Valletta Mapei were declared Males’ League champions after managing to open a seven point lead at the top of the standings with only two matches to go. In the Ladies’ 1st Division Swieqi Phoenix beat Birkirkara to go just one point away from top team Sliema Wanderers.
Valletta Mapei took some time to settle themselves in their match against Mgarr, with the former playing without a number of regular players. Mgarr started the first set with Clayton Portelli and Cedric Bondin being constantly fed attacking balls by setter Franco Debono, and with Valletta finding it difficult to stop them, Mgarr took the first set 25-21. Predrag Schindler also had a good match, constantly putting pressure on the Valletta defence with his serves. However, from the second set onwards, Valletta’s main attackers, Robert Balzan and Reuben Vella, starting playing better and combined with Jonathan Chetcuti’s blocks from the middle, turned the match around to a 3-1 win.
In the other match, Aloysians obtained their first win of the season again Fleur de Lys, beating them 3-1 in the process. Due to various reasons, the Blues also had a number of regular players missing, with Aloysians immediately taking advantage of this situation, winning the first two sets 25-16 and 25-19. Fleur de Lys made a comeback in the third set; however it was soon over as Aloysians, with Gianmarco Rabuazzo and Edmond Vassallo having a good match, soon took the fourth set 25-10.
Swieqi Phoenix continued putting the pressure on table leaders Sliema Wanderers when they beat Birkirkara 3-0 in a match that they dominated from the start. There were no doubts where the three points were going, with Swieqi Phoenix being better than their opponents in every aspect of the game. Swieqi are now just one point away from Sliema, and with another direct encounter between the two teams still to be played, everything is still possible at the top of this division.