Opponents: Reading VC
Competition: National KO Cup Round 3
Date: Saturday 12th January 2008
Venue: Bacon's College
Result: L 3-1 (25-21, 15-25, 33-35, 17-25)
Headline: Champions dethroned
Author: Andy Hopper

London Docklands Volleyball's defence of their national KO cup crown came to an abrupt end on Saturday with defeat at the hands of Reading. It had all started so well with Francesco Riginelli and Nathan French scoring points for Docklands at will while Reading struggled to find the form that has propelled them to the top of Division 2. Docklands led 13-7 and although Reading narrowed the gap they took the first set at a canter 25-21.

The second set started very evenly until two Docklands errors gave Reading a slight lead. The away side were gaining in confidence as Dimitris Balagiannis and player coach Tomek Swierczek punished more Docklands lapses. Despite this the champions were still in touch at 13-10. However, a run of six Swierczek serves put massive pressure on Docklands' passing unit and took the set away from Docklands as Reading strolled to a 25-15 win.

Docklands came out fighting and immediately took a 4-0 lead at the start of the fourth set. Clever serving by Danny Primus and clinical attacking by Riginelli pinned back the visitors. However, Reading fought back to tie the scores at 4-4 with kills by Swierczek and Ioannis Manolakis along with two Docklands' errors. The seesaw nature of the set continued as then Docklands enjoyed a good run. Klaus Thummert produced a short service run and Riginelli was consistently finding gaps in Reading's defence. Docklands looked comfortable at 16-11 up only for it all to go back the other way again. A run of deceptive Manolakis serves caused Docklands problems and Swierczek took advantage. A further run of serves by Balagiannis seemed to take the set away from Docklands as Reading stormed into a 21-17 lead. But a French kill took Riginelli back to serve. His first serve was an ace and three serves later Docklands were 22-21 up. Then came what turned out to be the pivotal point of the match. Another powerful Riginelli serve caused Reading problems and when trying to force the ball through Docklands' block one of the Reading players landed through the net giving Docklands the point. However, French landed on the player, twisting his ankle and had to be replaced. The delay had curtailed Docklands' momentum and gave Reading some hope. Almost inevitably Riginelli's next serve found the net and a Swierczek kill tied the scores. Docklands gained the first set point with a kill by Alex Gaitan and there then followed a series of chances for both sides as neither team could find the requisite two consecutive points when it really mattered. Docklands had eight set points in all but each time Reading rebuked every attempt. In the end Reading transformed their third set point to take the set 35-33.

That win was clearly crucial and the odds on the losers of that set coming back to win the match would have been very high. Reading were riding high and Docklands looked down and out. They quickly found themselves 9-3 down and struggling to score on their own serve. However, Docklands were not giving up and a run of Thummert serves helped narrow the gap to 16-15 and the champions looked to be back in it as the pressure increased on Reading. But three consecutive Docklands' errors undid all their good work and gave Reading breathing space again. This time there was no way back for Docklands as Reading took the set 25-17.

Reading celebrated while Docklands were left to ponder their missed chances. They now have two weeks off until their next league match at home to Warwick Riga.

Black Knight: Francesco Riginelli

Docklands: Kaptein 2 kills (9 attempts), Riginelli 19 (41), French 10 (18), Thummert 12 (26), Sliti 3 (13), Gaitan 5 (11), Eruero 2 (6), Primus 1 (5), Blair (Libero). Subs not used: Phillips, Savoia.

Reading: Balagiannis 10 (30), Manolakis 2 (9), Jones 7 (15), Kowalski 0 (0), Salmon 0 (0), Markowicz 14 (18), Swierczek 18 (41), Siwek 6 (18), Horman (Libero). Subs not used: Velbert, Stogias.

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