Volleyball: New club force to be reckoned with after NZIS upset

FULL STRETCH: Tauranga A's Emma Bain gives her all at the volleyball National Club Championships at the ASB Arena.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Favoured teams showed through in most early results at the National Club Championships under way at Tauranga's ASB Arena.

The 2013 men's champions Richmond Mall and Nelson Pines easily dispatched Waitakere Rebels in straight sets in their opening match, while their women's counterparts Tauranga A did the same with Wellington's NZIS Youth team.

The opening session's one upset came when top-four team from the last two seasons, NZIS, went down in four sets to the fast-improving South Auckland side G-Force Robust, a new club in 2014. G-Force look to be a "force" to be reckoned with over the next few seasons. Auckland's Harbour Raiders women comfortably dispatched Christchurch club Hornby.

Hamilton women survived a four-set fight against Wellington's Eagles, while Auckland's Harbour Raiders men beat Pioneer of Christchurch, and Mount Maunganui home club Mauao had a good win against top Wellington team Measina.

Men Division 1: Playaz b Harbour Raiders Development 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 25-15), Harbour Raiders A b Pioneer Panthers 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-13), Richmond Mall Pines b Waitakere Rebels 3-0 (25-18, 25-11, 25-18), Mauao Reds b Measina 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-21), Sparta b Hawkz 3-0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-23), Shirley Silverbacks b South Auckland 3-0 (26-24, 25-14, 25-20), Playaz b Waitakere Rebels 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22).

Women Division 1: G-Force Robust b NZIS 3-1 (25-16, 12-25, 25-16, 25-14), Hamilton A b Eagles 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 30-28), North Harbour Raiders b Hornby 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-18), Tauranga A b NZIS Youth 3-0 (25-21, 25-10, 25-22), Mauao Blues b Scorpion's 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-11), Sparta b Shirley 3-2 (25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 17-25, 15-11), NZIS b Hornby 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-18), Hamilton A b NZIS Youth 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-19), Harbour Raiders A b Measina 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-23).

Men Division 2: Scorpion b Northland Kauri 3-0 (34-32, 26-24, 25-19), Rotovegas b Eagles 3-1 (25-13, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23), ACVC b Tauranga B 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-19), Hamilton b Southland 3-1 (25-16, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18), Mauao Blacks b NZDF 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 27-29, 25-15), Pines Saplings b Thunder 3-2 (27-25, 21-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-9), Northland Kauri b Tauranga Blue 3-2 (18-25, 25-16, 25-16, 20-25, 15-10), Rotovegas b Mauao Blacks 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-21).

Women Division 2: Thunder b Rotovegas Womens 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-9), Tauranga B b Southland 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22), South Auckland b Legends 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-11), Pioneer Pythons b NZDF 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-9), Manukau South b Hamilton B 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-19), ACVC b AUT Titans 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-13), Westforce-Waitakere b Rotovegas Womens 3-0 (25-8, 25-22, 25-16), South Auckland b NZDF 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-22).