Super League review (17th and 18th January) - Gorse men secure first win 

Pete Makoswki’s side were not far off upsetting Newcastle Knights on Saturday as they took the North East club to five sets before losing 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 22-25, 28-26, 15-9). 

Kristo Bianchi claimed eight kills and four blocks for the hosts, while James Ledbury (nine), Oli Tuck (eight) and Kelechi Bell (seven) also weighed in on the kills count. 

For Leeds, Emmanuel Oretoye secured 17 kills from 33 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.303 and also made one block and four digs as well as recording a serve receive rating of 2.52 from 29 attempts. 

But on Sunday it all came good for the West Yorkshire club as they won two very tight first sets to run out victors in three (25-23, 25-23, 25-19) against Essex Rebels. 

Setter Josh Cosgrove was MVP for the home side and Hassan Farhat took the honours for the visitors. 

Despite the four-point haul from the weekend, Gorse are still very much up against it in their quest to stay in the Super League, but it does, at least, give them an outside hope. 

The Rebels, meanwhile, are two points outside the play-off places, albeit with a game in hand over the University of Nottingham, who are sat in fourth.

At the other end of the table, Malory Eagles reclaimed top spot in the table but were pushed all the way by Richmond Docklands in a London derby. 

They were 1-0 down and 2-1 up before eventually going the distance to register a 24-26, 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13 success at Ernest Bevin College. 

It gives them a one-point lead over second-placed London Giants with both teams having played the same number of games. 

Eagles’ MVP Nathan Fullerton served two aces and hit 18 kills from 36 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.361 and also made two blocks and nine digs and had a service rating of 2.00 from 17 attempts.  

Teenager Jelani Conteh was selected for Richmond thanks to 23 kills from 36 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.472, as well as making one block and seven digs in his first start for the Docklands side after coming on as a substitute for Richmond at Opening Weekend.

In the MAAREE Women’s Super League, there were four fixtures, including Durham Palatinates’ visit to Darkstar Derbyshire, which saw them maintain their 100 per cent record with a sixth win from six. 

They were rarely troubled in securing a 25-14, 25-14, 25-12 triumph – in stark contrast to Opening Weekend, when they were two sets down to the East Midlanders and had to go the distance to come out on top. 

Durham libero Jenna Giambi was MVP for her side with 11 digs, seven assists from 10 attempts and a serve receive rating of 2.43 from her seven attempts. 

Lauren Cadwgan, who chipped in with three blocks, was MVP for Darkstar. 

Malory Eagles remain in second spot after moving to a 6-2 record with a four-sets win over Lionhearts Vinarius, where they bounced back well after dropping the first set (24-26, 25-12, 25-23, 25-14). 

Last year’s champions are on the same points as leaders Durham but have played two more games than their rivals in purple. 

Malory MVP Claire Kellum served two aces and hit 13 kills from 34 attempts, as well as completing six blocks and 14 digs. 

Danna Cheung was Vinarius’ MVP after serving two aces, having a service rating of 2.50 from eight attempts, claiming seven kills and making three blocks and 10 digs. 

Essex Rebels are in third place, trailing Malory by just two points with two matches in hand, after overcoming Leeds Gorse for the second time this season on Sunday. 

Simple first and third set victories sandwiched a tougher second set as the Rebels made it five wins from six for the season (25-11, 25-23, 25-9). 

Libero Kathea Schamblin was MVP for Essex and Daniella Tchandeu got the nod for those in orange. 

Gorse had also been in action on Saturday where they were defeated in straight sets by a Newcastle Knights side who now have a 3-2 record (25-18, 25-12, 25-20).  

Caroline McMahon served one ace, finished eight kills from 23 attempts and made four digs, as she was Knights’ MVP. 

Lauren Thorn served one ace and made one kill, two blocks and six digs, in addition to 17 assists from 53 attempts, to be the visitors’ MVP.

Images by Jenna Clarke, Jon Cornish and Noelia Fernandez Perez.

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