Up An Coming's Jelissa Potter, prepares to serve against Raw Power on Sunday. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—A week after Young Guns dismissed Jus Bless as a contender for the BVI Amateur Volleyball Association championships title and predicated they would be facing defending champs Terminators, Jus Bless brought them down to reality.

Player-coach Neville Bratwaithe said that based on history and statistical data, Young Guns—who became the first defending champs to ever miss the playoffs after winning the 2006 crown—would face 12 time champs Terminators, comments that didn’t sit well. Prior to the remarks, Terminators setter Osbert “Cushung” Pole, made comments that infuriated Jus Bless.

In their last match up, Jus Bless secured a thrilling five set victory. Jus Bless’ players decided to reserve commenting—until they silenced Young Guns in another five set thriller—16-25, 25-19, 27-25, 22-25 and 15-12 on Friday.

“We decided we were not going to talk but after all the comments we read from what was written, I want to let everyone know that Jus Bless is for real,” Humphrey Leue said. “We just won another close match. And when playoff time comes, we are going to come even better than this.”

When asked how the Terminators and Young Guns’ player’s comments had motivated their play, Leue said they have always been motivated and they pull together. “But when we read things in the papers that have been said about us and we are being disrespected, we have to come out and prove a point,” he stated. “And, we did that tonight.”

Brathwaite said Young Guns won the first set convincingly but the other sets were tight. “We made a little too many mistakes in the game,” Brathwaite said pointing out they do a lot of shuffling and when it came down to the fifth set, there was a crucial call at 13-12. “And we kept asking the referee if he saw the balls going off the hands. He said he didn’t see anything and he’s looking for help. They went ahead with that one and I guess it got to the team mentally and we lost the last point after that. But the game was a well fought game on both sides.”

Raw Power slowed Up And Coming in straight sets, 25-5, 25-9 and 25-20 on Sunday. Saturday night’s games were forfeited. Captain Tasha Creese said her team—although winning—doesn’t have intensity. “The spirit isn’t as lively or excited as it should be,” she noted. “Right now, it reached to the point where we want to get this league done and over with. It’s not the opponents. It’s just a league spirit thing.”