Luxembourg, October 24, 2018. The runners-up of the 2018 Champions League, CSM Volei Alba BLAJ, have started their chase for new glory with a 3-2 away win against Czech's second ranked team VK UP OLOMOUC. In a very tight match the Romanian visitors just had the edge over the team that reappeared on European top level after 23 years. Allianz MTV STUTTGART had an easy evening in the Netherlands. SLIEDRECHT Sport had set UVC Holding GRAZ aside in Round 1, but the German number two team proved to be of a different caliber. In just 69 minutes the Dutch champions had to concede a 0-3 loss.
VK UP OLOMOUC (CZE) vs. CSM Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU) 2-3 (25-23, 16-25, 24-26, 27-25, 13-15)
- The tight first set was decided right at the end. BLAJ were two points ahead (23-21) but the hosts won the following four points and quite surprisingly also the first set (25-23).
- From halfway through the second set the finallist of last year's Champions League ruled the game and after a smooth 25-16 win, the match was tied.
- The spectators could see another tight battle in the third set, but the second set point meant victory of the favourite team from Romania (26-24.
- The fourth set was also close and equal till the end. After cancelling two match points for BLAJ, the home team took the chance, won the set 27-25 and the match continued to a tiebreak.
- The visiting team was ahead during the whole tiebreak (7-4, 12-8), before VK UP OLOMOUC added some drama (13-14), but the Romanian team was luckier in the end. They won 15-13 and the match 3-2.
- Top scorer for VK UP OLOMOUC was Martina Michalikova with 18 points, for CSM Volei Alba BLAJ Ioana Maria Baciu recorded 25 points.
Jiří Teplý, head coach of VK UP OLOMOUC: "Everyone who came today had to be safisfied. The only thing we are missing is a better result. It was only about small things that are not so crucial in Czech domestic competition."
Darko Zakoč, head coach of CSM Volei Alba BLAJ: "I am satisfied with the result but not with our play. We had some difficulties with injuries, but I believe these will be resolved in our home game and our performance will be better."
SLIEDRECHT Sport (NED) vs. Allianz MTV STUTTGART (GER) 0-3 (14-25, 22-25, 19-25)
- Outside spiker Esther van Berkel has become the SLIEDRECHT player with the most European caps in the current team. Today she played her 23rd European match for SLIEDRECHT Sport. Assistant coach Nienke de Waard ranks second with 30 matches. Former team captain Mariska Koster tops the ranking with 32 European matches.
- Before the start of this match, not only Dutch STUTTGART player Deborah van Daelen had previous experience with SLIEDRECHT Sport (she has played in the Dutch competition for VC WEERT), but also opposite Krystal Rivers. With her former team (BEZIERS VB from France) she beat SLIEDRECHT last year in the CEV Volleyball Cup.
- Christie Wolt was top scorer for SLIEDRECHT Sport in this match with 10 points. STUTTGART's opposite Krystal Rivers topped the charts with 15 points to her name.
- Sporthal De Basis in Sliedrecht was filled with 860 spectators who saw their team lose in straight sets.
Vera Koenen, head coach of SLIEDRECHT Sport: “The first set we didn’t play very well. I guess it were the nerves getting to us. In the second and third set we showed some good volleyball. Let’s see what happens next week.”
Ioannis Athanasopoulos, head coach of Allianz MTV STUTTGART: “We tested a lot. That was our goal and I like the fact that, although we were struggling a lot in passing, I saw we always found a solution and we even played smart after bad reception.”
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