Volleyballers strut their stuff
Manaia underlined their title credentials when the fourth round of Marlborough Volleyball’s Fairweathers’ Spring League was played on Thursday at Marlborough Lines Stadium.
Manaia were expected to have a tough struggle with Fairweathers, but their opponents couldn’t get their game going on Thursday. Very strong topspin serving from Manaia paved the way to a relatively smooth 3-0 victory. Fairweathers put up some good blocks but Manaia’s scrappy defence helped them to the 25-19, 25-16 and 25-14 win.
A really tight early game ensued between Treefellas and Woodbourne. Treefellas won a tight first set 26-24 but Woodbourne came back strongly in the second set. A couple of missed serves by Treefellas let Woodbourne take it out 25-20. The deciding set was extremely tight, but this time it was Woodbourne’s turn to nudge ahead, taking the set and game at 25-23.
Uso dominated all three sets during their game against Cri Clovers. With pressure serving and hitting, combined with errors from Cri Clovers, the first two sets were claimed easily, 25-13 and 25-9. The third set was closer but again Uso came out on top, prevailing 25-18.
In the final game of the evening Emma’s Team played the Farting Ferrets. The teams were evenly matched, making for a fine spectacle. Ellie Spurlock of Emma’s Team produced some superb pickups, but top-level serving and hitting from Jack Wheeler of the Farting Ferrets helped his team win the first two sets 25-22, 26-24. Rick White stepped up in the third to help Emma’s Team take the final set 25-22.
Meanwhile, the Kaikoura Volleyball Club held their annual two- day Masters of Volleyball Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Two teams from Christchurch and Nelson, and one apiece from Kaikoura and Blenheim, competed.
After a top weekend of skilled volleyball, the Setting Ducks side from Christchurch came out victorious. Vintage Trafalgar came second with Saxton Survivors third, followed by Marlborough Madness in fourth. Marlborough Madness were unlucky to lose the first set 25-22 against their old foes the Setting Ducks on Sunday but gained some consolation by taking the final set 15-13.
The Top of the South Intermediate Sports Tournament was held on August 18-19.
Both the Renwick Primary School girls and the St Mary’s boys teams did very well to make it to the finals in their respective volleyball competition.
Renwick came second to a tough-serving Broadgreen Inter- mediate in the final while St Mary’s came second to Waimea. Nick Hogg and Terian Tenoa played well for St Mary’s.