Student Cup review (22nd and 23rd November) -  Women's and Men's double for University of Bath as England U18 men also edge through

Like the other pools already played over the previous two weekends, those finishing second will wait to see if their record is good enough to go through to play at Finals Weekend in Norwich on February (7th and 8th February). The full list of those progressing is set to be released next week.

One team who will be delighted with that venue is University of East Anglia, who will enjoy home court advantage after winning five-strong Women's Pool H without dropping a set. 

With the winners of each match being the team who won the most aggregate points over two 21-point sets, UAE racked up a huge points difference of +87 in sweeping aside all their opponents. 

University of West England were the runners-up, after defeating all but UEA, while University of Essex were third with a 2-2 record, University of Plymouth fourth (after losing to UWE by just one point) and Royal Holloway fifth. 

Women’s Pool I saw another dominant table topping performance from University of Bath, who won all four of their matches in some comfort. 

It was much tighter behind them, with University of Warwick in second, University of Cardiff (in third) and University College London 2 (in fourth). 

All were winners over a gallant Coventry University, who were rewarded for their efforts with a set win against UCL. 

They key game in Women’s Pool J proved to be that between eventual winners University of Bristol and the talented, if less experienced England U18 women, led by Head Coach Alex Chinery. 

In what was both side’s final matches, having already won their other three games, England took the first set 22-20, but the West Country side came roaring back to take the second 22-11 and secure their place at the summit. 

University of Warwick 2 finished in the middle of the pack, while Reading University beat De Montfort University in the battle for fourth and fifth. 

Men’s Pool J was bossed by King’s College London who were four from four for the day and dropped just one set. 

Behind them, three sides ended level on points having won two and lost two matches, but it was University of Essex who were second, above University of West England, courtesy of a superior points difference (15 to –2) after both had a set difference of 2. 

With a set difference of –2, Royal Holloway were fourth, while University of Plymouth brought up the rear. 

It was another close run thing in Men’s Pool K, where three teams were tied on six points after three victories and one defeat. 

However, it was England U18 men, led by Ryan Murphy, who sealed their passage to the next round as their set difference of +6 was better than both second-placed Liverpool John Moores University (+4) and University of East Anglia (+2). 

University of Lincoln secured a triumph over Royal Holloway 2 to decide the minor placings. 

In Men’s Pool L, University of Bath followed in the footsteps of their women’s team by finishing top of the pile with a maximum haul of eight points. 

University of Bristol were clear in second, with University of Cardiff, in third, edging out Coventry University, in fourth, and University College London, in fifth, in some particularly close battles.

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