Newmarket Volleyball Club

Mens National League 3E
Sunday 17th February 2008

v
RAF Harriers
Brentwood

Following on from some recent better form in all competitions, Newmarket Domino were keen and eager to capitalise on this playing at home to two sides that had only narrowly beaten them when the sides met earlier in the season.

A very close early session saw the score never really differ by more than two or three points, steady setting from Ben Child, who made his long awaited return, allowed for a varied and strong attack from both middles Paul Freeman and Charles Reid, interspersed by ball bursting power hits from Nik Mezanov and clever tactical shots from Rob Dovaston. Keeping their heads when it mattered most Newmarket Domino's finished the first set ahead.

The second set followed a very similar pattern and again Nik Mezanov produced some high quality hits scoring numerous points, Pete Gale got in on the action in order to earn himself MVP again! Pete Saunders dynamic style of backcourt defense kept the ball in play when all seemed lost and Newmarket found themselves two sets up.

In both the third and fourth set Newmarket's error rate increased enough that they continually found themselves chasing the leaders and although skipper Ben Child's setting remained in focus the side outs never came quick enough and the scores levelled at two sets apiece.

A blistering pace was set by Newmarket in the deciding fifth set and remarkably quickly had blown Harriers confidence wide apart and changed ends eight four up. Harriers not wanting to be turned over played themselves back into the game with a little help from Newmarkets errors but Newmarket were able to find the inner strength needed and that had been eluding them earlier in the season and were able to see the game out to win 3 sets to 2.

MVP - Storm

The second game saw Newmarket hosting Brentwood who had just beeten Harriers 3 zip and were looking very bouyant. Their banter was soon quenched though when Newmarket came out all guns blazing, Paul Freeman and Charles Reid continued to Dominate the net with both attacking and defensive plays and Pete Saunders ruled the back court and kept the ball in play for the home side to have a great chance of taking the first set only to find Brentwood also wanted to win and so it was, Brentwood 1 Newmarket 0.

The second set continued in the same vein, a great team spirit helped Newmarket keep picking up balls that would previously have been left to drop and in turn were able to play back more varied attacks. Nik Mezanov found the mark with his jump serve and earned his team some much needed points and also himself the MVP award. Again though the set slipped away from the home side grasp 27-25.

The third set saw Newmarket lead most of the way Rob Dovaston remained consistant with his attcking plays only to find that Pete Gale was undoing his good work with a string of wayward shots uncharacteristic of a player who hasd just been awarded MVP, followed by an injury sustained to Libero Pete Saunders the home sides flow was stemed and the set went yet again to Brentwood.

MVP - Nik Mezanov