Mahindra Australian Volleyball Super League | Round 6 Preview
With just one round separating teams from the Mahindra Australian Volleyball Super League Finals Series, the final matches of the regular season are sure to pack a punch this weekend.
Round 6 will see Canberra Heat, Adelaide Storm, Melbourne Vipers and NSW Phoenix go head-to-head on what will be a Super Saturday of action, while Perth Steel and Queensland Pirates take a well-deserved break having all but guaranteed both their Men’s and Women’s teams a spot in the Finals.
SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER
Canberra Heat v Adelaide Storm
Mouat St, Lyneham, ACT
3pm AEST/2:30pm ACST | YouTube
2023 Semi Final Results
Men: Adelaide Storm d Canberra Heat 3:0 (18-10, 21-19, 18-10)
2023 Round 4 Results
Men: Adelaide Storm d Canberra Heat 4:1 (18-11, 18-10, 18-12, 18-6, 15-18)
Women: Adelaide Storm d Canberra Heat 4:1 (18-12, 18-12, 18-11, 18-5, 16-18)
After meeting in last year’s Men’s semi-final, the Canberra Heat and Adelaide Storm will once again go head-to-head in the Mahindra Australian Volleyball Super League.
With a Finals Spot unachievable for the Canberra Heat this season, this weekend’s games will be all about redemption for the host side. As well as aiming to knock the confidence of the Adelaide Storm, a win for Canberra could put a dent in the Storm’s 2024 aspirations.
Not a team that is easy to intimidate, Adelaide will leave nothing on the court in their quest to compete in a home-town Finals Series. Currently third on the Mahindra Australian Volleyball Super League standings, another win for the South Australian side could see them climb the ladder even higher, an important advantage come next weekend.
In the Women’s competition, the competition will be tense, with Canberra Heat’s facing a must-win proposition if they are to extend their season.
Currently in fifth, just eight points behind fourth, the Heat will aim to use their home-town advantage to seal the win, with previous league Team of the Week players Kayla Cantrill, Khiani Dodd and Mali Towers looking to combine on the court.
With their Finals berth already locked in, this weekend’s game will act as a chance to stretch the legs for the Storm, currently positioned second on the ladder. Despite their finals berth safely locked in, the visiting team won’t leave anything to chance, with a win likely to rocket the team to the top of the standings.
SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER
Melbourne Vipers v NSW Phoenix
MSAC Arena, Albert Park, VIC
5pm AEST | SBS On Demand
2023 Round 6 Results
Men: Melbourne Vipers d NSW Phoenix 3:2 (11-18, 18-13, 16-18, 18-14, 18-15)
Women: Melbourne Vipers d NSW Phoenix 5:0 (18-17, 18-10, 18-10, 18-12, 18-13)
Victoria will play host to two big games on Saturday evening, with the clash between the Melbourne Vipers and NSW Phoenix sure to turn heads.
Both in with a Finals Series chance in 2024, the final game of the Regular Season in the Men’s competition will see one team advance and one team miss out.
Planning to utilise big names and in-form players such as Paul Sanderson, Dylan Lucchesi and Darcy Cox, the Vipers will give their all on the court in an effort to confirm their ticket to Adelaide next week.
Also planning to bring their A-game to the court, the NSW are not to be discounted, with past Team of the Week players such as Robert Murdoch and Fraser Garrett hungry for that shot at the trophy.
While the Women’s NSW team are unable to book themselves a spot in the Finals Series next week, the Vipers will be keen to book their trip to Adelaide. Currently in fourth going into tomorrow’s game, a win would see their fate secured, while a loss could mean devastation.
Aiming to redeem themselves from their 2024 season, the Phoenix will come out fighting, looking to not only notch themselves some extra points but also get one back on the team who dominated them in the final Round of the 2023 season.
