Sport

Term 3 Sport Report 

Term 3 was an eventful term of sport for the Academy, with our students participating in ten full days of sport across the term. 

On Wednesday, 24 July there were students from all year levels, at different venues participating in futsal and volleyball, highlighting the busy nature of the sport schedule. 

The students who participated in sport should be acknowledged for their ability to manage their co-curricular schedules.  Term 3 concludes with the school’s Mercy Day celebration, and the Dillon Room is booked during lunch times to allow each house to rehearse their performance.  Therefore, many of our students were giving up their lunch times for rehearsals as well as arriving at school early, or staying back late for sports training. 

Term 3 was undeniably a successful term of sport, which saw on field successes, learnings and friendships made. 

Division 1 CGSAV Futsal – MSAC 

The Academy was represented by students from Years 7 – 12 on Wednesday, 24  July in Division 1 CGSAV Futsal, fielding a Junior, Intermediate and Senior team.  The day produced mixed results from a win/loss perspective, however all teams were able to gain great experience throughout the day.

Juniors 

Please find the Junior Division Results Table below:

Juniors

The Junior team, coached by Mr Eddie Mercieca, found the competition challenging, finishing in 7th position.  Producing two drawn matches was a positive for the team and they were ultimately unlucky not to win those games.  We look forward to seeing what our Year 7 students can produce as Year 8s next year. 

Junior Best Players:

Olivia Nikolarakos, Tiana Fagone Lazita, Lena Daoud-Kolusniewski

Intermediates 

Please find the Intermediate Division Results Table below:

The Intermediate team, coached by past student Isabella Solano, finished in 7th position after winning one of their five matches.  Despite finishing with a losing record, there were several moments of individual brilliance, which can be built on for the next year.  The team was mainly comprised of Year 9 students and will undoubtedly be stronger next year as a result of their tournament experiences. 

Intermediate Best Players:

Olivia McLachlan, Nastasia Viola, Sofia Pham

Seniors

Please find the Seniors results table below:

The Senior team, coached by Ms Mary Gallivan, produced strong results throughout the competition, winning four of their six group matches, progressing to the division Grand Final.  This was the second Division 1 Futsal Grand Final that the team has made in as many years.  Many of the current Year 12 students played in the Senior Division as Year 11s in 2023.  Unfortunately, the Senior team were unable to win their Grand Final match, falling short to a strong Santa Maria team.  The tight result will undoubtedly have left the Year 11s motivated for 2025.  These students are congratulated for their strong performances. 

Senior Best Players:

Saskia Viola, Zoe Athanasopoulos, Phoebe Gowans 

Victorian Schools Cup Volleyball – State Volleyball Centre Dandenong 

The 2024 Victorian Schools Cup Volleyball Tournament saw the Academy represented by two Intermediate and one Senior team at the State Volleyball Centre Dandenong from Wednesday, 24 July to Friday, 26 July.  The tournament was a successful competition for the Academy with two of our teams having a successful tournament from a win and loss perspective.  The event is the largest school Volleyball tournament in the State and it provides an opportunity for students to showcase the skills they have developed at training and to meet similar aged peers from across the state. 

Year 10 - Division 2

The Year 10 Division 2 team, coached by past students Claudia Cover and Francesca Papandrea, ultimately found the competition challenging, finishing the tournament with a 1 – 4 win/loss record.  The team was largely comprised of Year 9 students and was competitive in all of their matches, despite their overall record.  The students will have certainly gained great experience from the tournament and the foundation is there for successful Volleyball pursuits in 2025. 

Year 10 Division 2 Best Players:

Grace Tull, Amelie Nashar, Greta Zabotto 

Year 10 - Division 1

The Year 10 Division 1 team, coached by past students Claudia Cover and Francesca Papandrea, finished the tournament with a 3 - 2 win/loss record.  The team successfully progressed into the Division Grand Final.  Unfortunately, they were beaten in straight sets by a strong Keysborough College team.  The winning team was the only team to beat our team throughout the tournament.  A notable tournament highlight occurred on Thursday 25 July during the 5:30pm game, when we beat a competitive Yarra Valley Grammar outfit in 2 sets to 1 victory.  The Year 10 Division 1 team was able to hold their nerve in a tense final set.  Whilst it was disappointing for our players to suffer a Grand Final loss, there are certainly positive signs for our Senior program next year, as many of these students will become Year 11s. 

Year 10 Division 1 Best Players:

Emma Ibrahim, Sophie Nikolarakos, Wynter Challis 

Year 12 Division 2

The Year 12 Division 2 team, coached by past students Kaija Bond and Rebecca Arena, finished the tournament with a 4 – 1 win/loss record.  The team was dominant throughout the group stage matches without losing a set.  They successfully won their way to the Grand Final and came up against a CGSAV rival, Santa Maria College, a team who they had previously beaten on the first day of the tournament.  Unfortunately, the result did not fall their way and they were beaten in straight sets.  Our students can be commended on their persistence and effort throughout the game when faced with challenges.  The team did not give up and played with great spirit.  The Year 11 students in the team will undoubtedly be looking to build on this year and they will look to give themselves the opportunity to win the tournament next year. 

Year 12 Division 2 Best Players:

Sienna Arena, Aoife Greenwood, Isla Barlow 

ACC Mixed Netball – State Netball and Hockey Centre 

Wednesday, 31 July saw ten of our Year 10 students participate in the ACC mixed Netball competition along with Year 10 students from our brother school Simonds Catholic College.  The event is organised by the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) and is designed to strengthen the relationships between the boys' schools of ACC and their sister schools.  The event is a fantastic opportunity for our students to network with peers, further develop their netball skills and to teach less experienced netball players about the game. 

The Year 10 students selected to represent the Academy were:

Caitlin Nutbean, Zara Fox, Ava De Fazio, Estelle Postiglioni, Kate Moore, Eloise Robinson, Asha Marinelli, Kylah Ginnane, Emma Ibrahim and Alex Williams

All students involved enjoyed their time at the competition and it is certainly an event that we will look to continue our involvement in next year, as we continue to strengthen our relationship with Simonds. 

Netball Victoria – Victorian School Netball Championships Pinks Reserve Kilsyth

Academy students' strong interest in netball resulted in our entry for the first time of an Intermediate and a Senior team in the Victorian School Netball Championships.  The Victorian School Netball Championships were comprised of 10 different round robin days across the state with the winning team of each age group progressing to ‘Finals Day’ at the State Netball and Hockey Centre. 

The tournament was a great opportunity for our students to challenge themselves against strong opposition, to further develop their own skills and to build team chemistry leading into the CGSAV event. 

Intermediate Team

The Intermediate team comprised of Year 9 students found the competition challenging and were on many occasions outplayed by their more senior Year 10 opponents.  However, the team coach, Ms Aleesha Jansen commented on how the team improved dramatically throughout the day, growing in confidence and adapting to each other’s playing styles.  Despite the challenges they faced, all students enjoyed and grew from their experiences. 

Intermediate Team Best Players:

Eloise Pola, Audrey Macnamara, Charlotte Place

Senior Team

The Senior Team was comprised of both Year 10 and Year 11 students and coached by Ms Emma Spreckley, produced competitive performances throughout the day, finishing with a mixed win and loss record.  

The high standard of competition was initially a challenge, however, the team took this in their stride and rose to the occasion.  The team has unquestionably grown from their experience at the tournament and they will be better equipped to face these challenges in 2025. 

Senior Team Best Players:

Bridget Martin, Emily Roberts, Ashley Lommi

Division 1 CGSAV Volleyball – MSAC

The Academy fielded three junior, two intermediate and two senior teams at Division 1 CGSAV Volleyball held at MSAC on 8 August.  The CGSAV event marked the end of the Academy Volleyball season and it was the last opportunity for our students to showcase their skills at a school event.  It was also an opportunity to see our Year 12 students in action for one last occasion, many of whom have represented the Academy in Volleyball since they commenced with us  in Year 7. 

Juniors 

Please find the Junior Results Tables below:

Juniors

The Junior teams, coached by past students Lucy Ryan and Tanya Tozoulis ultimately found the competition challenging, with each team finishing in the bottom position of their division.  The more exposure to volleyball these students gain, the better they will be in future competitions.  With strong participation levels at training, I am sure these students will continue to develop their skills over the coming years. 

Junior C Best Players:

Jana Tozoulis, Chelsea Huynh, Alicia Keegan

Junior B Best Players:

Izzie Dinnen, Mabel McLatchy, Georgina Diep 

Junior A Best Players:

Agnese Camarda, Sophia La Terra, Willow Ham

Intermediates 

Please find the Intermediate Results tables below:

The tournament provided mixed results for our Intermediate teams, coached by past students Claudia Cover and Francesca Papandrea.  The Intermediate B team found the competition challenging and our Intermediate A team performed strongly, finishing in the 3rd overall position.  As a result of two narrow losses, the intermediate A team were unlucky not to reach the Grand Final.   Overall, the Intermediate Volleyballer team showed great commitment and effort over the course of the 2024 season, having improved markedly during 2024. 

The Senior program is set to flourish if all of our intermediate players remain involved with Academy Volleyball in the years ahead. 

Intermediate B Best Players:

Clio Dinnen, Meleuc Lear, Allegra Martello

Intermediate A Best Players:

Emme Hermans, Amelia Stratford, Caitlin Nutbean

Seniors 

Please find the Senior Results tables below:

The Senior B team, despite their win/loss record enjoyed the competition and made the most of their last opportunity to play together as a group.  The team was comprised of students who were formerly involved in the Volleyball program, but due to alternative commitments were unable to recommit this year.   Therefore, the students involved should be thanked for their efforts to prevent the Academy from forfeiting their spot in the competition.  The Senior A team were the benchmark team of the group stage at the competition, finishing that stage in first position.  In a resumption of the rivalry setup in the Victorian Schools Cup, the team again faced Santa Maria College in the division grand final.  Unfortunately, the Senior A team, coached by past student Rebecca Arena narrowly lost their Grand Final match in a tense contest.  We finished the season with a 2-2 win/ loss record against Santa Maria.  The students should be congratulated on a successful season, which saw them perform admirably, winning far more games than they lost.  A special acknowledgement should be given to the Year 12 students, and we would like to thank them for their contributions to the Academy Volleyball program during their time at the school. 

Senior B Best Players:

Abigail Desta, Brianna Stedman, Olivia Portelli 

Senior A Best Players:

Sienna Arena, Deja Bond, Isabel Juricskay 

Division 2 CGSAV Soccer – Darebin International Sports Centre

Division 2 CGSAV Soccer saw the Academy represented by students in Years 7 – 12 across a Junior, Intermediate and a Senior team. 

Junior Soccer 

Please find the Junior Results Table below:

Junior team coach Mr Eddie Mercieca has summarised  the team’s performances below:

‘We started the day with a 2-0 loss to Ave Marie as our girls were finding their feet earlier in the competition.  Game 2 saw us earn a scoreless draw against Mater Christi.  Our next three games saw us in strong positions, but we were unable to find goals when we needed them, resulting in losses.  Our team will be much better for the experience next year and we look to build on the foundations that were laid this year."

Best players: Olivia Nikolarakos, Angela Matic, Willow Ham, Ava Vella, Alyssia Carnovale, Brigid Govan.

Intermediate Soccer

Please find the Intermediate Results Table below:

The Intermediate team coached by Mr Mark Vorster provided competitive performances throughout the tournament.  The team’s "defend first" attitude, ensured that they were engaged in the contest during every match.  Several injuries left the team with an uphill battle, and the players should be congratulated for the resilience they displayed.  A special congratulations should be given to Paula Soto Almaraz who scored the team’s only goal during the competition. 

Intermediate Best Players:

Christen Mercuri, Giulia D’Abaco, Paula Soto Almaraz, Nastasia Viola 

Senior Soccer 

Please find the Senior Results Table below:

The Senior team coached by Mr Tom Glenister and past student Roisin Murphy performed superbly on the day, finishing the group stage in the second overall position.

The team conceded one goal during regular time throughout the competition, which was to the eventual division champions St Columba’s.  This is a credit to the team defence and the fantastic goal keeping of Year 12 student Claudia Aiton.  The Senior team  progressed to the division Grand Final, but were beaten in a tight penalty shootout that took 17 penalties to produce a definitive result.  The team can be commended for the spirit with which they played and never giving up.  Unfortunately, this is the second consecutive year that our Senior team has been beaten in the Grand Final, but this will undoubtedly motivate the Year 11 students for the 2025 season. 

Senior Best Players:

Saskia Viola, Zoe Athanasopoulos, Brianna Zdravkovski, Henrietta Lomas-Mee, Claudia Aiton

Division 2 CGSAV Netball –  State Netball and Hockey Centre 

Academy was represented in the Division 2 CGSAV Netball on Wednesday, 4 September by three junior, two intermediate and two senior teams in the round robin tournament.  

The day proved to be successful, as our teams played a with great spirit and attitude. 

Juniors 

Please find the Junior Results Tables below:

The Junior teams coached by Ms Mary Gallivan, Ms Alex Cowin and past student Lucy Ryan found the competition challenging.  Despite all teams concluding the competition with a negative win/loss record, solid foundations were laid for future success as these students progress to the Intermediate and Senior age groups and play more netball together. 

Junior C Best Players:

Bianca Natale, Freya McGlone, Kate Murphy 

Junior B Best Players:

Lexi Allen, Alice Collins, Josie Wright 

Junior A Best Players:

Mahli Yacin, Madeleine McLachlan, Matilda Razga

Intermediates

Please find the Intermediate Results Tables below:

The Intermediate teams coached by Ms Hannah Hale and Ms Aleesha Jansen produced successful tournament results despite a number of players being unavailable at the last minute.  With short notice, other students stepped up to fill the gaps in the teams, showing a fantastic commitment to sport at the Academy and are to be congratulated for their attitude.  As seen in the results above, the Intermediate B team performed particularly well on the day, winning their division Grand Final.  A special congratulations should be given to Estelle Postiglioni, to whom umpires awarded the "Grand Final Best Player" - a fantastic achievement by Estelle!  All players involved should be proud of their efforts, and we look forward to what these players can produce as Seniors in the coming years. 

Intermediate B Best Players:

Estelle Postiglioni, Grace Healey, Sylvia Bulfone

Intermediate A Best Players:

Caitlin Nutbean, Charlotte Place, Ava De Fazio

Seniors

Please find the Senior Results Tables below:

The Senior netball teams coached by Ms Emma Spreckley and Ms Jodie Muller performed exceptionally well.  The Senior A team finished with a 3 – 1 win/loss record narrowly missing out on a Grand Final position, finishing third by a goal difference of one.

 The Senior B team went through the competition undefeated, winning all of their 5 matches.  The Senior B team in particular should be congratulated for their Grand Final performance.  Abigail Roach was awarded the "Grand Final Best Player"  by the officiating umpires, which is an outstanding achievement, so we would like to congratulate her on her individual performance.  

The tournament was a fantastic way for the Year 12 students to finish their time in sport at the Academy, and we look forward to what our Year 11 students can produce at the tournament next year. 

Senior B Best Players:

Aisha Binnie, Phoebe Gowans, Georgia Adams, Abigail Roach 

Senior A Best Players:

Ashley Lommi, Emily Roberts, Stella Smith 

Division 1 CGSAV Junior Netball – Tuesday September 10 – Eagle Stadium Werribee

Please find the results tables from Junior Netball below:

The Academy fielded a total of nine Junior teams at CGSAV Division 1 Junior Netball.  This event was a great opportunity for any student wanting to try netball to get involved and play.  

The teams at the Junior event were coached by Ms Mary Gallivan, Ms Georgie Terrill, past students Lucy Ryan, Kristabelle Francis, Caeli Keegan and Year 11 students Allegra Kline, Sienna Komarnycki, Phoebe Gowans and Abigail Roach.  A special acknowledgement should be given to the Junior C team, coached by Allegra and Sienna who were narrowly defeated in their division Grand Final by Sacred Heart, Geelong with a score of 9 - 8. These students should all be proud of their efforts. 

The high participation rate of our Juniors in 2024, and the willingness of our Year 11s to give back to the program is a great sign for netball at Academy in the coming years. 

Mr Aeneas Gallivan

Director of Sport