Tuesday 22 April 2014

Beach Tournaments 2014

Ashcombe and South East VA Beach Tournaments 2014

At Worthing Sand Courts, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2EJ

http://ashcombevolleyball.co.uk/wordpress/summer-beach-tournaments-entries-now-open/

Worthing Beach Bash
Saturday 24th May 2014

Ashcombe Beach Tournament  [1]  June
Saturday 21st June 2014

Ashcombe Beach Tournament [2] July
Sunday 13th July 2014

Ashcombe Beach Tournament [3] August
Saturday 9th August 2014

Freda

Monday 21 April 2014

End of Season wrap up!

Now that the season has finished for all teams, here is a run down of our plans for the next month...

22 April - training as usual
29 April - Beach 6-8
6 May - AGM
13 May - Beach Volleyball 18:30 - 20:30 every Tuesday

A couple of quick notices

1) There has been a great response to the AGM with every team well represented, but if you haven't responded yet let me know ASAP if you are coming along and would like the free curry!

2) If you haven't received a teamer this morning for tomorrows training it's probably because Teamer has had a refresh and it has gone into your spam folder - please let your email client know that teamer isn't junk mail (no matter what your personal opinion may be!)

3) Can you teamer if you are joining in the tournament on the 13th May (it will be sent in just a minute!) as Andy has kindly volunteered to organise it and he needs to know numbers to sort out the teams.... will "Team Lay" be defending their Christmas title?

4) If you have left it late to enter the Doubles and Triples tournament at Southwick you need to get the money and form to Em on Tuesday - this is the final deadline!  Also we will be having a raffle to raise money for the club at the Doubles and Triples, if you have anything you would like to contribute that would be marvellous, please pass it to Me, Em or Andy.

5) Nearly forgot this one - if you haven't already heard from your team coach or secretary regarding the Sussex Cup on the 15th June you will soon!  Please respond quickly as we need to let the organisers know how many teams we will be entering!

Ok, this should be (fingers crossed) my last email for this season, so I just want to say a big thank you to all the coaches and secretaries for doing a great job organising your teams and fixtures it has made my job so much easier.  Also thanks to all the volunteers who stay and line, score and officiate and take all the stick for the "dubious decisions"!

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Demons - Final Game of the Season

Andy has more video evidence of how much Demons have progressed this year with highlights of their last game of the season against Crawley!


Monday 14 April 2014

Undefeated - BOOOOM!

The final weekend of the National League saw Worthing travel to Southampton to play Solent and Sussex Dolphins.  They had a full team except for Amy, but were carrying a couple of injuries to Trees and Sintija. The team arrived super early so had time to enjoy a little of the days sunshine and take the last pre-game team photo of the season with their Latvian minders, before showing off their muscles and co-ordination pre-game.
Add caption
The Big Guns - Boom!
Missing Gem from the top! - That'll have to wait until next year!


Flexible...maybe, graceful not a chance!

Once the warm up started, it was back to the serious business of winning these two games to finish as Champions and undefeated this season in the National League.  

The starting team were Robyn, Sintija, Em, Agata, Chantelle and Brinee. The trend of Worthing starting slowly struck again and before we had switched on, we were 11 - 4 down.  A combination of Robyn serving well and three attacking options pulled Worthing back into the game and brought us to 18 - 16 up.  Brinee again in her preferred position (the coach must be going soft) playing through four took the opportunity with both hands, terrorising the opposition with her massive blocks and power attacks!  Agata front court through the middle was winning her personal battle and made sure that Solent always had a strong double block.  Chantelle as always was putting in good first balls, but struggled at first running the B ball, which made it all the more rewarding when it worked a couple of points later for a winner that Solent didn't get close to! Once they edged in front Worthing never looked like slipping up and closed the set 25-19.

The second set started with the teams trading points until Em and Robyn inspired Worthing with a beautifully ran cross-over which rattled Solent, causing their coach to call a time out.  Having Sintija back gave Worthing an extra dimension to their attack through opposite and working with Chantelle they bossed the serve receive.  Worthing won this set in a tighter 25 - 22. 

In the third set Brinee was on fire front court causing havoc with the Solent defence winning three points in quick succession with power hits down the line before mixing it up with a tip and cross court hit.  Agata was all over her counter-part like a rash blocking her twice on the trot and putting away the middle sets from Robyn to the calls of “Agi Agi Agi”.  Worthing won the final set with a relatively comfortable 25 - 13.   Agata after a fine performance took the Worthing MVP award.


The 3-0 win was celebrated by a quick "that's the way aha aha I like it" and a very tasty Latvian sandwich (I think we have a new candidate for NL caterer for our home games next year!).   Worthing then had to re-focus to face Dolphins, the very team they had lost to last weekend following a tough 5 setter.  While the team were warming up Carl slipped off to find champagne and glasses to celebrate winning the league.


To start the Dolphins game the only change to the starting line up was Mel coming on to set instead of  Robyn.  A better start from Worthing lifted their spirits and quickly Sabrina found her groove. Still hitting through four she made an immediate impression with her big hitting and Dolphins knew they were in for a tough day.  The set was pretty even with only a few points difference and the lead swinging between the teams, Dolphins re-cycled what looked like a couple of clear winners with great pick up’s from Tracy and Vicky.  Sintija's mum conducted the musical crowd letting them know when they could and couldn't cheer/rattle/bang and shake and this helped push Worthing on.  At 21-20 up Mel served and kept going to the end of the set!  Jason broke his "golden rule" calling a time out when Worthing were on 24, however even that wasn't enough to distract Mel and Worthing took first blood, winning the first set 25 - 20. 

Dolphins came straight back winning the second set and although Trees came on and battled through the pain barrier to give Dolphins a scare with a late push the consistent setting by Tracey which Paulina and Sophie used well, helped ensure Dolphins stayed on top of the set.  

Trees started the third set, with Brinee being pushed back to her usual middle position.  Dolphins started this set brightly holding a couple of points lead up to 13-11, when Brinee stepped up to serve.  A few power serves had them pushed deep, this was followed by a beautiful short serve that no-one got close to getting hands to!  She had got us back in the game and in front 19-13.  From here Worthing closed out the set 25-19 winners.


How high can Brinee go?
Who's that billy, on his own?
That's the way to block!





















The fourth set was a titantic battle with both teams raising their game, Simon for a change not ensconed in a sea of East Grindstead supports struggled to be heard over the epic Worthing crowd. Neither team could build a lead in this set with no one serving more that a couple of points apart from Martina who pushed Dolphins into a 14-9 lead that Worthing couldn’t catch, despite some great Volleyball.

A third five setter between Worthing and Dolphins this season and the second in the last week!  Agata lapped up the pressure of starting the set serving for Trees and gave Devils a 3 point lead, which Dolphins quickly cancelled out with Vicky and Sophie attacking well.  After that Worthing sided out first time every time with Mel using Brinee through the middle to great effect and Chantelle and Em both winning five points on their serves to carry Worthing over the line and win 15 - 6.  Brinee took the MVP after running the show through the outside and middle and owning the net throughout - good work Brinee and loving' the air time in the photo's!






A fantastic response to last weekends match and a great way to end the season as undefeated champions of the Div 3 south league!


Monday 7 April 2014

Demons play well against Dolphins1

Demons played Dolphins1 and only just lost the second set 26-28! A good around performance with Lorna picking up MVP.