There are many theories about how championships are won. Preparation. Discipline. Structure. Execution.
Ladies 5 would like to formally reject all of these.
On the day that would determine whether Ladies 5 became champions, the team immediately made it clear that success would not come easily, logically, or on time. The first obstacle appeared before leaving SWL, when Dilara’s car decided it had reached the end of its lifecycle, much like an IKEA product assembled once and emotionally supported ever since. After resolving that situation, the team proceeded to miss the correct turn and ended up in Vlaardingen instead of Delft, because nothing says “title focus” like a spontaneous detour.
Eventually, after sufficient delay and mild disbelief, the entire team arrived at Delta. Against expectations, volleyball then occurred.
The first set opened with Caitlin immediately serving approximately forever. A streak of seven or eight points created the illusion that Ladies 5 had everything under control. This illusion did not last.
Passing was sloppy, communication was questionable, and the court resembled a KALLAX shelf assembled without first agreeing on which side was the front. Still, attacks from Lara, Esra, Dilara, and Merel kept finding the floor. Whether this was strategy or coincidence remains unclear.
The set was won. Not convincingly, but legally.
The second set was defined by two things: commitment and a dangerously slippery floor. Defensive movement became theoretical. Every step was a negotiation. Gravity was optional.
Despite this, the team appeared “locked in,” meaning they were intensely focused while doing approximately the same chaotic things as before. A rotation mistake occurred, because at this point it would have been suspicious if it hadn’t. Still, Ladies 5 pushed through and won the set, proving once again that rules are more of a suggestion.
At 2–0 up, things were going too well.
During the break, Caitlin suggested using more plays and trying new things. This suggestion was received with enthusiasm and immediately misunderstood.
Rather than implementing tactical systems, the team briefly prepared for something resembling Romeo and Juliet. No actual plays were changed, but the emotional depth increased. This was deemed sufficient.
The third set escalated quickly. Esra was injured early on, forcing Lara to step in and solve the problem by simply doing more volleyball. This worked.
The rallies became longer and stranger. Merel engaged in a tennis rally, Willemijn produced several heroic dives, Andreea attempted a jump serve that did not survive the attempt, and Lara immediately followed with one that did. Balance was restored.
Somehow, the set was won. At this point, the championship was no longer a question of if, but how chaotic.
By the fourth set, structure had been abandoned entirely.
Andreea joined the tennis rally trend. Caitlin spiked a ball, which raised several philosophical questions, and later spiked directly into the net after being baited into it. Anne and Dilara delivered a series of serves that suggested someone, somewhere, briefly remembered how volleyball works.
Ladies 5 won the fourth set, the match, and the championship. The game itself could generously be described as messy. Less generously, it was a masterclass in surviving your own decisions.
The championship was celebrated at SWL during the end‑of‑season party, where the chaos of the match was continued in a more social environment. As if winning the league wasn’t enough, Ladies 5 also won the Soviscore, confirming through numbers what everyone already suspected: this team should not be underestimated, even if they absolutely look like they should be.
In the end, Ladies 5 became champions not because everything went right, but because nothing managed to go wrong enough to stop them. Like an IKEA cabinet assembled without instructions, it wobbled, it creaked, but it stood.
And that, apparently, was enough