NVL Review (14th and 15th March) - Blaze seal Super League return 

Men’s NVL 

Chief among the title winners were Essex Blaze, who sealed an immediate return to Super League after relegation last season with a 3-1 home victory over Southampton. 

Their 21-16, 21-16, 20-25, 25-19 success – an 11th win in 13 games – means they are six points clear with just one game to go, enabling the celebrations to begin. 

Behind them, it was London Aces who continued their strong end to the season by leapfrogging above their opponents Cambridge into second on set quotient. 

They fought off a strong fightback after winning the first two sets and conceding the next two to edge the decider by just two points (25-17, 32-30, 18-25, 20-25, 15-13). 

IBB Polonia ensured they will finish fourth in the table by getting the better of a Wessex side, who remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table, in four sets (21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-22). 

In Division 1 North, Tamworth Spartans will be relegated by finishing second to bottom after slumping to a straight sets home defeat to Cambridge Rhinos, wo were also in danger prior to their victory. 

Instead, in a division that is incredibly tight, a 25-23, 25-22, 25-19 success has propelled them up to third in the table with a game left, while Spartans are now four adrift of third-from-bottom-Sheffield, leaving them too much to do. 

In the other game, Coventry and Warwick Riga moved up to second, taking a mammoth second set on the way to maximum points against already-relegated Stockport (25-14, 33-31, 25-21). 

Darkstar Derbyshire wrapped up the Division 2 North title in style by beating Sheffield Springers in straight sets at home (25-18, 27-25, 25-15). 

The East Midlanders sealed an 11th victory from 13 attempts and are five points clear at the summit with one game left to play. 

Everton Dugongs won the battle for third and fourth spot in the table as they overcame Leeds Gorse 2 (25-22, 25-19, 24-26, 25-19). 

Also celebrating a championship victory were Oxford Bulls, who made it 10 wins in a row against Northampton (25-18, 30-28, 25-16) that leaves them in an unassailable position at the top of Division 2 Central. 

They hold a six-point lead with a far superior set quotient, meaning MK City can no longer catch them in their two games remaining. 

 

Norwich Spikers suffered the disappointment of relegation after they were defeated at home by Loughborough Students (25-18, 25-13, 13-25, 33-31), while Newmarket maintained third spot after getting the better of Leicester (25-15, 25-12, 25-21) with relative comfort. 

It’s in Division 2 South where top spot remains up for grabs going into the final round of matches, with three teams still in the hunt. 

Dartford Crossers now hold a two-point advantage after their 3-1 home win over relegated Cardiff Panthers was coupled with a 3-2 defeat for long-time leaders Richmond Bucks at Wiltshire Mavericks (25-23, 25-18, 17-25, 23-25, 15-10). 

But Kent Invicta, in third behind the Bucks on set quotient only, could yet have a say after they edged past Spelthorne Lions (25-18, 25-19, 14-25, 22-25, 15-12). 

That said, they would have been disappointed to have dropped a point, which would have taken them second, particularly as they led 2-0 in sets at one point. 

Elsewhere, the Mavericks could not repeat their surprise Bucks win when they played another match on the same day against Reading Aces, losing 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 25-18 at Lavington School, meaning they now need results to go their way if they are to beat the drop. 

The Berkshire club repeated the trick as they returned to their home court for their Sunday match, defeating London Baks despite losing the first set narrowly (23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-18). 

Weymouth have earned the right to play Division 2 volleyball next season after pipping Team South Wales to the Division 3 South West title. 

Having been handed a walkover by Spelthorne Tigers, they got the victory they needed against Southampton 2 in straight sets. 

Their Welsh rivals were left to rue what might have been after missing out by just a point following a 3-1 win over City of Bristol and 3-0 triumph over Bristol 2 in their final two encounters of the league season. Bristol 2 beat neighbours City of Bristol 3-1 in the other triangular match. 

Urbond Portsmouth made sure of third, although by some margin, after overcoming Guildford International 3-2 and Bedminster 2 3-0. 

There were more title winners in the capital as London Lionhearts notched a 3-1 success over GNG Bedford and 3-0 victory over London Wildcats. 

After a close fight with Onyx London across the season, they ended up topping the table by fully eight points after their rivals lost their second triangular match to Tendring in straight sets after beating Cambridge Rhinos 3-1. 

Essex Estonians ended their season on a high with a 3-0 victory over Newmarket 2 and a closer 3-2 with over Worthing. 

Birmingham City have done all they can do and now must wait to see how unbeaten Telford fare in the Division 3 Central title race, which is going down to the wire. 

They have a three-point lead at the top after 3-1 weekend wins over Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and Tamworth Spartans 2 – the former beating the latter by the same score in the other triangular match – but must now rely on their rivals to falter in their final two games. 

Chelmsford will end their maiden NVL campaign in third if they win at least one of their final two matches after crucial success over Nuneaton Inferno (3-2) and Black Country 2 (3-1), with BC beating their fellow West Midlanders 3-1 in the other clash. 

The solitary Division 3 North triangular proved to be a bumpy one for second-placed Manchester Liberators, who were turned over by both Liverpool (3-2) and Urmston Grammar (3-1). 

Liverpool plundered maximum points after they defeated Urmston in straight sets. 

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Women’s NVL 

Cambridge are up to second in Division 1 North after edgeing out a determined Loughborough Students in three close sets (25-22, 26-24, 25-23). 

Whether or not they stay there depends on how third-placed Manchester Marvels Mayhem get on in what is the division’s final match of the season against Stockport in two weeks’ time. 

At the other end, Everton Belugas finished with a flourish against relegation-bound Stockport, triumphing 25-23, 25-15, 25-22. 

Richmond suffered an unexpected but, for them, relatively meaningless five-set defeat at Bristol, given they are already assured of second place in Division 1 South. 

But the reverse sweep victory for the hosts at Avanti Gardens School (14-25, 21-25, 25-14, 28-26, 15-10) meant a whole lot more as it has carried them away from the trouble at the bottom. 

The same cannot be said of Bedminster, who remain deep in trouble after Richmond recovered to win their second clash of the weekend in the South West city in four sets (25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-12). 

Reading Aces kept their cool in their title decider with fellow challengers Oxford Eagles to run out four set victors. 

The Berkshire club lost the first set but bounced back to reel off the next three (23-25, 25-21, 30-28, 25-17) to ensure they have a five-point lead going into the final set of matches. 

Despite Tamworth Spartans edging to a 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Coventry and Warwick Riga, they are not out of the woods yet in the bid to beat the drop. 

A 25-23, 22-25, 22-25, 25-15, 15-12 victory where they dug deep gives them a one-point advantage but there is still all to play for going into the last set of games. 

Wombourne enjoyed a confidence-boosting success against Black Country, coming through in four (25-21, 25-14, 14-325, 25-13). 

The Division 2 East title is now Onyx’s to lose, with just one win needed from their final two matches. 

That is after they saw closest rivals Cambridge suffered a 3-2 setback at Richmond 2 (25-18, 24-26, 25-19, 16-25, 15-8) in a topsy-turvy encounter. 

Herts notched a significant 3-1 win at Sussex Dolphins (25-18, 22-25, 29-27, 25-10) that keeps them safe for another year and condemned Norwich Spikers to the drop in the process. 

Lincoln Cannons ensured the battle to stay in Division 2 North will go to the wire after they defeated fellow strugglers Sheffield 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 24-26, 26-24). 

They now lead the South Yorkshire club by three points, who need a maximum points win to save their skins in their final match. 

Below them, Everton Narwhals’ position at the bottom was confirmed as they were beaten at home by Leeds Gorse 2 (25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 27-25). 

Manchester Marvels Mystics sealed the Division 3 North crown with two more convincing 3-0 wins to make it 16 from 16 this season, with Isle of Man Falcons and Hull Thunder their latest victims. 

Hull defeated IOM 3-1 in the third encounter for their fourth success of the campaign. 

York Falcons made sure they will finish second as they overcame Everton Seadragons and Leeds Gorse 3 in straight sets with the Yorkshire side winning the other match by the same margin. 

Newcastle Staffs 2 will take third spot after taking down their rivals for that position, Chester Amazons, in straight sets. Both clubs defeated Urmston Grammar (3-1 and 3-0 respectively). 

Remarkably, all six sides in action over the weekend in Division 3 Central won one game and lost one each, as both trinangulars were split. 

This outcome was most impactful for Leicester Athena Nova, who must hope MK City drop points in their final games, or they will miss out on the title. 

Nova beat Cheltenham and Gloucester 3-1, but lost to Cambridge Rhinos by the same scoreline, who were then defeated 3-2 by C&G. 

Similarly, Darkstar Derbyshire 2 went down 3-1 in their first match to Ashfield Vipers, but then beat Loughborough Students 2 in three sets, while the Leicestershire club accounted for Vipers in three. 

London Ravens have clinched Division 3 South East with their 14th and 15th victories of the season against Spelthorne Sharks and Richmond 3. 

They now hold a three-point lead, and a superior set quotient, over Ashcombe Dorking, who have finished their fixtures after straight set romps against Dartford Warriors and Kent Invicta. 

Tendring ended the season on a high with 3-0 victories over Sussex Dolphins 2 and Essex Ravens. 

Spelthorne, Dartford and Essex Ravens each won the third match in their respective triangulars. 

Farnborough Phoenix will have a tilt at the play-offs after finishing second in Division 3 South West following their maximum points hauls against Portsmouth and Plymouth, with the former beating the latter in the other battle. 

Third-placed Southampton 2 rounded off their campaign with 3-1 wins over Plymouth Mayflower and Weymouth, with the South Coast club matching that scoreline against the Devonians in the third match of the triangular. 

Manchester Marvels Mystics images by Simon Clarke