19/06/2016 16:21
Stubbe/Daalderop claim back-to-back #EuroBeachVolleyU20 titles
2016 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Antalya, Turkey, June 19, 2016. On Sunday Joy Stubbe and Nika Daalderop from The Netherlands won gold at the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship for the second year in a row. The players from the strong national Beach Volleyball programme of the Dutch federation defeated their Italian opponents Gaia Traballi and Ester Maestroni in the final 2-0 (21-16, 21-14). Viktoryia Shalayeuskaya and Viktoryia Siakretava from Belarus conquered a historic bronze medal at the end of the four-day-long competition held in Antalya, Turkey.
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Semi-finals
In the first semi-final of the day, reigning champions Joy Stubbe and Nika Daalderop from The Netherlands played against Viktoryia Shalayeuskaya and Viktoryia Siakretava from Belarus. After both teams won a set, the experience of winning the tournament last year helped the Dutch girls in the decisive tie-break. By winning the third set with 15-12, The Netherlands advanced to the final.
The second semi-final, between Gaia Traballi and Ester Maestroni from Italy and Elizaveta Zayonchkovskaya and Daria Rudykh from Russia, was also decided after three sets. By the score of 13-13 in the tie-break, both teams had the final in sight, but after a great defensive action and a block Italy eventually claimed the victory (18-21, 21-17, 15-13).
Bronze medal match
In the ‘small final’ Viktoryia Shalayeuskaya and Viktoryia Siakretava from Belarus conquered the first medal ever for their country in any women’s competition of a CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship. The Belarussians defeated Russia’s Elizaveta Zayonchkovskaya and Daria Rudykh 2-1 (21-18, 15-21, 15-11).
“We are so incredibly happy with this bronze medal,” said Viktoryia Siakretava just after the match. “Last year we lost the bronze medal match at the 2015 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Larnaka, so this victory is extra special for us. We put everything we had in this last game, and played with a lot of emotion. This was the key to our success today.”
Final
In the final Joy Stubbe and Nika Daalderop from The Netherlands showed their supremacy in this age group. By defeating Italy 2-0 (21-16, 21-14), they won back to back gold at the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship, something only Nina Betschart and Nicole Eiholzer from Switzerland did before (in 2013 and 2014).
“Although it may have seemed so in the final, it wasn’t easy at all to retain our European title,” said Joy Stubbe after the gold medal match. “We had to work really hard to win gold again, and now that we did it we are of course very proud of it.”
Final ranking (first 8):
1. Stubbe/Daalderop (NED)
2. Traballi/Maestroni (ITA)
3. Shalayeuskaya/Siakretava (BLR)
4. Zayonchkovskaya/Rudykh (RUS)
5. Graudina/Kravcenoka (LAT)
6. Nezir/Sencel (TUR)
7. Morgan/Lovsin (SLO)
8. Legieta/Kloda (POL)
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