Scape Australian Volleyball Super League – Women’s Semi-Finals
Fifteen regular season matches have confirmed the top four women’s teams in the 2023 Scape Australian Volleyball Super League, with Saturday’s showdowns set to determine our finalists.
The first clash features a rematch from just one week ago while the second sees the 2022 Australian Volleyball League Champions continue their title defence.
All matches will be streamed live via SBS On Demand.
Perth Steel (1) v Adelaide Storm (4)
Red Energy Arena, Bendigo VIC
Saturday 16 September 1:30pm AEST / 1:00pm ACST / 11:30pm AWST
SBS On Demand
Road to the Finals
Perth Steel finished the home-or-away season as the top-ranked team, just one point ahead of the Queensland Pirates and two ahead of Melbourne Vipers. They entered last weekend with a 2-1 record but had a near-perfect road trip in Adelaide and Canberra to claim top spot.
Adelaide Storm entered the last week of competition in second position with a 2-2 record but dropped to fourth after their loss to the Steel. Ironically, it was their semi-final opponent’s dominant performance last Sunday in Canberra which enabled the Storm to book their ticket to Bendigo.
The Steel’s only loss came back in round one against NSW Phoenix, while Storm’s three losses have come against each of the other three semi-finalists.
Last Meeting (Rd 5) Perth Steel d Adelaide Storm 4:1 (18-13, 16-18, 18-17, 18-3, 18-15)
This match was a far more even affair than the scoreboard tells, with the result hanging in the balance on the 35th point of the third set. However when the Steel edged ahead, the momentum swung and a 15-point winning margin in the fourth launched them on the path to an all-important bonus point.
Ones to watch
Perth middle blocker Elysse Hislop’s battle with Volleyroo Beth Carey was a feature of the Steel’s win and whoever comes out on top on Saturday will go a long way to determining the winner. Denae Walters and Danusia Sipa Borgeaud have been two of the dominant liberos in the League, while Shelby Maher (Perth) and Rebecca Reeve (Adelaide) have been measures of consistency this season.
Queensland Pirates (2) v Melbourne Vipers (3)
Red Energy Arena, Bendigo VIC
Saturday 16 September – match will follow completion of Steel v Storm
SBS On Demand
Road to the Finals
Melbourne Vipers come into the finals in a rich vein of form, having won nine of their last 10 sets of volleyball. They come into the semis with an identical sets for-and-against record as the Steel and Pirates (16-9), however Melbourne find themselves in third position care of fewer bonus points.
Last Meeting (Rd 4) Vipers d Pirates 4:1 (18-12, 18-15, 18-17, 18-13, 5-18)
The final set of the Vipers-Pirates round four match had a dramatic effect on the make-up of the finals. After four sets, the Vipers were on track for a big win and possibly a bonus point. However, the defending champions regrouped to salvage a bonus point. Two points for a fifth set win and potentially another for a bonus point could have seen the Vipers ultimately finish on top of the ladder. The result exacted some retribution from the Pirates taking down the Vipers in last year’s semi-final, but a rematch in the final four this year is the result Melbourne will be targeting most.
Ones to watch
Melbourne hitters Jemma Stokes and Emalini Tolefoa have been a tower of strength not only throughout the competition, but particularly in the last two weeks. Vipers libero Rochelle Sison-Lim has been a regular selection in the Team of the Week, while the return of opposite Emma Burton from Volleyroos duty will give the Pirates a massive boost.
