Alexa MarQuand helps Cambridge VC & Anglia Ruskin University serve up double win

Two successes on the road

Cambridge VC & Anglia Ruskin University made the most of a 700-mile road trip west to return with two wins in the Women’s National Volleyball League, Division One.

Their first stop was Cardiff Metropolitan University to take on Team South Wales.

Newcomer Jana-Fabienne Ebel made her first appearance for Cambridge, but it was South Wales that settled quickest and late in the set moved three points clear to win the set 25-22.

It was a different story in the second set as a couple of big aces from Jessika Vieira helped Cambridge go 11-1 clear. A couple of changes stablised South Wales, but Cambridge eventually won the set 25-18.

Ebel showed her power from the service line and some big hitting from Kinga Budzinska and Alexander Saryghin helped Cambridge lead 20-12, and they closed the set 25-14.

Charlotte Handford hit the points from the outside position in the fourth set to win the most valuable player award as Cambridge won 25-18, taking the overall victory 3-1.

The team then moved on to West Buckland School in Barnstaple to take on Beach Academy, a team Cambridge had lost heavily to twice in Division Two last season.

In the first set, Handford and Alexander Safryghin provided the firepower to give Cambridge a 25-20 win.

Beach Academy fought back in the second set to triumph 25-13.

An unforced error from the hosts with the scores tied at 28-28 allowed Cambridge the chance to win the third set 30-28 but Beach Academy responded to win the fourth 25-18 to take it to a decider.

It was a race to 15, and the set started evenly until eventual MVP Alexa Le Marquand got to the service line to fire down some unreturnable serves.

Cambridge opened up a five-point lead, and went on to take the set 15-8, and the match 3-2.