Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2022/23

    Erfurt - Suhl 0:3 (19, 21, 19)

    https://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2022-23/Women/2119.pdf

    MVP: Vera Mulder / Yurika Bamba

    With this result, Suhl's hopes to still reach the playoffs stay alive whereas Erfurt's chances at this point are purely mathematical. Looking at the ranking, Münster, Vilsbiburg and Suhl will fight for two spots in the playoffs. Münster has by far the hardest schedule remaining with matches against Wiesbaden, Schwerin, Dresden and Potsdam, but three of the matches are at home. On the last round of regular season there will be Vilsbiburg vs Suhl, so this might become a real do-or-die match depending on the results until then.


    But first, tomorrow we'll have the Cup final Potsdam vs Schwerin :super: 16:45 CET, stream (free with registration) starting 16:30.

    IMO everything is possible, both teams are on pretty much the same level and I think whoever will be able to prevent the opponent from using their strengths will win. Van Aalen vs Kästner, Pogany vs Jegdic are absolutely equal fights, at OH position both teams have three very good players (I wonder if Hölzig will get to start for Schwerin) and also the middles are almost equal with maybe a little advantage for Potsdam at MB2 (Savic vs White). For me the potentially biggest difference is Nemeth vs Yüzgenc at OPP, but Nemeth hasn't been too impressive lately and for example Stuttgart managed to completely neutralise her.

    Either way, I hope for an exciting, balanced high level match :win:

    On LiveScore.in Potsdam has the slightly better quotes and I agree with that. Overall Potsdam has shown in the season being better as Schwerin.

    Both teams with the best possible rosters (Robitaille, Reesink and Broekstra are not eligible for the match), but surprisingly Potsdam starts with Jasper and Emonts instead of Savelkoel :what: Schwerin starts with Alsmeier-Ruddins...


    In the pre match interview Hernandez said that in case anything happens to Van Aalen, Nemeth would play as setter because she likes to do it and has good hands. A part of me wants to see it, but the bigger part of me definitely wants to see a great match with the strongest players :super:

    So Ruddins for now completely forgot to show up and Alsmeier is only a little better :gone: I guess it's time for Hölzig to save the day...


    Potsdam with very good block-defense, but they definitely don't look unbeatable today.


    Whoever does the stats must be blind or drunk though :aww: It doesn't have Van Aalen's block against Ruddins, plus it says Cekulaev is at 0/2 in attack when in reality she is at 2/2 (or 2/3 if the miscommunication with Van Aalen counts as attack error).

    And the Cup winner is SSC Palmberg Schwerin :cup:


    Schwerin - Potsdam 3:1 (20:25 25:14 25:17 25:20)

    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2022-23/Women/8114.pdf (I think there will be some corrections later in the reviewed stats)

    MVP: Pia Kästner (voted by fans)


    IMO the most important battle after all today was Koslowski vs Hernandez. Schwerin had much more faith in their abilities and their plan, despite a bad 1st set they just kept playing and became stronger and stronger, while Potsdam looked really off. I guess they were also tired from playing many matches lately, they looked better against Scandicci on Tuesday than today :aww:


    By the way, Vital Heynen predicted that whoever wins the 1st set will win the match 3:0. A true expert :whistle::gone:

    Baijens 20 pts🥰🥰 (8 blocks) Must feel good to have your NT coach watching that :saint:

    Article about Tutku Burcu Yüzgenc (German, but Google Translate will do), maybe an interesting read for Turkish fans.


    Basically it's about how she copes with the earthquake, she didn't lose any family members but some friends, and in the days after the earthquake she moved in with Pia Kästner in order not to be alone. Now after the Cup final the team gets five days off and she travels home to Istanbul.

    Overall, the article sounds like Schwerin players and staff really appreciate her as a person and as a player :heart: We all know that her abilities are limited, but IMO within these boundaries she is doing a good job for Schwerin and provides what the team needs from her.

    Vilsbiburg announced Juan Diego Garcia Diaz, currently coach of CV Haris in Tenerife, as new head coach for next season. They signed a 1+1 year contract.


    With Gallardo as sports director and a Spanish coach I expect the tradition of many Latin American players in Vilsbiburg to continue for at least another season ^^