To the Essex Sports Arena! …once again on Sunday. Our weekend has effectively been out-sourced to the Rebs, with the basketball double header on Saturday, and then the same again for volleyball on Sunday.
Ah yes. Volleyball. Don’t diss it. Especially so when you have elite teams playing just up the road at the University at a state of the art facility.
The University is doing a great job in continuing to grow the sporting offer, combined with academic study. It’s a major cultural shift away from the social science model that was present during my time at Wivenhoe Park. I think it’s one for the better…
There was a decent crowd for the two volleyball games on Sunday afternoon. First up was the Rebels men Vs London Giants. The visiting team were giants in every sense. This looked like it was going to be a one sided contest.
The first set went to the Giants. Any sense of appreciation towards their sporting abilities was soon forgotten once we saw the spit bucket placed in the corner of the court. No one likes to see that. Once seen, never forgotten. It kinda soiled the game for us.
The Rebs were more competitive in the second set, but still lost. The crowd continued to grow. SHOUT OUT to the Rebs basketball players who turned out to cheer on their volleyball counterparts. Once a Reb, always a Reb, etc.
We tried to follow the game, but it wasn’t always clear who has won the point. Volleyball isn’t as simple as you might think. Rebs were even stronger in the third, but went down 25-22, with the Giants walking away with a 3-0 set victory.
The women were up next. We hadn’t planned on staying around, with possible FA Cup action on the telly back at base. But BALLS to that. I bloody love watching live sport. We stuck around for the women who had a game against London Sideout.
The warm up ahead of the game involved plenty of rubber band stretches, plus one technique that basically involved throwing yourself at the floor. OUCH. I bet that bloody hurt.
The Rebs women were superb. There was some great team spirit for a game that involves a lot of bench warmers not seeing any action. A 3-0 set victory was secured.
