Volleyball: City of Edinburgh set to host first European tie

CITY of Edinburgh's growth as a volleyball club reaches new heights tonight when they stage their first European tie at Oriam (6.30pm).

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Twenty years since the club was founded, the men’s first team take on experienced Viking 
ITF Bergen in the CEV Challenge Cup, seeking to pull back a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.

Having won every honour in the Scottish game and with a thriving junior set-up, City were recently named Scottish Sports Club of the Year while founder Ian Brownlee also won an Edinburgh Evening News local hero award earlier this year.

Only two of the Edinburgh team that face the Norwegians tonight did not come through the junior ranks at the club.

Edinburgh coach Ally Jack, twice named Scotland’s coach of the year, knows his team face an uphill battle tonight as they showcase the Scottish club game.

“In the first leg, the team achieved a whole new level of performance demonstrating that we are capable of competing at this level,” he said.

“In the first set, our service and side out game was very solid with our libero, Liam Darling, outshining his opposite number. In the end, the 
difference was a few points dropped when we were trying to pinpoint weaknesses in their block defence.

“In the remaining sets, we were never far away but lost one run of serves in each set without exerting enough control on our own serve.

“We go in to the second leg better informed but also more confident.”