Antwerp Volley Cup : Sint-Janskring Herentals – VCHH 2–3
‘After the gala match against Tongeren in the context of the Beker van, which was lost with 1 – 3 figures, and the following debacle against Geel, which resulted in a clear 0 – 3 figures in competition, VC Heist Delhaize Herenthout was given the opportunity to to rehabilitate in the Antwerp Cup against the Sint-Janskring Herentals, which are two series lower.
Sint-Jan, who basically had nothing to lose, gets a bonus of 4 points in each set and somewhat surprisingly kept this bonus until 8 – 4, helped by Herenthout’s own mistakes.
With 13 – 6, the ladies of VCHH are clearly being tricked by the home team. Joke Van Don every against her old teammates again on the appointment was met hard and good attacks.
However, the signal for the home team to break the game at 16 – 15 and what followed immediately was a killblock from Nore Noyen and ace from Tessa Van Den Dries, who set up a solid service series, which Sint Jan immediately faced 16 – 20.
The chronicle of an announced set loss for the home team, who saw the first set slip through the fingers with a clear 17 – 25.
Sint-Janskring was able to empty the cups fairly quickly and immediately took the first three points in the next set and a little later the 8 – 2 was on the scoreboard.
VCHH slowly nibbled at the deficit and softened to 12-9, eventually a successful attack by Herentals took the wind out of the visitors’ sails and the home team ran back to 14-9.
After this, Sint-Jan continued with the momentum and the VCHH pressed the hard facts with an 18 – 10 score that could not be called undeserved.
At 20 – 12 the water was at the visitors’ lips, but to ensure heavy storage pressure caused by Sint Jan took a time-out 20 – 19.
The interruption of the game was not good for VCHH, because Herentals steamed into the final phase of the set via 23 – 20 and with 24 – 22 the first set ball also turned out to be the right one, because Sint-Janskring pulled the longest at 25 – 22 and set the 1 – 1 in set position on the scoreboard.
After this optater leek VC Heist Delhaize Herenthout was shaken awake because with 8 – 6 the pre-gift had already been halved in the third set. Sint Jans, however, fought back fiercely until 11 – 7, when everything had to be redone.
Sofie Peeters served the weak spot in the defense of the home team and brought the studs alongside with 11 – 10 and at 12 – 12 the plates were again in balance.
The lights went out with the visiting team, even out of misunderstandings, the 18 – 14 for Herentals was issued and this score put VC Heist Delhaize Herenthout under considerable pressure in this phase.
The orange points, however, are tight and with a 19 – 17 to 2 points from Sint Jan, despite everything, the three points go back to Herentals.
At 23 – 18 leeks lost the set to VCHH and a little later the hard 25 – 20 was reality. VCHH with their backs against the wall and with a 2 – 1 set score also threatened an early exit in this cup adventure.
Set 4 finally started VCHH as it should and at 8 – 8 the score was even. The studs press firmly through the wake-up call from the previous set loss and at 9 – 12 Sint-Jans grabbed a time-out.
This move brought solace given that the home side managed to get closer to 12-13. Not this time and with strong and safe attacks the ladies of the Herenthout fanion team fought their way to a 13 – 18.
With 15 – 20, the visitors have the best cards and the set was coolly finished with 18 – 25 and with the short decision ahead, VCHH could count the best passengers. An early deficit in the fifth set could be like a toothache.
Nevertheless, a pass from Herentals limited to 2 points, VCH broke down sourly and with a missed start in the fifth set, 6 – 2 the gap was almost closed.
This was besides the fighting spirit that finally ignited at Herenthout who blasted to a 7 – 7 and developed a little later with 7 – 8 to the side change.
An 8 – 11 score made Sint-Janskring waver and eventually a brave and deservingly fighting home team de Herenthout won with 11 – 15 set.
Next up in this cup adventure is Oxaco, a visible one that called VCHH a few years ago in the cup story. Herenthout is with these planned plans.
The next competition match will be the home match against Datavoc Tongeren on Saturday 13/11 at 5 pm in ‘t Kapelleke Herenthout.’