Serbia finishes the league round without any loss – Volleyball News

Nothing less was expected from the in-form Serbian women’s national volleyball team in the last match of league round of 2012 CEV European League when it clashed with Romania.

The visiting Serbs launched full authority on the hosts at the Sala Polivalenta in Piatra Neamt, Romania,  and posted 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, and 25-20) victory. Serbia remained undefeated in the opening round of the European League and finished with a perfect record of 12-0.

Serbia’s Jovana Brakocevic and Milena Rasic were the real heroines of the match. They staged an eye-catching action on the net and proved very effective for the team. They added 14 and 13 points, respectively. Moreover, Maja Savic followed them up with 12 points.

MURESAN was the only Romanian, who went into double-figure score. She scored 10 points and created a little buzz on the centre court.

Portugal suffers the home loss in Pool D of 2012 FIVB World League – Volleyball News

The city of Guimarães in Portugal provided the backdrop for a close match between Argentina and hosts Portugal on Sunday.

The visiting squad displayed better performance and settled for victory. Portugal captured only one frame in four-set affair and suffered the loss. The final scores were 1-3 (18-25, 18-25, 26-24, 21-25).
It was the ninth consecutive defeat for Portugal in the competition, while Argentina improved to 5-4 in Pool D of the 2012 FIVB World League.

Hosts were supported by top-gun Alexandre Ferreira, who up a great effort and contributed 15 points. However, the team could not use it for its advantage and lost the match. For Argentina, Cristian Poglajen performed amazingly well and charted 14 points.

To read more, you may choose to click the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Portugal-suffers-the-home-loss-in-Pool-D-of-2012-FIVB-World-League-Volleyball-News-a165428

 

Caribbean hotshots overcome arch-rival Russia in a FIVB World League match – Volleyball News

In front of 6,740 spectators at the Yantarny Hall in Kaliningrad, Russia on Sunday, the hosts received 1-3 (23-25, 22-25, 26-24, 20-25) defeat from Cuba.

The Caribbean team totally dominated the scene and edged out the pumped-up Russians. Cuba maintained a great run in the third leg of the 2012 FIVB World League and ended with perfect 3-0 record. Overall, Cuba stands with 8-1 record and holds the top slot in Pool A.

Four Cuban players contributed double-digit scores. Team captain Wilfredo Leon Venero topped all the scorers on his side with team-high 21 points. However, the skipper of Russia team Maxim Mikhaylov settled for top-scorer’s position with his 22 points.

Japan falls to Serbia in a tough five-set thriller – Volleyball News

Pool A teams of the 2012 FIVB World League, Japan and Serbia, clashed in the last match of third leg on Sunday.

The Yantarny Sports Hall in Kaliningrad, Russia hosted the match, while 1,250 volleyball enthusiasts were in presence. After many ups and downs, Serbia settled for 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-19, 15-10) victory and forced Japan to stay winless after nine matches. Victory allowed Serbia to take second position in the group. Japanese squad, on the other hand, firmly held the bottom slot after making another unsuccessful attempt. Japan is constantly staying in cold waters and has not captured any match in the competition.

To continue reading, please follow the link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Japan-falls-to-Serbia-in-a-tough-five-set-thriller-Volleyball-News-a165456

 

Israel takes four-set win over Denmark in the last match of league round – Volleyball News

Men’s national volleyball team of Israel concluded the opening round of the 2012 CEV European League with a tough 3-1 win over Denmark on Sunday.

After an incredibly close competition, Israel managed to overcome the resilient rival Denmark. The match ended with final score of 3:1 (23-25, 25-23, 27-25, and 28-26), while victory graced Israeli squad. Success in the last match allowed Israel to take third position in Pool A.

Denmark lost the match, but it had the top-scorer of the match in the form of Mads Hartmann DITLEVSEN, who contributed 24 points in the loss. On the other hand, Israeli Shon FAIGA and SHAFRANOVICH registered 20 and 16 points, respectively.

To catch complete story, you may consider to check out the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Israel-takes-four-set-win-over-Denmark-in-the-last-match-of-league-round-Volleyball-News-a165384

 

Spain outlasts Slovakia to finish as top team in Pool A – Volleyball News

Spain defeated hosts Slovakia in the last match of 2012 CEV Men’s European League Preliminaries on Sunday, in front of a crowd of 1500 people at the Steel Arena in KOSICE, Slovakia.

In the four-set affair, Spaniards captured three frames and settled for the triumph. The final set scores were 3:1 (25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 28-26). Spain finished as the top team in Pool A and successfully booked a slot in the final round of the European League, which will take place in Turkey on the weekend.

Spain’s Iban PEREZ exhibited spectacular show of volleyball and added match-high 25 points, which included 22 winning spikes. For hosts, Milan BENCZ put up valiant effort and notched up team-high 23 points.

To read more, please visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Spain-outlasts-Slovakia-to-finish-as-top-team-in-Pool-A-Volleyball-News-a165361

Argentina forces Portugal to stay winless in the second leg of the World League – Volleyball news

Men’s national volleyball teams from Argentina and Portugal crossed their paths in the last match of second leg of the 2012 FIVB World League on Sunday.

The match took place at Almirante Brown in Argentina, which provided a competitive advantage to the hosts to win the match. Portugal received 1-3 (25-23, 21-25, 19-25, 23-25) defeat in the match and stayed without any victory after a series to six matches in the first two weeks of the competition. On the other hand, Argentina claimed fourth victory in the tournament and moved to No. 2 position in Pool D with an overall record of 4-2.

Portugal lost the fight but it had the top scorer of the match in the form of Marco Ferreira, who charted 19 points. Ivan Castellani led Argentina with team-high 13 points.



 

Caribbean men from Cuba overcome Russian rivals – Volleyball news

Cuban men’s national volleyball team held off Russia for 3-1 (26-24, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17) victory on Sunday, while playing in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Caribbean team added fifth win to its tally and maintained its dominance in Pool A of the 2012 FIVB World League. On the other hand, Russia ended the second leg of the tournament with a loss and shifted to an overall record of 3-3.

Captain of Cuba’s team Wilfredo Leon topped all the scorers with match-high 25 points, Likewise, the duo of Rolando Cepeda and Yenry Bell did amazingly well for Cuba. They added 19 and 16 points, respectively.

The Russian skipper Maxim Mikhaylov put up a valiant effort for his team and notched up team-high 20 points. However, it proved to be a failing effort for him as Russia dropped the decision.

To continue reading, please visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Caribbean-men-from-Cuba-overcome-Russian-rivals-Volleyball-news-a163462

 

US team finishes the second leg of 2012 FIVB World League without any loss – Volleyball news

The second leg of the 2012 FIVB World League completed its run from June 15-17, while US team remained undefeated in Pool C.

Team USA appeared in a total of three matches and clichéd absolute success. The boys around head coach John Speraw performed consistently throughout the second leg of the tournament and defeated Italy, South Korea, and hosts France, respectively.

At the end of second leg, USA claimed an overall record of 4-2. American team did not have a great start in the campaign as it dropped two matches in the first week. Nonetheless, the team showed noticeable improvement in the next flight of matches and covered the deficit. Success in last three matches allowed USA to take up the leading role in Pool C with a total of 11 points.

The host of Pool C during the second leg, France, had the similar win/loss record of 4-2 and the French team also ended with 11 points but US squad moved up due to a slightly better ratio.

To continue reading, please visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/US-team-finishes-the-second-leg-of-2012-FIVB-World-League-without-any-loss-Volleyball-news-a163444

 

Poland sets higher aims after claiming final round berth – Volleyball

Men’s national volleyball team of Poland secured a trip to Sofia, Bulgaria after beating archrival Brazil in the last match of first round of the 2012 FIVB World League on Sunday, June 17.

Poles proved to be better in the four-set match and clinched success by sending 25-22, 25-23, 21-25, and 25-22 on board. The Ice Arena in Tampere, Finland provided the backdrop for the thrilling encounter. Success enabled Poland to join Bulgaria in the final round of the tournament and now the Poles have great many expectations to fulfil their dreams of holding the title trophy.

The head coach of the Polish squad Andrea Anastasi successfully led his team to the influential round. Next up, he has only one thing on mind and that is to put body, mind, and soul for the final victory.

To catch more buzz on the story, you may choose to visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Poland-sets-higher-aims-after-claiming-final-round-berth-Volleyball-news-a163399

Germany holds top spot in Pool D after losing to Bulgaria – Volleyball news

Germany played its last match of the 2nd leg of the 2012 FIVB World League against Bulgaria on Sunday and dropped the decision 2-3 (19-25, 25-14, 25-19, 23-25, 14-16). However, the Germans still held the top position in Pool D with a total of 13 points and 4-2 record.

Bulgaria’s Tsvetan Sokolov was named the top scorer of the match as he charted 28 points. Leading Germany was Jochen Schops, who registered team-high 20 points.



 

May-Treanor and Walsh move to the top-16 at the Rome Grand Slam – Beach Volleyball

The dynamic duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh from America displayed extreme action on Italian sand during their opening matches. 

The entered the Main Draw on Wednesday and stamped 2-0 (21-13, 22-20) win over 27^th-seeded Vasina-Vozakova from Russia. They played two more matches on the next day and continued with their winning ways. May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Brazil Vieira-Lili in the first fixture on Thursday 2-0 (21-14, 21-12). 

Next up, they took on Austrian duo of Bawden and Palmer in the second match. They sent 21-10, 21-18 on board and claimed victory in straight sets. 

Now after successfully completing the initial stage of Main Draw, May-Treanor and Walsh have clawed their way to the knock-out round of Smart Grand Slam in Rome. 

 

Thailand women’s team takes a winning start in the second round of 2012 FIVB Grand Prix - Volleyball

Under the visionary leadership of head coach Radchatagriengkai Kiattipong, Thailand women’s national volleyball team kicked off the second round of FIVB World Grand Prix with 3-1 victory over Puerto Rico (25-18, 19-25, 25-11, 25-19).

Komaki in Japan hosted the match and more than 450 spectators were in presence. Thailand claimed opening set of the match before Puerto Rico created the tie in second set. However, Thailand cruised past to victory after making back-to-back wins in the following two sets. The match decision came out after a game of 1 hour and 38 minutes.

Onuma Sittirak was named the top-scorer of the match as she charted match-high 21 points.

Sarai Alvarez, on the other hand, added 13 points in Puerto Rico’s score.

 

Pool A action starts in Dominican Republic on Friday – Volleyball news

After a pause of three weeks, the cracking volleyball action of 2012 FIVB World League is set to resume in Pool A, which is composed to teams from Russia, Cuba, Japan, and Serbia.
Pool A teams will kick off the second leg of the competition on Friday, June 15.

The city of Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic will provide the backdrop for Pool A matches. During the first week, Japanese city Hamamatsu served as host to Pool A. Originally, Cuba was supposed to set up the field of play for Pool A matches in the second week but the Cuban Sport Coliseum is still going through a process of renovation, which created an opportunity for Dominican Republic to host the FIVB premier annual men’s competition.

A total of six matches will be played over a period of three days. According to the set formula of the competition, two matches will be played on each day. Russia and Serbia will clash in the opening match of 2nd leg, while Cuba and Japan will cross their ways in the second match.

To continue reading, please check out the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Pool-A-action-starts-in-Dominican-Republic-on-Friday-Volleyball-news-a162754

China’s Chen Xue-Zhang Xi take good start in Rome – Volleyball news

China’s Chen Xue-Zhang Xi opened the 2012 SWATCH FIVB Rome Grand Slam women’s beach volleyball tournament on Wednesday, June 13 and pulled off success in their opening match.
Top-seeded duo of Xue-Zhang, which recently earned the gold medal in Moscow, embarked on the Italian sand and demonstrated a spectacular show of beach volleyball. The Chinese pair came into stride with Giombini-Orsi Toth from Italy in the first match. The visiting Chinese pair posted 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) win over Italian counterparts and added first win to their tally in the tournament.

Main draw berth for Danish pair Bo Soderberg, Anders Hoyer – 2012 Smart Grand Slam, Rome

Bo Soderberg and Anders Lund Hoyer from Denmark claimed the Main Draw berth at the 2012 Rome Grand men’s beach volleyball tournament by finishing the qualifying round with 2-0 record.

The Danish duo opened the tournament on Wednesday and appeared in two qualifying matches. The pair showed thirst for victory and did exceptionally well in the opening matches. Danish hotshots overpowered opponents from Austria and USA.

In the first match, Soderberg-Hoyer went against Austria’s Thomas Kunert and Lorenz Petutschnig and stamped 2-0 (21-14, 21-10) victory over rivals.

Sixth-seeded Soderberg-Hoyer crossed their ways with Brad Keenan and John Mayer from America in the second match. Both teams had won their previous matches and marched away with victory.

To catch complete details, please visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Main-draw-berth-for-Danish-pair-Bo-Soderberg,-Anders-Hoyer-2012-Smart-Grand-Slam,-Rome-a162492

Good attack allows Dutch pair to advance from the qualifying round of 2012 Rome Grand Slam

Netherlands’ Jon Stiekema and Christiaan Varenhorst caught a good start in the 2012 SWATCH FIVB Smart Grand Slam in Rome and pulled off success in their opening matches on Wednesday, June 13.

Stiekema and Varenhorst made it through qualifying to the main draw of SWATCH FIVB event for fifth time in 2012, which is pretty impressive. Russian 25th-seeded pairing of Yutvalin and Likholetov came into contest with the Dutch duo in the tournament opener. They dropped one set but grabbed 2-1 victory in the match.

The second match put them against compatriots Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen. In all-Dutch affair, Stiekema-Varenhorst claimed the same results. They posted 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-13) victory over country mates. The entire match progressed in the similar fashion. Stiekema and Varenhorst dropped the opening set but made a great comeback in the following two sets.

To continue reading, you may choose to visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Good-attack-allows-Dutch-pair-to-advance-from-the-qualifying-round-of-2012-Rome-Grand-Slam-a162494

German duo downs European rivals at 2012 Rome Grand Slam – Beach Volleyball

10th-seeded female duo of Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig from Germany opened the 2012 SWATCH FIVB Rome Grand Slam in an impressive way.

The duo played its first match of the Main Draw on Wednesday. Goller-Ludwig took on Liliana-Baquerizo from Spain and launched full authority on the European rivals. The German pair displayed wonderful action on the net and grabbed success in straight sets, 2-0 (21-15, 21-16).

Goller and Ludwig worked out a winning plan for the match and perfectly executed it. Flawless performance in the opening match shows their intent to grab more success in the coming matches.



 

Swiss female duo aims to make a clean sweep in Pool E of the 2012 Rome Grand Slam - Beach Volleyball

Top duo of Switzerland, which is composed of Nadine Zumkehr and Simone Kuhn, has high hopes to finish the first round of main draw without any loss.

The Swiss duo has claimed two victories in the competition so far and seems totally shaped up to win the third match in row. The 12th-seeded Zumkehr-Kuhn played their first match of Rome Grand Slam on Wednesday. They overpowered compatriots Tanja Goricanec and Muriel Graessli, who did not create much trouble for them.

In the next match on Thursday, winning Swiss duo of Kuhn-Zumkehr collided with Belgium’s Mouha-Gielen and defeated the rivals in straight sets, 2-0 (21-17, 25-23).

 Next up, Kuhn and Zumkehr are scheduled to take on home duo of Cicolari and Menegatti from Italy. The hosts will be equipped with emotional support of fans, which means the Swiss team will be required to showcase an extra-ordinary performance to win against the local duo. Nonetheless, Kuhn and Zumkehr have the potential to deal with the challenge.

Lili and Vieira of Brazil clinch success at the Country Quota Playoffs of Rome Grand Slam

The 2012 Smart Grand Slam Rome, the women’s beach volleyball tournament, started off on Tuesday, June 12.

The opening stage of the tournament featured a Country Quota Playoffs. Duos for Brazil, Germany, and USA competed at the CQs, in order to advance to the qualifying round of the tournament. 

In the Brazilian CQs, the pairing of Liliane Maestrini and Angela Vieira came into contest with compatriots Maria Clara and Raquel. After a heated competition, the duo of Lili-Vieira emerged successful. They posted 2-0 (25-23, 21-19) victory over rivals and advanced to the Qualification Tournament. 

To check out the result sheet, please click the following link: http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/2012/Event/Results.asp?TournCode=WITA2012&Phase=0

The captain of US volleyball team Gene Selznick passes away – Obituary

Volleyball legend Gene Selznick, who was the captain of the US men’s national team from 1953 to 1967, bid farewell to life on Sunday, June 10. He died at the age of 82. Reportedly, pneumonia has been cited as the reason for his death.

The entire volleyball community expressed much regret over the loss of a legendary volleyball player, who put up great many efforts to develop and promote the challenging sport of volleyball. He will be fondly remembered as a great player, innovator, an outstanding coach, a wonderful entertainer, and an outspoken person. 

“Volleyball has lost one of the most remarkable performers and personalities in our entire life,” FIVB Board of Administration member and USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal said. 

To know more about late Mr Sleznick and his achievements, please visit the following link: http://www.fivb.org/EN/Media/viewPressRelease.asp?No=35198&Language=en

China's Xue and Zhang Xi claim third gold medal in the 2012 season - Beach Volleyball

The dynamic duo of Chen Xue and Xi Zhang from China did it for the third time on 2012 SWATCH FIVB World Tour.

The Chinese pair displayed immaculate performance and clawed its way to the final showdown of the 2012 Moscow Grand Slam. Xue-Zhang Xi overcame the top rivals Misty May-Treanor-Kerri Walsh from America and finished on the podium. They held off US pair for 2-0 (21-14, 21-14) victory in the final match on Monday, June 11.

Overall, Xue-Zhang Xi collect 12th FIVB title and their third gold this year.

To read more about the final day matches, please visit the following link: http://www.fivb.org/en/BeachVolleyball/viewPressRelease.asp?No=35195&Language=en

Bulgarian coach Stoychev and player Kaziyski quit the team – Volleyball News

Shocking news hit the block as Bulgarian Volleyball Federation received resignation from head coach Radostin Stoychev and star player Matey Kaziyski on Monday. 

Both of them cited lack of effectiveness and non transparency in the operations of Bulgarian Volleyball Federation. They announced their decision to leave the team at a crucial time when Bulgaria earned an Olympic berth just recently. 

Stoychev had clashes with federation Chief Dancho Lazarov and opened declared that they cannot work together. However, Lazrov did not show any intent to step down but Stoychev made the final choice for him. He said, "Since there has been no resignation tabled by Dancho Lazarov so far, I confirm that I am undertaking action to end my contract as national volleyball team coach.”

On the other hand, Kaziyski was unhappy with the federation and players of the team. He stated, “I cannot work with these people (the federation), hence my decision to quit.” 

However, the Federation has refrained to say anything about the resignations so far.

In order to catch more buzz on volleyball, you may choose to visit the blog again.

Brazil edges out hosts Poland in five-set thriller – Volleyball news

Poland lost to Brazil in a five-set thriller on Sunday while playing at home in front of more than 5,000 spectators.

The Pool D teams fought a great volleyball battle, which continued for almost two hours. Visiting squad Brazil proved to be better and overpowered the Polish counterparts, 3-2 (25-15, 25-13, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10). Atlas Arena in Polish city Lodz provided the backdrop for the match. Brazil completed the winning streak of three matches whereas Poland ended the first leg of 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix with 1-2 record.

Fernanda Rodrigues of Brazil topped all the scorers with match-high 18 points, which included 15 winning spikes and three serve aces. Poland’s Katarzyna Skowronska-Dolata added 13 points and emerged as top-scorer in the home team.

Visit the following link, in order to catch the complete details: http://blogs.bettor.com/Brazil-edges-out-hosts-Poland-in-five-set-thriller-Volleyball-news-a161541

Germany crushes underdog Chinese Taipei in straight sets – Volleyball news

German women’s national volleyball team took on Chinese Taipei on Sunday in the last match of opening leg of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix and clinched success.

Germany overcame Chinese Taipei in three consecutive sets, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-15). Germany improved to 2-1 in the tournament, while Chinese Taipei remained dropped another chance to break the ice.

German trio of Maren Brinker, Margareta Kozuch, and Christiane Furst displayed incredible action on the net and dominated the opponents. They added 14, 12, and nine points, respectively. Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, was led by Teng Yen-Min who contributed 10 points in the loss.

To catch up more buzz on the story, please visit the following link: http://blogs.bettor.com/Germany-crushes-underdog-Chinese-Taipei-in-straight-sets-Volleyball-news-a161531

 

USA defeats Dominican Republic and climbs up the top slot in Pool B – Volleyball news

Nothing less was expected from the in-form two-time defending champions and world No. 1 American women’s national volleyball team, which it crossed its ways with Dominican Republic on Sunday in Santo Domingo.

The Dominicans had the advantage of the playing at home but the Americans thrashed their pride in front of their local fans. The visiting US team demonstrated a stellar feat and held off Dominican Republic for 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-15) victory. Team USA tallied third straight victory in Pool B of the 2012 FIVB Grand Prix and moved to the top on ranking chart. Currently, US team stands with 3-0 record and has a total of nine points.

Scoring machine Destinee Hooker played an instrumental role in US team’s success. She added 15 spikes, one block, and one serve ace, which helped her to take the top-scorer’s position with match-high 17 points. She was followed by equally talented Jordan Larson, who contributed 12 points.

Serbia firmly holds the top slot in 2012 CEV Volleyball European League – Women

Serbian ladies showcased an immaculate performance in the fourth match of 2012 CEV European League on Friday when they defeated the counterparts from Romania. 

Serbia posted 3-0 (25-18,, 25-22, 25-20) win over Romania and completed the winning streak of 4-0. Victory not only allowed Serbia to capture the top slot in Pool A but also enabled the team to enjoy No. 1 position in all three pools. The “Sportmax” hall in Budapest, Hungary hosted the match. 

If you’re interested to know more about the match, please visit the following link: http://www.cev.lu/News.aspx?NewsID=12659&TagType=0&TagContent=0&ID=0&Paging=0&Sd=1/1/1900&Ed=1/1/1900

Dutch women claim home victory – 2012 CEV Women’s European Volleyball League

Women’s national volleyball from the Netherlands overcame Greek squad on Friday, while playing at home in front of the local supporters. 

The Dutch ladies totally dominated the scene and pulled off success by sending 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-16) on board. The Orange team took a winning start in the second leg of the tournament and bagged victory in the first encounter. Netherlands is currently ranked No. 2 in Pool C, whereas Czech Republic leads with the maximum points. 

To read more about the match, please visit the following link: http://www.cev.lu/News.aspx?NewsID=12658&TagType=0&TagContent=0&ID=0&Paging=0&Sd=1/1/1900&Ed=1/1/1900