Volleyball: Local teams a national force

Alice Bain is one of only five members from last year's national champion Tauranga women's team to return this year.Photo/File

Tauranga women's volleyball teams appear to be building nicely ahead of the Division One Nationals to be held in the city in late August.

All three Tauranga club teams are still in the hunt for a place at the national tournament booked for ASB Arena.

The defending national champion "A" team, fresh from a five-set loss to Mauao (25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 25-18, 17-15) and a straight sets victory over Hamilton (25-20, 25-13, 31-29), sit in second spot on the ladder behind North Harbour.

Mauao sits one spot back in third in a league in which five of the nine teams are seriously competing for four automatic qualifications for the Division One Nationals.

Sides will play their final two round robin matches in Hamilton on the weekend, at which point the top four will contest a double round robin to determine seedings for the 12-team tournament while the rest fight it out for two remaining spots.

Both the "B" and "C" teams have made the top four of the Midlands League, so will contest the qualifying tournament to compete in the nationals in coming weeks.

Tauranga women's coach Stewart Henderson said the pressure was on the top team to retain the national title at home despite only five of the players - New Zealand captain Lisa Claassen, Alice Bain, Harriet McAdam, Stephanie Pierce and Kim Weirsma - having played for the top team last year.

"I feel we are progressing as a team after losing a number of players from last year's team," Henderson said.

"There is a nice blend of youth and experience and the more we play the top teams the more we will improve."

Newcomers include former Otumoetai College and Scorpions middle player Casey Freed, US scholarship player Beniece Douch and Danni Price.

New Zealand Junior Women's and Otumoetai College players Kelcy Ballantyne and Kahla Tyson are taking their first steps in the league alongside schoolmate and Emily Farron, with US-bound scholarship players Amy Hunter and Ella Duggan filling in when necessary.