Newmarket Volleyball Club

Cambridge Superleague
Sunday 16th March 2008

v
Perkins &
St Phillips

Newmarket at home in the Cambridge super league. Visitors Perkins from Peterborough and St Philips from Cambridge.

Following some more losses in the national league and the Suffolk Essex league Newmarket Dominos were facing another challenge other than just winning today. As current league champions they are also undefeated in the Cambridge Super League since the day the league was formed in 2004.

Close volleyball was the order of the day for the start of the first game until at 12 all Newmarket upped the level and started to cut out the mistakes resulting in a dash to 25 with a very clear lead. This was the set that secured the Super league title.

The second set saw Paul Freeman pick up 2 very difficult balls worthy of a libero player, and the rest of the six man squad get into their stride. Nik mezanov made an uncharacteristic appearance as a middle attack and Rob Dovaston now in his familiar opposite position both playing very well with no compromise. Second set to Newmarket Domino.

The third set was a little bit of a downer, now not taking things too seriously Newmarket found themselves on the back foot, St Philips steady but unexiting play edged them ahead despite Captain Ben Child's best efforts to distribute the ball cleverly to out wit the oppostins block, third set to St Philips.

Following some rather unsporting behaviour from Perkins in the warm up Newmarket Dominos entered the court very fired up, in fact so fired up that the red mist obstructed their play and they quickly found themselves trailing 5-0. One great spike from Peter Gale changed the run of play and got Tim Saunders into the serving position. Amazingly errors were given the boot and Tim served to make the score 16-5 before a shocked Perkins side woke up and started to get back into the game but Newmarket proved far to efficient and took their third set of the day.

Rattled and feeling the pressure Perkins crumbled, errors normally associated with the home side continued to dominate on their side of the net, coupled with some of Newmarket’s finest play of the season the pressure was piled on and yet another set went Newmarket’s way another sweet victory.

The final set was played out but could in no way change the final table positions, Newmarket’s Nik Mezanov and Paul Freeman continued to dominate at the net, Rob Dovaston had a succession of blocks and although Tim Saunders demon serve had evaded him the final set of the Day went to Newmarket, league champions again.