They were beaten 3-0 at Poole by Wessex, but displayed sufficient flashes of their pre-season form to suggest they will improve on last term's 6th place.
A consistent killer touch let them down in a match which saw the introduction of a a rule change whereby every rally scores a point.
Riga quickly cashed in by opening an 11-4 first set lead. John Gilling, Pete Abraham, and skipper Tom Young all notched. But with the concluding set target now 25 rather than 15 points, the visitors soon discovered how rapidly fortunes can change.
Wessex eroded the deficit, overturned it with interest, and with England players
Tim Hollis and Morph Bowes prominent, they took the set 25-17.
Warwick struggled from the off in set two. The previously fluent attack was blunted as Wessex made hay, and only towards the end of the set did Riga begin to reassert. Too late, however, and the jump-serving of Hollis eased Wessex to 25-16.
Warwick made changes in the line-up for set three. Early sparring preceded a run of five Riga points and 12-8 advantage, thanks in no small way to 'big' Richie Meade. But in a repeat of set one, the visitors let Wessex back in.
The set did become the tightest of the match, Warwick saving a match point and levelling the scores at 24 apiece. Two fine plays then gave Wessex the 26-24 verdict, and the match points.
"The lads did well, perhaps not as well as lately" said skipper Young. "But we still had our chances to take two of the sets. "We took our foot off the gas in the first and paid the price."
Riga travel again tomorrow, north west to Liverpool. "They play our style of game" added Young. "Last season Liverpool did the double over us. I want revenge, nothing less."
Riga Ladies opened their newly promoted campaign in Division Two of the National Women's League with an excellent 3-0 victory against RAF-based visitors at St Nicholas Park, much to the delight of skipper Lynette Purkis.
Coventry Evening Telegraph
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Leamington Spa Observer report