21/12/2016 20:20
Titleholders Zenit KAZAN thrash PARIS Volley
2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Men
Kazan, Russia, December 21, 2016. The strongest club in Europe, Zenit KAZAN, demolished France’s reigning national champions PARIS Volley in three straight sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-21) in their second match on schedule for the group stage of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Men.
Some of the players and members of the coaching staff of Zenit KAZAN got ill right after the victorious Final Six of the Russian Cup held in Surgut. Middle blocker Artem Volvich stayed at home and outside spiker Matthew Anderson had to sit on the bench due to injury though he was among the players nominated for the match. Nonetheless, their absence did in no way affect the quality of the performance displayed by Zenit KAZAN.
In his debut match with PARIS Volley, Brazilian-born Franco spiked most of the times for the visitors but he was invariably blocked and the French team seemed to have no real leader to keep up with the Russian armada. Moreover, they failed to somehow cause problems to Zenit’s reception. As a result, Vladimir Alekno’s team comfortably claimed the first and second sets by 25-17 and 25-15, respectively.
In the third set, Zenit KAZAN kept the lead with a margin of 10 points, but slackened the reins too early. However, the Tatars managed to seal the set leaving no chance to PARIS Volley who failed to turn the tide of the game.
“We played the first two sets pretty well and consistently, but those players who performed in the third set simply lacked concentration,” commented the head coach of Zenit KAZAN, Vladimir Alekno.
“It was rather challenging for us to play against Zenit. If you take the French league, there are no teams demonstrating similar mastery in terms of service and reception, but we still could have played better,” said the head coach of PARIS Volley, Dorian Rougeyron.
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