After a stellar night packed with neverending emotions starting field of the Playoffs 12 is completed

2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League - Men

Luxembourg, January 20, 2009. A tremendous Volleyball night with a total of 12 matches concluded the League Round of the 2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League and the starting field for the Playoffs 12 is finally completed. The Drawing of Lots scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. will therefore feature: TRENTINO BetClic and Dinamo MOSCOW (Pool A), Zenit KAZAN and CSKA SOFIA (Pool B), Lube Banca Marche MACERATA and Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (Pool C), PGE Skra BELCHATOW and Knack Randstad ROESELARE (Pool D), VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN and Panathinaikos ATHENS (Pool E) and last, but not least, Asseco Resovia RZESZOW plus ACH Volley BLED that qualified from Pool F. Olympiacos PIRAEUS will also make it to the Playoffs 12 as the best third-ranked team of the prelims, whereas four more clubs (CAI TERUEL, TOURS VB, Noliko MAASEIK and CoprAtlantide PIACENZA) will be moved to the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup.

Results

Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) vs. Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE 3:0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-19)
TRENTINO BetClic (ITA) vs. Olympiacos PIRAEUS (GRE) 2:3 (23-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-23, 13-15)
Unicaja ALMERIA (ESP) vs. TOURS VB (FRA) 3:2 (25-21, 25-12, 16-25, 22-25, 15-13)
CSKA SOFIA (BUL) vs. Zenit KAZAN (RUS) 3:1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23)
Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (AUT) vs. Lube Banca Marche MACERATA (ITA) 1:3 (25-22, 23-25, 18-25, 24-26)
Budvanska Rivijera BUDVA (MNE) vs. Noliko MAASEIK (BEL) 1:3 (20-25, 25-27, 25-21, 22-25)
Knack Randstad ROESELARE (BEL) vs. Radnicki KRAGUJEVAC (SRB) 3:0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-19)
PGE Skra BELCHATOW (POL) vs. CAI TERUEL (ESP) 3:0 (26-24, 25-20, 29-27)
CoprAtlantide PIACENZA (ITA) vs. VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) 3:0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-22)
Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE) vs. JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.A. (POL) 3:0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-22)
ACH Volley BLED (SLO) vs. Asseco Resovia RZESZOW (POL) 1:3 (17-25, 25-16, 20-25, 18-25)
PARIS Volley (FRA) vs. ISTANBUL B. Sehir Belediyesi (TUR) 3:1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19)

Click here for additional info including final standings of all Preliminary Pools

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Pool A

Russian Dinamo MOSCOW defeated tonight Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE in three sets and in just in 1 hour and 10 minutes. The Russians did their job magnificently as they needed to score a 3:0 to make it to the Playoffs 12. Yury Berezhko stood out with his 71 % of efficiency in attack and squeezed in with 14 points. The second best scorer for the hosts was Volkov with 12 points. The Czechs came closer in the score only in the third set as Dinamo slowed down a little bit its rhythm. With 4 victories and 2 defeats, Dinamo was almost certain to make it to the Playoffs 12 even before the final game of the Pool featuring TRENTINO BetClic and Olympiacos PIRAEUS of Greece, the only exception being a 3:1 for the Hellenic team that did not eventually materialize.

Olympiacos PIRAEUS of Greece defeated defending champion TRENTINO BetClic tonight in Italy but the titleholders seized anyway the qualification for the Playoffs 12 as the final leader of Pool A. At the end of a wonderful and tight fight that finished after five sets, the Greeks bagged the match, especially thanks to their individual skills. Olympiacos showed good efficiency in service with 10 aces, and the performances of Miljkovic (21) and Caldeira (16) were remarkable, more than those of Vissotto and Juantorena for the local heroes. The team of the Bulgarian coach Radostin Stoytchev made 18 mistakes in the serving area. MVP of the match was voted Matey Kaziyski with 65% of efficiency in attack. “It was not easy to win this evening, we were under pressure and Olympiacos played a great volleyball - stated coach Stoytchev - ; Juantorena due to intestinal problems could not give his best. In spite of everything, we bring home the qualification for the Playoffs and the first place in the standings. This match was a good test for our team. Now it’s time to focus on the next games and go on with this competition”. “TRENTINO is the world champion and we are proud to be the only team that has seized the night here at the PalaTrento. We played an intensive match and I am proud of my players” said the head coach of Olympiacos Anders Kristiansson.

Pool B

CSKA SOFIA completed tonight a triple victory at home, this time with an amazing 3:1 against Russian stellar team Zenit KAZAN. A record-breaking crowd – 3’000 people in total – enjoyed CSKA’s victory. Kenyan Philip Maiyo was the top scorer of the match with 25 points, whereas for the guests, captain Maxim Panteleymonenko and Alexey Cheremisin scored 11 each. The hosts started very carefully against Zenit, whose coach Vladimir Alekno had stayed at home and featured assistant Alexander Serebrennikov on the bench. “I would like to thank all my players, and to thank our fans for the volleyball celebration we witnessed tonight. I am glad we didn’t let such a famous team beat us in the Arena Samokov. Now we hope the chance will be on our side, so we can see more games like this,” were the first words of the happy head coach of CSKA Alexander Popov after the win.

Unicaja ALMERIA really wanted to make it to the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup and to show a high quality Volleyball tonight against TOURS VB. With Latvian Korzenevics serving, after a time-out at 19:15, Unicaja cruised to the provisional 1:0 in the set count. The Spaniards put up an impressive performance in the second set, they played without any pressure and their superiority was evident. The French team looked like a broken toy in front of Soonias, Olteanu and Salvador who scored the last points. Knowing that it was condemned to the fourth place in the Pool after CSKA’s victory in Bulgaria,  Unicaja slowed down in the third set; the French team knew that they could have one more option to continue in the CEV Indesit Champions League as best third-ranked of the prelims and improved its game. Not even the defence or the block of the Almerian team was enough to stop the French opposite, Czech David Konecny, who was the real star of his team tonight. During the tie-break the game was very equal, but finally the pressure was in a way too much for the French team. With a final block of American Matthew Denmark, the game ended in favour of Unicaja ALMERIA and the local fans. Coach Carlos Carreño said after the match: “During the third set they played at a different level. I expected a long and strong game, but I had in mind another result. We started the match without knowing the final result of CSKA SOFIA against Zenit KAZAN. My players were very professional”.

Pool C

Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK advances for the first time ever to the Playoffs of the CEV Indesit Champions League. Although the team of head coach Stefan Chrtiansky lost today’s game against Lube Banca Marche MACERATA, the club celebrated the biggest success in its history. Having bagged the first set 25-22 the Austrians clipped the second place in Pool C and therefore the qualification for the next round. The USI-hall in Innsbruck was sold out for the second time in a row and the fantastic crowd could watch one of the best games ever played in Innsbruck. INNSBRUCK got off to a great start and was able to put a lot of pressure on the Italians with some strong and effective serving. MACERATA then showed why they are considered one of the best teams in Europe and displayed a real high level of play in every aspect of the game from hitting to defense. But the Austrians did not step back and the match developed itself into a high class and very exciting game. The Italians were able to take set 2 at 25-23 and took that momentum even into the third (25-18). Set four was a very close fight between the two teams with opportunities to close the set on both sides with the better for the hosts who closed at 3:1. This did not affect the great atmosphere in USI-hall with the celebrations starting immediately after the match.

Montenegro’s Budvanska Rivijera BUDVA was expected to perform a miracle tonight and win against Noliko MAASEIK with a 3:0 to continue its campaign in the European Cups. However, the local heroes lost 1:3 against the Belgians and will not make it even to the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup. In the first set the hosts made too many silly errors and the way was open for Maaseik. Miloš Ćulafić was expected to deliver more than his 4 points to cope with the Belgian stars Van Walle and Maan. In the second set BUDVA played even without its star Ćulafić who was substituted with Ćaćić, but nevertheless the score stayed much closer than in the first section of the game. The third set displayed a much better performance for the hosts, Jurišić served an ace, Kovačević and Boškan clipped both 5 points. However, Noliko definitely deserved to win tonight and the local audience accepted with fair play the final result of the match. Belgian coach Vital Heynen said after the match: “I am impressed with the location, Budva and its long beaches, the sun and the Mediterranean atmosphere of this place. We know very well Inoslav Krnić who played for us a few years ago and expected the match to be difficult, but tonight we were definitely the best ones on court”.

Pool D

PGE Skra BELCHATOW defeated tonight Spain’s CAI TERUEL 3:0 (26-24, 25-20, 29-27) to close the group phase of the CEV Indesit Champions League with only one loss – namely in Teruel, back in early December. The first match in Teruel – which ended with a 3:2 for the Spanish champion – had marked also the comeback of Michal Winiarski, who started there as a libero. The second match-up was the first for Winiarski in the starting line-up, on his usual position - the receiver. The last time when he managed to score a point was back on May 17, 2009, when he played for Itas Trentino in the final of the Italian Serie A1. It was a match in which Winiarski injured his shoulder. The rehabilitation took over half a year. “I am very happy that I finally come back. I just could not wait for the moment I will be able to play. I am still far from my best, but I am happy I came back” he said. PGE Skra coach Jacek Nawrocki was happy with the score and the comeback of Michal Winiarski. “We did not play at our best but good enough to close the group phase with a good score. We thought about the pay-back for our loss in Teruel, but our aim was to cheer our great fans. I am happy that we won all the key points tonight. Michal Winiarski did very well after such a long break” Nawrocki stated. “It looked good, we played ok. Our form is getting better and better. CAI played similar like in the first match but we played better tonight” PGE Skra's captain Mariusz Wlazly said. Daniel Rocamora Blazquez was the best scorer of the game with 20 points (he killed 20 out of 42 attacks) while Garcia-Torres recorded all 7 blocks of CAI (Skra had a total of 14 blocks). Bartosz Kurek scored 16 for the home team, while Jakub Novotny added 14.

The mission at the start of the match was clear for Knack Randstad ROESELARE: a victory against the Serbian opponent Radnicki KRAGUJEVAC was needed to qualify for the Playoffs 12. With CAI TERUEL having lost earlier in the evening in Poland against PGE Skra BELCHATOW, the chances of the home team were even higher than ever. Knack Randstad accomplished its mission with a quick 3:0 victory. The Sportshall Schiervelde was nearly completely blue at the start of the match. Knack Randstad had made an appeal to its fans to show up in the blue Knack Randstad-shirt which they had received at the beginning of the season. Also Radnicki KRAGUJEVAC brought about 100 fans along so that the match could start in a competitive atmosphere. After having scored the first set, the qualification for Knack Randstad was reality and the team received a standing applause from the fans. Top scorers for Knack Randstad were Contreras and Verhanneman (both with 12 points) whereas Cedic clipped 17 for KRAGUJEVAC. Belgian head coach Dominique Baeyens stated: “We secured our qualification in the away match last week in Spain. Knowing that TERUEL had lost its last match in Belchatow gave real wings to my guys. In this last match we could put the cherry on the cake.”

Pool E

The Italians of CoprAtlantide PIACENZA outclassed tonight VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN of Germany in three sets (25-15; 25-18; 25-22) and, as they benefit of the clear victory of Panathinaikos ATHENS in Greece against JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.A., will move to the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup as one the best third-ranked teams in the prelims. The visiting coach Stelian Moculescu did not line-up his best players but nevertheless PIACENZA tried to play at its best to continue the campaign in the European Cups. The Italians totally dominated the first set with Leonel Marshall and Hristo Zlatanov beinf outstanding with their attacks. The second set was very balanced up to the second technical break, but with Michal Rak in the serving area PIACENZA got the decisive mini-break to extend the lead up to 2:0 in the set count. FRIEDRICHSHAFEN led the way in the opening of the third set but Marshall promptly tied the score. Hristo Zlatanov, later on voted as MVP of the match, set the tone after the first technical time-out and PIACENZA cruised to a quick 3:0 victory for the delight of the home audience.

Panathinaikos ATHENS concluded its campaign in the League Round in great fashion this afternoon with a rapid 3:0 victory (25-16, 25-20, 25-22) against JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.A. of Poland to advance to the Playoffs 12 of the Champions League. Some fans that came directly from Poland but also the children attending Polish schools in Athens created an amazing atmosphere together with the fans of Panathinaikos. Back to the match, the “green” team performed much better than the Poles. A little bit of tension was to be perceived in the air but it turned off after the first whistle of the referees. Panathinaikos ATHENS played exactly the way its coach had hoped for and point after point the Hellenic team moved closer to booking the qualification for the next round of the CEV Indesit Champions League. The final point of the first set (25-16) spread enthusiasm and happy faces among the Greek players, the fans and also the staff of Panathinaikos. In the second set, the team of Stelios Kazazis was unbeatable. No matter who was in and who was out of the court, the players of Panathinaikos left no chance to the Polish team. The point difference was always between 3 and 7 points. On the other hand, JASTRZEBSKI tried hard, especially with Abramov, but Panathinaikos was better in block, defense and attack, so the second set ended quickly at 25-20. Coach Roberto Santilli shouted at his team in the third set but nothing could stop the Greek team from an easy and clear result. After the match, Stelios Kazazis commented: “Congratulations to everybody. I have to mention that this is a very big achievement for my team. In six matches played in the prelims, only twice we had are complete roster at my disposal”.

Pool F

For the delight of the home fans PARIS Volley defeated tonight ISTANBUL B. Sehir Belediyesi of Turkey in four sets (25-23, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19). This first set was extremely tight. Both teams performed very well in the serving area but they both also make good blocks. Finally, PARIS Volley made the difference and newly added player Todor Skrimov finished the set with an ace. The second set was very balanced but after a close ending, ISTANBUL eventually prevailed. In the third set PARIS Volley scores the decisive break right before the second technical time-out. The same pattern is to be seen in the fourth and final set, with the match ending with a block of the Turks finishing well off the court.

Both teams having lost their respective matches in the fifth leg, ACH Volley BLED and Asseco Resovia RZESZOW were certainly looking for a good performance tonight in Ljubljana. The Poles had already booked the first place in Pool F; on the other hand the Slovenians needed a victory to be sure to qualify for the Playoffs 12. Even though BLED lost tonight in four sets, the defeat of ISTANBUL B. Sehir Belediyesi in France against PARIS Volley opened the way for the local heroes to make it to the next round. Brazilian Marcelo Barreto, ACH Volley’s middle blocker, got injured during the game and at the end of the match was still in the emergency room waiting for the results of some x-rays. Canadian Glenn Hoag, ACH Volley’s coach, said after the match: “It was a disappointing night as regards the game. The players were under pressure because they needed to win. They were not fully concentrated and apparently we need to start working on our tactic in a different way”. Captain Andrej Flajs added: “The next time I see Sebastijan Škorc (a former mate who plays for PARIS Volley) I’ll pay him several rounds of drinks! The Polish defeated us with their excellent serve reception, their setter played with all attackers and our defence was not at its best.”