25/05/2018 23:00
Estonia and Sweden to battle for leadership in Silver #EuroLeagueW Pool A
2018 CEV Volleyball Silver European League - Women
Luxembourg, May 25, 2018. The 2018 CEV Volleyball Silver European League – Women continues on Saturday with four matches across two pools. Estonia and Sweden will lock horns fighting for the leadership in Pool A as they boast a perfect record of two wins in as many matches while Switzerland and Kosovo will vie for their first historic win in the competition. In Pool B, Israel host Albania as group leaders Austria travel to Georgia in an attempt to make it three wins in a row. The Final Four is due to take place in Nyköping, Sweden on June 16-17, 2018.
Pool A
Estonia vs. Sweden
• Estonia and Sweden played each other for the last time in 2016 in a qualifying tournament for the 2017 European Championship. Even though Swedish rising star Isabelle Haak scored 32 times on that occasion, Estonia emerged victorious 3-2.
• Three pairs of sisters will contest this match: Sweden’s Anna and Isabelle Haak and Alexandra and Rebecka Lazic plus Estonia’s Nette and Eliisa Peit.
• This is going to be a ‘hot’ game with the leadership in Pool A at stake since both teams have two wins in as many matches this far. The weather in Estonia will be hot as well – with the forecasts announcing 30 degrees for the weekend.
Guillermo Gallardo, coach of Sweden: “I am happy to be in Estonia and I expect an interesting match. We have played really well this far but Estonia have a very good team, so we take this game very seriously.”
Andrei Ojamets, coach of Estonia: “Sweden has a very powerful attack and the team is tall and physically very good. We must fight for each ball and also have a good day from the service line in order to succeed.”
Switzerland vs. Kosovo
• It is the first #EuroLeagueW home game for Switzerland since 2012, when the Swiss were not able to prevail on home soil. Timo Lippuner’s team are poised to do better this time to celebrate their first-ever victory in the #EuroLeagueW.
• All eyes will be on Swiss outside-spiker Laura Künzler. The 21-year-old player of Rote Raben VILSBIBURG scored 51 points in the last two games and she wants to lead the Swiss to their first #EuroLeagueW win on home soil.
• Switzerland and Kosovo faced each other in the 2nd Round of the 2018 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship European Qualification in Bulgaria last year. Timo Lippuner’s squad prevailed in straight sets, 3-0 (25-11, 25-8, 25-15).
Timo Lippuner, coach of Switzerland: “I think we have improved a lot as a team over the last two games. We struggled a little bit as some of our starting players were injured, but we have become stronger as a team. Of course, we are the favourites for tomorrow’s game, but we have to deliver the goods first. Because I believe in this team and in our goal – to make it to the Final Round.”
Laura Künzler, outside-spiker of Switzerland: “We are really looking forward to this first #EuroLeagueW home game. I think we did a lot better in the last game against Estonia than against Sweden. Now we must build on the good performance in the last game. In my opinion, there is room for improvement. We have been working hard in the last trainings and are poised to prove ourselves against Kosovo.”
Zyla Kadriu, setter of Kosovo: “We did not have a lot of time to refocus ahead of this big game against Switzerland. Nevertheless, we already know the Swiss team quite well as we faced each other in the 2nd Round of the World Championship Qualification last year. I think it will be an intense game. A lot of our players have family here in Switzerland – and they promised us to come to Rossemaison to build up a great atmosphere.”
Pool B
Israel vs. Albania
• Israel will be playing on Saturday their second home match in Pool B when hosting Albania at Metrowest sports hall in Ra’anana.
• This is a key match for both teams since Israel and Albania share the same win-loss record (1-1) with Austria leading the way in the pool with two wins in as many matches, as they beat Israel at home in Klagenfurt and Albania in Tirana.
• On Wednesday, Israel celebrated a 3-1 home victory over Georgia in another match held in Ra’anana.
• Team Israel includes many young players, such as Polina Malik, Vitalia Marmen and Sapir Chodorov, who scored 22 – 16 and 15 points, respectively in the matchup with Georgia. Malik is Israel’ top scorer after two rounds on 36 points. Marmen and Gal Lander follow next with 32 and 22, respectively.
Rebecca Kopilovitch, captain of Israel: “I am looking forward to the next game, and I am excited and determined to meet the Albanians. I am especially happy that we claimed our first victory, because this is an important step in our development as a group. There is a great will to perform well and when the public is behind us, they push us forward.”
Georgia vs. Austria
• Austria lead the way in Pool B with two wins in as many matches. Georgia have lost twice this far, once at home and once away.
• Georgia co-hosted last year’s EuroVolley together with Azerbaijan but lost all of their pool matches and finished the tournament in 16th place.
• Georgia are making their third overall and second straight appearance in the European League. Last year they lost all of their matches in the pool to Ukraine, France and Montenegro.
Click here for further information.
|