NVL Division 1, 15 October 2006
3-1 (21-25,
25-23, 17-25, 21-25)
Match Report by Chris Anderson
(English)
Warwick travelled down to London at the weekend to play against last seasons league runners up and cup finalist. An exciting encounter over recent years, with Warwick defeating docklands in the first of their encounters last year effectively ending Docklands title hopes before it began. It was Warwick travelling to Bacons Field this time though which has proven a difficult place for Warwick and indeed many teams to get a result there.
The hitting warm up was an impressive display, with huge hits from Glitz and Miladinovic, however it was Warwick who won this first encounter with a better overall team display I believe.
The first set went point for point with no team managing to get an advantage but with an overall high standard of play being witnessed. At 18 – 19 down Docklands took their first time out after my very impressive, amazing block on their opposite star, Miladinovic! My hand hurt for a bit, but I didn’t show it!! The time out went as Ian had planned and stopped any momentum swinging our way, and actually seemed to unsettle Warwick, in that we lost the next 7 out of nine points losing the set 25-21.
Warwick managed to turn it around in the next set winning it 25-23. This set again was a close encounter with Warwick largely behind for the majority of the set, but managing to just nip Docklands at the post.
The third set was a comfortable win for Docklands with the Riga block completely un-fazing Glitz and Miladinovic, who seemed to be able to hit past it at will. The misery continue for Warwick into 4th set with a huge block on Chris Anderson (Kiwi) early in the set. This did not phase Chris who on he very next hit powered the ball cross court with probably the best hit o the game. However, Docklands ploughed on and took a 15-7 lead after one complete rotation of the teams. With Warwick out of time outs and looking defeated, some of the old Riga fight which seems to have left Riga in recent years, returned. Damon Minotti joined the arena and made an instant impact, with some impressive blocking together with Dan Turnbull and from 23-14 down Warwick managed to win 7 out of the next 9 points, including saving 4 match points, before a relatively week middle hit ending Riga’s come back.
Of course Docklands deserved the win, there are no arguments there, Ian Legrand himself pointed out that it was by far their best performance of the year, typical!!! Warwick voted for Miladinovic as MVP and Docklands gave it to Chris Anderson (Kiwi) who had his most impressive display for Warwick to date with a 50 % kill ratio, courtesy of Mr. Hopper. I am sure that my own stats were not higher, in my head every ball was a winner, well at least for someone anyway! At least a Chris Anderson got the MVP! Anyway Warwick will have to pick themselves up for the next set of games, where they have a double header against Newcastle and Staffs on the Saturday, an always difficult team for Warwick, and league champions Mallory on the Sunday.
See also Docklands own website report (under results) which mentions several of our Riga players!
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