WO2 Sharon Baker spikes throught the tight NZAF block during the tightly contested game. Photo by WO2 Scott Rutland, SCMA

Womens' game a pearler

By Andrew Stackpool
THE ADF Victorian women's volleyball team put up a dogged resistance to beat a visiting RNZAF team at the recent Australian Defence Force Volley Ball Association (ADFVA), Combined Services Volleyball competition.

The competition was held at Albury from November 7 to 16.

More than 130 players took to the field in 10 days of hard-fought volleyball competition.

Conditions for all but the last day were near perfect at the indoor court. The last day was marked by tough conditions in 40-degree heat.

Four women's teams from Queensland, Victoria, NSW and the RNZAF took to the field in what was described as a "pearler" of a tournament.

The men fielded teams from the ACT, NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Far North Queensland, New Zealand and a team of former ADFVA members, called the X-Men.

The numbers were more remarkable because of the ADF's current high operational tempo with many players on deployment.

Many others had only just returned from deployments and were not at peak form.

The visiting RNZAF women's team worked hard in an unfamiliar environment to be narrowly beaten 15-13 by the Victorian team.

According to Association Internet OfficerWO2 Ian Baker, they had to contend with the searing heart and lack of air to be narrowly beaten by a dogged Victorian team, determinedly led by Maj Jenny Becker, SCMA.

"The women's grand final was a pearler," he said.

"It was one of their finest performances ever. The Kiwis took the game all the way through to the fifth set in the face of dogged play from the Victorians.

"In the end Victoria came home by the narrowest of margins, 15-13.

"Even though they [the women] could only field half the men's teams, their standard of play was outstanding."

Maj Becker took female Player of the Match, while Queensland were runners-up in third.

Meanwhile, the men also saw sterling performances across the board. When the smoke cleared the RNZAF men's team overcame a strong and hard-playing X-Men's team three sets to one.

NSW were runners up while WO2 Baker was awarded male Player of the Match.

The ADF's team has now been selected and it will fly out in August 2004 to take on the best of the Kiwis in New Zealand's Inter-Service competition.

From there they will take part in the ADF's next Combined Services series in Brisbane next November.

The Royal Navy has indicated its intention to compete and the RNZN is understood to be about to take up the gauntlet.

.