13/11/2012 12:11
European Cups to stop for first time ever in Hamburg
2013 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Women
Hamburg, Germany, November 13, 2012. Aurubis HAMBURG is about to celebrate its debut in the 2013 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup by playing on Wednesday Slovenia’s Spodnja Savinjska SEMPETER, a side that has claimed a total of four wins out of five matches in its national league. This will be a very good test for the team captained by Imke Wedekind that – after spending twelve years in Germany’s first division – finally got the chance to play the European Cups.
Head coach Jean-Pierre Staelens was particularly happy this past spring as the team qualified for the 2013 edition of the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup and the group hopes to celebrate a successful premiere at CU Arena on Wednesday, thereby laying down good foundations for the return match scheduled for next November 21 in Slovenia.
This past weekend Aurubis HAMBURG downed VCO BERLIN in straight sets in the last round of play for the national league, quite a good omen for the much awaited European debut.
Staelens says he does not have much information about the upcoming opponent: “Slovenia does certainly not belong to the real Volleyball elite but some clubs may cause a surprise. In my opinion every club that qualifies for the European Cups takes it very seriously and hence we are preparing very carefully for our match with SEMPETER. Our first European match shall turn into a success”.
Apart from the desire to win, the European debut carries some more work to be done in order to fulfill the standards set by the CEV for this competition. More staff is available and that shall add extra motivation to the action of the players on court. The club hopes for many fans to show up and join the game for what is a historic moment for Volleyball in Hamburg to be celebrated under the motto: “CU Arena: See you – Volleyball meets friends”.
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