Super League review (16th and 17th November) - Palatinates women show they are not be written off

The North East side were defeated in two of their three opening games of the 2024-25 campaign – more than they lost throughout their entire 2023-24 regular season – but have bounced back strongly with victories over Team SideOut Polonia and Wessex. 

While they still sit sixth in the table, they have a game in hand on some of their rivals and are within striking distance of the top four. 

Their victory over SideOut on Saturday was significant not just in terms of the points – ending their visitors 100% record in the process. 

It also showed that the new-look side have the capability to compete against the best sides at the top end of the table after one or two doubts had emerged following their sticky start. 

Things did not begin particularly well as they dropped the first set 25-19, but second and third sets wins by 25-15, and 25-22 margins put them in control at 2-1 up. 

Polonia – who beat Durham in last season’s National Cup Final, only to lose against them in the grand final of Final 4 a week later – were not about to give in easily, however, and they square the match by clinching the fourth 25-15. 

But back came Durham to take two points to SideOut’s one by edging the tie breaker 15-11. 

MVP for the victors was Caroline Belmontez, who made all but one of 15 service receipt attempts, along with 22 digs, while Jamie Dailey made 17 kills, four blocks and 12 digs and Claire Cossarini seven kills, eight blocks and seven digs. 

Five aces, 17 out of 17 successful service returns, 17 kills, three blocks and 13 digs was a fine all-round effort for Carla Mulli in a losing cause to be her side’s MVP. 

On Sunday, the Palatinates proved too strong for Wessex, who had made the long trip up from the South Coast for the return fixture from Opening Weekend. 

They really hit their straps to run out convincing 25-14, 25-15, 25-9 to send out a warning to the rest of the league that they mean business. 

The Palatinates’ Dailey completed 14 service return attempts from 15 and made eight kills and five digs, Cossarini served two aces and notched 10 kills, three blocks and three digs and Renae Regal registered 24 assists from 48 attempts. 

For Wessex, Victoria Palmer completed all 32 service return attempts and made eight kills and five digs. 

Sideout were also in action on Sunday as they made the most of their trip north to also take on Leeds Gorse in West Yorkshire. 

Mark Kontopoulos’ side were pushed all the way in the first set but came through it to win 25-23. 

That set up the rest of the match for the London club as the second and third sets went their way by scores of 25-14, 25-21. 

Yulia Tokarenko was MVP for Polonia after completing 15 kills and seven digs and was well supported by Mulli (one ace, 21 successful service returns from 23 attempts, 12 kills and nine digs) and Alara Yilmaz (15 service returns from 16 attempts and 13 digs). 

Gorse’s Perfection Uwagboe made 10 kills and completed four digs to be the hosts’ MVP.  

Leeds had also played on Saturday and were confident victors against Wessex (pictured), who have still to record a point this season following promotion. 

After running away with the first two sets, 25-11, 25-9, things were much closer in the third before Elaine Brown’s side took it 25-21. 

It was another good weekend for the Malory Eagles, who are now the only unbeaten team in the top flight, having won their London derby. 

They were not, however, able to claim maximum points and were pushed to the limit by Lionhearts Vinarius, who very nearly recorded a famous victory. 

The Eagles took the opening set 25-16, but Lionhearts levelled at 1-1 (25-19) and then nicked a marathon third set (30-28) to put themselves in control. 

However, Malory fought back from the brink by taking an equally tight fourth set (25-23) and then dug deep to seal the tie break 15-12. 

MVP for the Lionhearts was Maria Sviridova and Chloe Allen took the honours for the Eagles. 

Malory sit third in the table with games in hand, while Vinarius are second, having played more matches than any other team so far. 

The University of Nottingham were the other team to be in action twice over the weekend – both at home and away – but it is not one they will want to remember. 

The Green and Golds first made the short trip along Sir Brian Clough Way to take on East Midlands rivals Darkstar Derbyshire at the University of Derby. 

And it was the home side who notched their first victory of the season as they did just enough to take each set, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21. 

Darkstar MVP Viktoriya Glazewska assisted 35 times from 81 attempts in addition to completing two kills and eight digs and was ably backed up by Hajar El Alouani (14 service receipts from 15 attempts, 17 kills, three blocks, 10 digs) and Alice Brand (one ace, 20 out of 20 service receipts, eight kills, four blocks, 11 digs). 

Adele Sotgiu completed 21 of 23 service return attempts and 13 digs to be named as UoN’s MVP. 

There was more disappointment for Freddie Fairburn’s side on Sunday as they were again defeated in straight sets. 

This time, Cambridge ARU came to the David Ross Sports Village and conquered, completing a 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 success. 

The result saw the visitors leapfrog their opponents to go seventh in the table. 

Setter Kristalynn Leomiti was selected as ARU’s MVP after completing 31 of 64 assists and four digs. Emma Godwin (13 out of 14 successful service receipts, 17 kills, six digs) was chosen for the hosts. 

In the DYNAMIK Men’s Super League, Essex Blaze beat their NVL Division 1 promotion rivals from last season, London Giants, to record a first win of the season. 

The visitors lifted themselves off the foot of the table in registering a 25-22, 25-22, 25-16 triumph. 

Nathan French served two aces, completed six of seven attempts to return serve, made 13 kills, three blocks and five digs to picked as MVP for the hosts. 

Troy Simpson made four blocks and Adam Ketley and Max Norton-Steele one each. 

Middle Noah Lassandro was selected as MVP for the home side. 

Newcastle Knights continued their bright start to the season by claiming a second win over a team who finished in the top four last season by overcoming IBB Polonia. 

In what was been a difficult start for the Londoners, they competed hard but were ultimately edged out 25-20, 30-28, 25-18 in the North East. 

Matthew Milne (17 out of 17 successful service receipts, 14 kills, six digs) and Kelechi Bell (18 kills, two blocks) had eye-catching games for the hosts. 

Polonia skipper Andrea Maggio completed all 34 attempts at receiving serve, as well as 10 kills, one block and three digs.  

IBB remain without a point along with Stockport, who were, like at Opening Weekend, beaten 3-1 by Richmond Docklands. 

In a match that was closely-contested throughout, the visitors took the first set 25-19, but those in orange hit back to clinch the second 26-24. 

Another tit for tat third set went the way of Richmond, 27-25, who then pulled away to win a decisive fourth 28-18, for an overall 3-1 victory.  

Three visiting players completed double figures in terms of kills, including Ihor Slota (11) and Joao Alves (10), while Hubert Szymanski assisted 28 times from 66 attempts). 

Stockport’s Haydn Lawson successfully completed 37 of 38 service attempts17 kills, one blockand seven digs. 

Docklands have improved their season record to 3-2 and sit third in a congested table where two points separate first from fifth. 

Images by Jon Cornish

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