(10/12/2000)
busy weekend of matches saw the Riga club play five games over the two days. First into action on Saturday was the Women's Division Two side who triumphed three-nil over Ashcombe at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick. The Men then extended their unbeaten run to four matches with an exciting three-two victory over Polonia in National League Division One.
The Women had a relatively comfortable win over Ashcombe who appeared quite disorganised at times. The standard of play from the home side should have yielded a more convincing result but they eased off when they should have hammered on. Marinella Cadoni, now fully recovered from a niggling back injury, gave a commanding performance, acknowledged by her skipper Rachel McCarthy. "We've missed Marinella at full power. Today she was back to her old form and you can see the result. From now on, I can only see us getting better."
If Women's coach Paul Sutton had an easy ride in his match, his Men's counterpart, John Boughton, suffered the full rollercoaster. Visitors Polonia opened up a two-nil set lead and looked in dominating form. Warwick's hopes of a ground-breaking fourth successive victory seemed in tatters. Sporadic contributions by captain Tom Young and John Gilling were the only sources of cheer for the home supporters.
With Polonia 12-5 up in the third set, "wall" and "writing" were the words that sprang to mind. With nothing to lose, Riga now began to play more freely, and with the stifling tension from the first two sets dissipating, they edged their way steadily back into the set. Again it was Young and Gilling in the forefront, but they were now joined by David Nason and Vincent Joubert as Warwick first caught up, then overtook Polonia to pull a set back, 25 - 23.
The reverse seemed to stun Polonia as their fluency evaporated and they found it harder to win points. Riga, heartened by the third set reply and roared on by the large and vocal crowd, rediscovered the form and spirit characteristic of their recent run. A 12 - 7 lead looked to confirm the home side's ascendancy, until Polonia showed they were down but not out by nicking a 22 - 21 advantage. Thoughts of victory were quickly stifled as penetrating serving by Warwick's Tom Spijkers created the chances for Young and Joubert to see off Polonia's threat 25 - 22.
The sudden death fifth set opened like a dream for Riga. Powerful blocking by Joubert, Gilling and Nason created an 8 - 4 mountain for Polonia to climb and no easy route to the finish. Spijkers and Young then played solos while Phil Wyles conducted the home attack. At 15 - 11, Polonia were dead and buried.
"We were too excited in the beginning and paid the price," said captain Tom Young after the game. "Our coach kept telling us to play our own game and when we listened, we got the result we deserved. I said we're going places, on this form there'll be no stopping us."
On Sunday the women's Division Three side were in action against Cambridge and T H Lynx. A victory over Cambridge was counterbalanced by a loss to Lynx which leaves the side rooted at the wrong end of the table. Finally the Men progressed to the next round of the Knock Out Cup by disposing of Third Division Luton Lions in straight sets. The match marked the return to action of coach-turned-setter John Boughton and an added celebration of his fiftieth birthday.