Posts by charalampos

  • World League 2010


    Bulgaria claim convincing second win over the
    Netherlands




    Despite some promising attacking play the Dutch couldn't see
    off Bulgaria as they went down in their second FIVB World League match    </td></tr></tbody></table>Apeldoorn, the
    Netherlands, June 20, 2010 - Bulgaria recorded their second win over the
    Netherlands on Sunday with a convincing straight sets (25-21, 25-20,
    25-22) victory away in Apeldoorn.


    Bulgaria took a quick lead
    early on and with their powerful attacking and steady passing they made
    the hosts work hard for every point. But with the support of the home
    crowd they brought the score level before the Bulgarians finished off
    the set on top.


    Both
    sides were even early in the second set before the spike of Dutch
    captain Rob Bontje saw the Netherlands take the lead. Outside hitter
    Matey Kaziyski helped bring the visitors back into the game and despite a
    late Dutch fightback Bulgaria saw out the win.


    The
    Netherlands used powerful spikes to take the side into an early lead in
    the third. Bulgaria came back before letting the hosts back into the
    game with an error strewn period. However the visitors regained and with
    a final error from the Dutch they picked up the set and the match.


    “I
    definitely did not expect to win two matches in straight sets here,"     Bulgaria
    captain Vladimir Nikolov said.     "We are still growing as a
    team, our preparation was quite short."

    After three rounds, Brazil tops
    Pool A, followed by Bulgaria while the Netherlands occupy the third and
    Korea prop up the group in last place.

  • World League 2010


    Serbia lose for the first time as they go down to
    Italy



    Italy celebrate on their way to the impressive five set win
    over Serbia    Florence, Italy,
    June 20, 2010 - Italy reversed Friday's 3-2 defeat at the hands of
    Serbia and beat the Pool B leaders in another five-set thriller (21-25,
    25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 15-13) thanks to an outstanding 29 points from
    Michal Lasko in Florence on Sunday, to move to one point behind Serbia
    at the top of the group.


    Serbia, last year's runners-up, stay on the top of Pool B
    with five wins and one defeat, the same record of Italy who much now
    play the remaining three weekends of the Intercontinental Round away.


    In the first set both teams, using
    similar lineups from Friday's match, went point to point until 9-9, then
    Serbia took a slight lead thanks to Italy’s mistakes especially in
    attack. Serbia maintained the lead helped by the good performance of
    Sasa Starovic (six points in the set) – top scorer of the match in
    Montecatini – and closed the first set 25-21 despite Simone Parodi
    trying to recover the match with a great serve.


    The second set
    began as the first one and Italy and Serbia fought point by point. In
    the second part of the set Italy kept the lead despite making many
    mistakes with their serve before finding the right rhythm to pick up
    the set 25-20.


    Italy preserved the concentration during the third set
    before taking a lead thanks to some excellent defence, notably
    from Lasko, who scored the decisive point in the set, which finished
    25-17 for Italy.


    However, the 2009 silver medallists are made of strong
    stuff and didn't lie down. The fourth set was very tight but Serbia took
    the honours 25-20 to take it to a tie-breaker.


    Italy went
    ahead 5-2 before the team of Igor Kolakovic fought back. It was only at
    the end when Italy got ahead to win the set and the match. Top scorer of
    the Serbian team has been again Sasa Starovic scoring 26 points.

  • European League 2010

    Serbia outclasses Romania and stays fully tuned in the competition


    CEV European
    League - Women



    Smederevo, Serbia, June 20, 2010.
    The reigning European League


    champions of Serbia beat once again this afternoon Romania 3:0 (25-19,


    25-20, 25-23) after 78 minutes of play, in front of 2’200 spectators who


    cheered for their team from the first to the last minute of the match.




    Romania started the match much better than yesterday and got a 7:6 lead.


    However, Serbia managed to win the next two points and go to the first


    technical time-out leading by 1 (8:7). Then Maja Ognjenovic took the


    things in her hands and set the play perfectly for her teammates, which


    resulted in a 4-point lead for the home team at the second technical


    time-out (16:12). Serbia slowly increased the pace and with good


    defence, blocking and attractive attacks went on to 19:13, when Mr.


    Zakoc asked for a time-out. The Romanian side managed to cut the lead by


    half (20:17), but only for a short period of time because the host team


    reinstalled the 6-point gap with the firm serving of Jovana Brakocevic


    (23:17). At the end, Serbia won the first set 25-19, after 24 minutes of


    play.




    The start of the second set was all Romanian. The visitors went up 4:1,


    and then 8:6 at the first technical time-out. The biggest advantage for


    the visiting team was at 12:7. Then Sara Klisura stepped up replacing


    Vesovic, and with excellent serving cut the Romanian lead to only 1


    point (11:12). At the second technical time-out, the visitors were up


    16:13. Serbia tied the result with the partial series of 4:1 (17:17),


    and then the hosts took the lead at 18:17. The more experienced Serbian


    players increased the advantage to finish the set at 25-20, after 24


    minutes.




    In the third set, Romania came out strong and went up 8:2. After the


    first technical time-out the lead was even bigger (11:4), and then the


    host team woke up and managed to reduce the gap by the partial run of


    8:2, making it only 12:13 for the visitors. By the second technical


    time-out, Serbia turned the result in their favour at 16:15. After that


    it was only the matter of routine for the home side to finish the match,


    which the host team did edging the rivals 25-23, after 30 minutes of


    play.




    The best scorers of the home team were this afternoon Veljkovic with 11


    points, Molnar with 7, Vesovic and Bjelica with 6, while for the


    Romanian team the most efficient ones were Muresan with 11 points,


    Zaharia with 7, Albu and Onyejekwe with 6.




    “This was a tough match today, a much closer than yesterday, but looking


    at the statistics and generally speaking, I think that today we saw


    less quality in play. I expected more from our side, but we played a lot


    worse. In training it looks a lot better than on the court, and that’s


    the reason I am positive that we can and we will play much better in the


    future” said Serbian coach Zoran Terzic.




    “We played a little bit better than yesterday, and Serbia was more


    relaxed I think, maybe because of the easy victory in the first match.


    We have to improve our game, we are doing wrong even the basic things,


    but from what I have seen in these matches with Bulgaria and Serbia, I


    am hopeful that we can do better. We have to practice a lot and in some


    time I think that we can compete with the best teams. I would like to


    congratulate Serbian team and I wish team success in the future”


    concluded Romania’s mentor Darko Zakoc.







    Results




    Serbia vs. Romania 3:0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-23)








    Click here


    for more information including detailed statistics








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    for a picture gallery

  • European League 2010

    Spain claims second victory in Levice


    2010 CEV European League - Men


    Levice, Slovakia, June 20, 2010. Spain finished the trip to
    Slovakia with two wins. The team of head coach Julio Velasco won also
    the second game in Levice 3:0 (26-24, 25-23, 26-24).


    Spain led 5:3 in the opening of the first set, but Slovakia came back
    and when Lukas Divis was in the serve area, the score moved suddenly to
    6:5 for the home team. Later spiker Noda hit an ace and the score was
    10:8 for Spain. The guests held the narrow lead until 13:11, but then
    again Divis served very well, opposite Bencz spiked twice very hard and
    Slovakia led 15:13. Spain collected four points in a row to speed up to
    17:15. Slovakia tried to come back, but Spain received well and hold the
    narrow lead. Bencz served twice very good and Slovakia turned the score
    to 22:21. The final section of the opening set was really dramatic but
    Spain ultimately prevailed 26-24.


    Slovakia started well in the second set. Bomber spiker Sopko hit an ace
    and the score was 4:1 for the home guys. But Spain came back when spiker
    Noda was in the serve area and suddenly it was 7:6 for the guests. When
    Slovakian setter Holly and later blocker Piovarci hit an ace the home
    team led 14:11. The score was 16:13 for Slovakia at the second technical
    time-out. Later the home team led 22:16, but Spain closed to 22:21 when
    middle blocker Salas was in the serve area. Slovakia turned to 23:21,
    but finally the second set went to Spain 25-23.


    Slovakia did not surrender and when Sopko hit an ace, the score was 5:1
    for the home team in the opening of the third set. Spain closed to 5:4,
    but Slovakia led 8:5 at the first technical time-out. Later Slovakia
    moved the score to 14:10, but made a couple of mistakes in reception and
    attack and Spain closed to 14:13 and when opposite Pérez hit an ace was
    the score was leveled at 15. Later Slovakia led 18:16, but made three
    unforced errors and it was suddenly 20:18 for Spain. Slovakia hit back,
    Hukel made a nice block and the score was 23:23. Finally Spain won the
    third set 26:24 and collected its second win in Levice.


    Emanuele Zanini, head coach of Slovakia, said after the game: "It was
    another match like yesterday. We lost 3:0, but every set was close. We
    had a big advantage in the second set, but we destroyed the lead 21:15
    for our responsibility. It was a big opportunity to win the set. We made
    a lot of mistakes in important moments and for this reason I am not
    satisfied. When we started the European League we declared that we
    wanted to try to obtain our best, but the main goal is to give
    experience to some players. We are working not just for the European
    League, but also for the next season”.


    Julio Velasco, head coach Spain, added: "For us it was important to win
    the second and third set, because we were down 22:17 and then 5:1 in the
    third. Our players always played as a team. We didn´t give up and this
    was important. I am satisfied. We will play against Slovakia next week
    at home and I will do some changes in the team. Garcia Torres and
    Palharini     will come back to the team”.



    Results


    Slovakia vs. Spain 0:3 (24-26, 23-25, 24-26)




    Click here
    for more information including detailed statistics




    Click here
    for a picture gallery

  • European League 2010

    Romania overturns defeat against GB to top the standings in Pool A


    European League - Men & Women


    Crawley, Great Britain, June 20, 2010. Romania overturned
    their defeat in the opening match to Great Britain at the K2 in Crawley
    to go back to the top of Pool A in the 2010 CEV European League after a
    thrilling five-set match (2:3, 25-23, 15-25, 21-25, 25-22, 10-15). GB
    came back from 2:1 down to force the match to a final set but Romania
    took an early lead in the decisive set and was never behind.


    Romania started strongly and put pressure on the GB serve-receive. Radu
    Began produced a big early block on Mark McGivern through the middle
    and, when Jason Haldane, sent successive attacks long, coach Harry
    Brokking took his first time-out at 2:5. Romania surged to an 8:5 lead
    at the technical time-out after Cristian Chitigoi found the floor in the
    GB back court. GB who trailed 6:10 closed it to within one point after
    Chitigoi was blocked in successive points, firstly by Haldane and then
    by Nathan French. But Chitigoi improvised well - tipping one over the GB
    block before slamming the ball into the floor crosscourt as Romania
    moved to 13:9, at which point Brokking gathered his players together
    again. The time-out worked as GB won the next three points as Romania
    were forced into their first time-out only for Chitigoi who hit the ball
    off the net cord and out of court as the scores were leveled 13:13. GB
    put together six unanswered points to lead 15:13 before Andrei Laza
    pulled a point back for Romania through the middle. Brokking’s boys
    established a 24:20 lead but could not shake off Romania who saved three
    set points and threatened to salvage the set. But Mark Plotyczer eased
    home concerns with a power hit through position four to give GB the set
    25-23.


    Romania sped to a 5:1 lead in the second set with Laurentiu Lica serving
    an ace and Brokking called his first time-out of the second set.
    Haldane was finding some success on the outside but Romania kept ahead
    with Laza coming up with a terrific stuff block on the former Canadian
    international. Chitigoi remained Romania’s main hitting threat and
    Brokking had to call another time-out at 13:18 before Nathan Bennett
    pulled a point back through the middle. The Romanian block was standing
    up well as they held onto their five-point lead before Haldane pierced
    the block to pull a point back for GB. But Romania had control of the
    set and Chitigoi blocked out Haldane before captain Began snuffed out
    Andy Benson through the middle as Romania moved to 21:15. GB made
    changes with Kieran O’Malley and Dami Bakare coming on late in the set
    but the momentum was with Romania and Chitigoi brought them to set point
    with a hit off the block before Bakare hit carelessly out to end the
    set 25-15 to Romania.


    GB came back at the start of a tight third set and edged ahead 8:6 at
    the first technical time-out after a terrific pick-up by libero Dan
    Hunter kept the rally alive and French powered home the point through
    the middle. But Romania hit back to lead 10:8 after Laza wiped one off
    the block and Dan Borota somehow squeezed a point down the line. Laza
    was a towering presence for Romania in the block as they moved to and he
    made his presence felt again to stifle Plotyczer as Romania led by four
    points, 14:10. GB could not find their rhythm as Romania kept up the
    pressure to lead 16:12 at the second technical time-out. GB hit back to
    lead 17:16 but the set swung again to Romania as they led 20:18. Lica
    managed to defend one attack from Haldane with his foot but French then
    finished the rally off with an unstoppable spike. There was controversy
    at the end of the set as the GB players left Borota’s serve convinced it
    was long but the ball was given in. Coach Brokking put his glasses on
    to stare in disbelief at the line in an ironic gesture and was shown a
    yellow card by the referee. It was a critical point and although GB
    managed to save one set point, Borota put away the second set point as
    Romania took it 25-21.


    GB did not dwell on the matter and looked strong at the start of the
    fourth set as they moved from 4:4 to 8:4 with French, Haldane and then
    Plotyczer finding the gaps after Chitigoi had served out to give them
    the lead. GB blocked more solidly and McGivern proved a potent threat
    through the middle as the home side led 12:6 before a couple of serving
    errors gave Romania hope. The left-handed Lica brought Romania to within
    a point and then served a clean ace to level the scores at 13:13 before
    French hammered home another point for GB. French was rising to the
    occasion for GB as they led 17:14 and it was 19:15 when McGivern and Ben
    Pipes combined to block out Borota and prompt a Romanian time-out.
    McGivern made another great block on Laza but French was then just an
    inch long with a service and Romania took advantage to close it to one
    point 20:19 before Haldane put away another point off the block. GB led
    23:20 after Chitigoi hit into the net and coach Stelian Moculescu called
    another time-out. Some power serving from Laza had GB in trouble but
    Haldane eased the strain again before a huge block by the inspirational
    French on Chitigoi gave the home team the set 25-22.


    The teams traded point for point at the start of the final set but
    Romania led 8:5 before GB closed to within one point on three separate
    occasions. Lica started to make his mark but Romania almost paid the
    price when Laza and then Lica served into the net but Romania took a
    grip at the end. The referee over-ruled his line judge when he indicated
    a French spike had taken a touch before going out and that gave Romania
    match point which they took at the first time of asking, winning the
    set 15-10.


    Romanian coach Moculescu said after the match: “My team showed me
    another face. The attitude of the team was the difference - they played
    Volleyball today and didn’t watch Volleyball like they did yesterday.
    Sometimes we need a little luck but that comes if you have a good
    attitude”.


    His captain Began added: “Today we played better and started the first
    set very well but not enough. We lost the first set but came back. We
    learned from the first match and the mistakes we made and we served very
    well. We feel good after the game but there is still a long way to go
    in the competition”.


    GB coach Brokking stated: “I’m very disappointed as we had the chance to
    stay in first place in our group. We saw a different Romania but we
    also saw a different GB team - they deserved to win and we did not play
    well enough. That’s the bottom-line”.


    Captain Pipes concluded: “It’s a cheap excuse to say Romania played
    better but that’s what happened. We lacked the control we had in the
    first match. The first set was slow and nothing to set the world alight
    from ourselves but we had control but we couldn’t keep that. It was a
    weak performance from ourselves”.







    Results


    Men


    Great Britain vs. Romania 2:3 (25-23, 15-25, 21-25, 25-22, 10-15)



    Click here
    for more information including detailed statistics




    Click here
    for a picture gallery