Cleobury Ladies 3

Loughborough Students 0-

Cleobury Ladies played Loughborough Students at home on Sunday in National League Division Two, needing the win to ease relegation worries.

After taking maximumpoints last weekend the team were hoping to pick up where they left off with an equally good performance.

They were not to be disappointed as they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over a poor Loughborough side.

The first set started scrappily, with both sides making errors at the net. The score was level at 7 all until Sam O'Connor stood tall at the net to seal the block-stopping Loughborough pat-a-cake style of attacking.

Cleobury were then able to find a rhythm, Lyndsey Rankin supplying a continuous three point pass to the setter, and they dominated the remainder of the set without really being stretched.

Loughborough had a late surge at 23:15 down and they clawed back fivepoints as the Cleobury attack failed to convert the ball at the net. However, there was never any real danger though and the home side finally finished the set 25:20.

The second set verged on boring as Loughbor-ough continued to struggle with the serve of 'player of the day' Becky Brookes who had two runs taking 12 points all by herself. Cleobury continued to dominate the game without really needing to move out of first gear.

Sam Harding found her hitting form and buried a middle hit to further demoralise the struggling away side. Sophie Cooke closed the set out with an unexpected fast attack followed up by her usual aggressive, swinging serves. The final score of the set was 25:15.

Such was the control of the home side that coach Boggy Brookes was able to make radical changes to his line-out. Sam Harding transferred smoothly out onto the wing where she terrorised the Loughbor-ough defence with her cross court hits.

Captain Lyndsey Rankin came on to set and continued to provide quality ball for the Cleobury attack. Middle Clare Jones linked up well to kill balls both on the wing and from reverse. Cleobury took the set comfortably 25:18, without really having to work too hard.

Another three points for Cleobury and safety from relegation is almost within touching distance!