Rutherford clinched victory over Bill Mo in the semi finals of IMS volleyball with a nervy 47-46 win.
The gravity of the game was evident from the beginning, with both teams conducting an intense and thorough warm-up; clearly this was a game which both teams were desperate to win.
Rutherford’s physical size was clearly going to be a positive factor; however, Bill Mo’s set faces and fantastic array of Hawaiian shorts were clearly a match, and with this in mind the game began.
The first half was an evenly matched affair with both sides making clumsy errors due to nerves, and an early substitution from Bill Mo highlighted the strain the players were under to produce a good result.
Communication seemed to be an issue for both sides in the first half with numerous near-misses between players of the same team, in desperation to reach the ball. However, with some excellent play at the net, Rutherford managed to pull out a lead with the score being 27-21 by the end of the first half.
After the break Bill Mo came out strong, and coupled with Rutherford’s improved communication made for an extremely entertaining second half. Rutherford quickly picked up momentum and began to pull clear of the opposition, however the prospect of an easy victory proved to be too much for the side and with renewed determination Bill Mo began to bridge the gap and begin an almost phenomenal comeback.
The match now became a race against the clock with Rutherford desperately trying to hold on to their increasingly narrow lead under the gathering might of the Bill Mo side. However, for Bill Mo it was a case of just a little too late with the final whistle blowing with the score at an incredibly close 47-46 to Rutherford.
Thomas Roe, of the victorious side, said of the match, “It was a tough game, and we had to dig deep, but we stuck to our guns and got the win.”
