THIRD ROUND
Ashcombe Dorking lose to Warwick Riga 21:25 25:21 13:25
25:16 13:15
Ashcombe Volleyball Centre, Dorking, Surrey
Sunday 22nd January 2006
The Ashcombe Centre was buzzing with volleyball activity as
I arrived in good time for this exciting looking fixture and everything lived
up to expectation. An under 15 year old girls’ tournament with visitors from
the Isle of Wight and a course for referees were going on in different areas but
both took a longer than scheduled break, drawn to a titanic struggle to get to
the quarter finals of the EVA Cup. By the narrowest of margins, the crowd
eventually saw the prize go to the Midland’s first division side.
They had two players unavailable forcing them to play
Alexandra Smith through the middle, a position she dislikes and to use their
regular libero, Julie Bromell as a hitter. Ashcombe are still without the
experienced Debbie Frost, recovering from a cartilage operation in December.
These “defects” didn’t show as each squad countered the other’s efforts in two
close, exciting sets. Riga opened a 1:5 lead in the first behind strong,
accurate serving of a quality Ashcombe will rarely have encountered since
relegation last April but their experience, not least that of Ann Jarvis,
playing libero, held them in good stead and they gradually recovered the lost
ground although they had to do it twice: getting back to seven all, slipping to
9:15 then closing to 21:23 before buckling before two good attacks, ex-King’s
Lynn junior Laura Hodgkinson and Julie Bromell producing successive winners.
The second was very tight: Riga had led 5:7 before being forced to call a time
out at nine all; they had edged in front at 17:19 but Ashcombe made it nineteen
all. Theresa Farley then put them in front in a crescendo of noise and they
didn’t look back. Both teams had everything still to play for.
As I had chatted to Ashcombe players before the start, one
voice thought there was little difference in standard between the top four of
the second division and the bottom four of the first. Riga, however, are
currently in the top half of the first division and it showed in the third set.
They concentrated on annulling the power of Michelle Nudds’ left arm and,
although she continued to score frequently, it kept them in front and produced
cracking volleyball. It was close until 7:8 but after going 7:10 up, Kelly
Jones scored their next four points each with a different style of attack and
Riga set about demonstrating their class while I rather suspected Ashcombe
decided to let the set slip and save themselves for the next two.
Whether or not that was the case, they proceeded to produce
their best in the two final sets. They secured three points without response in
the fourth by building on strong serving by Helen Bullen and were not fazed
when Riga levelled things at seven all, gradually extending their lead to19:13.
That point came from a dipping serve by Vicky Sarsfield that caused Alexandra
Smith to turn an ankle painfully in trying to reach it. She hobbled off court
and Riga did not look preventing a fifth.
The fifth came with the hall tense with anticipation and
Alexandra happily restored to the attack. Each took a turn at supremacy: Riga
quickly 1:5 ahead; Ashcombe back in contention as they changed ends at 6:8. The
score tied at ten all, eleven all, twelve all, thirteen all: what would decide
the match? It is Tom Young’s birthday. As Kelly Jones hits off the block on
match point she is as good as saying, “Coach, this it the best present we can
give you”. I suggest that there was little more between two good, evenly
matched teams that gave great entertainment to an appreciative crowd.
Ashcombe Dorking:
Starting six: Theresa Farley, Diana Hasanova,
Sara Neale, Michelle Nudds (captain), Sue Risbridger and Vicky Sarsfield.
Libero: Ann Jarvis.
Other players: Helen Bullen, Carol Fogarty and
Natasha Lewis.
Coach: Brendan Fogarty.
Warwick Riga:
Starting six: Julie Bromell, Laura Hodgkinson,
Kelly Jones, Sally Keates (captain), Lisa Purcell and Alexandra Smith.
Libero: -
Other players: Liz Young.
Coach: Tom Young.
Top half of the draw:
WC21
Polonia beat
Leeds
25:19 25:18 25:14
WC29
WC22 Polonia v
Ashcombe Dorking lost to Warwick
Riga
Warwick Riga
21:25 25:21 13:25 25:16 13:15
WC23
Chester & E P Eels lost to
Dulwich Tuskers
17:25 21:25 21:25 WC30
Dulwich
Tuskers v
WC24 London
Malory
Guildford International lost to
London Malory
16:25 17:25 23:25
*Fourth round draw
Polonia Ladies v Warwick Riga
Dulwich Tuskers v London Malory
Devon v City of Wolverhampton
Loughborough Students v Cleobury
*matches scheduled for 12th February 2006
Acknowledgements: EVA web site and results
service.