City of Edinburgh land four national volleyball titles

City of Edinburghs mens and womens senior volleyball teams celebrate their wins at the Pleasance. Pic: Michael McConville/www.volleyballphotos.co.uk

The Capital club won the two senior finals, beating South Ayrshire 25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 25-14 in the men’s final and Su Ragazzi 25-23, 25-22, 13-25, 25-17 in the women’s final.

The club also won the men’s Under-18 and Under-16 trophies, but lost in the finals of the respective women’s events.

In the men’s senior final, City of Edinburgh took the first set 25-22, with Connor Boyle contributing a couple of big blocks at crucial times and Danny Traylor clinching the set with a spike deep into the  back-court.

Edinburgh dominated  the second set, leading 18-12 at the second technical time-out and they never threatened to lose their grip, taking the set on their third set-point, Traylor scoring off the block to take it 25-18.

But South Ayrshire came back in the third set with Ross McKelvie blocking well. Leading 22-21, former Scottish international  Stuart Edgar stepped up  to the plate, contributing successive points to take his team to set point.

He then served long to give Edinburgh hope, but Niall Collin served wide on set-point as South Ayrshire took it 25-22.

However, Edinburgh, on the back of some tough serving from Boyle, regained the initiative in the fourth set, leading 21-9 as South Ayrshire wilted.

There was some belated resistance, but middle blocker Tim Kirk came up with the clinching point as Edinburgh took it 25-14.

COCO5 Scottish Cup Finals: Men. City of Edinburgh 3 South Ayrshire 1 (25-22, 25-18, 25-22, 25-14). Women. City of Edinburgh 3 Su Ragazzi 1 (25-23, 25-22, 13-25, 25-17). Under-18. Men. City of Edinburgh 2 South Ayrshire 1 (25-22, 21-25, 15-8). Women. Marr College 2 City of Edinburgh 0 (25-19, 25-18). Under-16. Men. City of Edinburgh 2 Perth & Kinross 0 (25-17, 25-8). Women. Marr College 2 City of Edinburgh 0 (25-19, 25-17).