Cedar hold off Nanyang Girls’ to emerge champions in C Division volleyball

By Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports

Woodlands Sports Hall, Thursday, April 8, 2010 - Cedar Girls' Secondary came from behind to beat Nanyang Girls' High 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-12) in the National C Division Girls’ Volleyball Championship final. It was a stiff battle against Nanyang which saw Cedar make several comebacks during the sets to steal victory. Cedar have now won the title three years in a row.

The first set started off on a good note for Cedar. They manage to pull a lead over Nanyang only for the latter to catch up late into the set. Nanyang then turned the tables on the defending champions and stole the set. Nanyang maintained their lead over Cedar in the second set, managing to endure through long and intense rallies. Cedar could not catch up and let slip the set to Nanyang.

All seemed lost in the third set when Nanyang commanded a decisive lead over Cedar. However, Nanyang squandered away their lead for Cedar to overtake them. Cedar summoned their last bit of strength and pulled ahead to leave Nanyang in their wake. Nanyang seemed to have lost steam in the fourth set as unforced errors plagued their play. Multiple errors by Nanyang gifted the set to Cedar.

The fifth set was equally as intense. Nanyang had a decisive upper hand over Cedar at after the changeover. But again, they saw their lead fade away as Cedar caught up. Nanyang then practically gave the game away when they fed Cedar with free balls after tying 11-11. Cedar capitalized on this and finished off the match in style.

1st set
It was a much anticipated match as arguably the two best C Division Girls' teams in 2010 had finally met each other. After a short rally, Goh Jia Min (Nanyang #1) was unable to get to a drop shot in time and Cedar took the point. However, Jia Min (Nanyang #1) spiked to the Cedar libero Lam Leng Yen (#7), who deflected the ball out to take a point for the team.

A serve into the net by Jenies Foo (Nanyang #2), followed by a free ball into the net by Koh Yi Ying (Nanyang #6) saw Cedar take a 3-1 lead over Nanyang. Cedar maintained their lead over Nanyang, and despite the latter's efforts to level the score, Cedar would pull ahead just in time.

With the score tied at 20-20, Nanyang finally took the lead when Melissa Tee (Cedar #17) spiked out of bounds. A time out by Cedar was called, and upon the restart, Cedar saw the scores level after Chloe Chen (Nanyang #7) served into the net. After a series of intense rallies, the score was level once again at 23-23. Yi Ying (Nanyang #6) blocked a light spike from Quak Gu Ting (Cedar #6) and Nanyang were at set point. Nanyang subsequently took the set after Gu Ting (Cedar #6) spiked out.

2nd set
Cedar seemed a little rattled, and they gifted Nanyang the first point after Jasmine Tan (Cedar #11) served out of bounds. Nanyang however deflected a spike by Gu Ting (Cedar #6) for the scores to level. Gu Ting (Cedar #6) then executed a well placed drop shot for Cedar to go one point up. After taking an initial lead, Nanyang leveled the score at 5-5 after an ace from Jia Min (Nanyang #1).

The score kept close, and both teams were still level at 8-8. However, Nanyang quickly pulled ahead to lead 12-9, leading to a time out by Cedar. Nanyang then held Cedar at the 11-point mark for six points to lead 18-11. It was a series of long rallies in the set as neither team could kill off the other.

However, Cedar showed the spirit of champions as they fought hard to narrow the score gap despite a huge deficit. They managed to close the score gap to trail by only three points at 23-20. However, Nanyang soon took set point, and sealed the set after a spike by Yi Ying (Nanyang #6). Melissa (Cedar #17) had tried to block her shot, but ended up deflecting the ball into her own court.

3rd set
With their morale at a high, Nanyang sought to take the third set as well. They blitzed to an 11-7 lead before Cedar called for a time out. However, complacency soon plagued the Nanyang camp as a half-hearted style of play from one of their main spikers saw Cedar catch up. The match continued to be close, with the scores tied at 14-14. Melissa (Cedar #17) saw her serve clip the net, and fall into an empty spot for Cedar to take a lead. She then fired off an ace for the team to lead 16-14.

Cedar continued the pressure, and left Nanyang in their wake. Cedar reached set point after an ace from Claire (Cedar #9). Jasmine (Cedar #11) however, spiked into the net to see the score stand at 24-18. Cedar then sealed the set after Yi Ying (Nanyang #6) missed an attempt to send a loose ball at the net back to Cedar.

4th set
Nanyang did not seem to be affected by their lost and took the first point via a spike from Jia Min (Nanyang #1). However, little did they know that the ´giant' within the Cedar team had just awoken. Despite the score being held at 4-4, Cedar quickly went all out to assert their presence. Cedar, who had opted not to field their libero in this set, went all out to attack.

Fatigued also seemed to be setting in on the Nanyang players, with open spiker Lee Aow See (Nanyang #3) committing multiple errors. She saw several of her spikes go out of bounds, before she saw her exhausted self substituted off for Eirena Beh (Nanyang #11). However, the damage was already done. Cedar had managed to command a decisive 15-7 lead, and it seemed like Nanyang were going to have a hard time catching up giving their current performance.

The remaining players on the court gave it all their might. Despite raking in a few points, it was not enough as Cedar were soon at set point after a spike from Claire Teo (Cedar #9) from the opposite corner. Claire (Cedar #9) made her presence felt throughout the set, as the successfully stuffed out several spikes from Nanyang. Morale was high as Cedar had begun to find their form. Despite a bad receive on the next rally, Cedar sealed the set 25-17 after a spike from Claire (Cedar #9) that saw Nanyang unable to receive.

5th set
Both teams were eager to take the last set, but Nanyang took the first point after Jasmine (Cedar #11) deflected Nanyang's serve out of bounds. The score was neck and neck, but Nanyang continued to have the upper hand, with Cedar having to play catch up.

Cedar called for a time out at the 7-5 mark, and upon the restart, Jasmine (Cedar #11) narrowed the score gap with a spike. The next rally was played with much controversy. Nanyang was deemed to have committed a net touch, but it went unnoticed before Cedar returned the ball out of bounds. Gwyneth Teo (Nanyang #8) then took a three point lead for the team with a well placed drop shot.

Leading at 10-6, Nanyang seemed to be the clear favourites to win. However, Cedar were not going down without a fight, and they pressed on. Despite Nanyang appearing to be in fine form, cracks seemed to be showing as they lost several points after that. A bad receive by Chloe (Nanyang #7) saw Cedar come to within one point of Nanyang at 10-9, leading to a time out. However, Nanyang quickly went ahead upon the restart to lead 11-9.

With Jia Min (Nanyang #1), who had secured several points for the team in the first half of the fifth set rotated to the back row, Nanyang was all dependent on Aow See (Nanyang #3) to deliver. However, she spiked out of bounds for Cedar to come closing in once more. Cedar eventually closed in at 11-11 after Nanyang failed to return a shot.

Nanyang were visibly shaken by this comeback, and as Cedar turned the tables on Nanyang after a good serve by Jasmine (Cedar #11), the cracks began to show. With Nanyang favouring to attack from the outside, the brunt of Nanyang's attack fell on the shoulders of Aow See (Nanyang #3). To the frustration and dismay of the Nanyang coach, Aow See (Nanyang #3) chose to send many free-balls over to Cedar rather than spiking the ball.

Cedar used this to their advantage, and organized well to kill off the opposition. A drop shot by Gu Ting (Cedar #6) saw Cedar lead 13-11. An ace by Jasmine (Cedar #11) then brought the team to match point. She unfortunately served into the net to temporary hold off their win. But it was just momentary as Nanyang could not return a free ball, and Cedar took home the set 15-12, and the title of Champions.

Captain of the Cedar team Quak Gu Ting (Cedar #6) shared, "I think that we did very well in winning the last three sets. We showed good fighting spirit. Most importantly, every player was not demoralised despite losing the first two sets."

She added, "Nanyang put up a good fight. I think both sides are equally good and the desire of winning was there. They were the better team at the start. Even till the last set, they did not give up and stayed composed. I believe that the first two sets that we lost were caused by our own errors and personal emotions. We could not understand our opponent’s strategy of playing. Nanyang were quickly on form in the first two sets and that probably led us to feel a little discouraged."

Coming into the match as two-time champions certainly had its stress. "There’s pressure, definitely," Gu Ting commented, "This is our third consecutive year in the final. But our coach and teacher-in-charge told us to let go of the burden and just concentrate on playing well. Winning doesn’t matter to them as long as we try our best. Thankfully, we managed to get this pressure out of our minds and we played well."

As for winning the championship, Gu Ting shared on their post-match celebrations, "We’ll invite our coach, teachers, vice-principal and principal as they gave us their fullest support during the match. Definitely it would be a grand celebration for us because we really fought well!"

Final Score
Cedar 3 Nanyang 2
(23-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-12)

Cedar Girls’ Lineup
Celia Lim Shi Min (#1)
Ong Yong Xin (#3)
Gwyneth Cheng Jia Yi (#5)
Quak Gu Ting (Captain, #6)
Lam Leng Yen (Libero, #7)
Teo Wen Qi Claire (#9)
Jasmine Tan Shi Min (#11)
Goh Jia Hui (#12)
Cherie Soon Siong Yee (#14)
Ho Yi Hwei (#15)
Ng Jing Ting (#16)
Tee Zhi Qi Melissa (#17)

Nanyang Girls’ Lineup
Goh Jia Min (Captain, #1)
Foo Hui Xin Jenies (#2)
Lee Aow See (#3)
Joelle Ng Ai Wei (#4)
Wang Tina (#5)
Koh Yi YIng (#6)
Chloe Chen Zi Ying (#7)
Gwyneth Teo Sue Ern (#8)
Zeng Fang Ni (#9)
Elysia Oei Tian Ling (#10)
Eirena Beh Hui Ning (#11)
Nicolette Lim Hui Zhu (#12)

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