Bermuda Duo Clinch Thrilling Five-Set Wins in Championships
IslandStats.com
The evening session on Day Two of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championships in Guyana proved a demanding but ultimately successful affair for Bermuda's top men, with both Taylor Carrick and Micah Franklin securing dramatic five-set victories to advance in the Individual Main Draw.
Taylor Carrick delivered the upset of the evening session, defeating the number two seed, Julian Jervis of the British Virgin Islands, in an intense 52-minute marathon.
Carrick showcased immense composure, twice coming from behind after Jervis had taken the lead in sets. The final score was 3-2 in favour of Carrick: 4-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3. The victory over the higher-ranked opponent is a significant boost for the Bermudian contingent and secures Carrick's spot in the next round.
Not to be outdone, Micah Franklin was involved in an even longer and more gripping contest, battling through a grueling 55-minute match against Darien Benn.
Franklin traded sets with Benn throughout the contest, but in the decisive fifth set, he held his nerve to claim the victory 3-2. The scores highlight the razor-thin margins of the match: 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11. Franklin's determination in the final moments of the fifth set ensures he also advances in the Men's Individual Main Draw.
Both wins underscore the fighting spirit and resilience of the Bermuda team as they compete against the region's best players in Georgetown.
In the Men's Individual Main Draw earlier in the day, Taylor Carrick secured a hard-fought victory over Alex Stewart of Barbados in a 40-minute battle. After dropping the first set, Carrick rallied to win 3-1 with scores of 5-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-4.
Micah Franklin also advanced with a straight-sets win, defeating Guyana’s Samuel Ince-Carvalhal 3-0 in 36 minutes (11-7, 11-4, 11-7).
However, the local Guyanese players proved strong opponents. Club Champion Anaya Smith was defeated 3-0 by Daniel Ince (11-6, 11-2, 11-4) in a 26-minute match. Similarly, Noah Browne went down 3-0 to Guyana’s Jason-Ray Khalil (11-9, 11-3, 11-5) in 32 minutes.
In the Men's Individual Bracket 2 Division, D'vario Thompson bounced back from his opening day loss to secure a convincing 3-0 victory over Ethan Bulkan, also of Guyana, winning 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 in 24 minutes.
The Women's Individual draw saw Abigail Brewer face a major test against the number one seed, Megan Best, ultimately losing 3-0 with scores of 11-2, 11-0, 11-3.
In the Women's Individuals Bracket 2 Division, Alex Furtado had a busy day. She began strongly, defeating Andrea Tapiz in straight games 3-0 (11-2, 11-1, 11-4). However, Furtado then fell in her next match, going down 3-1 to Lara Conolly from the Cayman Islands (6-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-7).
Bermuda will continue to compete in the various draws as the CASA Senior Championships progress.
