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Some things are… just… inevitable. With both AAA and A wins in the bag, and a AA final poised at one set-a-piece, there was always a feeling that the third was coming. When it eventually did, it ensured a clean sweep of divisions.

Evie and Talia win AAA

It was their first tournament together since the National Youth Championships almost a year earlier, but it had no effect on the strength of this pairing. A win over Warriors Sara and Annina 18-13, 18-13 in their first pool game, was followed by a win over Peterlin/Piovesan 18-12, 18-11.

An excruciatingly close loss to regular finalists Schaw/Slawuta 13-18, 19-17, 14-16, meant the girls would cross over against pool B table-toppers Pattermann/Tromp for a chance to make a AAA final.

A first set that swung back and forth as often as a branch in the wind, ended with Evie and Talia scraping out on top 25-23. Although they lost the second set 16-18, the almost neverending rallies throughout seemed to have galvanised the girls, while simultaneously cutting the energy of their opponents; Evie and Talia winning their third set comfortably 15-5.

A shock loss in the other semi, meant the girls would face fellow hustlers Moehl/Pan in a grand final which would see one of these pairs winning AAA for the first time.

Evie and Talia pushed through in a tight first set 18-16, before handing a few early errors to their opponents who, you could say, took advantage… streaking out to a 16-1 lead, which turned into an 18-3 set score. An absolute slaughter that shook the two 17-year olds, and prompted a 5-1 deficit early in the third. But a brilliant side-out by Evie, followed by a run of ace serves from Talia, pushed a belief that saw the girls roll on through the gears.They didn’t slow down upon drawing level, winners 9 of 10 points to overtake and eventually win 15-11.

Evie and Talia… AAA winners!

Emma and Gemma win AA!

Roll back the history books about two weeks… or one round, and as you scroll through the results, you’ll spot Emma and Gemma – division A winners! One event later, they’ve not just moved up a division… but, you’ll note in those very same history books, that they’ve actually won it! Yep, ‘A’ division in round 5, ‘AA’ division winners in round 6…

They didn’t do it easy… of the two teams who got out of the pool, both contested the final. Emma and Gemma had to defeat AA mainstays Fenton/Roth (18-12,18-14), Mahon/Stolwijk (18-12,16-18, 15-13) and former VBVA alumni Nankivell/Lethlean (15-18, 18-12, 15-12) in order to reach the semi’s. At which point, they were able to dismantle another solid AA pairing in Jackson/Boehringer (18-12, 18-10).

Their final opponents Georgia Nankivell and Bonnie Lethlean, who they had beaten in the pool rounds, had just come through a tough quarter-final against Mia and her partner, before dispatching more VBVA crew members, Lulu and Cat in the semi-finals.

That extra game seemed to have tampered with the VBVA alumni; Emma and Gemma blitzing them 18-5 in the opening set. But and fightback from Nankivell/Lethlean in the second, helped by a few errors from the girls, saw a rather comfortable reverse 12-18. The final set moved from advantage Emma/Gemma, to Nankivell/Lethlean taking control… before finally breaking on the back of consecutive good plays from the current crew; Emma and Gemma winning 15-13.

Emma and Gemma AA winners!

Hillary and Hannah win A!

Hillary and Hannah had a point to prove… they too should be competing in AA. The previous round, they had lost a close ‘A’ final to Emma and Gemma, and were witnessing the girls push through to a AA final. Take the next step, win the division and step up into AA for round 7… that was the plan. And they did it!

Competing against what seemed like a never ending flow of fellow VBVA crew, the girls pushed through to a final where, you guessed it, they faced more VBVA crew. Emily and Kayla, on the back of a quick win in their semi, were unfortunately unable to deal with Hillary and Hannah, who powered through 15-7, 15-6 to win the division, and push their claim for a AA birth inthe next round.

Hillary and Hannah A winners!

Well done to the whole crew…