Vipers Women Strike Down the Storm

The Adelaide Storm sought revenge against the Melbourne Vipers in what was the 2022 Bronze Medal rematch, under the completely new Scape Australian Volleyball Super League (Scape AVSL) format. Last year, the Vipers won Bronze against the Storm in 4 sets and this time, the Vipers held true to form winning their Round 1 match 4-1 (18-14, 13-18, 18-14, 18-17, 18-17).

The Storm found their groove early in the second set thanks to captain Beth Carey’s dominance at the net at both ends, helping them to an early 11-7 lead. The Vipers called for their POWERPLAY which helped them draw level, but it was Carey’s monster blocks on Vipers’ star Jemma Stokes which helped pushed the Storm out to a 18-13 set win.

Vipers Captain Rochelle Sison helped her team regroup ahead of the third set and the team looked up to the experienced libero who was phenomenal in defense throughout the match. Megan Runacres in her Vipers debut impressed while Storm had some strong performances from Danusia Sipa Borgeaud, Stef Weiler and Rebecca Reeve. Vipers back-up Libero Mikalyah Faltyn proved crucial, subbing on in a defensive role effectively giving the Vipers two elite passers in defense.

The Melbourne Vipers won 8 Championship points for their 4 set victories while the Adelaide Storm qualify for their bonus point, staying within 10 points of the eventual winners, giving them a total of 3 Championship points. The Melbourne Vipers and Adelaide Storm rivalry will no doubt continue as both teams now reset ahead of their respective Round 2 match-ups. Could we see both teams face each other again for another medal this season? Time will tell but after tonight’s match, we’re excited to see what finals will have in store for us come September!