TNT Singapore see off Singapore Youth to make volleyball invitational final

Story by Kenneth Tan/Red Sports. Pictures by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports

Toa Payoh Sports Hall, Monday, May 31, 2010 — TNT Singapore overcame the challenge of the Singapore Youth team 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 26-24) to qualify for the final of the Volleyball Association of Singapore’s Volleyball Invitational Championships.

TNT Singapore, made up of ex-Singapore national players, made their experience count against their younger opponents who are members of the Youth Olympics Games (YOG) squad.

Singapore Youth started the first set strongly and managed to take an early 4-2 lead. However TNT Singapore settled into the game and took a three-point lead going into the first technical timeout.

They continued in the same tempo as they managed to take the biggest lead of the set at 22-13 as Singapore Youth had no answer to TNT Singapore’s accurate spikes. Singapore Youth tried hard to cut the deficit to 17-23 but TNT Singapore’s Zoe Seet managed to get the crucial last point with an accurate spike that ensured her team won the first set 25-17.

In the second set, TNT Singapore took a 4-2 lead before Singapore Youth scored four points straight to pull 6-4 ahead. However it was TNT Singapore who held a slender one-point lead going into the first technical timeout.

Singapore Youth then had a worrying period of play where they conceded five points straight to fall 17-9 behind. They cut the deficit to 20-23 towards the end when errors crept into the play of TNT Singapore before the latter scored another two to seal the second set at 25-20.

It turned from bad to worse for Singapore Youth as they fell 1-7 behind at the start of the third set and trail five points going into the first technical timeout. However they turned things around soon after as they landed seven straight points in a superb period of play to draw level at 12-all with captain Joelle Lim (#1) and Marylyn Yeo (#5) in the thick of action with their powerful and accurate spikes.

Both teams traded points in a frenzied period of play as Singapore Youth battled hard to cause problems for TNT Singapore. As a result, they managed to pull 24-22 ahead in the closing stages.

They needed just a point to take the third set and stay alive in the game, but they failed to do so as TNT Singapore landed four points straight to sink the heartbroken Singapore Youth players with Tan Shiang Theng (#8) earning the game-clinching point.

“I think overall the girls played well,” said Lee Lip Hong, team manager of Singapore Youth, after the match. “This is considering they did not have any clear break before the tournament. They have been competing in the Asian Girls U-18 Volleyball tournament in Thailand (which acts as a YOG qualifier) from 18th to 28th May before coming back for this tournament.”

“The characteristic of this team is that when they are faced with harder opponents, they have the determination to perform better,” he added. “In Thailand, we gave teams like Vietnam, New Zealand and Iran a tough fight.”

“If they had won this game, they could have had the opportunity to play with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) from the Philippines,” said Lip Hong, lamenting the lost opportunity of playing in the final. “It would be a valuable experience for the girls as UST have the services of four ex-national Philippine team players.”

On a final note, he hoped the girls can learn from the experience and be able to raise their standards to the international level.

“Obviously in today’s game, the girls lacked experience as compared to the ex-national team players from TNT Singapore,” he said. “They have to learn how to control the ball and actively look for loopholes during the game. For the YOG, we still have a lot to climb.”

TNT Singapore will play the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in the final on Wednesday, June 2nd at 9am while Singapore Youth will play the Thailand Youth team on Tuesday, June 1st at 12.30pm to fight it out for third place.

Final Score
TNT Singapore 3 Singapore Youth 0
25-17, 25-20, 26-24

TNT Singapore
Suthasini d/o Mogun (#3), Goh Pei Feng (Libero, #4), Neo Shu Mei (#5), Seet Ching Yah Zoe (#6), Lin Wei Rong (#7), Tan Shiang Theng (#8), Jeanne Gwee Xiaoqi (#9), Teo Li Yin (#10), Liew Su Min (#13), Ong Wei Chen (captain, #14), Ong Hwee Ping Rachel (#15)

Singapore Youth
Lim Shu Yu Joelle (#1, Captain), Tan Yi Ting (#2), Peng Yet Ting Dorita (#3), Tay Hwee Min Cassandra (#4), Yeo Qian Lin Marylyn (#5), Chia Kah An Michelle (#6), Loh Ling Ying (#7), Chew Hui Zhen Sophia (#8), Ang Qi Hui (#10), Ng Wei Ting Stephanie (#11, Libero), Seah Siew Hoon (#12)

Invitational Fixtures (Women’s)
Day 5 Tuesday (1/6)
Match 9 12:30 – 15:00 Women’s 5th & 6th
VAJB vs. Singapore Schools

Match 10 15:30 – 18:00 Women’s Bronze
Singapore Youth vs. Thailand Youth

Day 6 Wednesday (2/6)
Match 11 09:00 – 11:30 Women’s Final
TNT Singapore vs. UST

For more pictures, go to the next page.