Team Northumbria women, nicknamed "The Invincibles" and voted by BUCS as the best British Universities sports team, had a major scare yesterday in their first match of the new Super 8 season in front of a good crowd at Sports Central. London-based Polonia surprised last season's unbeaten BUCS champions and Volleyball England treble winners by taking the first two sets but they were unable to maintain their initiative as the home side began to increase their intensity and find some form in the third set. Northumbria's superior fitness paid off as the match progressed and, in the end, they ran out comfortable winners (19-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-14, 15-8) but coach Dave Goodchild must have been concerned about lack of cohension in the early stages.There were no such problems for the men, however, who beat Polonia comfortably in straight sets (25-21, 25-21, 25-14). The vagaries of national league fixture planning have Northumbria men and women in London Docklands today to play London Lynx and Swiss Cottage respectively.