Ganja, Azerbaijan, September 24, 2017.  The final day at the Göygöl Olympic Sport Complex started with a match which pitted top in the pool against bottom.  However, playing by far their best set of the tournament, Belgium took the first set before falling eventually in four sets and bowing out of the Final Round in the process.  In the later match the Netherlands took a 3-1 win, meaning that they finish second and the Czech Republic third - both qualifying for the Playoffs on Tuesday in Baku which are: BLR vs CZE and NED vs CRO.

Belgium vs Serbia 1-3 (26-24, 20-25, 22-25, 21-25)

From the start it was clear that the pressure on the Belgian team was more than that on Serbia.  All Serbia needed to secure top spot in the pool was win two sets, while Belgium needed a 3-0 or 3-1 victory to stand any chance of getting through to the knock-out stage of the competition in Baku.  Before the match we caught up with the Serbian Coach, Zoran Terzic.

The game started slowly with the score line dancing around being level, until Serbia pulled ahead 15-12.  This margin remained through to the twenties with a fair few serving errors. Belgium got back within a point at 22-23 after a Laura Heyrman slide attack.  The score was tied at 24-all after an ace from Belgian setter Ilka Van de Vyver.  Then to the surprise of many Tijana Boskovic was blocked from backcourt and it was recycled before outside hitter Brankica Mihajlovic went long.  With their first set point, Belgium erected a three-woman block on a defensive overpass and there was no way through for Serbia and to their clear delight Belgium won the 1st set 26-24.

The second set went the way of Serbia, this is after all a team with four of the team that started the Olympic Gold Medal match a little over a year ago.  With a 19-15 lead, Serbia were in control of the set and they pushed on to take it 25-20 in 31 minutes and level the match.

The third set started well for Belgium, although it had to as a 3-2 win only brings two ranking points and they needed three to have any chance of being on the court in Baku later this week.  They led 8-3 at the first technical time-out and then 12-7.  But Serbian Coach Zoran Terzic used his reserve players and they made an impressive impact, showing their squad strength and depth.  They pulled it back to 14-13 and even led 20-17.  From here though the moment appeared to get the better of the Yellow Tigers and an ace secured the third set for Serbia and with it the fate of the two teams.

With 1st secured for Serbia and 4th confirmed for Belgium, they were playing for pride.  With the substitute players who had done so well in the 3rd set staying on, Belgium raced to a significant lead (4-0), but back came Serbia again and their lead grew until the set finish. 25-21 the final set score and 3-1.

Quotes

Brankica Mihajlovic of Serbia: "Belgium are a very good team and never give up.  It is always very interesting to play against them.  I am happy that we made this group finish in the best possible way.  Now we have some days off with no games and we expect another tough match in the quarter-finals and although we do not know who we are going to play, all our thoughts and focus are now on that."

Lise Van Hecke, opposite hitter of Belgium: "We are disappointed.  We played actually a good game serving very well in the first set and then they started to play with some different players and we were thinking there was still a chance.  So it is a pity that we could not finish the game.  Yesterday was the main game for us and we lost it in a bad way so it is a disappointing European Championship for us."

Gert Vande Broek, Coach of Belgium: "We played very well, after yesterday and the big disappointment.  My team showed their high spirits.  There were a lot of mistakes from Serbia so they chose more security in their play.  I cannot be disappointed about the first two sets, and then we had 8-4 and 14-9 so there was a little bit of hope but then we made too many mistakes.  However it is important to leave this tournament this way and we showed that we were deserving to play the second round - but we did not show that yesterday when it was needed."

Czech Republic vs the Netherlands 1-3 (21-25, 15-25, 25-21, 22-25)

The second match started with most of the pressure being relieved after the previous match result.  Now they were just playing for 2nd and 3rd place in the pool, where they will cross with Pool B in Baku on Tuesday in the Play-offs.  

The first set started closely before the Dutch built a lead in the middle of the set, but back came Czech Republic to level around the second technical timeout.  This spurred the Dutch on again as they accelerated to take the first set 25-21 with a crosscourt winner from their captain and leader Maret Balkestein-Grothues.

The second began with the team from the Netherlands commanding the net play again, with their middle blockers popping up everywhere.  Quickly their lead grew to five points (11-6), and then again to 16-7 at the second technical. From here the Dutch were in control and ran out winners by 10 points (25-15).

The third set saw a complete reversal to the previous ones, with it being the Czech team who led for the majority.  Having changed their setter, bringing in Katerina Valkova, the game seemed to come much easier for the team that trailed.  By the time it got to the second technical time-out they had a slender lead of 16-14.  This then grew to 20-16 with more and more going the way of the Czech Republic.  The set finished 25-21 with the Dutch looking to compose themselves for a crucial fourth set.

Having not yet had a five-set match at Göygöl Olympic Sport Complex, it was obvious the crowd were caught between supporting their favourite team in the Netherlands, and cheering for the Czech Republic to get a 5th set.  Continuing where they left off in the 3rd set, it was the need chasing a 5th set that had the edge.  A mixture of tougher serving and some miscommunication in the service reception caused the Dutch problems that they were not used to.  With the score at 19-14 to Czech Republic, it appeared to be set over until a comeback from the team in Orange brought it to 19-19 with Celeste Plak particularly impressive in attack and defence. Challenge at 20-20 with the ball landing marginally in seemed to take some of the momentum out of the Czech side.  A short while later that it seemed fitting that Plak attacked with the winning shot to take the set 25-22.

Quotes

Netherlands captain Maret Balkestein-Grothues: “I think we played the first two sets really well.  We were dominating but they came back and had a really good service pressure.  We became a little bit sloppy but at the end you can see that we have a lot of power and have a squad with a lot of good players.  Today Femke [Stoltenborg] and Celeste [Plak] did a really good job and it is good that you do not only play with six or seven players but with the whole team.”

Czech Republic middle-blocker Barbora Purchartova: “I think we responded well after losing the first two sets.  We fought until the end and it was really a pity that we did not make it to the tie-break.  We were really close but small details decided it in the end.  However we are really excited to be going to Baku to play, rather than to fly home.”

Coach Zdenek Pommer of the Czech Republic: “We did not start the match so well, but soon after all 14 players played really well and we played as a team today.”

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