VOLLEYBALL

National ‘A’ Division Girls Final
Anderson Junior College vs Hwa Chong Institution
Wednesday, 16 May 2007, at Toa Payoh Sports Hall

The following article is from a Red Sports reader, Joseph Chin, a student from Anderson Junior College.  Thanks, Joseph!

AJC’s Michelle Heng (no.2) and Chan Xue Shuang (no.17) try to defend an attack in the Final.  © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Finally it’s all over. Although AJC’s double dream were shattered, it is in the spirit of sportsmanship that I pen down my thoughts for the finals.

HCI have been quite formidable, and though our AJC girls were able to make a fight out of it, their superior players soon outsmarted ours. A pity that we didn’t get to nick a set from them. Any final has an equal emphasis on mental resolve and skills, and I must say that AJC tried to save the game but their frayed nerves caused more anxiety and even more errors.

NYJC and AJC boys were equally matched, and I liked the bright start of AJC. Unfortunately the opponents then sneaked past loophole after loophole, and the worst thing about opponents winning two consecutive sets is that they will hungrily try to close up the match, and even as we tried to chase back, it was too tall an order.

I don’t wish to put the blame on anyone, and I know they have tried their best. All teams have an equal hunger and desire to succeed, and there’s no dispute about that. But in the final, sometimes the team with more desire to try their best will more likely win as they try to capitalise on their opponent’s loopholes. Devastated I may be, but congratulations to all the teams and all the winners (in one way or another).