The Dominican Players and Fans turned the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex into a home venue as they marched through day one of the tournament with easy wins over St Vincent and Panama. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The BVI battled bravely against St Vincent in a game that finished near 1am due to earlier delays, but were knocked out of contention in a 3-1 defeat. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Solid defensively, the BVI struggled to get their passing game going and handed their opponents too many easy points on errors. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The BVI lost 3-0 to Panama in a game delayed after the visitors got stuck in St Maarten overnight. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The Dominican Republic players look fitter, faster, taller and more skillful compared to the other teams in the group and will complete the formalities tonight in the final after they face the BVI at 11am this morning. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

With schedules changed after the late arrival of Panama earlier in the day and the teams being allowed at least six hours’ rest between matches, the evening session finally got underway at close to 9pm  with the much fancied group favourites, the Dominican Republic (DR) against Panama.

The Multi Purpose Sports Complex has never seen such fervor from fans as the followers of the  DR team made it seem like they were playing back home in Santo Domingo creating an electric atmosphere, filled with chants, feet stomping and hand clapping as well as the traditional gun slinger plantain salutes as points were won.

The game itself was another overwhelming display of power and precision as the Dominicans tore into Panama with skill, power and precision. The final outcome, a straight 3-0 victory (25-18, 25-14, 25-21) which guaranteed them passage into the third round.

The BVI took on St Vincent in the opening day’s final match and suffered their second straight defeat losing 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-12, 25-22) to see their chances of progression evaporate.

The game reaching its decisive moment not too far short of 1am.

The Host Nation had met Panama in their first game and despite their opponents not having a full complement of players until nearly 3pm following flight cancellations and overnight stops in St Maarten they proved too strong for the BVI.

The eventual result was a 3-0 straight sets victory (25-18, 25-14, 25-14) to Panama with only the first set being close as Panama struggled to get some tired hands, feet and minds going. The 2^nd set was handed to the Panamanians by a sequence of unforced errors by the BVI, both in defense and offense and despite the BVI taking an early lead in the 3^rd that too soon became a procession of points to the visitors as they got into their stride and overpowered their opponents in uncomplicated fashion.

Oswald Marshall recorded 11 points and Richard Araba punched in 9 points for Panama, while Canice Marquis led the British Virgin Islands’ tally with 12 points.

After the win Panama’s Coach, Horacio Calderon noted that his team had a good game “The problems we encountered in getting here, psychologically affected us. Besides the problems the team had a good game”, Calderon said.

 Meanwhile, head coach of the British Islands Stephen Payne apportioned his team’s loss to their inability to effectively to pass, but the real issue lay in a breakdown of fundamentals when it mattered most. The error strewn performance was hardly the start the BVI needed or wanted.

In the  first game The Dominican Republic  underlined their status as the top seed in Group K, when they dismissed St Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0( 25-13, 25-9, 25-14).

The more experienced Dominicans were led in the scoring department by team captain Jose Miguel Caceres who registered 11 points and David Adames who had 9. For the Vincentians, Atkins Questelles, Kemaul Lee and Cassius Franklyn all scored 5 points each.

Triumphant Coach, Osiel Vasquez, was satisfied with his team’s output in their first outing “I am very pleased. The guys carried out the game plan as I had anticipated. There was good co-ordination and good concentration and they controlled the match from the start”, Vasquez stated.