Close call for volleyball

The Men’s Volleyball team took part in the Scottish Cup on Sunday 19th February hosted by Robert Gordon University. Currently tied top of the second division, the boys would face much tougher opposition from higher teams.

After some last minute arrivals and rescheduling, we started against Napier, who were in the first division. The boys started strongly and won the first set with 25-17, with new Belgian JSA Arnaud Boreux taking his team mates within his stride from the off-setter position. After captain Moir’s late arrival he switched back on court to off-setter, taking Boreux to the middle block where he continued to impress. Strong hitting from the outside from Gerhardinger, combined with the touch and finesse of Canadian outside Kevin Dibb, saw the Saints take a 24-21 lead. However, the passing unit collapsed leading to a comeback from Napier to take the set 26-24. In a timed tie-breaker set, the boys managed to hold their nerve to edge out 6-4 winners and take the first division scalp.

The second game saw the boys take on second division rivals and hosts RGU, after a tentative start and being rushed on from the first game, the boys found themselves being 5-0, again the passing unit letting the boys down. However, Moir rallied the troops and Lei Fang managed to find his form, setting the ball to all parts of the net. Stewart was destructive through the middle, which RGU didn’t block, and Moir was able to devastate from the back court leading the boys to a 25-20 victory. The second set was much easier, with a run of 13 consecutive serves, the boys ran out easy 25-13 winners, and book their place in the semi finals.

To decide the group winners the boys would have to take on the best team in Scotland, top of first division, Edinburgh 1s. With some international hitters in the team it was never going to be easy, but King Chung led by example in defence from libero, and the boys fought hard. Nevertheless the class and experience of Edinburgh showed through and they ran out 25-16, 25-15 winners. Captain Moir was pleased with how his team played against that quality of opposition.

In the quarter finals the team would face up against another first division team – Aberdeen, and their arch nemesis Alex Davidson, who moved from St Andrews to Aberdeen last year for the second half of his medic degree. The St Andrews boys gave them a surprise and took an early lead, and stood 21-18 up before Aberdeen turned up the heat with some big blocking, and the St Andrews boys made some silly mistakes gifting away the first set 25-23. With their heads down, the boys slumped 12-4 behind at the start of the 2nd set, and never managed to come back. A late comeback saw the Saints with 5 points in a row at the end, eventually loosing out 25-17.

The Saints enjoyed playing against the higher quality opposition and it will serve as great motivation to get themselves promoted this year.

Team – Callum Moir (captain), Felix Gerhardinger, Kevin Dibb, Lei Fang, Arnaud Boreux, Matt Shaw, Eric Morden, Callum Stewart, King Chung.

Group stages

v Napier – 2-1 (25-17, 24-26, 6-4)

v RGU – 2-0 (25-20, 25-13)

v Edinburgh – 0-2 (16-25, 15-25)

Quarter Final v Aberdeen 0-2 (23-25, 17-25)

Conference Cup pool v Aberaty 3-0 

Written by Callum Stewart, grandstand writer