LIFFEY RAVENS 3 NAAS COBRAS 2
(25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 14-25, 15-14)
NAAS Cobras were in action this weekend against Dublin team Liffey Ravens in the Ladies Division Two National Volleyball League.
The first set opened with some long rallies and the two sides appeared well matched as they traded points. Liffey Ravens known for their powerful hitting took Naas by surprise by playing a softer game and caught Naas out with dump after dump. At 3-8 Naas Coach Crona Byrne called a time out to re arrange the Naas defence and the girls went back on court and started to pick up these tricky balls. Now reading the game better, Naas could go on the attack and Aisling Clancy and Karen Benn started to power balls though the middle helping the Cobras to edge ahead on the scoreboard. With the scores tied at 21-21 Heather Clancy stepped up to serve great balls and hand Naas the first set.
Naas remained focused at the start of the second set but Liffey Ravens had some notable big servers on their team that began to cause Naas trouble and allowed Ravens to edge out the second set 25-22. Naas showed their fighting spirit in the third set and won it 25-22. The fourth set started positively for the Naas side. Strong serving from Katie Nolan allowed Naas to take an early 5-0 lead and the two teams went point for point until 9-9. From this point on Liffey Ravens marched to a 25-14 win.
The fifth set was a thriller with both sides giving their all. At the switch of sides Liffey were 8-5 up but Naas dug deep. Karen Benn was fearless in the middle as she powered balls past the Ravens’ defences allowing Naas to even up the scores to 9-9. Serving was the Dublin’s team biggest asset and it didn’t fail them at this point as they then edged to 14-10. There was to be a final twist as Naas won service back. Orla Lynch stepped up to the line and fired four unanswerable balls to make it all square.
It was Liffey Ravens though who held their nerve to take the set and the match. Naas will go into their next match against Newbidge Cheetahs this Wednesday (1 February) with their heads held high.
NAAS: Aisling Clancy, Aebhin Nugent, Anne Marie Kelly, Aoibhinn Cassidy, Amy Dowling, Heather Clancy, Karen Benn, Katie Nolan (Capt), Louise Dore, Orla Lynch, Sarah Benn, Sylvia Power, Crona Byrne (Coach), Ann Fay (Ass. Coach).