Caitlin Tuagalu from Tauranga Girls' College serves against Otumoetai College at the BOP Secondary School volleyball champs at ASB Arena. Photo/Andrew Warner
Western Bay of Plenty schools had mixed fortunes at the Bay of Plenty secondary school volleyball champs at ASB Arena yesterday.
The defending national champion, Otumoetai College girls, came up against a determined Mount Maunganui outfit before prevailing in four tense sets, while on the adjacent court the Mount boys
were unable to overcome the sheer athleticism of a razor-sharp Western Heights High School side in another four-setter.
The girls' final was the first underway, with Otumoetai getting off to what has become a typically slow start against their pumped-up rivals from across the bridge.
The Mount girls led 11-10 midway through the first frame before falling 25-21, but then snatched back the momentum with an impressive 25-23 performance in the second set.
The third and fourth sets followed a similar pattern, with the deeper, more experienced Otumoetai athletes claiming the title with 25-22 and 25-21 scores, respectively.
