Tendring 1 - 3 South Birmingham

19-25, 26-24, 19-25, 21-25
Report by Molly Van Essen

Tendring women’s faced a recently promoted South Birmingham squad in their first home game of the season at the University of Essex. Although the home team was missing key outside hitter Mechell Daniels, Tendring started out strong on in the first set.

However, an experienced Birmingham side began to kick their game up a notch and as the set went on the two teams were playing point for point. Player-coach Colleen King made a substitution in order to help change Tendring’s tactics which introduced Amy Lane onto the court and her Super 8’s debut. Some great hustling in defence from the Tendring side helped them stay in the first set against a very consistent Birmingham team but despite this the away team took the first set 25-19. Not willing to give up the Tendring side start the second set with their heads held high going out to win and after an effective contribution in the first set Amy Lane was kept in the starting 7 for the second set.

Again the consistence of South Birmingham kept Tendring battling for every point, but some powerful attacks from middle blockers Amelia Smith and Skye Gullatt added diversity to Tendring’s offence. A nail biting second as the two teams had to play for two clear points, however it was Tendring who took the set 26-24 with amazing play from the team all round kept them in the fight. In spite of a very confident Tendring side after the second set win, the opposition brought out some very strong serving which challenged the Tendring’s passing unit. Tendring demonstrated a fierce blocking game a long side essential attacks made by Colleen King, but unfortunately the set score replicated the first set as Tendring lose the third set 25-19.

The fourth set saw the Tendring side fall behind as the confident Birmingham team took a significant lead. Some strong serving from Molly Van Essen and Charlotte Bontems who was introduced back into the match in the fourth set helped keep the team in the game, which was supported by some outrageous attacks from again Tendring’s Colleen King. Although the team showed great fight it was South Birmingham who took the fourth set 25-21. A disappointing score for the home team however the game displayed the amazing talent in the Tendring’s women 2017/18 squad and we look forward to the team’s upcoming home fixture on 4th November at the University of Essex. MVP was awarded too outside hitter Colleen King.