Men’s National League Volleyball Division 2 Match Report 13.03.11


Bristol Speedwell v Newbury

It has certainly been a season of ‘almosts’ for Newbury who can trouble the top sides one week and miss out to bottom sides the next. Once more Newbury were forced to travel without their main play maker Lewis Huntingdon. At the back end of the season they also have a couple of troubling injuries, so it was a fairly depleted team which faced the west country men.

The two sides met recently in the rearranged home fixture and Bristol had obviously done their homework. Rather than relying on power they concentrated on dropping the ball in behind the Newbury’s towering block and only risking an out and out attack when they had fast ball. Not pretty but this proved very effective in the first two sets.

Jaro Michna and Davide Petraccini reached an awful lot of dinks and dumps, but could do little with them to release Newbury’s big hitters. The visitors were forced uncomfortably into a bitty broken game which clearly did not suit them and they lost both opening sets 25-13 and 25-19.

Sets three and four were a complete turnaround. Newbury pushed up their wings under the block to deny access to the three metre zone, leaving the back court to the Dawid Siwek inspiration defence. Better ball meant clearer chances for Thomas Swierczek and Karol Kowalski who now relished in the big hitting game and battered the Bristol floor with awesome thunderbolts. The visitors edged themselves clear to shaded the third set 24-26.

It was more of the same in the fourth and Newbury pressed the home team hard to get clear. However, Bristol are experienced and aided by some technical decisions from the refereeing team always managed to stay in contact. At this level it only takes one service pushed a little to hard to offer opponents respite. Speedwell snatched their gift with both hands and slunk over the line 25-23 to win the game.

Had the point gone for them Newbury would have surely taken the game into a fifth set and anything could have happened. Newbury now have a tricky away game on Saturday to third placed Sussex Dolphins.

Posted by Richard on Monday, 04.18.11 @ 21:53pm | #7

Men’s National Volleyball League Division 2 Match Report 22.01.11


Danes Watford v Newbury

Newbury rose magnificently to what will probably be their toughest game of the season, playing the league leaders away. Division 2 is a demanding league with most sides capable to beating each other. One has to respect a side in this company that carves out ten wins from twelve games.

Danes are very experienced and settled team. The visitors had their work cut out from the start, especially since they were forced to travel again without their key playmaker, Lewis Huntingdon. Typically this season, the better the game the more effective Newbury are. Their service reception was impeccable allowing stand-in setter, Stuart McCulley, to engage all his attackers freely. Dawid Siwek and Thomasz Swierczek led the points scoring in the early stages.

With the welcome return of hardworking Nico di Leo at middle blocker, Newbury were able to keep the pressure Watford for long periods of the first set. The scores were neck and neck right to the end when Danes forced a couple of mistakes and stole the first set 25-19.

Newbury ramped up their attack in the second set with Karol Kowalski battering the Danes libero. Both Robin Morris and Olivier Burois were on hand to steady the ship when Watford opened up the front court with combination attacks. Davide Petraccini played a blinder too in defence, reading the attacks well and putting his body on the line. He was ably assisted by Jaro Michna, who at times seemed to defy gravity, reaching balls which seemed untouchable.

Despite the heroic defence the Hertfordshire team demonstrated why they do not lose games. They constantly recycled ball and rebuilt attacking opportunities and did enough to close out the set 25-19 at the vital time.

In the third set Newbury had to back their power serving game, to tie down the Danes setter and isolate him from his middle hitters. Watford adapted well launching tandem wing attacks and running slide combinations through their agile offsetter. Once more Newbury’s back court trio soaked up immense pressure with Davide Petraccini’s delivery consistently accurate.










Having shifting more pressure on to the home side Newbury cut all the little errors and managed to lead for periods in the set. The visitors were playing some of their best volleyball of the season when 22-23 up, and looking to force a fourth set. Karol Kowalski released a thunderbolt down the line. As Newbury celebrated, the referee called the ball out before the line judge had reacted. Despite the ensuing protestations Danes were allowed to pull level and took full advantage to scramble the final two points, winning 25-23.

Three sets to nil looks like a convincing result, but a full strength Watford side were full of compliments for the visitors who had forced them to the top of their game. Newbury will need to be at their best when they entertain fourth placed City of Bristol at Bradfield College this Saturday at 11am. They hope to complete the signing of Jerry Sutherland before the match.

National Volleyball League
Mens Division Two South
Updated: 24th January 2011
Pos Team P W L Sets Pts
F A
1 Danes Watford
12 10 2 33 13 32
2 Tendring
11 9 2 29 16 29
3 Sussex Dolphins
12 8 4 26 22 28
4 City of Bristol
11 6 5 24 17 23
5 New Forest
11 5 6 20 26 21
6 Cardiff Celts
12 4 8 22 29 20
7 Guildford International
9 5 4 19 17 19
8 Newbury
12 3 9 20 29 18
9 Portsmouth
11 2 9 10 28 15
10 Bristol Speedwell
7 2 5 11 17 11

22nd January 2011
Home Team Score Away Team
City of Bristol
3-0 25-19 25-15 25-9 - - Portsmouth

Danes Watford
3-0 25-19 25-19 25-23 - - Newbury

Posted by Dave Godden on Monday, 03.7.11 @ 18:18pm | #5

Men’s National Volleyball League Division 2 South Match Report 23.10.10

Newbury v Cardiff Celts


Newbury were without Dawid Siwek and Olivier Burois facing a huge Cardiff side, boasting a full Welsh international and two Welsh University players. Between them they produced the most amazing seesaw game as both sides fought for the advantage.

There was nothing to choose between the sides until they reached 11-11 in the first set, when suddenly Celts huge middle hitters dominated at the net and between them thumped in 14 points whilst Newbury could only grab 4. It looked like Newbury may struggle as they went down 15-25.

The second set started in similar fashion with Newbury carving out a two point lead half way through the set. However, they managed to find something extra in their services and pressurised the welsh service receive. Celt’s setter was unable to access his middle hitters and Nico di Leo and Robin Morris were suddenly well on top in the blocking department. Lewis Huntingdon, Newbury’s setter was able to vary the home side’s attack and they cruised to a 25-19 win in the second set, which represented a huge turn around.

The game swung back Cardiff’s way in the third set as the reorganised their service receive and produced better ball for their attackers. Newbury took a battering in the opening exchanges and were soon 1-9 down. Karol Kowalski then opened up the big guns and Newbury fought their way back into the game reducing the deficit to four points at one time. Although Jaro Michna and Thomas Swierczek were heroic in the back court the Welsh side were able to find too many attacking angles and took advantage of their early lead winning the third set 19-25.

Newbury had a huge battle on their hands to stay in the game but had gained confidence from the fight back in the previous set. Cleverly they resorted to dropping most of their serves very short around the three metre line. This pulled Cardiff’s receive unit right forward making impossible for them to get the ball up to the setter and pinning him on the net. This reduced his room in which to work and he struggled to give his hitters opportunities. Several times Celt’s receive unit handed free ball back to the home team and invited Newbury to kill an easy point.

Thomas Swierczek stood out in his ability to turn his attacks with his wrist and finding the opponent’s floor. Davide Petraccini was introduced for Robin Morris to consolidate the back court in the middle of the set and showed his prowess receiving power shots. 15 year old Jordan Ayres was bought off the bench to good effect scoring the winning point to take the set 25-17.




Newbury sustained the pressure in the deciding set with a stunning blocking performance by Nico di Leo. Newbury recycled the ball much better than visitors and were 8-6 up by the time they changed ends. Robin Morris and even Lewis Huntingdon pulled out vital blocks and with a solid back line behind them, Newbury were able to swing attacks in from both flanks. They won seven of the next nine points and closed out the set in imperious style stunning Cardiff who had started to positively. Winning the set 15-8 and the game 3 sets to 2 Newbury grab three more league points and retained fourth spot in the table.

This was an impressive game against quality opposition and Newbury managed to produce a real fighting performance to wear down their opponents. Thomas Swierczek’s tidy contribution led to him winning the man of the match award.

Posted by Dave Godden on Friday, 10.29.10 @ 13:18pm | #3

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Posted by Dave Godden on Friday, 10.29.10 @ 10:29am | #1