Because why play volleyball normally when chaos is an option?
Pre‑Game:
The road to Gouda was expected to be a simple Friday commute. Train in, match played, train out. But Ladies 5 do not operate under such mundane, linear conditions. No — this team thrives on plot twists.
Just as the group braced itself for the deeply traumatising experience of Dutch public transport at rush hour, Taxi Dree, freshly imported from Paris and running on pure delusion and adrenaline, arrived ahead of schedule. With heroic overconfidence, Dree attempted to consolidate the entire team into car-based transport.
But of course, because this is Ladies 5, one commuter missed the memo and ended up waiting for the train like a Dickensian orphan. Cue Taxi Dree: Round Two. The rescue mission succeeded, everyone arrived in Gouda, and only a small portion of collective dignity was lost.
Set 1:
The opening set resembled roadworks on the A12: chaotic, inconvenient, and nobody entirely sure which lane they were meant to be in. Passes wandered off like tourists without Google Maps. Caitlin, already fresh from her travel trauma, was left setting balls that required both trigonometry and prayer.
On the sideline sat Coach Andreea — injured, immobile, but spiritually thriving — offering unsolicited wisdom with the confidence of someone who does not have to be on the court. Miraculously, once the team slowed down and started playing with tactical IQ rather than raw panic, the set was secured.
Set 2:
Dilara decided the left lane was closed and so launched blistering line shots that violated at least three traffic laws. Caitlin briefly forgot where the service line was and took a scenic detour inside the court. A few serve errors, some moments of “strategic laziness”, but despite ongoing chaos on the highway, Ladies 5 still cruised through the set.
Set 3:
Suddenly the passes started connecting like newly installed fibre internet. Sandra’s attacks took the scenic route to the deep corner every single time. Esra channelled professional footballers and head‑butted the ball because why not? Anne deployed a serve streak that targeted every pothole in Servylo’s reception. Lara finished the job with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Set in the bag.
Set 4:
The chaos evaporated. The system stabilised. The girls finally played the kind of volleyball you’d actually want people to witness. Servylo received a gentle but firm reminder why Ladies 5 sit comfortably at the top of the league table.
Final Traffic Advisory:
Sloppy roads, unexpected detours, questionable decisions… yet another victory. Ladies 5 remain number one and celebrated in the most traditional of Dutch‑athlete ways: McDonald’s.
