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Chelmsford off to a flying start to the season Chelmsford started the season with a comfortable win over Exiles in Essex Division 2. The new season has seen several arrivals all of whom fitted in well so that after a tight first set, the team worked well together to take the match 3-0. With Exiles playing at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre, this was an away game in name only for Chelmsford in their first outing of the new season. The squad included a mixture of experience and newcomers who after only four weeks training together soon settled into the game. The starting six selected was captain Steve Peacock and Rachel Bohannan setting, Tom Ashley and new face Kamila Wawrzela outside attack with Matt Ruffell and another new face Marcin Kawulski as middle attack. This left Sandon school students Matt Knight and Jamie Forrester initially on the bench although they were to play an important part later in this, their first senior match. Set one was dominated by serving on both sides. Chelmsford started by making too many mistakes in the early exchanges and were unable to pull away. Their superior skills in receiving were however enough to pull out a small advantage. Exiles with their two tall hitters struck back and too the lead. 13-11. It was time for Chelmsford’s serve to click and Steve Peacock led from the front with his own hard and hostile serving to move Chelmsford back into a 21-13 lead. Although Exiles regrouped hit and their tall blockers remained a constant challenge throughout the match, Chelmsford held their nerve to take the set 26-24. In set 2 Chelmsford retained Forrester for Ashley who he had replaced late in the first set as outside hitter keeping the rest of the line up unchanged. Having stopped giving points away with wasted serves, Chelmsford began to look more assured and the scoring reflected this. The higher first ball on receive of serve allowed the setters more time to decide where to put the ball. Bohannan ands Peacock also combined well using each other to attack as well as the other front line players. In the middle of the set Wawrzela was given a well deserved rest allowing Ashley to return to court and it was his hitting alongside Kawulski who put an end to the more difficult rallies by putting the ball away. Ruffell was his usual strong example in defence leaving Exiles unable to score. Chelmsford were well in control of the set taking it 25-15. For the third set coach Edwards kept Knight who had hardly touched the ball after being brought on with Chelmsford 21-13 up in the previous set and was soon glad he had. Knight showed he was full of confidence putting the ball away into the gaps in attack and covering the back court well in defence. Then Kawulski pulled off an excellent block of Exiles main attacker – captain Mark Thomas – and Chelmsford visibly raised their game. Wawrzela returned for another sound attacking spell and her overall consistency was rewarded when referee Gary Mower selected her as Chelmsford’s player of the match. For the record the thirds set score was 25-19 giving Chelmsford a 3-0 victory. It is hoped that this result will inspire the first team who start by taking on last season’s championship runners up Tendring in a match at Anglia Ruskin University starting at 8.30pm on Thursday 15th October. Chelmsford Volleyball Club train and play on Thursday evenings at the University and welcome players new and experienced both male and female. More about the club can be found at www.volleyball.co.uk/chelmsford/index.htm or from Ken Edwards 01245 474425. |