After a largely successful 2015-16 season that concluded with a 2nd place finish, the Men’s Volleyball team began their new season with a home game against Nottingham Trent in the New Gym. Nottingham themselves were looking to make an impact in their new league after winning promotion last season. However, they ran into a Birmingham side that were intent on starting of their season with a win and winning promotion after they narrowly missed out last season.
Birmingham began well racing into an early lead however were pegged back well by Nottingham who despite regularly finding themselves three points behind fought back to draw level at 11-11. However this was as good as it got for Nottingham as Birmingham showed their quality with a series of impressive spikes to eventually take the set 25-17.
The second set was far more one sided and it was easy to see why Birmingham finished second last season. They asserted their authority early in the set leading 8-2, which you could see really demoralised the Nottingham team. Captain Oliver Holzinger was particularly impressive as Birmingham easily won the set 25-8 and from here it seemed like a formality that Birmingham would complete a comfortable victory.
Nottingham had other ideas however and came out fighting in the third set led by their number four who you could clearly see was their best player, and pushed Birmingham all the way. At one point they actually led 14-13 as it seemed the hammering they received in the second set may well have inspired a comeback. Though any chances of this was quickly quashed as Birmingham once again established their dominance winning 9 consecutive points to take a 22-14 lead, and despite a mini Nottingham comeback Birmingham eventually won the set 25-20. Despite the set being closer than the previous set you always felt Birmingham had the edge over their visitors.
After this impressive start Birmingham face a trip to Loughborough next week looking to continue the momentum gathered here whilst Nottingham host Oxford.
