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Super League review (22nd and 23rd February) - Knights edge close to Final 4 spot as UoN's hopes are dented
The two sides met at the David Ross Sports Village in Nottingham knowing that the victors would put themselves in pole position to extend their season.
And it was the visitors who grabbed the opportunity with both hands, staying in complete control once they had taken the first set to run out 25-22, 25-19, 25-20 winners.
For the Green and Golds – who have lost key player Griffin Walters to an ankle injury – it was a chastening defeat, but they still have a chance of making the Final 4 by making the most of their games in hand.
Knights MVP James Ledbury served one ace, successfully completed all seven service return attempts, made 11 kills, one block and six digs.
Sam Peters served one ace, made four kills and three blocks to be selected as MVP for UON.
If Freddie Fairbairn’s side are to make it, however, they will have to climb past in-form London Giants, who continued their excellent recent form in defeating bottom club Stockport.
Their 25-7, 25-11, 25-22 success was their sixth win in seven matches as they moved back above Newcastle into third place.
Seth Chen was MVP for the Giants and Haydn Lawson took the honour for Stockport.
Stockport’s chances of survival in Super League now look increasingly slim after they also lost in the capital to IBB Polonia on Saturday.
The Londoners, however, have boosted their own hopes a 28-26, 19-25, 25-19, 25-22 victory that lifts them up to eighth place.
Igor Chiemachowski was chosen as MVP for IBB, while Bartosz Baran was picked for Stockport.
One place and three points above them are Richmond Docklands, who pushed Essex Rebels hard, but were ultimately beaten by the league leaders.
They led 1-0 and 2-1 in sets before the visitors bounced back to win the final two and clinch the game 23-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11.
Tomas Vojkovic successfully completed all 18 attempted service returns and made 12 kills, one block and four digs to be Richmond’s MVP.
Essex MVP Jacob Kern served one ace, completed all 17 service return attempts and made 19 kills, three blocks and four digs in a fine all-round game.
Second-placed Malory Eagles were also taken to five sets by Essex Blaze before they came through to secure an 11th victory of the season, which is enough to see them through to Final 4.
Because other chasing teams – Giants, Knights and UoN – still have to play each other, the worst they can now finish is fourth place.
At the weekend, Malory looked on course to win in straight sets, but Blaze fought hard to level the match at 2-2 before the Eagles gathered themselves to win the decider (25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 24-26, 15-10).
Logan Clark took the MVP award for the victors and Max Norton-Steele was chosen for Blaze.
Essex Rebels have become the third team to qualify for the Women’s Final Four in the MAAREE Women’s Super League after a comprehensive Sunday win at Leeds Gorse, whose own hopes of a qualifying now appear to have been scuppered.
Last weekend, the South Yorkshire side had stunned the Rebels to knock them out of the National Cup by a 3-1 margin.
But, this time, Alex Chinery’s side edged the critical moments to win each set by just two points (25-23, 25-23, 28-26) and book their place in the end-of-season showdown with four games to spare.
Leeds, meanwhile, now need to win both their remaining matches and hope that Lionhearts Vinarius implode in their last three games.
Kathea Schamblin was named MVP for the Rebels and Eva Borrowdale selected for Leeds.
The Rebels had also played – and won – on Saturday, coming through to beat Durham Palatinates 25-15, 25-13 25-20 with a minimum of fuss.
Schamblin was Rebels’ MVP after serving one ace, recording eight kills, one block and 12 digs, while Renae Regal made all 14 service returns attempted and nine digs in being named MVP for the Palatinates.
At the other end of the table, Wessex have become the first team to be relegated from the MAAREE Women’s Super League after their winless run in the top-flight stretched to 15 matches.
First, on Saturday, they were beaten by fellow strugglers the University of Nottingham in the second part of Super League Live.
The Green and Golds’ 25-13, 25-20, 25-16 victory was only their third of the season and does little to help their own hopes of staying up as they are still some way from safety.
Tsz Yeung Lai took the MVP award after successfully completing all seven service return attempts and making seven kills and seven dugs.
Anni Jortikka was MVP for the visitors as she served one ace and completed 15 assists from 56 attempts.
Wessex were also defeated in straight sets on Sunday in their second weekend game in the East Midlands, with Darkstar Derbyshire continuing their recent revival.
A 25-16, 25-18, 25-16 triumph for Maria Bertelli’s side – a third win in four – means they are now just a point adrift of Cambridge ARU, who are currently in the play-off spot, with a game in hand.
Soniya Kandrashuk was MVP for Darkstar and Alexia Morosanu was selected for Wessex.
That was after Cambridge's slide continued as they were beaten 25-14, 25-23, 25-17 by second-placed Malory Eagles.
It was a seventh straight defeat for ARU, who last tasted league success at the end of November, but they have games coming up against Wessex and UON where they will look to get back on track.
Super League Live images by Mike Spencer / UoN Sport and Evelyn Lee (_evelyn.pov)
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