ali as they also took home the Under-14 and Under-16 divisional crowns.
RESULTS
On Wednesday's Girls Open Division
Court A
St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) bt St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-0, 15-0 (default) )
International School (PoS) bt South East P-o-S 2-0 (15-12, 15-7)
South East P-o-S bt ASJA Girls 2-0 (15-10, 15-8)
St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) bt South East P-o-S 2-1 (12-15, 15-7, 15-12)
St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) bt ASJA Girls' 2-0 (15-9, 15-4)
Court B
International School (PoS) bt ASJA Girls' 2-0 (15-8, 15-3)
ASJA Girls' bt St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-7, 15-7)
St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) bt International School (PoS) 2-1 (15-8, 6-15, 15-13)
International School (PoS) bt St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-5, 15-8)
South East P-o-S bt St Augustine Girls' High 2-0 (15-13, 15-13)
Court C:
St Joseph's Convent (PoS) bt St George's College 2-1 (15-6, 13-15, 15-7)
Iere High bt St George's College 2-0 (15-8, 15-13)
Iere High bt Pleasantville Sec. 2-0 (15-5, 15-9)
St Joseph's Convent (PoS) bt Pleasantville Sec 2-1 (11-15, 15-12, 15-13).
Iere High bt St Joseph's Convent (PoS) 2-0 (15-13, 15-10)
St George's College bt Pleasantville Sec. 2-1 (15-13, 13-15, 15-9)
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
(2nd Group A) International School (PoS) bt (3rd Group B) St George's College 2-0 (15-12, 15-7)
( 3rd Group A) South East P-o-S bt (2nd Group B) St Joseph's Convent (PoS) 2-0 (15-11, 15-9)
Tuesday's Matches
Semifinals
(1st Group B) Iere High vs 2nd (Group A/3rd Group B winner ) International School (PoS)
(1st Group A) St Joseph's Convent (St Joseph) vs (2nd Group B/3rd Group A winner) South East P-o-S
