A DEPLETED Wessex side bounced back to form with an emphatic 3-0 win over Portsmouth at Redlands.

The hosts were forced into a major reshuffle due to player unavailability, injury and illness, and started the first set playing an unfamiliar two setter system.

Second setter Sophia Speigal rose to the occasion brilliantly, providing her attackers with a string of accurate sets which were put away with regularity as Wessex stormed into a strong 20-11 lead. Wessex's other setter, Veronica Orfanidou, closed out the set, with one well-placed volley to the deep back court completely flat footing the Portsmouth defence.

Leanne Eddie and Jess Smith both hitting powerful smashes to score points early in the second set, but Portsmouth stalwart Jayne Smith replied in kind as the Hampshire-based team fought their way back to level at 10-10.

A dubious call from the referee rocked Wessex, but the introduction of Debbie Spokes reconfirmed the hosts' superiority. They dominated at the net to take a 20-13 lead and went on to close out the set.

Total domination followed in the third set, with Wessex taking a 17-2 lead after ten minutes of play. Paula Snow, Sarah Palmer and Jess Smith scoring valuable points with accurate hitting.

Portsmouth rallied and some missed serves from Wessex allowed the visitors to close the deficit to 20-9.

The remaining points were shared with Eddie scoring well with a couple of well executed jump serves. Palmer finally secured the match by smashing another well placed set from Orfanidou down the line.

Other results at the weekend went Wessex's way with third place City of Wolverhampton beating Polonia in London. This result opens the league up, and Wessex, with a game in hand, are right up in contention for honours.

SCORE: 1-0 (25-15), 2-0 (25-15), 3-0 (25-16) Wessex: Henri Creasy, Leanne Eddie, Veronica Orfanidou, Sarah Palmer, Hannah Ruddick, Jess Smith, Paula Snow, Sophia Speigal, Debbie Spokes