Now that’s what you call entertainment!

Saturday 25th November started and finished with a three sets to zero win for the home sides, with another two wins squeezed into the middle, in what was yet another triumph of a day for Su Ragazzi Volleyball Club.

Captain Kelsie Braidwood opened the day for the ladies of Su Ragazzi II in scintillating style with a scoring first tempo thunderbolt set up by Alice Haynes. The opposition from Edinburgh University II didn’t know what hit them, as the home side stormed their way to a 25-13 first set win.

We changed setters introducing Priya Gill to this crucial positon but there was no difference in the play as we dominated proceedings to win 25-9.

We changed setters again, introducing Nicole Ramage to the role, and the girls from the East of Scotland put lots of energy and enthusiasm into their play, but that couldn’t stop either Ina Lefering or Mascha Duken scoring freely on the outside as we won the third set and the match 25-16. This was a terrific performance from the Su girls.

Match 2 saw the old rival’s clash between the Su II boys and John Scrimgeour’s Dundee. This was a tense and extremely competitive match between two experienced sides.

The momentum of the game swung back and forward. First Dundee were winning with a score line of 11-3, then 18-13 before the home side rallied and squeezed a 25-23 win. In set two the Su II boys always had their noses in front, before creeping over the line first amidst some officiating controversy over the 26-24 win. In set three the visitors dominated proceedings and romped home first with a 27-17 score, before the Su Boys fought back and took a nervy win 27-25. What an advert for Scottish Volleyball!

Su Ragazzi II Captain Gordie McGilivray commented after the dust had settled…..”It was tight but we always knew we had enough to win if we worked hard at it”.

Match 3 saw the Fabulous Suettes play Connie Wisenfelder’s Volleyball Aberdeen. This was volleyball at its best. Neither team asking for or giving quarter in a ding-dong affair with both teams playing their best stuff at the same time. It was epic!

Set one went to the home side 25-21. Set two also went to the home side 25-21, then Shona Fraser for the visitors switched on the afterburners and smashed her way to a 25-23 win. She was in terrific form and set about attacking the Suettes lead in the fourth set, except the home side had birthday girl Katie Barbour scoring, as were Caitlin McEwan, and Laura McReady, and Carly Murray, and Sam Fowler, and this, along with setter Liama Andrejevaite, was enough to see off the challenge of the visitors 25-18. It made for thrilling viewing as the Suettes celebrated their 3 sets to 1 win.

And so to the final match of this momentous day. Captain Marc McLaughlin led his City of Glasgow Ragazzi teammates to a three sets to zero win against the powerful Volleyball Aberdeen men in the day’s top Premier Division match. It was a fitting end to the day, as both teams played a power game. As both teams used all their attacking options. As both teams worked feverishly to protect their floor, as both teams played with determination and belief in their ability to win…..except only one team could win, and that was the home side with set scores of 25-20, 25-22, and 25-16.

So the enthusiastic crowd were entertained, the play was high-wide and handsome, and Su Ragazzi won 4 out of 4……..now that can’t be bad for a very cold Saturday in November.