York women’s volleyball team finished in second place in the BUCS Northern 2B league thanks to a comfortable win against bottom side Sheffield Hallam.
Both the men and women’s 1st teams’ matches had been timetabled to take place at the same time putting extra pressure on the club to provide double the amount of equipment and referees.
To add to this initial stress, during the women’s warm-up Sheffield Hallam’s strongest player spikes the ball into the net causing it to tear and collapse, resulting in an embarrassing delay.
Eventually, the first set commenced with York holding the advantage due to better and louder communication on court than their rivals. Finding and exploiting Hallam’s weak point, an obvious hole in the centre of the court, York successfully takes the first set 25:17.
Feeling perhaps a little too proud, York entered the second set and is surprised to see that Hallam had come back stronger than before, taking a five point advantage within the first ten minutes. Strategically, by setting to their outside spiker, York’s defence was put to the test as each spike rapidly hit the ground. With York’s libero absent with migraines, captain Alexa has to make a split decision by bringing the block closer inside and riskily leaving the long line hit open and vulnerable.
Although this was met with success it came too late. Reckless hits outside of the court and great pick-ups by Hallam’s impenetrable libero, York lost the second set by 7 points placing the two teams once again on equal ground.
The two teams skilfully battled out the third set with longer rallies, each point becoming more important than the last. The scores remained close yet after a hasty time out and some hard spikes from the middle and diagonal hitters, York thankfully takes the set 25:18. As York men’s 1sts finished their game and came to support the women’s match, an ambience of boosted moral circulated the court.
York took the fourth set easily through winning serves from captain Alexa. Surprised at the early 25:12 win the team failed to even notice their rapid victory! The team cheered and celebrated the last BUC’s match of the year, now proudly holding 2nd place in the league. The next step, Student Cup semi-finals against Northumbria, let’s hope it amounts to another success story!
That Lucia works those short-shorts.