The 2022/23 season left the team hungry for more competition and higher level volleyball. This is when we collectively made the decision to enter into the National Cup.
Our first game was away against Weymouth Waves. This was also our first official game of the season meaning we had a slow start but after two sets that had a lot of mistakes we entered the third set looking to secure the win. In true Storm fashion we rose to the occasion and won the set comfortably with Rudy serving 18 in a row. The next game was away against Bristol volleyball cub. This game was very controlled and we won comfortably 3-0 to move onto the next round.
Now this is where it gets interesting, as a team we had a choice at the beginning of the season. Either we loose a game in rounds one or two and get put into the shield or we win all our games and then go head to head with a super league team in round three. At this point in time we thought that if we lost in Round 3 we would be out of the cup and the shield until next year. As a team we voted unanimously to face a super league team, showing our desire to improve by any means necessary. Even if that meant being out of the competition. We went head to head with Richmond Docklands and sadly lost 3-0, this was a big learning curve for us as a team and showed us the next level we needed to achieve. Thinking that we were out of the competition we reflected on our loss to Richmond and started to concentrate on the league. Later that month we received information that we were in fact in the shield and still in for a chance to win.
This lead to our next game home against South Hants. This game was very different from the previous, we were up against a very new and very young team, it was a good opportunity to breath and give advice to newer players. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to have a friendly set after the game and get to know the other team. Strangely enough for the next game we were up to Bristol Volleyball Club for the second time. As before we came with composure and managed to win 3-1 against a stronger Bristol team than earlier in the year.
Next we were up to London to play London Aces. For many this was the most emotional and treasured game of the year. We fought hard as a team and it could have gone either way, both teams playing at a very high and proving that both were meant to be there. After a long battle it was 2-2 going into the fifth set, both teams feeling the pressure and rising to the occasion. After a very intense set we came out on top and proceeded to the next round.
The challenges only kept coming in the quarter finals as we faced Team SideOut at home. This was another very intense game with a lot to play for, both sides desperate to move onto the semi finals. We played some very high level volleyball and proceeded to win the first two sets, we then conceded the third and moved onto the fourth. Narrowly we won and progressed to the semi finals as to the delight of the many friends and family who came to watch and support us.
There was only one obstacle in the way to the final, this obstacle was the London Premier League winners team Squad. We went up to London again for another very close match against a very tough team. We put up a good fight and played on par with them for a lot of the final two sets but unfortunately lost the game and lost the opportunity to go to the finals. This was the hardest match of the year not only because we put everything into the game but because we were so close to our goal. Tears were shed from many members of the team and supporters as we watched squad celebrating, it was a tough pill to swallow but the better team won.
We had come so far in a competition where the original goal was to gain experience and better ourselves as a team, never thinking we would come close to winning anything. That is why we took the loss with such a heavy heart and is also why we can’t wait to enter for next year!
