Cedar Girls’ retain C Division Volleyball Championship with 3-1 win over Anderson

Story by Koh Yizhe/Red Sports. Pictures by Koh Yizhe, Lai Jun Wei and Wong Hong Yong/Red Sports. Video by Lai Jun Wei.

Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall, Tuesday, April 7, 2009 – Defending champions Cedar Girls' Secondary School retained their National C Division Volleyball Championship with a tough 3-1 (25-21, 25-3, 22-25, 25-17) victory over Anderson Secondary.

Anderson Secondary took the early lead when their Denise (#7) won the first point with a spike to the back. Jolly (Anderson, #9) followed this with a spike of her own, giving Anderson a 2-0 lead.

Although Charissa Beh (Cedar, #7) did execute a drop shot to make the score 2-1, Anderson raced to an early lead at 7-3. Jolly (Anderson, #9) was instrumental in this, using her height to her team's advantage as she sent powerful spikes down the middle.

Cedar Girls' were soon settled and levelled the scores at 12-12 with Anderson sending a spike out. They then went on to take the lead for the first time in the game at 13-12. With momentum on their side, Cedar Girls' scored three more points to extend their lead to 15-12 before Anderson called for a timeout.

The break seemed to do Anderson good as they were soon back within one at 20-21 with the match intensity increasing with each point. With the lead, Cedar Girls' looked ready to take the first set when Cherie Soon (Cedar Girls', #14) served up an ace to make the score 23-20.

Anderson did score one more point, but that was the end of the set for them as Cheryl Lee (Cedar Girls', #10) gave her team set point. Despite trying her best, Vanessa (Anderson ,#4) failed to save a spike and that gave Cedar Girls' the set at 25-21.

The second set was an opposite of the first as Cedar Girls' ran riot while Anderson had trouble getting into the set. Quak Gu Ting (Cedar Girls', #15) got things going for her side as she delivered serves that Anderson had difficulty receiving to give her side a 3-1 lead.

Cedar Girls' were now in firm control of the game as they extended their lead to 9-3, prompting a timeout from Anderson. That however, did little to change the direction of the set as Maureen Han (Cedar Girls', #3) continued serving with Anderson rooted to just three points.

It didn't help that Jolly (Anderson, #9) was uncharacteristically off colour as she repeatedly sent spikes into the net. Maureen Han finished a wonderful set for her team with two aces to give Cedar Girls' the set at 25-3 an overall 2-0 lead.

Things didn't look good for Anderson in the third set as Cedar Girls' continued their run with Charissa Beh giving them the first point. Jolly (Anderson, #9) was still off form, proving it when she sent a spike out to give Cedar Girls' a 2-1 lead. Her opponent number Heng Yan Jing (Cedar Girls', #9) was having a much better game with a block that gave Cedar Girls' a 3-1 lead.

Anderson got themselves back into the game as they began to string some points together. Jolly played better and it was her block that levelled the scores at 9-9. She followed it up with a spike to give Anderson the lead at 10-9.

Both teams then matched each other point for point as they fought to take the lead. It wasn't long before the score was 23-22 in favour of Anderson. Jolly then made a perfect spike to give her team set point at 24-22 which prompted the Cedar Girls' coach to make a timeout.

It didn't help much as Jolly spiked once again to give Anderson the set at 25-22 but they still trailed 1-2 overall.

Quak Gu Ting (Cedar Girls', #15) continued her great serving to start the fourth set which gave Cedar Girls' a 2-0 lead and Heng Yan Jing (Cedar Girls', #9) followed this up with a drop shot of her own to extend her team's lead.

The fourth was more comfortable for Cedar Girls' as they maintained a safe lead over Anderson and it didn't take long for them to reach 23-17 after an Anderson player crossed the middle line.

Cedar Girls' were given match point when Anderson sent a ball out. Heng Yan Jing then finished the match with a spike that won Cedar Girls' the match and the C Division Volleyball Championship.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPUPaXAV9Aw

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