Edinburgh book semi sport with ease

It was Scottish Cup quarter-final games at Craigie High School last Saturday with Premier Division opposition for both Dundee sides.  City of Edinburgh men travelled with a squad of full and junior internationalists and with experience of European games in December.  Both sides traded points early in the game but Dundee took an early lead with Colin McEvoy scoring three points to blunt the visitors attack.  Edinburgh hit back with a run of five points from deep serving.  Mark Donnachie eventually controlled the serve and Mike Coward hauled Dundee back into the set.   Edinburgh, led by Niall Collin, one of the three former Dundee players in their line up, then used their power to hold onto the lead to take the set 25/21.

A change of line up with Lewis Crockart replacing Leo Maugeri failed to stop the visitors’ momentum.  They piled on the points with runs of two, five and three with resistance coming from Louis Groshenry and Mike Coward.  The visitors took the second set comfortably 25/14.  Dundee competed well at the start of the third set with Barry Millar able to use all parts of the net with Colin McEvoy and Craig Goldthorpe both contributing with big scores.  A decisive run of points from Edinburgh’s big hitters gave them a lead that they held to win the set 25/19 and progress to the semi-finals to play Su Ragazzi.

 

Brave effort but NUVOC triumph in quarter-final

The ladies side faced NUVOC also from Edinburgh in their tie and had the familiar face of Petra Deas back in their line up after a season absence.  Her service was the first important aid as she helped haul the home side level at 16/16 with three points.  Sarah Driscoll and Natasha Melville were scoring from the left side of the court but the NOVOC side held on to win the set 25/23.  The visitors with 7 of their 8 players from outside of Scotland took a strangle hold in the second set with a run of points from 6/2 to 15/6 and despite a fightback with Lana Edgar and Petra scoring the visitors took the set 25/13.

Dundee’s defence started to compete and they took a 10/7 lead in the third set.  Driscoll, Deas and Melville were all scoring and at 20/23 down the set and game seemed lost!  Lana Edgar then produced a run of serves that disrupted the NUVOC side and a 25/23 win gave Dundee hope.  The visitors were rattled and with Dundee’s recent foreign acquisitions, Agnes Bednarek and Danila Gasperini, both fitting in well and scoring it was the home side that took the fourth set 25/18 to level the match.  Driscoll and Deas helped take an 8/7 lead at the change but NUVOC used their experience and found their strongest rotation at the net to finish the game and secure their semi-final spot winning 15/10.