Volleyball: National League-Champs Neo Boyz, OSC Comets get ready for top-flight action |13 October 2010

Neo Boyz needed a win to secure the men’s second division title and they came out in full force last Saturday at the Palais des Sports to sweep aside main rivals La Digue 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-16) in 57 minutes of play to finish the season with 34 points after 11 wins and a loss in the three-round league.

Coach François Magloire told Sports Nation that although the level of play is higher and competition tougher in the top flight, his team are ready for a go at the first division league title.
 
“We are going to the first division to challenge all the teams, and our main objective is to win the league title,” said coach Magloire.

He added that they will recruit some young players to bolster their team for next season, but in the meantime, they want to win the men’s division two cup competition which starts this weekend.

In two other men’s bottom division matches, runners-up La Digue struggled to beat second-from-bottom Cadets 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 11-25, 25-19, 16-14), and tailenders Juniors edged Cadets 3-2 (25-21, 16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12).

Women’s division two champs OSC Comets

OSC Comets had already wrapped up the women’s division two title before playing former first division champions St Louis Bombers in their last match last Sunday, winning 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-14) in 54 minutes.

Coached by Antoine Lafortune, OSC Comets have finished unbeaten in 12 games for a maximum 36 points.

Derrick Andrew will be the team’s head coach next year and he has said that they will recruit some young players who have gone through the cadet and junior ranks to have a stronger team.

“This will help us build a strong team as we want to give a good performance,” said coach Andrew, who has worked with Friends and Cascade in the past.

Roots Sisters and Island Girls have finished the season tied on 30 points after nine wins and three defeats apiece, and they both earned 3-0 wins over the weekend.

Island Girls beat United Sisters 25-22, 25-19 and 25-15, and Roots Sisters defeated Mont Fleuri 25-17, 25-11 and 25-23.

With a superior set score difference of +18 (29 for and 11 against), Port Glaud-based Roots Sisters have finished as runners-up, while Island Girls, made up of some former Seychelles internationals, have to settle for third place with a set score difference of +10 (27 for and 17 against).

In the women’s division one, first-time champions Friends made sure of ending the league unbeaten, winning their 10th game on a 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-14) score against last year’s second division winners Santa West, who have finished ahead of La Digue in the final standings.

In the other women’s top-flight match, 2009 champions Cascade consolidated second position with a 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21) 97-minute win against 14-time champions Arsu, whose third-place finish is probably their worst in almost 17 years.

Meanwhile, undermanned Beau Vallon spoilt men’s division one champions Premium Spikers’ party with an impressive 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-23) win.

Although the two teams have finished equal on points – 32 – Premium Spikers have won the championship thanks to their superior set score difference of +25 (32 for and 7 against) compared to Beau Vallon’s +20 (33 for and 13 against).

Beau Vallon could regret losing a second-round fixture 2-3 to BSA Spikers as a win would have let them dethrone Premium Spikers, whose 2010 title is their sixth.

Racing Club finished third with 24 points after beating relegated Anse Royale 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-19).

The following are the final league tables in all four divisions

Men’s division one

TEAMS                         P          W         L        SF        SA        PTS

Premium Spikers           12         10         2          32         7          32

Beau Vallon                  12         10         2          33         13         32

Racing Club                  12         6          6           23         23         24

BSA Spikers                 12         3          9          13         32         17

Anse Royale                 12         1          11         8          34         14

Women’s division one

TEAMS                         P          W         L          SF        SA        PTS

Friends                         10         10         0          30         2          30

Cascade                       10         8          2          25         8          26

Arsu                             10         6          4          21         12         21

BSA Sisters                  10         3          7          10         22         16

Santa West                   10         3          7          10         23         16

La Digue                       10         0          10         1          30         9

Men’s division two

TEAMS                         P          W         L          SF        SA        PTS

Neo Boyz                      12         11         1          35         9          34

La Digue                       12         10         2          32         16         32

Outsiders                      12         6          6          26         21         24

Cadets                         12         2          10         12         33         16

Juniors                         12         1          11         9          35         14

Women’s division two

TEAMS                         P          W         L          SF        SA        PTS

OSC Comets                 12         12         0          36         3          36

Roots Sisters                12         9          3          29         11         30

Island Girls                    12         9          3          27         17         30

St Louis Bombers         12         5          7          21         21         22

Mont Fleuri                    12         4          8          18         26         20

United Sisters               12         3          9          10         28         17

Anse Royale secondary 12         0          12         1          36         11

G. G.