posted 23 Nov 2009 04:34 by Publicity Officer
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updated 23 Nov 2009 04:43
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National Volleyball League Division 3 North, Sunday 22 November 2009, York College
York 3-1 Nottingham Rockets (25-18, 16-25, 25-21, 25-19) 83 minutes
York 3-1 Barnsley (15-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-13) 65 minutes
A bizarre pitch invasion by martial arts instructors in the 2nd set, delayed the National Volleyball League match against Nottingham Rockets.
The noise from the volleyball match was apparently disturbing the
concentration of their young students. A compromise agreement was
reached to keep noise levels down on both sides and the match finally
continued. Nottingham took the 2nd set 25-16 after York had started
strongly in the 1st set, taking it 25-18. The match was turned by the York
MVP, Piotr Dabrowski, who came off the bench and stabilised the
York team. At crucial moments at the end of the 3rd and 4th sets, he
also won points on his hard hit, top spin, jump serve to help take the match
3-1 to York. York's middle players, Will Bromley and Matt Bianco, also impressed with strong blocking to negate a tall Nottingham team.
In their 2nd match against Yorkshire rivals, Barnsley,
York started slowly and lost the 1st set 25-15. But York overpowered
Barnsley in the next 3 sets, 25-17, 25-14, 25-13. Another of their
Polish players, Slawek Sokolowski, won the MVP award with his strong blocking and powerful left handed spiking on the right side of court.
Team: Matt Bianco, Will Bromley, Pascal
Charles, Piotr Dabrowski, Daniel Harrison, Ed Humphries, Damien
Imschoot, Luc Imschoot, Adam Meszczynski, Albert Severin, Slawek
Sokolowski, Mike Turner.
York move above Nottingham Rockets into 4th position in National League Division 3 North. York's next outing is a Volleyball England Shield cup match against Middlesbrough College 2 on Sunday, 6 December 2009, at York College. York recently beat the young Middlesbrough team 3-1 in the National League, so will be looking for a repeat performance. The match starts at 11.00, with the teams warming up from 10.30. |
posted 18 Nov 2009 14:29 by Chair Person
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updated 22 Nov 2009 11:54 by Publicity Officer
]
York Crusaders played their first game in the reformed West Yorkshire Volleyball League. Three new players joined the squad - Vadim and Kirsty being new to the club and Soph Lawton guesting from the Ladies squad as Libero - Soph is one of the coaches on the Friday night sessions. The team made a good start with excellent serving from Kirsty Smith and Mike Hainsworth, energetic covering from Dave Richardson and some good hits from Lewis Stier - Boathouse eventually running out winners 25-15. In the second set, Craig Todd and Mark Graham's serving and covering from Vadim meant York took the lead, however Boathouse fought back and won the set 25-15 again. In the third set, Boathouse took control with some excellent serving of their own and despite hard work from libero, Soph and Nancy Zinn, Boathouse won th set 25-5.
There were good signs to build on in future games.
Result - York 0- 3 Boathouse.
Team - M. Hainsworth, T. Godson (coach), N. Zinn, S. Lawton, K. Smith, Vadim, M. Graham, D. Richardson, C. Todd, L. Stier.
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posted 15 Nov 2009 15:37 by Publicity Officer
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updated 18 Nov 2009 08:22
]
National Volleyball League Division 3 North, Sunday 25 October 2009, Middlesbrough College
York 2-3 Newcastle Staffs 2 (25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 19-25, 15-11) 84 mins. York 3-1 Middlesbrough College 2 (13-25, 25-22, 25-18, 27-25) 81 mins.
Against 2 youthful teams, bristling with England junior players, York had to work very hard to get a result. York saw their 2-set lead against Newcastle Staffs 2 evaporate and they could not stop the rot in the 5th set. Things looked even worse against league leaders, Middlesbrough College 2, when York lost the 1st set 25-13. But, York regrouped and took the next 3 sets. There was a notable debut for Luc Imschoot, a former Belgian national league player and the father of setter Damien Imschoot. After running a 10 km race in the morning, Luc showed tremendous passing skills, playing in the defensive libero position.
In their 1st match against Newcastle Staffs 2, York started with their 3 Polish players, Adam Meszczynski, Piotr Dabrowski and Slawek Sokolowski, together on front court, with middle blocker, Will Bromley, outside, Pascal Charles and setter Albert Severin making up the starting 6. Aggressive serving from Dabrowski earned 7 points as York took a commanding 16-4 lead. There was no way back for Staffs and York took the set 25-19. The 2nd set was much closer, with York 11-9 ahead after 1 rotation. With the Polish trio on front court, York pulled away to 14-9 and with quality passes from libero, Luc Imschoot, York's 16 year old setter Damien Imschoot was able to spread the attack to all spikers, closing out the set 25-20. Damien Imschoot impressed the Newcastle Staffs coach so much, he was nominated as York's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Holding a 2 sets to 0 lead, York didn't expect too much more resistance from the young Newcastle Staffs team. But their opponents refused to give up and tipped the balance of the game, making good use of their high jumping captain, James Goodwin, to attack in both back and front court. Both teams held the lead before Staffs opened up an 18-13 lead. Some solid serving from substitute Daniel Harrison, on as a replacement for Sokolowski, pulled York to within 2 points at 19-21, but Newcastle Staffs kept their heads and took the set 25-21. The 4th set was also tight, with York taking a 5-1 lead and Staffs coming back to draw level at 13-all. York then struggled to win a side-out on the next rotation, as Newcastle piled on the pressure, scoring 7 unanswered points to take a commanding 20-14 lead. York started to look frayed at the edges as their defence struggled to cope and their spikers made too many mistakes, eventually losing the set 25-19.
The tie-break 5th set started poorly, with York returning to their 1st set starting line-up, but falling 6-1 behind with their team spirit temporarily absent. Dabrowski's serve pulled York back into the match at 6-7, but the recovery was short lived. The young Staffs team, who had lost their 1st match in 5 sets, showed great discipline to finish off the set 15-11 and take the match 3 sets to 2.
In their 2nd match, against the unbeaten league leaders Middlesbrough College 2, York started with Damien Imschoot setting, Sokolowski opposite, Meszczynski and Charles outside attackers, with Bromley and Turner through the middle. But the York team did not gel and Middlesbrough took full advantage, pushing 16-7 ahead on the 1st rotation. York pulled 5 points back from Imschoot's serve to reach 12-16, but Middlesbrough's strongest line-up closed out the set easily 25-13.
This thrashing was just the wake-up call that York needed. Shuffling their players again, now with Severin setting and Dabrowski playing opposite, York cut down their errors and their outside spikers Meszczynski and Charles both managed to blast through the Middlesbrough block. Both teams struggled to win side-outs and the lead swung first to York, then to Middlesbrough, then back to York. Middlesbrough levelled at 16-all, but York were now in control, pulling 3 points ahead at 20-17. A mismatch on front court between York's tallest player, Meszczynski, and the small Middlesbrough setter allowed York a few welcome points to take the set 25-22.
York got off to a flier in the 3rd set, taking a 9-3 lead. They extended this over the next rotation to 19-11 and soon had wrapped up the set 25-18. Middlesbrough weren't so easily beaten and took the initiative in the 4th set, leading 7-3 and were quickly 17-12 ahead. York rested Severin and with youthful Imschoot directing the attack, York slowly clawed their way back into the set. They reduced the deficit, winning side-outs much more easily than before and picking up an occasional point on serve. But Middlesbrough also kept winning side-outs to keep ahead. The first time York actually took the lead was at set point, 24-23. Middlesbrough saved this one and another at 25-24, but could not stop the inevitable. York MVP, Adam Meszczynski, overpowered the Middlesbrough defence with a crushing spike to win the set 27-25 and the match 3 sets to 1, in 81 minutes.
Team: Will Bromley, Pascal Charles, Piotr Dabrowski, Daniel Harrison, Damien Imschoot, Luc Imschoot, Adam Meszczynski, Albert Severin, Slawek Sokolowski, Mike Turner.
York stay in 7th place in National League Division 3 North, level on points with their next National League opponents, Nottingham Rockets. York play Nottingham (6th) and Barnsley (10th) next Sunday, 22 November 2009, at York College. The first match starts at 10.30, with the teams warming up from 10.00. |
posted 10 Nov 2009 01:54 by Publicity Officer
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updated 10 Nov 2009 02:37
]
Monday 9 November 2009 - Women's Yorkshire Premier League, York College
York Ladies 3-1 Harrogate (25-20, 29-27, 18-25, 25-18) 93 minutes
York Ladies encountered some determined resistance from Harrogate, but after 3 close sets, the strength in depth of the large York squad helped win the match 3-1. Particularly impressive was new Swiss middle player, Salome Ursprung, who added a new dimension to York's play, with powerful quick attacks.
York made the better start to the match and seemed to be cruising to the 1st set at 14-6 ahead. But Harrogate had other ideas and fought back to level at 20-all. But, setter Barbara Harnist served out the last 5 points, taking the set for York 25-20. Harrogate established a lead in the 2nd set but York did not let them get too far ahead. From 15-19 down, setter Katie Thorn put York 21-19 ahead with 6 consecutive serves. The game was on a knife edge, as the lead swung first one way then the other, with both teams reaching set point. York managed to edge the nail biting set 29-27.
The 3rd set was more relaxed, with York seemingly having the match in their grasp. But Harrogate weren't finished yet and pulled away to take the set 25-18. But hopes of a 5th set were quickly squashed as York bounced back, taking the 4th set 25-18 and the match by 3 sets to 1.
Team: Elle Bromley (capt), Martina Duettmann, Sarah Godson, Barbara Harnist, Sophie Lawton, Mandy Litton, Anna Olszowy, Heike Singleton, Katie Thorn, Salome Ursprung, Yvonne Wright.
York Ladies' next match is in the Yorkshire Cup against North Riding Eagles, on Monday 23 November, 7.15 pm at York College. |
posted 6 Nov 2009 01:52 by Publicity Officer
Thursday 5 November 2009, Men's Yorkshire Premier League, York College
York 2-3 York Phoenix (15-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-11, 11-15) 95 mins.
York Men's Premier League team lost their 2nd 5-setter in a week, against local rivals, York Phoenix. The game, brought forward due to the college sports hall closure in January, found York unable to field either of their regular setters, whereas York Phoenix had the luxury of choosing from 3 setters. Phoenix decided to play one of the usual setters, Derek Cattle, as a specialist defensive libero. His passing skills and court coverage made a big difference to the final result, as York were unable to win easy points on serve or attack. York called up one of their NVL players, Matt Bianco, to fill the setting duties. His height also helped on the block which formed a formidable wall.
The momentum of the match swung first one way then the other. Firstly to Phoenix, with their middle attackers, Dave Fielding and Nigel Dowker, enjoying success with some well placed, deep spikes. Phoenix took the 1st set comfortably 25-15, after York conceded 9 points on one serve receive rotation. But a minor change in their line-up saw York dominate the 2nd set. Captain Wayne Palmer applied the killing blow, winning 7 points on his serve to take the set out of reach, winning it 25-15. The 3rd set was the most closely contested of the whole match with Phoenix leading and York pulling level at 12-all. Phoenix took the lead again, only for York to come back to 20-21. But crucial errors made in defence cost the York team the set 25-21.
Suitably chastised by their coach, the York team came out and blew Phoenix away in the 4th set, 25-11. From the 1st point York played much better as a team and Phoenix could not find a way to score any points. The tie-break 5th set was tight, with Phoenix leading 8-6 at the change of ends. A missed serve from York gave Phoenix the advantage and they opened up a 5 point lead 12-7. Despite a spirited comeback, it was too little too late, with the final point lost disappointingly, to a poor dig and then a centre line infringement. Phoenix took the match 15-11 in the 5th. York will look at this as a good opportunity missed, as they outscored their opponents 97-91 over 5 sets, but didn't win the points when it counted.
York have 2 Men's Premier League matches next week, away against Menwith Hill on Thursday, followed by another away trip, on Sunday, to play Boathouse VC, in Dewsbury.
Team: Rob Barker, Matt Bianco, Michal Jaworski, Piotr Makowski, Adam Meszczynski, Wayne Palmer, Mike Turner |
posted 2 Nov 2009 15:15 by Publicity Officer
Monday 2 November 2009, Men's Yorkshire Premier League, York College
York 2-3 Beverley (21-25, 25-15, 12-25, 25-23, 8-15) 90 mins.
York Men's Premier League team missed a good opportunity to notch up their 1st league win of the season, coming back from 2-1 behind to take the match into a 5th set. Unfortunately, their momentum disappeared in the deciding set, as Beverley piled on 11 unanswered points, helped by too many errors from the York spikers. Despite a spirited fight back, there was no way to pull back so many points. Beverley cruised home, winning the match 3 sets to 2.
Team: Rob Barker, Damien Imschoot, Michal Jaworski, Jiri Kolar, Piotr Makowski, Wayne Palmer, Antony Peacock, Mike Turner |
posted 25 Oct 2009 15:45 by Publicity Officer
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updated 28 Oct 2009 05:09
]
National Volleyball League Division 3 North, Sunday 25 October 2009
York 0-3 University of Birmingham (15-25, 8-25, 20-25)
York 0-3 Boathouse Dewsbury (16-25, 19-25, 14-25)
At their first home National Volleyball League fixture of the season, York fielded a full squad of 12 players, with Matt Bianco, Slawek Sokolowski and Terry Perfect, returning from injuries. But, York were soundly beaten 3-0 in both matches, by University of Birmingham and Boathouse Dewsbury, who now occupy the top 2 positions in the Division 3 table. York managed to compete for brief spells of both games, but were unable to match the consistency of their opponents and leaked too many points on their side-out plays.
Birmingham took full advantage of York's experimental line-up in the 1st set, shooting away to an 11-1 lead. York fought back to within 3 points at 12-15, but then slumped again, losing 7 points in a row. Birmingham took the set easily 25-15. Things turned even worse in the 2nd set, with the supposed strongest 6 players on court. York needed 12 attempts to win one side-out and Birmingham were out of sight 18-3 ahead, taking the set 25-8.
York picked up their game and established a 3-point lead late in the 3rd set. The York MVP, Adam Meszczynski, contributed some massive attacks, from both front and back court, but this wasn't enough. The students weren't in a generous mood and pulled back 7 points in a row to take the set 25-20 and the match 3-0 in only 54 minutes.
In the 2nd match, University of Birmingham took the 1st set and then collapsed dramatically, losing tamely 3-1 against Boathouse Dewsbury.
York returned in the 3rd match against Boathouse Dewsbury, determined to give a better display. The initial exchanges were tight, with Boathouse leading 9-7 after 1 rotation. Again on one rotation York struggled to win a side-out, losing 7 points in a row and the set slipped away 25-16. The same rotation caused more problems in the 2nd set, with Boathouse jumping to a 9-2 lead. But York responded and pulled level at 12-all, with new Polish player Piotr Dabrowski, making an impressive home debut, coming on from the bench. York took the lead and kept 1 point ahead up to 16-15. But Boathouse lifted their game, firing fast attack from both sides of court, leaving the York middle blockers stranded. York's defence couldn't cope and Boathouse took the set 25-19.
Veteran setter, Steve Matthews, replaced Albert Severin in the 3rd set and immediately added some variety to the York attack, with 3 quick middle sets in the 1st rally. But Boathouse were not fazed and clinically motored to a 14-5 lead in the 1st rotation. Despite some powerful hitting from the York MVP, Slawek Sokolowski, Boathouse cruised to a 25-14 set and took the match 3 sets to 0, in 51 minutes.
York drop to 7th in Division 3, but have 3 weeks off to regroup before their next National League action, on Sunday 15 November 2009. They travel to Middlesbrough, to face Newcastle Staffs 2 (9th) and Middlesbrough College 2 (currently 4th, but unbeaten and have 2 games in hand). 
Back: Adam Meszczynski, Matt Bianco, Piotr Dabrowski, Slawek Sokolowski, Terry Perfect, Pascal Charles.
Front: Mike Turner, Albert Severin, Ed Humphries, Steve Matthews, Dan Chung, Daniel Harrison.
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posted 19 Oct 2009 01:36 by Publicity Officer
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updated 28 Oct 2009 05:09
]
Sunday 18 October 2009, Yorkshire Cup 1st Round, Harrogate Grammar School
York 3-0 Harrogate 2 (25-20, 25-14, 25-16) 62 mins.
Despite a breakdown on the way, York managed to get their team to Harrogate Grammar School and quickly knock out the Harrogate 2nd team in the Yorkshire Cup. The reward is another trip to Harrogate in the next round of the cup, to play the Harrogate 1st team.
Promising debut performances by 2 new, middle players, Czech, Jiri Kolar and Pole, Michal Jaworski.
Team: Rob Barker, Damien Imschoot, Michal Jaworski, Jiri Kolar, Piotr Makowski, Wayne Palmer, Mike Turner |
posted 12 Oct 2009 16:29 by Publicity Officer
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updated 13 Oct 2009 02:45
]
Monday 12 October 2009 - Women's Yorkshire Premier League, York College
York Ladies 3-0 Menwith Hill (25-10, 25-5, 25-7)
York Ladies enjoyed a straightforward victory against Menwith Hill, winning easily by 3 sets to 0.
There was some doubt that the match would even go ahead at all, as at the match start time, Menwith Hill could only field 5 players. Fortunately, their missing 2 players, who had got lost en route, turned up and the game could go ahead. Menwith were missing some of their key players and fielded some relatively inexperienced players. York took full advantage and efficiently wrapped up a 3-0 win, holding their opponents to 10 points or less in all sets.
Back: Elle Bromley (capt), Heike Singleton, Emila Zielinska, Anna Olszowy, Sarah Godson.
Front: Katie Thorn, Barbara Harnist, Sophie Lawton, Mandy Litton.
York Ladies' next Yorkshire Premier league match is against Leeds 3, on Monday 26 October, 7.15 pm at York College. |
posted 12 Oct 2009 01:33 by Publicity Officer
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updated 13 Oct 2009 05:33
]
Sunday 11 October 2009 - National Volleyball League, Div 3 North, St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick York 3-0 Coventry & Warwick Riga 2 (25-19, 25-19, 25-23) 71 minutes
York 3-2 City of Preston (19-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-21, 15-10) 101 minutes York Men's National League side registered 2 victories, beating home team Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 by 3 sets to 0 and coming back twice from 1 set behind, to beat City of Preston by 3 sets to 2. York, missing 3 players due to injury, strengthened their squad with 2 new signings, Damien Imschoot, a talented Belgian 16 year old and Piotr Dabrowski, another polished Polish player. There were impressive debut performances by both new players. The first match turned out to be easier than expected, with Riga not performing to the level of their previous match, a 3-2 win over Chester. York started with their experienced setter, Albert Severin, Dabrowski playing opposite, Adam Meszczynski and Pascal Charles as outside attackers, Will Bromley and Mike Turner as middle blockers and Ed Humphries playing defensive libero. Riga took an early 7-4 lead, but York wiped this out straight away with a run of 6 points from the serve of Turner. York applied more pressure with powerful spiking from both Charles and Meszczynski, to keep their lead and took the set 25-19. The 2nd set followed a similar pattern, with Riga's early lead overturned, this time from the serve of York's other middle player, Bromley, serving 8 times in a row, to secure the set, also 25-19. In the 3rd set, Imschoot replaced Severin as setter and quickly showed his skills at distributing the ball to the attackers. Riga were determined to get something out of the match and kept in touch, levelling the score at 18-all and taking a 21-19 lead. Even at 21-23 behind, York did not roll over. They won a side-out and Pascal Charles, the York captain and MVP, proved an unstoppable force attacking through the outside. Meszczynski won the last point with a jump serve ace, to snatch the set 25-23 and the match 3 sets to 0, in 71 minutes. York's 2nd match against City of Preston turned out to be an epic, with York twice coming back from behind, to win a 5 set thriller. York started the match with Imschoot setting and the other starting players as in the 1st match. Preston played well as a unit, but the York block won telling points and York seemed to be edging the set at 16-14. But Preston took advantage of a weak receiving rotation, to score 8 points and move 22-16 ahead. York pulled back 3 points, but Preston closed out the set 25-19. York lifted their game in the 2nd set and quickly found themselves 11-7 ahead. More points were piled on from some tough serves from Severin and Meszczynski, to take York out of reach at 20-12. The set was soon over, 25-18 to York. Preston took the initiative in the 3rd set, with their blockers finding success against York's outside attackers and their powerful middle attacker proving very effective. York found themselves 10-13 behind and couldn't pull back the 3 point deficit. Preston extended their lead and took the 3rd set 25-19. In the 4th set, York brought on the young, fresh Imschoot, to replace the tiring Severin. The set started badly, with Preston taking an 8-4 lead, after York needed 5 attempts to win a side-out. But their powerful attack kept York in the game, levelling at 9-all. There was not much between the teams as they traded points up to 19-all. Finally York opened up a 21-19 lead and finished off the set strongly 25-21. York carried their momentum into the 5th set tie-break and held the lead 8-5 at the change of ends. Preston were not yet beaten and retook the lead 9-8. But York showed fighting spirit and greater desire, levelling at 9-all. York's new Polish player, Dabrowski, served the ball, the defence recycled the ball and Charles put away another killing spike. But, in the process he pulled a muscle in his leg and had to be replaced by sub Daniel Harrison. The loss of one of their main spikers did not disturb York, with Preston failing on their serve reception and 1st attack. By the time Preston won the service back it was match point, 14-10 to York. After a good serve reception the ball was delivered by Imschoot to his best attacker, Meszczynski, who hammered a back court attack beating the Preston defence and winning the final point. A great 5 set victory for York, in 101 minutes. Team: Will Bromley, Pascal Charles (capt.), Piotr Dabrowski, Daniel Harrison, Ed Humphries, Damien Imschoot, Adam Meszczynski, Albert Severin, Mike Turner. The next National Volleyball League action is in 2 weeks time, with a home fixture at York College on Sunday 25 October 2009, against University of Birmingham and Boathouse Dewsbury. The first match starts at 10.30, with warm-up starting at 10.00. |
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