Super League and NVL review (22nd and 23rd March) - Knights are champs as men-'s play-off place still to be decided

With the university side awarded the points, their superior set quotient means they cannot now be caught by London Giants, who have been fighting hard for top spot all season. 

The Giants did get to play the Orcas on Sunday and they maintained their excellent form ahead of what will be a play-off against Super League’s seventh placed team Darkstar Derbyshire in Cambridge on Saturday 12th April. 

The visitors ran out 25-22, 25-20, 25-23 victors over their fellow Londoners at Haverstock School. 

In Division 2 North, Manchester Marvels wrapped up the championship with a straight sets success over Everton Narwhals. 

Their 12th win from 13 league matches by a 25-17, 30-28, 25-14 means they now have an unbridgeable five-point lead over Loughborough Students with one game to go. 

There were contrasting emotions at opposite ends of the table in Division 2 East. 

Cambridge were confirmed as divisional champions after coming from a set down to triumph at Norwich Spikers (20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-23). 

Herts, on the other hand, are on the cusp of potential relegation after they were edged out in a nail-biting five-setter at Onyx (25-21, 10-25, 25-18, 15-25, 15-13). 

The only way they can now beat the drop is if MK City, who still have one game left and currently have a superior set quotient lose 3-0 in that fixture. 

There were no matches in Division 2 West this weekend, nor in Division 3 North, Division 3 South West and Division 3 South East. 

A triangular fixture was, however, played in Division 3 Central and it was an important one for Lincoln Cannons, who rounded off the season by clinching second place by a point from Darkstar Derbyshire 2. 

That was after they were 3-0 winners over Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and 3-2 victors over Leicester Athena Nova, who won the third match 3-1. 

---

The Men’s Division 1 play-off scramble is going right down to the wire, with both Black Country and Bristol both in the frame after the former beat the latter in a five set-thriller on Sunday. 

Bristol went into the match knowing that a maximum points victory would have seen them clinch a play-off match with Super League Richmond. 

However, the outcome means that either could still come out on top in that battle as, despite the West Country side’s three-point lead, they have played a game more. 

It could all come done to set quotient, which, as of now, is better for Black Country – but only just! 

As the two sides went head to head on Sunday, the West Midlanders started superbly and reeled off the first two sets. 

But Bristol clawed their way back into the match to level at 2-2, leaving all up for grabs in the decider. 

It was then that the hosts rediscovered their mojo as they pulled away to make sure of a 25-21, 27-25, 17-25, 23-25, 15-9 triumph. 

The final outcome is just as hard to predict at the bottom end of the table, where a number of teams are still fighting hard to beat the drop, not least London Baks. 

They looked dead and buried a couple of weeks ago, but their latest success – a hard-fought 3-2 triumph at London Aces, means they are back within touching distance of escaping the bottom three – and perhaps crucially, still have a game in hand. 

They trailed 1-0 and then led 2-1 on Saturday before eventually coming through in the all-capital affair by a 18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12 margin. 

Also giving it their all to stay at this level are Tamworth Spartans, who pulled one point clear of the drop zone with one game left after defeating Exeter Storm in straight sets (25-18, 25-22, 25-22). 

That was at the expense of Lincoln Cannons, who are now in the danger zone after being beaten at home by bottom club Hull Thunder (25-16, 25-22, 25-21). 

Despite their success in the East Midlands, the Humberside club become the first to be relegated from Division 1 because their inferior set quotient means they now cannot catch Tamworth. 

For their part, the Cannons need to win their final game and hope other results go their way. 

After their previous day’s disappointment, London Aces bounced back on Sunday with a five-set success at Newcastle Staffs, which gives them a chance of finishing above their opponents as they vie for fourth place. 

In a contest that was even throughout, Castle led 2-1, but the Aces hung in there before edging the tightest of tie breaks to come out on top 25-19, 18-25, 23-25, 28-26, 15-13. 

It was a mixed bag for Darkstar Derbyshire as they caught up on fixtures with back to match weekend matches in Division 2 North. 

First, on Saturday, they clocked up a straight sets win at Newcastle Staffs 2, prevailing 25-17, 25-19, 25-22. 

But they could not repeat the trick on Sunday as Kings of Court proved too strong from them in Boston, running out 25-23, 25-19, 25-16 winners. 

Nevertheless, Darkstar are fourth in the table, three points ahead of the side who beat them. 

Northampton have saved their skins in Division 2 Central by winning their penultimate game against Norwich Spikers 3-1 (25-12, 25-22, 16-25, 25-16). 

That result, combined with Cambridge’s defeat to the Spikers the day before (25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16) means the Midlanders live to fight another day. 

There were no matches in Division 2 South, Division 3 North Central, Division 3 South East or Division 3 South West, but in Division 3 North West, four matches took place. 

Three of them were in a triangular at the Y Club, where Everton Dugongs beat both Sheffield 2 (3-0) and Intervolley Manchester (3-1) to put themselves second and in a strong position.  

Intervolley also beat the South Yorkshire side in straight sets. 

Everton’s city rivals, Liverpool, kept up the pressure with a 3-1 success at Urmston Grammar, leaving them third. 

The one remaining MAAREE Super League fixture to be completed was played on Saturday and saw Darkstar Derbyshire earn victory over East Midlands neighbours The University of Nottingham.

But they were made to do it the hard way, coming back from sets down to eventually come out on top on the fifth (25-16, 21-25, 23-25, 18-25, 15-11).

---