NVL Review 9th and 10th December

In Men’s Division 1, Black Country boosted their opportunity of promotion with two wins over the weekend against Coventry and Warwick Riga on Sunday after a stunning victory over previously-unbeaten Weymouth Beach on Saturday.  

The match-up was always likely to be a thriller as both teams sat in the top half of the table going into the fixture, with Weymouth still unbeaten after six games.  

The match went the distance with Weymouth taking the first 25-21 but with the hosts fighting back to edge the second 26-24.  

The Midlanders kept this momentum and took the third set 25-21 and had their eyes on finishing the match in four sets, but Beach edged the fourth 25-23 to ensure the match went the distance.  

And when it came to the crunch, it was Black Country who held it together, taking the tie-breaker 15-8 to take the overall victory.  

As they then followed it up with a 3-1 Sunday victory over West Midlands rivals Riga, they were able to leapfrog Weymouth and sit second only two points off the top. 

Essex Blaze are top of the charts after making it seven from eight matches with a strong 3-0 win over Manchester Marvels.  

Cambridge ARU also triumphed over the Marvels, which puts them fifth in the table, just three points behind London Aces.  

In Division 2 South, an eagerly-awaited West Country clash saw league leaders Bristol take on second-placed Exeter Storm, who had also gone into the match unbeaten. 

The match went all the way, and the third set was the pick, with Exeter able to snatch it 29-27.  

However, Bristol was just too strong in the end, eventually winning out 23-25, 25-15, 27-29, 25-14, 15-12 to strengthen their position at the summit. 

A back and forth game between Cambridge and Wombourne in Division 2 Central took place on Sunday, with Wombourne taking the match 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-13).  

Hounslow also ended the year on a winning note with a 3-1 victory over MK City, putting them just one point behind leaders Norwich Spikers.  

The Norfolk club are top due to a great result on Sunday over Dartford Crossers, where they recorded a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22 25-22) victory. 

A Manchester Marvels derby between Mavericks and Marauders in Men’s Division 3 North West was another close, five-set game with very little between the two teams. 

It was eventually the Marauders side who prevailed 3-2, securing them seventh place in the table.  

The match was one part of a triangular fixture that also involved Manchester Moss Side, who were looking to go level on points with Chester.  

And Moss did just that by beating the Marauders 3-1 and the Mavericks 3-0 to put themselves in third place with a 7-3 record. 

The division continues to be dominated by Newcastle Staffs 2 who are still unbeaten after eight successive victories, their latest two coming over the weekend with a 3-0 triumph over Liverpool U18 and a 3-1 victory over Intervolley Manchester.  

In Division 3 South East, Northampton are five points clear of Invicta after two 3-1 victories over their nearest rivals and also over London Onyx in a triangular fixture.  

In the women’s competition, Division 1’s Wessex finished the year unbeaten after a hard-fought match with promotion rivals Stockport. 

The top-two clash ended in a 3-2 victory for the hosts both teams showcased why they are leading the rest.  

The first set went the way of Wessex 25-20, but Stockport battled back with a 25-14 second set success. 

The South Coast side won the next 25-14 to go 2-1 up, but, again, the visitors levelled (25-20), taking it to a decider, which Wessex won 15-9.  

Leicester Athena are now sixth, level on nine points with Bristol and London Inter Crocs, with Dartford Chargers and Southampton only one point further behind. 

A five-setter between Richmond and Inter Crocs also took place on Saturday, with the first set showing what was to come. 

The Crocs took it 29-27, but Richmond responded by reeling off the second and third sets 25-20 and 25-15. 

Back came the Crocs in the fourth set, coming out on top 25-18 before the critical fifth went the way of Richmond 15-12, putting them third with 14 points. 

Southampton took a 3-1 victory over Bristol, putting them in a good position for the restart of the league after Christmas. 

Only one game in Women’s Division 2 North took place this weekend, with Leeds Gorse 2 hosting Everton Narwhals.  

Yet another five-set thriller ensured, with Everton just edging a nail-biting game with a 3-2 (22-25, 25-12, 25-22, 17-25, 15-13) success. 

The Merseysiders are now only three points off the top of the table Team Sunderland, although the North Easterners have played two games less. 

Oxford Eagles hosted Northampton in Women’s Division 2 Central and the hosts are now level on points with Essex Trinity after a 3-0 victory.  

Oxford have played more games than Trinity but they face each other in their first game back in January, with the winner sure to claim second place.  

Two triangulars in Division 3 North took place over the weekend with Chester Amazons, Miners Doncaster and Manchester Marvels Magic, with Miners looking to keep their unbeaten run going.  

They started well with a 3-1 victory over Chester and maintained their momentum with a 3-0 win over Marvels Magic, meaning they now have an 8-0 record for the season, dropping only three sets.. 

Chester finish 2023 with a 50% win rate - four wins and four losses - after victory over Marvels Magic.  

Hull Thunder and Manchester Liberators travelled to Manchester Moss Side Jaguars with Liberators looking to keep the gap between Miners as close as possible.  

A double victory this weekend for the Liberators ensures the gap is three points with a 3-2 win over the Jaguars and a 3-1 victory over Thunder.  

The match between those two losing sides went to five sets before Hull were able to clinch a 25-23, 25-21, 25-27, 17-25, 15-7 success.  

With Black Country Men claiming second in the men's Division 1, their women’s squad were looking to do the same in women’s Division 3 Central. 

And they did just that with a flawless weekend, beating both Lincoln Cannons and Nottingham Rockets in straight sets to close the gap on leaders Darkstar Derbyshire 2 and themselves.  

The meeting between Darkstar and Black Country on the 21st January is sure to be an interesting first match of 2024 for both sides. 

To view all the results from the NVL click here. 

 Photo: @Jaysuuu