Bermuda breaks through as SVG storms back to claim Eastern Caribbean Volleyball crown

St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Bermuda finished the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association Championships on top, with both teams overcoming formidable opponents to claim historic victories in Tortola.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines secured the men’s crown with a stirring comeback against Saint Lucia, recovering from an early setback to win 17-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-22.

Bermuda produced an equally memorable performance in the women’s final, edging Antigua and Barbuda 25-23, 27-25, 21-25, 25-20 at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex on Sunday night to capture the championship for the first time.

SVG answers Saint Lucia’s early challenge

The men’s final initially appeared to be tilting toward Saint Lucia after the opening set.

Saint Lucia established control early and took the first frame 25-17, but St. Vincent and the Grenadines responded with increasing authority. The eventual champions leveled the contest by taking the second set 25-17 before turning the momentum into a decisive advantage.

A 25-13 third-set victory put St. Vincent and the Grenadines firmly in command.

Saint Lucia refused to surrender, however, and pushed the champions throughout the fourth set. SVG held its nerve when it mattered most, closing out the match 25-22 and securing the men’s championship.

Bermuda finally breaks through

For Bermuda’s women, the triumph carried an even greater significance.

After finishing runner-up to Saint Lucia in each of the previous two editions, Bermuda finally broke through, defeating Antigua and Barbuda in a tense four-set battle for its maiden Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association title.

The opening two sets were decided by the narrowest of margins. Bermuda took the first 25-23 and then survived a dramatic 27-25 second set to move within one victory of the championship.

Antigua and Barbuda fought back in the third, winning 25-21 and forcing Bermuda to withstand another test of composure.

The Bermudian side responded decisively in the fourth, winning 25-20 to end its long wait for gold.

LeBlanc celebrates a breakthrough moment

For Bermuda head coach Gary LeBlanc, the championship represented a personal milestone as well as a historic achievement for his players.

“I am extremely proud of the team. I couldn’t be happier because they earned the gold medal. I’ve been to many of these tournaments as a player as well as a coach and this is my first gold medal.

“Hats off to the opposition, they really gave us a game. It was point-for-point and we just did our best to dig in and continued with our goal,” LeBlanc told the Royal Gazette.

Adversity becomes Bermuda’s advantage

The championship was hardly straightforward.

LeBlanc pointed to the intensity of the opening sets and the difficulties his team encountered during the third, but said Bermuda’s ability to remain composed under pressure ultimately made the difference.

“The first two sets were really tight, but we were able to prevail. We had some things go wrong in the third, [there] were some questionable calls, but we got through it.

“That’s just typical or normal of a tournament, but it’s the strength of the team to get through that adversity. This team has really worked hard on that and they proved that they could get through it all,” he added.

Bermuda’s breakthrough capped a championship defined by resilience. St. Vincent and the Grenadines recovered from an opening-set loss to seize the men’s title, while Bermuda survived a fiercely contested women’s final to claim its first championship, ensuring that both winners left Tortola with gold and momentum to carry forward.