Super League review (15th and 16th November) - record crowd sees Rebels and Palatinates share the spoils

Super League Live 

In the men’s match, the Rebels came into the clash on the back of a straight sets defeat to the London Giants, and things did initially not go their way as they dropped the first set. 

However, with the home crowd willing them on, they bounced back strongly to reel off the next three and triumph 21-25, 21-16, 25-21, 25-18. 

MVP for the hosts was Thomas Shatimehin, who served two aces and hit .350 as he registered 21 kills from 40 attempts. 

The Outside Hitter also claimed three blocks (one solo) and had eight good quality service returns from 11 attempts, as well as four digs. 

Captain Matt Edwards was selected as the MVP for Durham after serving five aces, returning serve 34 times with a rating of 2.21, hitting nine kills and making three blocks and seven digs. 

Earlier, it was the Durham Palatinates women who had got their double match weekend off to an excellent start by beating an Essex team came into the weekend with two wins from two.

Paul Welsh’s visitors took the first two sets before the Rebels threatened a comeback by capturing the third. 

But those in purple were soon to be celebrating an important victory by closing out the fourth for a 25-22, 25-18, 17-25, 25-17, 25-22 success. 

The Palatinates’ MVP was libero Jenna Giambi, who successfully returned 24 of 26 serves for a service rating of 2.12, completed six of 14 assist attempts and made 11 digs. 

Setter Makena Smith was chosen as MVP for the Rebs, with one kill, four blocks, seven digs, and 33 assists from 89 attempts.  

Watch highlights from Super League Live here.

DYNAMIK Men's Super League  

Malory Eagles UEL have taken up residence at the top of the DYNAMIK Men’s Super League after double success over the weekend meaning they are now the only team unbeaten, with four wins from four. 

On Saturday, the capital side took on Leeds Gorse at Ernest Bevin College and ran out victors in straight sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22. 

Setter Joel Martinez was named MVP for his one ace, one kill, three digs and 18 assists from 29 attempts. 

For the visitors, Powell Osayawah served two aces and made five kills to be his side’s MVP. 

They repeated the trick on Sunday, this time overcoming Durham Palatinates in four, taking control when the match was locked at 1-1 to triumph 25-18, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22. 

This time, Nathan Fullerton was nominated as the hosts’ MVP, while Thomas Petersen took the honours for the Palatinates.  

They are a point ahead of second-placed London Giants, who made it three wins in a row and gained revenge for their Opening Weekend defeat to the University of Nottingham by defeating them on their own court. 

It looked as if it might be more of the same from their previous meeting when the Green and Golds took the first set 25-20. 

But then the Londoners began to find their feet and after taking a tight second set 25-22, became increasingly comfortable as the match wore on, closing it out 25-17, 25-12. 

Giants’ Amadou Samb was voted MVP for his 14 kills, one block and seven digs.

Kana’i Akana was picked out as MVP for UON after 17 kills, two blocks and six digs. 

The other big men’s winners from the weekend were Richmond Docklands, who opened their account for the season, edging a five-set thriller against Leeds, who remain winless. 

Richmond were one set up and 2-1 down before taking a keenly-contested tie break decider (25-17, 25-17, 25-20, 27-29, 15-12), though Gorse can take some solace from registering their first point of the season. 

It was a result that lifts Docklands up to sixth in the table, with Durham dropping below them, albeit having played a game more. 

The MVP award for the hosts went to Abdimalik Shukri, while Nelson Murangwa got the nod for Leeds. 

MAAREE Women’s Super League 

Following on from their win in Colchester, Durham Palatinates claimed another big scalp in the capital on Sunday when they triumphed at last season’s double winners, Malory Eagles UEL.  

The North East club edged a tight opener 25-23 to give themselves a foothold, and, though Malory responded with the second set 25-20, Durham took command thereafter to reel off the next two 25-18, 25-16. 

After a slow start where they reverse swept Darkstar in their opening match, the Palatinates are now looking in good shape at the MAAREE Women’s Super League summit, with four wins on the trot. 

MVP Chloe Thomas hit one ace and 17 kills for the Palatinates as well as making one block and seven digs. 

Claire Kellim was MVP for the Eagles with one ace, 10 kills, five blocks, and 13 digs in an excellent all-round game. 

It was also a hugely successful weekend on the road for Team SideOut Polonia, who doubled up by coming out on top in both the East Midlands and the North East. 

First, they met came up against a resolute Darkstar Derbyshire buoyed by victory in their previous game against Lionhearts Vinarius. SideOut proved to be a harder challenge with the Londoners taking the match 3-1

The two sides each won one of the opening two sets by a 25-23 margin, leaving all to play for, but it was the visitors who finished strongly, clinching what proved to be the final two sets 25-21, 25-22. 

Both liberos were chosen as MVPs by their opponents. Kennedy Snape was selected for Polonia with a service receive rating of 2.15 from 27 attempts, 26 digs and seven assists from 22 attempts. 

Fellow American Lindsey Legg got the nod for Darkstar as she had a service receive rating of 2.21 from 24 attempts, made 21 digs and added three assists from 21 attempts. 

Next, on Sunday, SideOut travelled up to Newcastle Knights and were pushed all the way in an entertaining five-set battle where they were made to dig deep. 

Sam Shenton’s side looked to have the edge at 2-1 up in sets, but Polonia were not finished and levelled the match before edging a nail-biting, extended decider by just two points (16-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 18-16).  

Captain Merve Akin was MVP for the winners, with Jenna Vaske selected for Newcastle. 

Those two consecutive victories for Mark Kontopoulos’ charges move them up to third in the table, level on points with Malory. 

It was not all doom and gloom for the Eagles at the weekend, however, as they did register a success in their Saturday home match against Leeds Gorse. 

Playing a young Yorkshire team that are still finding their feet at this level, they prevailed by a comfortable margin 25-9, 25-11, 25-13. 

Claire Kellum was MVP for Malory with two aces, six kills, one block, four assists from 11 attempts and 11 digs. 

Daniella Tchandeu made two kills and six digs to be her side’s MVP. 

There was more disappointment for Leeds on Sunday in the capital when they suffered a further setback at Lionhearts Vinarius. 

The 25-13, 25-19, 25-18 scoreline in favour of those in dark blue was Lulama Musti de Gennaro’s first win since coming in as Head Coach, at the third attempt. 

MVP for the home side was Lili Bettercourt, while Elizabeth Perfection Uwagboe Akuetiehme was selected for Gorse. 

View the fixtures in full by clicking here.