25/08/2016 18:13
Danish and Swiss teams earn their first ever CEV Main Draw spot
2016 CEV Satellite - Kisakallio
Lohja, Finland, August 25, 2016. The CEV Beach Volleyball Satellite tournament at Kisakallio Sports Institute started on Thursday with five qualification matches. The pre-favourites lived up to their reputation and even though the matches were tough, they all progressed to the Main Draw without any difficulties.
The tightest match was between the Danish team Cecilie Kollner Olsen/Laerke Mygind Grønfeldt and the Dutch pair Esther Van Berkel/Quirine Oosterveld. Olsen and Grønfeldt were able to stand the challenge and eventually won the deciding tie-break 17-15. As a result, the Danes will be making their first ever appearance in the Main Draw of a CEV Satellite tournament.
Another interesting matchup was between two teams from Switzerland. Laura Caluori/Elena Steinemann could beat fellow countrywomen Kim Huber/Tatjana Greber in two sets (21-14, 21-13) and can now continue their journey at the CEV Kisakallio Satellite in the Main Draw together with 15 other duos. Similarly to the Danes, Caluori and Steinemann also secured their first appearance in the Main Draw of a CEV event.
“At the beginning we were a little bit nervous, but after we got into the game it just went better and better. We are so excited to be in the Main Draw,” Laura Caluori commented. Her teammate Elena Steinemann added: “It was very nice to play against our friends. We know them very well and the game was fair all the time.”
Other teams progressing to the Main Draw are Susanna and Kristina Thurin of Sweden, Lynne Beattie/Melissa Coutts of Scotland, Katarina Schillerwein/Cinja Tillmann and Sandra Ittlinger/Yanina Weiland of Germany plus Silvia Costantini/Eleonora Gili of Italy and Annemieke Driessen/Ilke Meertens of the Netherlands.
The CEV Kisakallio Satellite will continue on Friday with 12 Main Draw matches. The entire tournament will be streamed live on LAOLA1.tv
For the full schedule and results please click here.
A photo gallery with an overview of the day is available here.
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