Match Report: Harriers Jets, Away 18th January 2005

3-0 win: 26-24, 25-11, 25-20 (side-out scores: 14-12, 16-3, 14-9)

Team : Jem Clark, Nigel Collins, Nishi Saran, Roger Gudge, Sara Clark, Sascha Stemme

Set 1 rotation (1 to 6): Nishi (OH), Nigel (S), Jem (MB), Sascha (OH), Sara (S), Roger (MB).

Set 2: as set 1 but rotated 1 position counter clockwise.

Set 3: as set 1.

This was a comfortable win on the road to do the double over a team which took us to 5 sets in our first match of the season.

With a bare six and only one specialist setter, Nigel was drafted in to set. As previously, Jets set from 3 and hit well diagonally. We started off slowly and were always a couple of points behind as we blocked too wide or the middle was late. However, when we got the ball up, set selection was good and hitters Sascha and especially Nishi kept the ball in well. We clawed back to 13-13 with good serving from Roger and Nigel and then Jem took us to 16-13 before Jets hit us with short dumps over Sara and Roger's block and went to 16-21. With closer cover and strong serving from Sascha, good placement from Sara and more good serving from Roger we took the set 26-24.

In the second set Jets substituted on 2 weaker players from the bench. We raced to a 16-6 lead with good serving from Roger and Sascha. The front line of Sara, Roger & Nishi scored strongly supported by good cover from Nigel. Nigel and Sara started setting the middles Roger and Jem more and we often split the block. Although we lost a bit of momentum, we soon rallied and Jem served out the set 25-11.

Jets brought back on one of their stronger players for the third set, but Vale cruised to 17-10, although Jets came back to 21-18 before Vale took the set 25-20.

Nigel.