Pass, spike, pummel

Team spirit: The NSW women’s team celebrates after their finals win against Qld. Photo by Pte John Wellfare

Block: Men’s teams from NSW and the RAF clash in the finals.Photo by Pte John Wellfare

The ADF National Volleyball Tournament 2005 saw surprises and challenges served up as state and territory rivalries were renewed and a title went off-shore, Pte John Wellfare reports.

women’s

NSW women starred throughout the week-long tournament at Newcastle’s Broadmeadow Sports Centre, suffering only one defeat and taking the trophy in the final against traditional champs Qld.

Qld had been knocked down the rankings after a slow start to the tournament, but came back to secure a place in the semi-finals against a combined NT, North Qld and SA team on the final day of competition.

NSW women’s captain Army Cpl Marika Nilsson said although her team had beaten Qld twice in the week leading up to the final, the trophy was not a sure thing.

“We were pretty confident, but [the Queensland players] had kept winning towards the end. That’s what got them into the final,” she said.

Once the final match began, the NSW women showed again why they were the favourites for the trophy, staying a few points ahead of Qld throughout the first set.

It was a tight game early in the second set, but NSW maintained a close lead early on and then shot ahead to lead strongly into the third set.

NSW continued to increase their lead throughout the rest of the set, but Qld trailed closely enough to make their opponents work for the victory every step of the way.

When the final time-out was called, NSW was comfortably in front 23-17 and only two points from victory.

In the final minutes of the game, Qld made a last-ditch effort.

As NSW sat on 24 points, Qld fought hard to hold them back and extended play longer than could be expected, but in the end, NSW took their final point, the set, the match and the tournament with Qld back on 20 points.

men’s

THE NSW men’s team played went down in the final against a high-flying UK RAF team.

Two losses to the RAF team early in the competition left NSW to battle ACT for a chance to face the UK players in the final and fight to keep the tournament trophy in Australia.

Cheers rang out as NSW scored the first point in the finals , but the UK players responded strongly and scored five quick points before NSW could take possession again.

NSW refused to be left behind and the scores remained close throughout the early stages of the first set. When RAF reached 11, the NSW players decided it was time to close the gap and a string of successful plays helped them even the scores at 13-all.

For several points, the set could have gone either way and it seemed as though the final trophy would be a long hard match away by the time the scores reached 22-all. RAF finally managed to shoot ahead and close the first set 25-22.

RAF again opened a steady lead at the beginning of the second set, and by the time RAF was in front 23-7, it looked like the visitors had the set and the match all-but won.

NSW made a final dash for points and reached 12 before UK scored again to reach 24. NSW held their opponents and scored another point before a clumsy serve cost them the second set 25-13.

If the RAF players thought they’d walk through the third set, NSW was determined to prove them wrong and the scores remained close, with NSW maintaining an average one-to-two-point lead throughout the first half of the set.

But RAF wouldn’t let up and soon began to open a small lead, before NSW closed the gap to only a couple of points, and when RAF were ahead at 23-20, it was still anyone’s game before two quick points sealed it for the visitors.

RAF team captain Sgt Dave Watson said his team had enjoyed a very successful tournament, but the finals against NSW had proven challenging.

“We had beaten them [earlier in the tournament], but it was still a bit nerve-racking to be honest,” he said.