UWC Beach Volleyball women’s team were crowned champions of Varsity Beach Volleyball for a third consecutive year when they thumped UP-Tuks 44-25 in a scintillating final on 23 April 2015.

The trio of Bejancke Della, Basetsane Malubane and Kayla-Lee Provins were untouchable throughout the tournament in front of their cheerful home supporters as they cruised unbeaten through the pool stages, the semi-finals and the final.

As if that was not good enough, the team claimed almost all the individual awards, as Della took home the Steers Most Valuable Player award and Provins was named the FNB Player of the Match in the final.

UWC coach Grant Goldschmidt was obviously happy with the victory, but was more pleased about how his team went about achieving it. “The team looked more in control of the game, more technical and more relaxed, and executed almost all of our plans.”

Goldschmidt, an alumnus of UWC, noted that the team prepared well for the competition, training twice and thrice weekly since towards the end of last year. But it was the support from the crowd, which can be intimidating at times, that gave his side a big advantage, he commented.

A world-class beach volleyball player himself who have performed in the Olympic Games, Goldschmidt believes that UWC has a lot of potential and talent to make it all the way to the top, and the University has the expertise to guide and mentor them.

Della and her teammates were over the moon. “We made promises and we delivered. It’s quite exciting,” she exclaimed.