Phoenix Women Rise in Nailbiter Against the Steel

The NSW Phoenix Women collected an impressive 1-4 win on the road against the Perth Steel in their opening round match of the new Scape Australian Volleyball Super League.

Phoenix’s serve maestro Taciana Moreira had an exceptional night, opening the first set and helping her side take the first five points of the match unanswered. Perth attempted to claw their way back, with Elysse Hislop blocking strongly at the net to keep the Steel in touch, but when Moreira returned to serve NSW opened their lead back up to eventually take the first set 11-18.

Tessa Browne had a big influence on the start of the second set as Perth took the early points, inspiring them to call their first powerplay to build on their advantage. However, NSW defended well to stay 6-6 when the powerplay expired, and from there the two teams traded points until Perth found a groove and pulled away towards the end to claim the set 18-12.

The third set again went point-for-point early on, with both teams calling Powerplays around the same time, cancelling each other out to be locked at 10-10 until some superior blocking and finishing gave the edge to the Phoenix to win it 14-18. The fourth set proved to be a nail-biting decider, but NSW claimed it and the win 17-18. Hislop, Shelby Maher, and Keete Kreen all scored big points for the Steel to get to set point at 17-16, but two unforced errors in the next two points delivered the set to NSW.

Even with the overall win decided the final set also went down to the wire, NSW prevailing 16-18. Phoenix’s Harriet Gilson scored early points with some big hits at Opposite, and the set continued point-for-point all the way. The deciding moment in the set came at 15-15, with a long rally going the way of NSW and giving them the momentum to close it out and confirm the 1-4 win and 8 competition points. The Steel, by virtue of winning a set and keeping the overall points difference below 10 collected 3 competition points.

Martinez, Heptinstall Forge Win for Steel Men Against Phoenix

A towering twin performance by Perth Steel stars Jose Martinez and Tom Heptinstall have driven Perth Steel to a commanding 4-1 win at home against the NSW Phoenix in their opening fixture of the new Scape Australian Volleyball Super League.

With the Steel holding a slender one-point lead 8-7 after the opening rallies in the first set, Martinez stepped up to serve for the first time in the match and won the next 8 points straight to blow the set wide open for the Steel. Perth eventually took the set 18-9 to lay down the gauntlet, and then continued early in the second set with Tom Heptinstall stepping up from his serve to get them to an 8-4 lead.

Some stirring defence by the Phoenix, including a great block by Jarvis Page, levelled the set at 13-13. But an incredible double-play by Martinez – first to block, then recover, and spike the third pass for the point broke the Phoenix, with a massive hit from Ky Landers on set point giving the Steel the second set 18-15.

That opened the door for NSW’s Sean Bosschieter to step in and inspire his side in the third set, scoring early points to help the Phoenix to a 10-14 lead. Heptinstall nearly turned the set around, though, with a huge set-point save at 13-17 which gave his side a mini-momentum boost to drag it back to 16-17, before Bosschieter completed what he started by scoring the winning point to hand the set to the Phoenix and keep the game alive.

It would only be a short reprieve, as in the fourth set Perth activated their Powerplay at 10-8 and won two of their three powerplay rallies to take all the momentum and jump away to 14-9, allowing them to comfortably take the set 18-10 and confirm the overall win.

The fifth compulsory set was point-for-point again all the way to 9-9, but the Steel, with home court advantage, pulled away to win it 18-14, collecting 9 competition points (2 for each set win and a bonus point for winning by more than 20 total points) and going to the top of the Men’s ladder at the end of the opening round.

Make sure you get your tickets for round 2, our first home game at Netball Central when we take on the Adelaide Storm this Saturday 19th August from 6pm - NSW Phoenix – Volleyball Super League