Report written by Dan Turnbull

For the third season in a row Riga opened there National Volleyball League home campaign against Midlands rivals Newcastle Staffs and as ever a closely fought match was expected.  Riga welcomed new faces Leo Trench and Piotr Rybarczyk whilst Staffs also had a new secret weapon, Riga old boy ‘English’ Chris Anderson who has decided this season to do his bit in helping Midland Expressway recoup there outlay on the M6 Toll road.

4 hitting errors from Riga gifted Staffs a near perfect start to the match allowing the visitors to take a 5-2 lead, before a service run from Kees de Hoogh combined with quick middle attacks from John Gilling pulled Riga level.  With both teams successfully siding out neither team could establish any kind of lead.  It was Riga that made the first break to win the set with Gilling at the service line opening up a slender 21-19 lead, a lead still held at 24-22.  Then not for the first time, and definitely not the last, a service error from Riga, gifted Staffs a lifeline.  With seemingly nothing to lose Staffs relaxed, Riga looked tense and the smash & grab raid was complete, Staff taking the set 27-25.

A determined Riga took to the court for set 2 looking to cut the number of errors from both the service line and at the net that had gifted Staffs with so many points in set 1.  What followed was a near perfect set of volleyball from Riga that completely blew Staffs away.  An early service run from Piotr Rybarczyk , helped establish an 8-2 lead, before Gilling & de Hoogh produced block of the day to make the score 10-3.  By 14-4, Staffs were using there second time-out, but still could find no answer to Riga’s attack, based on a solid pass from new libero Leo Trench and led during the middle part of the set by ‘kiwi’ Chris Anderson.  A hitting error from Riga allowed Staffs to get to double figures for the set before a block from Dan Turnbull, followed by consecutive kills from Rybarczyk gave Riga set point (24-10).  Staffs manage to save two set points but a service error from ‘English’ Anderson (now of Staffs) gave Riga the set 25-12.

The errors that had blighted Riga in set 1 returned from the outset of the third set allowing Staffs to take the early lead.  At 6-10 down, coach Tom Young called his first time-up but this failed to stem the error count as another service error followed by a couple more Riga hitting errors extended Staffs lead to 13-7.  A service run from Phil Wyles and hit from Anderson, which saw the ball balloon up of the block and into the ceiling helped pull Riga back level mid-way through the set.  The scores remained tight up to 23, before Riga had first stab at set point.  What followed was near carbon copy of the end of set 1, with Staffs saving set point before setting up one of there own which they took with a wipe off the Riga block, 26-24.

Once again both teams traded side outs early in the forth before, Riga took a 10-7 advantage with a kill from Rybarczyk, before Staffs drew level at 12’s.  Play remained tight up to 17 all, thanks to some good blocking at the net.  A service run from Staffs backed up with some strong hitting from Staffs opposite player gave Staffs the momentum and with it match point at 24-20.  Another wipe of the Riga block was enough to win Staffs the point and with it the match, taking the forth set 25-20.

A disappointing start to the new season for Riga, however if they can cut out the individual errors that blighted there play throughout this match and play at the level shown in the second set, Riga can be confident of being very competitive this season.

MVP was awarded to Piotr Rybarczyk

Riga Squad: Chris A, Kees, John, Dan, Phil W, Piotr, Leo, Phil H, Manuele, Luca, Tom Y (jnr)

Coach: Tom Young