So close again for Riga II

Prosport NVL Division Two, 30th November 2003
Mavericks of Malmesbury 3 Warwick Riga II 0 (25-18 29-27 27-25)

A hearty (!) breakfast at the B and B set the team on their way to the market town of Malmesbury, via Tesco and via a Christmas market!!! (and for John, 30 minutes of driving round in circles). The team were hungry for a win today and all keen to get out there and get the job done!!
The first set started well with Riga ladies matching the home side point for point. Jayne was attacking well through the outside and despite the home team's strong middle block, Steph and Emma were using the space on the court well. The team had a steady performance in this first set. With renewed aggression and determination the team stepped onto court for the second set. The set was a nail biting fight between the two teams. The Riga ladies' defence was providing an excellent first pass allowing Ginny to distribute the ball well so Riga could use all of it attacking options. A superb team performance saw the set close out at 29-27.

Riga went out strong in the third and pushed hard to show the level that Riga Ladies can play to. The team stormed into a 21-9 lead with Ruthie serving 14 superb balls in a row. Malmesbury, clearing panicking, called an emergency time out and regrouped its defence. After the time out Malmesbury fought back strongly to take the final set of the weekend 27-25.

Riga ladies were disappointed to lose out again after so much excellent play, determination and hard work from all of the players to take them into twenty something points in every set yet again! And John has a little less hair and a few more grey hairs as proof of what a nail biting match this was.

Ruth Saunders : 14 serves in a row
Whilst the result is disappointing, the play, power, attitude and determination displayed by the team this weekend have sent out a warning that Riga Ladies is not a team to be underestimated and that it is only a matter of time before we clinch the win under our belts to give us the momentum we need.

Clare Francis