NVL review (17th and 18th January) - Staffs, Polonia, Giants and UON still lead the way

Men’s NVL 

Newcastle Staffs continue to lead the way in Division 1 North as they clinched a 3-1 victory at Rhinos Cambridge. 

The visitors were slow out of the blocks and dropped the first set but reeled off the next three to notch their seventh success from eight (14-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21). 

They are now four points clear with two games in hand on their nearest rivals, after both lost. 

Manchester Marvels are second in the table despite a defeat to resurgent Greater Manchester rivals Stockport in five sets (25-19, 19-25, 8-25, 25-19, 15-13), the single point being enough to lift them up one place. 

Black Country have dropped down to third after they suffered their fifth league defeat of the season, this one to Coventry and Warwick Riga, who are now fourth (25-22, 25-22, 25-21). 

With three games in hand, Riga could now overhaul the two sides immediately above them should they win those fixtures. 

Tamworth Spartans, meanwhile, retained a welcome gap to Stockport by winning at a Sheffield side just above them, despite dropping the first set (15-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-23). 

Division 1 South leaders IBB Polonia survived a scare to prevail by the skin of their teeth in their match at Bristol. 

The home side surged into a two-set lead but the third set, which the Londoners edged by two points, proved pivotal as they went on to complete a reverse sweep, winning the decider by two points (18-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 18-16). 

However, the dropped point means that two of their rivals can now go above them, should they take maximum points from their respective games in hand. 

Both of those teams, second-placed Cambridge and third-placed Essex Blaze heaped more misery on bottom club Exeter Storm during the Devon club’s double header away weekend. 

First, on Saturday, Cambridge won 25-13, 25-21, 25-18 and then, on Sunday, Blaze secured the same sets outcome, getting the better of their opponents 25-17, 25-19, 25-19. 

A first setback of the season for Richmond Bucks in Division 2 South saw them go down in straight sets to Spelthorne Lions (26-24, 25-23, 25-22). 

The surprising defeat saw the amount of sets the Londoners had lost doubled in just one match and cut their lead at the summit to three points. 

That was after Dartford Crossers took advantage by beating a Kent Invicta side – with whom they shared the same points tally going into the match – in straight sets (25-21, 25-18, 25-15). 

The Kent club are now three points further back in third, above Reading Aces on set quotient, with the Berkshire club overcoming Cardiff Falcons in their fixture (25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22). 

Wiltshire Mavericks were the division’s other weekend victors as they were pushed all the way before getting the better of London Baks, thanks to a reverse sweep (21-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-12). 

MK City cemented their position at the top of Division 2 Central by beating their closest rivals for that position, Loughborough Students, in straight sets 28-26, 25-16, 25-23. 

With all the top teams having played seven matches, they now hold a five-point advantage. 

The team outside that top echelon who could yet challenge is Oxford Bulls. They won their fifth match of the campaign 3-0 against Newmarket, which included a marathon second set (25-18, 30-28, 25-16). 

Norwich Spikers gave themselves some breathing space from bottom club Cambridge 2 as they secured a hard-fought success in a see-saw contest with Leicester (27-29, 25-22, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10). 

Their fellow strugglers, however, could do nothing to prevent a four-set loss at mid-table Northampton (27-25, 25-10, 25-27, 25-22). 

Darkstar Derbyshire’s Division 2 North promotion charge continued with their latest straight sets success, this time over fellow high-flyers Everton Dugongs (25-19, 25-19, 25-19). 

Their lead is three points over second-placed Lincoln Cannons, who shot down Hull Thunder in four sets (26-24, 20-25, 36-34, 26-24) after a keenly-contested battle. 

Bottom club Newcastle Staffs 2 registered their first triumph of the season as they got the better of Leeds Gorse 2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 25-23). 

Nevertheless, they stay at the foot of the table on set quotient behind Nottingham Rockets, who were defeated in four sets by Sheffield Springers (26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20). 

There were no matches in any of the men’s Division 3 sections this week.   

Women’s NVL 

London Giants continue to sweep all before them as they extended their lead at the top of Division 1 South. 

Their seventh consecutive league win – they are also into the quarter-final of the National Cup – was achieved in quick time as they steamrollered London Inter Crocs (25-11, 25-3, 25-12). 

Essex Trinity have moved into second, above the inactive Richmond, by beating Bedminster in four sets at St John Payne School (25-22, 25-18, 25-27, 25-18). 

Team South Wales notched a welcome first victory of the campaign as they travelled across the Severn Bridge and conquered, getting the better of Bristol in four sets (17-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-11).  

University of Nottingham’s dominance in Division 1 North is underlined by a six-point lead as they matched Giants in claiming a magnificent seven straight league wins. 

Their latest victims were Northampton, ending a run of five consecutive league wins for the hosts, as the Green and Golds triumphed 25-13, 25-15, 25-15. 

Moving above Northampton up to second were Manchester Marvels Mayhem, who hit back from a set down to see off neighbours Stockport (21-25, 28-26, 25-14, 25-22). 

Cambridge 2 stayed top of the Division 2 East table with their seventh win from nine, getting the better of Herts 25-16, 25-16, 25-15. 

But snapping at their heels are Onyx London who registered their own straight sets success against Dartford Chargers (25-17, 25-20, 26-24) to keep them two points behind with two games in hand. 

Richmond 2 improved their position considerably, moving up to mid-table, making light work of the long trip to Norwich Spikers to prevail 26-24, 25-17, 24-26, 25-17. 

Manchester Moss Side Jaguars maintained their pre-Christmas momentum in Division 2 North as they returned to action with victory at Lincoln Cannons (25-17, 25-18, 25-19). 

Their lead remains at seven points over Manchester Liberators who clocked up their own success at home to Everton Narwhals (25-18, 25-18, 20-25, 25-16). 

The Miners Doncaster solidified third place by winning their South Yorkshire derby with Sheffield (25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 29-27) while Newcastle Staffs moved up to a mid-table berth with a win in three against Leeds Gorse 2 (26-24, 25-19, 25-21). 

The top three in Division 2 West - separated by just two points - continue to go blow for blow as all secured straight sets victories over the weekend.

Table toppers Reading Aces cantered to success at home to Cardiff Falcons (25-22, 25-11, 25-9), while second-placed Black Country were 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 winners at Southampton.

While third, Oxford Eagles remain unbeaten in the league and have a game in hand on those above them after a 25-8, 25-21, 25-11 triumph over Tamworth Spartans.

Elsewhere, Wombourne moved up to fifth with games in hand after overcoming Coventry and Warwick Riga (22-25, 25-23, 25-13, 26-24).

Farnborough Phoenix went top of the table and put the pressure back on Bristol 2 with double victory in their latest Division 3 South West triangular – the only fixture in any of the sections. 

They beat Southampton 2 and City of Bristol in straight sets to give themselves a four-point lead at the top, having played two more games than their rivals, with the South Coast club winning the other match of the three.

Action images of Cambridge and London Giants courtesy of @cambridgevc1 and @londongiantsvolleyball.

Full NVL results can be found here.

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