25/01/2015 22:06
Last call for a victory for Finland’s rookies LP SALO
2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Women
Salo, Finland, January 25, 2015. Finland’s rookies LP SALO will complete their first appearance in the CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Women by hosting Italy’s Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO on Wednesday at Salohalli for the last round of action in Pool C. This will be the last chance for Finland’s multiple champions to claim a victory in Europe’s elite competition.
LP SALO head coach Kari Raatikainen was not that happy last Wednesday after his team lost in three sets the away match with DRESDNER SC and dissipated a huge 20:12 lead in the first set. However, he has already turned his sight on the upcoming home fixture with Unendo Yamamay. “This is our last chance to really show what we are capable of,” he says. “And of course our goal is to make the Challenge Round of the CEV Volleyball Cup.”
LP SALO will be missing their spiker Noora Kosonen who has undergone knee surgery but this won’t stop the local heroines from trying to play their best. “We can play at high level also without Noora. The only problem is that now we have fewer options,” Raatikainen adds. Last week 16-year old Iida Murto played for two sets for the Finns. “It’s really important that rising talents of our Volleyball community can get this kind of opportunity and I hope that in the next years Iida will be playing an important role in Champions League matches. And of course I hope that she will continue to play for our team,” Raatikainen stresses.
After top scoring with 19 points for her side in the match with DRESDNER SC, Olena Lymareva is confident that LP SALO will be playing their best come Wednesday night. “I hope that this time we will be showing our best performance. We need this victory in order to continue our journey in the European Cups. A victory is our only option. I can promise that I will be playing at the best of my abilities and will try to score as many points as possible.”
On Sunday LP SALO got something more to celebrate as they were awarded as the Best Team of the Year 2014 from south-western Finland. Their mentor Kari Raatikainen received the prize for the Coach of the Year. As for BUSTO ARSIZIO, the Italians still have a chance to top the charts in Pool C provided that current leaders Dinamo MOSCOW lose their home match with DRESDNER SC, so the ‘Butterflies’ will be fully motivated to also play their best once they step onto the court at Salohalli.
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