(21/01/2001)
| Played five, won three, lost two, was the Warwick Riga club’s record over the weekend. First into action on Saturday was the Women’s Division Two side who triumphed three-one over third-placed Loughborough away from home. The Men then extended their unbeaten run to six matches in National League Division One with a comfortable three-nil demolition of Wessex at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick. Sunday found the Men suffering their first defeat in seven games with a Knock Out Cup defeat at the hands of Division Two leaders, London Docklands. However the Women’s Division Three side restored some pride to Sunday with a three-two victory over Camden which lifts them off the bottom of the table but later lost out to league leaders Chelmsford in straight sets | |
| The Women’s Division Two side reserved their best performance of the season to date to dispose of third-placed Loughborough. Despite losing the second set, the women dominated the game to stun their hosts. "The first set was probably the best we’ve played this season," claimed an ecstatic captain Rachel McCarthy. "It was a real team performance, although I have to say Roberta Olivieri was special today. Roll on Leeds next Sunday. " The Women travel north next weekend to take on the league leaders in what will be an intriguing test of Warwick’s new found form. A win in Leeds will certainly confirm the sea-change in their recent fortunes. The Men in the meantime continue to set new standards. Unbeaten in five before Saturday, the team were seeking revenge for an earlier three-two defeat at the hands of Wessex. The three-nil result fully justified the side’s recent ascendancy and sent alarm bells ringing higher up the League. | |
| Riga eased into a comfortable 8 - 2 lead in the first set as Wessex hit the self-destruct button big time. The tough Warwick serving caused Wessex all sorts of problems and with Tom Spijkers, Richard Meade and captain Tom Young all in irrepressible mood, the set was soon concluded in Riga’s favour 25 - 18. Having dominated the first set, Warwick took their foot off the gas in the second and paid the price. Down 12 - 7, it was time for action. First Phil Wyles’ astute serving reawakened Wessex’s nightmares, before John Gilling confirmed their reality. At 17 - 15 to the home side, the visitors’ cause looked lost. As Meade, Spijkers, Gilling and Vincent Joubert all applied the pressure, Wessex cracked 25 - 19. Deadlock in the third set was broken at 11 each with some fine work by Joubert, Spijkers and Gilling. Despite the resulting four point lead being reduced by Wessex, the close-out was applied at 25 - 21 with Wyles back on service and Gilling and Joubert dominating the net. | |
| "We said we could take Wessex after the first match and tonight we proved we could," said a beaming captain Tom Young after the game. "We weren’t as consistent as we might have liked throughout the game but Wessex rarely had a look-in. Roll on Portsmouth." The Men take the trip south next Saturday to play second in the table Pompey in a match that will be a big test for the team. |
Tom Spijkers Smacking the Ball during the Warm up |
| However Sunday saw the Men bow out of the Knock Out Cup at the hands of London Docklands. The three-one defeat came as a surprise, despite Riga fielding a skeleton six. "Docklands played well and we didn’t reach the heights of Saturday," explained Young. "Still that leaves us with the Shield to look forward to. We’ll just have to win that again." | |