Right: Monbulk College’s victorious Victorian Volleyball Schools Cup Open Girls team, front from left, Brooke, Jacqui, coach Craig Smith, Nikki and Claire; back, from left: Jodie, Katrina, Susannah, Kate, Melanie and Lucy.The college’s successful U16 team, front from left, Jackson, Mitchell, coach Michael Hyett, Brayden and Jason; back, from left: Dylan, Sam, Corey, who won most valuable player, Thomas and Andrew.
By Paul Pickering
MONBULK College has claimed a stirring underdog victory in the Victorian Volleyball Schools Cup to be crowned state champions in the Open Girls’ and Under 16 Boys’ divisions.
Coach Craig Smith last week described the satisfaction of upsetting the overwhelming favourite Haileybury College in a dramatic five-set Open Girls’ final on Sunday, 14 October.
“(Haileybury) had five junior Australian team players, so on paper they looked over the line,” Smith said.
“But our girls had a lot of spirit and we just played out of our skin all weekend.”
Last year, Haileybury controversially poached several elite volleyballers from government schools – including Upwey High School – in a bid to mount an assault on the national titles.
The strategy was widely condemned by other schools, who this year threw their support behind Monbulk in the final.
Having slain the dragon of school volleyball, Smith was keen to declare the win a victory of justice.
“It was a win for the small, hard-working school versus the school that tried to buy the premiership,” he said.
“There were schools there that had lost players to Haileybury and they were really behind our team.”
Strangely, one of the schools that was cheering for Monbulk was local powerhouse Upwey, who the Monbulk girls defeated in the semi-final.
Smith, though, was not surprised by the support.
“There’s a good rivalry there (with Upwey), but they lost two players to Haileybury, so a lot of people were very glad we got up.”
Despite the loss in the Open Girls’ competition, Upwey managed to win the overall title from Bendigo’s Girton Grammar, with Monbulk coming third.
While Smith was reluctant to single out individual stars, he lavished praise on his captain Nikki Bishop, who was named runner-up in divisional MVP award.
“She works harder than any kid around the place,” he said.
“She missed out on Victorian team selection but I thought she was clearly the best player of the tournament.”
Monbulk’s U16 boys premiers were led by Corey Archer, who Smith said looks destined for a national team call-up after taking out the MVP title.
Smith was also keen to acknowledge the loyal contributions of a group of five former students who have volunteered their expertise this year.
“It’s so difficult competing against private schools that are putting a lot of money into their programs and offering scholarships,” he said.
“But the emphasis of our program is on sport and ethics, and that ethos is part of what makes us successful.”
Smith’s group now have their sights set on the Nationals in Melbourne in December.
