A Great Day at the Office

A great day at the office for Su Ragazzi!

So, Su Ragazzi started the 2014/15 season with an emphatic statement... 4 games played – 4 games won! Woo-Hoo and well done to everyone involved.

The day started at Carluke High School with the Baby Suettes taking on Vince Krawczyk’s Troon II. The home side hadn’t lost a National League match since they entered the competition in 2013 – this proud record remains intact... just. A towering block at 14-13 in the 5th set sealed what was a very hard pressed victory. Well done Jen Downs and her troops, with a special mention to Livia Amzu who was making her National League debut.

Match 2 saw the Fabulous Suettes take on the Aberdonia girls.

The home side played fast, played tough, played with more intensity then the girls from the North could cope with. On paper the 3-0 scoreline made it look easy, it wasn’t, it was hard work and application delivered with a smile. The return of Lynne Beattie helped because she added another level to the home side’s firepower, ably assisted by Ellen Barwise in the setting slot... all in all a powerful demonstration by the Glasgow side and great preparation for next week’s clash with Troon.

Match 3 saw the boys of the City of Glasgow first team take on Bon Accord. The home side captured the first set comfortably as the visitors struggled to get the long journey out of their legs. Set 2 was different. Set 2 Bon Accord applied some serious pressure from the serving box. Set 2 the home side had one of the ‘wobbles’ that had characterised so much of last season’s play. Set 2 the visitors were 18-12 in the lead and the picture looked bleak for the City boys...

This season the City team has been revamped. Several of the Club’s very talented juniors have been promoted to the first team, and they haven’t had a great deal of experience of the ‘wobbles’, instead they have experienced ‘buckling down’ and ‘doing their job’. In this match that’s what they did. The senior players kicked on and helped, and the lead was gradually reduced. At 23 each there was tension. At 24 each there was tension, and at 27-25 the home side had secured the set, and perhaps had re-invented themselves a little.

Set 3 was more straightforward, although setter Steve Todd chased down a lot of balls that hadn’t quite reached their target, but the 3–0 scoreline was a reflection of effort and focus, and over the piece was well-deserved.

Meanwhile the Men II were in Dundee. Cammy Galloway organised things, coordinated the travel arrangements, played in and coached the match, and steered the troops to a workmanlike 3-0 victory. Part of the travelling party was a group of the Club’s next set of juniors, learning how to play in tough matches under the expert guidance of some of the Su Ragazzi Club stalwarts like Captain Gordy McGillivray.

So all in all a great start to the new season – and very well done to all involved.