24/02/2019 12:00
Follow Your Star – Nataliya Goncharova
2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women
Luxembourg, February 24, 2019. In one of this week’s most entertaining and dramatic matches, Nataliya Goncharova scored as many as 25 points to help Dinamo MOSCOW claim a crucial 3-2 victory over Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL to stay in contention for a spot in the quarter-finals of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Women. This tally comprises 20 spikes, four blocks and one ace for a truly outstanding performance that was instrumental to Dinamo’s success in the big match with the ‘Yellow Angels’.
Goncharova and her teammates are hoping to qualify for the quarter-finals as one of the best runners-up across all pools since Fenerbahce need to take only one set from their final Pool E match with C.S.M. BUCURESTI to secure first place in the group.
Even though she has achieved remarkable success with the Russian national team – with a World Championship title in 2010 and consecutive EuroVolley gold medals in 2013 and 2015 to her name – Goncharova is yet to taste such a major international victory with her club. Dinamo finished only fourth two years ago at the Final Four in Treviso and had a difficult start to the 2018-2019 season, losing 1-3 at home to Fenerbahce before sweeping four matches in a row.
The charming Nataliya will play a key role in Dinamo’s further ambitions in the competition as she is the top scorer of the 4th Round with an impressive 123 points in five matches, one clear of Sweden’s Isabelle Haak, who plays for Italian rookies Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI.
With a star-studded roster including the likes of reigning world champion Maja Ognjenovic and Czech Republic’s Helena Havelkova plus a good share of the Russian national team, Dinamo and Goncharova can certainly set the bar high for the remainder of the season.
|