Last weekend the WA Steel hosted Round 1 of the 2019 Australian Volleyball League. The action went down at Warwick Stadium, where the WA Steel Men & Women each had two opportunities to compete against the Canberra Heat, unfortunately dropping all four matches.
The women were reminded yet again of how solid and consistent the Heat are, proving to be just as strong as they were during the 2018 AVL Bronze Medal Match. With a very new and young team in 2019, the women certainly exceeded their expectations and proved their competitiveness in the league, going down in four very close sets in both games. In the first match, scores were 23-25, 20-25, 25-20 and 18-25. In the second match, scores were 21-25, 20-25, 25-23 and 20-25.
The men suffered a similar fate, losing the first match in four sets and the second match in five. Each and every set was a fight from both teams, providing great entertainment for our WA fans. On Day 1 the men went down 21-25, 25-18, 19-25, 21-25. Day 2 was a nail-biter, with the Steel fighting back in a close 27-25 fourth set and taking it to the fifth. Unfortunately they didn’t finish the job and dropped the last set 8-15.
Men’s Co-Captain, Kable Monck expressed his happiness with the small victories from the weekend. “Coming into the first round against the Heat, we knew we were in for a couple of tough matches against some quality opposition. While it was unfortunate not to come away with a win, I was proud of the way the boys played, in particular our juniors who really stepped up. We were all pleased with how we played in the second match and coming back in the fourth set.”
This season is Kable’s ninth year with Western Australia’s AVL team. More commonly known as “Monkey”, he has been a key member of the men’s leadership group over the years, stepping into the Co-Captain role this season. His position on the court says a lot about what kind of person he is. As a setter, Kable is the mastermind behind the team’s offense. This means you not only have to be quick and a good leader, but you also have to be smart. When Kable isn’t crafting up offensive plays for the WA Steel, he is developing software for his career and creating videos games in his spare time. He is the calm, cool and collected leader you want to be on the court with.
This weekend the WA Steel travel to Sydney to play the UTSSU Shield in Round 2, and leadership is exactly what both teams will need.
Feeling optimistic, Kable mentioned his expectations for the weekend. “Going into the next round we are quietly confident, but we know it won’t be easy with a few changes to our line-up and a few senior players unable to travel. It will be a great opportunity to get more players on the court and really show the depth of our squad. Hopefully we can come back home on Sunday with two wins under our belt!”
Below is the WA schedule for Round 2:
Saturday 26th at 5:00pm – WA Steel Women vs UTSSU Shield
Saturday 26th at 7:00pm – WA Steel Men vs UTSSU Shield
Sunday 27th at 10:30am – WA Steel Women vs UTSSU Shield
Sunday 27th at 12:30pm – WA Steel Men vs UTSSU Shield
To stay up to date on the Volleyball WA Steel and their 2019 AVL campaign, follow them on Instagram and Facebook (@vwasteel) and head to avl.org.au.
Photo Credit: Joel 20-10 Photography