(22/09/2001)
Warwick Riga were taught a lesson in Championship-winning volleyball as they went down by three sets to nil against last season's National League Division One title holders, Malory, at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick, on Saturday. In front of England coach, Jefferson Williams, the international-packed visitors gave an impressive display as many sought to confirm their places in the national squad for its trip to Saudi Arabia at the end of the month.
Although outclassed, Warwick were never completely outplayed and showed enough to suggest that the improvement they have made in recent seasons is set to continue. One impressive performance came from Phil Wyles, thrust back into action only weeks after suffering a broken foot. He certainly did enough to confirm his transition from the Junior to the Senior England training squad.
The first set opened evenly. John Gilling and Tom Spijkers had Riga in the lead only for Morph Bowes and Stuart Watson to cancel the advantage. At six apiece, a couple of unforced errors from the home side were enough to forge Malory the breakthrough they needed. From then on there was only one team in it. Despite a late rally from captain Tom Young and supported by Dave Nason and Kees de Hoogh, more home errors allowed Malory to close out, 25 - 16.
Disappointment turned to alarm as the second set two opened and with it a 7 - 1 lead to Malory. Pressure serving from England captain Richard Dobell caught Warwick asleep and paying the penalty. However Riga then showed their character, and the resolve which bodes well for the season to come, as through Spijkers, Richard Meade, and Young, they made inroads into the opening deficit. A Spijkers service ace seemed to have achieved the impossible as Warwick took a 20 - 19 lead and the expressions on the Malory faces showed their fear. Now it was the turn of the visitors' Steven Fee to rise to the occasion. Three finishes from him brought set point and as the home side ran out of steam, Malory clinched the second set, 25 - 23, much to their relief.
Any hopes Riga may have had for a repeat performance in the third set were quickly dashed as Malory took an early 7 - 4 lead, courtesy of a catalogue of unforced home errors. With Warwick under pressure and error-prone, Malory looked comfortable winners. Only in the closing stages did the home side look anything like a force as Young and de Hoogh started to pose a viable threat to Malory's supremacy. However the ending was never in doubt and at 25 - 18, Malory sealed the first of what stands to be an unending series of victories on this form.
"That was the best I've seen Malory play in years," commented captain Tom Young after the match. "With the Saudi tournament in mind, they were certainly up for it tonight. We didn't play badly but their international class shone like a beacon. I'm still confident we'll do well again this year. A bit more consistency about us and top four is within our grasp easily." City of Salford on Saturday at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick (6pm), is the next test of that claim, and one which should reveal some success. Although around for some time, the visitors have recently reformed as an amalgamation of the Liverpool and Salford clubs. They boast teams in all Divisions of the National League, Men as well as Women. On court, Salford were relegated last season, whilst Liverpool finished just above them and lost to Riga in the National Shield final for the second year running. "Salford are a big club now," notes Young, "with big ambitions. There'll be some fear in their hearts coming to us but they'll also be out to upset a few people and we're also prime targets on that score. Should be an interesting game."