Schools volleyball: Hard work pays off as Scots reach final

SCOTLAND’S under-18 women’s team had a brilliant debut in the Small Nations European Championship in Malta and qualified for the finals in Cyprus in April.

With 12 Scots in the squad, Malta and Northern Ireland were both comprehensively defeated 3-0 and the only loss came in a marathon match against Cyprus. After almost two hours on court, the holders eventually won 3-1.

“The girls played volleyball to a standard that I could never have expected,” said a delighted head coach, Vince Krawczyk. “But it was well deserved. The girls had trained for 30 hours in the nine days before the Championships and every one of the 12 had at least one start – including 14-year-old Katie Shaw (Mary Erskine’s).

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“Now we are looking forward to the finals and our goal is to come home with a medal. The other three teams through to the final are Cyprus, Lithuania and Luxemburg. It was the first time that we had taken part in the championships because it is an expensive trip and, previously, I didn’t think we were ready.”

The team received support from Scottish Sports Awards and the Robertson Trust and the individual players also contributed to the costs.

Scottish team: Katie Shaw (Mary Erskine’s), Gemma Ramsay, Katie Sampson, Sophie Hunter, Becky Arthur (all Queensferry HS), Michalina Ogniewa (St Maurice’s HS, Cumbernauld), Mhairi Agnew (Belmont House School, Glasgow), Katie Barbour, Eilidh Cruse (both Marr College), Claire Ramage (Prestwick Academy), Nicola McKenzie (Carnoustie HS), Naomi Symonds (Peebles HS).