Men's Volleyball CEV European Championship 2017

[VolleyRuller96 264]

Poland crash out of EuroVolley as Slovenia sweep hosts to set up quarter-final with Russia

 

Kraków, Poland, August 30, 2017. LOTTO EUROVOLLEY POLAND 2017 hosts Poland crashed out at the play-off stage after being beaten in straight sets by Slovenia (25-21, 25-21, 25-19). The result means that Slobodan Kovač’s side will face Russia in their quarter-final at 17:30 on Thursday evening.

Two years ago Slovenia beat Poland in the EuroVolley quarter-finals and here in Krakow it was once again they who ended the Polish dreams of a medal, to the huge disappointment of a massive crowd inside TAURON Arena.

The start of the match was very tight but Bartosz Kurek’s serves helped Poland secure a 9-6 lead. Polish captain Michał Kubiak scored a couple of points to make it 11-8. Mitja Gasparini tied it up at 13-all and after getting their block in the right place, Slovenia led 15-14. They held on to the slight margin until Łukasz Kaczmarek scored to make it 21-20 in Poland’s favour. It was all the Poles could do in the period and after losing five consecutive points, Gasparini ended it at 25-21.

Slovenia were clearly satisfied after winning their first close set in three matches and kept it going in the second, working well with their block and staying ahead by two points. They even managed to increase the lead to 12-9 with a triple block on Kubiak. There came a moment when the Polish block (mostly Bartłomiej Lemański and Kurek) pushed hard so the Poles got back to 15-15. Then the Slovenian captain Tine Urnaut showed some skills and his team bounced back to lead 20-16. It was simply too much of a deficit to overcome for Poland, who lost 25-21 after another Urnaut spike.

In the final set the Slovenians started with more concentration, but they trailed 7-5 following a brilliant ace from Łukasz Kaczmarek. Mateusz Bieniek’s outlet Slovenia tie the score up at 8-all and from then onwards they stayed in touch with Poland, preventing them from building up a significant lead. Slovenia got themselves ahead at 13-11 after Jan Kozamernik’s spike and Alen Pajenk’s ace. The point series lasted even longer and during the second technical time-out the scoreboard showed a 16-11 lead in Slovenia’s favour. The end loomed for Poland and a duo of Slovenian aces made it 21-14. The dream quickly became a reality after Pajenk finished the set at 25-19.

Alen Šket, Slovenia: “Poland are the world champions and the host team, so they played with big pressure. It was a straight-sets victory, but it’s just a result on paper. We had to fight very hard for every point. We could enjoy our game and have more fun on court showing how we can play.” 

Mitja Gasparini, Slovenia: “I think that we played very well and we pushed them really hard. They were fighting back really good and they were also pushing, but we broke them back. They didn’t have any more solutions, and the third set showed it perfectly. It doesn’t matter that it was 3-0, because it was not so easy to win, it was obviously a tough game and we are really tired now, feeling like you would have played a tie-break. We put everything into this game, because it’s an elimination match and you have to put everything in at this level. If you don’t do it, you won’t win.”

Tine Urnaut, Slovenia captain: “We were more focussed than in previous games and it was most important. We started to play well and when we had our chances we used them in the first set and also in the second. We knew that if we use at least a half of chances which we have, it will be possible to win this match and this is how it was. The quarter-final against Russia will be a totally different match than the one in the in group phase, because the pressure was different, now it decides if you are out or in. We know that we can play well, we have to rest as much as we can and be totally focussed.”

Slobodan Kovac, Slovenia coach: “For the first time during this tournament we showed our character. With Russia and Bulgaria in hot moments we didn’t play well, because in my opinion we were afraid of something. Afraid of some mistakes and today we finally everyone played showing character. We didn’t give Poland a chance to win. It’s extremely hard to defeat Poland on home soil, but we did it and I think that this is our great success. We were better in every element. In block, percentage of spike and even six aces. Poland have amazing fans who support them in every situation. We played fantasticly and achieved a great result. From one side I feel sorry for Poland, because it’s a pity for sport, because volleyball is a huge sport in Poland and everyone can see it. But from other side I am even more proud of my team. Tomorrow’s match it’s another game, for me it’s important to repeat a way they entered a court today, with this confidence and character, when this will happen also the result will come. No matter if you are doing something good or bad you have to do it with character. You have to try in every situation, I used to say if you don’t try, the result won’t come. Now we have positive energy, but we must immediately forget about tonight’s result to be ready to enter a court and fight tomorrow.”

Mateusz Bieniek, Poland: “Each one of us could give something more to the team. Slovenia played a good game today – they showed their best side. I am very sad and I have no idea what caused this defeat, since the atmosphere among us has been great. It is hard to say anything positive at this stage.” 

Michał Kubiak, Poland captain: “We didn’t play well and the Slovenians were much better. I want to congratulate them. We generally played well in this tournament, no matter whom we faced – whether it was Estonia or Finland. I suppose that if it had been some other team, we would have won. Today we lacked this fire in our eyes, which has been propelling us during the group phase. Even when our serve was causing difficulties, Slovenia were able to receive perfectly and we had no solution at all for their serves.”

Ferdinando de Giorgi, Poland coach: “It was a hard day for Poland. We had a big desire to win and play tomorrow against Russia. Slovenia played very well, we were not be able to change anything in this match. Our attitude especially in the attack was not good. There was a big difference in this element between us and Slovenia. From our team's side we lost against Serbia, but the next two games we played pretty good and built confidence. Today me and my players wanted to win, but we could not change the situation on the court. That was the biggest problem for us. I think there was not pressure, but our technical skills failed. I need to say thank you to my players and my staff. We worked hard during this season. Some teams find the chemistry inside the group, some needs more time to find the balance. We have to work for the future of volleyball and improve the game of the young players.”

 

 

[VolleyRuller96 264]

Sensational Czechs dethrone reigning European champs!

Katowice, Poland, August 30, 2017.  The Czech Republic dropped the biggest sensation of LOTTO EUROVOLLEY POLAND 2017 so far by knocking out the reigning 2015 European champions from further defending their title. The Czechs played a brilliant game to pull off a 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20) upset against France and set up a quarterfinal re-match with Germany on Thursday, at 17:30 local time.

The schedule for the Quarter-Finals has been confirmed as:

   - Katowice 17:30 GER vs CZE / 20:30 BEL vs ITA
   - Krakow: 17:30 RUS vs SLO / 20:30 SRB vs BUL

The two youngest players on the Czech starting line-up were on fire in the first set. With Donovan Dzavoronok acing twice and Michal Finger at 100% in attack, they scored six points each during the set to keep their team in control. Although France managed to wipe out a four-point Czech lead to catch up at 21-21, their opponent went for a brilliant finish with four in a row to close the set at 25-21.

The French raised the level of their blocking in the second set taking some of the edge off of the Czech offence. Still, it was an even battle all through a 20-20 tie, but the conclusive moments of the set were all about the French squad, levelling the match with a 25-21 win.



Stephen Boyer was hammering out one point after another in the third set, but his 10-point contribution did not suffice for France to win it. The Czechs were quick to cancel the three-point deficit they had shortly after the first technical time-out and take control. With Finger doing his magic in attack, they gained control and allowed the French to take a short-lasting lead on only two more occasions. In the final moments of the set, the Czech team was unstoppable until Finger put the ball on the floor to fix another 25-21 in the end.

At 3-2 was the last time France were up on the scoreboard during the fourth set. Sensing the smell of success, the inspired Czechs throve on the many mistakes the French started to make to take the lead and gradually build it up to a 25-20 win. The great teamwork it took to win this set was best expressed by the numbers as the Czech Republic’s five players, other than the setter and the libero, scored exactly three points each to equally contribute to achieving their common goal.

Stephen Boyer was the top scorer of the match with 20 points for France. Michal Finger scored 19 times to top the charts on the winning side, supported by Donovan Dzavoronok with another 15.



Jénia Grebennikov, player of France: "We played very badly. We missed lots of chances to score a point. We missed serves and attacks and we were really awful at reception. We did not play like a team. Instead we played like individuals. That is why it was difficult for us to win this game. The Czech Republic did not play very well, but we were even worse. Unlike us, they played like a team.”

Laurent Tillie, coach of France: "We played very unstable in all elements. It was so hard to see my team playing like that. The strength of this team is always the collective game. I did not see it in this game. It is a big pain for the whole team and all our fans."

Michal Finger, player of Czech Republic: "Plan for tomorrow: do our best and repeat this score. It was a big surprise for us and I guess nobody expected it. Today we played really well and I got hope that we can repeat it tomorrow. Today we were very focused, not like before when we played with Germany. I hope we will continue at this level."

Michal Nekola, coach of Czech Republic: "We played well in our last pool match against Italy and we showed an even better level against France. Of course, we felt respect for the current World League champions, but thought of it as a challenge to play a great team, rather than a difficult task."


 

 

[mihamiha 124]

good luck guys against russia.

[Federer91 2,140]

Why is our match scheduled for tonight... I freed my afternoon for nothing now, why can't they keep the announced schedule ffs.  Now it will clash will everything else tonight and i'll have to watch 5 monitors..

[VolleyRuller96 264]

10 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

Why is our match scheduled for tonight... I freed my afternoon for nothing now, why can't they keep the announced schedule ffs.  Now it will clash will everything else tonight and i'll have to watch 5 monitors..

Well, as far as I remember the playoffs and quarterfinals were always played in a single day since the start of this competition system 

[VolleyRuller96 264]

Slovenia played really well against Russia last time, so they aren't without any chances today 

[VolleyRuller96 264]

So many empty seats the whole tournament is low attended, to think some people criticicized Bulgaria and Italy 2 years ago... 

[EselTheDonkey 674]

Go, Germany.

[Gianlu33 3,572]

C'mon Slovenia! I hope to see a great match..

[VolleyRuller96 264]

Czech Republic really plays good against Germany so far Sadly Slovenia so far is pretty weak against Russia , although they seem to slowly gain composure. 

 

Also, there is pretty good chance I think to see a quarterfinal between :cze/Ger &