Pictured from left - Top Row, Mark Robinson (coach), Nick Wright (captain), Alan Workman, David Hamilton, Shingo Gima, Mark Bailie, Harry Gilliland; Bottom Row, Louis Javler, Olaf Sunnotel, Quillermo Bruyel Mayo, Chris Grant, Stephan Keiss.
University of Ulster volleyball stars are celebrating this week after the the Northern Ireland Universities’ men’s team - which fielded seven players from the University – hit out for a gold medal success in the British Universities Home Nations Volleyball Championships.
Big hitting from Alan Workman, Nick Wright (former Craigavon Aztecs) and David Hamilton (Craigavon Aztecs) powered the Northern Ireland team to their first ever BUSA Home Nations win.
The first game in the championship was against England whom Northern Ireland had not beaten in over 10 years. The NI team had to play at the top of their game to overcome the English 2-0, winning by only 2 points in each of the sets (25-23, 27-25).
Later the same day the Northern Ireland team faced the Welsh Universities team who overcame the NI team 2-1 (25-15, 11-25, 15-13). Serving errors and a lack of block was the downfall of the NI team in the first set losing 25-15. The NI team seemed to have got their act together in the second set winning comfortably 25-11, but although the local men took an early lead in the decisive third set, Wales eventually ran out 15-13 winners.
But a Scottish 2-0 victory over the Welsh meant that Northern Ireland could take gold if they could beat the Scots by a similar margin in their final game. NI Coach Mark Robinson fielded the same team that had beaten England in the first match.
Northern Ireland started the game on fire with two stuff blocks from Northern Ireland senior international David Hamilton and the result never looked in doubt with Northern Ireland running out comfortable 2-0 winners (25-18, 25-19).
