TN in Super shape in their glory quest
VOLLEYBALL
TEAM Northumbria’s men head into the mid-season Super 8s break with their 100% record intact and sights firmly set on lifting the regular-season title.
A brilliant straight-sets win at fierce rivals Polonia confirmed Dave Goodchild’s team will start 2018 atop the championship table.
TN have opened up a 14-point gap over closest rivals Malory Eagles and Richmond Docklands - albeit having played three games more than the London clubs.
Goodchild’s men have dropped just two sets all season and after a 3-0 demolition of Polonia in front of the TV cameras he admitted things could hardly have gone better for his new-look squad.
TN followed up with a tight win against Wessex and the club’s head coach said: “The men had a really tough game. Wessex are a very strong and powerful team.
“We lost the first set. We made errors in serve reception and our block defence was not where it needed to be but we refocused, made slight changes in our strategy and went from strength to strength.
“We had two bad injuries at the weekend.
“Matt White broke a finger so it is going to rule him out for six weeks.
“Federico Pagliara has an ankle strain so he will potentially miss the big BUCS game against Sheffield Hallam today.
“However, we enjoyed the win against Polonia.
“The atmosphere was really intense. There was a huge crowd and the usual drums and noise.
“It was live on Polish TV and it was hot but it is a great place to play and coach.”
TN’s women also head the Super 8s table - but Polonia inflicted a first loss on the title favourites last weekend.
A fifth-set defeat was tough on the Tynesiders but a bounceback win against Wessex less than 24 hours later moved the club to 7-1 ahead of December’s cup clash.
Goodchild added: “Unfortunately the girls lost in a five-setter.
“They let the fifth set slip but we realised where we went wrong.
“We have all learnt from this and we have reflected as a team and staff. Polonia are a good side but we know every game we play if we play well we will win.
“That proved to be the case at Wessex.
“I originally played the majority of my bench which was brilliant, so we got everyone in the game.
“It was a tough day in London – it was physically demanding.- but we have a lot of good players who have not had a starting opportunity and they were given that chance against Wessex. They played well so I was delighted.”
TN’s women host Manchester Marvels in the third round of the Cup at Middlesbrough College on December 2.