National Cup and Shield Quarter-final Review: Essex, Durham and UON edge five-set thrillers

That was none more so than in the men’s National Cup, where no less than three of the four games went the full five sets. 

At Colchester, Essex Rebels ousted IBB Polonia for the second year running, ending the visitors hopes of a league and cup double. 

The London side have won all eight of their Super League matches so far this season and look well placed to take the title, but they came up against a determined home team who were prepared to fight all the way. 

The Rebels, who were beaten in the final by Malory Eagles last year, showed their intentions in the first set and, even though Polonia won it 25-23, it was a sign of things to come. 

Essex levelled at 1-1 by winning the second 25-19 and also took the third 25-18 to put themselves in a strong position. 

But IBB had not stayed unbeaten this deep into 2023-24 for no reason and dug deep to square the match at 2-2 by claiming the fourth set 25-22. 

That set up a nail-biting tie breaker that was nip and tuck all the way before Alex Porter’s side edged it 19-17 to spark celebrations on the court and in the stands. 

Another hugely-competitive game took place in Cheshire, where Durham Palatinates fought back from two sets down to beat Stockport. 

The hosts raced out of the blocks and powered into a 2-0 lead, taking the first two sets 25-21, 28-26. 

Durham won the third convincingly, 25-13 and the fourth proved to be pivotal as they nicked it 25-23 before going on to win the last by the slenderest of 17-15 margins. 

In the West Midlands, Black Country, victors over Super League Newcastle Staffs in the previous round, started well again against the University of Nottingham. 

They registered the first two sets 25-22, 25-21 and were smelling another upset victory and a last four place. 

UON, however, had other ideas and hit back to level the match, taking the next two sets 25-16, 25-20, and set up another fifth set decider. 

In it, the East Midlanders kept their cool to run out narrow 15-13 and, with much relief, seal their passage through to the next round. 

The final men’s National Cup match was far more straightforward for victors Malory Eagles, who won in straight sets in an all-London clash with Richmond Docklands. 

Last year’s Cup winners took a step closer to retaining that trophy as they went through 25-15, 25-17, 25-17. 

The men’s National Shield saw a brilliant weekend for non-NVL teams, with two of them making it through to next month’s semi-finals. 

Berkshire Volleyball Association side Oxford were in confident mood as they won 25-21, 25-17, 25-18 at the highest-ranked NVL team left in the draw, Coventry and Warwick Riga. 

Just as impressive were London League SQUAD, who continued their lengthy run in the competition by putting out Spelthorne Lions. 

The early signs for the Surrey side were encouraging as they took the first set 25-21, but the hosts hit back strongly to take the next three, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18. 

In the West Country, Exeter Storm continued their successful season to date by triumphing 3-1 against Team Sideout. 

The home side have won six of their seven NVL Division 2 South matches this season and came through in this one, after being pushed hard, by a 25-18, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23 scoreline. 

The final match in Lancashire was between Wigan Seahawks and InterVolley Manchester, who are both in NVL Division Three North West. 

Yet another game where the sets were extremely close saw Wigan edge the first two 25-23, 28-26 before the visitors got on the board with a 26-24 third set win. 

It was only then that the Seahawks pulled away as they won the fourth set by a decisive 25-16 margin. 

The women’s National Cup went to this season’s form, with the higher placed team in the MAAREE Women’s Super League table winning each tie. 

Fresh from their Super League victory over London Lionhearts on Saturday, Coventry and Warwick Riga would have had high hopes of another victory on Sunday against Sideout Polonia. 

And while they were able to take one set off the title-challenging London side, they were eventually defeated 3-1 as Polonia powered through 25-7, 24-26, 25-10, 25-16. 

The repeat fixture of Essex Rebels against Darkstar Derbyshire – they had played at the same venue in the league the previous week – produced exactly the same overall 3-1 score. 

The sets, though, were slightly closer than the previous meeting before Essex emerged 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 30-28 victors. 

In West Yorkshire, Durham Palatinates continued their relentless march in league and cup by beating Leeds Gorse 3-0. 

The hosts had their moments and were disappointed not to take at least one set as the North East side prevailed 25-9-25, 22, 26-24. 

One women’s National Cup tie is still to be settled, with MAAREE Super League sides Malory Eagles and Cambridge ARU contesting their match on Tuesday night. 

The standout result in the women’s National Shield quarters came from London League side London Bears, who beat fellow capital side Richmond 3-1. 

After Richmond’s exit, the only other NVL Division 1 side, Leicester Athena, might consider themselves favourites to lift the Shield trophy after they were confident 3-0 victors against a Newcastle Staffs side who are flying high in Division 3 Central. 

It was not made easy for them at Madeley High School but they eventually ran out 25-20, 26-24, 25-11 winners in the end. 

The visitors had come into the match in a confident frame of mind having had a good recent run in Division 1 of the NVL, but after taking the first set 25-22, lost the next three 25-121, 25-19, 25-19. 

Division 3 North York Falcons beat Division 2 North Leeds Gorse 2 in a compelling match at the Joseph Rowntree School. 

The sides exchanged the first two sets (25-15, 20-25) to leave things evenly-poised, but the home side took control from there on, coming through 25-14, 25-19 in the final stages. 

An all-Division Three South East clash between Reading and Onyx saw the visitors add to their unbeaten 2023-24 league season so far with a 3-0 triumph. 

The 25-18 25-22, 25-13 success follows an 8-0 run in their division that currently sees them occupy second behind Cambridge. 

Cover image by @juicyvolleyball

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