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WESSEX NEWSMar '10 The Last 8’s were held in the new National Volleyball Centre in Kettering and the competitions proved a huge success. Volleyball England said “The final matches concluded a superb weekend of volleyball and everybody “created a great atmosphere.” The Under 16 boys were slow to start in their first pool match against Middlesbrough and it was only a run of serves from Ryan Palmer that got them ahead. From there it was one way traffic as the team coasted to a 25-5 win. The players didn’t heed the warning of their causal approach though and soon found themselves struggling against the younger team. The coaches weren’t pleased as the complacent Wessex players scrapped a 26-24 second set. Thankfully this was to be the last of the below par performances. The next match was against Nottingham so it needed a better effort and this is what happened. Setters Palmer and Ryan Stout were given plenty of good passes from Matt Hunter and Tom MacArthur which allowed all the hitters to win points. Hunter, Aaron Walrond and Frazer Anderton and Andrew Clayton were particularly effective. The set went to Wessex 25-17 and with Sam Walrond playing his part in the backcourt and Jordan Randall on the right wing the second followed 25-10. With both teams through to the semi’s the last pool match against Boswells was a dead rubber. Not that it seemed that way as the match got under way and the spectators were soon witnessing a top quality match. Both teams started with fresh players, Jack Arnold and Ben Allen- Goanitz for Wessex, with the former being outstanding as was Hunter. Boswells took the 1st set 27-25 but Wessex responded with the second 27-25. Despite Hunters effects and MacArthur’s serving run Boswells took the third 15-11. Had both teams impressed but at the expense of leaving themselves tired for the semi final?
Squad - Matt Hunter, Andrew Clayton, Ryan Stout, Ryan Palmer, Tom MacArthur, Aaron Walrond, Jack Arnold, Jordan Randall, Frazer Anderton, Ben Allen- Goanitz, Sam Walrond. The Under 18 Junior Men were, for the first time in decades, not one of the favourites for the Championship this year as all but one of their squad are still eligible next year. Although written off, the team thought they had a chance of progressing to the Final if they played their very best. This was quickly shown in the first match against a very good Middlesbrough side. The first set went according to plan and with Joe Lambe and Seain Cook powering home the outside attacks, the set was won 25-16. Middlesbrough showed their quality and fighting spirit in the second set as the Wessex attack became predicable. The game was levelled at one set all so all depended on the deciding set. Setter Ryan Stout was now mixing the play up so Tyler Everitt was able to establish control in the middle. This allowed a few combination plays which England Jr, Lambe and Scottish Jr, Cook buried. With Matt Hunter and Andrew Clayton giving vital support Wessex managed to hold on to take a hard fought and exciting set 15-13. Wessex made hard work of beating a young Boswells (Essex team) but Wessex’s younger players, Tom MacArthur, Mitch Abbott and Aaron Walrond showed their quality as the team ran out 25-16 25-12 winners. Normally these two wins would have seen Wessex into the semi final but Middlesbrough caused a shock with a 2 – 0 win against hot favourites, Ernest Bevin from London. The last pool match saw Wessex playing the London side with both teams knowing that a defeat would see them knocked out of the competition. Wessex responded superbly by setting a fast attacking tempo from the first point. Strong and accurate serving from Everitt caused Bevin problems while Everitt, Clayton and Hunter got in some “stuff” blocks. Stout had the benefit of some great passing from Cook and Lambe so was able to use his hitters effectively. The pace and control of Wessex’s game seemed to be too much for the tall and powerful London team and the set was convincingly won 25-9. There seemed certain to be a fightback from Bevin in the second but Wessex carried the momentum and gave their opponents no easy points. This was superb volleyball from the Wessex team who were giving one of their best performances. Then disaster – Everitt suffered an ankle injury and had to be carried off. Richard Yates who had started on the bench due to his own leg injury was called upon to fill the centre position and he fitted in perfectly as Wessex won 25-14. A fantastic win. The semi final was against Chadwell Heath and surely a repeat of the performance against Bevin would see Wessex into the Final? It wasn’t to be that easy. The first set went to plan, with Cook and Lambe excelling, the set was won 25-19. At the start of the second set, 3 out of the first 4 Wessex serves were missed which gave Chadwell Heath a lead and huge psychological advantage. Not that they needed it as they were a very skilled, hard working team with big hitters. Wessex looked down and out with few ideas as they lost the second set 25-14. Into the third set and the Final was at stake for both teams. Wessex had regrouped with the plan to attack harder and it worked to the extent that they took a two point lead at 8-6. However the match was still evenly balanced and with Wessex playing some ineffective shots Chadwell Heath took advantage to hit with force to take a 11-9 lead. With the Wessex coaches urging the players to start attacking again the lead switched back to Wessex. Both sides were feeling the pressure but Clayton served with purpose. Chadwell Heath’s pass wasn’t as strong while Wessex made a few silly mistakes. Match point came but it was lost. The tension was unbearable, not least for the spectators! The third match point for Wessex came and went and then Chadwell Heath had their own match point. It was saved with a fantastic smash of the block from Lambe. This was followed by a backcourt hit from Cook. Stout went back to serve with Wessex on their 4th match point. A short serve to the right side saw a Chadwell Heath error and the match was won 19-17. Amazing scenes as everybody rushed onto the court to congratulate the team. Squad – Joe Lambe, Seain Cook, Tyler Everitt, Ryan Stout, Matt Hunter, Andrew Clayton, Richard Yates, Mitch Abbott, Tom MacArthur, Aaron Walrond, Ryan Palmer, Jack Arnold As the team celebrated they started to realise that the Under 18 girl’s team were still in action in their semi final. (See below for match reports.) Their supporters were being outshouted by the large Newcastle crowd and the Wessex girls were 11-5 down in the deciding set. Up stepped the Cavalry! The girls gave the Wessex supporters plenty to cheer with a spirited recovery, fighting hard for every ball and attacking when they could. Newcastle seemed to have the game at 14-13 but again Wessex came up with some brilliant efforts to give themselves a match point. As Volleyball England said “The noise and support for both teams from their army of fans was phenomenal and the atmosphere could have replicated a finals match.” It was the Wessex supporters who were ecstatic though as the girls won 16-14. They will play Ashcombe from Dorking in the Final while the boys will play Newcastle. Mar '10 The semi final was an epic battle on behalf of both teams, where the standard of play was unbelievable. In the first set Wessex were unstoppable, they won 27-25, leaving them one step closer to the National Finals. However the second set Newcastle made a comeback notwithstanding Wessex’s hard fight to regain control of the set Newcastle took the set 25-23. The third and final set was an amazing game to watch, both teams were in equal positions to take the victory and the match could have gone either way. The start of the set didn’t look good for Wessex as they were 11-5 down. A few of the players had sustained injuries in the earlier matches. Head Coach Dave Hubbard called a time out. This proved to be the turning point for Wessex. The boys had just finished playing on the adjoining court having won their semi finals match in a close three set battle against Chadwell Heath and had moved over to support the girls. Newcastle Staff supporters also came over to watch it was unbelievable as the two sets of crowds started to cheer for their teams. Point by point Wessex started to claw back Newcastle Staffs got to match point. Wessex thought it was all over as England player Megan Viggars spiked a ball out wide over the net at them. Marianne McGrath had other ideas and the Wessex libero dived to retrieve the ball. The match continued. Wessex put one final effort in which every player on the team played their best and came back to beat Newcastle Staffs 16-14 securing them a place in the National Final. The girls were ecstatic at the result and are now training hard for the final on the 25th April where they will face Ashcombe Dorking again for another battle. Well done to Zoe McCauley (captain) Hannah Ridge, Annie Tinker, Paige Nelmes, Rosie Kirk, Abi Davies, Marianne McGrath, Emily Singleton, Roisin Fisher, Megan Cheaney, Georgia Littlefair, Ellie Strong, Dave Hubbard (Head Coach) and Geoff Allan and Rex Palmer (Second Coach). The U16’s competition was held on the Saturday where Wessex were put in a tough pool against Boswels School, Tameside and Nunthorpe Eagles. The girls played at the highest standard through all three games beating all teams except Tameside which they lost in 3 sets. This meant Wessex came second in their pool and were through to the semi-finals where they were to play Newcastle Staffs. The semi-final was a gruelling match; Wessex put all their remaining efforts in to successfully win the first set, 25-20. However, Newcastle fought back to win the second set 14-25. Despite Wessex’s best efforts they lost in the third set 5-15. Well done to Paige Nelmes (Captain), Annie Tinker, Roisin Fisher, Megan Cheaney, Marrianne McGrath, Emily Holton, Ellie Strong, Rosie Lauste, Lorna Trent, Georgia Littlefair, Ellie Lewis, Vicky Olive, Dave Hubbard (Head Coach) and Rex Palmer (Second Coach). Jan '10 Although England Jr, Richard Yates was missing through illness, Wessex had a strong squad and it showed throughout the day. Wessex made the ideal start in the first set against Devon with Ryan Stout’s serving causing so many problems that the Wessex block stopped any attacks that were made. With Joe Lambe, Tyler Everitt and Tom MacArthur passing well Wessex stormed to a 25-5 win. The second set saw Everitt and Mitch Abbott dominate in the middle in a 25-15 win. Everitt continued with point winning attacks in the second match against Southampton before being replaced by Andrew Clayton who came up with several stuff blocks. The Southampton attacks was picked up by libero, Sam Pitcher and with Ali Mitchell and Ryan Palmer settling into the line up the set was won 25-10. Matt Hunter’s hitting plus Clayton and Aaron Walrond’s serving was the key to a 25-11 second set win. The crunch match was against the classy Wiltshire Mavericks team. Joe Lambe had been the star player throughout the day but blotted his copybook with a needless yellow card for swearing at the referee. MacArthur reacted with some aggressive hitting on the outside before Lambe made it up to his team mates with some outstanding smashing through 4 and 6. It was a closely fought set but Wessex kept their focus and won 25-20. The second set was dominated by the serving and backcourt play from Hunter and, combined with excellent setting from Stout and unstoppable power from Lambe it was good enough to give Wessex a large lead. Clayton finished it off on match point with a smash. 25-13. Squad: Joe Lambe, Tyler Everitt, Sam Pitcher, Matt Hunter, Ryan Stout, Aaron Walrond, Andrew Clayton, Tom MacArthur, Mitch Abbott, Ryan Palmer, Ali Mitchell Dec '09 In the second set Leicester created more problems for Wessex, who seemed to make life difficult with poor passing and serving errors. After a closely fought opening half to the set Wessex were able to pull away in the closing stages with strong backcourt attacks and disciplined defence. Wessex closed out the set 25-21. Wessex played poor volleyball in the 3rd set, much to coach Mushy Jones frustration, lacking the drive to push through and take the game clinically, Leicester forced the tempo of the game and took the set 23-25 after a string of unforced errors from the home side. A strong start the 4th set was needed if Wessex were to stop Leicester’s progress, Wessex emerged the stronger of the 2 teams and with Dan Hunter and Tom Edge prominent, raced to a significant lead. Wessex needed to survive a slight ‘Wessex Wobble’ where they got stuck on one rotation for successive points but managed to finish the game strongly 25-17. Final Score: 3-1 (25-15 25-21 32-25 25-17) Squad: Richard Collins, Bobby Hudson, Aaron Robertson, Craig Duckmanton, Lewi Lett, Alex ‘the lion’ Clare, Tom Edge, Ian Wood, Dan Hunter, Joe Lambe, Matt Pretty and MarkGarcia-Kidd Dec '09 Wessex showed why they have had a successful start to the season so far and dominated Brentwood during the first set. Despite not being on top form a string of well placed serves from Rich Collins and quick kills for the wide players, especially Gooding, Wessex finished the set off 25-20. The second set started where the first had finished, Wessex quickly got on top and managed to keep Brentwood down. With the pass improving and the middle players getting several blocks Brentwood were unable to build any momentum as Wessex closed the set out at 25-22. Wessex had to maintain a good base level in the third in order to battle through and once they got on top they stayed there for the duration of the set, playing side out volleyball on the opponents serve whilst scoring heavily on their own. The final set score was 25-16. Wessex had recorded their first 3-0 victory of the season, pushing them to a record of 6 Wins and 2 Losses for the season and putting them in 3rd position in NVL2. Wessex next face SGTV Solent 1 away in the league on the 12th December. Squad: Richard Collins, Bobby Hudson, Aaron Robertson, Craig Duckmanton, Tom Edge, Ian Wood, Dan Hunter, Joe Lambe, Matt ‘Long Shanks’ Pretty, Jody Gooding and Mark Garcia-Kidd Dec '09 The first match saw Wessex face an experienced and competent Yeovil Viceroys team, who it would seem needed to be matched tactically and mentally, and then beaten with superior technical ability and ability to create and convert good defence into point-winning offensive play. The Wessex Juniors stated their dominance in the first set winning comfortably by 25 points to 18. Joe Lambe was clearly unequalled at the net and with Matt Hunter serving well it was hoped that the second set would follow in a similar fashion. It wasn't to be despite Wessex taking a commanding lead throughout the first three-quarters of the set partly due to setter Ryan Stout combining well with his middle players, Clayton and the unstoppable Richard Yates. However Yates had to be substituted with a knee injury and with Wessex 21-13 up Palmer and Walrond also came on court. Through no fault of the substitutes Wessex had trouble closing the set out, un-doubtedly down to a lack of mentality and concentration. All of a sudden as Yeovil closed in, panic struck the young team on court and substitutes were reversed at 23 -21 up. This didn't immediately stop the rot but with Robertson and Palmer adding some experience the team finally found the courage and inspiration to close the set at 32-30. This mistake was not to be made again as Wessex cruised to a comfortable 3 set to love win as they finished the third set, a well deserved 25-17 margin. Still sweating from their previous match, the team found themselves up against Plymouth Marjon; a mixed team of ability, mentality and experience. However, the encounter proved to be brief with Wessex the victors with another 3-0 victory over their opponents. Although a seemingly routine match-up proved to cause problems for the team with an especially tightly contested 2nd set- the set scores being, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-21. Throughout Wessex struggled to read and handle Marjon’s experienced setter, particularly when it came to second touches. But most worryingly the block seemed to struggle vastly in strength and did not seem to contest much as it was repeatedly wiped off for the duration of the match. The passing of Lambe, Palmer, Hunter, and MacArthur however ensured that Wessex had control in attack which led to the win. The day highlighted things that needed to be worked on and also how valuable the experience is of playing aganist adults. The team showed great skill and courage at times and this will stand them in good stead. The hopes of a possible perfect season in the league are still alive as the team are top with 6 wins out of 6. Squad -Richard Yates, Joe Lambe, Ryan Stout, Matt Hunter, Andrew Clayton, Tom MacArthur, Aaron Walrond, Sam Pitcher, Ryan Palmer, Jim Robertson, Rex Palmer.
Sep '09
Paige and Annie then went on to play Brazil and Spain, they remained in good spirit throughout, the team GB coaches were pleased with their attitude, professionalism and performance against Internationals who were up to six years older.
This was a well organised Olympic style completion for under sixteen girls, the competition is the premier event for school athletes and the trophy is very prestigious, teams who participated, Scotland West, Scotland East, England North, England Central, Northern Ireland, Wales and England South. Wessex players Paige Nelmes (Captain), Annie Tinker, Hannah Ridge & Megan Cheney were selected for England South, with their Wessex honed skills they made a great contribution to the team, with the aid of coaches Pete Brooks and Paule Locke they were able to repeat their 2008 gold medal win beating England North in the final. Paige and Annie have their sights set on the triple gold as they also qualify for the games next year. 6 Oct '09 The first match of the day saw Bristol as the opponents. This proved to be a relatively easy introduction as Richard Yates and Joe Lambe controlled the pass which allowed setter Ryan Stout to use all his hitting options. Andrew Clayton took control of the middle and served well as the first set went to Wessex 25-15. Sam Pitcher showed determination in the backcourt and the all round skills of Aaron Walrond and Tom McArthur showed they are comfortable at this level. A 25-18 second set win was followed by a dip in concentration in the third. Matt Hunter took over the setting as Wessex’s one player over the age of 17, Dave Hubbard, came on to talk the team through to a 25:16 win. The second match however was a completely different affair. Although Wessex looked good in the hitting warm-up so did their opponents. Torexe were built on the back of some strong, hard hitting Polish players and a skilful setter and that was clearly visible going into the match. This second set had more promising moments for Wessex and they took this into the third. Excellent fighting spirit saw Yates, Lambe, Everitt and Hunter equal the Poles at the net and with Wessex having the superior passing skills the match started to turn. It still needed a run of fine serving from Everitt and a stuff block from Hunter to clinch the set 26-24.
On the high of the third set Wessex managed to easily stake claim on the fourth set with a well disciplined passing unit and defence, a strong attacking front court led by Stout and intelligent serving, which saw the set taken comfortable at 25:11! Wessex, showing mental strength beyond their years, saved two match points. At 16 all fortune fell on the Wessex side as a miss communication in the Torexe passing unit left a gap at deep 5 clearly open. All it needed was for the ball to be planted accurately there off the serve, and Lambe obliged. Now it was match point to Wessex. A strong serve was put on the Torexe passing unit which they dealt with well and a good set was put overhead to 2, Wessex set up to defend a hard hit, but instead Torexe used a tip. This called for a dived pick up from the alert Lambe which proved successful. The ball was then set quickly out to four where it was killed by Man of the Match Yates for the win! 18-16.
Congratulations for the two wins have to go to the whole team as it was such a team effort. Squad – Richard Yates, Joe Lambe, Tyler Everitt, Sam Pitcher, Matt Hunter, Ryan Stout, Andrew Clayton, Tom McArthur, Aaron Walrond, Mitch Abbott, Dave Hubbard. 6 Oct '09 14 Sep '09 The selection came after a gruelling summer of beach training and major tournaments . Having taken the double National titles in the U/16 and U/18 Championships at the prestigious Sandbanks Beach Volleyball Tournament and the U/18 title at the Weymouth Beach Tournament they where invited to spend a weeks training on Croyde beach with Denise Austin the current GB ladies beach development coach. Once they returned to Poole they trained with Vince Joyce at Sandbanks the Olympic Beach Coach to the Atlanta Olympics team. They where then invited to attend Bath University the home to the GB Beach Volleyball Programme where they were assessed and finally selected to represent Great Britain. They have now been placed on the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS) which is a government funded programme that represents a unique partnership between sport and higher education. 14 Sep '09 After losing just one match in the preliminaries to England North in three very closely fought sets, England South met the North once again in the finals but where not to be defeated they stormed to a decisive victory beating the North 2 sets to nil. 25 – 19 25 – 16.
The weekend was an outstanding success with record entries and hundreds of spectators witnessing the immense skill and athleticism displayed by our current and future prospects with the 2012 Olympics firmly in their site. Personal triumphs were achieved on all 34 courts culminating in a thrilling Open Final. The ladies winners, Gabi Madricka and Eva Czinegova dominated the tournament without dropping a set over the weekend. The runners up where thrilled with their result as Julia Werdich’s partner Kerri Olding had just come back from a long term injury. Our very own Paula Snow and Uli Gaetner came third The winners of the Men’s Open Championship were Jake Sheaf and Josh Randall the GB Junior representatives who beat the more experienced and previous winners Steve Fee and Rich Payne. It was great to see our local lads, Bobby Hudson and Kalis Celmins coming third after playing 10 matches over the weekend. On a final note we would like to give a big Thank You to Sportset, Rockley Watersports, Borough of Poole, Volleyball England, BlueWahoo, Beales, Poole Harbour Watersports and all our hard working volunteers who supported us over the weekend, it would have been impossible without their generosity.
It was the same semi final story for the u18 pairs of Craig Duckmanton / Luke Bartlett and Stout and Lewis while in the girls Zoe McAulay and Rosie Kirk also lost in the semi. Under 16's Div 2 runners up were Marianne McGrath and Roisin Fisher while Emily Singleton and Hannah Ridge had to retire with injury in the u16 Div 1 semi. Div 2 u14 girl winners were Emma Crane, Paige Tuttiutt and Alice Palmer who beat the Aimee and Sophie Fanner and Georgina Littlefair. Connor Duggan and Sam Walrond lost in the Div 2 Under 16 semi but Sam Allen, Tom Allen and Lewis Kemp were runners up in the Div 2 Under 14 event. In the Div 1 adult competition excellent performances from Paula Snow / Ulrike Gaetner and Bobby Hudson / Karlis Celems saw them both come third. It was nice to see ex players, Oli Kimber, Katja Gless, Becky Gymer and Alex Clare return while current members entered various competitions over the weekend. I am sure that all the players would like to say special thanks to the organisers of the tournament who did such a great job, and to them and the helpers who worked so hard during the event. Also to the sponsors, without whom this event wouldn't happen. Apologies for errors and if we have missed anyone out ! 10 July '09 30 June '09 9 June '09 12 May '09
The teams again showed why Wessex are so highly regarded at the elite level of English volleyball by reaching the three National Junior Men’s Finals and although they lost, the boys should be proud of their performances and of being ranked second in the country. Matt Hunter put in three strong serves and with Joe Lambe dominating on the wing Wessex went 12-8 up. Wessex kept the advantage through aggressive hitting from Everitt and Richard Yates. The set seemed in Wessex’s grasp at 21-16 but Newcastle asserted pressure with Goodwin’s serves. The Wessex hitters stopped attacking and their opponents went for broke. Wessex couldn’t regain the momentum and with the settersshowing their lack of experience the set was lost 25-23. The second set started like the first with neither side gaining any significant lead until Lambe and Ryan Stout combined to win several points. Lambe then went back to serve 5 points and with the help of Yates and Garret on the front row Wessex took a 21-17 lead. Again Newcastle recovered with Roberts dominating to allow Newcastle to draw level at 24-24. Wessex then had two set points before eventually succumbing 29-27. Wessex’s play didn’t warrant the loss of two sets but to their credit they started the third full 0f fight and determination. The passing unit regained control and Stout continued to feed Lambe for point winning smashes. Hunter hit through the opposition block to take the lead to 8-4. Wessex were having their own problems in setting an effective block and the score was levelled at 11-1. Again Wessex fought back to lead 13-11 but Roberts and Goodwin stepped up again with difficult serving to give the advantage to Newcastle 13-19. Tom McArthur, Aaron Walrond and Mitch Abbott were brought on to try and change things but despite doing nothing wrong Newcastle ran out winners at 25-18. Squad – Joe Lambe, Tyler Everitt, Richard Yates, Aaron Garrett, Matt Hunter, Ryan Stout, Sam Pitcher, Tom McArthur, Aaron Walrond, Mitch Abbott, Jack Arnold
The Wessex Under 18 junior men’s squad suffered a similar fate to their younger team mates. A fantastic start by Wessex saw favourites Boswells looking very concerned. Their attacks were stopped by stuff blocking from Tom Ridge and Dan Riddle and by the time Lambe had finished serving the score was 14-8. Aaron Robertson gave Ridge and Riddle the chance to score points in the middle while Danny Lewis and Craig Duckmanton gave attacking variety on the wings. Daniel Marsh served 4 penetrating serves to help Wessex to a 25-15 win. Wessex should have pushed on but lost their focus and allowed Boswell’s back in the match. Despite agile and skilful backcourt play from Luke Bartlett, Watson from Boswells, dominated the serve as they won the set 25-13. Jon Salt started the third set and with Riddle, Lambe and Lewis finding gaps Wessex traded points up to 20-21. This was a crucial part of the match and Boswells came up with the winning point 25-21. In the 4th set Boswells defence was well set up and although Robertson fed his attackers they found it difficult to penetrate. Garrett got in a block but it was good serving from Duckmanton and Matt Hunter that gave Wessex hope but again they couldn’t find the finishing points and lost 25-21. Squad - Aaron Robertson, Tom Ridge, Craig Duckmanton, Luke Bartlett, Dan Riddle, Danny Lewis, Daniel Marsh, Jon Salt, Joe Lambe, Matt Hunter, Tyler Everitt, Aaron Garrett, Ryan Merrell, Richard Yates. Pictures by Mike Pritchard, Volleyball England 6 April '09 The team was originally put together in September 2008 with the vision of providing the junior Wessex players additional court time in a challenging competitive environment. The Wessex South West team combined the experience of ex-national league players with the agility of the young players. The combination of skills led the team to achieve 3rd place on its very first year in the competition. The league is composed of eight teams (Torexe Queens, Plymouth1, Wessex, Briston, Torexe Aces, Mavericks, Plymouth2 and Cardiff) playing each other twice throughout the season.
The expectation is now focused on the preparations for the new 2009/2010 season. Maintaining the SW ladies team will help the club bringing up new talent, as well as keeping valuable experienced players active. There is great opportunity for improvement and achievement for the ladies South West group. 6 April '09 The first match was against Thomas More from Hull which saw Wessex starting with the “first six” apart from Jack Arnold who replaced the unwell Aaron Walrond. It was Arnold who set the tone for the day with eight accurate topspin serves in a row. That gave Wessex a 19-9 lead and with Matt Hunter blocking the Hull middle attack the set was won 25-11. In the second, setters, Ryan Stout and Ryan Palmer used each other to good effect with Tom McArthur and Arnold hitting equally well on the wing. Palmer put in three successful jump serves and Fraser Anderton came on in the middle to hit four winners. Score 25-11. St Mary’s from London were the next opponents and they were blown away by the Wessex serving with Arnold and Palmer prominent. Hunter and Andrew Clayton stopped their big middle attack but equally impressive was the passing unit which kept Wessex in control as they won 25-9. Wessex eased off in the second set but a run of seven serves from Hunter and some accurate middle play from Anderton helped them to a 25-17 win. The most dangerous opponents looked as if they would be Newcastle and the first stages of the match were even. Again the tough serving was key for Wessex and Newcastle found them selves coming under increasing pressure. Andrew Clayton and Hunter excelled in the middle with Stout hitting the corners with accurate hitting. Great setting from Palmer set up McArthur who proved unstoppable with his range of outside hitting. Newcastle fought hard but the Wessex teamwork saw them to a 25-22 win. In the second set Sam Walrond picked up some good balls in defence but with everybody performing to their best the set was won 25-18. The semi final was against Exeter and they were no better at dealing with the Wessex serve. Hunter and Arnold got Wessex off to a good start and with all the mistakes coming on the other side of the net the set was won 25-5. McArthur shone again before Aaron Walrond came on to hit two devastating winners. 25-13. All continued to go well for Wessex in the Final against Boswells. Hunter, Clayton and McArthur controlled the net play, backed up by the setting, defence and serving. A great stuff block from Hunter sealed the win 25-22. More of the same followed in the second and Wessex led 8-4. Gradually Boswells edged back into the game as the Wessex boys started to look tired. The jumping wasn’t as high and mistakes crept in. Boswells took advantage to level 25-21. Wessex had a poor start in the third, getting stuck in one rotation which saw them go 5-1 down. Still the Wessex boys fought together and seemed to have the momentum when they levelled at 11-11. It had been a fantastic final full of quality and intense play and as the organiser said “Nobody deserved to lose.” Coach Lynn Allen couldn’t fault the team and feels that they will be back even stronger next year. Squad – Ryan Palmer, Matt Hunter, Tom McArthur, Ryan Stout, Andrew Clayton, Jack Arnold, Aaron Walrond, Frazer Anderton, Sam Walrond, Ben Torrens. 6 April '09 Annie and Paige worked well together in their respective setting and hitting roles and Marianne demonstrated accurate passing as Libero. The younger team members quickly grew in confidence as the matches progressed, Megan with some solid hitting and powerful serving. Becky demonstrated her composure and court covering ability and assisting at the net, winning many points with accurate hitting. Sophie and Amie both produced a fine performance showing consistency and dependability all day in spite of being subjected at times to the high pressure that National s produce. The Wessex girls swept aside Boswells in their semi final match with a decisive 2 - 0 victory. Solid and consistent court play from Mary, Becky , Sophie and Amie along with powerful serving and offensive play from Paige, Annie and Megan helped the girls to a 25 - 20 , 25 – 5 victory despite Paige suffering a painful leg injury late in the match. The final was a nail biting 3 set match against Thameside. Thameside won the first set 25 – 22. The Wessex girls however kept their composure and in spite of Paige’s injury took the second set with an impressive display of controlled and attacking volleyball 25 – 15. In the third set the Wessex girls dug in but where defeated 15 – 5 It was an impressive and spirited performance from all the girls not to mention the input from David Rex and Julia it is one which they can all be very proud of.
10 March '09
Both the Wessex Under 16 boy’s team and the Under 18 men reached the semi finals of the National Cup and 2-0 wins then secured their places in the Final to be played in Sheffield on the 19th April. The girls put in excellent performances but just lost out in the semi final. This wasn’t the end of the drama because the girl’s minibus had broken down on the Sunday afternoon. There were concerns about how the girls would get back to Dorset late on a Sunday evening after their semi but the boy’s squads and their parents rode to the rescue. There were a large number of travelling parents supporting the boys and they were able to offer lifts to most of the girls with a couple going back with the tow truck and the other “lucky” girls fitting into the boy’s minibus. Girls manager Helen Tinker said that it was lucky that the minibus broke down early in the day rather than on the way home because by then the boys would of have been ahead of them on the road and unable to help. As it was she was able to liase with the Boys managers, Julia Palmer and Vicky Hunter in different venues to sort out lifts home. Many thanks to all the parents who supported the teams and special thanks to all who helped throughout. The Under 16 boys had a full strength squad to select from although England Junior, Richard Yates was returning from a broken ankle and didn’t seem likely to feature. Wessex started against Boswells B by controlling the serve and pass which allowed Ryan Stout to set up Joe Lambe, Matt Hunter and Aaron Garrett for point winning attacks. The set was won 25-8 and the second followed 25-16 with Mitch Abbott impressing on the right. The second match against Middlesborough saw an even better performance with a 25-7 and 25-11 win. Matt Hunter showed his versatility with a switch to the middle allowing Abbott to continue on the right and Ryan Palmer to step in to set. Sam Pitcher made some good contributions as did Aaron Walrond while Tyler Everitt showed his potential with some controlled hitting, both on the outside and middle. Having made the semi’s the last group match against Cup favourites Newcastle was largely immaterial but it turned out to be a cracking match. With Lambe, Garrett and Hunter excelling, Wessex got a good start. Aaron Walrond destroyed the Newcastle passing unit with some penetrating serves and the set was won 25-19. Newcastle fought back strongly in the second and held a two point lead until Wessex levelled at 18-18. A missed serve gave the momentum back to Newcastle who won 25-21. Into the deciding set and despite good efforts by all and some powerful serving from Abbott the set was lost 15-13. Coach Lynn Allen was pleased with the performance and knew that if they carried that through into the semi final the team would be successful. The semi final was against old rivals, Boswells. Good passing from Lambe, Palmer and Tom McArthur enabled Hunter and Stout to control the attack. Two “stuff” blocks from Hunter kept Wessex in the lead but Boswells had two strong hitters who were causing problems. A switch of Garret and Hunter in their blocking positions worked perfectly and Lambe and Everitt secured the attacking points needed to win 25-19. All seemed well in the second set as Wessex stormed into a 20-12 lead. Whether tiredness crept in or whether they just stopped attacking the team went onto the back foot allowing Boswells back into the match. With Lambe and Hunter making mistakes, Everitt, Garrett and McArthur started to play safely. Against the good teams you can’t do either and Boswells took full advantage getting back to 22-21. The substitution of Richard Yates for his first appearance for eight weeks steadied Wessex. A good pass and hit off the block from Yates got Wessex to 23. Boswells McKenna was suffering from cramp and a mistake from him gave Wessex match point. Wessex had kept their team a bit fresher with the use of all squad players during the day and now the advantage could be seen. With Boswells in trouble Garrett hammered the ball home to win the match 25-23 which sent the crowd rushing onto the court to celebrate with the team. Squad – Joe Lambe, Matt Hunter, Aaron Garrett, Tyler Everitt, Sam Pitcher, Tom McArthur, Aaron Walrond, Mitch Abbott, Ryan Palmer, Ryan Stout, Richard Yates, Sam Walrond The Final is on the 19th April in Sheffield and will be against Newcastle so it promises to be a top quality and exciting match.
The Under 18 team have joined them there and will play Boswells in a repeat of the last two years finals. They started as they meant to go on against Middlesborough with Aaron Robertson finding England Junior star, Tom Ridge through the middle. With Ryan Merrell retrieving well in the backcourt and Joe Lambe and Danny Lewis hitting well on the wing the set seemed to be heading Wessex’s way. However some passing errors from Wessex allowed Middlesborough to apply some pressure of their own and the score was pegged back to 21-17. Having won another point the Middlesborough coach inexplicably decided to have a go at the referee. This resulted in a yellow card and the service going to Wessex instead. From here Wessex found it easy to win 25-18. The second set saw Karol Kowalski and Jon Salt take over the attacking roles and they did it perfectly in a 25-16 win. London Oratory were the next team to try to stop the Wessex march but they had little luck as middles, Ridge, Riddle and Everitt hit winners. With Riddle serving well and Craig Duckmanton playing intelligently the match was won 25-11 25-17. Having progressed to the semi final the result of the last pool match didn’t really matter but both Boswells and Wessex served up a treat for the crowd. Boswell’s strength in attack finally overcame the Wessex resistance but the local team played very well, causing plenty of problems for their opponents with their own attack. 22-25 20-25.
The semi final was against Tendring from Essex and with the strength of the Wessex squad and the rotation which had allowed players to have a rest, the coaching staff were confident. Setter Robertson was impressing with his all round game and determination and he wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass away. He fed good balls to Duckmanton, Ridge, Lewis and Kowalski and they duly obliged with point winning smashes. Despite his ankle injury Luke Bartlett was passing with accuracy and diving to pick up what seemed like lost causes. A couple of blocks from Riddle, Ridge and Kowalski sealed the first set 25-18. It was much the same in the second set although Aaron Garrett was now playing through the middle. Ridge and Robertson were picking up smashed attacks but Tendring had no such luck against Kowalski and Duckmanton. At 20-12 Wessex again dropped the pace and it took the return of Lambe and Salt to halt the decline. With Bartlett still passing well and Lewis’s speed and hitting height on the wing too much for Tendring Wessex reached match point. Worried about the Wessex block and defence Tendring hit the ball out and the place in the Final was secured yet again. 25-21. Squad – Aaron Robertson, Tom Ridge, Danny Lewis, Craig Duckmanton, Jon Salt, Dan Riddle, Luke Bartlett, Karol Kowalski, Joe Lambe, Aaron Garrett, Tyler Everitt, Dan Marsh, Ryan Merrell, Matt Hunter The U18 girls started the day with a great win against 2008 finalists Ashcombe Dorking, by 2 sets to 1. This was followed up by a 2 : 1 win against another fancied team, Newcastle Staffs. Although this guaranteed them top spot in their group with a game to go, these 6 sets had taken a physical toll on the team. Although Coach, Dave Hubbard, rested several players in their final qualifying game, against Tameside Manchester, they were unable to attain the heights of earlier in the day in their semi-final against Wiltshire Mavericks. After 2 close sets, the Wessex girls narrowly missed out on a place in the National Finals. Although they didn’t quite make the National Final, the girls should be proud of themselves in becoming third best team in England especially as this is a young team. Squad – Sarah Keen, Zoe McAulay, Ailsa Crammond, Annie Tinker, Paige Nelmes, Emma Freeman, Hannah Ridge, Zyanya Jackson, Freya Ray Brown, Hannah Corbin, Maria Kreller, Charlotte Lee. Coach – Dave Hubbard, Manager – Helen Tinker. 3 March '09 This enables the club to continue the rebuild that started after the split up of last years Championship winning team. The inclusion of several players from Wessex's Junior policy into the full National League squad at the start of this season was always going to be a challenge, but the youngsters have delivered the goods, and after a season playing to the top league in the country, their experience and confidence is growing. Players like Zoe McAulay, Ailsa Crammond, Sarah Keen and Hannah Ridge are all starting to command squad selection. McAulay is actually part of the starting line up as outright opposite attack player. Also stepping up to senior volleyball next term will be the very promising Paige Nelmes who has recently returned to the club after representing Great Britain in Australia. England Junior Libero player Annie Tinker will also be in contention. The match against Loughborough was a hard fought affair with Wessex gaining the upper hand early on, mainly thanks to some big hitting from Phoebe Jeffery and Vicky Palmer. The teams were never separated by more than 4 points, but it was Wessex who held the lead for the majority of the set and they held on to close out the open 25-23. Set two was a similar affair but the roles reversed an Loughborough took the ascendancy, fighting for their division 1 survival. Unforced errors also hurt Wessex at crucial moments particularly with serve. Loughborough levelled the match with a powerful smash from Laura Hodgkinson to record a 27-25 set win. Wessex changed setters for the start of set three with Sophia Speigal replacing Janna Rogers. They also introduced Brazilian Erika Lyons as middle attack. Lyons' experience had immediate effect with her defencive passing. She accurately found Speigal at the net who distributed the ball firstly to Sarah Palmer on the wing, and then to sister Vicky Palmer through the middle. Both girls ramming home winning smashes to push Wessex into a big lead. Loughborough fought back and at one point almost caught Wessex. The visitors had other ideas and a raise in tempo pushed Wessex to another 25-23 closure. Set four was unlike the first three as Wessex took complete control with a rapid fire policy that saw them establish a 10-4 lead. This was extended by some brilliant blocking by the tall Rosie Kirk. Wessex were unstoppable by this stage and Loughborough had no answer to Wessex's big hitting. Kirk, Jeffery and Vicky Palmer all scoring winners. The match was secured with a comfortable 25-15 win. 3 March '09 The Under 15 boys overcame North Devon and Kings from Exeter and as a result will play in the Finals of the National Cup being held on the 29 Mch at Birmingham University. The first match was against Kings but it wasn’t a great start by Wessex as they missed their first serve and then got in the wrong rotation. Things improved quickly as Tom McArthur showed his clever use of a range of attacking skills to win points. Dominating net play by Matt Hunter and Andrew Clayton saw Wessex draw away to win 25-18. In the second set intelligent play by the whole team stopped Kings using their best attacker. By contrast Ryan Palmer and Ryan Stout were able to spread their sets to all the Wessex hitters thanks to the passing unit of Hunter and McArthur. The set was won 25-15. Wessex were really starting to gel well and the scores in the next two sets demonstrated this with Jack Arnold, Connor Duggan and Sam Walrond all making good contributions. This combined with a switch of serving tactics from Stout and Aaron Walrond hard hitting on the outside the sets were won 25-13 25- 11. This 4-0 win was followed by another against North Devon. Excellent serving from Clayton and Palmer caused Devon plenty of problems but it was McArthur and Hunter who were proving unstoppable. Arnold also served well and although Sam Walrond made a couple of brilliant backcourt retrievals Wessex were, in the main, totally in control. The sets were won 25-12 25-15 25-10 25-7. Squad: The Under 17 Men had a much tougher road to victory. Missing two of their England Junior players through injury and with others playing in the U15 competition Wessex had to pull in 15 year old newcomer, Ziggy Kajota and 13 year old Ben Torrens. It was the older players who didn’t step up to start with and Kings soon took advantage by taking a 21-11 lead. Wessex began to find their form and got back to 17-21 before a missed serve and some poor passing gave Kings the set 25-17. Pulling in Hunter and McArthur for the second set saw Wessex give a much better performance and they cruised to a 25 –10 set win. The deciding set went the same way as Wessex won 15-7. The next match was against the highly rated Melksham team but Joe Lambe, despite his injured ankle, and Tyler Everitt dominated the net play to help the team to a first set win 25-19. Ryan Merrell was having an excellent game in the setting position and he continued to feed Lambe who was proving unstoppable on the wing. Everitt varied his game effectivily in the middle and with Sam Pritcher serving well and playing the safe role on court the set was finally won 25-23. The last match was against North Devon who were also unbeaten. Combining well, Lambe, Everitt, Merrell and Pitcher saw Wessex to a 25-12 first set win. Good passing from Torrens and a run of five serves from Kajota set Wessex on their way to a 25-18 second set hard fought win. Squad Joe Lambe, Ryan Merrell, Tyler Everitt, Sam Pritcher, Ben Torrens, Ziggy Kajota. The Under 15 girls were equally as impressive, winning all their games 2-0. Squad: Paige Nelmes, Annie Tinker, Aimee Fanner, Sophie Fanner, Marianne McGrath, Becky Stockley, Megan Cheaney. The squads would like to thank all their supporters who once again gave every encouragement. Under 18 Junior Men – National Cup The boys travelled to Brentwood at the weekend with a large number of supporters whose support proved to be invaluable. Wessex had to win their three matches and things started well against Hillingdon with captain Aaron Robertson serving into a 4-0 lead. Hillingdon started to cause a few problems of their own before successful attacks from Craig Duckmanton, Tyler Everitt and Tom Ridge saw Wessex pull ahead to win 25-17. The second set followed along the same lines and with penetrating serving from Daniel Marsh and accurate passing from Jon Salt and Ryan Merrell it went to Wessex 25-13. The second match was against Whipps. Coach Lynn Allen fielded a mix of Under 18 players, Robertson, Ridge and Dan Riddle with three Under 16’s, Everitt, Joe Lambe and Richard Yates. A stunning performance followed with the team losing just three points. Rotating the squad in the second set did little to disrupt the rhythm and control. The 25-7 win saw 14 year old prospect Matt Hunter play his part and included an exhibition display of skill and vision from Luke Bartlett. The last match was against a very talented Chadwell Heath team from Brentwood who had been equally impressive in their matches. The net warm up got very heated so both teams were really fired up for the start. Unstoppable middle hitting from Ridge, combining brilliantly with setter Robertson, gave Wessex the early advantage but a few unforced errors let Chadwell Heath back into the game. Lambe and Salt’s passing allowed Wessex to fully utilise Ridge and Duckmanton who was giving an impressive performance to the wings. With Lambe also hitting well and Riddle getting some vital blocks the set was won 25-21. In the second set Wessex thought they were in control but some poor line calls resulted in points against them and suddenly it was a real fight for the set. Wessex showed their character with some very determined play and great all court efforts to take a 20-18 lead. Everitt was bought on to the front court to give a bit more variation in attack while Daniel Marsh came up with two stunning blocks to help Wessex to a 25-20 win. A thoroughly impressive team performance by all squad members. Squad Aaron Robertson, Craig Duckmanton, Tom Ridge, Joe Lambe, Dan Riddle, Dan Marsh, Tyler Everitt, Luke Bartlett, Jon Salt, Richard Yates, Ryan Merrell, Matt Hunter Under 16 Junior Men - National Cup With Wandsworth fielding two tall England junior middle players it looked as though it may prove a problem for Wessex who were without 6ft 5in Aaron Garrett, who had snapped finger tendons whilst training with the England Junior squad. However with Captain Joe Lambe starring in the early stages of the match Wessex stormed into a comfortable lead. Ryan Stout and Matt Hunter continued to feed good sets to Lambe, Aaron Walrond and Richard Yates as Wessex won 25-13 in a very impressive team performance. A lack of focus at the start of the second set gave Wandsworth an advantage and despite some good defence from Ryan Palmer and intelligent play by Tyler Everitt, Wessex couldn’t get more than two points ahead until the score was 17-16. Yates, Everitt and Lambe were, as usual, controlling the pass which allows Wessex lots of attacking options and eventually this pressure told. With all the team and especially Walrond scoring freely on the outside Wessex powered ahead to win 25-17. The second match was against Richmond and a brilliant serving run from Lambe saw Wessex into a 15-0 lead. Everitt, Yates, Lambe and Hunter were showing their class in both the frontcourt and backcourt whilst Stout displayed his full range of setting skills. Sam Pritcher put in some unstoppable crosscourt hits and when Tom McArthur came on he showed his versatility as Wessex won 25-5 win. Jack Arnold made his debut in the second set which followed along the same lines as the first. Wessex won 25-12. Next up were Thomas More and they also had little joy in stopping Wessex from dominating the game. It looked bad for Wessex as Hunter was injured blocking as a Thomas More attacker came through the net early in the match. McArthur stepped in to take on Hunters role and the team progressed smoothly to a 25-9 first set win. With the whole team combining extremely well as a unit the second set was won 25-10. Coach, Lynn Allen believes that there is a lot more to come from this team and all will be working hard with the aim of winning at the Last 8’s in Keele on the 7th March. Squad: Womens National League Division 1 Struggling at 2 sets down Wessex changed their line up, introducing Zoe McAulay and Ailsa Crammond into the match. The England junior internationals immediately stabilised the team and with their back against the wall Wessex started to show real attacking purpose. Sarah Palmer and player of the match Janna Rogers started to link well and a series of well placed smashes down the line enabled Wessex to establish a slender lead. They held on to this until near the end of the set when Polonia levelled at 23-23. Defeat was now a real possibility but Vicky Palmer produced the hardest smash of the day through Wessex's middle attack. This was followed up by a well placed serve from Erika Lyons which Polonia failed to get back, handing Wessex the third set 25-23. The fourth set was exhibition volleyball as Wessex totally dominated proceedings and levelled the match with a 25-11 closure. The Palmer sisters contributing to Wessex's success. The fifth set was a cliff hanger with neither team able to establish a lead. The teams change ends with Polonia 8-7 ahead, but this was immediately cancelled as Janna Rogers found Vicky Palmer with no block against her. Palmer took advantage of this and rammed home another unstoppable finish. Former Wessex player Lizzie Smith then had success for Polonia and the teams matched one another until the scores reached 13-13. Sarah Palmer then hit another brilliant line shot and rotated to serve for the match. A well placed serve was returned and a great defensive retrieve from Wessex's Libero, Leonie Lallart found the Setter. Janna Rogers was able to feed Vick Palmer a fast ball through the middle which was duly dispatched to hand Wessex a dramatic 15-13 final set win Wessex were: The Wessex team followed this with a 3-1 victory over Reading which takes them up to 7th in National League Division 1. Although the set scores were close Wessex felt they were the better all round team so were disappointed to drop the 3rd set 22-25 after winning the first two 25-15 25-20. They bounced back to take the fourth set 25-22. 3 March '09
The England boys reached the semi final before losing 2-0 but Joe, an outside hitter and Matt, a utility player still only 14 both received good performance reviews. But it was coming home when the problems began. The flight home to Stanstead was cancelled due to the snow so the team crossed into Germany to get another flight. This was also cancelled at the last minute so the group had to stay in a local hostel although the England managers were full of praise for the hospitality of the hosts. Lambe and Hunter finally got back home on Wednesday, very tired but having thoroughly enjoyed their first away trip. Meanwhile their Wessex teammates, Tom Ridge, Tyler Everitt, Aaron Robertson, Dan Riddle and Danny Lewis have again been training with the England Junior squad in Hendon. Aaron Garrett (snapped finger tendons) and Richard Yates (broken ankle) both missed out due to their injuries. 3 March '09 The annual Wessex mini volleyball tournament was supported this year by the Steve Bernard Foundation. With over 50 entries and the young players really enjoying the competition, it proved to be a very successful event and grateful thanks go to the Foundation who once again enabled young sports people to enjoy their sport. Thanks go to all the helpers on the day and especially to Tony Bernard and Craig Mathie who presented the trophies and medals to the winners. Catch and Volley Mini Volley 24 Jan '09 Wessex entered this encounter knowing that a win was essential to get out of the relegation fight. Wessex started the first set well with strong defensive work from Mark Garcia-Kidd and good hitting from Bobby Hudson, taking an early lead to 13-3. With Wessex serving well with disciplined blocking from Tristan Dampney and the two middle players, Tom Ridge and IanWood, Guildford were being forced into unforced errors. This led to Wessex to taking the 1st set 25-13. The second started in much the same way as the first with Wessex taking an early lead to 7-3. However, complacency started to kick in and Wessex couldn’t find the rhythm that won them the first set. With Wessex struggling to get a good, constant pass in, it was difficult to put pressure on Guildford. With roles reversed Wessex starting making mistakes and with Guildford playing at a steady level, the set finished 18-25 in Guildford’s favour. On the receiving end of some harsh words from Coaches Andy Jones and Vince Joyce, Wessex made amends by starting the third set how they finished the first, taking a lead to 13-1. With Guildford getting riled up about refereeing decisions Wessex took advantage and took the 3rd set 25-12. With Guildford’s heads well and truly down they couldn’t prevent Wessex taking the 4th and last set. Accurate setting from Richard Collins gave the middle players of Ridge and Wood a chance to shine! Wessex took the last 25-11, to win an important match in the bid to avoid the drop. Applemore Boys
Tyler Everitt and Richard Yates, 16 and 15, were spotted by Wessex Volleyball Club whilst playing in a South West organised Under 15 competition. Their obvious potential was noticed and they, along with Andrew Hargroves, were invited to get some extra training with Wessex. Their supportive parents were soon making the weekly trip across the New Forest to Bournemouth. This paid dividends as Richard and Tyler were then selected for the South West Under 17 squad that played in the Inter Regional Championship. Tyler was also selected for the England South team that played in the UK School Games. Now the England Junior coach was taking notice and he invited them both to the England Junior trials in the summer of 2008. Both were selected and have been attending monthly training sessions with the cream of the countries young talent. These include fellow Wessex players, Tom Ridge, Aaron Robertson, Dan Riddle, Danny Lewis and Aaron Garrett with two other Wessex juniors, Joe Lambe and Matt Hunter having just returned from Austria with the England Cadets. When Team Southampton hit problems last year Andrew decided to concentrate on his cycling but Tyler and Richard joined Wessex and now travel 2 /3 times a week for training. Both have progressed as expected and are not only in the unbeaten Wessex Under 16 team who have won through to the National Cup last 8's but also played for the Wessex Under 18 team who have equalled the Under 16's achievements. As well as having the talent Richard and Tyler work very hard to improve and although their strength is on the front court they both have great passing skills. Both have fitted in really well with the Wessex boys and like the friendly attitude. Tyler and Richard are really enjoying their volleyball and hope to follow other Wessex juniors, Danny Weemes and Dan Hunter into the GB squad and maybe play in the Olympics one day. They wish to thank everybody who has helped them and especially their parents for their support. Sam Pritcher, also from Applemore, has also joined Wessex and is a member of the Wessex Under 16 team. Sam has a very good serve and hits through position 4. Richard is unfortunately sidelined at the moment due to a fractured ankle but is hopeful of returning in time for the National Cup. Tyler, Richard and Sam all play in the Poole and Bournemouth Volleyball league for the Wessex Under 17 team. They are unbeaten and top of the Adult Division 2 so are hopeful of maintaining this run to win the title. Not only are the boys playing but the Dads have started as well and play in a Wessex Parents team in the local league. Volleyball used to be very strong in the New Milton area with Nicky Osborne playing for and currently captain of GB while Paulo Mourniho and Drew Flanagan played for England Juniors. A number of the Arnewood boys also played for Wessex in the National Cup. It looks as though it may be popular again as Wessex are coaching in Twynham, Grange, Highcliffe and Arnewood. EVA National Cup Under 18 Women Dave Hubbard coached the U18 squad of 11 players including 2 U16’girls. The general performance was positive and to a high level especially in the tough game against Mavericks where we felt the score didn’t necessarily reflect the standard that each team was playing to! However, although we lost, a lot of positives could be taken from that game such as the consistent level of communication related to the opponent’s set up and direction of attacks. It was a whole squad effort with a lot of support from the bench and the only time during the day that the hall had an intense atmosphere. Our downfall was a period during the second set where a lapse of concentration and energy kept us stuck in the same rotation for a series of rallies where they won off our mistakes. The other two matches were against very unpredictable teams where although our level of play was considerably higher, there were still a lot of unforced errors due to lapse of concentration, particularly in the last match. Overall the squad gelled well and maintained a positive and upbeat atmosphere whilst showing desire to win. We were particularly grateful to Helen Tinker for driving the minibus for us! Wessex suffered a disappointing reversal in Round 3 of the National K.O Cup on Saturday where they were dumped out of the competition by lower league opposition. The squad travelled to Dorking to meet Division 2 pace setters Ashcombe Dorking 1, and soon found themselves in difficulty. The first four points all went Ashcombe's way forcing Wessex into rear guard action. With the Wessex service receive falling short of setter Janna Rogers, the team were in trouble and their middle attack started to become in affective due to the forced setting angles. This allowed Ashcombe to line their block up against the Wessex wing attacks, and it was no surprise when Ashcombe’s lead increased and the set slipped away in disappointing fashion 25-14. Wessex replaced Rosie Kirk with Erika Lyons in the second set, and although this stabalised the service receive, Ashcombe were now in full swing and again Wessex got of to a poor start. At one point they were trailing 10-2. A change of setters occurred at this stage as Wessex introduced Sophia Speigal into the fray and for the first time Wessex started to gain some success. Several high feeds to the wing enabled both Sarah Palmer and Phoebe Jeffery to score with powerful smashes. The damage had already been done though and though Wessex matched Ashcombe point for point they couldn’t close the gap. The second set also went the hosts way 25-15. The third set opened in similar fashion and it was now obvious it was not going to be Wessex day, and with Ashcombe oozing confidence the match was concluded with a disappointing 25-11 loss. Wessex were: Wessex return to League action at the weekend, with a double header. On Saturday they host Warwick Riga 12.00 warm up. and on Sunday they travel to the Midlands were they will meet City of Wolverhampton. Wessex will be without the services of Leonie Lallart who has work commitments. Her place will almost certainly be taken by Ailsa Crammond. Wessex select from Ailsa Crammond, Leanne Eddie, Karin Frey, Phoebe Jeffery, Rosie Kirk, Erika Lyons, Zoe McAulay, Sarah Palmer, Hanna Ridge, Janna Rogers, Sophia Speigal
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Wessex Juniors Make The National Finals
Wessex had to play London who had won their pool. Clayton excelled with his blocking in the early stages as Aaron Walrond found his passing range. The set was won 25-20. Stout and Palmer were having an off day with their serving and this handed the initiative to London. London had the momentum and made Wessex pay with a 25-18 win. Into the final set with everything at stake. Again poor serving let London in to take a 4-1 lead. Walrond helped get the team back to 5 all at which point the Wessex spirit really came to the fore. Hunter kept the pressure on London with his serving while Clayton did the same with his blocking. MacArthur suddenly started to find all the gaps on the London side’s court and they had no answer. Hunter was still serving so the set was won without conceding another point. 15-5.
Wessex Junior Girls in Top Eight
Paige Nelmes and Annie Tinker made their GB debut as the youngest pair in the World under 21's international Beach Volleyball tournament Blackpool at 15 years old, they qualified for the event by becoming the national beach volleyball champions under sixteen and under eighteen 2009.
Their first game at the worlds saw them up against Russia, they were on the receiving end of the fastest female server in the championships, serves in excess of 80 km/h, Russia went on to the Semi final loosing to Poland. 
The experience they had gained was extremely valuable. 
South West Under 16 Girls take on the rest of the country and emerge Victorious
Wessex received a lot of praise from some of the country’s top coaches but it was little consolation to the boys who have worked hard all season in order to perform at such a high level.
Another fantastic weekend for the Wessex Junior Men’s volleyball teams but disappointment for the Under 18 girls in the Last 8’s of the National Cup which were held in Nottingham over the weekend.
Joe Lambe and Matt Hunter had an eventful first away trip with the England Cadet Volleyball team. The two Wessex boys travelled to Austria with the squad to play against the home team, plus French, German and Italian teams. 
When two Applemore boys started playing volleyball with teacher James Kemp in 2007 they couldn't have guessed how quickly they would progress in the sport.