This article was originally published in the December print edition.
KCL Volleyball’s season is off to an exciting start with two wins from the mixed and women’s teams. KCL Volleyball’s mixed team (KCLMXVC) won their first game against UCL in a highly stressful yet rewarding five sets, where the two teams were almost neck and neck throughout, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats till the very last point.
Despite the initial first-game jitters, KCLMXVC capitalised on their talented female setter and multiple hard hitters who could easily bounce the ball, while also carefully filling any holes in their back-row defence to ultimately secure the win. The team’s winning streak continued in their next game against UAL, where they once again proved their prowess in another thrilling five sets.
“Our first game against UCL was very tough and hard-fought. Each of the five sets was close, but I think we really dug deep and pushed through for the win! I am very proud of our performance and happy we could start the season with a win against UCL. I also want to thank everyone who attended, bringing the amazing energy which definitely helped in our win.” – Joshua De Peralta, KCLMXVC Captain
Meanwhile, the Women’s team demolished Queen Mary in a quick and easy three-set game, barely giving their opponents any time to breathe, let alone score points. KCL’s strong offence and defence meant that they hardly let a ball drop on their side of the court. This made it very hard for QMUL to keep up, leaving them struggling to take the lead. The game ended in a 3-0 home court victory less than two weeks after their first practice as a team.
The Men’s team also put up a good fight against Sussex. Although they lost 3-2, it is clear that both teams gave the game their all.
“The main reason we lost was because of our mental communication on the court. It’s all great when we’re winning points and have momentum, but the moment a few points go badly, our players couldn’t properly recover and we spiralled further leading to the loss.” – Julian Beinat, KCLMVC Treasurer
Signs show a rising interest in volleyball at King’s as teams each got over one hundred applications this year – the highest number they have ever seen. After applicants fought for their spot on the roster in their highly competitive trials, KCL Volleyball is now ready for the season with a mix of returning players and fresh new faces.
According to the mixed team captain, Joshua De Peralta, an advantage this year’s mixed team has is depth – the ability to run new lineups while still being effective. Women’s social secretary Chloe Zhao shared that the teams are placing a larger emphasis on socials after games and training with the goal for the teams to blend more cohesively with each other, creating an enjoyable and open environment for all their athletes. The work the men’s, women’s and mixed social secretaries are putting in will help strengthen team chemistry both on and off the court.
Like nearly any sports team, all three KCL volleyball teams have high aspirations for the season – Men’s wants to make a push for promotion to BUCS Prem. All the teams are looking to win the Student Cup and be first in their respective leagues. However, their goals this year are not just limited to their success on the court.
“KCLWVC hopes to not only qualify and place well in both the Student Cup and within our BUCS pool, but also to create a team that can rely on each other on and off the court. We hope that aside from achieving our goal of winning and performing well this season, all members will also enjoy themselves, bond as friends and be more than just teammates. We also look forward to crushing UCL at Varsity this year!” – Chloe Zhao, KCLWVC Social Secretary
KCL Volleyball teams hold matches nearly every week, most of which are announced on their respective Instagram pages, @kclwvc, @kclmxvc and @kclmvc. The games are always a great pleasure to watch – the excitement of the rallies and the high-energy atmosphere, especially on their home court at Bacon’s College in Canada Water, are definitely worth watching. We wish KCL Volleyball the best in the upcoming season and look forward to watching more of their games in the future!
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