Women's Volleyball CEV European League 2018

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Group Stage, LEG 1 out of 6

Day 2 out of 2  - 19 may 2018 - schedule

 

all times are CEST

 

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

GROUP B

 

18:30  Hungary -  France

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE GOLDEN LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-golden-european-league-women

 

 

 

SILVER LEAGUE

 

GROUP A

 

19:00  Kosovo -  Estonia

 

GROUP B

 

17:00  Georgia -  Albania

 

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE SILVER LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-silver-european-league-frauen

 

 

 

 

 

 

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LEG1 , DAY 2

 

GROUP B  Hungary 3-0  France (25-16 / 25-19 / 25-20)

 

GROUP A  Kosovo 0-3  Estonia (9-12 / 12-17 / 17-25)

GROUP B  Georgia 0-3  Albania (16-25 / 18-25 / 22-25)

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LEG 1 SUMMARY - GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 19, 2018. Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Azerbaijan and Czech Republic started their journey in the CEV Volleyball Golden European League with victories over Slovakia, Portugal, Finland, Ukraine and Spain respectively. Belarus and Slovakia were the first teams to serve their fans a five-setter, while Bulgaria and Croatia claimed straight-set victories on home courts. Azerbaijan were fortunate to experience the biggest crowd of supporters among the winners today, as they defeated Ukraine in four sets, but not without facing a challenge from their opponent. The support of the local fans was not enough for Spain, who faced a loss against Czech Republic in three sets. 

Pool A

Bulgaria vs. Portugal 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-19)

• Bulgaria started their campaign in the first-ever edition of the Volleyball Golden European League with a comfortable 3-0 win against Portugal. 
• The hosts controlled the game from the very first point and claimed their first victory in Pool A in just over an hour.
• Gergana Dimitrova finished as top scorer for the winners with 14 points.
• The captain of the team Hristina Ruseva added 12 points to the Bulgarian count.
• For Portugal Maria Maio contributed 7 points. 
• The match in Hristo Botev hall was the official debut for the new head coach of the Bulgarian team Ivan Petkov.
• In the minutes before the first whistle Lora Kitipova and Silvana Chausheva, who celebrated their birthday today, were surprised with a beautiful bunch of flowers from the rest of the team.

Ivan Petkov, coach of Bulgaria: “It’s normal to be satisfied after a 3-0 victory. I’m satisfied and happy with the way we played. The ideas which we try to involve in our game I think we showed them today. I expect a difficult match against Ukraine next week. They are a good team and it will be tough for sure, so we must prepare really, really well.” 

Hristina Ruseva, captain of Bulgaria: “I’m really satisfied and really proud because this year we have a lot of young players. All of the girls did a great job today! We were concentrated from the first point and achieved our goal – to defeat Portugal in straight sets.”

Manuel Almeida, coach of Portugal: “It was a very tough match for us. I’m not satisfied with our performance in the opening set. It was a moment of adaptation for our girls and we didn’t show our abilities and power. After this setback, we started to play a little bit better in the next two sets. I’m pleased with our performance in these two parts. I think Bulgaria are the favourite in this Pool but now we have another difficult match against a strong opponent – Azerbaijan. I expect a tough match and hope my team will play better than today.”

Azerbaijan vs. Ukraine 3-1 (16-25, 25-19, 25-23, 28-26)

• Azerbaijan did not find their optimal game in the first set. The visitors showed high speed and strong reception. Anna Stepaniuk and Anastasiia Kraiduba played very effectively in attack. As a result, Ukraine won the first set 25-16.
• In the second set, the home team celebrated a fan-inspired takeover. Katerina Zhidkova and Yelyzaveta Samadova used their chances in attack. The reception was more solid and Azerbaijan won the set 25-19.
• The third set started with a Ukrainian 4-0 lead, but Azerbaijan scored seven points in a row. The visitors made some mistakes in reception and Azerbaijan took the set 25-23.
• In the fourth set, Ukraine changed their game and showed massive blocking and good performance in attack. Azerbaijan’s coach Faig Garayev gave a chance to Krystsina Yagubova and Marharyta Azizova and Azerbaijan won the set 28-26 and the match 3-1.
• Ukraine’s Anastasiia Kraiduba was the game’s best scorer with 26 points.

Faig Garayev, coach of Azerbaijan: “I congratulate my team! The game against Ukraine was a big challenge. After the training camp in Slovenia, we played our first official game of the season. The girls showed the will to win and pleased the home fans. Now we will start preparing for the next match.”

Yelyzaveta Samadova, player of Azerbaijan: “Great emotions! A very difficult game and an excellent win! The fourth set was very close. We lost seven points, but returned to the game. I know we will play better in the next matches. We want to win our pool.”

Gariy Yegiazarov, coach of Ukraine: “My team started the game very well, but finally the girls did not have faith in themselves. We hope to show good results in our next games.”

Anna Stepaniuk, player of Ukraine: “We lost the first game, but everything is just starting now. We played well in some moments, but Azerbaijan were better. We hope to take our revenge at home.”

Pool B

Croatia vs. Finland 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-19)

• After a tough start, Croatia took the lead and won the first set 25-21.
• The crucial moment of the match happened in the second set. It was a very dynamic set and in the conclusive moments Croatia turned a 21-23 deficit into a 26-24 win to double their lead.
• In the third set, Finland could not find the strength to come back, which made it easier for Croatia to win in straight sets and tally their first three points after 25-19.
• Samanta Fabris scored 21 times for Croatia to top the charts of the match.

Samanta Fabris, player of Croatia: “For us it was very important to win the first game, especially in front of our fans. The first set wasn't good for us as we had problems in defence, but later it got better and we showed what we can do.”

Tapio Kangasniemi, coach of Finland: “We were quite good in some moments of the game, but there's a lots of things we have to fix. The first set was good, but Croatia were better and deserved to win.”

 

Pool C

Slovakia vs. Belarus 2-3 (24-26, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 8-15)

• This was the fifteenth time Slovakia and Belarus faced each other. Of the previous 14 matches Slovakia won 10, while Belarus emerged victorious on four occasions.
• The last time Slovakia and Belarus locked horns was during the 2016 European League, playing in Albania and Poland. Slovakia won on both occasions. 
• Marco Fenoglio made his debut on Slovakia’s bench as team coach.
• Karin Sunderlikova was the best scorer in the match, with 22 points for Slovakia. Anzhelika Barysevich impressed the crowd with six blocks, becoming the best scorer for Belarus with 19 points overall. 

 

Marco Fenoglio, coach of Slovakia: “I am disappointed, because I think we could have won this match. We made some mistakes in the fifth set and they played better than we did. Despite the loss, I am satisfied with the attitude, my team fought and this is a good omen for the future.” 

Karin Šunderlíková, opposite of Slovakia: “It is a pity that we lost such close first and third sets. We started slowly, but we found our rhythm and we came back to the match. I think that we can win on Wednesday in Minsk, because we can play at the same level as Belarus.” 

Piotr Khilko, head coach of Belarus: “This was a very tough match. Our setter is playing for the first time with the national team, while Slovakia was playing very well and had great support from the fans, so as I said, it was a very difficult match with a happy end for us. Before the fifth set I told my girls to forget everything and just focus on each move, each rally.” 

Tatsiana Markevich, captain of Belarus: “We had an exhausting journey to Slovakia, as we did not sleep much, but I am happy that we finally won. With our young setter we need to work more to find the right chemistry on the court.” 

Spain vs. Czech Republic 0-3 (23-25, 21-25, 12-25)

• Spain controlled the first set but they couldn't capitalise. The Czech rallied and reacted, reducing the gap before finally winning the first set.
• 150 young players were in attendance for “Evento Pequevoley”, a side activity to promote Volleyball for the youngest fans.
• Czech blocking was key, paving their way to victory in the second set.
• Spain’s performance decreased dramatically, resulting in a weak third set. The Czech Republic kept solid and remained a strong team.
• Andrea Kossanyiova was the top scorer of the match with 15 points. Katerina Holaskova from the bench made five blocks.

Marie Toufarova, player of Czech Republic: “The first match of the Golden European League, it was not an easy game. We are a very young team, we were a little bit nervous in the beginning of the match. As the score got closer, we were aggressive and confident. The rest of the match we were focused on our goal.”

 

Hungary vs. France 3-0 (25-16, 26-19, 25-20)

•    First competitive volleyball match at the new sports hall of the National University of Public Service in Budapest
•    Last time these teams met the score was 3-2 for Hungary (semi-final of the 2017 World Grand Prix, Group 3) – that was Hungary’s last win and France’s last match 
•    Renata Sandor (outside-spiker, Allianz MTV Stuttgart) returned to the Hungarian national team after the 2015 European Championship
•    Previous meetings between Hungary and France: 52 matches, 27 Hungarian wins, 25 French wins
•    The captain and setter of the Hungarian team got injured during the warm up, so Zsuzsanna Tálas had to leave the court. 
•    Despite this injury the team started strong and won the first two sets pretty easily
•    France played a good game in the middle of the third set but the team in green won the big points and with them the game.
•    Best player of the game was Greta Szakmary (Hungary), while the top scorer was Reka Szedmak (14 points).

Quotes:

“It is a great feeling to start the competition with a convincing win with this young team. We felt each other during the game and we hope that we can show our skills at our next match against the unbeaten Croatia and also at the Final Four."
Greta SZAKMARY, player of team HUNGARY

“It was hard to play against Hungary in front of this great crowd. We could win the second set but we are not very sad about the lost because we know that we are a young team and we have to progress step by step.”
Andre FELIX, Coach of team FRANCE

María Segura, player of Spain: “I think we really played two very good sets. We had too many mistakes on the serve. Our level went down.”

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LEG 1 SUMMARY - SILVER LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 19, 2018. The CEV Volleyball Silver European League started on Saturday with just one match in each pool. Austria dominated the majority of their match against Israel in Pool A, while Sweden needed three sets to defeat Switzerland at home in Örkelljunga. 

 

Pool A

Sweden vs. Switzerland 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-17)

• 18-year-old superstar Isabelle Haak of Sweden finished as the top scorer of the game with 23 points.
• This was the Swedish women's second victory in the European League. The first one came last year against Spain.
• Laura Kuenzler of Switzerland scored 16 points for the visitors and was named as the team's MVP of the day after the game.
• The young and talented Swedish side shone strong in their first CEV Volleyball Silver European League match of the year as they downed the visitors Switzerland 3-0 on home soil in Örkelljunga. 
• The victory showed the progression of the Swedish team, who was thrashed not once but twice when they clashed with the same opponents a little less than a year ago.

Anna Haak, player of Sweden: “We had a really good connection and fought as a team. It felt like we all used our strengths and got them together in a good way. It was really fun to play and I think that showed out there today. We got energy out of everyone and we fed off each other.”

Laura Kuenzler, player of Switzerland: ”It was a difficult match for us. We have a really young team and had only a few days of practice together coming in to this game. It was for sure not our best game, but not the worst either. We have to keep practising to get better."

 

Pool B 

Austria vs. Israel 3-1 (25-21, 25-12, 20-25, 25-15)

• On Saturday Austria's women national team started their campaign in the 2018 CEV Volleyball Silver European League at Sportpark Klagenfurt with an important win. The hosts claimed a 3-1 (25-21, 25-12, 20-25, 25-15) victory against Israel.
• While spending 102 minutes on court, the team coached by Svetlana Ilic controlled the game impressively in the first two sets and second half of the last set, thus securing their first win.
• Srna Markovic and Monika Chrtianska were the most prolific players for Austria's side with 19 and 18 points. Marmen Vitalia finished the match with 16 points for Israel, while Polina Malik scored 14 points.

Srna Markovic, top scorer of Austria: "We were the better team, although we dropped our level in the third set. Nevertheless we showed a good performance."

Sophie Wallner, libero of Austria: "We knew that if we stayed focused, we would have a chance to win. Apart from set three we showed a solid performance. Israel showed a good defence."

Giuseppe Cuccarini, coach of Israel: "My players started very nervously in the first and the second set. Slowly they started to bounce back, but we made a lot of individual mistakes. We probably expected something more today, but I think it was a good experience for my players."

Rebecca Kopilovitch, player of Israel: "A lot of our girls were really nervous. But this match was a good experience for us. Today it is what it is, we are going to learn and do it better next time."

 

Georgia vs. Albania 0-3 (16-25, 18-25, 22-25)

•    Albania and Georgia were facing each other for the first time.
•    19 serves for Albanian Opposite Hitter Erblira Bici across the three sets and 26 points in total.
•    Ann Kalandadze, one of Georgia's star players made a successful return from an ankle injury.
•    Prior to the match there was the final game of the National championship of Georgia (for girls born in 2004 and 2005) and all participating teams from regions of Georgia stayed on to cheer on the National Team.

Quotes:

Ann Kalandadze, Outside Spiker for Georgia: “It was a little bit difficult for us to concentrate and show our real game today. We had many injuries in the team and rehabilitation took really a long time and that was one of the reasons we weren’t playing together as a team today. But I hope we will do better in our next matches.”

Altin Martiri, Coach for Albania: “I am very excited and happy with this game and it is a good start for us. We’re looking forward to the next games and we hope to finish them as we did it today.”

Pool A

Kosovo vs. Estonia

•   More to follow...

 

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GROUP STANDINGS after leg 1 out of 6

(next leg: 23 may.)

 

 

Tie-Break Criteria:

1.Matches Won/Lost Ratio (MW/ML)
2. Points Achieved (3 PTS = 3:0 or 3:1 win ; 2 PTS = 3:2 win ; 1PTS = 2:3 defeat ; 0PTS = 0:3 or 1:3 defeat)
3. Set Ratio.

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE

System

1.  is automatically pre-qualified to FINAL 4 as host
2. WINNERS of each group qualify to final four

3. If    is amongst the Group Winners  the best 2nd-ranked team qualifies
4. The WINNER AND RUNNER UP OF FINAL 4 qualifies to the FIVB Challenger Cup

5. The WEAKEST TEAM OVERALL will be relegated

 

 

 

GROUP A

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	Sets
1		3	1	0	3:0
2.		3	1	0	3:1
3.		0	0	1	1:3
4.		0	0	1	0:3

 

 

GROUP B
 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		3	1	0	3:0
2.		3	1	0	3:0
3.		0	0	1	0:3
4.		0	0	1	0:3

 

 

GROUP C

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		3	1	0	3:0
2.		2	1	0	3:2
3.		1	0	1	2:3
4.		0	0	0	0:3

SILVER LEAGUE

System

1.   is automatically pre-qualified to Final 4 as host

2. The GROUP WINNERS qualify to Final 4.
3. The BEST 2-ND PLACED TEAM also qualifies.

4. The FINAL 4 WINNER will qualify to the 2019 GOLDEN LEAGUE.

 

GROUP A

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1		3	1	0	3:0
2.		3	1	0	3:0
3.		0	0	1	0:3
4.		0	0	1	0:3

 

 

GROUP B

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		3	1	0	3:0
2.		3	1	0	3:1
3.		0	0	0	1:3
4.		0	0	0	0:3

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Group Stage, LEG 2 out of 6

Day 1 out of 1  - 23 may 2018 - schedule

 

all times are CEST

 

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

GROUP A

 

18:00  Azerbeijan -  Portugal
18:30  Bulgaria -  Ukraine 

 

GROUP B

18:30  Hungary -  Croatia
18:30  Finland -  France

 

GROUP C 

 

16:00  Belarus -  Slovakia
17:00  Czech Republic -  Spain

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE GOLDEN LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-golden-european-league-women

 

 

 

SILVER LEAGUE

 

GROUP A

 

17:00  Estonia -  Switzerland
20:00  Kosovo -  Sweden

 

GROUP B

19:00  Albania -  Austria 
19:00  Israel -  Georgia

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE SILVER LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-silver-european-league-frauen

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LEG 2 , DAY 1

 

GROUP A  Azerbeijan 3-1  Portugal (24-26 / 25-17 / 25-14 / 25-17)
GROUP A Bulgaria 3-1  Ukraine (32-34 / 25-10 / 25-22 / 25-21)

GROUP B  Finland 3-0  France (25-18 / 25-13 / 25-21)
GROUP B  Hungary 3-1  Croatia (26-24 / 25-23 / 23-25 / 25-12)

GROUP C Belarus 3-0  Slovakia (25-23 / 25-19 / 25-20)
GROUP C  Czech Republic 3-0  Spain (25-20 / 25-16 / 25-21)

 

GROUP A  Estonia 3-2  Switzerland (21-25 / 25-17 / 24-26 / 25-18 / 15-12)

GROUP A  Kosovo 0-3  Sweden (21-25 / 23-25 / 10-25)

 

GROUP B  Israel 3-1  Georgia (25-21 / 23-25 / 25-20 / 25-16)
GROUP B Albania 0-3  Austria (18-25 / 17-25 / 21-25)

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LEG 2 SUMMARY - GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 23, 2018. The leading positions became apparent as Leg 2 in the CEV Volleyball Golden European League - Women on Wednesday came to an end. Bulgaria and Azerbaijan go head to head in Pool A with two victories and six points each. Bulgaria remain ahead after losing only one set in their two matches this far. In Pool B only Hungary stay unbeaten after their victory over Croatia in Budapest. Czech Republic and Belarus keep close in Pool C after their straight-set victories, with the first staying one point ahead since Belarus 'only' claimed two points this past weekend in Slovakia. 

 

POOL A

Azerbaijan vs. Portugal 3-1 (24-26, 25-17, 25-14, 25-17)

Azerbaijan congratulated themselves with a 3-1 victory in their game vs. Portugal and are on the winning path in the #EuroLeagueW. Although they started worse than their opponents losing the first set, the Azeris got back on their feet and grabbed the next three sets. 

•    The unfolding of the match was a kind of “déjà-vu” from the first leg for Team Azerbaijan as they lost their first set in the match vs. Ukraine as well but then seized a 3-1 win. 
•    The reason for losing the first part was the weak play of Azerbaijan in reception, where they made too many mistakes. The visitors surprised the home team in the first set. There was a lack of concentration in the last moments, when the Azeri girls were leading at 24-22; Portugal scored two times and eventually emerged victorious. 
•    Things changed in the three following sets, when the home side was more stable in the different components of the game and won with a comfortable point-difference.

Famil Aghayev, assistant coach of Azerbaijan: “The Azerbaijan team is still searching for their optimal game in the Golden European League. We play without some key players and we give a chance to younger ones. This match was an important step in our preparations for the match vs. Bulgaria. We will try to show better Volleyball in Sofia, that’s for sure.” 

Olena Hasanova, player of Azerbaijan: “This match against Portugal was not easy at all. We made some mistakes in the first set and we tried to change the situation. In the following sets, our reception and block worked better and we took the win. Now we are waiting for the games against Bulgaria – one of the strongest opponents in our group.”  

Manuel Almeida, head coach of Portugal: “My team started well and showed a good game in block and reception, but Azerbaijan were better in the following sets. I am happy that we fought in each set. Yes, Portugal lost but the game itself was very interesting and I hope the fans enjoyed it.” 

Bulgaria vs. Ukraine 3-1 (32-34, 25-10, 25-22, 25-21)

The team of Bulgaria keep on presenting themselves well in the #EuroLeagueW after storming to a 3-1 win over Ukraine (32-34, 25-10, 25-22, 25-21). The first set of this matchup from Leg 2 in Pool A of the competition featured many long and intense rallies. Ukraine needed 31 minutes to close that first part at 34-32, but then Bulgaria reacted properly and took control of the match.  

•    This is Bulgaria’s second win in a row in the #EuroLeagueW. 
•    The Lionesses defeated Ukraine 3-1 in Pool A of the tournament after a very long and interesting first part of the match. 
•    The captain of the hosts - Hristina Ruseva finished as top scorer with 21 points, and registered an outstanding performance at the net with 11 blocks. 
•    Gergana Dimitrova recorded 16 points for the winners while Mariya Karakasheva scored 13 times. 
•    For Ukraine Nadiia Kodola contributed with 17 points.

Ivan Petkov, head coach of Bulgaria: “We started the match really well but we were too emotional and made some mistakes which cost us the opening set. In the next three sets, on the other hand, we did not make the same errors and managed to close the match by 3-1. Now we start to think about our next game against Azerbaijan on Saturday. We have to prepare really well because they are a strong team. I hope to win and to finish our home matches in “Hristo Botev” sports hall with three victories!” 

Hristina Ruseva, captain of Bulgaria: “I’m really happy with our performance today. We were in a difficult situation after the first set, but all the girls managed to come back even stronger and to achieve this great result. We can definitely see a change in the way we play this season. We need time to improve our performance and to show our real potential. Azerbaijan is a good team with good players, but we will do everything we can to win.”

Nadiia Kodola, captain of Ukraine: “We were in a good position after the opening set. In the following ones, however, we missed our chances and let the Bulgarian team play better and better. They found their rhythm and defeated us, but the tournament is still in the beginning, so we will have our opportunity to show a better performance.”  

POOL B

Hungary vs. Croatia 3-1 (26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12)

• The opening set, in the first match since 1997 where the two teams have played in Hungary, was tight. Croatia had a narrow lead until 22-22, but then the Hungarians played better to win 26-24.
• The second set was similar to the first: Croatia took an early lead, Hungary fought back from 16-19, taking six points in a row before eventually winning the set 25-23.
• In the third set Croatia led 15-11, Hungary came back to 22-21, but the visiting team eventually took the set 25-23.
• The fourth set was clearly dominated by the hosts, Hungary led 6-1, later 15-7, and eventually won 25-12.
• Best player of the match was Anett Németh (Hungary). Best scorers were Gréta Szakmáry (Hungary) with 21 points, and Dinka Kulic (Croatia) with 12 points.
• Hungary won its second match in a row, while Croatia has one victory and one defeat after two rounds. The number of spectators in attendance reached 1,100.

Jan De Brandt, coach of Hungary: “It was a tough game, both teams played very well. We could win thanks to our great serves, and the defence of my team was the best I have ever seen since working with the girls.” 

Igor Lovrinov, coach of Croatia: “In the first two sets we could have won, but Hungary was luckier. In the last set we couldn’t do anything against the great defence of the host team.”

Finland vs. France 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-21)

• Top scorers of the match were Piia Korhonen (FIN) with 15 points and Amandha Marine Sylves (FRA) with 9.
• Finland have never lost a women’s national team match in Jyväskylä. After beating France, the amount of victories grew to 4.
• It was great atmosphere in the hall, the total amount of spectators standing at 1,216.
• Finnish libero Tiiamari Sievänen played an amazing match in reception (68%) and in defence as well.

Tapio Kangasniemi, coach of Finland: “We have a great volleyball culture in Finland. It doesn’t matter where we play, the hall is always full. Our basic level in the game was good enough, but we still have some elements to improve.”

Juliette Fidon, captain of France: “Finland played very well and they deserved the victory. We are quite a new and young team, so we have to continue working hard.”

POOL C
 

Belarus vs. Slovakia 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-20)

• The beginning of the match in Minsk showed the dominance of Belarus, but Slovakia proved a challenging opponent. In the first set the visiting team had an excellent comeback, bouncing back from 21-17 down to 22-21 after taking the lead thanks to outside-spiker Nikola Radosova. 
• An error of setter Barbora Kosekova allowed Belarus to take the lead back at 24-23. Hanna Hryshkevich had an excellent shot on the set-ball for 25-23, allowing the host team to win the set.
• Belarusians Nadzeya Stoliar and Tatsiana Seryk were successful in attack in the second set, making it 21-17 for Belarus, before they extended the gap to 2-0, after winning the set 25-19. The hosts eventually claimed a straight set victory.
• Anzhelika Barysevich showed a good performance in blocking and scored three points in this element. Nikola Radosova from Slovakia was the top scorer with 16 points, but her team had to accept a second defeat from Belarus in as many matches.

Piotr Khilko, coach of Belarus: “We had a good match tonight. Setter Anastasiya Shash was the key that allowed my players to have a good attack. With the second victory in the Golden European League, we will approach the next matches with the right attitude.”

Marco Fenoglio, coach of Slovakia: “My team had a good comeback to take the lead in the first set, however we lost the initiative ourselves and made too many errors. It is impossible to win a match while making so many errors. A few days ago in Poprad we showed a better game.”

Czech Republic vs. Spain 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21)

• The Spanish team opened the match perfectly, building a six-point-lead in the first set. However, Czech Republic managed to tie the score and improve their game, eventually winning the opening set 25-20.
• The second set was very tight at the beginning. Nevertheless, the hosts extended their lead and thanks to two aces at the end, they clinched the second set 25-16.
• With the support of an enthusiastic home crowd, the Czechs celebrated a 3-0 win.
• Andrea Kossanyiova (CZE) was top scorer of the match after claiming 11 points. Maria Segura (ESP) was the best scorer of Spain with eight points.
• The match lasted 74 minutes only.

Barbora Purchartova, captain of Czech Republic: “The beginning of the match was slower, the Spaniards were great in defence. We made many mistakes, but then we improved and we played a really good game. I'm happy about our victory today.”

Zdenek Pommer, coach of Czech Republic: “Despite of our nervousness today, my girls confirmed that they are the favourites. They also proved that the victory in Spain was not a coincidence. They were great in block at the end of the match and with their sky-ball serve.”

Helia Gonzalez, captain of Spain: “The beginning of the match was great, but we didn't keep this level. We have to work on it."

 

 

LEG 2 SUMMARY - SILVER LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 23, 2018. The CEV Silver European League Final Four hosts prove to be a tough challenge to their opponents in Pool A, as Sweden took the leading position with two victories after two rounds of the competition. Estonia remain one point behind after defeating Switzerland in a tie-breaker. In Pool B Austria established a wider gap to their competitors, as they are the only team without any loss this far. 

POOL A

Estonia vs. Switzerland 3-2 (21-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-18, 15-12)

• The teams of Estonia and Switzerland locked horns on Wednesday in a match of Leg 2 of the Silver European League – Women. It was a very interesting match that came to an end with a victory for the Estonians – the play was marked by intense rallies with both sides fighting for each point. However, Estonia performed better in the crucial moments and grabbed the win. 
• Both Estonia and Switzerland now have two wins and two losses when it comes to their head-to-heads. 
• There was a record-breaking audience for a women's game, since around 1,200 people attended the match and enjoyed the play.
• Kertu Laak of Estonia scored only one point in the first set but managed to come back in an amazing way, ending the game with 27 points (including four aces and eight blocks). Laura Kuenzler scored as many as 35 points for Switzerland in their losing effort.

Liis Kullerkann, player of Estonia: “The start of the  match was terrible for us but thanks to the great service series of Julija Mõnnakmäe and Kertu Laak, we managed to save the game. Our block was not working properly and we will work on that during the next training sessions. From an emotional point of view, it was a good and important win for us.” 

Timothy Lippuner, coach of Switzerland: “As I expected our match turned out to be a five-set game. Both teams were testing each other at the beginning, we had a better first set, and on the contrary, Estonia had a better second one. In general, it was an equal match, but we started worse in the last set and that was the key for the eventual result. We made too many mistakes in difficult situations. Taking one point from this match is important for us as we can expect to improve when playing at home.”

Kosovo vs. Sweden 0-3 (21-25, 23-25, 10-25) 

•    Sweden claimed their second victory in as many matches in Pool A, thus cementing their leadership in the group. 
•    Kosovo put up a fight in the first two sets, where the hosts claimed 21 and 23 points, respectively. 
•    Isabelle Haak top scored for Sweden with an impressive haul of 21 points. 
•    Kosovo’s Florentina Deliu made her European League debut, taking to the court in the third set. 


 
Guillermo Gallardo, coach of Sweden: “It was an extremely tough match for the first two sets, since Kosovo put a lot of pressure on us. It was very important to win and we have done that. We do not underestimate any team and we just keep going forward. We look forward to the next match with Estonia and we will give our best there as well.” 
 
Jonna Wasserfaller, captain of Sweden: “We are happy for the victory and it was a good game for us. We think the leader of the group will be decided between Sweden and Estonia. We have played them before and they recorded more wins than we did. Therefore, it is time for a revenge.” 
 
Lorik Ilazi, head coach of Kosovo: “I am happy because I see a lot of progress compared with the last game against Estonia. Our girls did a great job and I think we were unlucky when we led 23-22 in the second set, as we were hoping to win at least one set. Our focus is now on Saturday’s game against Switzerland, and it’s great that I will be back at Forum Biwi Rossemaison, where I played with KV Drita in the CEV Cup.”

POOL B

Albania vs. Austria 0-3 (18-25, 17-25, 21-25) 

•    Austria recorded a 3-0 victory at Olimpik Park in Tirana, thus claiming the leadership in the Pool since these teams had emerged victorious from their previous matches last Saturday. 
•    The local fans expected a much better performance from the home side but they left the sports hall very disappointed, as the hosts made too many mistakes. 
•    Austria, on the other hand, played very well and deserved their victory. 
•    Austria dominated the game from start to end, slowly but surely extending their advantage in each set. Only the third set was a little closer, but Albania failed to rise to the occasion. 
•    Nikolina Maros of Austria top scored with 16 points. 

Altin Martiri, coach of Albania: “I think this is the worst game we have played in three years. We made many mistakes in this game, something unusual for us, not giving what we expected. We have to analyse this defeat and try to return to the path of victory as quickly as possible.”

Svetlana Ilic, coach of Austria: “We achieved a great victory tonight, against our main rival in the pool. We know that Albania is a strong team, but we also played well and I think we deserved the victory, which gives us more confidence for the future. We have to continue working well and hard for the next games.” 

Israel vs. Georgia 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-16) 

•    Israel secured their first victory in this year’s Silver European League in Ra’anana. 
•    The hosts improved their win-loss record to 1-1, as Georgia are still winless. 
•    Polina Malik top scored for the home side with 22 points followed by Vitalia Marmen with 16. Svetlana Sosnovskaya registered 15 points for Georgia, with Ann Kalandadze adding 11 to their count. 

Giuseppe Cuccarini, coach of Israel: “I am very happy with this victory, since it gives us a lot of energy and motivation to continue our campaign. Our young players gain international experience from such a competition and this is very important. We lost the second set because of our own mistakes. We will learn from that and improve. We have a very tough game with Albania coming up on Saturday and I am sure we will be prepared for that.”

Paata Ulumbelashvili, coach of Georgia: “We lost this match because of our own mistakes. We will learn from this for the remainder of the competition, since the Silver European League is a great opportunity for our team to progress.” 

 

[VolleyRuller96 264]

GROUP STANDINGS after leg 2 out of 6

(next leg: 26-27 may.)

 

 

Tie-Break Criteria:

1.Matches Won/Lost Ratio (MW/ML)
2. Points Achieved (3 PTS = 3:0 or 3:1 win ; 2 PTS = 3:2 win ; 1PTS = 2:3 defeat ; 0PTS = 0:3 or 1:3 defeat)
3. Set Ratio.

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE

System

1.  is automatically pre-qualified to FINAL 4 as host
2. WINNERS of each group qualify to final four

3. If    is amongst the Group Winners  the best 2nd-ranked team qualifies
4. The WINNER AND RUNNER UP OF FINAL 4 qualifies to the FIVB Challenger Cup

5. The WEAKEST TEAM OVERALL will be relegated

 

 

 

GROUP A

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	Sets
1		6	2	0	6:1
2.		6	2	0	6:2
3.		0	0	2	2:6
4.		0	0	1	1:6

 

 

GROUP B
 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		6	2	0	6:1
2.		3	1	1	4:3
3.		3	1	1	3:3
4.		0	0	2	0:6

 

 

GROUP C

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		6	2	0	6:0
2.		5	2	0	6:2
3.		1	0	2	2:6
4.		0	0	0	0:6

SILVER LEAGUE

System

1.   is automatically pre-qualified to Final 4 as host

2. The GROUP WINNERS qualify to Final 4.
3. The BEST 2-ND PLACED TEAM also qualifies.

4. The FINAL 4 WINNER will qualify to the 2019 GOLDEN LEAGUE.

 

GROUP A

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1		6	2	0	6:0
2.		5	2	0	6:2
3.		1	0	2	2:6
4.		0	0	2	0:6

 

 

GROUP B

 

	Nation	PTS	MW	ML	SETS
1.		6	2	0	6:1
2.		3	1	1	4:3
3.		3	1	1	3:3
4.		0	0	2	1:6

[VolleyRuller96 264]

Group Stage, LEG 3 out of 6

Day 1 out of 2  - 26 may 2018 - schedule

 

all times are CEST

 

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

GROUP A

17:30  Bulgaria - Azerbaijan 

 

GROUP B

16:00  Finland -  Hungary 
20:00  Croatia -  France

 

GROUP C 

 

16:00  Czech Republic -  Slovakia
16:00  Belarus -  Spain

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE GOLDEN LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-golden-european-league-women

 

 

 

SILVER LEAGUE

 

GROUP A

 

17:00  Estonia  -  Sweden
17:30  Switzerland -  Kosovo

 

GROUP B

17:00  Georgia -  Austria 
19:00  Israel - Albania 

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE SILVER LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-silver-european-league-frauen