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Super League - Time Out
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Super League Timeout - 8th and 9th March 2025
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The Dynamik Men's and Maaree Women's Super League regular season is reaching its climax, and after a dramatic weekend with 12 matches played, the Final 4 teams are now confirmed.
This week, I’m joined by London Giants head coach Mihail Stoev and setter Seth Chen as we discuss their impressive run of six straight wins since Christmas, dropping just one set. They capped off the weekend with a dominant 3-0 win over fellow Final 4 team Newcastle Knights. Coach Stoev highlights the hard work and club support behind their rise, an incredible feat given they were new to the Super League this season after earning promotion from Division 1 last year. Seth also shares his thoughts on volleyball in England, comparing it to his experience playing professionally in Australia.
The relegation battle has been just as intense. IBB Polonia and Stockport are now confirmed as the two relegated teams, with seven-time champions IBB Polonia set to play in Division 1 next season.
In the Malory vs. University of Nottingham match, Malory’s opposite hitter Nathan Fullerton literally broke the floor. Tune in to hear what happened.
Malory Eagles strengthened their top spot with back-to-back 3-0 wins. Meanwhile, Team Sideout Polonia and Essex Rebels, both Final 4 teams, faced off in a thriller, with Essex edging a 3-2 win after a 17-15 battle in the fifth set. Cambridge ARU and Darkstar Derbyshire are now level on points, fighting for the final playoff spot. Cambridge’s 3-0 win this weekend keeps them in the race for Super League survival.
The Final 4 weekend at Crystal Palace Sports Centre promises to be a huge event. Tickets are available now on the Volleyball England website. Don't miss out.
Connecting Through Conversation
That Volleyball Guy Hello, I'm Luke Wiltshire, the host of that Volleyball Guy, and if you love volleyball as much as me, then you're in the right place. That volleyball guy hello and welcome to this week's super league timeout show in partnership with volleyball england another thrilling weekend of volleyball in both the Māori Women's Super League and the Dynamic Men's Super League. As we approach the end of the regular season, just 10 matches left now between the men and the women's league. If you're new to volleyball in England, the Super League is the top flight of the National League, with the top 10 teams playing across the men's and women's leagues, with the top four teams playing off in an epic battle and this year taking place on the 5th and 6th of April at Crystal Palace in London. You can get your hands on some tickets now at the Volleyball England website. So this weekend means we've now secured our final eight teams four in the men, four in the women's and note that there's from last year. Three of the eight teams were not there last year. So it's been a very, very exciting season, lots of changes happening across the teams and personally, as a neutral in the Super League, I'm absolutely loving it because I can remember years gone by. Where it's pretty predictable, it's the top. It's the same two or three teams. This year it's really exciting new teams to the league that have come in and and blown the league apart. Teams that have been really, really strong in previous seasons have struggled this year. So it's been a really, really exciting season in the Super League and, interestingly, especially in the men's league, then both the finalists from last year not making the final four this year. So it just shows you the change in the league and the change in the teams and the structure.
Speaker 2:This week we're going to start with the dynamic men's Super League then. So six games for you this weekend and we're going to start with new to the league, london Giants, who have secured their spot at Final Four even before they played their game on Sunday due to the results from other games on the Saturday. Giants took on Newcastle Knights on Sunday, winning convincingly in straight sets, and Giants have enjoyed a really strong second half of the season. Notably, they've won the last six games in a row, only dropping one set. I'm really pleased to be joined on the show today by Mickey Stoyev, head coach of the London Giants team, and Seth, the setter from the London Giants men's team. Gentlemen, welcome to the show. Hello, thanks for having us. Absolutely great. Thank you so much for giving up your time. I'm going to start, mickey, talk to us then. You taking on the new head coach role since christmas. What's happened? Because since you've been there, you've had a really strong second half of the season.
Speaker 1:Talk, talk us through your game at the weekend against um newcastle knights yeah, um, so let's start with the beginning of the second part of the season, because that was the first part of the question. Uh, what happened is we have a great structure with great supporting system around the around the board. So, um, in general it it wasn't all me a lot of great people surrounding me, so it's um, uh was a pleasure working with these guys and obviously we did achieve our goal qualifying for the Final Four. The win over the weekend against Newcastle was actually very tough. Even though it was a straight set, it was mandatory for us to secure the spot actually.
Speaker 1:So, um, I'm very pleased that, uh, we did that convincingly, um, and against a very strong team who also qualified for a top four, so we might meet them again. Um, so we proved ourselves to be them again. So we proved ourselves to be a better team at this moment in time. So we just need to keep building up in the next month, be ready to face them again if it's necessary. But, yeah, it's been a journey, been a lot of work, and Seth can tell you that it's been a journey for all of us and, yeah, we just appreciate it every single day Awesome.
Speaker 2:And what were you as coach then? What were you really pleased about? About your team's performance at the weekend?
Speaker 1:This particular weekend. To be fair, we executed most of our game plan for the first time very well. At some point I was surprised with my assistants on the bench. I was surprised with some people's performance. They actually listened this weekend. So maybe it's motivation, maybe it's the knife back to the bone. Yeah, we did execute very well the game plan. This will happen.
Speaker 2:Awesome and Seth. From your perspective, then, as the setter and the playmaker in the team, what are you pleased with about your team's performance at the weekend?
Speaker 3:Well, as I said, I'm pretty biased. I'm going to say the passing was excellent so I was able to run my offense. But no, going back to it, I was actually really happy. We did our homework and we made a game plan coming into this weekend against Newcastle and it just felt smooth on court. Everyone was switched on. It was just a good time out there. It's always a great feeling when you work really hard and you can show everyone the success that you guys have finally achieved. There's no better feeling, I think, after working that hard. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Awesome. So for you now, for you guys, that's your final game in the regular season. Done so, you've played all 18 matches. What are you doing, then, to prepare, mickey, for your semi-final? It's looking likely not guaranteed, but it's looking likely that you're probably going to come up against, uh, mallory, mallory eagles in the semi-final. So just a reminder if you're new to the format now first team that finishes fourth plays team that finishes fourth, and team that finishes second plays team that finishes third. So what does the plan look like over the next couple of weeks, miki, for training and for your game plan to get the win against Mallory?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we actually have a cup semi-final two weeks before and two weeks from now. So that is going to be first, we'll be preparing against the semi for the, for the cup, um, and then obviously, uh, thankfully to to the huddle and the cooperation with volleyball england, we have access to a lot of videos. We're gonna scout the team. Uh, obviously I know them quite well, so I've been coaching, uh, maori eagles in the past so and I've been playing as well with some of the players, so I'm pretty familiar with them and confident and what we can achieve and very confident in my guys and our guys, um, and what we can we can perform under pressure, um. So, yeah, we just keep practicing, keep improving our game in terms of how we're playing in the system, and we keep insisting on the little small details that we're implementing in each practice and, yeah, keep doing it every day.
Speaker 2:And talk to me just about the club then, as London Giants. Obviously, for those that might not know, you guys were new to the Super League this year, um, and you're finding yourselves in the top four in the country guaranteed. What, what's, what's the club like? What support have you had from the club? Because it's a big achievement to go from, you know, division One to Super League and to compete in the in the first season. So just tell us a little bit more about London Giants.
Speaker 1:I will tell you that that's the first year in the Super League, but last year they were first year in Division 1 as well, so they've been promoting every year one time of the way, and so obviously we have big support of the club in terms of it's a big membership base. Wondon Giants is probably one of the biggest clubs in the country. We operate in a couple of sport halls. They work with a lot of juniors, adult groups almost every evening and these people also come and watch and support us on the games, which which is great.
Speaker 1:Obviously, as a head coach, like for me, it's very important to have somebody to pick up the phone and ask for something, because in my previous clubs as a coach, I had no supporting system in a way that I need to sort stuff myself Other. This time I just okay, I'm actually a head coach, I'm actually only coaching and I have people to do everything else, which is great. And, yeah, that's all about the club. We are looking to hopefully the results right on the final four and we will be looking to compete in the Challenge Cup in the next season.
Speaker 2:Awesome, really aspirational, and I think for other clubs that might be listening, it just shows you that with the right sort of structure and club management, that, yeah, you know, like you said, mickey, you've gone from Division Two, division 1, super League. But again it's that sort of club management and the club system that sits behind the team, which you know, often people don't see all the hard work that happens away from the court, right.
Speaker 1:Well, people see people sweating on the court. It's a massive structure behind this and, yeah, we're proud to represent the club and we have goals to achieve the rest of the season. Hopefully, we'll keep building. Obviously, I have some experience with international games and so I'll bring my experience to the club and hopefully we just blend it nice together.
Speaker 2:Awesome, great stuff, seth. I just wanted to pick your brains a little bit, then, about new to volleyball in England, and you've played, obviously, in other countries and you've played in Australia, so talk us through your experience of the Super League and volleyball in England.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely, I'm very pleasantly surprised. Obviously, this is my first time playing in England in the Super League. I wasn't. Obviously this is my first time playing in England in the Super League, but I'm, you know, like the structure. It's very structured.
Speaker 3:I know that the it hasn't, volleyball in England hasn't been as pronounced as some other sports in the, like football and soccer. But look, the seasons are long enough to play some good volleyball. You have Final Fours and you have the cup, which I know in australia we only had, like the super league um, which typically would go on for two months and honestly, for volleyball I think this is a bit too short, uh. So I was, you know, coming into the rest of the season. I was pretty happy that I got to play nine games um and the, the depth and skill is also pretty good. I think with a lot of the university teams, you get a lot of youth um, but also on the back end of that you have other teams who historically have big names, like colonial um, who have a lot of experience as well in history.
Speaker 2:So I think the, you have the youth and you also have the experience side of things on both ends and I think that creates a really good environment for for a good Super League yeah, absolutely, and, as you mentioned, final four weekend I'm you know it's going to be in Crystal Palace, so not far for you guys to travel and you know so I'm expecting there to be a big London Giants crowd. Would I be right in thinking that? Absolutely, absolutely right and yeah. So yes, gentlemen, thank you ever so much for joining us today on the show and wish you all the best for your final four match and your cup semi-final. And yeah, thank you for your time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you for having us.
Speaker 2:Luke, have a good one. Guys, cheers, guys. So Coach Mickey Stoyev and Seth Veseta, four London Giants. They're talking about their performance and their development as a team and as a club. Really interesting to hear, and I would urge you all to head over to Instagram and their website to find out more about the London Giants club and team as they secure their place in the Final Four team. As they secure their place in the Final Four.
Speaker 2:Their opponent this weekend, then, was Newcastle Knights. They had two games in London this weekend and needed just the one point to secure their spot at the Final Four. They got this much-needed point in a huge game on Saturday where, after taking the first two sets, they fell short to IBB Polonia, losing 3-2. Although a loss for the Northern-based team, they did secure that point that they were looking for and therefore they've secured their place at Final Four. They've just got one league match to play versus Essex Blaze. The reverse sweep win for IBB Polonia was not enough to save them due to Richmond's win, meaning Polonia can now only finish with 18 points and therefore cannot finish any better than third from bottom, and this means they'll play their volleyball in division one next season. A reminder that the team's finishing in 8th, 9th and 10th automatically relegated this season and the team that finishes in 7th will go into a playoff match. So interesting to see IBB Polonia. They were last year's runners-up and they've won the title. They last won the title in the 2019-2020 season. They've won the title. They last won the title in the 2019-2020 season. They've won the title seven times. They've been the winners of the top flight, first winning the title back in 1985-86 season, so 40 years ago, and this year just a bit too late. You know they brought in some new signings. They definitely picked up and got some results towards the end of the season, but my opinion is they were a little bit too late to the party and just weren't able to get that team performance and get to the results and they put up a huge fight. But they will play their volleyball in Division One next season.
Speaker 2:Richmond Docklands then got a big win on Saturday versus Final Four Hopefuls University of Nottingham, winning 3-1. A huge second set. They lost the second set, 28-30. Samuel de Branson securing MVP for Richmond and looking likely that they will finish in that playoff position. In seventh they will come up against the team that finishes second in National League Division One. At the other end of the table, stockport gave themselves a chance of survival after they beat Essex Blaze 3-2 in an epic battle on the Saturday MVP going to Matt Birch for three aces, seven kills and one kill block. But they had to beat league leaders Essex Rebels on the Sunday to remain in the dynamic men's Super League and unfortunately, after putting up a good fight, they did lose 3-1. And this means they join IBB Polonia as the second team relegated and will be playing in Division 1 next season.
Speaker 2:University of Nottingham looked to bounce back after their 3-1 loss to Richmond and they took on Mallory Eagles in a showcase of volleyball. On Sunday at the ACS school in Cobham they won 3-2 in a five-set thriller. Lots of five-setters this weekend. Something to note, though a huge incident late in the second set, where the big opposite hitter for Mallory Eagles, nathan Fullerton. Actually I can't believe I'm saying this. He actually broke the floor. If you don't believe me, head over to Mallory Eagles' Instagram page, or I'm sure I think it's on the YouTube stream as well, where you can see the live footage of this happening Nathan Fullerton hitting a big backcourt ball, I believe landing and as he Just showing you the athleticism and the power in these guys. The venue staff did an absolutely superb job to reconfigure the courts, move things around and, after a delay, got the game back up and running. This win for University of Nottingham puts them in fifth above league winners last year, durham, who now sit in sixth. So a really exciting weekend in the men's dynamic Super League then. So just to recap, we have our final four secured now for the men's and it looks like Essex Rebels, mallory Eagles, london Giants and Newcastle Knights. Essex Rebels and Mallory they've been there before. They were there last year at the final four weekend. But Giants and Newcastle especially London Giants as we spoke to Mickey Stoyev and Seth tonight new boys to the league and securing third position at the end of the regular season. So two big semi-finals and then the winners of the semi-finals will face off each other in the Super League final.
Speaker 2:So moving over to the Maree Women's Super League, then Six games for you, big weekend, a huge weekend in fact. In the Women's Super League, the survival race will go down to the wire. We already know that University of Nottingham and Wessex are relegated, but the fight between Dark Star, derbyshire and Cambridge will continue as they both find themselves on 19 points. Durham came back from a set-down to take a big 3-0 win against University of Nottingham, libro Caroline Belmontes getting MVP. I love it when, I absolutely love it when a Libro gets MVP. Maybe I'm biased as an ex-Libro but it's so important to have a good defence specialist, a good passing unit, as Seth referred to earlier. With a good pass you can run your offence system and it doesn't happen that often in our sport. So a great performance by the Libro to secure MVP Win for Durham and Dark Star's loss to Mallory on Sunday mean that Durham are now in sixth. Dark Star will need to have a good win against University of Nottingham to secure that seventh place position and guarantee a playoff match against the second place team in Division One.
Speaker 2:Mallory Eagles had a clean sweep weekend, beating fellow London-based side and fellow Final Four team London Lionhearts 3-0. England setter Georgia McGovern gaining the Eagles MVP. With one ace, two kills and two blocks, mallory look to finish the regular season in the top place, which means they'll most likely play the third place team, which at the moment is Essex Rebels, and that will be a repeat of last year's bronze medal match where Mallory won that game last year. So a really, really good game of volleyball. I had the pleasure of commentating at last year's Final Four weekend and if you want to go back now and watch the repeat, you know watch Mallory versus Essex Rebels from last year. It was a really really good game and you can watch that now on Vondel England's YouTube channel.
Speaker 2:Team side out Polonia, they're narrowly defeated on Saturday by the Essex Rebels in a match that just kept swinging and it was a really close match, essex winning 3-2, 17-15 in the fifth, with what looks like some big decisions going Essex way. Some big decisions going Essex way, but again a really, really tight game of volleyball which just shows how competitive the Maori women's Super League is. Great to see amazing volleyball on display in front of a good crowd at the Essex venue. Interestingly, seidl choosing to use the whole squad leading twice but couldn't win 18 kills from the experienced tokarenko and her a much deserved mvp. And I've had the pleasure of watching tokarenko play and for me she's, if one of, if not the best outside attacker in the maori women's super league, a really, really good player to watch. Technically Solid, great offence, just a great player. So get yourself two Final Four weekend where you will be able to watch the best volleyball on display.
Speaker 2:Essex Rebels then played Wessex on the Sunday. Obviously, wessex won their first game last weekend, which was huge for them, but the Essex side were just too strong, coach Alex Chinnery using his whole squad to get a 3-0 win. And finally Cambridge ended their losing streak with a big 3-0 win over the University of Nottingham. Whilst it's not mathematically impossible, it does look like too much, too late. Their last game versus side out Polonia. Whether we even need to win convincingly, 3-0 or 3-1, or if they lose and lose 3-2, they need to hope that Dark Star then trip up in their final match. So still down to the wire about the final team to be relegated and which team will secure that seventh playoff spot. But in what is a very, very competitive women's division one, two teams. You know the second place team in women's division one will be a strong team, so we're in for a cracker with a playoff match.
Speaker 2:So what a weekend of volleyball. Upcoming matches this weekend. Then Six games left in the men's dynamic Super League we have got some midweek action. Super League we have got some mid-week action. So Tuesday night we see Essex Blaze take on Essex Rebels in a local derby the Rebels will need to secure two points from um or win two points to secure their uh. If they, if they win, they will secure top place. Essex Blaze still with three games left to play. They need at least six points and whatever Richmond get from their final game. So still lots to play for as we enter sort of like the final full weekend of volleyball in the men's dynamic super league.
Speaker 2:So midweek game Essex Blaze versus Essex Rebels and then on Saturday, the 15th, we've got Stockport, who sadly are relegated, taking on Mallory. Essex Blaze play again on Saturday versus Newcastle Knights. Durham take on Richmond. Like we say, richmond, whatever Richmond get, essex Blaze will need to get six points plus. Whatever Richmond secure, essex Blaze will need to get six points plus whatever Richmond secure from their game to try and stay alive in the dynamic men's super league. And then finally University of Nottingham versus Essex on the Saturday. On Sunday the 16th, essex Blaze play their third game in a week. So they're playing midweek, on Tuesday night, saturday and Sunday, and they take on the relegated IBB Polonia and then that wraps up the men's dynamic regular season In the Maori Women's Super League. Then four games left to play. On Saturday, the 15th, we'll see Cambridge in that must-win game versus side-out Polonia, university of Nottingham taking on Essex Rebels and London Lionhearts taking on Wessex. And then, a week later, the final game of the Women's Maori Super League sees University of Nottingham on the 22nd of March taking on Dark Star Derbyshire.
Speaker 2:It's just so exciting. I've honestly, like I said, I've been involved in volleyball in England for a long time and I cannot remember a season where it's so competitive, so much still to play for and just great for the neutral. So if you haven't already, head over to Volleyball England's website. Get your hands on some tickets to the final four weekend on the 5th and 6th of April at Crystal Palace. It is going to be an absolute showcase of volleyball, the best volleyball England has to offer, and it's just a spectacle If you haven't been to Crystal Palace. It is an iconic venue. We're going to have, you know, the best players on display and there are going to be some tight games. So two really jam packed days of volleyball matches for you, two really jam-packed days of volleyball matches for you, lots of really good volleyball for you, and I am absolutely buzzing and cannot wait to see how the season finishes.
Speaker 2:So hope you've enjoyed the show. It's great to have Mickey Stoyev and Seth from London Giants join us on the show. For me, whatever you're doing, keep playing, keep supporting, but, most importantly, keep that volleyball spirit alive. I'm Luke Wiltshire, the host of that Volleyball Guy. Thank you for listening. Thank you, that Volleyball Guy.
