Super League review (14th and 15th March) - UON clinch Final 4 spot as Richmond pull themselves off bottom 

DYNAMIK Men’s Super League 

One question that has been answered on the men’s side of the competition is the identity of the team to fill the fourth and final qualifying spot for Super League Final 4 (get your tickets here). 

University of Nottingham’s victory at Leeds Gorse means that they now have a seven-point gap with one game to play over fifth place Essex. 

The Green and Golds were always in control during their 25-20-25-18, 25-20 success at the Ruth Gorse Academy in an outcome that puts the Yorkshire club in serious peril of automatic relegation. 

UON’s Finley Bullivant led the way for his side with a MVP performance that saw him serve three aces and make seven kills from ten attempts for a 0.5 hitting percentage, as well as completing two blocks, one assist and two digs. E. Mulubrwan took the MVP honours for the hosts. 

Leeds’ heightened fears stem from the fact that previous bottom club Richmond Docklands stormed to a straight sets victory against Essex Rebels, which has ended the latter’s outside Final 4 hopes. 

The Londoners posted just their third triumph of the season as the Colchester-based side had no answer in three close sets (25-21, 25-22, 25-23). 

It leaves the Kingston-based club with their destiny in their own hands in terms of securing a relegation play-off berth going into the final round of matches. 

MVP for Richmond was Joao Alves, who served two aces, successfully completed 36 service returns for a serve receive rating of 2.50, completed 13 kills with a hitting percentage of 0.333 and made two digs.  

Euan Fraser got the vote for the Rebels after one ace, seven kills from 11 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.545, one block and one dig. 

Durham Palatinates are also in the relegation and play-offs frame, having the chance to add to their points tally in a rare Monday night game tonight. 

But that will be a tough ask against a Newcastle Knights side who have enjoyed an excellent season and currently sit top of the pile. 

Sam Shenton’s side still lead the way ahead of this evening’s game by virtue of a superior set quotient after London Giants were defeated by third-placed Malory Eagles UEL at UEL Sports Dock on Saturday. 

The top two have 30 points, while Eagles are just one point further back after their 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 triumph. 

Malory talisman Nathan Fullerton was his side’s MVP as he served three aces, completed 16 kills from 30 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.467 and made three digs. 

Setter Diego Tamburini was selected as MVP for the Giants for his 12 assists from 33 attempts. 

MAAREE Women’s Super League 

A stirring fightback that saw them complete a reverse sweep saw Malory Eagles UEL give their Final 4 chances a huge boost – at the expense of opponents Team SideOut Polonia. 

Mark Kontopoulos’ side are used to being in the end-of-season shake-up on multiple fronts after plenty of success in recent seasons. 

But after surrendering a two-set lead against their fellow Londoners, last season’s Super League bronze medallists and Cup Final runners-up are in serious danger of not making the top-four cut this time. 

In an exciting regular-season finale that could hardly be tighter, just three points separate second from fifth, ahead of tonight’s Monday night game between Newcastle Knights and runaway leaders Durham Palatinates. 

But the order of that list could have looked significantly different had Malory not dug deep and found a way to overturn the deficit against Sideout (18-25, 17-25, 25-23, 25)-20, 15-9. 

Captain Chloe Allen led from the front for Malory with three aces, 35 successful receptions from 36 attempts for a serve receive rating of 2.14, 19 kills from 58 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.207, two blocks and six digs. 

For SideOut, setter Merve Akin won the MVP vote as she completed one block, 49 assists from 149 attempts and 13 digs. 

As it stands, Jefferson Williams and Carol Gordon’s side occupy the final qualifying spot for Final 4, with Polonia a further point back ahead of the final weekend of matches on 28th and 29th March. 

Elsewhere, Essex Rebels have secured their Final 4 spot after a confident victory at relegation play-off-bound Lionhearts Vinarius. 

Their 21-21, 25-18, 25-23 margin of success, coupled with a superior set quotient to their rivals, means fourth place is the absolute worst they can now finish. 

Savannah Spitzer was MVP for the victors as she served three aces, completed three kills and made three blocks and two digs. 

Madoka Weldon got the nod for Vinarius with 12 successful service returns from 13 attempts for a serve receive rating of 1.73, five assists from 12 attempts and 14 digs. 

At the bottom end, Darkstar Derbyshire confirmed they will finish in sixth place with an assured display against Leeds Gorse, whose automatic relegation was also sealed as a consequence. 

The East Midlanders won 25-18, 25-17, 25-15 to set up nicely this coming weekend’s National Cup semi-final at home to Malory Eagles UEL. 

Hajar El Alouani was MVP for Darkstar, while Daniella Tchandeu picked up the vote for Gorse.

Leeds v UON images by Evelyn Lee (_evelyn.pov)

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