Super League Opening Weekend 2024 - day two review

National Cup winners Polonia opened their campaign by beating Darkstar Derbyshire while reigning league champions Durham Palatinates overcame Wessex. 

Cambridge ARU, Essex Rebels and Malory Eagles rounded up the remainder of the day’s winners, but all 10 Super League teams who competed could take encouragement from their performances.  

Polonia were second on court and took charge of the march by taking a two-set lead over East Midlanders Darkstar, 25-20, 25-18, who were seeking to make an improvement on their eighth-place league finish last season. 

The Derby-based side, coached by Maria Bertelli and Audrey Cooper, fought back well to take the third set 25-22 against last season's National Cup winners, but were not able to keep the momentum going, losing out in the final set 25-21. 

“This is the first game, we’re still trying to build the game and our team, so we try to get everyone involved and I think that was a great decision,” said Player of the Match Merve Akin. 

“I think we have so much room for growth, and this is going to be nothing compared to where we end the season.”

Next up, Durham, who have won the title three years running, start the season off with a 3-0 win against Wessex. 

The Palatinates continued their momentum from last season despite a raft of summer changes in personnel.

They took control of the first and second, capitalising on their extra height at the net, to win them 25-17, 25-20, but the North-East side were made to work for victory.

The NVL Division 1 champions put in a good performance and competed well in the final set before ultimately losing out 25-22. 

“It's nice because at Durham we get to come back for pre-season so we have a few weeks to work together with each other, but it still is very early on,” said Player of the Match, libero Natalie Colfescu.

“This team has been getting on really well, but I think we can just go up (to another level) from here.”

The day had begun with Cambridge ARU claiming a comfortable 3-0 win against Lionhearts Vinarius.  

The Cambridge side took an early lead against the Londoners, who narrowly saved themselves from relegation last season, clinching the first and second sets, 25-20, 25-16. 

Despite a good stint in the final set from Head Coach Davide Tiberti’s side, they could not find the pace to match the fast offence of their opponents, who finished the match 25-21. 

Player of the Match, Cambridge’s Raquel Pereiera Dos Anjos, said: “It’s just one month that we have played together, with only some training and we need more time to improve, but today we did a very good job.” 

 Essex Rebels are starting their campaign determined to push on from making last season’s Final 4 - and they made a great start with a 3-0 win against Leeds Gorse. 

The Rebels made a confident start to effortlessly take the first set 25-13.

Leeds looked in control in the second and had three set points when leading 24-21, but ultimately lost out 29-27. 

After Head Coach Elaine Brown’s side put their best foot forward in their efforts to level, they could not maintain the same level in the third and the 2023-24 National Cup semi-finalists closed out the match 25-20. 

“I’m very happy. I didn't expect it to be this intense, it was so intense, but I’m glad we got our things together and made it happen,” Player of the Match Lea Borovec said. 

“I was just confident in my serve. I've been doing it so many times, so many years so I was just like I’m going all in, smash it and we just came back in that second set. It was great.” 

The final match of Opening Weekend saw Malory Eagles UEL cruise to a 3-0 victory over University of Nottingham. 

The Eagles secured a win in the first set, 25-20, continuing on from their third-place success of last year's Super League season.  

The London-based team continued their attack on UON, who ended last season just shy of fourth place, taking the second set 25-19. 

And they were able to complete victory by running away with the third set 25-13.  

Player of the Match Johanna Kruize said: “I thought it was amazing. We obviously have some things to smooth out but the team is really working hard for each other. It’s just nice to see that effort come to fruition.”

Article by Beth Owen

Images by Nathaniel Macrae

---

For all the Super League fixtures, results and latest news, click here.

Keep up to date with all the action via our social media channels... Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.