Oxford University
Volleyball Club

Match Report

Oxford M1 vs Cambridge

Date:

19 Feb 2010

Location:

Cambridge

Result:

3-0 ()

MVP:

Carlo Nicolai

Players:

Coach - Brian Ball, Setter - Han-Ru Zhou, Middles - Scott Hale, Sven Gusmann and Andreas Glawar, Swing hitters - Jakub Redlicki and Carlo Nicolai, Opposite hitters - Bartosz Redlicki and Tyler Grant, Serve specialist - Krzysztof Bar, Libero and Captain - Andrew White

Comments

Going into the 2011 Varsity matches each of the two men's teams had something to prove. M2, having won at home in 2010, were looking to make it back-to-back wins for the Dark Blues and establish themselves as the dominant force in the second team Varsity competition. M1 on the other hand were looking to lay to rest the pain of the last four Varsities.

M2 were up first against the considerably larger Cambridge squad. Brian Ball stepped in to fill the vacant middle slot along side Daivy Babel, Elwyn Davies captain and setter, with Daniel Florentin hitting through opposite, Nattapong Paiboonvorachet (Foam) played Libero and Alex Hermes and Matija Vlatkovic completed the squad at outside. Jon Williams kindly filled in as coach. The fact that the boys were playing together in this formation for the first time showed at first as they struggled to communicate on the pass and failed to connect in the attack. Some good hustle in the defence kept things close, but ultimately errors were to blame for them going down in the first set. Some well chosen words from Jon during the break ensured that the boys came into the second set relaxed, quickly establishing control of the set without letting go until the end. With things level at one all things were looking good for Oxford. Having fun and playing well they continued to pile the pressure on the Cambridge side, who started to run through their subs in an attempt to stem the tide. After putting up some resistance in the middle of the set Cambridge were ultimately no match for the on form Oxford side. As it turns out Cambridge did still have a little something left in the tank and they came out strong in the fourth. It was enough to put Oxford out of their rhythm and establish a big lead. Despite digging in towards that end of the set Oxford we not able to reestablish their lead and the game went into a fifth and deciding set. Having given the lead up once Oxford were not about to let this game slip away from them all together. They came out swinging in the final set, as did Cambridge. It was a cat-and-mouse, nail-biting affair for all involved. In the end however the fates smiled on Oxford and their hard work and determination was rewarded with a second successive Varsity win. Congratulations to Daivy Babel who was nominated MVP for his impressive kill ratio.

Next up were M1. There could be no question that this was a huge game for the team. Not a single player on the court had been around to experience an Oxford Varsity win, only coach Brian Ball had been around long enough to remember the last Oxford victory of 2006. These two teams had met only once during the the season at the EVA qualifiers and it was a meeting in which Cambridge had most resoundingly come out on top, as Oxford crashed out of the competition. It had been a difficult season for the M1 squad, plagued with injuries and administrative nightmares. In spite of the hard work put in by both coach and players at trainings and matches alike, the team had been unlucky to achieve nothing but relegation. All this served only to steel the determination of the guys to pull together and prove that this was a team capable of so much more than had been seen to date. The timing could not have been better, with Carlo, Tyler and Sven all returning to the team from long term injuries. With three weeks to go the captain cracked the whip and the team dug in. Training became more physical and intense and the benefits began to show as the team began to look sharper and more dynamic. Then the match day arrived. The game plan was simple: Show Cambridge in the first 6 points that this is a radically different team from the one they met at EVA, show them that this is a team which has come here to win. Before the game it was clear to see in the eyes of every player, that they had no intension of leaving Cambridge without that precious victory. Cambridge were welcome to swagger around in front of the home crowd waiting the the match to get underway, pretty soon the lime-light would belong to Oxford. During the warm-up in was beautiful to watch as the Oxford hitters spurred each other on, as each player sought to out hit the others. Cambridge looked suddenly nervous. Then the match began. Han-Ru serving with Tyler, Scott and Carlo up front. A big blocking unit with one job to do; stop the Cambridge attack before they had a chance to get into the game. A job they did admirably. With every block, every dig and every kill Oxford grew in confidence, playing easily the best volleyball we have seen from them all season. Having established a lead by the first technical timeout Oxford never relinquished their hold on the set and extended their lead all the way to the end. So far so good. This was no time to become complacent, not for nothing had this team come 9th in the country and they had shown during the first set that their attack could be quite formidable if given the chance to find its rhythm. In fact they continued to show it coming out into the second set all the more fired up for having lost the first. They quickly put Oxford on the back foot and established a lead. A year ago Oxford had taken the first set before being turned over in the second and proceeding to loose the game. It was time for this crop of players to show their metal and stamp out the Cambridge comeback before it began in earnest. This is just what they did. Reacting to the calming words of the coach the team settled back in to their rhythm and began to play. Cambridge did not release their grip on the set easily and it took Oxford until the second technical time out to draw level. Having done this the team felt that the momentum was with them and buoyed by this realisation they continued to pile the pressure on Cambridge who could not quite hold back the flood gates to stop Oxford taking the second set in a forebodingly irresistible fashion. Once again Cambridge were unwilling to take the hint. They started the third set as the stronger team and established for themselves a strong position. It was time again for the Oxford team to remember what they had come to do. Having had to chase the last set Oxford were beginning to tire and had no desire to allow this game to go to more than three sets. The game had to be put to bed now! Cambridge could not be allowed to believe that they had a chance of winning. The Blues duly stepped up to the plate. Every man on the court performed his task with ruthless efficiency. The blocking was solid, the defence impenetrable and the attack unstoppable. Oxford hit Cambridge with everything, each and every player giving his all, putting on a display of skill and tenacity the like of which is not often seen. Again it took much of the set for Oxford to haul Cambridge in, but once they did the writing was on the wall. Not even two late time outs from Cambridge would stop the onslaught as Oxford stormed to their first Varsity win since 2006. 3-0 Oxford. A special mention must go to Carlo Nicolai, nominated MVP by the Cambridge side, who played a fantastic game.

Report by Andy