(17/03/2001)
Riga Men’s hopes of finishing fourth in this year’s National League Division One table met the small obstacle of a three-two defeat at the hands of Aquila on Saturday at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick. "A win would have left us in the driving seat," said captain Tom Young after that match, "but now we need other results to go for us. I’m still hopeful but we made it difficult for ourselves after tonight." With Warwick having previously beaten Aquila in a tightly contested but impressive three-setter which started the team’s best run of results in Division One, the stage was set for an epic battle and so it turned out. Although the visitors started the match strongly, Riga soon bounced back to take an 11 - 8 lead thanks to fine play by John Gilling, captain Tom Young and Tim Bugg. As Warwick stretched their lead, victory looked assured but Aquila were not ones to give up. Spurred on by captain and England international Danny Wol, the visitors slowly edged back into the set. As Riga’s confidence ebbed, Aquila secured a surprise 25 - 22 victory.
First blood again fell to the visitors in the second set but just as the first, Warwick fought back to lead 10 - 6 with Kees de Hoogh joining Gilling and Bugg as tormentors of Aquila. However the Londoners were not going to give in easily and mounted their fight back through Wol and Sevette. As Riga lost composure, Aquila ran amok and cranked up a 22 - 14 lead. If the writing was on the Warwick wall, the side suddenly became word-blind. With de Hoogh on serve and Tom Spijkers on court, the home side rapidly made amends for earlier indiscretions to pull the score back to 21 - 22. Unfortunately the effort was too late to save them from going down 25 - 22.
With the cold hand of defeat waiting to warm itself on the shoulders of the home side, they responded with two magnificent sets to blow Aquila away. The 25 - 13, 25 -12 set scores were emphatic, and clear evidence of Riga’s ambition for fourth place. De Hoogh, Gilling and Young were the stars of the third set, whilst the fourth had them passing their mantles to Spijkers, Richard Meade and Phil Wyles. The victories also were owed in no small way to libero player Mark Fearn whose spectacular retrievals delighted the crowd as much as they broke the hearts of Aquila. The sudden death fifth set had the visitors in an early lead. As Warwick became cautious, so Aquila grew in confidence, turning the slender 8 - 7 lead at the turnaround into a match-winning 15 - 10 conclusion. "We had our chances to take the game," claimed Young afterwards. "The third and fourth sets were outstanding but we should have won that first set. We’re still learning and getting stronger. We’ve got to be able to handle the pressure that comes with being at the top end of the table."
Riga’s disappointment was completed on Sunday when the Women’s Division Two side went down three-nil to Salford again at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick. Despite a strong performance from Dawn Woolmer, the Ladies were always second best in a close contest.
Next weekend’s action sees the Men at St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre on Saturday when they play hosts to fellow Shield Finalists, Liverpool (6pm). The match, their penultimate in the League this season, stands to be the litmus test of Warwick’s ambitions next month. "A good win on Saturday will set the right tone for Sheffield," notes Young. The Women’s Division Two side travel to Cleobury on Sunday hoping to emulate their earlier three-nil win and the Division Three side wrap up their season in Upper Heyford with matches against Oxford Students and Camden.