Athlone IT Women’s Volleyball team were crowned champions of the Student Sport Ireland Volleyball League with a fantastic team display to defeat Trinity College Dublin in the final in Maynooth University on Wednesday afternoon last.

In what was a very close final both sides played some brilliant volleyball with the University from the capital Trinity taking the first set on a 25-20 score line. The Midlander’s Athlone IT would come back strong and take the second set 25-15 and in the third set they continued to hit more winners and powered to a 15-8 win in the deciding set.

Athlone IT breezed through the opening game of their semi-final against the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland on a 25-12 score, however the Surgeons really upped their game in the second set and were unlucky not to take the second set, with Athlone IT just getting over the line on a 26-24 score.

Trinity College Dublin came through a three-set semi-final win over hosts Maynooth University. Trinity took the opening set 25-16, but Maynooth piled on the pressure in the second set and were victorious on a 25-11 score line. This set up a cracking tie break and Trinity found a killer serve at the right time and advanced by a slim 15-10 margin.

Winners Athlone IT – Aoife Fitzsimons, Francesca Ferraris, Giada Dalmasso, Giulia Trivellin, Juliana Rolf, Martina Lorenzin, Megan Kellett, Elijah Abool, Mariel Salazar.

Runners Up Trinity College Dublin – Ellie Campbell, Heyley Chan, Llaria Meazzini, Anastasia Safonova, Katie Ward, Iohanna Masing, Fenna Von Hirschheydt, Grace Brophy, Nadine Souto, Jenny Ga, Luiza Maddabzzo, Alessa, Dunja Milosevic.