A Division Boys’ Volleyball: Nanyang JC hold off Victoria JC to win 3rd/4th placing match

By Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports

CCAB, Tuesday, May 5, 2011 — Nanyang Junior College beat Victoria JC 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 25-15, 26-24) in what seemed like a long dreary affair at the 3rd/4th placing match of the A Division Boys’ Volleyball Championship. NYJC fielded mostly their reserve players and were held by VJC for most of the game. However, they managed to overcome their opponents to emerge victorious in their last match of the season.

Tan Jit Hao (VJC #1) led the overall scoring tally with 15 kills and three service aces while Wilson (NYJC #18) led the scoring tally for his team with 13 kills and two service aces. Both NYJC and VJC were evenly matched, with NYJC posting a total of 48 kills and 8 service aces while VJC had 46 kills and 6 service aces.

NYJC started off the first set on a strong foot, firing off a series of aces to force VJC to call an early time out. NYJC continued holding on to their lead with VJC hot on their heels. VJC’s efforts finally paid off as they came within one point of NYJC at the crucial 23-22 mark. VJC then nullified NYJC’s lead when the latter deflected a VJC serve out of bounds. NYJC managed to gain an advantage but VJC quickly came back to bring the set into a deuce. The NYJC #12 earned the last two points for his team first with a block, before ending the set with a spike from the opposite corner.

The second set saw NYJC field their main players once again. However, they seemed like a far different team from their semi-final form as they saw VJC run off with the lead. Despite being able to make a come back and close the lead, they were unable to stop VJC from taking the set 25-23. The third set was a straightforward affair for NYJC as they ran off to lead 9-1 from the start. VJC had no answer to NYJC as the latter pulled ahead and were seemingly unstoppable. They quickly sealed the set in style 25-15.

The fourth set was a very different affair. VJC managed to command a slender lead, but they were only separated from NYJC by a hair’s breadth. From the 19-19 point mark, both teams found themselves level on several occasions right till the 24-24 mark. As NYJC managed to gain an advantage, the last point won certainly came as a surprise to both teams. As the VJC sent a powerful spike from the outside into NYJC’s court, it was Johner Tham (NYJC #5) who found himself at the receiving end. Caught off position, his reflex-action saw him deflected the ball back towards VJC. The ball seemed as if it woud go out of bounds, but call it a lucky shot, the ball clipped the line of the VJC court to be good, giving NYJC the final point.

Final score
25-20, 28-26, 21-25, 26-24

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