NVL review (15th and 16th November) - Staffs, Polonia, Giants and UON head up Division 1 tables

Men’s NVL 

Those sides include Newcastle Staffs, who have assumed leadership of NVL Division 1 North thanks to their four-set victory over fellow high-flyers Manchester Marvels in Stoke. 

The hosts stormed ahead in the first set and though the Mancunians rallied to level things up, those in blue were not to be denied and came through strongly at the back end of the third and fourth sets to win out 25-12, 17-25, 25-20, 25-20. 

It takes Staffs to four victories from four and a point ahead of the Marvels at the summit, with West Midlands rivals Black Country a point further back in third. 

Sheffield were triumphant in the battle of two sides yet to get off the mark as they overcame Stockport at the All Saints Sports Centre. 

Things rarely looked in doubt after the South Yorkshire side clinched the first set convincingly and went on to close out a straight sets success, 25-16, 25-21, 25-16. 

Coventry and Warwick Riga, under the guidance of a new coach, secured an excellent 3-1 away win at Rhinos Cambridge, winning 25-18, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20.

Division 1 South’s IBB Polonia are also now top of the tree as they also won in three against Southampton, registering a 25-15, 25-22, 25-16 success to take their seasonal record to 4-0. 

Two points further back in second are Essex Blaze, who notched their third victory of the season, this time beating London Aces 25-17, 25-23, 25-19. 

It means the two sides relegated from the DYNAMIK Men’s Super League at the end of last season are already ominously poised and shaping up to do battle for an immediate return. 

Wessex secured a welcome first win of the season on the road at Exeter Storm, who are now winless in five. 

The home side did at least win their first set of the campaign, but could not prevent a 25-20, 29-27, 20-25, 26-24 defeat. 

MK City lost their first league match of the season in Division 2 Central - and the other unbeaten sides, Loughborough Students and Newmarket, took full advantage. 

The Buckinghamshire outfit were on the wrong end of a five-set thriller at Northampton (23-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 15-11) after leading 2-1. 

Loughborough, meanwhile, overcame Oxford Bulls in a competitive encounter, coming from a set down and saving a set point in the fourth set to avoid the match going to a deciding tie break (21-25, 25-21, 25-12, 28-26). 

And the NVL’s only Suffolk club prevailed 3-1 against Norwich Spikers after losing a tight first set (23-25, 25-12, 25-16, 25-22) to sit just a point further back.

Dartford Crossers did what they needed to do – win both weekend games – in order to go top of Division 2 South. 

First, on Saturday, they edged three tight sets against the Wiltshire Mavericks (27-25, 25-23, 25-21) and then, on Sunday, they edged out Reading Aces in five, hitting back from 2-1 down to take the decider by two points (22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-18, 16-14). 

The lead is just a slender one point, however, as Richmond Bucks, who have played a game less, made it four from four with a straight sets success against Welsh visitors Cardiff Falcons (25-22, 25-16, 25-15). 

Wiltshire’s defeat was their second match of the day and they had earlier fared better against Spelthorne Lions, dropping the first set but coming out on top in four (20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-18). 

The division’s other action saw Kent Invicta move to a 3-1 record and up to third with a strong showing against London Baks (25-10, 27-25, 25-20). 

Darkstar Derbyshire are now clear at the top of Division 2 North after the only other unbeaten side, Sheffield Springers lost their first match. 

The East Midlanders were made to work against Hull Thunder, but ultimately had enough when it mattered to run out 25-22, 25-21, 25-21 winners. 

Things did not go so swimmingly for the Springers, however, as they were turned over on their own patch by Lincoln Cannons (25-12, 28-25, 22-25, 25-15), with the visitors up to second as a result. 

Nottingham Rockets and Newcastle Staffs 2 both remain bottom without a point after weekend defeats. 

The former lost 3-0 at Leeds Gorse 2 (25-17, 25-19, 25-23), while the latter battled hard but went down in four at Everton Dugongs (25-14, 16-25, 25-12, 25-21). 

Intervolley Manchester head up Division 3 North by a full five points after making it six wins from six in their latest triangular. 

They beat Harrogate in four sets and Liverpool in five – their nearest rivals before the matches – to maintain their excellent start. 

In the other match, the Merseysiders came out on top in another five set battle to move up to second spot in the table. 

Nuneaton Inferno opened their league season with mixed fortunes as they lost to Darkstar Derbyshire 2 in five but then beat Wombourne in four sets. 

Team South Wales kept up their unbeaten record – going 4-0 – and inflicted a first Division 3 South West defeat on Bristol 2 in the process. 

The Welshmen held their nerve in a thrilling five setter, with both teams beating Spelthorne Tigers 3-0 in their other matches. 

Bristol are still four points clear at the top, but have played two more games than their rivals. 

Women’s NVL 

London Giants have a three-point lead at the top of Division 1 South after they travelled to Essex Trinity and conquered. 

The hosts became the first team to take a set of the Londoners, but they were eventually outgunned by the title favourites, 25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19. 

University of Nottingham’s scheduled game against Manchester Marvels did not go ahead, but they remain top of Division 1 North nonetheless. 

That was after second-placed Cambridge came unstuck against Northampton, who have really started to hit form. 

After losing their first three matches, they have subsequently won their next three, including this latest 25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22 success. 

Everton Belugas evened up their seasonal record at 2-2 as they got the better of Loughborough Students in four (29-27, 24-26, 25-14, 25-21). 

Manchester Moss Side Jaguars have a six-point lead at the Division 2 North summit albeit having played two more games, after winning their top-of-the-table clash against city rivals Manchester Liberators. 

They came through a gruelling encounter 21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 24-26, 15-12 to underline their title credentials. 

The Miners Doncaster went third after a Saturday morning triumph over Lincoln Cannons by a 25-11, 25-23, 25-18 margin. 

Everton Narwhals got their season up and running as they bounced back from dropping the first set to reel off the next three against Newcastle Staffs (23-25, 25-16, 25-18, 26-24). 

In Division 2 West, Reading Aces made it two from two to start their campaign but they had to dig deep to beat Southampton 2 in five (25-21, 24-26, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12) in a topsy-turvy match that swung first one way then the other. 

It was also a weekend to celebrate for Coventry and Warwick Riga, who recorded their first success of the season at the expense of Cardiff Falcons, 26-24, 25-16, 25-23, who are still without a win. 

Onyx London took closer order to those at the top as they moved to a 3-1 record for the season by dispatching Norwich Spikers in straight sets (25-18, 25-16, 25-16). 

They are now just two points behind Cambridge 2 and Sussex Dolphins with two games in hand. 

Richmond 2 clinched their second victory in 25-26 as they got the better of Herts by a 25-22, 25-18, 25-19 margin. 

There was just one triangular in Division 3 Central, where Coventry and Warwick Riga enjoyed the best of things, overcoming both Nottingham Rockets and Darkstar Derbyshire 2 by 3-1 scorelines.

Everton images by Simon Clarke.

Full NVL results can be found here.

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