Volleyball: Three-set game season decider

Just the Tip became men’s premier league volleyball champions after holding off a gallant Prophets team in the grand final last Wednesday night.

Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre hosted the final games of the season, which included grand finals in the mixed and women’s premier league divisions.

The men’s final was the third and final match of the night, with Prophets aiming to win their second title in three seasons after being crowned champions in 2013.

Both sides traded blows in the opening half of the first set, Prophets winning a long rally at 8-11 to keep in touch of Just the Tip before serving into the net.

Just the Tip then went on a scoring run, taking an 11-20 lead as Prophets struggled to stop their momentum.

Not to be denied, Prophets found a way to get back into the set and scored the next five points to close the gap to 16-20, but momentum again swung Just the Tip’s way and they won five successive points of their own to close out the first set 16-25.

Prophets stepped up a gear in the second set and denied their opponents any ascendency, both sides going point-for-point with trademark big hitting and blocking at the net.

Prophets led the set 13-12 and rallied to take a 17-12 lead and force Just the Tip to call a time-out, which swung the momentum briefly as they closed the gap to 17-16 with four straight points.

It was neck and neck for the remainder of the second set, some heavy spikes and long rallies making for thrilling play, but Prophets held on for a tight second-set win 25-23 to take the match to a deciding third set.

In a copy of the previous set, the third started with both sides going point-for-point before Just the Tip managed a six-point break at 8-14, and Prophets calling time-out to regroup.

However, Just the Tip increased their lead, defending some strong Prophets’ attacks and successfully attacking themselves to go ahead 12-22.

In a final do-or-die effort, Prophets found a second wind and won five of the next seven points to give them a fighting chance, but at 17-24 a serve into the net handed Just the Tip victory 17-25.

Earlier in the night, the grand finals began with the mixed division, where reigning premiers Bohica took on former champions Spider Pigs.

It was a close contest that set the tone for the night, with Spider Pigs starting strongly to take the first set 21-25.

However, they rued slow starts in the next two sets that allowed Bohica to gain momentum, the reigning champions winning the next two sets 25-18 and 25-17 to win back-to-back titles.

It was also a three-set decider in the women’s premier league, with Albany Senior High School taking on Prophettes.

Prophettes dominated the opening set 17-25, but the tables turned in the second with the school girls fighting back into the contest to take the second set 25-16.

It was a marathon third set, both sides trading points for the duration, before ASHS took a 24-22 lead and needed one point to be premiers.

But Prophettes held their nerve on serve, saving two set points to draw level at 24-24 and win the next two points to snatch the win 24-26.