Newmarket Volleyball Club

Mens National League 3E
Saturday 13th October 2007

v
Sussex Dolphins
TH Lynx

Newmarket Domino hosted their first home game in National League Division 3 East at Mildenhall Dome at the weekend. In the first game they took on the newly formed Sussex Dolphins.

Newmarket came out of the blocks quickest, owing to excellent jump serving from JP Davis, forcing the Dolphins to take an early time out. Points were exchanged with both teams showing plenty of power in attack. The Dominos secured the first set 25-22 thanks to a massive kill by middleman Peter Gale.

Newmarket continued their form into the second set, with Rob Dovaston using all his guile to win 4 consecutive points mixing delicate touches with glimpses of assertive power. Unfortunately for the Dominos, the Dolphins wing hitters were finding their range, and despite their best efforts, the blockers couldn't contain them, the second set going the way of the South Coast side 25-20.

This was as close as it got for Newmarket, as despite regularly ringing the changes, Sussex powered to the next two sets comprehensively, to 11 and 12, leaving the Dominos without a win from their first 3 league games.

MVP - Kelvin Cheung

Later that afternoon, the Dominos looked to make amends against TH Lynx, and with new signing Nik Mezanov settling in quickly, playmaker Ben Child, relieved of the captaincy, was able to keep the attacks flowing. Indeed, the powerful line hit by evergreen Pete Saunders will live long in the memory of all those in the hall. The set was secured 25-23.

Dominos kept up the momentum in the second set, and owing to captain Charles Reed's inspiring leadership, took it 25-23, despite being 6 points down at one stage. The third set saw an experimental line-up take on the tiring Londoners. Despite the awesome power of Kelvin Cheung, no one else was able to impose themselves on the well aligned block. The set was lost 25-23, and it was game on.

A few choice words from Reed saw the team play some of their best volleyball of the season, closing out the match 25-23, and Newmarket are now on their way, at the fourth time of asking!

 

MVP - Kelvin Cheung