U16 Junior Grand Prix round-up

In girls’ Tier 1, played on Sunday, Platinum Pool A was won by Richmond A after they won all three matches. 

They were pushed hard and taken to three sets by both hosts The Boswells School, who finished second, and South Bucks, but prevailed in each of the tie breakers. 

South Bucks beat Urmston Grammar A in three hard-fought sets to decide the third and fourth placings in the pool. 

Gold Pool B saw Leeds Gorse Orange make full use of home advantage to win all their matches in straight sets to lead the way. 

The three other teams, Black Country A, AST Academy and Hull Thunder were ranked in that order on set difference after each of them won one and last two of their games.

Richmond hosted Gold Pool A that saw Ashfield Vipers come out on top with a 100 per cent record as they picked up momentum after edging a 15-13 deciding set in their opening match against Tendring College A. 

Malory Eagles were runners-up, while Tendring beat Richmond B in straight sets to take third spot. 

Hosts Ashcombe were the winners of Silver Pool D with three 2-0 victories and they were pushed hardest by South Hants, who eventually finished second, in their final match. 

Wapping Wildcats were third and Worthing Cheetahs fourth after the former won the meeting between the two sides. 

Westminster put in a strong performance to claim top spot in Silver Pool E, winning a crucial match with hosts and eventual runners-up Willesden Divets in a third set tie-break. 

The battle for third and fourth place saw Wessex pip Cardiff Celts after winning a deciding set in their match 16-14. 

Bronze Pool F saw hosts Richmond C finish top of the pile but they were made to work for their win over Deep Dish Crystal Palace nicking a tie-breaking third ser 15-13. 

Cambridge lost to Richmond but won their other two matches to finish second, while Deep Dish were third and Dulwich fourth. 

The results mean that The Boswells School, Richmond A, South Bucks, Urmston Grammar A, Leeds Gorse Orange, Ashfield Vipers and Malory Eagles and Black Country A are the teams to progress to the Last 8s at the National Volleyball Centre on Sunday 10th March. 

In girls’ Tier 2, MK City A, MK City B, Urmston Grammar B, Newcastle Staffs, Dartford, Wessex and London Lynx were the seven pool winners. 

The boys’ Tier 1 competition produced a highly competitive Platinum Pool A which was eventually settled on set difference. 

Both Richmond A and hosts The Boswells School won two and lost one of their matches, but the London Club finished top courtesy of a +3 to 0 comparison in that figure. 

By the same method, Leeds Gorse Orange (-1) edged out Deep Dish Crystal Palace (-2) for third spot after both had one victory and two defeats. 

In Gold Pool B, hosts team South Bucks proved to be the strongest, dropping only one set in their three successes. 

It was much tighter behind them as Liverpool pipped Dulwich to second on points difference after both had the same set difference and won one match each. 

Urmston Grammar A also had one victory to their name, but nevertheless finished fourth. 

Another host team fared well in Gold Pool C, where AST Academy saw off the challenge of runners-up Willesden Knights by winning a tie-break 15-11 in the key match between them. 

Newcastle Staffs won each set against London Lynx by just two points to decide the outcome in the contest for third and fourth. 

Silver Pool D saw another home club prevail, as Black Country headed things up with three wins from three. 

Behind them were South Hants, Ashfield Vipers and Leeds Gorse Purple in that order. 

At Urmston Grammar, Stockport were top dogs in Silver Pool E after beating second-placed Richmond B 15-12 in a final set decider. 

Monkseaton beat Urmston Grammar B in straight sets to ensure they finished third. 

Just two teams played in Bronze Pool F and it saw Ashcombe beat Worthing Dragons 25-22, 25-22 in a keenly-contested match. 

Securing a place in the Last 8s at the National Volleyball Centre on Sunday 10th March following these results are Richmond A, The Boswells School, Leeds Gorse Orange, South Bucks, Deep Dish Crystal Palace, AST Academy, Willesden Knights and Liverpool. 

In Tier 2, five pools were played and were won by Sheffield, Frodsham, MK Monsters, MK Maestros and Wessex.

 For more information on the Junior Competitions, click here. 

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