Ash Bolt
Geelong beach volleyballer Ellie-May Jury has claimed a bronze medal at the Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships in Queensland.
Ellie-May was selected to represent Victoria in the under-15 girls competition at Coolangatta last week, and her team, which also included Ruby Smith, Jess Turner and Madera Famous, finished third.
Playing a torrential downpour that hit south-east Queensland for the first two days of the tournament, the Victorian team looked strong and dropped just one game in the group stage.
Its sole loss in the groups came to the eventual gold medal team from Queensland, with the Victorians winning one set – one of just three the Queenslanders dropped all tournament.
In the finals, the girls beat a South Australian team before dropping a very close semi-final to another Queensland team two sets to one.
In a hard-fought third-place play-off the girls won two sets to one against Queensland’s fourth team to claim the bronze medal.
Ellie-May was one of six Geelong beach volleyballers to compete at the championships.
Both Hannah and Ella Mustovic finished in fifth place in the under-16 girls and under-18 girls respectively, while Olivia Jury finished 11th in under-17 girls, Noah Tucker finished 17th in under-17 boys and Maddie Randall finished 29th in under-17 girls.
Vic Beach Geelong coach Greg Jury said it was an impressive result for the local juniors, who faced conditions they weren’t used to.
“It was very tough conditions – there was a torrential downpour for the first two days and in beach volleyball you play through that unless there’s lightning,” he said.
“Being from Victoria, they were used to the wind but that heavy rain was something they hadn’t experienced before and it is a challenge – the ball get heavy and serving becomes a real challenge.
“They all took the challenge on and put in a great effort across the week.
“The Victorian team as a whole, and our teams, did exceptionally well.”
