Mandurah proved to be a happy hunting ground the WA Hornets and Pearls when they hosted the Victoria Uni Blues in an Australian Volleyball League double-header at the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre (MARC) over the weekend.
The previously unbeaten Uni Blues women took to the MARC courts with an unblemished record, but a stirring performance from the Pearls saw the Victorians depart with a pair of losses as WA shone in both games.
With a finals spot up for grabs the Pearls hit the courts with plenty of aggression, claiming a 3-1 win on Saturday before stunning the Uni Blues again with a 3-0 victory on the Sunday.
WATCH: Pearls v Uni Blues highlights. Video: Sportscast Australia.
The wins send a resounding message to the league, with the Pearls now sitting just one win shy of the Uni Blues on the standings.
Coach Mandy Combes praised her side for their hard work.
“We have been working hard at training to improve some specific defensive strategies in conjunction with a never-say-die attitude, this weekend showed we can do exactly that,” she said.
In the men’s games, the Hornets were able to show why they sit atop the table with a pair of wins, despite some massive challenges from the underdog Uni Blues.
Saturday night’s game went down to the wire before the Hornets came away with a narrow win, while the Sunday game showed much of the same with WA escaping a scare with a 3-2 victory.
WATCH: Hornets v Uni Blues highlights. Video: Sportscast Australia.
Hornets captain Matt Pallot heaped praise on the newly-renovated MARC venue.
“Playing in Mandurah was a great experience, not only for us but also for the Victorian teams allowing them to see some of WA’s Peel region,” he said.
“The venue was one of the best venues we have played in thus far, and with there being a large number of volleyballers coming from Mandurah it’s nice to be able to bring some high level volleyball to them.”
The Hornets and Pearls will now travel to Victoria to take on the VVA Vultures in round 10.