This Is Guernsey

IT TOOK just three sets for Savills 1 to overcome NashCopy in the OSA Recruitment men’s league at the weekend. NashCopy started the stronger, forcing a timeout from Savills at 11-5, before the opposition rallied thanks to accurate digging from Ed Prow and Dave Chapman.

That, in turn, compelled NashCopy to take their own timeout with the deficit cut to just three points and they came out of it stronger with points traded until NashCopy were up 22-20.

But then Savills’ Ben Hill served five unanswered points to win the set.

Set two started much the same as the first, with good hitting by inside hitters Marty Baker and Ross Martel-Welsh for NashCopy.

But from 13-13, Savills took 12 points to NashCopy’s four to win the set.

The third saw NashCopy change their line-up, which paid dividends. With the sides level at 20-20, Savills again managed to finish ahead, taking the set 25-21.

In the OSA Recruitment Women’s League, NashCopy Red welcomed new player Karen Battle to the court when they took on Alternative Solutions Limited 1.

ASL opened a 6-0 lead through strong serving by Debs Ashford, but Reds settled and won some well contested rallies.

They then developed a small lead thanks to the serves of Julia Webber and Battle and hung on to win 25-18.

The second set saw very scrappy play by both teams, but also some good blocking by Tanya Gibson, matching the hitting of Webber. The set could have gone either way, but Karen Jehan held her serve to take NashCopy to 26-24.

The third set was also scrappy, but experience showed through with NashCopy always keeping ahead, including good all-round play by Martine Bougourd. Reds finally took it 25-23 to win in straight sets.

Gestetner have thrown away any remote chance they had of winning the title with their defeat by Savills 1.

The NashCopy club, which have won the league for the past two seasons following Savills’ domination, can now only hope that they can assist their first team (NashCopy Red) by avenging their defeat when they next meet.

Gestetner struggled throughout the match, losing a flurry of points at the start of each set.

Without outside hitter Donna Cave, they once again called on super-sub Marisa Robilliard. With Robilliard setting, captain Karen Archenoul reverted to hitting through the outside.

More changes were made in both the second and third sets, but all to no avail.

Whatever Gestetner threw at Savills, they seemed to get a hand to it. Andi Pettitt had a particularly good game, continually retrieving balls that seemed to be point winners.

Archenoul was naturally disappointed, but had this to say: ‘We decided that for the good of the league we would split up our

winning team from the previous two seasons.

‘We wondered whether this would cost our club the league and this does seem likely. However, both teams have been able to develop some of our inexperienced players, so it has been beneficial in many respects.’

n In the mixed division, RB Coquelin had a very tough game against Investec, who played their best volleyball of the season and pushed all the way.

This really exciting contest saw the greater experience of RB Coquelin shine through, but Investec showed great determination to match their opponents. Both sides produced excellent serving followed by fantastic three-touch rallies.

Investec were very close to forcing a third set, which would have been well deserved. Even in defeat, coach Sam Le Marquand was more than impressed with the standard of play from her team.

‘They work very hard in training and, in this game, it certainly paid off.’