CEV Champions League 2017

  • I have never been a fan of any Chinese player, but is hard not to like Zhu. She is so humble. Would be easy for any young girl that has reached a prestigious level like she did, to just act like she is the star of the team and is above everyone else. But Zhu just mix herself in with everyone else. And she is always so focused and gives 100% in every single play.

    As a volleyball fan from China ;( ;( ;( (T_T) to hear the first part of your comment...



    But yes... Zhu Ting is very humble indeed, and she is quite philanthropic and selfless too - she used most of her earning from Turkish league to build roads, charity schools, etc in her poor and remote home town. Kudos on that :)

  • Vakifbank might win CL, turkish league and WCH without losing one single match

    I'm not that positive. Vakifbank lost World Club Championship, and then Turkish Cup (losing to Fehnerbace) ... So their performance in coming playoffs of both CL and Turkish League remain to be examined.

  • Has Boskovic ever played as OH? She`s only 19 , she could learn easy under a good coach like Lang Ping or Bernardinho for sure.


    Tijana is left-handed player. It's easier for her to spike from zone 2.

  • Well Modena V Chemik is gonna be interesting


    Chemik will finish ahead of Modena if they win 3-0 or 3-1

  • I don't understand the hate talk towards Rachael.. Even if I like her very much, I am the first who said she's not playing good since she arrived in Eczacibasi.. I don't know the reason, but she was much better in Conegliano and the NT. Saying she is a mediocre player and not a good blocker is simply not true.. She has proved herself on the international scene these last years and it's more than enough for her to deserve the status 'one of the best in the world'.. In college she could only attack in front of the setter and never got to serve.. She was invited in the NT in 2013, but rarely got to play because she was told she has to serve better, and should also improve her slide attack because USA relied heavily on that.. Then only in 2014 she got the best server award in Montreux, and got selected for the WCH and started some matches there.. In 2015 and 2016 she took the place of veteran Harmotto and started for the USA in the Olympics.. In Conegliano there were many matches where she was their best scorer, having scored more than 20 points in some matches, which is pretty great for a MB.. She is ranged first among the MBs, better than Bellien, Stevanovic, Heyrman, Guiggi to name a few, with total of 400 points, 133 blocks, 54% in attack.. 0.90 efficiency in blocking is a pretty good number, especially for a 'weak blocker' as some said she was.. She was also pretty important for the NT last summer in the Olympics and did a good job there too..
    I do think she is underperforming in Eczacibasi, but the other things said about her are absolutely not true..

  • OK I think I said she was not a great blocker. That might have been slightly harsh. What I should have said is I don't think she is among the absolute best MBs when it comes to blocking. With her attacking + blocking abilities she is probably among the best 10 MBs in the world. Anyone who says she is a mediocre player is very wrong

  • Hey guys, my name is Andre, I'm from Brazil and I'm new here. I've always followed this blog and now I decided to create an account so I could leave my opinions too. I didn't want to start talking about volleyball without introducing me, cause I think it would be rude, but I'm sorry if this wasn't necessary :)


    Nice to meet you all

  • Ecz's foreign players are not getting enough playing time in the Turkish league to gel together as a team so its all up to individual performances in non league games. Sometimes everyone plays well but that is pretty much not the norm considering the lack of minutes. Fans just hope they play their best when it matters the most.

  • OK I think I said she was not a great blocker. That might have been slightly harsh. What I should have said is I don't think she is among the absolute best MBs when it comes to blocking. With her attacking + blocking abilities she is probably among the best 10 MBs in the world. Anyone who says she is a mediocre player is very wrong


    I think she is a better blocker than attacker.. It's true Eczacibasi wanted to sign Stevanovic at first, and Rachael came as second option, but I think Stevanovic hasn't shined on the international level to be honest.. I know many won't agree with me, she has always been great in Pomi, but with the NT she never did anything special, in fact she has been replaced with Veljkovic often, and she came on court many times simply because she is the only slider among the MBs.. Jovana too is not having the best of seasons in Pomi, although she has been playing for them for quite some time

  • Hey guys, my name is Andre, I'm from Brazil and I'm new here. I've always followed this blog and now I decided to create an account so I could leave my opinions too. I didn't want to start talking about volleyball without introducing me, cause I think it would be rude, but I'm sorry if this wasn't necessary :)


    Nice to meet you all


    hi Andre
    nice to meet you too
    have fun here :drink:

  • To me that is the difference between them, I'd choose Stevanovic as a blocker and Adams as an attacker


    Jovana has been a good NT player, but not a great one. She has only been playing regularly for Serbia since 2015 and has 2 major silver medals to show for it. Not saying she is the reason Serbia are winning these medals, but she usually does a good job. Veljkovic is a very good MB as well, it would be odd for her not be used on any team tbh I think it is an achievement just being picked ahead of her

  • Stevanovic was the number 1 blocker last season in Italy with 108 blocks, Pisani and Adams 2nd with 79.
    And I think Stevanovic broke the record with 108 blocks in a season in Italy.


    Stevanovic was the 15th highest score with 306 points.
    Adams was the 17th with 300 points.


    Stevanovic 7th best server. 28 aces
    Adams 15th 21 aces.


    Stevanovic did end up the season as the 4th Best MB overall.
    Adams was 15th.


    In 2014/2015 Stevanovic was the 2nd blocker with 75. ( Calloni was 1st with 76).
    Adams was 8th with 56.


    Stevanovic was the 26th best score. Adams was in 32nd.


    Stevanovic 12th best server. 17 aces
    Adams 31st with 9 aces.


    Stevanovic did end up the season as the number 1 best MB.
    Adams was 10th.


    Stevanovic is 24, and Adams is 26.


    Adams played both seasons with the same setter ( Glass) Stevanovic with 2 different (Skorupa/Loyd)


    I`m not saying who is the best and who is not. I`m just showing some numbers.

  • Probably the strongest point of Eczacibasi is also the team's weakest point. What I mean is the team has plenty of high caliber international players but they are almost all at the same level. This can cause cohesion problem because the setter or the libero might need to overthink each time who she's going to pass the ball. Whereas for VB, if the setter was confused, she just need to send the ball to Zhu Ting or to Milena Rasic and they will the fix the problem in most of the time.

  • I just did the match. And I could be wrong. But I think if Chemik wins in 3-0 they will tie in points but will be ahead with 1 set.


    But I think if Chemik wins in 3-1 they will not only tie in points, but they will tie in sets also...and it will come down to points ratio. Chemik is ahead now, but could change depending on the scores of the final match.


    Modena won 14 and lost 7. If they loose 3-1. It will be 15-10
    Chemik won 12 and lost 9. If they win 3-1. It will be 15-10


    Once Conegliano is already qualifed. Will qualify still the number 1 and the 2nd best?????

    Well Modena V Chemik is gonna be interesting


    Chemik will finish ahead of Modena if they win 3-0 or 3-1

  • And by the way, Brakocevic played wonders today, she made a few mistakes, but it was really fun to watch her go for 35 points (52% attack 30/58).
    Too bad that she did not get much help from Ozzoy (22% 12/55 ) and Marcon (7/33 21%).
    For Conegliano Robin 21 points, including 7 blocks. Fawcet was awful 10 points (10/43 23%).