Southland Compete in Southern Zone

Southland Clubs Head for Championships
By Jerrie Andrews – The Southland Times

Southland volleyball is reaching new heights, with men’s and women’s club teams heading to next weekend’s southern zone club championships for the first time.

In the past, Volleyball Southland has struggled to get the numbers or the talent to select teams for the club championships, but now, with volleyball participation levels constantly on the rise, that’s all changed.

And according to Volleyball Southland development officer Mel Cook, who is also a member of the women’s team, Southland won’t just be there to make up numbers.

“I think we will be very competitive.

We’re having pretty serious practices, three times a week,” she said.

“The women’s team played against Vikings — a Dunedin club team — recently, but we lost in the fifth set. If we’d had our A team there we would have won quite convincingly, so it’s encouraging.” The teams, which will compete under the Southland club banner, will play against club teams from areas throughout the South Island in Dunedin next weekend and at at another tournament in July.

Cook and men’s team member Campbell Goodsir were confident the teams would do well with a classic mix of young players and “old experience” in both.

“Basically it’s been selected from our weekly competition and it’s for players that are good enough to play at club level,” Cook explained.

“This is the next step up from school, but it’s below national or South Island level. We have got strong secondary school players, but most of them leave. More people are aware of volleyball down here now and we have a good structure going.

“We had players turn up to trials that wouldn’t have been playing otherwise (without these teams to aim for).” Cook was certain Southland’s involvement in club volleyball would not be a one-off and she was planning to organise games against Queenstown and Dunedin clubs in the future.

“It’s good — we don’t know what life is like outside of Southland volleyball,” Cook laughed.

National Club Champs 2008

Forms are out for the New Zealand Club Nationals, you have an invitation form to download and look at, aswell as the actual documents for team regulations on joining the competition.

Important information for this years nationals in Auckland, please note the strict uniform requirements, of uniform: jerseys, shorts and socks. Failing to fulfill criteria look to incur a forfeit of bond.

Invitation – ( From Volleyball New Zealand )

National Club Championship 2008 Entry Pack

 

Season High For Rapids

Women’s Reserve Finals
Just Bang It vs Wainuiomata Rapids
Wainuiomata win 3 – 2.

Div II Finals for the Wellington Women’s League got off to a flyer with a game that lasted just over 2 hours. A thriller for Porirua’s “Just Bang it” as they were battling to stay in the game going down 1st set, and clawing there way back in the 2nd. Rapids always had the edge, but seemed to favour the entrance side of the gym all season, winning most sets on that side of the court. As the match see-sawed, it was not by any means for the Rapids to try and win the match in the 5th, but that was where the game was heading. Digging deep was what the players were doing, as they had no relief from the bench, all 6 players played it out to the end. Just Bang it, were wanting to take a win before most of their players are about to head to the Pacific Games at the end of the month, but the Rapids seemed to want it more, and it was a historic day as they sealed the deal closing out the match.
Players were Philippa Samuelu, Lynda Moore, Ferila Jay-To, Casey Macdonald, Dahlia Gray & Tia Araiti.

Other results were Div I Women’s final, Polyimage defeated Eagles Victoria Black 3 – 2.
Div I Men’s Finals had Hutt City Hawkz losing to Eagles Victoria Black 3 – 2.

Div-2 Semi-Finals

Sacred Heart College Hawkz vs Wainuiomata Rapids
Wainuiomata Rapids win 3 – 0

The Women’s team has made the finals of Div 2 playing against “Just Bang It”. They will be keen to take a win to complete their season as they won’t be competing in this years Club Nationals.

Curtain Call For The Rapids

“Rapids Men’s Season Has Ended”

It was the last fight for a place in the finals as Hutt City Hawkz rollicked through to the Finals ousting Eagles Victoria Red 3 – 0. The Rapids had not had the ideal preparation leading up to the match, taking on the might of Victoria Eagles Black, but were keen to give things ago, with two new setters running a 6-2 formation (Alex Ulu & Kingshar Luteru). An out of character move, but again, showing they were willing to try things out. Nothing seemed likely to stop the Eagles Black, as they continue on a 6 game winning streak in the Wellington League. Eagles Black will face Hawkz in what will be a great final, with their last encounter at the 5th Central Zone going the way of the Hawkz 3 – 2.

Semi-Finals Coming Up

28th of July Wainuiomata Rapids Defeat Lalelei (3-2)

For the Rapids Women’s, they played their final match of Div.II against Lalelei O Samoana who proved to be hot on their tails with some tireless efforts to keep the ball off the ground.
The Rapids tried their best to play a flawless game of Volleyball, but it wasn’t going to be running all their own way. They managed to do alot of great passing by the majority of passes made, but options weren’t always the best as coach Andy Hart had mentioned. From those comments efforts were made to simplify the game which worked well for the Rapids. But through out the match there were beginning to be too many mistakes forcing 3 of the sets into deuce situations. Heading into the 5th, the Rapids new that the game could be a lottery, but making the most of having won the toss, they elected to serve first and it paid dividends as they got out to a handy lead and racing to 8-6 to get the change of court. From there the pressure seemed to be firmly applied on Lalelei, as they made many unforced errors, and so it was ironic that the game ended by an ace.

28th of July Wainuiomata Rapids lose to Hawkz (0-3)

For the Men’s team, things were riding on them to beat Hutt City Hawkz to give them a chance to play them again in the Semi’s. In the Semi’s the Hawkz could controversially be without their star players. Unfortunately Rapids were without setter Junior “Juice” Tiata (Absent with the flu), so the team had to be creative, and agreed on a 6-2 with Alex Ulu and Kingshar Luteru stepping up. It was a good effort considering the build up to the game was very haphazard. Hawkz played a solid game, that ran to their own schedule, but on the second set, though they had it sewen up at 24-14, Alex Ulu challenged the Hawkz on his own with his jump serves, collecting four aces before the Rapids succumbed to the set-point.
The Hawkz ran out eventual winners, but the fact remains that the Rapids have still collected a ticket to the Wellington Leagues Semi’s, though playing the Eagles Victoria Blacks, its been an amazing season, and the Rapids are sure to be wanting to be in the finals.