Dunman Secondary fend off Yishun Town to win 2-1 in Round 2 of U-16 volleyball

Story and photos by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.

Hougang Sports Hall, Thursday, November 6, 2008 – Dunman Secondary fended off Yishun Town Secondary to win 2-1 (25-20, 23-25, 15-11) in a Round 2, Group X match at the 2008 National U-16 Boys Junior Volleyball Championship. Despite Yishun Town taking the second set, Dunman held off the challenge to win the rubber set, and the match.

With both teams being coached by the same person, they had to play each other under the guidance of their teacher in charge.

Yishun Town had the opening serve, but the ball was easily picked up and sent to Dunman #6, who took home the first point with a spike from the outside which Yishun Town could not retrieve. Dunman #9 then took the second point when his served found the Yishun Town libero who tried to set the ball up, but was deflected out of bounds instead.

Not to be put down, Yishun Town retook the service with a spike from the centre which was unsuccessfully blocked by the Dunman blockers. However, a spike by Ernest (Yishun Town #12) went out of bounds, giving Dunman another point.

Dunman #6 had the task of leading many attacks, often spiking down powerful balls from the outside corner. However, Yishun Town also put up a strong challenge, which saw the service change hands several time in the early moments of the game. Yishun Town managed to close in on Dunman at 8-8, and pulled ahead for the lead. But this was to be short-lived as Dunman caught up with them soon after at 15-15.

Dunman’s attack seemed to be very well placed, and they fought well especially for the last few points. At the 22-19 mark, Dunman #6 spiked a ball down the line from the outside which brought his team just two points short of winning the set. A light serve by Dunman #9 saw Yishun Town stumble and fail to receive the ball to give Dunman set point at 24-19.

Painfully, Dunman #9 served the next ball out of bounds, to deny his team a quick win. Dunman #6 then rose to the challenge for the final point, swiping his spike out of bounds off the Yishun Town blockers to end the set 25-20.

The second set saw a series of very close rallies as both teams but it was Dunman that managed a steady lead while Yishun Town had to play catch up. Once in a while, they were gifted valuable points by Dunman errors in their efforts to bring the game into a rubber set.

Yishun Town capitalised on a momentary lax in Dunman’s organisation to take the lead. Yishun Town were soon at the set point, with Dunman trailing just three points behind. Esmond (Yishun Town #7) looked set to finish off the set with his spike from the outside, but the ball was deflected off the Dunman blockers and back into his own court, bringing the score to 22-24.

Ernest (Yishun Town #12) then committed a net touch while in attack from the opposite side, giving Dunman another point at 23-24. But Dunman #9 then served an out ball, giving Yishun Town the set and the game went into a rubber.

The rubber set was very tense as both teams were neck and neck all the way until the change over. Perhaps it might be anxiousness, but Yishun Town lost steam in the last few points and Dunman surged ahead to create a three-point lead. However, some errors on their side eventually allowed Yishun Town to catch up at 11-12.

Yishun Town did not grab this opportunity though, with Esmond (#7) firing a cannon ball spike from the outside which went way too high to bring Dunman closer to the win. Ernest’s (Yishun Town #12) attack from the centre was then successfully blocked to see Dunman reach game point at 14-11. Dunman finally won their last point when Esmond (Yishun Town #7) tried to attack using an offensive set from the outside, but hit the ball into the Dunman block instead.

What a game!

Final score: 2-1 (25-20, 23-25, 15-11)

Yishun Town team:
#01 – Jun Ze
#02 – Yu Chao
#03 – Ferdinand
#04 – Hong Meng
#07 – Esmond
#12 – Ernest
#15 – Yan Kai

Editor’s note: If you recognise yourself or your team mates in any of the photos, please feel free to leave the names behind in the comments section and we will update the captions accordingly. Thanks!