Sports Training Village hosts national volleyball finals
Top-flight volleyball action comes to the University of Bath this weekend when the Sports Training Village hosts the finals of Volleyball England’s National Cup.
Hundreds of spectators are expected at the Sports Training Village for the climax of the annual National Cup competitions, which will see eight finals played out over two days.
Several players with strong Team Bath links will be in action during the weekend, which is the indoor six-a-side version of the sport rather than outdoor beach volleyball variant.
Morph Bowes, assistant director of volleyball and a teaching fellow at the University of Bath, plays in the big men’s final on Saturday. He is a member of the London Malory team that are looking to complete a league and cup double after winning division one of the National Volleyball League this season.
University of Bath Sports Performance student Rachel Turner features in the big women’s final, also on Saturday. She is a member of the Polonia Ladies team that takes-on Sheffield in the Women’s Cup final.
The action gets underway at 10am on Saturday (26th April) with the Men’s Shield final, when Loughborough Students take-on Plymouth Activate.
It is followed by the Women’s Cup final, when Polonia Ladies face the University of London – the side that despatched Wessex-TeamBath in the semis.
The Men’s Cup final follows at 3pm, when London Malory, last season’s runners-up, play Sheffield, the team that finished second in division one this season. London Malory went down 1-3 to London Docklands in last year’s final.
Day one of the finals concludes with the Women’s Shield final, when Tameside play Ashcombe.
The second day of action gets undeway at 10am on Sunday (27th April) when Madeley Newcastle Staffs play Ashcombe in the Under-16s Girls final. Ashcombe will be aiming to go one step better than last year, when they finished runners-up to Tameside A.
The Under-16 Boys final is next up, when defending championships Boswells School play Ernest Bevin College.
2.30pm sees reigning champions Tameside face Ashcombe in the Women’s Under-18 final.
The action draws to a close with the Men’s Under-18 final, when Boswells School face Wessex in a repeat of last year’s final. Wessex won that encounter 3-2.
Tickets for Saturday’s play cost just £5 for adults and £3 for concessions, while adults’ tickets cost £3 on Sunday and concessions go free. Tickets are available from the Sports Training Village reception.
On Saturday there wll be a ‘come and try it’ beach volleyball session for people aged 10 to 16. For further details please click here.
Meanwhile, the Wessex-Team Bath women’s team have won the National Volleyball League Women’s Division One – the top flight of national women’s volleyball. The side won 15 of their 18 fixtures to top the table with 48 points – giving them a four-point winning margin over second placed City of Wolverhampton.
The University of Bath is home to Great Britain’s beach volleyball squad. The top GB pairing of Lucy Boulton and Denise Johns will soon embark on the Swatch-FIVB World Tour in a bid to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
The University of Bath has one of the leading university sports departments in the UK. Under its Team Bath brand, its success is based on the expertise and dedication of staff, and its excellent facilities, used by the community and Olympic medal winners alike.
Members of the media who require further information can contact the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 383518 or see the Team Bath website.
