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World Volley Expo XVI [Everything]

A battle ground for the sportsmen and women of nations worldwide. [In character]

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Banija
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Postby Banija » Tue Oct 29, 2024 6:31 am

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World Volley Expo- Banijans improve to 8-0-0 as Matong Sports enjoys quality TV ratings


VILARME, NORTH OHARAN VALLEY UNION- The Lionesses have continued their spectacular start at the World Volley Expo, as they are now the last unbeaten team at the tournament- winning 8 matches from 8 in the group stages of this tournament. The schedule has been backloaded, yes, but the Lionesses have been consistent against every team that they've played- which has allowed them to reach 8-0, only losing three sets throughout the entire tournament so far. The Lionesses have continued their historic volleyball success in the Olympics and brought it to this tournament, showcasing their skillset against all comers here in the North Oharan Valley Union. We have firmly established ourselves as legitimate contenders to win the big trophy at the end of the tournament, and have already punched our ticket directly to the quarterfinals- not having to deal with the Play-in Round.

On Matchday 8, the Lionesses faced their toughest test yet- a game against the host nation, at the PayCheck Dome. The home fans really turned out and, quite obviously, dominated the crowd- the chants were loud, and they were consistent- the fans trying to drive their favorite players to victory. But the Lionesses were ready for it- even if they loved the atmosphere. "The fans were fantastic- knowledgeable, loud, and positive." Said the starting Libero and team captain, Jainaba Condé. "A hell of an environment- it's the type of environment why the WVE is being held here to begin with." Yes, indeed it is. But the team had to buckle down- don't get intimidated, simply put your head down and go to work. And that's exactly what we did.

They came out quickly- the hosts scoring the first four points of the opening set. The HC used her first timeout early, knowing her players were a little rattled. But they calmed down, and really got to playing. They were able to rally in that first set, and earn a 25-19 victory. It was the second set that was the best one- back and forth, both teams playing at an extremely high level. However, a stellar block by Awa Camara (who's still in college!) in a 25-25 game was able to set up the victory for Banija. We got the serve back, and a pair of spikes, by the team's youngest player, Ndey Ouattara (who's just 18 years old!), were able to get Banija the two points they needed to win that set, 27-25. That game drained the life out of the hosts for a relatively simple win in the third set.

The team has one more match left- Baker Park is on the docket for Matchday 9. It's a huge matchup for the two nations- no less a prize than the winner finishing on top of Group A. "It's going to be a spectacular match." The Banijan HC said. "We're rivals in so many sports- obviously, not that long ago, Banija and BP just played in a Final at the World Lacrosse Championships. For us to draw on that rivalry in this sport- it's great for our nations, it's great for the sport."

Matong Sports, the broadcaster for the tournament in Banija, is particularly excited. When Banijan Public TV didn't make a bid for the broadcast rights for this tournament, Matong Sports got it. It was expected to be relatively minor- they got the rights from volleyball authorities at a cut rate price. And Banija's opening three games even were simply streamed, not shown on TV. But as the team kept winning, demand got higher to watch the team- and Matong Sports put Matchdays 4 & 5 on its premium channels- and now, since MD6, all of Banija's games have been shown on its basic cable channel. Baker Park's and Quebec's games, as well, have been shown on its premium TV channels- while the rest of the tournament is available via its streaming services. Their massive game on Matchday 9, against Baker Park, will be shown on Matong Sport's over-the-air TV network that can be reached with simply an antenna- the first time ever non-Olympic volleyball has had that kind of reach in Banija.

"People said it was a risk for us to invest in volleyball- but we have seen success." Said the Matong Sports CEO. "Banijans love a winner, and this team's success has done wonders for this sport. But the support has always been there- tons of young women and girls play volleyball in Banija, and this is simply the opportunity to capitalize on that." The game will air live in primetime in Banija, the only primetime game, in the Banijan time zone, of the group stages.
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Archalit
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Postby Archalit » Tue Oct 29, 2024 10:03 pm

Chapter 3
Archalit vs Crpostran, Set 5

14-14

Archalit sports TV is live across the board with the game. It had been ever since the game went to its fifth set, and when The Jolliest Roger TV began airing it live. "Sail, pirates, sail!" read the headline sliding across the top of the screen. At 14-14, the game had come closer than anyone had ever thought it would. Crpostran, a team that wasn't even in the top half of the bracket, was putting up a monstrous fight against the Pirates.

"It's Crpostran to serve," the broadcaster said as the Crpostrani player tossed the ball into the air. A powerful swing sent the ball across the net and into the arms of Avhe. But rebounding and bouncing off into the crowd, "oh and it's an ace! The Crpostranians are at match point here against team Archalit here."

14-15
The Archalitian coach Jaja Udo can be seen yelling something at the team. His words cannot be made out on the stream, but you can tell he's being serious, a tense glow over his face. "It's match point, but the Archalitian team are not ones to give up just yet. Euphymes in the front row, Valdez in the front row, this team is ready to come back here." The ball once again flies through the air from the Crpostrani server, this time reaching Trasz Erekou's arms. "A great reception there by Erekou," the caster said as the ball bounced into the air for Valdez to set. "And Euphymes," they say as Rosea Euphymes jumps into the air. The ball reaches her apex from Valdez's sheer precision as she slams the ball into the opposing side. The enemy blockers didn't even react. "Oh! What a way to break through here."

15-15
"Evrir with the ball now. A phenomenal server in the Pirate league." Tossing the ball up, Drioldrian Evrir hit a quick floater to the opposite side. A lousy reception by the Crpostrani and an overly careful second touch meant the ball was coming back over to the Archalitians. "A great serve there from Evrir and the Crpostranians are just gonna struggle to handle it," the caster said. The players' cries could barely be made out through the screen, but their expressions were clear. Avhe made space to receive the ball to Valdez. Valdez jumped up to set. "Wow!" the caster yelled. "Amazing kill by Valdez," he said after Valdez, faking a set, hit the ball across the net. "Very clever play. That puts Archalit to match point and it's an incredible comeback so far."

16-15
"The question on everyone's mind now is: can the Crpostranians prolong this game?" At this point, over 120 million viewers were watching the game live across dozens of channels including official live streaming hosts, a record-breaking statistic for Archalitian broadcasting. "Evrir sends it across." The ball flies through the air, a powerful spin serve that lands powerfully in the Crpostrani libero's arms. Popping up, the Crpostrani setter volleyed the ball to the hitter who slammed it down. Rosea Euphymes barely recovered it and sent the ball back up. Despite the shaky recovery, Valdez was able to comfortably get under the ball and...

It's like you could hear Erekou yelling "pipe." It seemed so obvious in hindsight that he would hit it, yet when he soared through the air, meeting the ball set by Valdez, it flew past every one of the Crpostranians and onto the other side. The whistle blew. "Oh thats ridiculous!" The caster yelled with a mixture of awe and excitement. "That is an absolutely ridiculous way to end the game. What a way to end it by the young player." The cheers from the Archalitians, to not only scrape by this game, but to put themselves in position to top the group, were loud.
Last edited by Archalit on Tue Oct 29, 2024 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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North Oharan Valley Union
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Founded: Jun 13, 2024
Moralistic Democracy

Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Wed Oct 30, 2024 3:04 pm

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Timestamp: 30 October 2024 - 21h59
Tags: Volleyball, World Volley Expo XVI





The Seventh Man
How the fan support could decide the outcome of the final group game


A solid victory over Safiloa had assured the spot in the play-ins but after a revealing defeat against Banija, both feet were solidly grounded back on earth again. Not that the Yellow Foxes did not perform well: especially the second set showed their capacity to compete with the world’s best teams. A perfect smash from Gjertsen had brought them within a point of a 1-1 but when Ilyasev received the chance to grab the set, he found Camara on his way. Young gem Ouattara pushed the Lionesses to the 2-0 and our team could not avoid inflating. The Banijans kept their murderous pace up while our six discovered the limits to their ability. The concluding applause from the home audience was warm and well-meant but it could not hide the painful 14-25 in the final set.

This third loss for the Foxes ensures that the pressure remains on for the concluding game of the group phase. StrayaRoos, one of the more experienced opponents, might lack the consistency to challenge for the group win but at their best, they are an interesting candidate for the quarters. Both us and them will turn out for the play-ins, but final positions could play a vital role for the draw and the remainder of the tournament. Rest assured that once again, hundreds of thousands of Oharese will tune in to NOC7, the public network that assured themselves of the rights for the NT games. The rights to the other games are covered on the open channels of Energy and OSC, private players on the market and get decent market penetration ratings but of course nothing beats the figures drawn by the Foxes. For the Banija game, the official figures claimed 1.4 million viewers (on a population of 6.2 million) but the efforts to organize communal watch parties in town centers and pubs made some estimate that more than one in three Oharese saw the match live.

A few thousand of them will turn out again in the PayCheck Dome for the final chapter of the group phase. The audience had initially been slightly hesitant to take up its role but this has been replaced by vigorous support for the team of Marts Laubergs. With its pace, the sport offers opportunities for chanting and rather organically, a few pockets of crowd leaders have developed themselves. It is a phenomenon quite often observed from volley supporters in our nation, to have a ‘capo’ who organizes the way to get behind the team but this is generally in consultation and with the approving seal of the club. For the NT, this was missing but two groups have grown that take up this role. One, positioned along the sideline, seems focussed on getting the typical volley chants going. ‘A-C-E, A-C-E, oh let it be an A-C-E’ and ‘Boom! Here comes the… Boom!’ They know their classics. A second pocket, recognisable for the face paint and flags, seems more nationalistically focused. It is something which remains controversial in our young state, where seven regions accepted the union with varying degrees of optimism but it is no surprise that especially in the Vilarme games (located in the de facto heart of the country) there are growing attempts to get the anthem going or chants which stand by the team. ‘We are the Oharese, (clap clap) the mighty Oharese, (clap clap) from north to south, we stand and shout (clap clap) from east to west, we are the best’ might not be the stuff to bag a literary laurel but it becomes stuck in the minds of anyone who visits a Yellow Foxes game and could quickly spread to other stands across our sporting universe. The lucky few who got themselves tickets for the StrayaRoos game better get the lyrics in the back of their head.

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Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Wed Oct 30, 2024 3:05 pm

The RP prompt for the next cut-off is as follows: with the group phase done, it is time for the knock-outs. Do or die and at those times, you need that lucky charm. Who or what is the lucky charm of your team? Maybe it is a player who is especially clutch? Or maybe a staff member who makes the difference when things get tough? There could be a ritual or a habit that they have that helps them drive the point home?

Group A

MD9

Natkr 25 30 25
Tero al Disco 19 28 22

Safiloa 25 23 23 25 15
Panay Islands and Guimaras 22 25 25 19 17

Banija 25 25 23 24 15
Commonwealth of Baker Park 10 18 25 26 12

StrayaRoos 26 25 27 17
North Oharan Valley Union 28 23 29 25

Natanians and Nosts 25 25 25
Bir Matras 23 14 21


Group A Pld W W- L- L PF PA PD Pts
1 Banija 9 8 1 0 0 27 5 +22 26 Q for QF
2 Commonwealth of Baker Park 9 7 1 1 0 26 6 +20 24 Q for QF
3 Panay Islands and Guimaras 9 4 2 2 1 23 14 +9 18 Q for PI
4 North Oharan Valley Union 9 5 1 0 3 19 15 +4 17 Q for PI
5 StrayaRoos 9 4 1 1 3 18 15 +3 15 Q for PI
6 Natanians and Nosts 9 3 2 0 4 17 17 0 13 Q for PI
7 Safiloa 9 2 0 2 5 13 22 -9 8
8 Bir Matras 9 1 1 1 6 10 23 -13 6
9 Natkr 9 1 0 2 5 8 24 −16 5
10 Tero al Disco 9 0 1 1 7 6 26 −20 3



Group B

MD9

HUElavia 29 23 28 25
Vaishnavaria 27 25 26 22

Maraonia 19 17 24
Abanhfleft 25 25 26

Crpostran 25 25 21 18 8
Calgasia 20 17 25 25 15

Hispinas 15 23 22
United Mandaran States 25 25 25

Bytonic 25 19 17 18
Archalit 17 25 25 25

Group B Pld W W- L+ L PF PA PD Pts
1 Archalit 6 5 3 1 0 26 13 +13 22 Q for QF
2 Abanhfleft 9 6 1 0 2 23 11 +12 20 Q for QF
3 Calgasia 9 4 2 3 0 24 14 +10 19 Q for PI
4 United Mandaran States 9 5 1 2 1 23 13 +10 19 Q for PI
5 Hispinas 9 2 4 1 2 21 18 +3 15 Q for PI
6 HUElavia 9 4 0 2 3 17 17 0 14 Q for PI
7 Crpostran 9 2 2 3 2 18 21 −3 13
8 Vaishnavaria 9 1 2 1 5 15 22 −7 8
9 Maraonia 9 1 0 2 6 11 25 −14 5
10 Bytonic 9 0 0 0 9 3 27 −24 0

*Tiebreaker for Calgasia & United Mandaran States was the H2H result. 3-2 for Calgasia.


Draw

For the play-ins

G1 Panay Islands and Guimaras vs HUElavia
G2 North Oharan Valley Union vs Hispinas
G3 StrayaRoos vs United Mandaran States
G4 Natanians and Nosts vs Calgasia

For the consolation bracket

G5 Safiloa vs Bytonic
G6 Bir Matras vs Maraonia
G7 Natkr vs Vaishnavaria
G8 Tero al Disco vs Crpostran

Quarterfinals

G9 Banija vs Winner G3
G12 Abanhfleft vs Winner G1
G10 Commonwealth of Baker Park vs Winner G4
G11 Archalit vs Winner G2

Consolation Bracket

G13 Loser G1 vs Winner G7
G15 Loser G3 vs Winner G5
G14 Loser G2 vs Winner G8
G16 Loser G4 vs Winner G6
Last edited by North Oharan Valley Union on Wed Oct 30, 2024 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Panay Islands and Guimaras
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Postby Panay Islands and Guimaras » Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:03 pm

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WE ARE IN PLAY-IN, BUT AT WHAT COST?
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Before the match, the players are kissing on the crucifix after a prayer for good luck as they go out on the arena to see their compatriots cheering for them. But the Safiloans are kicking up a notch against them, but the duo of Kyung and Ibarra made the Safiloans lost 2 of the sets they have, also Nísperos too. But the Safiloans take their own revenge at their star player's hands. Where they finally cracked the code against Kyung and Ibarra. Even though they're going to the consolation bracket, the Panayenses will play their hearts and soul against their fellow Latin nation, HUElavia. "We might lost to a consolation bracket team.", says Meñez. "But in play-in, we are gonna show what we are made for." The Eagles will face HUElavia in play-in to go to the quarterfinals in Vilarme.
Last edited by Panay Islands and Guimaras on Wed Oct 30, 2024 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Commonwealth of Baker Park
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Postby Commonwealth of Baker Park » Wed Oct 30, 2024 8:49 pm

Although the group phase of the World Volley Expo 16 ended on a down note with a 5 set loss to Banija—the only other unbeaten side at the tournament after eight matches—the Baker Park Volleyball Team will have a break from action as they qualified directly for the quarterfinals as a result of their top two finish.

The Lady Elks will face the winner of the Natanians & Nosts versus Calgasia play-in game, which pits the 6th placed team from Group A against the 3rd place side from Group B; N&N were Baker Parks' second opponent in the preliminaries, falling in three sets—one of a record six clean sweeps here—while Calgasia finished just behind Abanhfleft.

Coach Elizabeth Harper is optimistic about the knockout stage, the loss to Banija notwithstanding.
“They are a top class team and losing to them is no disgrace. We really didn't get off to a very good start in the first set but the effort over the final three frames was equal to the best we've played while here. I like our chances to progress through to the semis and from there it'll be a battle of wills.”

The tournament has drawn decent viewership number throughout on CommSports 2, with the same day delayed coverage in the 7pm window drawing about a 2.3 share of households, while the live late night coverage of the final two group matches against Safiloa and Banija drew around 2.0; the remaining tournament fixtures for BP will be shown live and again on replay, with Banija's knockout matches shown on same day delay.
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Banija
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Postby Banija » Fri Nov 01, 2024 8:57 am

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World Volley Expo- Banijans finish group stage unbeaten as they defeat Baker Park in the 'match of the tournament'


VILARME, NORTH OHARAN VALLEY UNION- "This matchup, this game- it was worthy of a Final." The Lionessess' head coach, Sukai Sejjala, told reporters after the fact. And indeed- it was. These were the top two teams in the tournament so far, neither team having suffered a loss before this game. It was a spectacular match from beginning to end- the drama of the sets, and the high skill levels of all the players involved, obviously having a highly entertaining match. The grit showed by the Baker Park team, in particular, was highly commended.

The Banijans started out strong and fast- dominating the first set, 25-10, and potentially sending a number of messages throughout the World Volley Expo. That the Banijans were here and ready to win. That even against the best of the best, that we elevate our game- not cower from competition. Baker Park fought back as well, in the second set, but the Banijans were able to keep their composure and rally, winning that set 25-18. Could the Banijans turn on the sweep against the Commonwealth? Would that make us overwhelming favorites to win this thing? But while Baker Park started slow, they were able to battle back- and they clawed, tooth and nail, to get back into this. The Banijans seemingly had them in the third set, leading 23-19, on the brink of a sweep. But BP battled back, got the serve back, and then rallied for 6 consecutive points- a backbreaking rally that can swing the momentum of a game.

That elite finish allowed them to get off to a quick start in the fourth set, one that we could never really come all the way back from, as they won once again, 26-24. A do-or-die final set, just to 15- exactly what the TV execs hoped and prayed for. And that one was extremely close as well. However, we were able to dig a little deeper, and claw our way to victory there. "These types of close games- these are the types of games that you have to win in the knockout stages." Sejjala told reporters. "It is great that we've played this match- we know what to expect, we will be ready as the tournament moves to the high-pressure KO phase." The Banijans have a bye. The staff will attend the Bir Matras v. Maraonia match in person, as the Banijans will face the winner in the Quarterfinal. A Banija v. Baker Park rematch is possible in the Final- can both teams make it happen?
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North Oharan Valley Union
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Moralistic Democracy

Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Fri Nov 01, 2024 2:51 pm

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Timestamp: 1 November 2024 - 21h51
Tags: Volleyball, World Volley Expo XVI





When The Going Gets Tough
A critical evaluation of the selection ahead of the all-important game against Hispinas


The Leaders

If we are discussing leaders, it is about more than the numbers but those are looking particularly good for Oraz Ilyasev. Not only is the KVT star showing up for the crucial points, he also adds an infectious enthusiasm to the team. His great interaction with the crowd adds that little extra: every game already was a home game but as he ensures the added energy, the Foxes can do a little more. Scoring the winning point against StrayaRoos confirms his new status. If Ilyasev stands for fire, than Gracyk represents the steel. Always the excellent blocker, Gracyk keeps on finding new ways to pester the opposition. With three recorded losses, not incidentally against the top three of our group, the team were not always flawless but Gracyk stood tall through thick and thin. When the Foxes drowned in the final set against Banija, he was the only one to keep it up.

The Promising

There is still a gap between the valleys and the world’s best but in the future, steps can be made to close that. The majority of our players under twenty-five, guys of whom we are still hopeful for next steps, show to have taken a few of those in this WVE. Most visible among them was Gjertsen who converted a starting position into an impactful appearance across the board. When the team sank to the bottom, he sank with them but the precision in his execution confirms that reaching the top is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’. Less in the spotlights but maybe as valuable was Besarian Bukia. Ilyasev did the magic on his side but it was Tbindali’s Bukia who took care of the dirty work. Just 23, the (even for a volley player) tall newcomer showed brains in every step of the way. There were fewer minutes for Denysuk but when he received a chance from the head coach, he performed. Many feel that the role as lead setter should be handed to him already. It would be early day, but if you’re the better player, age does not matter.

The Backbenchers

The Foxes have been solid with five wins in eight games and that is the kind of result you can only reach if you average a seven out of ten across the board. Your stars up that score but to keep it up, you need reliable players who kept a lower profile but contributed nonetheless. After all the initial discussion about the libero position, Laubergs found a better balance in playing minutes between veteran Rudzitis and his back-up Akhalaia. The relation between the two is, according to insiders, strained but in the right doses, both added value. Getting quality in rotation is crucial: key players can win matches but to go deep, you need to be able to relieve them at times. Eshkan Aslayan was expected to barely feature yet turned out to be a decent stand-in for Gracyk. Similarly, Udiris executed that role on the left side with set points against StrayaRoos and Safiloa as highlights. He, on the contrary, lost his starting role to Ilyasev but remained a positive force in the squad on the court and in the dressing room.

The Exchangables

It was not easy for Ohan Boshian to play at the level of his teammates and as such, he was used sparingly. We cannot say that he disappointed but when given a proper chance against Natkr, he added little. Afterwards, he fell lower down the pecking order where he could accompany Alnors Graudins. The 28-year old Cannons player barely appeared and when he did, he merely was a stand-in to give Gjertsen a breather. A bleak presence in what could well be his only international appearance. For Keefe Ratsenko, it should not be as the 24-year old is a late bloomer. But the surprise inclusion from Laubergs turned into a miscast. The ‘Shopping Incident’ turned out to be a low. Afterwards, he recovered his image with decent cameo appearances but his impact on the team was too little so far.

The Disappointments

This team has scoring ability, athleticism and a good set of defensive skills. It is a cocktail that brings you halfway there. But to go a few steps further, you will need something more. It is no wonder the Foxes struggled against the top teams where more precision, coordination and direction are required. The role of setter is one with high requirements and Mkhitar Saloyan did not fulfill them so far. The Panay game was a prime example, where Saloyan could not find a way around the defensive block of Kyung and Ibarra, something which costs the team. Laubergs keeps his faith in Saloyan but the audience yearns for Denysuk. The biggest disappointment, however, was Torstein Halvorsen: once the greatest prodigy of domestic volley, now rather a spoiled star who weighs down the team. First there were his off-court antics and late arrival for the Baker Park loss. Then his refusal to enter the field after a short discussion with the assistant coach. Halvorsen doubled down with a pitiful interview, lamenting the choices of the head coach. It only got more people on the page of Laubergs, who promptly send Halvorsen home for the rest of the tournament.

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North Oharan Valley Union
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Moralistic Democracy

Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Fri Nov 01, 2024 3:00 pm

The RP prompt for the next cut-off is as follows: how did volleyball get introduced into your country and how did it grow to its current status? Are there particular people who played a pivotal position in its proliferation?

Play-ins

G1
Panay Islands and Guimaras 25 25 25
HUElavia 23 16 17

G2
North Oharan Valley Union 25 25 25
Hispinas 19 18 20

G3
StrayaRoos 23 25 23 25 10
United Mandaran States 25 21 25 18 15

G4
Natanians and Nosts 25 14 25 13 15
Calgasia 22 25 22 25 6


Consolation bracket

G5
Safiloa 25 25 25
Bytonic 20 20 11

G6
Bir Matras 20 25 17 22
Maraonia 25 20 25 25

G7
Natkr 18 15 24
Vaishnavaria 25 25 26

G8
Tero al Disco 25 18 25 25
Crpostran 17 25 18 13


Draw

Quarterfinals

G9 Banija vs United Mandaran States
G12 Abanhfleft vs Panay Islands and Guimaras
G10 Commonwealth of Baker Park vs Natanians and Nosts
G11 Archalit vs North Oharan Valley Union

Consolation Bracket

G13 HUElavia vs Vaishnavaria
G15 StrayaRoos vs Safiloa
G14 Hispinas vs Tero al Disco
G16 Calgasia vs Maraonia
Last edited by North Oharan Valley Union on Fri Nov 01, 2024 3:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Panay Islands and Guimaras
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Postby Panay Islands and Guimaras » Fri Nov 01, 2024 5:08 pm

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PANAYENSE EAGLES TO MAKE HISTORY
Viliarme, NOVU

Before the match, the players went on to a local Viliarme Catholic church to attend a mass as a way to strengthen their mental minds for the game. The whole staff attended also the mass, except for some staff, to give good luck to the team. The whole Panayense crowd came here to cheer on the Eagles, where Nísperos and the father-and-son duo of Kyung and the captain Ibarra along with Donaldo Espinosa, made their own teamwork to dominate their fellow Hispanic nation, HUElavia, 3 sets to none, the crowd went wild when they go to the quarterfinals. "It was the best thing we've ever had!", says Ibarra, the captain. "We're going to the quarterfinals, let's go!" "We are absolutely livid when we got to win the game against a sporting powerhouse like HUElavia.", says Meñez. "But I hope that my team needs to calm down as we are going to focus on the Abanhfleftians and hopefully, go to the semis and win the tournament." Another sporting powerhouse Abanhfleft will face the Eagles again in Viliarme.

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Postby Panay Islands and Guimaras » Fri Nov 01, 2024 5:22 pm

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A QUICK HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN THE ISLANDS
by Rogelio Miguel Santos

Volleyball was first introduced in 1910 by two American brothers of John and Wayne MacDonald in Jaro, Iloílo City. The locals loved it and the brothers will go in separate ways, alongside their local friends to introduce the sport to the whole country, and still is today with the legacy of the MacDonald brothers by awarding the winning state team the MacDonald Brothers Cup (Copa Hermanos MacDonald), which the brothers also organized and founded. It was first played between Federal Canton and Capiz, which the majority back then were born from Aklan in 1921, where the Pearls won over the Capitals by 3 sets to 1, and this match started the growth of volleyball in the islands where Antique, the Iloílo province, and Guimaras also started their own teams, Capiz was the dominant force back then, until Aklan was founded and also formed a team where they are going to dominate the whole league from their first participation in 1958 until 1966, winning 9 titles each. Capiz won 12 titles before Aklan overtook them with 31. There are some legendary players from Aklan ranging from Anacleto Miguel Brasales, José Luis Vargas, Adolfo Ishimura, Pablo Oh, Guillermo Tirol, Antonio Cheng, and many other more, and nowadays, the national team is doing well on their own debut and is currently going in for the medal.

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North Oharan Valley Union
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Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:59 pm

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Timestamp: 3 November 2024 - 21h59
Tags: Volleyball, World Volley Expo XVI





Rendezvous With History
Will the Foxes add their name to an illustrious list in Dvavir?


There was Keith MacDonald, the gym teacher from the vicinity of Kishniken. Contrary to most of his compatriots, MacDonald had a lure to the world beyond the valleys and distant family ties allowed him to roam the four corners of it. The story, or should we say almost mythology, of his return did not include where exactly he had been or where he had picked up what. But in the months after his arrival in his home city, a few new things became colloquial. The zippable pants. Putting your tea bag in before you pour the water. The unicycle. Some disease. No wonder that many were rather critical of his additions to Oharese culture. But none found such a fertile ground as the sport of volleyball, which over the decades grew into the third most popular team sport.

Much of that had to do with Ivar Hrahndahl, a colleague of MacDonald from the region of Dinsdal. Had MacDonald purely seen it as a fun novelty to entertain his pupils, then it was Hrahndahl who saw the potential to make it spread above and beyond. No wonder as he also was an active member of the VUHSA, a high school sports association that organizes competitions across the regions. The first focus had always been on football but Hrahndahl saw potential in the addition of a non-contact sport that required a high physical level and placed focus on team spirit. For over thirty years, he advocated for its adoption in the curriculum across all institutes and the high school competition still bears his name.

Having a lot of youngsters know the rules of your sport is one thing, but turning it into a spectator sport is something different. While many people can be credited for their contributions, a special focus should go to Austra Brenkes. When she inherited the antiquated sports trophy shop of her father, she received a near bankrupt corporation with two employees. What she left to the next generation, next to a decent fortune, was the go-to retailer for all sorts of sports material. Instead of starting with a direct attack on the big markets, she first grew by spreading volleyball gear. A crucial tactic of hers was giving major reductions to town councils and sponsoring new clubs into a higher level. A risky strategy that saw her balance the edge of liquidation twice but cemented Brenkes Sports into the minds of everyone before expanding their number of shops. Still, four out of five volleyballs in the Valleys are procured from a Brenkes Sports shop.

And then it exploded into a major sport for the country. With more and more people interested, the opportunities arose for professional competition. As you know, the Union only existed for well over a year but volleyball was the one team sport where games and matches were already played across the borders of the various regions before the unification. The Valley Slam, a name of which the naming rights have been bought by the new national competition, pitted the best teams against one another, giving them the extra financial bonus to move forward. Owner and inspiration Bohdan Telchuk can be seen as a visionary, not just setting up the strong Cherpahorian league but also underpinning the Valley Slam. It was a competition few believed capable of existing, but nearly all teams consider a triumph there as the highest honor and games for the Slam allowed to make the step to televised competition which evidently strengthened the financial basis.

Tonight, Marts Laubergs gets a unique chance to add his name to this list of pivotal people for Oharese volleyball. The play-in game against Hispinas was far closer than the scoreline makes you suspect but the capacity to find a streak in the home stretch of each set adds quite a bit of confidence. Facing Archalit will be a difficult task but with Municipal Hall behind them, they could work wonders. If he succeeds, Laubergs can claim that he brought the popularity of the sport to a new level with his team: for the past few weeks, volleyball truly was front and center to not just the sports pages but just the general audience. From now on, it is part of the national treasury and our newfound united spirit. Reaching the semifinals and coming close to a medal can only cement that.

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Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Sun Nov 03, 2024 3:00 pm

The RP prompt for the next cut-off is as follows: are there any celebrities in your country that have shown themselves to be volley fans?

Warning! The next cut-off will be in 36 hours, not 48!

Quarterfinals

Banija 23 25 25 25
United Mandaran States 25 23 14 20

Abanhfleft 19 20 25 25 13
Panay Islands and Guimaras 25 25 13 21 15

Commonwealth of Baker Park 19 25 25 25
Natanians and Nosts 25 20 16 14

Archalit 25 25 25
North Oharan Valley Union 20 23 18


Consolation Bracket

HUElavia 19 25 25 25
Vaishnavaria 25 23 20 19

StrayaRoos 18 16 25 17
Safiloa 25 25 23 25

Hispinas 25 25 22 25
Tero al Disco 22 23 25 11

Calgasia 25 25 23 16 13
Maraonia 14 21 25 25 15


Draw for the semifinals

Banija vs Panay Islands and Guimaras
Commonwealth of Baker Park vs Archalit

Draw for the fifth place

United Mandaran States vs Abanhfleft
Natanians and Nosts vs North Oharan Valley Union

Draw for the ninth place

HUElavia vs Safiloa
Hispinas vs Maraonia

Draw for the thirteenth place

Vaishnavaria vs StrayaRoos
Tero al Disco vs Calgasia
Last edited by North Oharan Valley Union on Sun Nov 03, 2024 3:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Postby Archalit » Sun Nov 03, 2024 3:04 pm

Chapter 4

Bang!

"Yeah!" the Archalitian team cried. With a far-from-clean four 3-1 against Bytonic, Archalit had just secured their berth to the World Volley Expo quarterfinals. Everyone was in high spirits, celebrating. Everyone except Rosea Euphymes. Her expression was bittersweet, smiling to herself.

In the midst of the excitement, Trasz Erekou looked over and saw her expression. He walked up to her. "Hey, you doin' okay?"

"Oh, young man," she said, "don't worry about me." She looked into the crowd, the small yet determined Archalitian crowd cheering alongside the team. "Quarterfinalists," she said, "and we've made it to the knockouts."

"Right," he agreed, "we've made it." Erekou donned an expression of concern. "So, why the long face?"

Ammie Ghavrad walked up to the two of them. She smiled, uncharacteristically caringly. "Rosea," she said, holding out her hand, "you're leaving, aren't you?" Rosea's expression turned to bitterness as she looked away.

"What?" Erekou responded, surprised. He turned to Rosea. "You can't be leaving! Why?"

Rosea swallowed. She shook the hand Ghavrad held out and turned to face Erekou. "You've seen me, haven't you? My performance is dwindling. I cannot spend this long away from my tree." Dryads are tree nymphs whose life force is connected to the tree in which they reside.

Erekou's eyes widened before his expression dimmed. "I see." He looked over at Yared Assi and Fereofi Yoshiaga, the two other middle blockers on the team and shook his head. "I don't know Rosea. I don't know if we can hold together without you."

Rosea smiled. "You'll all be okay. You don't need an old lady like me on your team." She walked off to the changerooms, leaving Erekou and Ghavrad standing there.

"Tragic, isn't it?" Ammie Ghavrad told him, watching Rosea leave. "I thought this might happen. You know," she began, turning towards Erekou, "she's never been outside of Archalit."
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Panay Islands and Guimaras
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Postby Panay Islands and Guimaras » Sun Nov 03, 2024 4:22 pm

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PANAYENSES CELEBRATING FOR A POSSIBLE WIN FOR THE EAGLES
Viliarme, NOVU

The whole Panayense crowd in both the capital and in NOVU were celebrating a win against Abanhfleft, a tough opponent that the Eagles faced on. On the first set the Eagles started strong for them as Nísperos and Kwon, the mighty mouse did their job well as they went on to attack the Abanhfleftian side, and the second set was a big defensive game of the captain, Ibarra and Kyung. But things not going well for the Eagles as the Abanhfleftians had their own chances of winning against the Eagles, but in the 5th and the last set, it was a neck-and neck for both teams until the Abanhfleftians trying to break the defensive duo of Ibarra and Kyung, but a block from Espinosa sealed the deal for a win and Nísperos himself take the honor of ending the game with a miraculous spike on the Abanhfleftian defense, and the celebrations have started, but they need to remind that they will face Banija in the same city and hoping that they would go on for a win miraculously. Celebrities like Jorgito el Payasito (Little Jorge the Clown), MARiiA, Isabel Chae, Yoon Deok-soo (born Isidoro Yoo), and other celebrities witnessed the miraculous win. "We're going to the semis oh my God!", says the emotional Kyung. "We're going to the semis baby! LET'S GO!" "I was happy about my team's performance.", says Meñez. "But the toughest opponent will be Banija, but also we can figure out how to defeat them after the celebrations and focus on the Banijans and take home the trophy to the Islands." The Eagles will face Banija in the semifinals again in Viliarme and hope they would take home the WVE trophy as the coach promised.

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Postby Banija » Mon Nov 04, 2024 8:19 am

Banijan QF match, second set against the United Mandaran States, Banija trailing 22-20


Banija were the top seed for the Quarterfinals- undefeated throughout group play, and a bye to this stage. But if anyone thought that once the Banijans got here, they would cruise to an eventual showdown with the Commonwealth of Baker Park- well, they were dead wrong. They were in for the fight of their lives, a war, with the United Mandaran States- who were playing some of their best volleyball of the tournament. Were the underdogs en route to an upset? Would the Lionesses end up like the Kadongo Kamu over in the Confederacy? Enter a tournament with such a bright start, with such high hopes- only to crash and burn? The set was close, razor thin margins- but it was very possible.

The United Mandaran States won the first set by the minimum points possible- just a 25-23 win. But that put them 1-0 up in the best of 5, and they were on the brink of taking a commanding 2-0 lead. Sukai Sejjala, Banija's HC, was watching. The underdogs led with the serve- and it was brilliant. An ace to make it 23-20, and put the Banijans really on the brink. Sejjala used that moment to call her second, and final, timeout of the set. The mostly Banijan crowd was subdued- but the United Mandaran fans were cheering and stomping on their feet, sensing that a great upset was on the way here.

"Ladies, c'mon- we're better than this!" Sejjala told her players as they gathered around her. "If they win this second set.. Well, that might be a wrap. We absolutely and positively cannot allow that to happen. You've got to dig deeper!" She looked at her players. "Awa- you're out. I need something different at middle blocker- Yamma Mansaré, you're in here. We've come too far in this tournament, done too much, to lose at this stage." Both players nodded. Yamma was a much more experience player- Awa was 21, and Yamma was 27 years of age- maybe she'd be less intimidated. Awa Camara was having a particularly poor match, and so the substitution, at this late stage, might be crucial.

When the timeout ended, Sejjala put her players back on the court. And her subsitution ended up paying off. On a rally, Yamma Mansaré got a key block to get the serve back for the Banijans- who would then score 5 straight points, down 23-20, to come back and win the set. Stealing victory from the jaws of defeat- a soul crushing set loss for the other team. Was that enough to get the momentum back, and put the Banijans on track for the semifinals?




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World Volley Expo- Banijans start slow and end hot with a tight victory over the United Mandaran States to reach the World Volley Expo Semifinals


NORTH OHARAN VALLEY UNION- Banija entered this Quarterfinal as favorites, but they were given a fight that perhaps they did not expect. "When you're in the Quarterfinals of any sort of world championship tournament, such as the World Volley Expo, it's always going to be a fight to the finish." Said the head coach, Sejjala. "So the fact that this one was one hell of a battle does not surprise me. That's the thing about the typical format, group to knockout- it emphasizes your mental fortitude, your mental strength. We know we have the ability. But when it's winner-take-all, one bad match can cost you the tournament, do you have the mental strength to deal with that pressure? When things are going wrong, do you have the ability to dig deep and right the ship? Those were important questions that this team had to answer. But as we showed against Baker Park on MD9, we showed it again today- the answer is an emphatic yes. And that is why we are in the Semifinals."

To win a world championship takes a combination of a lot of things. First, and foremost, you have to have the talent- and the Banijans clearly have world class talent in this sport. There are only a few nations who have that talent. Second, you have to have the discipline- the willingness, day in and day out, to maintain that grind. And third, you have to have mental strength- if things are going wrong, that is the ability to right the ship quickly. That's what makes knockout matches so compelling- everything's on the line, and you've got to figure it out. And the Banijans did that. Dropping the first set, and on the brink in the second- before coming back dramatically, scoring the final 5 points of the set to win, 25-23.

That re-captured the momentum- and we maintained a grip that we would not let go of. The fourth thing you need is that killer instinct- when the opportunity is there to put an opponent away, you get the job done. And the opportunity, in this moment, was there. The United Mandaran States were clearly surprised that they lost that set. And the Banijans went to bury them. The third set was dominant- flying out to an 8-0 lead, and eventually winning 25-14. The fourth set was much closer, but the Banijans held off the desperate and pesky underdogs- with a thunderous spike from Kutu Ogoo as the explanation point for the QF victory. "What a game, and what a win- and hats off to the Mandaran States." Sejjala told reporters. "But forward we move- we are in the semifinals, and our goals are right in front of us. It is time to lock in."

The Banijans next opponent will be Panay Islands and Guimaras. We played all the way back on Matchday 1 of the tournament, and won in 4 sets- but that was a long time ago. "May as well have been a millions years ago." Sejjala told reporters. "They've improved tremendously since then, and it will be a dogfight. Their two KO stage victories were quite impressive, and I expect it to be a toss-up."
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Postby North Oharan Valley Union » Tue Nov 05, 2024 4:10 am

The RP prompt for the next cut-off is as follows: the tournament is almost over and the conclusions are being made. How does the future look for your NT manager and players? Will they return home a hero? Will some decide to call it a day on a high point (or on a low note)? Will they barely make it to the flight and get kicked out as soon as the wheels hit the tarmac? Or can they start preparing for the next WVE in peace and confidence?

The final cut-off will take place in 48h!

Semifinals

Banija 26 25 30 25
Panay Islands and Guimaras 28 21 28 22

Commonwealth of Baker Park 25 25 14 19 12
Archalit 20 23 25 25 15

Bracket for fifth

United Mandaran States 9 23 20
Abanhfleft 25 25 25

Natanians and Nosts 19 19 14
North Oharan Valley Union 25 25 25*
(scorinated by Tumbra)

Bracket for ninth

HUElavia 25 18 25 20
Safiloa 27 25 21 25

Hispinas 21 25 25 25
Maraonia 25 22 20 22

Bracket for thirteenth

Vaishnavaria 18 13 22
StrayaRoos 25 25 25

Tero al Disco 18 25 25 25
Calgasia 25 23 21 18



Gold Final

Banija vs Archalit

Bronze Final

Commonwealth of Baker Park vs Panay Islands and Guimaras

Consolation Finals

5th Abanhfleft vs North Oharan Valley Union
7th Natanians and Nosts vs United Mandaran States
9th Safiloa vs Hispinas
11th HUElavia vs Maraonia
13th StrayaRoos vs Tero al Disco
15th Vaishnavaria vs Calgasia
Last edited by North Oharan Valley Union on Tue Nov 05, 2024 7:57 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Postby Panay Islands and Guimaras » Tue Nov 05, 2024 6:22 am

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THE EAGLES ARE UP TO A BRONZE FINAL
Viliarme, NOVU

The Eagles are going to the bronze medal match against their own similar rivals, Baker Park. Nísperos and Donaldo Espinosa did a great job stopping the Banijan defense, but not too long in the second set where the Banijans are going to dominate, it eas a neck and neck for both teams in the 3rd and 4th sets, but the Banijans stopped the Eagles' hopes of winning the championship. "Well, we did our best, but not enough.", says Ibarra, the captain. "But we can win the bronze and we hope we could win some next WVE." "Well, we lost but we learned our lessons well.", says Meñez, the NT coach. "This time, we will focus our similar rivals, Baker Park and hopefully take home the gold." The Eagles will meet Baker Park again but in Dvavir and hopefully will end their campaign with a high note.

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Postby Commonwealth of Baker Park » Tue Nov 05, 2024 10:03 am

The Commonwealth National Volleyball Team dropped their second match of the 16th World Volley Expo--also in five sets--but in the match they couldn't afford to lose.

Group B winners Archalit ousted the Lady Elks after BP survived the first two sets that saw furious action and lengthy rallies. But it was the critical third set that tilted the contest away from Baker Park and towards the eventual winners as for just the third time across the entire tournament the Elks were comprehensively outplayed in the race to 25, scoring just 14 amid a barrage of service errors and shots that just missed the mark.

Coach Elizabeth Harper was proud of the effort that her side displayed, excepting the 14-25 score, and paid tribute to Archalit on the victory.
"I suppose the story of the tournament as we got deeper into the knockouts was how Group A produced three of the four semifinalists so did that mean that Group B was weaker overall? No, it just meant that a lot breaks went against those squads from 'B' in the play-ins and the quarters. The top two teams are going for the title while we'll battle Panay Islands once again. We went five with them in the group now we'll have to play our best to beat them again. I'm sure it'll be just as close this time."

Baker Park have only appeared on the podium one other time, with a fourth place finish in VWE 10 while Panay Islands and Guimaras are making their debut in the tournament.
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Postby Archalit » Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:05 am

Chapter 5

Erekou shook his head. Another ball broke past the Archalitian block. How, Erekou thought, how are we supposed to do this? With Baker Park to serve, Hope Phillips slammed the ball across the net. Avhe could just barely stop it from hitting the ground and the ball went to the other side. Erekou's eyes tracked the ace Beth Diaz. Come on, it's too close to lose this now. Bump, set, and Diaz jumped into the air. Erekou and Simeon Sormin followed, putting their block in front of her hit. But it wasn't enough, the ball moving subtly around the block. Avhe couldn't get to the ball before it hit the ground, and Baker Park scored a second set, 25-23. With the set over, he went to sit on the bench.

"This is too hard," Sormin said, defeated. "We can't do this without Rosea." After the team had only taken one loss in the group stage, going the distance for 5 grueling sets, this feeling of being dominated was defeating.

Stuq'zadh approached the two, indicating the same sentiment. "Indeed," he echoed, "playing without the captain is proving to be challenging."

Everyone's morale was hitting an all-time low. The game seemed to be all but over to everyone watching and everyone playing. Everyone except one person. Coach Udo brought the team together.

"Guys," Jaja Udo began, "I know it's tough without your captain, but you've lost focus on your fundamentals." He brought his hands up, pretending to block. "I need you to focus and commit harder on your block," he said, looking around at the middle blockers. "Rosea wasn't the entire blocking rotation," he insisted, "everyone here was a part of building that iron wall. Don't let one person define it." Erekou, Yared Assi, and Fereofi Yoshiaga looked at each other, and their expressions changed. They shared a nod. Coach Udo then turned to Avhe and Ammie Ghavrad. Ghavrad looked especially downtrodden as she had performed very poorly through the first set. "As for the liberos, and everyone in the back for that matter, I need you to be more vocal. Baker Park is not invulnerable to error. Organize the defense and make your presence known; force their errors." He took a deep breath. "You guys are a capable squad with or without Euphymes. You can do this."

Coming up to the third set was Erekou, Yoshiaga, Sormin, Drioldrian Evrir, Valdez, and Stuq'zadh. Ammie Ghavrad played as libero for this set.

The momentum change was slow, but clear. With the newly reborn Archalitian team, Baker Park began struggling harder and harder to score, making more errors and facing more pressure from the Archalitians than ever before. Eventually...

Beth Diaz jumped up to hit. The score 24-14 in Archalit's favor. Jumping up to block was Erekou and Sormin. But this time was different. That feeling of the ball hitting their hands and slamming back down was pure ecstacy. Erekou roared in victory.

That momentum never let up, the Archalit team scoring 25-19 in the fourth set and taking the game the whole way. With a reverse sweep on the horizon, Stuq'zadh came up to the ball. With a single pure and efficient motion, he slammed the ball down for the final score in the game, 15-12. Archalit had achieved the impossible, coming back from a 0-2 deficit in the semifinal and stealing their berth to the finals. Rosea smiled, watching from her home.
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