Coventry Evening Telegraph, 18th May 1999
| RIGA have finally achieved their dream of promotion to the
National Women's League Division Two.
Ecstatic coach Martin Warman said: ''I've said all along we were good enough to get promotion. It was a tough match going right to the wire, but now we've won, we can't wait for next season to start." However, it was a match that nearly didn't happen. The sports governing body, the English Volleyball Association, after a much deliberation and discussion finally, saw the sense of holding a play-off match to decide who would fill the vacant slot in next season's Division Two. Riga Ladies who finished second in Division Three North were therefore pitched against Bristol Cream from the Southern Area League. The match was always going to be a tight, nervous affair with so much at stake for both sides. Riga took the first set 15-11 as Bristol struggled to find a rhythm, following their evening trip north to Kenilworth's Castle Farm Leisure Centre. However, they bounced back to snatch the second set 15-6 as the tall Carly Williams proved too daunting for the home attack. Set three found Ruth Hosking and Nicky Engley on court for Riga and their combined talents saw their side re-establish the lead with a 15- 4 set triumph. Again Bristol bounced back, despite fine play from Jane Warman and Amanda Squires for Riga, to level the match with a 15-12 scoreline. The nerve-jangling, sudden-death rally-point fifth set was electric. Riga fell quickly behind 1-4 as Bristol raced out of the starting blocks. The Riga response came in the form of seven devastating serves from Jane Warman, to establish a potential match-winning lead of 11-6. Again Bristol responded to level the scores at 12 apiece. Riga reached match point, only for Bristol to win a reprieve but it proved short-lived as tiredness overcame Bristol's Merani and her error gave Riga the match and promotion. "Both sides gave everything," said a victorious captain Lynette Purkis. "Each of us deserved to go up on this showing, but only one could. That's us and it feels fantastic." |