The volleyball players of Nova Tech Lycurgus did excellent business last weekend. On Saturday Huizen was defeated 3-0 in Groningen and on Sunday Talent Team Papendal with the same scores in Assen.
The Groningers can therefore add six points and have risen to third place in the Premier League. With two games left in the regular season against Orion and Dynamo, Lycurgus is well on its way to joining the top four teams. After all, they will soon be fighting for the national title in the play-offs.
Center forward Arjan Westra walked with a big grin on his face for more than one reason after the 3-0 win over Talentteam Papendal on Sunday. The 2.01 meter tall native of Assen was given a starting place by Lycurgus coach Arjan Taaij. He returned to the city, where he previously played for Sudosa-Desto at a lower level for years. Westra, who normally does not play too many minutes for the Groningen premier league team, was allowed to show himself to his former home club and the Lycurgus supporters in the Olympus hall in the Drenthe capital.
Very nice in my old hall
Of course there were quite a few family members, friends and old acquaintances in the stands. “It was great fun to play here again in my old sports hall,” said Westra. “There were a lot of people in the audience that I know and have played with. That gave some extra charge to this match. And I had a starting position. That must have something to do with the fact that we played here in Assen. It was my first basic debut. That makes it extra fun.”
Lycurgus had to get going in the first set against Talentteam Papendal, just like the day before in Martiniplaza against Huizen. The Groningers were forced to play the second home game of the weekend in Assen, because their own hall was unavailable on Sunday. “It is always difficult to reach your own level in these types of competitions,” said Westra, who was referring to the weaker level of Talentteam and Huizen, the last and penultimate numbers in the standings. In other words, you don’t have to go to extremes to win.
“Furthermore, people have been ill with us,” the Assen resident continued. “We also played four games together last week. But at times we played well. We were solid with not too many mistakes. You simply have to win against these opponents. In principle we are in good shape to reach the last four, but against Orion on Wednesday is always difficult. We will now train and recover well. Then we’ll go for it again. But we’re going to make it. Certainly, you should always assume that. That’s what you play for.”
Uncles and aunts are in the stands
Westra hopes to be able to make even more playing minutes. “But you never know. That is the coach’s choice. But if he wants to put me in, I’m ready.” The 29-year-old from Assen only made the step to Lycurgus and the Premier League before this season. “I certainly don’t regret that yet. It is an adventure that I don’t want to miss for anything,” said Westra, who went to dinner with his parents in Assen after the match. It turned out to be a small family party. “Uncles and aunts were also here in the stands today. They probably also had a premonition that I would be allowed to play today.”
Westra was also named man of the match . “I think the audience liked that I was allowed to play once and allowed me to do so. I know so many people here who really want me to play at Lycurgus.”
Lycurgus defeated Talentteam Papendal, including Lukas Sleurink, Thomas’ brother, who plays for Groningen, with the set scores 25-22, 25-14 and 25-19. On Saturday, Huizen was treated to a 3-0 defeat in Martiniplaza after 25-19, 25-13 and 25-21. The people of Groningen were not able to perform at full strength. Center forward Niels de Vries and diagonal Cal Fisher have been injured for longer, while American Kyle McCauley could not play due to illness. His fellow countryman Cole Gillis, who was also ill, was added on Sunday.
Today it wasn’t sparkling at all
Lycurgus coach Arjan Taaij had seen two different matches in front of 600 spectators in Martiniplaza on Saturday and 350 on Sunday in Assen respectively. “It didn’t sparkle today and it did yesterday. Maybe it was the physical and mental toll of this busy week (with a midweek cup win over VoCASA, ed.), that was playing tricks on us. The group thinned out further with the sick. I missed four and then Guus Boer also left injured. Then it becomes a bit more difficult, but we did what we had to do: get six points over two games. But today it wasn’t sparkling at all.”
According to Taaij, the Groningers are on course to reach the play-offs: “We have made a good step. We still have a tough programme. We have to ensure that we get a good result against Orion and Dynamo to keep things in our own hands. Then we’ll see what happens on the other fields. In any case, we are getting our service block defense in better shape, so that there are good attacking opportunities. This way we can take a step.”