02/03/2013 16:12
Dinamo KRASNODAR books first ticket to Challenge Cup final
2013 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Women
Salo, Finland, March 2, 2013. Russia’s Dinamo KRASNODAR advanced on Saturday to the final match of the 2013 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Women by edging once more – after doing so this past Tuesday – Finland’s LP SALO in straight sets (25-14, 25-15, and 25-18). In the very last act of the competition Dinamo will play the winner of the second semi where Italy’s Rebecchi Nordmeccanica PIACENZA beat Aurubis HAMBURG of Germany this past Wednesday with the return game coming up on Sunday, March 3.
Once more Dinamo was too much to stand for the Finns who had already written history by turning into the first club from their country able to make it to the semis of the European Cups. Dinamo was marshaled by their excellent setter Irina Uraleva, stellar libero Svetlana Kryuchkova and Czech outside hitter Helena Havelkova who top scored in the end with 13 points. A crowd of 1,600 fans got together on Saturday afternoon at Salohalli wanting to watch the superb actions by US American Olympic silver medalist Destinee Hooker, but though she did not play that well, her side could comfortably cruise to a speedy win in straight sets.
“We have accomplished our mission: we came here to win and the players stayed focused all the way through” Dinamo head coach Avital Selinger says. “Sometimes quality as well as consistency weren’t there and I can’t be totally happy with this”.
Though they played bravely and were paced by Sini Häkkinen and Olena Kozyriatska, the home heroines of LP SALO could not do much to stop that Russian storm. “Of course I am happy with our campaign in the European Cups but today we could not play our best and so I can’t be really satisfied” local mentor Kari Raatikainen stresses.
Click here for more info including detailed stats of the match
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