FIRST-TIME entrants, the Mande Villains trounced the UTech Saints, while 2012 champions the Milex Eagles fought off the Screaming Eagles in semi-final action in the 2015 KPMG Squash League last Thursday night.

Steve Mullings got the Mande Villains’ campaign off to a blistering start when he beat Nathlee Boreland 21-14, 21-13, 21-20. The straight-game win set the tone for the evening as Dominic Cover followed on and defeated Mike Fennel 21-20, 21-13, 22-17.

Although the Mande Villains were safely through to the final, All Jamaica Ladies champion Alyssa Mullings didn’t drop her guard and fought off Mario O’Connor, 21-16, 21-18, 22-19.

In contrast, it came down to the wire for the Milex Eagles, whose rivals, the Screaming Eagles, didn’t go down without a fight.

Jaime Douglas put Milex ahead by beating Stuart Murray 21-15, 20-21, 21-16, 21-16. However, Shane Murray wore down Shane Slater 18-21, 19-21, 21-1, 21-11, 21-9 to bring the Screaming Eagles back into contention.

Then, youth triumphed over experience as All Jamaica Under-17 boys’ champion Tahjia Lumley defeated Rajeev Venugopal 18-21, 21-18, 21-18, 21-15 to send Milex to the finals for the first time since they won the title in 2012.

“As expected, we had two well-played semi-finals and now we’re looking forward to an action-packed final,” said Nathlee Boreland, assistant tournament director.

“The Milex Eagles are hungry for another title so they will be going all out, but the Mande Villains are fearless so this could be their year,” she added.

The Milex Eagles and the Mande Villains will battle for the title on Friday, while the Screaming Eagles will face the UTech Saints in the third-place play-off on Thursday.