NVL Review (13th and 14th January)

MK City claimed their first Division 1 victory of the season after a hard-fought five-set thriller against fifth-place Leicester Athena.  

The Buckinghamshire side started off well with the first two sets going their way (25-18, 25-22), but Leicester came back in the third and fourth sets (25-17, 25-18) to level. 

It took the match to a deciding it to a deciding tie-break, which MK snatched 17-15 in a truly nail-biting finale. 

However, MK could not quite repeat the trick as they were on the wrong end of another five-setter on Sunday, this time against Dartford Chargers. 

The visitors started well, again taking the first two sets 26-24 and 25-21 with their eyes set on a 3-0 win. 

But Dartford had other ideas, with the next three sets going their way (25-22, 25-21, 15-13) to seal a fourth league victory of their campaign that sees them sixth, just one point behind Leicester Athena.  

Tamworth Spartans were looking to get their second half of the season off to a good start when they hosted Manchester Marvels Mayhem in Division 2 North on Sunday. 

But it was the Manchester team who made the most out of the Christmas break, coming back refreshed to avenge defeat to the same opponents for their sister side, the Mystics, at the end of last year. 

The first set started well for the visitors with them claiming it 25-21, but Tamworth levelled in the second winning by the same score. 

From then on, though, it was the Marvels who gained some momentum and took the third and fourth sets 25-14, 25-13 to close out the match. 

Essex Trinity sit only one point behind the leaders of Division 2 Central Herts after a 3-2 win against Oxford Eagles.  

The second-placed team started the day with Oxford ahead of them in the league but leapfrogged them with this crucial victory.  

Essex came out the blocks fast with the first set going their way 25-15. 

Oxford dominated the second set by taking it 25-8, but a see-saw contest continued as Trinity took the third 25-23. 

The game was far from over as Oxford edged the fourth 26-24 to set up a final set tie break where both teams wanted the win to improve their respective play-off chances. 

And it was Essex who eventually prevailed, taking it 15-11 and spark the celebrations. 

Like MK City, Bedminster, too, claimed their first victory of the season, playing in Division 2 South, as they surprised Cardiff Falcons. 

The Welsh team did fight hard, but Bedminster were able to just clinch each set (25-15, 26-24, 25-21). 

After eight games, the Falcons are in fourth place despite their setback with a 3-5 record.  

In Men’s Division 1, Weymouth Beach looked to keep the pressure on Essex Blaze and Black Country, the two teams above them, and did so – just. 

They took on a Tamworth side with something to prove after a 3-1 Saturday defeat against SQUAD in the National Shield, and it was the West Midlands hosts who started the better in what was yet another match that went all the way in a weekend of five-set thrillers. 

They started fast to take the first set of a fantastic match 25-21 but were pegged back by Weymouth in the second set by a 25-22 margin.  

A back and forth game continued with Spartans going 2-1 ahead (25-18), only for Weymouth to level at 2-2 (25-21). 

Visitors Beach then stepped it up a gear in the decider, coming through 15-9 top now sit just two points behind top-of-the-table Essex Blaze.  

London Giants, meanwhile, took a straight sets 3-0 victory over Cambridge ARU for their opening game of 2024.  

Giants are also still in the running for a play-off spot, having only played eight games, and are just four points behind second and third.  

In Division 2 North, Hull Thunder continued their bid for promotion with a 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23) victory over Liverpool.  

With Darkstar Derbyshire not playing, it has allowed the Humberside club to close the gap at the top to just one point.  

Lincoln Cannons came from 2-1 down to snatch victory from Sheffield, taking the game 3-2 (17-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16, 15-9), so w h the top three in Division 2 North all having played eight games, it is all to play for.  

Guildford International kicked off the New Year with a 3-1 victory over City of Bristol in Division 2 South, giving them their first victory of the season.  

Wigan Seahawks had a double dose of victory this weekend with wins over fellow promotion hopefuls Newcastle Staffs 2 and Intervolley Manchester.  

The results have put them fourth in Division 3 North West, two points behind Manchester Moss Side, in what is an ultra-competitive title race. 

In Division 3 North, Kings of Court Boston and York Vikings had two wins from two as they both were involved in triangular fixtures.  

Boston beat Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-22) and Sheffield 2 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-12) to ensure they stayed top of the pile. 

York remain hot on their heels in second as they were able to claim full points against Bradford Eagles and Wombourne 2, with both games finishing 3-0.  

In Division 3 South West, Southampton men are now seven points clear of Worthing men, having played one more game. 

Their standing was boosted by a double victory over the weekend against Bedminster (3-0) and Reading Aces (3-1).  

Cover photo: Liam Jefferies