29 Apr 2024
Final 4 weekend review
The Super League season reached its climax over the weekend with Durham Palatinates men and women doing the double after a weekend of drama and exciting matches.
No less than three matches went the full five sets in Sunday’s medals amid intense competition that left fans at the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering – and those watching at home on YouTube live streaming – on the edge of their seat.
After a 3-0 defeat to Team SideOut Polonia last weekend at the National Cup Finals, Durham’s women were seeking revenge as they went into the weekend.
They first took on Malory Eagles in the semi-finals on Saturday and were 3-2 winners, which set up another meeting with their long-time rivals.
Kennadie Jake-Turner was on fire with a high kill percentage, as her lethal slide shot helped her team claim a 3-2 victory over Malory that saw the North East team come from 2-1 down to clinch a spot in the championship match.
SideOut continued where they left off the previous weekend with a stellar performance in their own semi-final against Essex Rebels where they repeated the scoreline of the National Cup Final with a commanding 3-0 victory.
Durham knew the final would be a real test of strength and stamina, having played later in the day and two more sets than SideOut on Saturday. They were also facing the only team who had beaten them during the regular season.
Durham came out the blocks fast, taking the first set 25-16, but Polonia hit back just as hard in the second, edging it 25-23 and then also took the third 25-14.
SideOut’s starting setter Merve Akin went down with an injury in the fourth set, which did seem to affect her side as the Palatinates clinched the fourth set 25-20.
Akin did return in the final set to try and rally her team, but MVP Sydney Stevens was just too powerful for Sideout’s defence leading and led her Durham team to a 15-10 final set victory, handing them the MAAREE Women’s Super League title for the third consecutive year.
It was tough on a gallant SideOut team who had topped the regular season table, but came up just short on the day.
After missing out on the final, Malory Eagles and Essex Rebels wanted to end their season on a high and take home the bronze medal.
Essex went into the match fresher - having played first on Saturday - and they looked fired up to secure third place.
The game was a thriller, going back and forth. Essex claimed the first and second sets but Malory snatching the third and fourth (25-21, 25-13) to level and set up a decider and used their momentum to win it 15-10.
The reverse sweep saw the Eagles take bronze and finish third, like their regular season league position, with Essex fourth and promising even more in the 2024-25 campaign.
After watching their female teammates claim a thrilling victory, Durham’s men wanted to complete their aim of a triple crown (winning BUCS, National Cup and Super League).
However, they knew, coming up against IBB Polonia – who had a near-perfect regular season record – they would have to be on top form.
The Palatinates had made it into the final after a repeat of the National Cup Final scoreline from a week earlier against the same opponents, Malory Eagles (3-1).
IBB, meanwhile, were also 3-1 victors in the semi, where, despite dropping the second set to the Rebels, were able to squeak home 26-24 in the final set.
After three, five-set matches on Sunday, fans settled in for what could have been another marathon to see if Durham could repeat their success in March, when they were the only team to beat Polonia in the regular season.
And that is exactly what they did, though they were made to work hard for it.
Durham set out their stall by commanding the first set to take it 25-18, but were then pinned back Polonia in the second 25-23.
It seemd that could be a momentum swing for IBB, but the dominance of Durham’s middles, who have been unstoppable all season, were just too much for Polonia’s attack.
The North East side went on to take the third and fourth sets 25-20, 25-17, and with it the match, to spark celebrations alongside the women’s team, who joined them on the court.
MVP Grant Maleski thanked the women's team for their support and everyone watching from back in his native United States, as well as the event's volunteers.
In the men’s bronze medal match, Essex Rebels faced Malory Eagles with both teams looking to conclude their season with a medal.
Having just watched their female counterparts get reverse swept by the Eagles, Essex were keen to gain some form of revenge, but with the previous two meetings ending in one win for each team the result was very much up in the air before play began.
The replay of the 2023 Cup Final proved to be a thriller, with Malory’s offence, led by the power and height of Nathan Fullerton, shocking the Rebels to take a 2-0 lead.
But Essex were not going down without a fight and with the third set ending 25-22 to the Colchester side, the prospect of a comeback was in the offing.
A tight fourth set also went the way of the Rebels 28-26 as Thomas Shatimehin’s decisive kill sparked a huge reaction from the Rebels bench.
The high intensity from Essex continued into the final set, and they completed a remarkable turnaround by winning 15-10 to seal third place overall.
Attention now turns to the 2024-25 season, where London Lionhearts will remain in the MAAREE Women’s Super League after winning their play-off against Stockport, to be joined by newly-promoted Wessex, who move up from Division 1.
On the men’s side, London Giants will line-up in the Super League after defeating Newcastle Statts in a play-off, joining already-promoted Essex Blaze in the top flight.
Before that, there will be plenty of beach volleyball for people to enjoy, which can be followed across Volleyball England’s social media channels Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
All games can be watched on our YouTube channel here
