19 Mar 2024
Sitting Grand Prix Final 4 and GP6 Review
Top seeds after the first five Grand Prix, the Bucks went into the weekend looking to win the competition for a third successive year.
Their first challenge was taking on Help for Heroes A, who came in as the fourth-ranked team.
The opening set was a terrific battle, with the experienced Bucks just edging it 25-20, before they clinched the second set by a more comfortable 25-15.
Second seeds South Hants A came up against a strong Salisbury Spitfires side, who had finished third and fourth in the last two GPs, giving them an overall rank of third.
Hants, similar to Bucks, started well with a convincing 25-17 first set victory but the Wiltshire side hit back well to take the second set 25-21.
With all to play for in the decider, Hants had to regroup and dig in to claim the final set 15-12.
They then went straight into their second match against Help for Heroes and, by this point, they were firing on all cylinders, winning 25-21 and 25-18 with a dominant performance.
Next up, Bucks, fresh from their recent trip to the ParaVolley EuroLeague Bronze Cup competition, were confident 25-9 winners of the first set against Salisbury before closing out the match with a closer 25-17 second set success.
The final two matches in the Final 4 went to three sets with Bucks facing the team they will now face in the National Final, South Hants A, and Help for Heroes taking on Spitfires.
Bucks continued their habit of taking the first set of the match with a 25-21 scoreline but Hants levelled at 1-1 by sealing the second 25-18.
The final set was a nail-biter with Bucks just able to claim the final set 15-13 to secure the top spot and lay down a marker ahead of the final next month.
Spitfires, meanwhile, had to fend off a second set come back from Heroes as they were able to snatch the second set 26-24, having lost the first.
The deciding set also went to the wire, with the Salisbury team nicking it 17-15.
For the teams not involved in the Final 4 a sixth and final Grand Prix was contested.
It saw Nottingham Casualties go unbeaten all weekend only dropping one set to South Hants B in their final game.
Starting off strongly with a 2-0 victory over Imps (25-16, 25-12) Casualties grew into the action, following up with a 25-15, 25-23 win over Panthers.
The East Midlands club dropped the first set against Hants B but were far from finished and recovered to win the next two25-22,15-10.
Imps finished second in the table with Panthers third and Hants B fourth.
To view the overall standings from the Grand Prix competition, click here.
For all the results from the weekend, click here
Keep an eye on our social media for updates on when entries will be open for the 2024-25 season of the Sitting Grand Prix.
The Sitting Cup, meanwhile will take place on Sunday 7th April, with all games live streamed on the Volleyball england YouTube Channel.
Entries for this are still open and more information can be found by clicking here.
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