WOMEN’S FIRST
DIVISION
London Polonia beat Tameside 25:18 25:9 25:18
St Benedict’s Sports Centre, Ealing, London W.5
Saturday 28th October 2006
A sophisticated Polonia, determined not to suffer
a repeat of last weekend’s narrow defeat, showed Tameside no mercy as they
secured a decisive victory. Only in the middle of the third set, with the game
as good as won, did they relax and allow the visitors from Manchester to show
what they could do but, after seeing the lead cut to three points, finished
them off in style.
The most marked difference between the teams
was in quality of service. Tameside were constantly under pressure and setter,
Victoria Lomax rarely got a pass good enough to let her give her attackers the
options they needed. In contrast the visitors’ serves were docile and Tamara
Young and Barbara Kurucova, who assumed the setting role in the second set,
could let their attack put even more pressure on a struggling defence. To their
credit, Tameside never stopped trying and Kirsty Harris, Sally Higginson and
Jennifer Hare produced the occasional good smash while Victoria, Emma Hanrahan
and Rebecca Rostron created a good block when given time align themselves.
Rebekah Siddall, who is only fifteen, had the best game of all and duly
received Polonia’s nomination for Most Valuable Player. As the team struggled,
one longed to see two or three different moves to surprise an opposition who
was finding things so easy and, until they are perfected, the squad must attack
more aggressively if it is to get into the top half of the division. It fought
particularly well in the third set and remained in contention until 14:10 and
Polonia went rather off the boil as Tameside recovered from 17:11 to 19:15
before Polonia reasserted their authority and quickly finished off the game.
Coach Donald Deans changed Polonia’s line up as
well as setters for the second set, introducing Sylwia Meller into the attack.
Concentrating even more, the team whipped through it with Rita Bartalini,
Zuzana Raad and Sylwia all hitting freely and the latter joining Barbara
Kurucova and Eva Skrivankova in solid blocking. Eva was eventually nominated as
MVP: hers had been an excellent performance. Indeed, the whole set up looked impressively
professional but that third set loss of attention could prove an Achilles Heel
against stronger clubs and will no doubt be a matter for discussion at mid-week
training.
A fascinating game, notwithstanding its
one-sided outcome, and watched by a reasonable number of spectators; indeed
quite a large crowd as the time approached for the men’s match that was to
follow. But the latecomers, mostly Polonia supporters, missed the best part of
the ladies’ performance. Both men and women are drawn at home in the second
round of the Cup and on 11th November the ladies play Portsmouth at three
o’clock and the men Newcastle, Staffs at five. It should be a great afternoon
of volleyball at St Benedict’s.
London Polonia:
Starting six: Rita Bartalini, Barbara Kurucova (captain),
Jevgenija Livca, Zuzana Raad, Eva Skrivankova and Tamara Young.
Libero: Rachel Jones.
Other players:
Sylwia Meller and Vladimira Nand.
Coach: Donald Deans. Assistant:
Andy Lowcynowski.
Tameside:
Starting six: Emma Hanrahan
(captain), Kirsty Harris, Sally Higginson, Victoria Lomax, Rebecca Rostron and
Rebekah Siddall.
Libero: -
Other players:
Sarah Hallam and Jennifer Hare.
Coach: Richard Jump. Assistant:
Elizabeth Clarke.
League Table:
(leading positions)
P W L F A Pts.
1. London Malory 6
6 0 18
5 18
2. Polonia Ladies 6
5 1 17 3 16
3 City of Wolverhampton 6 4 2 13 9 14
4. Loughborough Students
5 3 2 11
7 11
5. Wessex 5 3 2 10 13 11
6. Tameside 6 2 4 6 12 10
7. Warwick Riga
5 1 4 7 12
7
Acknowledgements:
EVA web site and results service.