Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2017/2018

  • Of course Aachen vs. Münster is escpecially important for ranking of teams between 4 to 7 (and maybe 8 too). For me Aachen is the clear-cut favourite, they are playing at home in their small special hall and collected much more victories already than Münster, only regarding points the difference is not that big.

  • Erfurt - Potsdam 0:3 (20:25 15:25 16:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2081.pdf
    MVP: ?


    Aachen - Münster 3:1 (25:17 25:22 21:25 25:22)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2084.pdf
    MVP: MacKenzie Adams / Juliet Lohuis


    Vilsbiburg - Stuttgart 0:3 (16:25 21:25 19:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2082.pdf
    MVP: Jennifer Pettke / Molly McCage
    Marlies Wagendorp injured her knee in her first ball contact on court :white: ACL I guess from the looks of it :S


    Suhl - Dresden 0:3 (18:25 18:25 14:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2085.pdf (soon)
    MVP: Miloslava Lauerova / Mareen Apitz


    Tomorrow Schwerin-Wiesbaden and VCO-Aachen.


    By today's win Stuttgart has secured 1st place after regular season.

  • Schwerin - Wiesbaden 2:3 (16:25 28:26 24:26 25:22 13:15)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2083.pdf
    MVP: Lauren Barfield / Kimberly Drewniok


    VCO Berlin - Aachen 1:3 (14:25 20:25 25:20 17:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2212.pdf
    MVP: Luise Klein / Lindsay Dowd


    Potsdam - VCO Berlin 3:0 (25:11 25:21 25:22)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2209.pdf
    MVP: Anne Hölzig / Paula Morgenroth


    Ranking before the last day of regular season:
    1 Allianz MTV Stuttgart 19 17 53:13 52
    2 Dresdner SC 19 16 50:17 47
    3 SSC Palmberg Schwerin 19 15 52:17 46
    4 Ladies in Black Aachen 19 12 41:30 34
    5 VC Wiesbaden 19 12 40:32 33
    6 Rote Raben Vilsbiburg 19 9 34:34 27
    7 USC Münster 19 8 34:37 27
    8 SC Potsdam 19 8 31:37 25
    9 VfB Suhl LOTTO Thüringen 19 5 19:46 15
    10 Schwarz-Weiß Erfurt 19 3 13:52 9
    11 VCO Berlin 20 0 8:60 0


    Sunday 16.30 CET: the big Cup final Dresden vs Wiesbaden :cup:


  • Comment on standings before last match day (only VCO is already finished, once again as total loser team without winning any point: does this make sense?):


    Stuttgart is first as already mentioned.


    Race for second place is effectively over, because Dresden plays at home Erfurt, they will carry away three points nearly for sure. The chances of Schwerin to get second place back from them, is more a theoretically one: they would have to win in Stuttgart and have still to hope for a major upset of Dresden.


    This raises the question, how Stuttgart and Schwerin will deal with this (totally respectively nearly) meaningless match, which is shown on Sport1 free TV. It would be sad for all spectators, if one or both teams doesn't take this seriously, but both have to play CEV cup semi final (first match) just three days later (at least at home).


    Than we have a duel of Wiesbaden and Aachen for 4th respective 5th place (alone): the winner will be 4th, loser 5th; i.e. this decides just the home advantage, because they will meet again in quarters therefore.


    Following is a group of three teams, which can finish all on place 6 to 8: while Münster hosts Suhl, a relatively good chance, to get three points, Potsdam hosts Vilsbiburg in a direct duel, the outcome is not clear yet.


    Out of contention for playoffs are both teams of Thuringia, they will finish 9. (Suhl) and 10. (Erfurt).

  • A remark to Vilsbiburg middle Marlies Waagendorp: I was there in the hall and when she went down, it looked very bad indeed, after a minute or so four persons carried her off court, because she couldn't even stand - and now the worst was affirmed: she suffered both ACL and Meniskus destruction, if she will ever return to professional volleyball is not clear yet. Not only this season is over for her, in best case she might play since the second part of next season.

  • Today not before 16:30 CET (depends of duration of men's final Friedrichshafen vs. Bühl before) DVV cup final Dresden vs. Wiesbaden on free TV station Sport1, their internet stream and also sportdeutschland.tv stream. I will be there in Mannheim as always, despite Stuttgart lost unneccessarily in the semis against Wiesbaden, and hope, that Wiesbaden can win a first title ever, as kind of return for many good seasons now - Dresden already won four times this cup, they just don't need another one really :) .

  • After a nervous start Wiesbaden fought back until 20:21 but Dresden takes the 1st set 25:21. Piia Korhonen is very reliable in difficult situations, but if Wiesbaden can increase the pressure on serve they definitely have a chance.

  • In the end no surprise...


    Dresden - Wiesbaden 3:0 (21, 22, 18 )
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/8114.pdf
    MVP (elected through an App by spectators): Kimberly Drewniok :aww:


    Dresden was the better team in alll elements throughout the whole match, but Wiesbaden also didn't show their best performance today unfortunately. Piia Korhonen as usual with a strong performance, but for me Dresden's outstanding player was Sasa Planinsec with 73% attack but most of all 9 :!: blocks in 3 sets :obey:

  • Consequences of newest European Cups ranking 2019: the two fixed slots in CL pool stage and the one for qualification will be assigned to both playoff finalist teams (most likely Stuttgart and Schwerin) and the qualification slot for the third of the championship (most likely Dresden).


    Now the critical situation is, that Schwerin already the last time declined, because of high costs and bad perspective regarding outcome of participation, Stuttgart couldn't afford participation financially and Dresden was not allowed to join qualification rounds of CL.


    Most likely Dresden will take part even in qualification, they have not too bad chances to get into the poolphase (most likely against Polish vice champion). Schwerin is open, I think, they will consider again, they can financially afford it, if they really want.


    Stuttgart has a big issue: it is unlikely, that we can collect enough money to participate at the moment. If both Schwerin and Stuttgart decide not to participate, this were a multiple damage.

  • Dresden has announced that they want to play CL next season and want to reach championship final in order to reach the direct qualification for the pool phase. This year CEV didn't allow them to enter CL even though Schwerin and Stuttgart declined the participation.

  • Dresden has announced that they want to play CL next season and want to reach championship final in order to reach the direct qualification for the pool phase. This year CEV didn't allow them to enter CL even though Schwerin and Stuttgart declined the participation.


    I think, semis will see Stuttgart against either Wiesbaden or Aachen as clear favourite and Schwerin as favourite against Dresden, despite Dresden will nearly for sure keep home advantage: I don't think, that Dresden can win both home matches against Schwerin this time again, not to mention the on the road match in Schwerin.


    But even than, participating in CL qualification is a rational option for Dresden, because winning against at most Polish vice champions is feasible for them, so they have chances to get into the pool stage even in that case.

  • Last round of regular season tomorrow, all matches live on http://www.vbl.tv, Stuttgart-Schwerin as TV match


    Sa, 10.03.18 19:25 Stuttgart - Schwerin
    Sa, 10.03.18 19:30 Dresden - Erfurt
    Sa, 10.03.18 19:30 Münster - Suhl
    Sa, 10.03.18 19:30 Wiesbaden - Aachen
    Sa, 10.03.18 19:30 Potsdam - Vilsbiburg


    Wiesbaden and Aachen will fight for 4th place which means home advantage in the quarterfinals where both teams will meet again. Münster, Potsdam and Vilsbiburg will fight for 6th to 8th place but IMO it won't make much difference for them which one of the big three teams they'll meet because I have no doubt that Stuttgart, Dresden and Schwerin will pass the quarterfinals without big problems.


  • Personally I agree, but Potsdams fear of Stuttgart is that high, that they want at any prize get away from place 8 in the table... as matter of fact, both league matches were no fun at all for them, Stuttgart won both superiourly in three sets. And they would prefer regarding traveling and also likely get more spectators with Dresden (would require place 7).

  • I watched simultaneously Wiesbaden - Aachen and Stuttgart-Schwerin.


    Wiesbaden deserved the win! Very good serving (Kosova) and defense (Stock).


    Oude Luttikhuis in 5th set 4 reception-errors in a row.. She is the key-person for Aachen, also in play-offs. If she plays decent, Aachen (with Bongaerts, hopefully) can beat Wiesbaden. If Wiesbaden succeeds in picking her in reception, Aachen will probably lose. Aachen's biggest weapon, also today, was their block. I think, together with Stuttgart, they are the best blocking team in the Bundesliga.



    Stuttgart and Schwerin showed today once again they are by far better than the other teams. It was a really nice match with many rallies!

  • Stuttgart - Schwerin 2:3 (25:23 21:25 25:19 20:25 12:15)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2089.pdf
    MVP: Paige Tapp / Louisa Lippmann
    Molly McCage was rested due to aftermaths of a dentist treatment. Great match especially in the first two sets and in tie-break, in 3rd and 4th sets both teams were very erratic.


    Dresden - Erfurt 3:0 (25:11 25:21 25:12)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2086.pdf
    MVP: Katharina Schwabe / Friederike Brabetz


    Münster - Suhl 3:0 (25:16 25:18 25:18 )
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2087.pdf
    MVP: Ines Bathen / Miloslava Lauerova


    Wiesbaden - Aachen 3:2 (22:25 25:16 25:15 22:25 15:7)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2088.pdf
    MVP: Simona Kosova / Kirsten Knip


    Potsdam - Vilsbiburg 3:1 (15:25 25:18 25:19 25:15)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2090.pdf
    MVP: Ivona Svobodnikova / Laura Künzler


    Ranking after regular season:
    1 Allianz MTV Stuttgart 20 17 55:16 53
    2 Dresdner SC 20 17 53:17 50
    3 SSC Palmberg Schwerin 20 16 55:19 48
    4 VC Wiesbaden 20 13 43:34 35
    5 Ladies in Black Aachen 20 12 43:33 35
    6 USC Münster 20 9 37:37 30
    7 SC Potsdam 20 9 34:38 28
    8 Rote Raben Vilsbiburg 20 9 35:37 27
    9 VfB Suhl LOTTO Thüringen 20 5 19:49 15
    10 Schwarz-Weiß Erfurt 20 3 13:55 9
    11 VCO Berlin 20 0 8:60 0


    Playoff quarterfinals starting next weekend:
    Stuttgart vs Vilsbiburg
    Dresden vs Potsdam
    Schwerin vs Münster
    Wiesbaden vs Aachen

  • That Molly McCage couldn't play was decisive, because she is by far the best middle of the league - Schwerin would have had no chance, when we could have used her. So the result doesn't mean anything IMHO. She should be ready for the CEV semis anyway.