Jets downed as Dundee ease relegation worries

Dundee’s men stepped off the bottom rung of the relegation ladder with a scruffy 3/0 win over Jets last Saturday. Needing to avoid defeat and automatic relegation, Dundee started well and opened up an 11/6 lead with Lewis Crockart and Mike Coward both scoring points and a hesitant Jets team giving them away! Javier Suquia and Crockart again pushed the score to 22/17. Two service errors and a long hit out the side of the court gave Dundee the set 25/19.

The home side opened up a 9/3 lead in the second set as Jets had little answer to Dundee’s net play. There was a brief spell of resilience from the Jets side but Tony Gadzhev and Bartosz Zywert weighed in with big scores and Dundee took the set comfortably 25/16.

Crockart, Zywert and Gadzhev were the points scorers in the third set as Dundee again controlled the net and led 14/9. As the finish line came into view, concentration wavered and Jets forced the home side into a series of unforced errors. There were 5 mistakes, 2 score blocks and 2 counter-attack points as Jets stole the lead at 18/14. Dundee’s response was telling, as they put together a run of 8 points to clinch victory 25/21. This win means a play-off game for Dundee against the second placed team in League One later this month and Jets are relegated.

The attention switches to Edinburgh this weekend with Scottish Cup finals in 6 different events. Dundee Ladies open the proceedings tomorrow at 10.00 when they take on Premier League side Glasgow International in the Plate Final. Dundee’s Hannah Lawrie will be in opposition to her sister Emma, who is the GI main outside hitter, but not in direct opposition at the net. A tough game is forecast with previous meetings ending close with wins by each side. Dundee will be at full strength except for Natalia Stopowska, who has a long-term injury with a torn Achilles.