Ending a tough month with a big WIN...

So..

This Sunday we were to finish off a very tough start to 2011 hosting Engelholm at home in Linde Arena.

We expected them to come wanting a rematch and we have been spending the week preparing on how to play that game best way possible.
For us it was a chance to get a little "play-off mentality" into the season before we actually get to them... Playing a top team 2 times in 1 week and having to win them both.. We chose an aggressive aproach and wanting to come out firing at will.. We did just that and killed off the will in the Engelholm players from the beginning to the end.

After a close start to the 1st set we got a better hold of our serves and we took the lead from the middle of the set and kept it to the end.

2nd set and the picture was reversed.. We started out tight but Engelholm took a big lead in the middle where we struggled in passing. We made a few subs. to try to turn it back around and we managed to go from 11-18 to 19-18 and suddently we had the upperhand. We took the set 25-21 and that seemed to take the last of Engelholms will to fight.

3rd set started with and Engelholm lead, but after first time out at 6-8 we rallied to a big lead and kept it with high pressure in serve and transition, and effective side out to take the set 25-21 and the match 3-0.

The crowds went crazy after what they had just seen and not many had expected us to send Engelholm packing that fast. We made a plan before the match and we stuck to it throughout the match, and that made the big difference comparing to earlier matches against them. Engelholm has a very consistant level and never stops putting pressure, but with a mindset of "fighting fire with fire" we managed to get them out of their comfort zone and that gave us the edge.

With the win we are back in the race for 2nd place and we have a big task ahead of us trying to win the remaining 4 matches and thereby put pressure on Katrineholm for 2nd place.

You are never as good as you think after a big win and you are never as bad as you think after a loss... With that knowledge we will continue working hard trying to develope our game inch by inch making us as strong as possible for play off time..

Michael

"Rise and Rise again until Lambs become Lions..."