With the top four teams in Perth’s Premier Volleyball League meeting at Bell’s on Sunday evening it was guaranteed that there would be a sifting process with one or more slipping down the table.
Colin McGinley’s Glenrothes based Team Fife were first up against Gregor Walker’s Dodgy Spikers and the Fifers stormed the first set 25-10 stamping their authority on the match. The second set saw Spikers come more into things, leading 18-15 before a Fifers’ fightback saw them score a run of ten points for the loss of two to win 25-20. Fifers then faced Craig Donaldsons’ Kinross Scotrange with the Fifers continuing where they left off leading 21-14 and looking good. Then folllowed an amazing fightback from the Kinross side as they stormed back to level the first set at 24 points each. Both sides had the opportunity to win the set holding set point but it was Scotrange who triumphed 28-26. This knocked the stuffing out of Team Fife and they offered little threat thereafter as Scotrange went on to win the match taking the second set 25-15.
Team Fife’s Ryan Lula spiking against Scotrange blockers (l to r) Craig Donaldson and Mark Cathro
Scotrange’s Connor Boyle spiking from back court against Team Fife
Team Fife’s Ryan Lula spiking through Scotrange block of Craig Scott and Mark Cathro
The teams shaking hands at the end of the match
Dodgy Spikers then met Ian Cook’s Eagles and this turned out to be the first three setter of the evening. Spikers won the first set 25-19 but Eagles levelled scraping through the second set 25-23. The third set was tied at nine points each with two minutes remaining on the clock. Eagles did enough to soar ahead to lead 14-10 at full time. Eagles and Scotrange then met, both sides now being the only two undefeated sides in the league. It was Scotrange who won through to top the table with a 25-14; 25-19 victory to remain the only undefeated side with only four games having been played by all teams.
Satnum Ner was back in Dunfermline’s line-up to face Jonny Robertson’s Mental Block and the Fife side bumped the Blockers by two sets to love. Dunfermline then took on Andrew Hutchison’s Kintronics and the Fifers made it two out of two by killing off a mistake ridden Kintronics 25-13; 25-21. Kintronics then met Stuart Anderson’s Hitting Bricks with Bricks taking the first set 25-12. The second set saw the Kinross side finally get their act together, the set poised at 22 points each before Bricks eased victory 25-22. Bricks followed this up by dumping Mental Blocks two sets to love to see the top six positions look like this:
Played Won Lost Points
Kinross Scotrange 4 4 0 40
Team Fife 4 3 1 31
Eagles 4 3 1 29
Dodgy Spikers 4 2 2 26
Hitting Bricks 4 2 2 22
Dunfermline 4 2 2 22
This Sunday sees the Recreational League sides take to the court (officiating team in brackets):
6:00 pm Hitting Bricks v Mongrels (Perth High A)
Perth High B v Aberfeldy (Motley Crew)
6:40 pm Perth High A v Hitting Bricks (Mongrels)
Aberfeldy v Motley Crew (Perth High B)
7:20 pm Motley Crew v Perth High A (Hitting Bricks)
Mongrels v Perth High B (Aberfeldy)
8:00 pm Perth High C v Tay Pearls (BB Wildcats)
PLUS Perth Mental Health v Kinross High (Hits & Giggles)
8:40 pm PLUS Perth Mental Health v BB Wildcats (Tay Pearls)
Kinross High v Hits & Giggles (Perth High C)
9:20 pm Tay Pearls v BB Wildcats (PLUS Perth Mental Health)
Hits & Giggles v Perth High C (Kinross High)