LAST year Jersey lost all four volleyball inter-insulars.

This year, at Haute Vallée School on Saturday afternoon, they won three, lost one and, for the first time since 1981, finally won the women’s A-team trophy.

Their only defeat could have been avoided, too, according to JVA president, Paul Adamson; but the men’s A-team were fully stretched by a Guernsey side who dominated the match early on, and eventually took the final game 15-8.

After last year’s whitewash, Adamson was in no mood to be down: ‘The women’s result was tremendous,’ he said.

‘It was a real team performance as Jersey went two games down before they came back strongly, at a time when we could visibly see Guernsey tiring.

‘Playing both in the men’s league and also in the South-West seems to have made a difference.

‘Our main setter, Nikki Appleton had a really good game; so, too, did Jo Dodsley who, afterwards, said: ‘at long last we’ve finally beaten Guernsey so now I can retire! But really, it was an all round solid performance.’ In a much more thoughtful mood ladies’ team coach Peter Cadiou said: ‘The A-team deserved to win because this was a solid, consistent performance – and Dave Sutton deserves mention for getting the girls really fit for this inter-insular.

He’s really upped the tempo, and all of his hard work has really paid off.

‘After going two games ahead, before losing 3-2, I think that the Guernsey team were shell-shocked.

After this, I’m really looking forward to seeing how well the women’s team can do in the Island Games.’ So, for the first time in 26 years, the women’s A-team have been able to take the trophy back home.

Sadly, the men’s A-team will have to wait for at least another year to do the same thing, although Adamson was philosophical in defeat.

‘When it goes to a five-set match, and when both teams play in a similar style, you’re looking for lucky chances in your final game,’ he said.

‘Even so, I felt that we could have won the very first game.

We pulled back from 21-17 down to 25-all before we lost it, 27-25.

We then won the second set, quite comfortably.

If we’d gone into the third game 2-0 up, who knows what the final score might have been.’ Instead of that Guernsey easily won the fifth and final set, despite good play by setter Marcin Migas, Mick Toal and Dan Noding, at No 4.

And Jersey’s defeat was no reflection on their potential ability to do well in the Island Games in just over a month’s time.

‘Compared to last year’s results, to win three of the four inter-insulars, I’m over the moon,’ said Adamson.

‘Although I would have liked this to have been a Jersey whitewash.’ In the men’s B-team competition, Andy Lewis led the way, comfortably, as captain, ably assisted by Damian Spencer, while Chantal Coram, Lucy Sparks and Deidre de Rue were prominent in the women’s B-teams’ performance – both sides winning their own inter-insulars by three games to nil.

‘Do you know that Chantal’s serving was so powerful, that she won 12 points in a row with flat, hard, out of the world serves that no-one could have dealt with?’ asked Adamson.

‘So, we’ve now come to three wins out of four.

Of course I’m delighted.

Depending on the draw, let’s see how well Jersey can do in the next Island Games.’ Ladies B: Jersey bt Guernsey 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-21).

Men’s B: Jersey bt Guernsey 3-0 (25–8, 25-14.

25-14).

Ladies A: Jersey bt Guernsey 3-2 (21-25, 25-27, 25-18, 25-21, 15-8).

Men’s A: Guernsey bt Jersey 3:2 (27-25, 22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 15-9).