National League Division 1, 26th October 2002, Warwick Riga v Polonia
Polonia Ealing 1 Warwick Riga 3 (25-21 30-32 17-25 22-25)
National League Division 1, 27th October 2002, Warwick Riga v Aquila
Warwick Riga 3 Tooting Aquila 0 (25-17 25-19 25-21)
It may have been blowing up a storm outside but Riga were certainly blowing up their own storm inside over the weekend. Under new coach Tom Young, they secured back-to-back victories in National League Division One by defeating Polonia on Saturday three-one and then Aquila on Sunday three-nil. "The guys did what was expected of them. We know we've under-performed before this weekend but we've set that right, particularly against Aquila," said a happy Young.
However, it could all have gone so wrong on Saturday for the visit to bottom-placed Polonia. An accident on the M40 delayed Tom Spijkers and Kees de Hoogh's arrival until after the match start. Their absence had Dan Showler and Mike Fetters making unexpected starts with Showler in particular showing his Riga team-mates the way. However a fairytale first set was not to be as a nervy Polonia clinched it 25 - 21.
If the first set was nervy, the second induced almost total madness. From 18 - 12 up, Riga squandered their chances of cantering to the conclusion of the set and became involved in a real dogfight. Set points for both sides came and went until a John Gilling power finish coupled with a Nason - de Hoogh block snuffed Polonia out 32 - 30. Riga tails were now up and the winners of the third set were soon evident. A series of Polonia errors helped Riga to a 10 - 5 advantage before more power play from Gilling and Spijkers wrapped up the set 25 - 17 in the visitors' favour.
Set four again had hearts in mouths as Riga set about wasting a 17 - 13 lead hewn out by Gilling, de Hoogh and Spijkers. When Polonia reduced the deficit to 22 - 23, a repeat of the second set marathon looked probable. However, a silly service error from one of the influential Saller twins gave Riga set point and de Hoogh hammered home the advantage off Spijkers' service.
"This was always going to be a tense game with errors playing a major part in deciding the outcome," said Young afterwards. "We got our heads together and kept them together at the crucial times - and that made all the difference."
Sunday's home match at Kenilworth's Castle Farm Leisure Centre was hardly less important than Saturday's match if Riga were to return to the top half of the table. Their display showed that the Riga of last season is alive and well and raring to go. Unlike Saturday, Riga's early lead in the first set was rarely troubled. Although Aquila tied the scores at 14 each, some astute serving from Young had the visitors on the back foot and Riga 18 - 14 ahead. From then on there was only one team going to secure the set as Phil Wyles and de Hoogh wrung the points out of Aquila to leave the visitors ruing a 25 -17 score line.
The second set was more competitive, although Riga's lead was constant. The crowd was treated to some spectacular defensive plays in which Riga's Mark Fearn showed why he is the best libero in the League. The final breakthrough came at 21 - 15 when de Hoogh's service caused all manner of mayhem in the visitors' reception set-up. Aquila then contrived to throw away any further hopes they had for the set with another catalogue of mistakes to hand Riga the set on a plate 25 - 19.
The Spijkers, de Hoogh and Gilling combination was again the reason for Riga's closure of the match with a 25 - 21 third set result. Aquila, despite all their efforts, could find no robust answer and paid the ultimate price.
"That was more like the Riga of last season," claimed Young after the match. "A great team effort and one that will take us back up the table where we belong."
John Boughton