Elite-level volleyball
Elite-level volleyball action returns to its spiritual home in Horsham this weekend when Phantoms Volleyball Club hosts Victoria University and Dandenong in round nine of Victorian Volleyball League.
This will be the first time in three years that state league has been played in Horsham since the Phantoms signed a lucrative stadium sponsorship deal with Bendigo Stadium.
The premier men’s and women’s games will be showcased on Saturday night, with the women starting at 5pm and the men at 7pm.
The men’s games will be vital to the Phantoms’ chances of making finals.
After three weeks of narrow losses to teams above them on the ladder, the men will be hell-bent on registering two wins against Vic Uni to keep their finals hopes alive.
Matthew Berry, Nick Adamson and Cam Robinson will be in action, with all three boys keen to get back on the court where they started their volleyball careers and show just how far they have come.
The university team will be a tough opponent, with Zac Santamaria, who has just returned from 12 months in Serbia training with the national team, its key setter.
Santamaria is a famous name in Victorian volleyball and Zac is a delightful player to watch.
In the case of the premier women, sitting 5-1 and third on the ladder, they will be keen to continue their good form against opposition that has only recorded one win for the season.
Kara Johnson and Jess Radford are the setters in the team and both are playing really well.
The highlight of the women’s game will be the premier debut of Delaney Wills.
Wills has returned to the sport this year after having time off for study, but she has trained well and deserves her opportunity.
She comes in to a team that has been settled over five games and is coming off two strong wins against Southern Cross Cobras last weekend.
The girls have been playing really good volleyball and are coming together nicely as a team. They are a determined outfit in defence and strong on the net.
Other divisions
Apart from the premier men’s and women’s games, Volleyball Horsham members will be involved across all other divisions, which includes reserves men and women, division two and three men and women.
Nathan Berry and Jack Hannan are playing consistently in the reserves men’s team, and after two wins against Cobras last week are looking to build on their season.
Tamikah Dockrill will get another chance in the reserves women’s team as she continues her development, while Laelah Robertson is playing well.
Tim Popple’s division-two men are undefeated after seven games and are looking forward to adding two more wins to their tally when they square off against Dandenong One and Two.
Only last month they recorded good wins against the same opposition. Both Popple and young gun Aidan O’connor are key players in this team.
Cleo Baker and Rebecca Allan will line up in the women’s division-two team.
Shaun Bray, John Kearns, Will Saligari and Scott Davidson are leaders in the men’s division-three team, and after splitting their results against Cobras last week, will be keen to bounce back.
Kimberley Crabtree and Jade Saligari are members of a young division-three team, which is developing as each game goes by. They will have an interesting duel against Dandenong.
Games start at 11am on Saturday at Horsham Basketball Stadium and continue from 9am Sunday at both the basketball stadium and St Brigid’s College stadium.
Admission is free across both venues on both days.