CLEOBURY Mortimer's West Midlands Ladies Volleyball League Division Two side were unable to match the winning form of the club's other teams as they went down 3-0 to Red Hill.

But coach Ellie White will not be too disappointed about their first game of the season which was closer than the scoreline suggests and provided plenty of positives.

Tina Bate served superbly as Cleobury led the first set 6-1, while Amanda Price produced some sharp hitting across court. New player and setter Kayley Perks lost her pre-match nerves to put some great balls in the air for wing hitter Julie White to smash over the net.

But their Stourbridge opponents produced a string of hard serves which gave them the edge to shade set one 25-20.

In the second set, the away girls made more noise on court and with accurate passing from team captain Robyn Slingsby it was high-drama with long rallies.

Cleobury battled with determined defending at the net by Sarah-Jane Davies and good serving by Francesca Hinves but again Red Hill matched them point for point before clinching it it 27-25.

In the third set, the Cleobury ladies were never able to recover but they still gave it their all, losing 25-17 and the game 3-0.