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Women’s team remain in medal hunt

Photo by Glenn TuckerMen's indoor volleyball action between Bermuda and Guernsey at Berkeley Institute. Bermuda won 3-0.

Bermuda’s women’s volleyball team will play for a medal after a 3-0 victory over Gotland last night in Group A play at Berkeley Institute.The host team prevailed by scores of 25-14, 25-11, 25-17.Bermuda improved their record to 3-1 to finish second in Group A, and will now face Group B winners Faroe Islands (3-0) in semi-final action tomorrow at 3.45pm at Berkeley Institute.The winner will face the victor of the Saaremaa-Greenland semi-final (tomorrow, 11.15am, at Berkeley) for the gold medal on Friday at 1.30pm, also at Berkeley.The semi-final losers will meet in the bronze medal match on Friday at 9am at Berkeley.Saaremaa and the Faroe Islands have played in the last six Island Games gold medal matches, with Faroe winning in 2009, 2005, 2003 and 2001. Saaremaa won gold in 2011 and 2007.Bermuda’s best-ever finish is fourth, having lost the bronze medal match to Menorca in both 2009 and 2007.Last night, at Berkeley Institute, Bermuda’s men stayed on course for a pivotal Friday morning clash with Greenland by beating winless Guernsey 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-14).Bermuda’s record improved to 3-2 while, at CedarBridge Academy, Aland ran their record to 4-0 with a 3-1 (26-24, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21) victory over the Faroe Islands.Men’s volleyball medals will be determined solely on the basis of round-robin play.Saaremaa and Aland share top spot with records of 4-0, while Bermuda sits third at 3-2. Faroe are fourth at 2-2, while Gotland and Greenland are 1-3 and Guernsey remain winless at 0-4.Against Guernsey, Bermuda benefited from a good night’s rest after a punishing schedule early this week — and, with the result secure, could go to their bench to give some of the team’s starters a much-needed break. “It was important to get some of the players from the bench into the match,” said captain Mike Gazzard. “They have been so supportive, both in the games and at practices, and we were able to reward them tonight for their efforts.”Tomorrow is a rest day for Bermuda, while the Faroe Islands play Gotland — and Saaremaa take on Aland in a clash of the tournament’s two unbeaten squads.A victory over Greenland on Friday at 9am at CedarBridge Academy would leave Bermuda with a 4-2 record.The Faroes wrap up tournament play with a match against Saaremaa on Friday afternoon.Should Bermuda and the Faroes each finish with 4-2 records, the bronze medal would be decided on set differential. If that does not break the deadlock, points differential will decide the medal. If that is even, the result between the two teams — a 3-2 Bermuda victory — would give the bronze to Bermuda.Heading into tomorrow’s play, Bermuda has a set differential of plus-three, while Faroe has a plus-two differential.Bermuda’s best finish in the Island Games men’s volleyball competition came in 2005 when they claimed silver in the Shetland Islands, losing to Saaremaa in the final.