Perth & District’s Premier League teams met at Bell’s Sports Centre on Sunday evening for their first games of 2016 with a bit of rust having to be shifted after a month of no volleyball.
First on court were Colin McGinley’s Team Fife and Andrew Hutchison’s Kinross Kintronics. The early flurries were fairly even but the Glenrothes’ side edged ahead with some good play from the Kopacz brothers to win 25-12; 25-10. Graeme McIntyre’s fellow Fife side Dunfermline opened on court two against Gregor Walker’s Perth based Dodgy Spikers. Dunfermline won a close fought first set 25-23 but Spikers levelled things with a 25-18 second set score. Spikers took an early 4-0 lead in the third set decider with only minutes remaining. Dunfermline were then playing catch-up and they almost made it being 5-6 down at the final whistle.
Craig Donaldson’s league leaders Kinross Scotrange opened their 2016 fixtures against Ian McGrath’s Mental Blocks. The league leaders stormed to a 9-1 lead but Blockers battled back before eventually capitulating 25-18; 25-7.
Hitting Bricks
Iain Cook’s Eagles pushed Stuart Anderson’s Hitting Bricks in the first set before losing out 21-25, despite Bricks being without Alan Williams who had a prior commitment at a dance class. Brick’s most consistent player to date, Monika Gburczyk, was in fine form as Bricks sealed victory with a 25-13 second set score.
Dunfermline’s Satnam Ner hitting past the Team Fife block
It was an all Fife clash next between Dunfermline and Team Fife. Team Fife had drafted in Jack McKeown to their ranks and Dunfermline had their usual squad with Satnam, Fraser and Lewis Ner starring. Team Fife edged ahead mid-way through the first set before dumping Dunfermline 25-15; 25-18.
Team Fife’s three man blockout of Dunfermline’s Lewis Ner
In the all Perth clash between Mental Blocks and Dodgy Spikers it was Spikers who came out on top on this occasion winning 25-15; 25-14. Innes Penman of Blockers then bid farewell to his team-mates as he heads off on a wolrd tour. Blockers have drafted in Auchterarder fifteen year old youngster Lucas MacLeod to their ranks for the remainder of the season to accommodate Innes’ absence.
Final games of the evening featured both Kinross sides against Perth opposition, Scotrange facing Hitting Bricks and Kintronics taking on Eagles.
Scotrange had a battle royal against their old adversaries, the Kinross side scraping through 25-18; 25-20.
Eagles’ Ray McIntosh hitting against Kinross Kintronics
Kintronics’ game against Eagles was much closer, the Kinross side edging the first set 26-24. Eagles fought back to level the match with an emphatic 25-13 second set score. The third set decider saw Kintronics lead 12-5 at the final whistle to give them victory.
How they stand:
P W D L F A Pts F Pts A Points Total
| Kinross Scotrange | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 403 | 262 | 80 |
| Team Fife | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 377 | 253 | 60 |
| Hitting Bricks | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 359 | 292 | 53 |
| Eagles | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 364 | 310 | 46 |
| Dodgy Spikers | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 365 | 347 | 43 |
| Kintronics | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 304 | 359 | 30 |
| Dunfermline | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 292 | 338 | 30 |
| Mental Blocks | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 76 | 379 | 11 |
This Sunday sees the Recreational League sides open their 2016 fixtures (officiating team in brackets):
6:00 pm Mongrels v PLUS Perth Mental Health (BB Wildcats)
Hitting Bricks v Perth High B (Motley Crew)
6:40 pm BB Wildcats v Hits & Giggles (Perth High A)
Mongrels v Motley Crew (Perth High B)
7:20 pm Aberfeldy v Hitting Bricks (Perth High A)
Kinross High v BB Wildcats (Mongrels)
8:00 pm PLUS Perth Mental Health v Perth High C (Tay Pearls)
Perth High B v Perth High A (Hitting Bricks)
8:40 pm Hits & Giggles v Tay Pearls (Aberfeldy)
Motley Crew v Perth High C (Kinross High)
9:20 pm Perth High A v Aberfeldy (Hits & Giggles)
Kinross High v Tay Pearls (Perth High C)