Beach Volleyball: Rain fails dampen high spirits

Beach volleyballers returned to the sand on Wednesday night with the four-a-side competition attracting a mix of old and new players.

Wet weather prevented Monday’s competition opener in the two-a-side competition.

However, a slight shower did not prevent Wednesday’s games.

In the A-grade, last year’s premiers Setsationals took on Busselton football players, the Purple Cobras.

The Sets, using all their volleyball skills, took out the opening set by six points.

In an exciting and tight second set, the Cobras edged out their opponents by two points As they became more adept in the skills of volleyball, the young Cobras proved too strong for the Sets in the third set.

They started to use their height and jumping ability to dominate the net and ran away with the final set.

The Cobras’ best was Jake Nolan, a gifted footballer who on one occasion used his head to win a strong point.

Dale Andrews impressed with some sensational spikes for the set.

Glen Chinnery led a well-organised Sets on the Beach to dominate an undermanned three-woman outfit in Setting Ducks, who with one less player became Sitting Ducks.

The Beachies used their skill to find the gap that the Ducks were unable to cover.

Karen Burrell worked hard for the Ducks and hopefully in future games will be backed by the fourth player to be strong competition in the A-grade.

Big Digs came from a set down to defeat Extra Smooth. With Alex “Hurricane” Higgins and guest player Joan Strikwerda-Brown, the Smoothies looked a well-oiled combination in the opening set.

However, once the Diggers found their feet and were led by newcomer Scott Arthurs, they had a comprehensive second set win by 13 points.

Although closer in the third set, the Diggers were able to run out winners by five points.

In the social competition Connect 5 did look all at sea against Kiss My Ace.

With another footballers taking to the sand in Michael Biagioni, the Acers were superb in the first set, winning by 11 points.

The second set was a sensational one as the Connectors started to find their feet and put a lot of pressure on the Acers.

They were able to win the set by the narrowest of margins of one point.

This lifted the team and with Sam Hegney leading the way, the Connectors ran all over their opponents winning the final set by eight points.

It was cousin versus cousin in the match between Diggers and Block Party.

Beau Chinnery was outstanding for the Diggers but his cousin Shannon Pross decided to counter attack and this paid off for the Blockers as they won the opening two sets.

The Diggers won the final set by an impressive seven points.

It was another case of young footballers taking to the beach as the Dream Team took on an international flavoured Young Guns.

With Ollie Ryan showing his skill backed up by some good footballers, the Dreamers narrowly won the opening set by two points and then the second by four points.

Luzanne Van Diest showed the way for the Gunners though and looked like defeating the star-studded Dreamers in the final set.

But in almost total darkness, the Dreamers stood tall in the dying minutes to win the third set 24-22.

Results: Four-a-side: A-grade: Purple Cobras d Setsational 15-21, 21-19, 21-13 (J Nolan, R Andrews); Sets on the Beach d Setting Ducks 21-5, 21-7, 21-15 (G Chinnery, K Burrell); Big Digs d Extra Smooth 17-21, 21-8, 21-16 (S Arthurs, A Higgins). Social: Connect 5 d Kiss My Ace 10-21, 21-20, 21- 13 (S Hegney, M Biagoni); Block Party d Diggers 21-16, 21-19, 14-21 (S Pross, B Chinnery); The Dream Team d Young Guns 21-19, 21-17, 24-22 (O Ryan, L Van Diest).