The women’s national team of Ireland started the Small Countries Association (SCA) Championship with a dramatic performance, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory (21-25, 25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 16-14) against Iceland. They followed this thrilling opener by comfortably defeating Northern Ireland in straight sets, which put them at the top of the early standings.
The host nation faced a tough challenge in their first match against Iceland, needing to dig deep to secure the win. They eventually clinched the deciding fifth set 16-14, after successfully fending off three match points in a nail-biting tie-break. The atmosphere at the Sport Ireland Campus was electric. A pivotal moment came midway through the fifth set when Fiona Rigby was brought off the bench; she served with remarkable composure and precision, guiding Ireland across the finish line. Her accurate serves and steady nerves proved crucial in shifting the momentum just as Iceland seemed poised to claim victory. Ireland`s captain, Emily Frazell, displayed calm leadership throughout the match, while opposite hitter Emma Byrne made key plays at critical junctures.
For Iceland, the standout player of the night was 15-year-old sensation Inga Björg Brynjúlfsdóttir. She impressed the audience with a fearless, MVP-level performance that showed maturity beyond her years.
Coach Mark Delahunty’s strategic decision to substitute Rigby into the decisive set paid off significantly, highlighting the increasing depth of the Irish squad.
Earlier in the day, both San Marino and Scotland made strong statements with convincing 3-0 wins over Iceland and Northern Ireland respectively in their opening matches.
These results mean that two SCA nations are now ranked within the top 50 of the FIVB World Rankings, with Ireland placed 48th and Scotland 49th.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood