NVL Weekend report

Baks on track, Aces fall

It was a little like normal on the national scene. The temporary change in NVL rules to allow the postponement of a fixture by mutual consent of the teams has been rescinded and three fixtures involving London teams were played over the weekend. Volleyball England’s Competitions Working Group aim is to play a full season and a start has been made.

On Saturday (8th January) Aces played away to University of Nottingham in men’s division one and put up a magnificent display against a side enjoying a successful season so far before fading as the third set progressed. The win enabled the university to rise to third place in the league table and pushed Aces down to seventh.

Next day, a triangular in the calendar required Baks to travel to the National Volleyball Centre to play England Cadet boys and Cambridge in men’s division three. What a triumphant start to the new year! First they overcame a superb opening by the other visitors before demonstrating their ambitions in a magnificent third set and then beat their hosts, again in three sets. Like Norwich Spikers, they have won all but a single game so far and these two now look favourites for promotion when the season is finally over.

Just three matches  but they look like the start of a road to normality so, while volleyballers are still encouraged to follow the set of Covid-19 safety recommendations while playing the game to help protect themselves regardless of the setting, Volleyball England will monitor the situation and government guidance and release further updates as required.

Results:

Men’s Division One

University of Nottingham beat London Aces, 25:22 26:24 25:16

Men’s Division Three

Cambridge lost to Baks, 22:25 23:25 12:25

England Cadets lost to Baks, 18:25 11:25 21:25

Contributor, Douglas Barr-Hamilton

Source: Volleyball England website