SA Volleyball League season-opener replays: Mt Lofty v Austral men’s league and reserves
Relive the epic SA Volleyball League season-opener between Austral and Mt Lofty now in our full match replay and action photos. Also watch all the drama from the earlier reserves clash.
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There is a spike in excitement levels among the state’s top volleyball players, as they prepare for a return normality this SA Volleyball League season.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE AUSTRAL V MT LOFTY RESERVES MEN REPLAY
Twelve months ago, many of the local competition’s stars were wondering if they would play at all due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although they did hit the court, the preparation was short with some teams struggling to fulfil their potential.
But the lead in to Saturday’s start of the men’s and women’s campaigns has been strong, with some players taking part in beach events over summer and others training with their clubs for the past six months.
Round one will be even more special as The Advertiser, The Messenger and Volleyball SA join forces to live stream two matches exclusively on advertiser.com.au.
The Austral versus Mt Lofty men’s reserves match kicks off the coverage from 12.30pm, before the clubs’ top tier men’s teams clash at 2.30pm.
It follows our exclusive broadcast of last year’s men’s and women’s top flight grand finals.
Austral men finished last season fifth and pass hitter Elliot King said making finals was a must for his side this time around.
“It’s refreshing for everyone that we’ve been able to have a bit more time to prepare for the season,” King said.
“Last year was obviously a difficult time for everyone and as a result our pre-season was cut quite short.
“This year it’s been quite consistent. We’ve got a good group of guys (and) a nice combination of older and younger players.
“In terms of a pre-season, it’s been very complete and probably the best prepared we’ve been in a long time.
“Given last year’s results, we are quite motivated to come out firing at the beginning of this year.
“With a more refined group and a more senior group than last year, we think we are a real chance at the very least of making finals, but also a real chance of being champion contenders.”
Mount Lofty, led by star man Sam Boehm, will look to go one better this season, after falling to Norwood in last year’s title decider.
The Bears will again be the team to beat, but the Tom Kroeger-coached USC Lion, third last year, and Elke Jarvis’ South Adelaide (fifth) will look for progress.
Henley (fourth) are also expected to be among the premiership contenders, after ending a long finals drought last campaign.
Hawks middle-blocker Lewis Whiley-Smith was anticipating another title tilt and tipped Jack Pearse – the 2020 rising star award winner – to have another big campaign.
“Last year was a bit up in the air and it was hard to find any rhythm in the pre-season,” Whiley-Smith said.
“But this year, we have put some good structures in place so we are coming in feeling really good and we are keen to get underway.
“We’ve got Jack Pearse, who is honestly a bit of a freak. He’s one of the most athletic people I’ve seen in my life.
“He looks so smooth on a volleyball court. He’s one of our main offensive weapons and is also a crucial part of our defence and service game as well.
“I think offence is going to be one of our weapons this year.
“We are a very tall team, so hitting that high point and blocking is going to be a feature of our team as well.”
The women’s competition is also set to be an intriguing battle for glory.
Henley’s American star Tiffany Matchett headlines the off-season recruits, after relocating to Adelaide last January, just before COVID shut down international flights.
She followed her partner Luke Jones, who is originally from SA, but played college football in the US.
Matchett previously played in the second strongest volleyball league in the US and was keen to test her talent in a different environment.
“I played at the NCAA Division Two level in college and I moved here with zero intentions of playing volleyball, because I didn’t know high level volleyball existed here,” Matchett said.
“But then I started coaching Flinders Uni last year and that brought me to start playing again, so I got picked up by the coaches at Henley.
“I love the sport and it has been a huge part of my life.
“I feel like I got so lucky to play again and I just love the team.
“I would love to be able to experience a winning season with the girls.”
Matchett and Henley will open their campaign against last year’s third-ranked side, Norwood.
Defending champion, USC Lion, will hope gun Rebecca Reeve can inspire back-to-back success, while South, under coach Nathan Roberts, will be keen to move on from its 2020 grand final loss.
Mt Lofty, fourth last season, takes on Austral (fifth) in a round-one meeting of sides looking for improvement.
Kelly van der Linde, who is returning to the court for Austral after a few years off, was keen to mentor her younger teammates coming through the ranks.
“Last year during COVID it wasn’t really in my interest to have such an up and down season,” van der Linde, formally a Norwood player, said.
“So this year, I was really hoping we’d be able to play a normal season.
“I am really looking forward to it and excited to be playing for Austral to change it up a bit.”
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