NVL Division 3, 21 January 2007
3 – 1 (?? too close to remember! )
3 – 0 (25 - 18, 29 - 27, 26 - 24)
Match Report by Rich Digby
This was a top of the table clash for the M3N league, with Riga sitting in 3rd place with Boathouse above and Birmingham top. With only four matches of the season to play, it was an important day to get some good results.
Birmingham made the most of their home advantage and beat Boathouse 3-1 in the first match solidifying their place at the top. The Riga team were keen to change matters however and made a good start, taking the first set off Boathouse fairly comfortably. Perhaps too much comfortably however since the second set was not a pretty sight with Riga making far too many unforced errors to gift it to Boathouse. Riga kept with the original line up in the 3rd however and worked harder to take the set and then followed this to finish the game at 3-1.
The scene was then set for the game with Birmingham which gave Riga the chance to go top. Coach Andy Collins re-configured the team to take on Birmingham’s stronger hitting and the team stepped on court fired-up. Through some strong blocking and much improved back court play Birmingham realised they had a fight on their hands and Riga squeezed them out, winning the first set 25-18. The same went for the first 20 points or so of the second set, and Riga were poised at 24 points to take the set when Birmingham rallied to make an impressive comeback taking the score to 24 each. Riga needed some focus so a time-out was called. The team returned to court and after some tough to and fro-ing of serve, held it’s nerve to take the set 29-27.
Despite being 2-0 down however Birmingham showed why they were top of the league by pressurising Riga into several defensive errors to be 18-13 up in the third set. Riga were determined for it to be their day though and fought back to 21-18 when Andy Collins made some more substitutions to mix things up a bit. It all came down to the last serves when Steve Beasley was serving at the wrong end of 24-23. No one wanted to be the server at this stage, but Steve held his nerve to serve the points out to give Riga match point at 25-24. This was then followed up by an ace courtesy of some Birmingham indecision and Riga celebrated the win with delight.
The results puts Riga top of the division, level with Birmingham on no. of wins and set difference but with a higher number of sets won. The stage is set for some crucial last fixtures…
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