26/02/2018 10:43
Grot Budowlani LODZ learn valuable lessons from participation in #CLVolleyW
2018 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women
Lodz, Poland, February 26, 2018. Grot Budowlani LODZ are the reigning vice-champions from the Polish national league. They currently sit in fourth place in their domestic championship. They have also contested the 2018 edition of the CEV Volleyball Champions League failing to win a single match in an extremely competitive Pool D. On Tuesday, they will play their last match in Europe’s elite competition in Russia’s capital against Dinamo MOSCOW.
In the meantime, Grot Budowlani LODZ progressed to the Final Four of the Polish national cup, which is due to start on March 10 in the city of Nysa. In the quarterfinals of this competition, LODZ scored a comprehensive 3-0 victory over BKS Profi Credit BIELSKO-BIALA, the team currently sitting in seventh place in the Polish league.
Gabriela Polańska (pictured), the captain and middle blocker of Grot Budowlani LODZ, was pleased with the result. “We are very happy with our progression to the Final Four. This was one of our goals for this season. We played a good match and remained focussed from start to end. We did not let ourselves be carried away by our emotions.”
On the opposite side of the net will be standing the team from Radom, currently competing in a lower tier of the national league, who caused a sensation with their 3-2 victory over reigning national champions Chemik POLICE.
In Pool D of the CEV Volleyball Champions League, Grot Budowlani LODZ occupy the last place. Titleholders VakifBank ISTANBUL have swept five matches in a row to sit in first place, followed by Galatasaray SK, who boast a 4-1 win-loss record. Dinamo MOSCOW of Russia follow next but they are out of contention for a spot in the Playoffs.
“VakifBank ISTANBUL, Dinamo MOSCOW and Galatasaray SK ISTANBUL are very difficult opponents. We do not lower our heads. It is in our hands to play and try to win. The experience we have taken from these matches is truly important for us. We are happy that we can play with such teams - the best in the world. It is a good lesson for us,” Polańska continued.
The previous matchup between Grot Budowlani LODZ and Dinamo MOSCOW ended in a 3-0 away victory for the Russian side back in December.
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