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Super League preview round 18 – Davitt believes ‘underdogs’ Vinarius can surprise at Final 4
At the start of the campaign, the American libero was simply getting to know her new team-mates and surroundings, having joined the club over the summer, and was, at first, a bench player.
But the 24-year-old got her chance in away victories at Durham Palatinates (3-0) and Leeds Gorse (3-2) in early November and has never looked back.
That transformation has been matched by the London side, who had to win a play-off last season against NVL Division 1 Stockport just to stay in the MAAREE Super League.
Yet, buoyed by the influx of key new players – while also maintaining the strong sense of community and belonging that has characterised their climb up the English Volleyball pyramid – they have swiftly morphed into one of the best sides in the country to make Final 4.
There is little wonder, then, that Maeve has relished her part in what has been a memorable season for the Mulberry Shoreditch Academy-based side, regardless of how they get on in their bid to be overall champions at the end-of-season finale on 5th and 6th April at Crystal Palace.
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“I was talking to Davide (Head Coach Davide Tiberti) the other day about how the team has grown exponentially since first entering the NVL in 2018, which has been brilliant,” said Maeve.
“The way the team has gone through the leagues getting promotion... for those players who have been here to see some of that, reaching Final 4 really means a lot. And if we could win the whole thing, it would mean so much more.
“It has been such an amazing experience playing with these girls this season and seeing how we have been able to do this year compared to last year.
“We have a strong core of players who have been around the team for a while and then we added to that before the start of this season – almost half of the team was new.
“The first game against Cambridge didn’t go our way (losing 3-0), and we were a little worried, but we only had one real practice session together before that.
“But the second game against Essex we won in five (completing a reverse sweep in the process), followed by the away weekend at Durham and Leeds, and that’s when it really switched around for us as a team.
“We started to really figure out the team dynamic and from then on it has gone really well.
“From my own point of view, I’m very happy with how I have played. Initially I was the second string libero, but I got the chance in that away weekend and that was my time to prove that I should be playing, and I was able to do that.
“I didn’t realise at that stage I was going to have the impact on the team that I have and that I would be able to have some success in Super League, but across the season I feel I have contributed well to our defence and helping to keep the team calm and composed at key moments.”
Playing Super League volleyball is a far cry from how Maeve started out as a raw 10-year-old in her native California.
‘Thrown in’ to all kinds of sports, she eventually settled on volleyball and football before the former eventually became her athletic pursuit of choice.
From there, the biggest question was whether Maeve would go down the indoor or beach route once she decided to play at university level.
After finishing her undergraduate degree in Economics and Enviromental Studies, it was then that she had the opportunity to come to London to study for a Masters in Environmental Social Governance Management, not realising just how much volleyball would continue to be a central part of her life.
She said: “With volleyball, I loved the team aspect of it and I decided to play it through elementary school and middle school and joined a local club when I was 12 or 13 years old.
“I played at high school too for four years and when I was looking round at unis, I knew I wanted to go somewhere to continue my volleyball career.
“I went to Santa Clara University (close to San Francisco) and decided to focus on beach. Once I had finished my undergraduate degree, I thought I would go on and do a Masters.
“I hadn’t really thought about coming over to the UK specifically to play volleyball and I didn’t know anyone who was doing it, so when I came to King’s College in London, I joined the volleyball team just for the extra-curricular activity.
“It was only when I began playing that I learned that there were club teams and a whole league structure going through different levels that we don’t really have back home.
“I wanted to stay in London after finishing my Masters, so I began to look around at all the teams that played in the Super League, NVL and London Volleyball Association’s league to see if I could get involved.
“Lionhearts were the first team I reached out to because they had their trials first and when I went along and met Gloria (Francalanci) and the team, they were so welcoming and friendly. They made the experience so comfortable that I didn’t want to go anywhere else after that.”
Having not been at the club last season, Maeve is understandably unable to say with any conviction exactly why the Lionhearts’ fortunes have been flipped so dramatically.
What she does know, however, is why the team has performed so well this season, which has led them to a 12-6 record and 32 points with one game of the regular season to go.
“Once we have come to know each other, I think that mix of players we have has been really good for us,” said Maeve.
“We have a good balance in the team and a good community among us and I think that has helped to make us successful, as well as adding some very good players.
“Maria (Sviridova) has brought so much to the team both on and off the court since joining (from Team SideOut Polonia). She has so much ability and experience, but also very high standards as well and a strong work ethic.
“Mallory (Porcher) has come in having played for Cambridge ARU here, and has such a presence at the net. When she makes a block, you see her delighted facial expression and it just lifts the whole team.”
Vinarius’ final game before Final 4 will see them host already-relegated Wessex in the capital, where they will be keen to maintain momentum by recording a 13th success of the campaign.
However, it is likely to be an ideal opportunity for those who don’t regularly get a start to get some floor time and, says Maeve, work on things they might be able to use to their advantage come Final 4.
She said: “I think it will definitely give everyone the chance to get some playing time and we can also look to set out some of the strategies we want to take into Final 4.
“We have a bit of time between now and then so we will be training hard and working out how we can get the better of the teams that have finished above us.
“They are all amazing teams and I would definitely consider us as the underdogs, especially as they are there year after year whereas we were at the bottom and now we are into the top four.
“But we have given those sides a good game in some of the matches, so it is definitely doable."
At least three teams will be relegated from the top-flight this season and a fourth team, yet to be confirmed, will have to fight for their lives in an end-of-season play-off against NVL Division 1’s second-placed side, London Giants.
Maeve believes the switch from 10 to eight Super League sides per gender next season will be a good thing, and is looking forward to seeing which players move where in the summer and how that will affect the balance of each team.
“I think the league going down to eight teams will definitely raise the standard of play,” she said. “It will be interesting to see where players move to, particularly in London.
“Newcastle will be coming into the mix and possibly London Giants as well, if they can win the play-off.
“Teams will be recruiting from overseas, including the uni teams with scholarships, so we will have to see who each team sign up."
Off the court, Maeve currently works as a receptionist at a David Lloyd Club but is keen, in the long term, to pursue a career around her university qualifications.
Enjoying life in London, she is also keen to get back on the beach this summer, having first played on the UK Beach Tour last summer.
Maeve said: “I really wanted to stay in London... I love the atmosphere here, the diversity of it, the fact that there is so many places to eat out here and things to do and events to attend. I didn’t feel like one year was enough.
“I still play a fair bit of beach and played some UK Beach Tour events last year (with Amelia Hadjianastasi and Sandra Bollu) and want to do some more of the four-star ones this year around the UK.
“Moving to the UK has 100 per cent renewed by love of volleyball... it has thrown a different spin on it.
“At uni in America, playing volleyball was almost like a job, but now it’s really a fun hobby that I can do alongside whatever work route I go down.
“Coming here, it’s been so interesting to meet players from different backgrounds and from all over the world and learn about their lives and cultures. It’s been amazing.”
Lionhearts images by Michal Kocián (@in.michals.focus) and Jon Cornish.
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