The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

The Avengers needed five sets and more than two hours to get their title defense off to a winning start, edging the Technicians 3-2 in the opening night feature of the 2026-2027 New Providence Volleyball Association (NPVA) regular season on Sunday at D.W. Davis Gymnasium.

In a matchup between last season’s champions and regular season pennant winners, the Avengers prevailed 21-25, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22 and 15-12 to take the early bragging rights in what could develop into another closely contested men’s division.

Neither team was able to separate itself for long during the two hour, 19 minute battle.

The Technicians struck first, taking the opening set 25-21, but the Avengers answered immediately with a 25-20 win in the second set.

The Technicians again moved in front by winning the third set 25-18, leaving the defending champions facing the possibility of opening the season with a loss.

The Avengers responded when it mattered most, taking the fourth set 25-22 to force the deciding set.

The fifth set remained competitive, but the Avengers managed to make the plays needed down the stretch to secure the 15-12 victory and escape with the match.

The closeness of the contest was further reflected in the overall scoring. Both teams finished with 104 points, underscoring how little separated the two sides throughout the match.

The Avengers entered the season looking to build on their championship campaign from 2025, while the Technicians came into the matchup after finishing as last season’s regular season pennant winners.

The opening result does little to settle the question of which team will emerge from the men’s division this season, but it provided an early indication that the race could be wide open.

Earlier in the evening, the Fidelity/Central Gas Lady Panthers began their quest for another championship by sweeping the Johnson’s Lady Hornets.

The Panthers won 25-10, 25-7 and 25-18 in a match that lasted one hour and 11 minutes.

They controlled the scoring throughout the contest, accounting for 75 of the 110 total points played.

The victory was the first step in the Panthers’ bid for a seventh consecutive NPVA women’s championship.

The Panthers went undefeated last season on their way to the title and will enter the new campaign with the pressure of defending that record and maintaining their dominance in the division.

The Lady Hornets struggled to find an answer during the opening two sets, as the Panthers raced to a 2-0 lead before closing out the match in the third.

While the women’s division enters the season with the Panthers expected to once again be at the centre of the championship race, the men’s competition already has a different look following the opening night battle between the Avengers and Technicians.

Regular season action continues Wednesday at D.W. Davis Gymnasium.

The Lady Warhawks will face the Aces at 7:30 p.m. in the opening game, while the defending men’s champion Warhawks will meet the Baller Boys in the featured matchup.

NPVA games are scheduled for Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at D.W. Davis Gymnasium throughout the regular season.