Luxembourg, January 24, 2018.  With three matches on the menu, there was plenty to follow on this European Cups evening as we neared the mid-way point in the 4th Round Pools.  VakifBank ISTANBUL continued their fine form in the competition winning away in Russia meaning that they are undefeated since the final in 2016 - a run of 15 matches. Chemik POLICE took a much needed win at home to Maritza PLOVDIV and CSM Volei Alba BLAJ took the spoils away at ASPTT MULHOUSE VB to make it three wins from three in Pool A.

Wednesdays results in full:

Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) vs VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR) 0-3 (20-25, 22-25, 18-25)

• Vakifbank started the game very confidently and although the score was level in the early exchanges the home team trailed at the technical breaks.
• The home side were clearly directed to place more risk on the serve by coach Zoran Terzic.
• Zhu Ting (top scorer with 16 points) and Kübra Akman Caliskan were very effective and directed their team to a 25-20 first set win.
• In the second set Dinamo MOSCOW looked closer and had a slight advantage at the second technical time-out causing some tension for VakifBank.  However, the travelling side showed their true qualities with Gözde Kirdar very accurate and aggressive - highlighted by it being her ace that ended the set 25-22.
• The third set offered the last chance for Dinamo, however a number of unforced errors lead to a seven point deficit at the second technical (9-16).  From here Turkish setter Naz Aydemir Akyol orchestrated things and the reigning champions took another victory (25-18 in the final set).

Quote:

Nataliya Goncharova, Opposite Hitter for Dinamo MOSCOW said: "We understood that results can be like that. It is a great team and they are really stronger than we are. We tried to risk everything in the game, but we could not show such a brilliant result as VakifBank did. We should try to play better in the next games."

Chemik POLICE (POL) vs Maritza PLOVDIV (BUL) 3-0 (25-16, 26-24, 25-12)

• 2,939 fans packed into Hala Sportowo - Widowiskowa in Koszalin to watch this Pool C match.
• The home side dominated from the off, leading at all partials (8-5, 16-8) in the 1st set and claiming it by nearly 10 points.
• Maritza came back strongly in the second set, leading at the first technical time-out (8-5) and being level at 15-15.
• The Polish side came out of the blocks strongly in the third set and it was all over by the time it reached double figures.
• Top scorer was Katarzyna Zaroslinska-Krol of Chemik POLICE accrued 17 points, of which 14 were winning spikes.
• Chemik POLICE now sit second in Pool C with two wins, while the Bulgarian Champions League rookies are in 4th place.
  

Quotes:

Chemik POLICE Libero Aleksandra Krzos said: “They really tried to serve everywhere besides me! That was probably part of Maritza's tactic, but it's not that important. The most important is the style, that we have shown. Especially in the second set, when the score was close, we were able to stick positive mentally and finally win the match.”

Chemik POLICE Head Coach, Jakub Głuszak, said: “The first set was important, because we showed that we had only one goal and it was winning the game.  In the second set, we made some mistakes, but in the most important part we finished crucial spikes. I am happy, but as always, I am thinking about the future, which is the rematch in Bulgaria.”

ASPTT MULHOUSE VB (FRA) vs CSM Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU) 1-3 (20-25, 25-20, 16-25, 20-25)

• In the first set Alba BLAJ began to show what they could do leading 5-2. A first video challenge was asked by the Romanian team's Head Coach, Darko Zakoc, confirming a block touch.  The travelling side increased their lead by the second technical time out (16-9) thanks to the strong attack play by Ana Cleger.  Despite trailing by more than 10 points (22-13) the home team did not give up and rapidly scored a succession of points to cast some doubt in the minds of the pool leaders.  Unfortunately for the home side that was not enough and Alba won the first set 25-20.
• The home team kept the same dynamic going into the second set imposing their game on the away side and with it stifling their adversaries by a series of big blocks.  The home team were up by the 1st technical time-out (8-4), but a succession of mistakes then enabled Alba BLAJ to come back.  MULHOUSE reacted quickly, helped by the efficiency of Haley Spelman and Britt Herbots’s attacks as well as the combativity charged Léa Soldner. The set was eventually won by the home team with the score of 25-20.
• The third set started with the advantage for  the home team, with American Spelman scoring points from all over the court! Alba BLAJ responded with a strong service performance by Adina Salaoru, and her team slowly took control and the set ended with the score of 25-16, the set point scored by Alba’s captain herself.
• In the fourth part each team was fully committed and neither of them wanted to let anything go.  The audience was frantic and the ASPTT players reached the score of 8-6 - much to the delight of the 1,900 fans in attendance. Then the scores stayed close (15-15) but the travelling side slowly took control of the set.  The home players remained tenacious  but could not cope with Nneka Onyejekwe’s efficient blocking and CSM Volei Alba BLAJ ended it with the score of 25-20.
• Top scorer was Britt Herbots for the home side with 17 points.

Quotes:

Britt Herbots, outside hitter of ASPTT MULHOUSE VB: “We fought but are aware of the numerous mistakes we made especially in reception. We had to face a very experienced team. We can be proud of ourselves.”

Magali Magail, Head Coach of ASPTT MULHOUSE VB: "We were dominated when it comes to serve and reception, we are not used to such an impact in our championship. The girls struggled to face such an experienced team. We will carry on and learn from this."

Adina Salaoru, outside hitter for CSM Volei Alba BLAJ: "We are very happy with this victory. MULHOUSE team is very  combative."

Darko ZAKOC, Head Coach of CSM Volei Alba BLAJ: "I am very happy with this victory: it is very important for us to take part in the Champions League. Our opponents were very persistent in defence."

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