VOLLEYBALL
By
Andrew Stackpool
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Navy
volleyballers were also in action at the Eastern Australia
Area Red Anchor Volleyball Competition at Sydney’s
Five Dock Leisure Centre on December 3.
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Photo:
Navy Imagery Unit-East
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The
Victorian women’s volleyball team put up a dogged resistance
to beat a visiting RNZAF team at the recent Australian Defence
Force Volleyball Association Combined Services National Titles.
The competition was held at Albury from November 7-16.
More than 130 players took to the courts in 10 days of hard-fought
action, with conditions perfect for all but the last day that
was marked 40-degree heat. Play was made even more challenging,
as the air conditioning plant was unserviceable.
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 visiting RNZAF women’s team worked hard in an unfamiliar
environment to be narrowly beaten 15-13 by Victoria.
According to association spokesperson WO2 Ian Baker, they had
to contend with the searing heart and lack of air to be narrowly
beaten by a dogged Victorian team.
“The women’s grand final was a pearler,” he said.
“It was one of the 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.
Queensland finished in third place.
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 three sets to one. NSW finished third.
ADF teams have now been selected and will fly out in August 2004
to take on the Kiwis in New Zealand’s interservice competition.
From there they will take part in the next ADF 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 also.
