NVL Division Three Central
22 February 2009
Venue: St Nicholas Park, Warwick
Riga 2 Tendring 1 (25-14; 25-23; 25-27; 24-26; 4-15)

Report written by Jayne Warman

Riga ladies II suffered a major disappointment when key middle hitter Miriam Kay sustained an ankle injury at the team’s last training session. As a result the girls faced opposition Tendring on Sunday with a bare minimum of 6 players. 

The team had a shakey start until they found their rhythm and got used to playing out of position. Riga trailed throughout the set until the last few points when some strong serving from captain Netty Purkiss helped the girls take the set 25:23.

In the second set Tendring’s tall middle player began to cause Riga some problems but Sharon Dea responded magnificently and blocked her out and the girls were soon 7 : 1 up. Nonethless they lost concentration and allowed the opposition back into the set. But some steady setting from Emma Young and good hitting from Jayne Warman allowed the girls to take the set 25:22.

In the 3rd set Riga started strongly with Clare Walsh serving  4 aces in a row but sadly they then lost the plot and a run of rotation errors meant they let the set slip away 19:25.

In the 4th set Clare Walsh again put the girls ahead with some strong serving. Excellent cover from Clare Francis who did a great job playing out of position kept the girl’s focused and they pulled away and took the final set 25:21.