Volleyball: Three wins for Tauranga women

Tauranga Volleyball Club women cemented a top-three position in Northern Zone volleyball over the weekend with three good wins, including a come-from-behind victory on Friday night in Tauranga over Midlands rivals and fourth-placed Hamilton.

In the men's section, previously unbeaten competition leaders Mauao came down to earth with a thump after two losses, but still top the ladder by a point after the first round.

Tauranga women dropped the first and third sets of their clash against Hamilton, but got on top early in the fourth set, and kept up the momentum to win that and the final set reasonably comfortably.

On Saturday, they accounted three sets to nil for two Auckland challengers, Harbour Raiders and Waitakere.

The team's main rivals for the Zone title, Sparta and Manukau South, fought it out in Auckland, with the latter losing 3-0, which was their first zone defeat in over two years.

Mauao men fought hard against a Sparta team that was better organised than earlier in the season, but couldn't break the Aucklanders' stranglehold on the tie-breaking fifth set. In their final match, they made too many mistakes to really challenge South Auckland, a team with six consecutive wins since an opening day double loss.

Tauranga men had it tough, with three losses from three games - to Hamilton, Sparta and then to new Auckland club Diamonds on Saturday.

Northern Zone Volleyball League

First division, men: Hamilton b Tauranga 3-1 (25-14, 26-28, 25-23, 25-18); Diamonds b Tauranga 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-21); South Auckland b Hamilton 3-2 (25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 10-25, 23-21); Sparta b Mauao 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13); Diamonds b Hamilton 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-16, 25-18); Sparta b Tauranga 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 28-26); South Auckland b Mauao 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-18); Harbour Raiders bt Playaz 3-2 (25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 26-28, 16-14); Harbour Raiders bt Waitakere Rebels 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-8); Playaz bt Waitakere Rebels 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-19).

First division, women: Tauranga b Hamilton 3-2 (24-26, 26-24, 24-26, 25-21, 15-11); Hamilton b Harbour Raiders 3-2 (25-16, 25-20, 20-25, 22-25, 16-14); Tauranga b Westforce Waitakere 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-17); Hamilton b Westforce Waitakere 3-2 (23-25, 19-25, 25-13, 25-9, 15-13); Tauranga b Harbour Raiders 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-14); Manukau South bt Saints 3-0 (27-29, 25-18, 25-14); Saints bt South Auckland 3-1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-12, 25-22); Sparta bt Manukau South 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-20); Sparta bt South Auckland 3-0 (25-23, 25-23,25-11).