Boarsity Clockwatch: Day Two

22:30: Coventry’s number three slumps to the ground after another lost point, which proves to be a prophetic act. Like all good teams, Warwick don’t relinquish an opportunity to drive the dagger home and they do so in style. Desso Hall explodes to cap off a fantastic second day of Varsity. We’ll leave you with a very satisfying Varsity scoreline: Warwick 21-13 Coventry. See you at 12pm tomorrow for more Poly-bashing fun.

22:14: A who’s-who of sport at Warwick are in attendance: Sports Officer Ted, photographer extraordinaire Tim Nunan, former Sport Editor Shingi. They look on as we go 17-12 up – are these two precious points about to go Warwick’s way?

22:08: The clock has ticked past 10 but no one’s going home, and we’ve just been shown why: Warwick captain Veronika Vohlmuthova finishes off a seemingly endless rally with a spike winner. Have that, Cov.

22:04: Well then. After eight (we think?) match points for Warwick, Coventry performed the very definition of a smash and grab and took us into a fourth set. They’re now leading 5-4 in the fourth. It couldn’t happen, could it?

21:54: On a separate note, the Icelandic hand clap is in grave danger of becoming the “Will Grigg’s on Fire” of Varsity 2017. And that’s not a good thing.

21:52: Apologies for the lack of updates recently, but this Volleyball really is gripping stuff. Second match point for Warwick at 26-25.

21:40: Scenes. Absolute scenes. Down at the death but Warwick Basketball still managed to claw their way back from the jaws of defeat. At one point they were losing by 20, but the boys pulled it back (and then some). Final score 89-79 to Warwick, to add to the healthy overall Varsity lead.

21:30: OMG real life footage from the BBall, creds to Shingi for some great camerawork.

21:20: Minute-by-minute reporting from Shingi:

6:41 left on the clock

Madness

Decibels are up

Warwick don’t have the same level athleticism or length but lots of heart so all to play fir

21:17: If you want drama, head to the main hall. Editor-in-Chief Shingi tells me Warwick Basketball are 59-54 down, but “clawiiing back”. Not sure if that was for effect or just a typo.

21:11: I’m sat on the floor of Desso Hall and can honestly say that it’s the comfiest I’ve been all afternoon. Student journalists don’t get the plush press seats (except for the Ice Hockey last night were we even had a toilet in our box – now THAT’S living).

21:06: Thanks Alex, you’ve well and truly gone above and beyond for Boar Sport today. If the first set of this match is to go by, I’ll be off soon too – Warwick are 8-4 up in the second set.

20:56: If there was a surprise in that set, it was that Cov managed to get as many as 14 points. A great start for Team Warwick, with no 7 Lam spiking like no tomorrow. That concludes my session of shouting into the void; next up is James. Forza Warwick!

20:44: At the first time out, the girls are 8-4 up, and very good value for it. A commanding display thus far. 

20: 37: We’re back with the women’s volleyball team, who come into this as strong favourites. If our game play is as well organised as our pre match huddle, such a tag is well deserved. 

20:02: Sadly, the Desso Hall dream is over, as Cov take the final set 25-18. The Warwick team certainly gave the Varsity faithful one hell of a game though.  ‘SEE YOU IN COURT!’ tweets are being drafted campus wide, in confusing scenes. 

19:59: The women’s netball is done and dusted, and saw Warwick come out on top, 39-21! Coventry just managed to win the table tennis 9-8, but an extraordinary effort from the lads. 

19:53: The best rally of the whole match sees Warwick snatch a point and take a slender 16-15 lead. Desso Hall is electric right now. 

19:51: It’s all over in the squash and we’ve triumphed a convincing 4-1. 

19:50: Touchwood, there may be something brewing here…Warwick are playing out of their skin, and it’s  12 all. 

19:42: Istan-ball not completely out of the question here, but with Warwick down 4-7 in the fourth it’s looking very unlikely. 

19:39: To quote my colleague at the table tennis: “It’s 8-8 seriously can’t get a better advertisement for Varsity, to all those people who say we don’t care **** off”

19:35: Knives removed. Warwick take the third set 25-23!

19:34: You can cut the tension here with a knife. Warwick were 22-19 up (needing 25), but now it’s 23-23. If Cov take this set, they take the match. 

19:30: The table tennis sounds like an absolute thriller, with a last-minute Warwick comeback in full swing. We’ve got an excellent chance of winning this set in the volleyball, so stay tuned. 

19:22: We may not be winning the volleyball, but I can see the court. This is Matt’s view of the squash. 

19:20: A truly magical save by Cov’s no 8, the animated ‘David’, is the last play before another time-out, at 11-12, just to us. 

19:12: Final scores in the swimming, and Warwick won the men’s 82-40, and the women’s 70-53 – well done to all involved. Sadly it appears our understrength table tennis team is sinking, Cov 8-6 up now. We’ve made a good start in the third set here, and are 8-3 up at the first time-out. 

19:05: 19-25 Coventry, and they go 2 sets up. 

19:01: I’m hearing stories of miracles being performed by Eggington, Hayes, Li and Stafford on the squash court, with only O’Callaghan left. Truly a modern day Beatles. 

18:59: I’m sorry to say Cov are going to take this set, and quite easily too. Looking for a positive slant desperately, and Coventry’s team is more ethnically diverse, so any white supremacists in attendance will be disappointed with proceedings. 

18:54: With Coventry taking a solid 15-8 lead in the second set, you may be tempted to watch something we’re faring better in. Warwick Squash are streaming their tie here

18:45: Stunning play across both sides of the net sees Warwick pick up the point of the match so far. We’re trailing 5-7 unfortunately, despite Warwick Sport’s 1984-esque commands of ‘WE ARE WARWICK SPORT Inspire, Motivate, Achieve’ being emblazoned on the hall walls. At half time in the swimming our guys and gals are up in both!

18:40: It’s 20-11 to Warwick at half-time in the women’s netball, with the second set here starting now. 

18:35: Neck and neck throughout, Coventry just take the first set 25-23. Thankfully, we’re up 1-0 in the squash and we’ve levelled the “exhilarating” table tennis. The suitably stern umpire here looks a lot like former (or current?) Northern Irish First Minister and (definitely former) IRA member Martin McGuinness. I’m sure his record of politically motivated terrorism is in-fact impeccably clean. 

18:24: A time out at 12-11, Coventry. Great atmosphere from those in attendance, though Warwick’s subs started an Icelandic clap chant, which I’m sorry, despite home bias I really have to condemn – unless unbeknownst to me the entirety of our playing squad hails from Reykjavik. 

18:21: Really tight stuff as two seemingly evenly-matched teams face off. Currently 10-9 Cov in the first. It’s 5-4 Coventry in the table tennis, a loss really would be heartbreaking stuff. 

18:16: A bit of an anti-climactic start as the visitors pick up the first 2 points but the whitewash doesn’t last. 3-2 as it stands. 

18:15: Game time. No national anthem today, already putting this above the ice-hockey. 

18:05: Still yet to get underway here, with volleyballs flying in our direction. Did you know that volleyball and basketball were invented a mere 16 kilometres apart? Not since Goodison Park and…Finch Farm has such sporting magic happened at such close quarters. 

18:00: I’ll also be trying to keep you abreast of all the action in the squash, table-tennis and netball, happening elsewhere. Speaking of table-tennis, I’m told it’s a nail-biting 4-4 as it stands. Hopefully our guys can pull through. 

17:57: In tragic circumstances, my colleague Matt’s laptop has died an untimely death, so you’re stuck with me I’m afraid. What a week this is for the Warwick Men’s Volleyball team. With their league won, Varsity and a cup semi-final against today’s opponents in the space of a magnificent seven days, I’m delighted to be joining you from Desso Hall. This is my view.

17:45 – While women’s netball warm up in the Main Hall, seeking to avenge the shame of last year’s defeat, Warwick have taken a 4-2 lead in the table tennis.

Meanwhile I’m off to the squash courts to watch… well, Squash.

17:35 – A brief toilet break has unearthed the scale of the Cov invasion. The Vandals to our Rome, the Orcs to our Helm’s Deep, Varsity’s here and it’s brought our noisy neighbours with it.

17:25 – And just like that, Cov have pegged us back in the table tennis. It stands at 2-2 with all to play for. Check out our Facebook Live coverage here.

17:20 – ALERT! ALERT! SOUND THE ALARMS! After what had been a relative lull in proceedings, the first Main Hall sighting has been made of the blue and magenta horde. COV ARE HERE. IT’S HAPPENING.

17:05 – As the main hall already begins to fill up in anticipation of the netball at 18:00, Warwick Volleyball deliver a last-gasp plea to for support at Desso Hall. On a side note, that’s the first embedded tweet of today’s Clockwatch. #SocialMediaGuru

Varsity is finally here! Come along with your friends to Desso Hall this evening and support #TeamWarwick! Men's… https://t.co/UfwRvnUv9d

— Warwick Volleyball (@WarwickUniVball) February 24, 2017

16:55 – Both the karting and snow sports are also underway. But with the karting taking place in Birmingham, and the snow sports in Stoke, I don’t have a clue what’s going on in either. Let’s just assume we’re winning them too…

We’re good, but we’re not that good.

16:45 – Meanwhile the table tennis is underway. Our trustee reporter reliably informs me that Warwick are in the lead. A sign of things to come…?

16:40 – AND THEY’RE OFF. My esteemed colleagues have given up on the frisbee and have ventured forth to the toilet. Meanwhile, the frisbee folk have called it a day and are now huddled in a circle behind me, shouting in tribalistic unison. Have I unearthed some kind of ultimate frisbee cult? Probably not.

16:30 – The Clockwatch team have set up camp in the Main Hall and are raring to go. As Warwick Ultimate Frisbee train in an impressive display of vision and guile, the Boar Sport’s Editor offers me what can only be described as a heinous chilli flavoured pea snack. I politely decline. #OnlyatVarsity.

16:20 – Table tennis, volleyball, MMA bungee jumping* and squash are just some of the sports in action today. With the Varsity score tied at 7-7, could this be the day that Warwick begin to pull away?

*might not actually be a real sport

16:10 – Admittedly the hockey was a little more in Warwick’s defensive end last night, as Cov trounced us 18-8. After the good-humoured banter merciless onslaught of our press-box at the hands of some typically profane Cov students, it’s fair to say the Boar Sports team’s feeling a little bruised.

Fear not however, with no less than 10 fixtures taking place, the battle for the sports centre is set to be a cracker.

16:00 – AND WE’RE BACK. After a dizzying night of aerodynamic frogs, shame-faced elephants and some end-to-end hockey, Varsity’s curtain-raiser at Planet Ice had it all. Join us as we attempt the impossible to keep you updated with all the action.