The Australian Volleyroos Women opened the five-match series against the Volley Ferns with a 3-0 victory at Carmel College on Monday.
The visitors and Adam Watson’s Poirewa Aotearoa team traded points in a tight first set with both sides holding set points before the Australians eventually claimed the decisive point for a 32-30 advantage.
The second set was much tougher for the Volley Ferns, the Australians getting into good hitting rhythm and taking it 25-11.
Russell Borgeaud’s team completed the job in the third set, grabbing a four-point edge mid-way through the set and doing enough to hold off a spirited Kiwi fightback to clinch victory 29-27.
Experienced player Katie Adamson felt their were opportunities for the Volley Ferns.
"They had a lot more experience playing together. They had been playing together in a series in Japan and we got together on Friday and it's our first match. There's lots of things to work on but a good start," she said.
Unfortunately, the second set escaped on the home side playing the first of three games at Carmel College on the North Shore.
The visitors held a 17-5 lead at one stage and despite the New Zealanders picking up a few more points they were never in the set.
"A few errors got us down and it's always hard to get back after that 50/50 calls went their way a few things went wrong," said Adamson.
In the third set New Zealand fought hard again and troubled their opponents with a couple of calls not going in favour of the home side, but Adamson believes there's real potential.
"Lot of little things to work on. For sure we can get some wins, little things to work out and we move forward to the next one."
The second match of the series is at Carmel College on Tuesday 13 August at 7pm.
Trans-Tasman Series – Volley Ferns v Volleyroos Women
August 12, 2024
Carmel College, Auckland
New Zealand 0-3 Australia (30-32, 11-25, 27-29)
