MAVL R3 - G8 Volleyball WA v AIS
Set 1
AIS - Thwaite, Clewes, Lowe, Young, Smith, Lillywhite, J Borgeaud (L)
WA - Hague, Prindiville, Simmonds, Lewington, Troy, Luff, Farriss (L)
Huge block from Matt Young on Paul Prindiville gets this game underway and the first point to the AIS. WA fight back quickly though making sure the next point is a kill to them. Both teams know how important this game is for WA. The Hornets need the win for any chance of making the final four. And the AIS will know this and do everything in their power to stop them. WA take the lead early, up 5-3, AIS take a time out.
Back on court and the AIS triple block is former a formidable wall at the net, making it hard for the Hornets to hit through. Quick run of points to the AIS and they have levels the scores at 9-9. Luke Smith winds up his arm swing and you know that this is going to hurt.....he drills the ball deep into Farriss' chest. The power hits and big block from the AIS have taken them to the lead, 14-12 as WA take a time out.
Leathart replaces Lillywhite for the AIS. Will Thwaite thumps a quick ball into the middle of the WA court and it almost rebounds high enough to reach the roof. There is a good crowd here to watch the WA boys but they are not as vocal as last night and WA find themselves trailing 14-18 as they use there second time out.
More changes for the AIS, double sub, Barry & Peacock in for Smith and Young. AIS still out in front as Thwaite gets another kill block at the net. 21-17. Scrambling play from the AIS, Peacock dives and picks it up and Lowe sets the sneaky slow ball over on the third and catches WA napping. Simmonds for WA hits a kill deep into the back court to give WA 18 points to AIS 22. Leathart kill brings up 23 points for the AIS. Thwaite again with the block for set point.....and Thwaite again with the ROOF! finishes the set for the AIS 25-18.
Set 2
AIS - Thwaite, Clewes, Lowe, Young, Smith, Leathart, J Borgeaud (L)
WA - Hague, Prindiville, Simmonds, Lewington, Troy, Luff, Farriss (L)
Such a lively and animated game this set. As WA start to win a few points through their attack, Prindiville on the cross play and Lewington on the outside hitting high of the AIS block, the crowd comes alive and lifts their team back into this game. WA libero Farriss is scampering around the WA court racing forward and backwards, turning in circles and inside out to get to the ball and back to position. Yet despite all the hard work they are doing, WA still find themselves down 8-11 in the set and call for a time out.
WA are throwing everything they have at the AIS to get past their triple block and agile defenders in back court. Hague is running some fancy offence, running combinations and cross plays and it is starting to work. They level the scores at 16-16. But then 2 massive block points from the AIS, first Young and then Thwaite, and an ace serve and the AIS have take a lead again, 19-16. WA use their second time out.
Subsitutions AIS, Peacock and Barry in for Smith and Young. Simmonds crashes into the referee stand almost kocking first referee Dani Francis out of it, but he manages to save the point for WA and save Dani from falling as well. The desperation has lifted the WA team. Block point to Luff and spike kill to Lewington and WA are to within 2 points, 18-20. AIS time out. AIS reverse= their subs, Young and Smith back in. More points to WA know, they get to 20-20 before Thwaite burries his quick attack into Farriss' chest for a kill. Another block from Young, AIS lead 22-21. Simmonds hits off high AIS hands and Thwaite dives for it but its too short. Clewes through the middle for the kill. Joust at the net, Fariiss is there to pick it up, but Prindiville sends it wide. Set point to the AIS. Hague to Prindiville again, but this time the AIS block get it its way and the AIS wrap up the second set 25-21 to take a 2-0 lead.
Set 3
AIS - Thwaite, Clewes, Lowe, Young, Smith, Leathart, J Borgeaud (L)
WA - Hague, Prindiville, Simmonds, Lewington, Troy, Luff, Farriss (L)
WA hold a narrow lead over AIS at 9-8. Smith fires the ball down the line, Farriss layouts out to keep it up, but they just can't seem to send it in the right direction, great effort though. Young with serves takes AIS out to 11-9. Ruggiero takes to the court. Time out called by Hornets.
Prindiville's radar is slightly off, he pushes the ball wide, time out again by WA, after AIS have piled on four points in a row, 10-15. ACE Lowe. Mardon replaces Lewington. WA are getting fired on from both sides of the court, Smith first, then Thwaite, they just can get the ups. AIS lead continues to extend, 19-12. No, make that 20-12. Too many errors in that set from WA have seen them go down 3-nil and 25-18 in the last. The have one last chance this afternoon to secure a finals spot, when they take on Uni Blues, its going to come down to the last match of the preliminary rounds to decide the final four, so stick around. Netxt up we have Canberra heat taking on QAS Pirates, who are carrying a couple of injuries into this match.
