29/08/2015 17:41
2014 gold medallists dethroned, U22 European Champs to crown new queens
2015 CEV U22 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Macedo de Cavaleiros, Portugal, August 29, 2015. Though only four matches were scheduled on Saturday for the women’s competition at the 2015 CEV U22 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Macedo de Cavaleiros, there was no lack of excitement and drama as the semi-finalists of the tournament were eventually determined.
2014 U22 European champions Jagoda Gruszczynska and Karolina Baran of Poland had to leave the competition and won’t be able to continue their quest for back-to-back titles after losing in two sets (13-21, 15-21) to Russia’s Ksenia Dabizha and Nadezhda Makroguzova. After the match where they dethroned last year’s queens, the Russian players and their coach were visibly happy.
“We won this match because we played very well together and we supported each other,” explained Ksenia and Nadezhda. “We have hoped for a spot among the top four. It’s a good start and omen for the future because Ksenia and Nadia usually don’t play together but now they have been working like a Swiss clock, perfectly executing our game plan,” added their mentor Oleg Kiselev. “Even though we just beat the reigning champions we don’t want to be considered as the favourites in this competition. We just want to play, have fun and enjoy this magnificent landscape of Portugal,” the Russian girls said.
In the semis coming up on Sunday they will be playing reigning U20 European champions Nina Betschart and Nicole Eiholzer of Switzerland, who are also the gold medallists from the Baku 2015 European Games. Betschart/Eiholzer also needed only two sets to edge Germany’s Lisa Arnholdt and Nadja Glenzke (21-17, 21-19).
The Swiss girls were obviously pleased with their performance: “We were hoping to reach this stage of the competition but with so many good teams we had to play our best to make it happen, so we’re very happy. The level of the tournament is very good; it’s a European Championship so we’re all a little bit nervous and playing to the limit. When you reach the semi-finals you can only think about winning gold,” they said.
Lithuania’s golden girls Monika Povilaityte and Ieva Dumbauskaite (pictured) are determined to continue their success story from age-group competitions. On Saturday the bronze medal winners from the Baku 2015 European Games, however, were made work hard in their matchup with the real sensation of the tournament, Switzerland’s Dunja Gerson/Laura Caluori, before they eventually sealed their spot in the semis (21-23, 21-17, 15-11).
“The tournament is going very well, we expected to be among the top eight teams but we have made it even further now. Today we didn’t play our best game but we stayed focussed and that’s what helped us in the tie-break,” explained Monika Povilaityte.
Their next opponents are 2014 silver medallists Katarzyna Kociolek and Dorota Strag of Poland who also had to fight hard before edging Germany’s Sandra Ittlinger/Lena Ottens in three sets (21-11, 16-21, 15-13).
“Their team is really strong and they have a lot of experience but we want to play in the final. It will be tough, but if we bring to the court our best game, we can take the gold medal,” Povilaityte added.
“We really wanted to win this one because last year we finished in second place and we started the match very well winning the opening set by a safe margin,” says Kociolek. “We had some problems in the second set as we became anxious because of some referee decisions which impacted our game through to the tie-break, but we managed to overcome these feelings,” she explains. “We want to do better than we did last year, but a place on the podium would also be great. We know the Lithuanian team very well as we have played them a number of times in the last five years, but every match is different, so you’ll have to wait for tomorrow to see who goes to the final.”
All matches of the 2015 CEV U22 Beach Volleyball European Championship are streamed live and for free at LAOLA1.tv
You can follow the competition also on social media with the official hashtag #EuroBeachVolleyU22
Click here for more info including entry lists, results, pictures and much more
|