Wessex 3-1 Tendring Ladies

21-25, 25-22,25-21,25-19

Report by Chris Frost

After some slight confusion with our travel arrangements, we were off for a long drive to Bournemouth to play Wessex in the penultimate game of the regular season.  On arrival Wessex were practising their serve reception and looked ready to go.

The first set was very scrappy with both teams providing the other with points due to unenforced errors. However more consistency was shown on the side of Tendring, Laura Hodgkinson, Jacqueline Skeen and Fran Smith-Daye helped the team gain an advantage. The introduction of Charlotte Bontems near the end of the set helped secure the set, with Bontems recording a kill block and a few kills.

The second saw a mistake on the rotation sheet, the middle following the setter instead of the receiver following the setter. Some of the girls panicked and seemed unstuck and it took a full rotation before the girls were back into their normal flow. The girls fought back from 6 points down at 10-16. However near the closing the girls tried too hard to finish the point off and lost the 2^nd.

The next set was far more even with both teams trading for significant periods of the set, however individual errors were costing the team and kept Wessex in the game. They maintained a good level of play and were the more consistent team they took the 3^rd set 25-22.

The final set finished 25-21 to Wessex. The girls were stuck in one rotation after some strong cross court serving by Wessex' Setter Annie Tinker. This turned the game in the favour of Wessex and provided them with the fourth set and the match.

Last game of the regular season is 2 weeks time against 4^th place London Orcas. Also another mention to Charlotte Bontems who was our best player on the day. Well done charlotte.