20/02/2017 16:51
DRESDNER SC hoping to bounce back after series of setbacks
2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women
Dresden, Germany, February 20, 2017. DRESDNER SC have had some rough weeks. First, they lost in Istanbul to VakifBank, something that was expected to some extent. After that, they were not able to close two thrilling tiebreak matches in Potsdam and Schwerin. Another loss to VakifBank ISTANBUL at home followed and a bitter 0-3 setback against the ninth-placed team in the German League completes the murky picture. It is unknown territory for many fans of the club, as they celebrated win after win after win during the last three years. Now, the team and their supporters have to come even closer together to bounce back and get back some self-esteem.
One who knows how to handle setbacks and come back stronger is Katharina Schwabe (pictured). The 23-year-old captain of DRESDNER SC struggled with many major injuries during the last few years. “Of cause ending the career crosses your mind, when you get set back again and again. But my family and friends always told me, that I’m not the kind of person to throw the towel and give up,” she says.
Sounds easier than it is. In October 2014, “Schwabi” fell down the stairway and tore the cruciate ligament of her right knee. Normally, this coincides with the end of a season for a professional athlete, but the outside spiker fought for her comeback. In the play-off quarterfinals in March, she was already back on the court, even though it was ‘just’ for serving. The next setback came at the last pre-season tournament in 2015. Complete ligament rupture on her right ankle.
This year, Katharina Schwabe is in full possession of her physical abilities and has been having an amazing season. It is almost bizarre that DRESDNER SC struggle now. “We as a team knew that this season was going to be different. We have so many new players that we basically had to start all over,” Schwabe explains. “We had some ups and downs already and now we have to fight to bounce back.”
Preferably already on Wednesday (19:00 CET), when DRESDNER SC have to face Uralochka-NTMK EKATERINBURG in leg 5 of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League. Their first clash in Russia ended in a 3-1 victory for Uralochka. Back then, the Germans played an impressive first set, but crumbled when the team of coaching legend Nikolay Karpol put up the pressure.
Schwabe and her team do not really care whom to face next as at the moment they are their biggest opponents. “We just have to look at ourselves and bring our A-game again. Then we are able to beat anyone. But we have to remain confident, even when something doesn’t go according to plan,” she says resolutely and without any sign of resignation. Katharina Schwabe is a proven expert in bouncing back after all.
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