12/11/2011 10:00
Spain and Belgium join Russia and Romania for semis in Kaliningrad
2012 Olympic Games - European Qualification
Kaliningrad, Russia, November 12, 2011. Spain and Belgium joined yesterday Russia and Romania for the semifinals of the Olympic pre-qualification tournament that is being held in Kaliningrad. Spain edged Austria in straight sets (25-20, 25-20, 25-13) to play the home girls and 2010 World champions in the semifinals scheduled for this afternoon. While Austria had nothing to lose, Spain was somehow “obliged” to win and immediately set the tone of the match with the contribution of spiker Milagros Collar.
On the other side of the net Austria lacked consistency in attack and this delivered a double 25-20 for Spain in set 1 and 2. The third and last set was sealed with the impressive score of 25-13 by the Spaniards, with team captain Amaranta Fernandez totaling 19 points for her side; 17-year old Anna Maria Bajde played with glowing hearts for Austria but she also could not turn the odds around.
The fans in Kaliningrad expected a very close fight between Belgium and Slovakia but this was ultimately not the case. Belgium wrapped it up in straight sets (25-17, 25-16, 25-14) to qualify for the semis and play Romania there. Belgium served and defended well and profited also of the many mistakes made by the Slovaks. Already by the end of the first set it was quite predictable that the match would have turned into a Belgian triumph, as Slovakia’s best spiker, Brazilian-born Solange Pereira Soares, had attacked with a mere 36% of efficiency. Young star Lise van Hecke was not to stop and was well supported by Hélène Rousseaux who was finally named MVP of this game.
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