Scape Australian Volleyball Super League – Men’s Semi-Finals
A look at the men’s competition ladder of the Scape Australian Volleyball Super League would outline some early favourites for the semi-finals, however everything will be up for grabs on Saturday evening in Bendigo.
All matches will be streamed live via SBS On Demand.
Adelaide Storm (1) v Canberra Heat (4)
Red Energy Arena, Bendigo VIC
Saturday 16 September 5:30pm AEST / 5:00pm ACST / 3:30pm AWST
SBS On Demand
Road to the Finals
Adelaide Storm went into their final match of the season with an undefeated record, an impressive set for-and-against and importantly, a pair of bonus points. While they finished the season one loss behind the undefeated Steel, their set wins and bonus points saw them finish two points ahead of Perth to claim top spot on the ladder.
Canberra Heat went into the final match of the regular season knowing they had secured a finals place, but could avoid a clash with the table toppers with a pair of set wins. They managed to only claim the final set to finish in fourth with a 2-3 record. Canberra haven’t defeated any of the top four teams in 2023, however where there’s life there’s hope, and the Heat’s title defence continues into the final weekend of the competition.
This clash presents a rematch of last year’s final which went all the way to the fifth set before the Heat were crowned champions.
Last Meeting (Rd 4) Storm d Heat 5:0 (18-11, 18-10, 18-12, 18-6, 18-15)
The round four meeting between these two teams was one which really made the competition stand up and take notice of the Adelaide Storm. The home side were dominant on their way to a bonus point win, however the ultimate revenge would be eliminating Canberra from this year’s competition. The Heat on the other hand have history from last year’s final on their side and they will draw on that experience on Saturday.
Ones to watch
Adelaide pair Brendan Clewes and Nathan Roberts are the only two players in the men’s or women’s competition to appear in the Team of the Week three times, and their form has gone a long way to the Storm’s successful campaign. Likewise, the performances of Canberra libero Ben Middleton and setter Nic Borgeaud will go a long way to keeping the Heat in the contest on Saturday.
Perth Steel (2) v Melbourne Vipers (3)
Red Energy Arena, Bendigo VIC
Saturday 16 September – match will follow completion of Storm v Heat
SBS On Demand
Road to the Finals
Perth Steel are in the unlikely position of having finished the season undefeated but sitting in second position due to Adelaide’s superior bonus points. They enter the finals series in some serious form, with road-trip victories over the competition-leading Storm and defending champions Canberra Heat in less than 24 hours last weekend. Having been eliminated at this stage of the competition last year, Perth will be determined to go one step further in 2023.
Melbourne enter the semis having already improved their result from 2022 when they failed to make the final four. Their third-place position is par for their performances throughout the season, having beaten every team below them and lost to both teams above them on the competition ladder. A home Victorian crowd in Bendigo is sure to get behind the Vipers who came back from a 1:2 deficit last weekend against NSW to bring back-to-back winning form into the finals.
Last Meeting (Rd 3) Steel d Vipers 4:1 (18-13, 18-15, 18-16, 18-10, 11-18)
The round three clash between these two teams had a dramatic effect on the overall makeup of the competition ladder, though they would not know it at the time. The Steel darted to a 4:0 lead in Perth and a two-point winning margin in the final set would have delivered a perfect 11 points from the match. However the Vipers hit back to win the final set, denying Perth three competition points which ultimately could have seen them finish in first, while Melbourne finished the regular season a solitary point ahead of Canberra.
Ones to watch
The power of Tom Heptindstall, precision of Ryan Slater and the experience of Mexico’s 2016 Olympian Jose Martinez have been central to Perth Steel’s undefeated run into the finals. For the Vipers, opposite Shamsher Singh has been a standout, middle blocker Nick Boesten comes into the semis after a standout performance against NSW last weekend while Bendigo local Scott Johnson will be determined to put in a solid showing in front of family and friends.
