North Zone B Div Vball: Xinmin retain title after beating Punggol to finish top of table

Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall, Monday, February 20, 2012 — Xinmin Secondary successfully defended their crown after beating Punggol Secondary 2-1 (22-25, 25-17, 26-24) to finish top of the table at the North Zone B Division Boys’ Volleyball Championship. Xinmin finish off as double champions after their girls’ team won the girls’ final earlier on.

Played in a round-robin format, Xinmin end the competition with 16 points from six wins out of as many matches played. Punggol Secondary end up third with 14 points from four wins and two losses. Yishun Town Secondary, who staged a surprise win over Punggol Secondary earlier in the season finish in second place with 15 points from five wins and one loss.

Xinmin scored a total of 52 points with 37 kills, 13 blocks and two service aces. Punggol on the other hand scored 43 points with 34 kills and eight blocks. Xinmin outside spiker Kevin Sia (#3) was the match top scorer with 20 points from 18 kills, one block and one service ace. Punggol did not fare too badly as well with spikers Melson (#7) and Augustine (#8) scoring 16 points and 15 points respectively.

Punggol started the first set on a good note as they took the early lead. Spiker Augustine (#8) terrorised the Xinmin defense with his powerful spikes, scoring a total of six kills in the set. Xinmin on the other hand found it hard to settle in as their attacks could not break past the Punggol defense.

Two timeouts by Xinmin at the 10-5 and 16-8 mark provided no respite as Punggol continued with the lead.

However, a sudden lapse saw Xinmin quickly bring themselves back into the game as Punggol made several hit errors. A timeout by Punggol at the 20-16 mark could not stop Xinmin’s advances as the latter were soon one point away to trail 19-20.

Augustine (Punggol #8) managed to prevent Xinmin from evening out the odds as he increased Punggol’s lead after catching Xinmin off guard with a spike he forced past the net.

Xinmin were unable to catchup, and had to watch on as Punggol took set point after Kevin (Xinmin #3) committed a line fault. Punggol then sealed the set after Augustine (Punggol #8) successfully stuffed out Kevin’s (Xinmin #3) spike.

Xinmin managed to lead 5-1 in the second set only for Punggol to level the score 6-6. Xinmin were not perturbed by this and quickly blitzed ahead to leave Punggol in their wake. Punggol had a disastrous second set as they committed 11 hit errors and three unforced errors to give Xinmin the advantage.

A timeout by Punggol at the 17-9 mark could not do much as Xinmin continued on to take set point. Despite Punggol managing to take several points subsequently, the score gap was too big to overcome as Xinmin sealed the set 25-17.

The deciding set was a tough close one as both teams found themselves tied at the 6-point, 7-point, 9-point and 10-point marks. Xinmin then managed to run off with the lead only for Punggol to close in 17-17.

It was another stalemate as the teams continued to be tied point for point right till the 20-point mark.

From there, Xinmin pulled a fast one over Punggol and managed to take a slender lead, prompting Punggol to call a timeout at the 23-21 mark.

Xinmin were unstoppable in the next rally as Ming Hwee (Xinmin #7) sent a spike out of Punggol’s reach to take set point.

However, Punggol were not going down easy and held off Xinmin for two consecutive set points. They then brought themselves back into the game and deuced the set 24-24 after Augustine (Punggol #8) forced a touch-out off the Xinmin block.

Timothy (Xinmin #13) subsequently took the lead for Xinmin again with a quick ball from the centre, and it was Ming Hwee (Xinmin #7) who won the last point as he fired off a service ace which Punggol deflected out of bounds.

Final score
Xinmin 2 Punggol 1
22-25, 25-17, 26-24

Xinmin vs Punggol - Match Statistics

Final group standings [Teams who win by a scoreline of 2-0 are awarded 3 points. Those who win 2-1 are awarded 2 points while their opponents are awarded 1 point]

For more photos, go to the next page.