Watch the replay: SA Volleyball League men’s and women’s 2020 grand finals
USC Lion coach says the title win is his ‘most proudest’ moment in a decade-long coaching career, while Norwood stops Mt Lofty’s three-peat in the men’s grand final. WATCH the replays here.
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USC Lion coach Grant Mutton says coaching his team to a Volleyball SA League women’s premiership is the proudest moment in his 10-year coaching career.
After a sluggish start and losing the first set (25-23), Lion proved too strong for South Adelaide in the title decider on Saturday.
They went on to win the next three sets 25-22, 25-13 and 25-13 at the Mt Lofty Community Sports Centre.
The match was exclusively live streamed by The Advertiser and you can catch the replay in the video above.
Mutton, who was in his first season coaching USC Lion’s league women’s team, the side to its first title win since 2014.
He said COVID-19 made the campaign, which almost did not go ahead due to the pandemic, difficult but was proud of how his players handled it.
“It’s honestly one of my proudest achievements,” Mutton said.
“It’s my first year coaching the league women’s team after coaching the reserves last year.
“With everything that’s been happening this year, it’s been a challenging time for all the clubs.
“But the work we’ve all put in to get us to this point just made it that much sweeter.
“I’m just really, really proud.”
Mutton said he was nervous after the first set but believed his players increased their “service pressure” which was the catalyst for the victory.
“Towards the end of that first set, I think everyone started to feel a bit more comfortable with the environment and being in the final,” Mutton said.
“I thought after that we finally got into our groove a bit.
“In the third and fourth set, our service pressure as really, really intense and stopped them from being able to get their offence going that they did in the first set.”
Stephanie Wheeler, who made the transition to indoor volleyball from beach this season, won the medal for best-on-court.
Mutton said Wheeler’s medal win was well deserved.
“Steph was one of the people who would’ve been overseas this year if it wasn’t for corona,” Mutton said.
“Her playing for us was a surprise when we started our season.
“But she took to indoor volleyball really well for someone who’s spent their whole life playing beach, it’s usually a really tough transition.
“She has been one of the most dominant female players I’ve ever seen in all my years playing and coaching.”
Meanwhile, in the men’s match, which was also live streamed by The Advertiser, Norwood halted Mt Lofty in its quest for a three-peat grand final victory.
In a thrilling, five-set match, the Bears prevailed 3-2 after claiming the fifth set 15-10.
The fifth set is played to 15 rather than 25, like the first four.
First-year Norwood coach Mehrdad Mehranpour said he was pleased with his players’ fight.
“I’m very excited,” Mehranpour said post-game.
“This is my first season as the head coach.
“I am really happy and I want to say thank you to my players.
“You did very well because we played a lot of tough games (this year) and you fought for every single point.”
Mt Lofty Rangers coach Derek Slater was proud of his team and believed it would be back bigger and stronger in 2021.
“I’ve seen what we’ve got coming through in the next couple of years and we aren’t going anywhere,” Slater said.
“From last year’s premiership team to lose seven of our starting line-up and to get back here today shows a lot of character about this group and where we are heading in the next few years.
“Boys, I’m really proud of you despite the result.”
Mt Lofty star Jordan Colotti won the medal for best-on-court.
Colotti was one of many global talents to have returned home to play for their local clubs this season, with the coronavirus pandemic restricting international travel and forcing many competitions to be cancelled.
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