Bermuda's Volleyball teams wrapped up their participation at the Nike Boston Volleyball Festival, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, with the Big Wave Riders securing a commendable Silver Medal and the Paradise Hitters putting in a solid performance in the silver division.
Big Wave Riders' Impressive Run to the Final
The Big Wave Riders continued their strong showing on the final day, competing in the Round 3 Gold Division. They started with a hard-fought victory against Blast 18 Fire, winning 25-22, 25-23 to advance to the quarter-finals. Their momentum continued as they convincingly defeated the Legacy Boys 18 Premier team 25-14, 25-22, setting up a semi-final clash with Princeton 18 Boys.
The Semi-Final proved to be a thrilling encounter. The Big Wave Riders showed resilience, coming from behind to defeat Princeton 18 Boys 18-25, 25-21, 15-9. This victory propelled them into the final, where they faced South County Juniors Boys 18's Gold. Despite a valiant effort, the Big Wave Riders fell to South County Juniors 25-18, 25-22, securing a well-deserved Silver Medal.
Coach Kevin Manuel said, “The U18 boys team had high expectations going into the three day Boston Volleyball festival. The team had hopes of making it to the Gold Bracket and possibly landing in the top 10.
We come away from the tournament not only in the top 10 but with the silver medal competing against fifty-one other teams. It is an amazing accomplishment for a Bermudian team.
Coach Rob and I could not be prouder of these young men who exhibited grit and determination to play against fifty-one other very seasoned teams.
They have been exemplary ambassadors for Bermuda and the sport of volleyball in Bermuda.
I'm extremely happy for them!”
Paradise Hitters' Solid Showing in Silver Division
The Paradise Hitters competed in the Round 3 Silver Division, facing GSEVC 18 National Blue. Despite a strong effort, the Paradise Hitters fell 25-19, 25-23. While they didn't advance further in the tournament, their performance demonstrated their commitment and skill.
Coach Quote for PHU18 team from Braedon Madeiros-Cooke: “This year we were fortunate enough to have a very strong team to compete in this years Nike Boston Volleyball Festival. We had a great first day going 2-1 with the U18 girls team only losing out to one team by a couple points. The communication, team spirit, energy and skill that the girls displayed was truly exciting. With hopes to continue that momentum into the second day.
Our second day we were seated in the top half of our division fighting for our place in the gold bracket. Unfortunately we had two tough loses but managed to finish the day on a high with a win placing us into the silver bracket of our tournament.
Our third and final day of playing was the playoff for the tournament and Our team was pumped up and excited to see what they could accomplish. Unfortunately we had a tough lost in our first match of that day only losing out by two points.
Over all the U18s team finished 19th out of 56 teams. This is great for the Bermuda Volleyball Association and for Athletics in Bermuda as with volleyball we always have to fight teams that are much taller and more physical than us. We as coaches are very proud of how the team played and represented their country and looked for great things for next year.“
Both teams can be proud of their achievements at the festival. The Big Wave Riders' silver medal is a testament to their talent and teamwork, while the Paradise Hitters' performance in the silver division showcases their continued development.
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