Volleyball Association of Ireland

The UCD women’s student team has added another incredible achievement to their already glittering role of honour list by claiming their 3rd EVA Students Cup title in a row and their 4th in 5 years. Having won the 07/08 Irish Intervarsities, their 7th consecutive title, they travelled to Leeds on the weekend of February 16th along with their equally successful male counterparts, as they did for the same competition 4 years ago, with similarly respective intentions.

On the opening day of competition, both UCD teams were in action simultaneously in the same venue. The UCD men were overpowered by a strong side Cambridge (University of), who would eventually finish the competition as the 3rd best team in the competition. At the same time, the women’s UCD side disposed of Liverpool 2-0, with the performances of Ruth Stafford and Aileen Minihan catching the early eye. They then overwhelmed Cardiff 2-0, with Lyndsey Condell coming to the fore on many occasions. The UCD lads then took on a Liverpool side themselves and proved too strong for the Merseysiders, winning by 7 and 10 points respectively, giving them hope of 2nd spot in the table, which they had to contest with UEA (University of East Anglia). The UCD girls played their last game of the day against tough opposition from University of Kent. Having played 2 relatively one-sided games earlier, concentration may have been slightly astray as the Irish champions slipped up in the 1st set, losing by 2-points. They revived in the 2nd set however, much to the credit of Marie-Louise Coleman’s teasing serves, to win comfortably in the 2nd set, and again in the tie-break to finish top of the table.

The last game of day 1 pitted the UCD men against UEA for 2nd place in the table and a Quarter Final place in the top-8 side of the competition. And the Dublin side entered full of confidence and hunger, taking the game to a strong East Anglia side, who earlier went close against Cambridge. The 1st and 2nd sets went right to the wire, UCD winning 26-24 in the 1st, UEA winning the 2nd 27-25. Although the tie-break contained some questionable calls by the officials, it was still a stronger performance from the East Anglian side that saw them through by 4-points, leaving UCD to play for places 9-12 on day 2 in a separate venue to that of their girls’ team. Playing best for the UCD were Andrew Novak and team captain Matteo Sbrolla, who both scored frequently with their wing hits and powerful jump serves. Miguel Magno also managed to score some crucial points with his cross court reverse attacks.

On the 2nd day of action, UCD men got off to a bright start with a 2-0 win over Middlesborough. They then went close against Bath in the 1st set, losing only by 2-points. Knowing a winning margin by more than 2 in the 2nd set would be enough to keep them above Bath in the standings, they raced into an 11-1 lead, helped by 5 aces from Thomas Holz's 7 serves. However the opposition fought back into the game and managed to overlap the Irish side to remarkably win the match. Although it was a hard defeat to take, UCD recovered afterwards to see of Cheshire and assure themselves of a satisfactory 10th place finish in the competition overall. Closing of UCD's venture in admirable fashion were Luigi Crucini who blocked admirably throughout the competition, Michele Guidolin who played well as libero, setter and outside when called upon, and Trevor Westmoreland who's immaculate setting frequently left the opposition with 1 blocker for the outside attacks, while his stun attacks also left the opposition with much to worry about in UCD's front court.

The girls team started the final day of action, and indeed the last leg of their title defence, with a Quarter Final win over UEA, in which they pulled away from their opposition with strong serving from Claire Walsh as well as strong hitting from Ruth Stafford and captain Noemi Kuncik. Their Semi Final wasn’t going to be as comprehensive however, as they were drawn with their competition rivals, Loughborough, who they met in last year’s Final and the Semi Final of the year before. And Loughborough made the best start to the match, catching UCD out on their serve-receive on several occasions. Leading 22-19 and in the win zone, Loughborough were then left suspect in their defence and blocking, as wing attacks from UCD’s Noemi Kuncik helped them to 7 unanswered points to turn the set, and the match, on its head; UCD in the lead 1-0.

The 2nd set was fought point for point. UCD were again slightly hesitant in the back court, but a clever 2nd ball attack by Aileen Minihan oozed her team into their own win-zone and created a much needed break between the sides. At 23-points however, UCD then conceded some unanswered scores and Loughborough were producing a comeback reminiscent of their opposition’s in the opening set; that was until opposite player Lyndsey Condell popped up on the outside to pound a cross-court ball to the opposition's spike line to finish of a fantastic UCD serve-receive move. Getting to match point was all the confidence the UCD girls needed and despite losing their serve on the next rally, they won the game with an ironic unforced error from one of Loughborough’s strongest players in the game. UCD into the Final, and against a much fancied University of London, who up to that stage had overpowered all that stood in their way.

Last year, UCD and London met in the Semi Final and it produced a dramatic and closer encounter than that of the proceeding Final itself. And London set out from the start in this Final showing their strength, particularly on the wings, where hit after hit was getting past the UCD block and deep into the court. The UCD confidence was taking a beating with these hits, while tips in the centre were also resurfacing the same hesitance which crept in during their previous game; London won the 1st set, all be it narrowly, 25-23. The 2nd saw a similar performance from both sides, with UCD now improving and anticipating better in defence and attack. The blocks were also coming of better, and towards the end of the 2nd set, the London side’s wing attack was being quenched with better timing from all in the front rows, particularly from centre players Ruth Stafford and Marie-Louise Coleman. Leanne Dignam and Claire Walsh were both picking-up well in defence with London's cross-court and line hits where the block was ineffective, while in attack Lyndsey Condell and Noemi Kuncik were pulling the strings as well as in their blocking, as were Stafford and Coleman again respectively with their slide attacks and through the centre. A better and more determined performance from the UCD girls helped them emphatically turn a 17-20 losing margin into a 25-22 set win, justifying their similar comeback in the Semi Final also and the team’s never-say-die attitude.

The match was now evenly poised and the final set would ask many questions of either side. UCD now seemed to have the better of London’s stinging attacks, who now had to make use of their more confident hitters in the back court, which made for a few unforced errors. UCD matched everything thrown at them though and before the changeover, Noemi Kuncik managed to kill 3-in-a-row on the line, helping them to an 8-6 lead. They added 2 to that afterwards and helping them to a strong 4-point lead. London got back to within 2 points shortly afterwards but UCD went from 11 to 15 on their own serve to claim yet another comeback success and defend their title for their 3rd in a row and their 4th in 5 years. Adding to the UCD girls' success was the awarding of the MVP accolade to the team's setter, Aileen Minihan.

EVA Students' Cup Champions 2008 - UCD

Back Row (L-R): Lyndsey Condell, Aileen Minihan, Noemi Kuncik (Capt.), Claire Walsh, Marie-Louise Coleman, Miriam Nolan and Paul McKeever (Coach)

Front Row (L-R): Ruth Stafford, Leanne Dignam and Claire Revert

UCD men - EVA Students' Cup 2008 (10th placed team)

Back Row (L-R): Trevor Westmoreland, Luigi Crucini, Anrew Novak, Matteo Sbrolla (Capt.) and Gianmaria Marcatelli (Coach)

Front Row (L-R): Michele Guidolin, Miguel Magno and Thomas Holz

Report & Photos by David Herlihy (VAI Office)