4 Dec 2023
Super League round 7 (2nd and 3rd December)
The North East club faced the sternest test yet of their 2023-2024 credentials as visited second placed Malory Eagles on Saturday before then meeting unbeaten SideOut Polonia on Sunday.
But, despite the extensive travelling, it was a challenge they were able to overcome by winning both matches, albeit by the narrowest or margins.
Against the Eagles, who had recorded four straight sets victories going into the match at the Ernest Bevin College, Durham started well, taking the first two sets 25-17, 25-15 and were seemingly on course for a relatively straightforward success.
Malory, however, had other ideas as they found their way back into the match by winning the third and fourth sets 25-21, 29-27.
In a tense finale, Durham were not to be denied as they edged to a 15-13 win and make it a magnificent seven league victories.
And things got even better for the Purple and Whites when they were also victorious at SideOut in another entertaining five setter.
The top two sides from 2022-2023 have again looked the two most likely to claim top spot this season and they met for the first time this season with both still unbeaten.
It seemed for much of the early part of Sunday’s meeting that Polonia would strike an important blow in the title race as they surged into a two-set lead (25-23, 25-20).
But the resilient visitors underlined why they are champions and stormed back to level at 2-2, with 25-20, 25-18 set victories.
It was all to play for in the tie-breaker, but Durham finished the stronger to edge it 15-12 and spark the post-game celebrations.
The North Easterners now lead the table by five clear points and take their record to 8-0 away of an away double header this weekend.
Polonia are fourth but have two games in hand on the two teams above them, having won their Saturday match 3-0 against Essex Rebels in another home game.
Although the Rebels have competed well so far this season, they met their match in Sideout, who ran out impressive 25-17, 25-18, 25-23 victors.
After experiencing only their second league defeat of the season, Essex quickly got back to winning ways on Sunday as they journeyed north to play Leeds Gorse.
The West Yorkshire club, who have dropped back into mid-table after a promising start, were highly competitive for the first two sets, which were very close, winning them 25-22, 25-23 to lead 2-0.
But the Rebels got back into it in another tight set, claiming it 25-22, to change the momentum in their favour.
They then reeled off the final two sets 25-16, 15-9 to complete the turnaround and take their season record to 6-2.
The University of Nottingham made it two home victories on the spin as they beat cross-border rivals Darkstar Derbyshire 3-1 at the Jubilee Campus Sports Centre.
The hosts drew first blood by taking the opener 25-13 and doubled their advantage, winning the second set 25-18.
Darkstar gave themselves a foothold in the match by clinching the third set 25-14, but their hopes of a comeback were extinguished when UON edged a lengthy fourth set 29-27.
For the winners, Emma Godwin had 13 kills, made one block, completed seven digs and successfully returned served 16 times from 17 attempts, while Martina van Gorp made 12 kills, had once ace and made five blocks and seven digs.
Tsz Yeung Lai served an impressive four aces and completed 20 of 21 serve return attempts.
For the visitors, Hajar El Alouani and Chantal Zahrndt completed 19 ad 15 kills respectively, the former also serving five aces and making three blocks.
The weekend’s other women’s fixture saw Cambridge ARU come through as stern examination of their credentials by Coventry and Warwick Riga, who again came close to break their duck.
The West Midlands club won the first set 25-18 and lost the next two 25-20, 28-26 before levelling at 2-2 with a 25-19 fourth set win.
But it was ARU who prevailed in the final set tie breaker winning it 15-12 to extend the gap between the two clubs in the table.
In the men’s Super League, leaders IBB Polonia were not in action, but would have watched with interest as two of the teams just below them, Malory Eagles and Durham Palatinates, fought it out in a terrific five-set encounter.
Durham forged ahead by winning the first and second sets 25-21, 31-29, but the closeness of the latter hinted that the Eagles were not too far away, and so it proved.
After taking the third 25-23, they followed it up with the fourth by 25-20 and the deciding, nerve-jangling tie-break 15-13.
A third loss of the season for Durham was capitalised on by the Essex Rebels, who moved up to second with their own narrow victory – 3-2 at bottom-of-the-table Leeds Gorse – where they needed to come back from two sets down in order to do it.
The hosts powered ahead, winning 26-25, 25-18 in the first two sets, but the tide turned in the third as the Rebels took it 25-23 and then the fourth as well, 25-15.
With yet another tie-break needed, it was the visitors who just had the edge to take it 15-13, meaning there are now three teams all with 14 points.
The weekend’s other two men’s matches saw 3-1 home wins with the first of them seeing the University of Nottingham overcoming Sunderland.
The North East side started well to win the first set 25-22 and go 1-0 ahead, but from them on the East Midlanders controlled proceedings to reel off the next three sets 25-18, 25-20, 25-20.
Gustavo Cassou had an excellent day for the Green and Golds, securing 20 kills, in addition to serving once ace, making all 24 returns of serve and six blocks and completing four digs.
Slater Bird added 15 kills and eight digs, while Cole Turnbull claimed 39 assists from 93 attempts.
The leading performers for Sunderland included Brandon Hicks (17 kills) and Kelechi Bell (12 kills, three blocks and eight digs).
Stockport were also victorious, over Newcastle Staffs, winning the first, third and fourth sets to record a 25-17, 23-25, 25-17, 25-14 success.
Haydn Lawson enjoyed a strong game, making 20 kills and completing two blocks and was complemented by Bartosz Baran’s five blocks and 35 assists from 74 attempts.
Jermaine Miles (10), David Hodson (9) and Sebastian Bukowski (8) made the most kills for Staffs, with Sam Stevenson contributing three blocks.
Pic by Phil Gibbin
To view all the weekend's Super League results in full, click here.
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