After a couple of interrupted weeks due to the weather, Kilmarnock Blaze had their final league game of the first half of the season against Edinburgh Jets on Saturday.  The team had not played or trained in a week and a half, but had already beaten Jets this season, so were confident of victory.

Jets got off to the better start in the first set, as Kilmarnock’s lack of practice showed with some early errors.  Jets managed to maintain their lead throughout the set, but with the score at 22-16, there was a sudden change in momentum when Stewart Caldwell won the point with an impressive hit from the middle blocker position.  A run of serves from Euan Duncan tied the game up before a succession of service errors from both sides lead to a tense finish.  In the end it was the Blaze who put together the points to win the set 29-27.

Jets again got off to the better start in the second set, however the blocking of Mark Lawson meant that the lead was short lived and Killie levelled the score.  Like the first set, service errors from both teams contributed in a big way, as it very often stopped the sides from building any substantial leads.  The score stayed close all the way through the set, but with the score at 23-23, Stuart Edgar stepped up to the service line, to put in two unreturned float serves to win the set 25-23.

Kilmarnock finally got into their stride in the third set, with John Hollis and Colin Giles putting in runs of serves to give them a commanding lead.  After going into the technical timeout 16-10 ahead, it was only a matter of time before Stuart Edgar killed the winning ball to win the set 25-17, and the match 3-0. 

Stewart Caldwell

KVC Press Officer