CENTRAL Queensland University (CQU) began its 2002 Northern University Games campaign with a win from the men’s volleyball team at the Gold Coast on Monday.

They beat Bond University by three sets to one after losing the first set before they found some rhythm and co-ordination. Captain, Dale Strohfeldt, a Rockhampton CQU student, said he thought the result was ‘not bad’ despite the slow start. “At this stage we’re just sort of finding our feet,” Dale said.

The women’s volleyball team was beaten in straight sets by Griffith University.

Other CQU teams to win convincingly on Day 1 were men’s soccer, squash, and rugby teams. In his first match for the Central Queensland University Rugby Union squad Mackay student Mark Challenor scored a try and was a vital part of victories over Southern Cross University 29-10, plus the 29-7 thrashing of Griffith- Gold Coast. Challenor said he “enjoyed the competition on the field, the opening ceremony, and going out”. He hopes the team will roll on into the next stages of the Rugby competition.

All three of these teams are serious contenders for the finals at the end of the week. The competition is made up of students from 14 Universities from Queensland, Northern New South Wales, and the Northern Territory.

Photo: Amy Chen (left), from China, who is studying in Rockhampton, and women’s volleyball manager Kathryn Lowry, prepare for their first game of the competition.

Photo: Mark Challenor strapping on his boots for his next match. Story and Photos by Ross Green (CQU Newspaper Club)