NVL review (8th and 9th March) - Super League beckons for Knights after beating rivals Giants 

The team known as Team Sunderland when winning promotion from Division 2 last season are now on course to go unbeaten once more, this time at the higher level, and join their male counterparts in the Super League. 

First, on Saturday, they proved to be too strong for Leicester Athena Phoenix and encountered few problems in securing a 25-15, 25-18, 25-21 success. 

They continued their journey south to the capital on Sunday for the eagerly-awaited clash with London Giants, who had won all their league games this season, aside from their visit to Newcastle. 

The first set was crucial and saw the Knights nick it be just two points before following it up by securing the second relatively comfortably. 

Giants responded well to take the third set, but Newcastle were able to lift themselves again and a second two-point set victory saw them close out the match (27-25, 25-15, 19-25, 26-24). 

It means they have now won all 15 matches this season and few would bet against them gaining maximum points in their final three matches. 

Taking their hugely positive set quotient into account, they are likely to need only one more win from three games to secure the title, but, in keeping with their displays so far, they are likely to want to do it in style. 

All is not lost for Giants, though, as they need just one further victory themselves to secure the play-off spot to take on Super League’s seventh-placed team for a place at the top table in 2025-26. 

It was a mixed weekend for Essex Trinity, who played twice, once on the road and once at home. 

First, they took on Stockport, at St John Payne School and proceeded to fight it out in a five-set thriller. 

Essex took the opening set and were 2-1 down before levelling at 2-2, only for the North West side clinched the tie break set (22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 22-25, 15-12).  

But Trinity could still go above the Greater Manchester side should they win their game in hand after they won in straight sets at Coventry and Warwick Riga on Sunday (25-23, 25-20, 25-20) to move just a point behind. 

That result leaves the West Midlanders four points from safety at the wrong end of the table and they will need to win both their games in hand to stand any chance of preventing back-to-back relegations. 

In Division 2 East, Northampton moved to within two points of second-placed Richmond in the race for promotion after a four-set triumph at MK City (25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 27-25). 

Further down the table, Dartford Chargers prevailed in their home fixture with Norwich Spikers, carrying their record to 6-6 with a 25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 28-26. 

Team South Wales have moved back to the top of Division 2 West after double victory over the weekend. 

First, they got the better of Cheltenham and Gloucester at the Eastern Community Campus (25-18, 25-4, 25-22) on Saturday and then they clinched a slightly harder ffought three-set success at Oxford Eagles (25-18, 29-27, 25-23) on Sunday. 

They now have a slender one-point lead over Bristol with each side having two games of their respective seasons to go. 

Despite their Saturday defeat, Cheltenham and Gloucester kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive thanks to success in their other weekend match in Wales – but their Division 2 status is hanging by a thread. 

After winning in five sets at the side immediately above them, Cardiff Falcons, (22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 21-25, 15-13) they will need to hope the Welsh club lose their final game and defeat Black Country in their own last fixture to stand any chance.

Reading Aces confirmed promotion from Division 3 South West as they stretched their unbeaten run to 13 matches. 

Their latest truimphs were in a triangular with Plymouth (3-0) and Portsmouth (3-1), with the latter winning the other fixture 3-1. 

There were no matches in Division 3 South East but in Division 3 Central there was the rare occurence where all three teams one won and lost one in a triangular. 

Second-placed Darkstar Derbyshire 2 beat Leicester Athena Nova 3-0 but lost by just two points in a final set decider against Rhinos Volley Cambridge, who, in turn lost to 3-0 to Nova. 

The upshot for Darkstar, who have finished their season is that they now have to hope their four-point gap to third-placed Lincoln Cannons, who have two games in hand, proves sufficient to earn them promotion. 

Manchester Liberators took another step towards Division 2 volleyball next season as they beat city rivals Manchester Marvels Mystics in Division 3 North West. 

Should they win their last two games, they will go up in second place, regardless of what third-place Leeds Gorse 3 do in their final three games. 

Fourth-placed Leeds Gorse 2, meanwhile, had to go all the way to beat York Falcons, coming out on top 15-13 in the fifth set. 

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In Men’s Division 1, two sides battling hard to avoid the drop registered significant successes. 

Cambridge ARU leapfrogged above opponents Lincoln Cannons with a straight sets win (25-13, 25-18, 25-23), which pulls the latter back into trouble. 

Two points further back are Tamworth Spartans, who improved their own chances of beating the drop by prevailing in a five setter at Exeter Storm (25-22, 19-25, 25-19, 25-22, 13-25, 15-12). 

But for London Baks, the situation now looks almost terminal after they suffered a 12th setback of the season in four at Newcastle Staffs (25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 25-20), keeping the hosts’ play-off aspirations on track. 

Southampton moved to within two points of second-placed Richmond Bucks with a game in hand in Division 2 South after a vital 3-1 success at Spelthorne Lions (23-25, 25-15, 25-14, 25-20). 

At the other end of the table, Wiltshire Mavericks were just as pleased to win, as defeating Hounslow in five (25-19, 22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-5), meaning they can still pull themselves out of trouble. 

Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge extended their lead at the top of Division 2 Central to four points, albeit having played a game more than second-placed Loughborough Students, as they won a city derby with Cambridge (25-20, 25-21, 25-18). 

Looughborough did continue their own run by making it 10 wins on the spin, but they may rue dropping a point in needing five sets to overcome Norwich Spikers at home (25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 23-25, 15-8). 

Third-placed Coventry and Warwick Riga took advantage to cut the East Midlanders’ advantage to one point as they worked hard to beat Newmarket in three (25-20, 26-24, 26-24). 

Elsewhere, MK City deepened Northampton's worries at the bottom after defeating them in straight sets (29-27, 25-22, 25-21). 

Manchester Marvels have guaranteed themselves a promotion place by finishing in the top two by making it 11 wins from 12 at Harrogate (25-9, 25-19, 25-23). 

But the leaders still have some work to do to be ensured of the title because of Sheffield’s game in hand, with the South Yorkshire side keeping pace in second by overcoming Wigan Seahawks (25-10, 25-22, 25-21). 

Third-placed Leeds Gorse 2’s brilliant end to the season continued as they also beat Wigan, just, winning in five (23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 16-14). 

Another match decided by two points in the final set saw Kings of Court win the hard way at fellow mid-table side Darkstar Derbyshire (25-21, 14-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-13). 

Reading Aces remain favourites to clinch second place behind champions Oxford Bulls in Division 3 South West – and with it a play-off spot – after a triangular double over Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and City of Bristol (both 3-1). 

They are now two points behind second-placed Weymouth with two games in hand. 

The other match in the mini-series saw Riga beat City of Bristol 3-1, who are once place below them. 

Invicta wrapped up the Division 3 South East title with two 3-1 triangular victories over Wapping Wildcats and Guildford International, with the latter winning the other match by the same margin. 

Dartford Crossers are favourites to claim the play-off spot behind them after beating Urbond Portsmouth (3-0) and Essex Estonians (3-1). 

Essex triumphed in five sets when they met Urbond in the other fixture. 

Manchester Moss Side maintained their Division 3 North West play-off hopes in the only fixture in the division of the weekend, seeing off city rivals Manchester Marvels Marauders 3-1, while there were no matches in Division 3 North Central. 

Newcastle Staffs action images by @jasondudleyphotography

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