Seychelles Volleyball Federation (SVF) Cup finals-Marielle Bonne towers over Cascade, Beau Vallon sweep titles |06 November 2007
Marielle Bonne, the ‘bomber’
It was left to the youngest player on the court Marielle Bonne to win the match for Arsu and the 16-year-old, who has polished skills for a player her age, handled the pressure just
With the set score tied at two all and Cascade boasting a seven-point advantage (11-4) in the fifth and decisive set, Teryl Songoire, who had been re-introduced into the match after being substituted by veteran Bessie Volcy at the start of the second set, sent her strong services into the opponents’ half of the court. Unable to get their attack going, Cascade were made to pay cash for their mistakes.
Arsu’s international setter Marille Finesse did well to feed ‘bomber’ Marielle Bonne who had been rather silent for most of the first four sets. Daughter of Seychelles and Arsu captain Jerina Bonne, Marielle Bonne, who is earning the reputation as Seychelles’ next volleyball star, did not disappoint her seniors on the Arsu team, beating the Cascade blocks and sending her cross-court attacks right into the heart of their backcourt defence.
After Songoire sent her sixth service straight into the net, giving Cascade a three-point advantage (12-9), Arsu did not drop their guards. Instead, they equalised at 13-13 and from then on it was a give-and-take affair.
A strong contender for this year’s female volleyballer of the year title, Marielle Bonne, a ferocious attacker with good leaping ability, strength and amazing quickness, was again counted on by the whole Arsu team to score valuable points with the game on the line and she was up to the task as they won the nail-biting set 21-19 after 20 minutes of play.
Having played volleyball for almost the whole day last Friday when her school team Anse Royale won the girls’ School Cup by defeating Praslin in the final, Marielle Bonne had this to say to Sports Nation:
“I’m a fighter and I hate to lose. Had I lost today’s (Sunday’s) match I would have cried like I always do when my team lose a match. I’m a winner and I dedicate this win to our coach (Julien Onezime) who is away.”
As for Cascade’s skipper, Seychelles international Annie Appassamy, who did not play at her usual high level and was twice substituted in Sunday’s defeat – something the attacker has probably never experienced before for both club and country - she said:
“My teammates did not take their responsibilities and lost concentration when leading 11-4 in the fifth set. As a result, we allowed Arsu back into the match and being an experienced team, they (Arsu) made the most of the opportunity. In the end, it was a question of luck and victory went Arsu’s way. We have to congratulate them for their win.”
Won by Arsu to stop outgoing winners Cascade from making it a hat-trick of wins, the match lasted 107 minutes and the set scores were 24-26, 25-19, 25-13, 21-25 and 21-19.
Marielle Bonne’s impressive play was the silver lining for defending five-time Indian Ocean Club Championship (IOCC) winners Arsu in a season when they won four of five titles in local competitions - Women’s Division One League, SVF Shield, Women’s Division One Land Marine Cup and SVF Cup. The only title they did not win was the Curtain-raiser which is in Cascade’s possession.
Beau Vallon sweep all titles
Relying on Jean-Paul Mellie, Bernard Bijoux and Guilly Bijoux for most of their points, Beau Vallon mesmerised Premium Spikers on the way to a 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15) win in 74 minutes of play.
Although both Premium Spikers and Beau Vallon have lost their star players – Rodney Ah-
Without main attacker Alison Alcindor who was in the stands, the Spikers failed in their bid to win the SVF Cup for a third year in a row.
Still without the services of Seychelles international Kishnan Chetty who is recuperating after a knee operation, Beau Vallon seem to have lost none of their mettle, going for a sweep this season, winning all four local competitions - Men’s Division One League, SVF Shield, Men’s Division One Land Marine Cup, Curtain-raiser tournament and SVF Cup.
“Apart from the second set when we lost concentration and Premium Spikers played well to win, it was an easy win overall for us,” said Beau Vallon’s player/coach Jude Preira.
As for Premium Spikers’ coach Bernard Denis, he said that “my players’ morale ain’t good at the moment. There are some international problems on the team that are making life difficult for the players. We are also not certain of participating in the forthcoming IOCC in Mauritius.”
At the end of the men’s match, National Sports Council Chief Executive Officer Alain Volcère and SVF chairman Jude Florentine presented the cups to the winning teams and runners-up of the different competitions organized this year.
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2007 Hall of Fame
Women’s Division Two League: BSA Sisters (winners), Roots Sisters (runners-up)
Men’s Division Two League: Outsiders (winners), Juniors (runners-up)
Women’s Division Two Land Marine Cup: BSA Sisters (winners), Santa West (runners-up)
Men’s Division Two Land Marine Cup: Outsiders (winners), Juniors (runners-up)
Women’s Division One League: Arsu (winners), Cascade (runners-up)
Men’s Division One League: Beau Vallon (winners), Premium Spikers (runners-up)
Women’s Division One Land Marine Cup: Arsu (winners), SMB (runners-up)
Men’s Division One Land Marine Cup: Beau Vallon (winners), Premium Spikers (runners-up)
Women’s SVF Shield: Arsu (winners), Cascade (runners-up)
Men’s SVF Shield: Beau Vallon (winners), Premium Spikers (runners-up)
Women’s Curtain-raiser tournament: Cascade (winners), Arsu (runners-up)
Men’s Curtain-raiser tournament: Beau Vallon (winners), Premium Spikers (runners-up)
Women’s SVF Cup: Arsu (winners), Cascade (runners-up)
Men’s SVF Cup: Beau Vallon (winners), Premium Spikers (runners-up)
G. G.