DEFENDING CHAMPION STAYS ALIVE AFTER RUSSIAN BATTLE

INDESIT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGE 2004/2005

Luxembourg, February 15, 2005. Defending Men's Indesit European Champions' League Champion Lokomotiv BELGOROD reached the second play-off round of the world's strongest club competition on Tuesday. The Russian Rockets lost at home against fellow Russians Dinamo MOSCOW 2:3, but only needed one set as Lokomotiv BELGOROD had won the first clash 3:0 last week. Belgian Noliko MAASEIK and Italian Sisley TREVISO also reached the next stage of the Men's Indesit European Champions' League, while Italian Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA reached the Final Four of the women's competition.

Lokomotiv BELGOROD's task to win one set at home against Dinamo MOSCOW was easier said than done. Last week Lokomotiv BELGOROD surprised by winning the Russian battle in Moscow in three straight sets. In the return match Lokomotiv BELGOROD won the first two sets easily which was enough to reach the next round. However, Dinamo MOSCOW didn't want to lose in straight sets again so they fought back to surprisingly turn the tables for a 3:2 victory. "We reached the next round which is what counts", Lokomotiv BELGOROD head coach Gennady Shipulin stated, "After winning the first two sets I gave my other players some time on court. This will help me find a good balance for the subsequent important matches." Lokomotiv BELGOROD spiker Sergey Tetyukhine was the best player on court with 21 points, whilst his team mate Serguei Baranov scored 18 points.

Italian Sisley TREVISO will be the opponent of Lokomotiv BELGOROD in the next play-off round. The Italian squad defeated Austrian Aon hotVolleys VIENNA at home (3:1). In the previous week, Sisley TREVISO won the match in Vienna by the same score (3:1). The play-off clash between Lokomotiv BELGOROD and Sisley TREVISO should be rather exciting, as both teams have the capability to reach the Final Four.



Belgian Noliko MAASEIK sneaked into the play-off round of the Men's Indesit European Champions' League as the best fourth ranked team of the League Round. The Belgian squad surprised when reaching the next round by eliminating the strong Polish team JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A. Following their 3:0 victory in Poland last week, Noliko MAASEIK didn't disappoint the almost 4'000 home fans in the Expodroom Arena in Bree, Belgium, conceding but one set (3:1). This victory opened up the road to the Final Four for Noliko MAASEIK.

In the Women's Indesit European Champions' League, Italian Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA reached the Final Four with a comfortable 3:0 over Spanish Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS. The team of Angiolino Fragioni will now meet the winner of French RC CANNES and Azerrail BAKU from Azerbaijan in the semifinal, which is scheduled for Saturday, 19th March in Tenerife, Spain.

The next clashes are scheduled for Wednesday with two more women's and three more men's play-off matches.

Men's Indesit European Champions League 2004/05, First Playoff Round, Away matches
Tuesday, 15 February 2005
Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS) - Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS)
2:3     25-16, 25-15, 21-25, 24-26, 11-15       115 mins
First match 3:0

Sisley TREVISO (ITA) - Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT)
3:1     25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22      110 mins
First match 3:1

Noliko MAASEIK (BEL) - JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (POL)
3:1     25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18      91 mins
First match 3:0

Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS), Noliko MAASEIK (BEL) and Sisley TREVISO (ITA) qualify for next play-off round.

Wednesday, 16 February 2005 (local times)
Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE) - VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER)  18.00   First match 1:3
Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA) - TOURS VB (FRA)    20.30   First match 1:3
PARIS Volley (FRA) - SCC BERLIN (GER)   20.30   First match 3:1

Women's Indesit European Champions League 2004/05, Playoff Round, Away matches
Tuesday, 15 February 2005
Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA (ITA) - Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS (ESP)
3:0     25-14, 25-15, 25-16     63 mins
First match 3:2

Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA (ITA) qualifies for Final Four.

Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Azerrail BAKU (AZE) - RC CANNES (FRA)   18.00   First match 0:3
Besiktas ISTANBUL (TUR) - Foppapedretti BERGAMO (ITA)   19.00   First match 0:3

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Enjoy & Be There:

01-03 March 2005: Indesit European Champions League, Playoffs Men, Home matches.
05-06 March 2005: CEV Cup, Final Four Men, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
05-06 March 2005: CEV Cup, Final Four Women, Perugia, Italy.
08-10 March 2005: Indesit European Champions League, Playoffs Men, Home matches.
11-12 March 2005: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup, Final Four Men, Piraeus, Greece.
12-13 March 2005: Top Teams Cup, Final Four Women.
19-20 March 2005: Indesit European Champions League, Final Four Women, Tenerife, Spain.
26-27 March 2005: Indesit European Champions League, Final Four Men, Thessaloniki, Greece.
29 March-03 April 2005: Youth European Championships 2005, Boys Final Round, Riga, Latvia.
29 March-03 April 2005: Youth European Championships 2005, Girls Final Round, Tallinn, Estonia.

23-24 July 2005: European League, Final Four, Kazan, Russia.
26-31 July 2005: FIVB Grand Prix Qualification, Baku, Azerbaijan.
02-11 September 2005: Men's Senior European Championships 2005, Rome, Italy and Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro.
16-25 September 2005: Women's Senior European Championships 2005, Zagreb, Croatia.