Opponents: London Polonia
Competition: National League Division 1
Date: Saturday 18th October 2008
Venue: Bacon's College, Rotherhithe
Result: L 3-0  (21-25, 16-25, 24-26)
Headline: Docklands beaten to the Pole
Author: Danny Primus

What historically has become a clash of the titans in the volleyball calendar was not the case this time around. With Docklands looking to pick up momentum and Polonia to establish their title challenge it was the visitors that started off the best with some explosive serving by Argentinean Luca Pinter coupled with good distribution by new setter Daniele Di Bella. Towards the mid part of the first set it was the Docklands passing unit that held strong with both Alexis Blair and Rafael de Oliveira supplying a stable platform for setter Danny Primus to find his hitters. The Docklands hitters then started to find their range and it was effective hitting by Blair and Adam El Kass that saw the scores tied at 21-21. The pressure then started to tell and with both the passing units tightening up. However, with strong blocking Polonia took the set 25-21.

Docklands started the second set poorly with individual errors coming from all quarters. Polonia found themselves scoring at will with the Docklands' block unable to make any real impact. Di Bella was now full of confidence and began to take the initiative by turning to spiking opposed to setting and this seemed to take the wind out of the Docklands' sail and the team never really competed. Polonia bulldozing their way through the set 25-16.

The third set saw Docklands again change their line up with Alex Gaitan coming into the setter's role, Matt Mills in the outside position and Adam Phillips in the middle. Polonia expecting to coast through the third set must have been a little shell shocked as the new look Docklands starting well with Gaitan finding Boris Halatchev in the middle and the outside hitters scoring alongside Polonia point for point. Was the tide beginning to turn? Polonia then started to make unforced errors which saw Docklands take a healthy lead summed up with Gaitan's huge block on Jakub Jablonski. Polonia then started to claw their way back into the set and as Docklands backed off Polonia seemed to get the rub of the green with a couple of debatable refereeing calls that effectively stopped Docklands in their tracks and Polonia coming away the victors 26-24.

Docklands will look back at this game and see a great opportunity lost. A little more conviction and confidence could have seen a different conclusion as no doubt the ability is there.

Black Knight: Alexis Blair

Docklands: Davies 1 kill (9 attempts), Phillips 0 (2), Halatchev 6 (11), Bos 2 (8), Mills 1 (5), Gaitan 3 (4), El Kass 3 (8), Kaptein 7 (18), Blair 9 (19), Primus 0 (1), de Oliveira (Libero). Sub not used: Apostolov.

Polonia: Starkl Johnson 0 (0), Saller M 6 (19), Pinter 6 (12), Jablonski 7 (20), Di Bella 6 (9), Piecka 2 (7), Biczysko 0 (0), Selep 6 (8), Saller A (Libero). Subs not used: Niski, Maslach, Uhlig.

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