German pair sweeps Pool D of Mazury Orlen Grand Slam – Volleyball News

Karla Borger and Britta Büthe of Germany demonstrated a stellar feat in Pool D of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam Main Draw and remained without any loss in the opening round.
German pair participated in a total of three matches of Round 1 and clinched absolute success. The duo finished with 3-0 record and successfully reserved a berth in the next round of the competition. They edged out teams from Brazil, Russia, and Austria.

The 20^th-seeded pair of Borger-Büthe had a solid start in the tournament. In their first fixture of the 2012 Mazury Orlen Grand Slam, they overpowered a stronger team from Russia. Vozakova-Vasina of Russia contested their skills with the German tandem in the opening match on Wednesday, August 15. Russians displayed better action in the first set and claimed opening stanza at 21-15.
The Germans responded right away and hit the equalizer in second set. In the tie-breaker third set, audience witnessed the exchange of long rallies. After a close competition, Borger-Büthe settled for victory. The final scores of the match were 2-1 (15-21, 21-17, 15-10). The match completed its run in 44 minutes.

Germans continued with success and further improved their record by winning second match in a row. Second match, which featured fourth-seeded Talita-Antonelli of Brazil against the German pair, created a lot of buzz on the centre court. In the first set of the match, Germans came up with variety of attacks and managed to put off the rivals at 21-15. Borger-Büthe did not slow down and continued with success in the following set. They scored 21-13 and concluded the match with 2-0 victory. It took them 33 minutes to earn winning status in the match.

Austrian pairing of Montagnolli and Kaiser went against Borger-Büthe in the third match of Round 1 on Thursday, August 16. Germans picked up an early lead and added quick points to stretch out the gap. Austrian duo trailed behind and lost first set with sufficient margin (21-12). In the following set, Montagnolli-Kaiser made a few mistakes and improved on their flaws. There were actually moments in the second set when Austrian team came really close to the Germans. Nonetheless, Borger-Büthe pulled off success in the frame by sending 21-17 on board.

In the next run, the German duo is ready to meet Russia’s Ukolova-Khomyakova on Friday. It will be a match of great significance as the winner will qualify for the quarterfinals. Borger-Büthe are determined to down the 24^th-seeded Russian pair and make a move ahead. Check back for more news and updates.

Mazury Orlen Grand Slam kicks off with Country Quota Playoffs – Volleyball News

The cracking action of 2012 FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour resumed on Monday, August 13 after a two week break for the London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Great Britain.
The double gender competition of Mazury Orlen Grand Slam took centre stage in Stare Jablonki, Poland. The women’s edition of the Mazury Orlen started off with the Country Quota Playoffs, which featured following four duos from Germany:

Bieneck-Großner
Mersmann-Tillmann
Banck-Walkenhorst
Laboureur-Hüttermann

In the first CQ fixture of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam, the pairing of Bieneck and Großner contested the skills with fellow German duo of Mersmann and Tillmann. The match spanned over two sets and covered its length in 38 minutes. Former team displayed better action on the sand and bagged success.

Bieneck and Großner complimented each other in the first frame and did not allow the opponents to come up. They received a lot of resistance from the opposite side, but managed to secure the opening set of the match with narrow gap of two points at 21-19.

The second set of the match progressed in the similar fashion. Scoring remained tight, while both teams struggled to earn points. Bieneck/ Großner had the competitive advantage of winning the first set, which helped them put some pressure on the rival side. On the other hand, Mersmann-Tillmann struggled to save the match points. However, Bieneck/ Großner continued with success and closed second set with identical score of 21-19.

Bieneck/ Großner finished the match in straight sets and successfully advanced to the next stage of the tournament.

In the second match of the day, Banck/Walkenhorst did the same treatment of compatriots Laboureur/ Hüttermann. They posted 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) win over the opponents. It took them almost 39 minutes to dismantle the power of Laboureur and Hüttermann.
In the first set of the match, Banck/Walkenhorst faced a bit of difficulty but dominated the scene in the following set. They won the match and clawed their way to the qualifying stage of the tournament.

In the next run, the 2012 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Calendar is supposed to feature two more events for women. Finnish city Aland will set up for the field of play for Paf Open from August 28 through September 2, while Bang Saen Open tournament in Thailand from October 23-28 will put an end to 2012 edition of SWATCH FIVB World Tour.
Check back for more news and updates.

 

Mazury Orlen Grand Slam - US Fendrick-Hanson remain undefeated in the qualifying stage – Volleyball News

Top-seeded American duo of Lauren Fendrick- Brooke Hanson opened the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam women’s beach volleyball tournament on Tuesday and pulled off success in their opening matches.
Fendrick- Hanson recently participated in the 2012 London Olympic Games and showcased their amazing tactics. Following the Olympics, the duo exhibited a stellar feat in the qualifying matches of Mazury Orlen and clinched a berth in the Main Draw, scheduled to be held on Wednesday in Stare Jablonki, Poland.
American pair was challenged by Latvia’s Monta and Alise in the first fixture of the day. The 32^nd-seeded Latvian pair did not pose a threat to the Americans. Fendrick/ Hanson totally dominated the first set and restricted the opponents to a low score of 4. Second set was not different either. Latvians failed to cope with the power of killing spikes and deadly aces from the opposite side and gave out too many points in a row. The one-sided affair quickly inched its way to the end and announced Fendrick- Hanson as the winners. The final set scores were 2-0 (21-4, 21-7), while the match completed its length in 25 minutes.

In the next run, Austrian pairing of Teufl and Klopf came to face the charged-up American duo. Austrian team showed good fighting spirit and displayed good action. Nonetheless, the US pair crushed the opponent in straight sets and marched away with 2-0 (21-14, 21-13) victory. The match lasted for 29 minutes.

Fendrick- Hanson claimed 2-0 record at the end of the day and cruised past to the next stage of the tournament. The American top seeds will be back in action in the first round of Main Draw on Wednesday. Both players on the team are enjoying a good form and it is likely that they will make their way to the final four of the competition.

Elsewhere, Akers-Hochevar also worked out good performance in their respective matches and qualified for the Main Draw. They defeated Pilarek-Gancarczyk of Poland in the first match, 2-1 (20-22, 21-12, 15-7). It took them almost 41 minutes to dismantle the power of Polish ladies, who managed to claim one frame in the three-set affair.

Akers-Hochevar carried the momentum in the next match and held off Dutch pairing of Sinnema /Wesselink in another three-set match. They secured the opening stanza with narrow gap of two points (22-20), while lost the following set with same margin (19-21). In the decisive third set, American duo regained better status and closed the match by posting 18-16 on board.

 

Walsh maintains supremacy on the net with a new partner – Volleyball News

American superstar beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh, who recently secured third consecutive Olympic gold medal alongside her teammate Misty May-Treanor, is now in action at the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam in Stare Jablonki, Poland.
Her former teammate May-Treanor opted for retirement after the 2012 London Olympic Games, while Walsh teamed-up with Nicole Branagh. Walsh already had the experience of playing alongside Branagh only a couple of years ago. They competed as a team at the 2008 Dubai Open women’s beach volleyball tournament and also participated in the 2010 Phuket Open, which took place in Thailand.
The duo opened the ongoing Mazury Orlen Grand Slam in the Main Draw and played two matches on Wednesday, August 15. Nothing less was expected from Walsh/Branagh as they enjoyed a great rhythm and tone.

12^th-seeded Branagh-Walsh came into contest with compatriot pairing of Lauren Fendrick-Brooke Hanson in the opening match. The affair lasted for 35 minutes and ended with following result: 2-0 (21-14, 21-19).

Walsh and Branagh proved to be better in every aspect of the game and launched power on the rival side. They captured the first frame of the match with fair margin of seven points and went on front (1-0). Fendrick/ Hanson tried to cover the deficit in the second set, but faced utmost resistance from the opposite side. Walsh and Branagh showed remarkable consistency and claimed second set with two points, which gave them winning status in the match.

Winning duo of Walsh and Branagh returned to action in the second match against Austria's Barbara Hansel and Magdalena Jirak. The Austrian pair caught a good start in the match and staged a neck-to-neck fight with competitors. They secured opening frame at 21-19, but could not carry the same momentum in the following sets. Walsh-Branagh dominated the second set and successfully created the tie of game score by sending 21-12 on board. Third set also came successful for USA at 15-8 and the team settled for 2-1 victory.

“I love my job and I love winning. Even at the Olympics I was already thinking about coming here. It is my job and I want to win, I’m here to win,” said Walsh after the match.
In the meanwhile, Branagh stated: “It is always an honour to play with Kerri. I think when we play together we play well and we have had some success. It is fun to play with her, I’m happy to be part of the team and I’m looking forward to a great tournament.”

 

Pregowska-Bekier of Poland suffers the home loss at Mazury Orlen Grand Slam – Volleyball News

Agnieszka Pregowska and Renata Bekier from Poland opened the 2012 SWATCH FIVB Mazury Orlen Grand Slam on Wednesday, August 15 and played two matches on the opening day of the tournament.

Despite having the competitive advantage of playing at home, the local pair failed to impress the audience and ended the day with devastating 0-2 result. Home duo was challenged by powerful teams from USA and Brazil, which did not allow the Polish ladies to delight their homes fans.

In the first fixture of the day, Pregowska/ Bekier crossed their ways with top-ranked American duo of April Ross and Jennifer Kessy. The Americans took a solid start in the match and influenced the hosts with a variety of attacks. They served with precision and hit the ball with great accuracy. The ball frequently landed on Polish side and raised the score of visiting pair by leaps and bounds. US tandem finished the opening stanza with eight points at 21-13.

Visitors carried the momentum into the following set and did not slow down. They hit the ball from all angles and availed every opportunity to score points. Polish duo totally collapsed in the second set and managed to score only six points, while the opposite side claimed the match points (21-6). Kessy/Ross pulled off success in the first match in only 29 minutes.

Following the loss of opening match, Pregowska/ Bekier came into contest with Brazil’s Maria Clara and Lili in second fixture of the day. 16^th-seeded Brazilian pair also launched power on the hosts and the home duo once again dropped the decision in straight sets 2-0 (21-14, 21-13).

Maria Clara formed a good combination with Lili and attempted successful attacks. On the other hand, Polish duo could not get the real form to lead the scores. Better digging and diving of Brazilians allowed them to save crucial points, while Poles dropped easy shots and suffered the set-back. The visiting team closed the first at 21-14 and dug up success in the next frame with similar margin, 21-13. Brazilian pair earned winning status whereas Poles received second defeat in a row.
Next up, the Polish team is scheduled to go against Slovakia’s Dubovcova-Nestarcova in the third match on Thursday. Local ladies are determined to demonstrate a better performance in the next match. Let’s wait and see if they manage to outdo the 17^th-seeded Slovak pair, which already has one victory in hand.

 

Larissa-Juliana of Brazil finish 3-0 in Pool C of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam – Volleyball News

The dynamic duo of Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca from Brazil finished the first round of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam Main Draw with an impeccable 3-0 record.

The South American duo kicked off the action in Pool C alongside pairs from the Netherlands, Spain, and Czech Republic. According to the set formula of the competition, Juliana-Larissa played two matches on the first day, while completed the series of three matches on the next day.
In their first match of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam on Wednesday, they clashed with Dutch pairing of Stiekema and Braakman. The 30^th-seeded duo from Netherlands created a bit of trouble for Juliana-Larissa in the second set, but eventually ended up on the losing side. Brazilian musketeers posted 2-1 (21-18, 19-21, 15-13) win over opponents in 48 minutes.

Juliana staged an eye-catching action in the first set of the match. She was joined by equally talented Larissa, who made good use of her hands and mind in the game. Both players perfectly complimented each other and secured first stanza with three points.

The Dutch pair hit back in the following set and managed to overcome the resilient rivals. They levelled the score by sending 21-19 on board. In the decisive third-set, Juliana-Larissa bounced back and regained better status. They closed third set with two points and settled for victory.

Juliana-Larissa appeared in another match on Wednesday and took on Spain’s Liliana-Baquerizo. First set was totally dominated by Brazilians as they offered strong offense and solid defence to the competitors. Spanish ladies could only score 12 points and suffered the loss of opening set (21-12). Comparatively saying, the Spaniards improved in the following set and gave a good competition to Juliana-Larissa. Nevertheless, they dropped the set with a small deficit (21-19) and gave the match to Juliana-Larissa in straight sets. The final set score was 2-0 (21-12, 21-19). The match decision was out in 39 minutes.

Juliana-Larissa remained undefeated in the opening two matches and finished the day with 2-0 record.

Next up, the Brazilian tandem returned to action on Thursday. Czech Republic’s Klapalova-Hajeckova came to face Juliana-Larissa in third match of the Main Draw in Pool C. Brazilians pair maintained its dominance on the net and edged out Czech team in straight sets. They posted 21-14, 21-18 on board and announced match victory in 33 minutes.

After completing the winning streak of three matches, Juliana-Larissa advanced to the top-16 teams of the competition. They are set to meet Mouha-Gielen of Belgium in the next encounter on Friday. Check back for news and updates.

 

Cicolari-Menegatti of Italy advance to the Round 2 of Main Draw – Volleyball News

Second-seeded Italian female tandem of Cicolari and Menegatti did not catch a good start in the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam, but managed to qualify for the next round with 3-1 record.
Cicolari-Menegatti played their first match of the tournament against German Banck-Walkenhorst, who proved to be better and marched away with 2-0 (26-24, 21-17) victory. The Italian pair fought a great battle with Germans on the centre court, but still could not avoid defeat in the opening affair. The loss of first match put a big question mark on the performance of Cicolari-Menegatti in the coming matches. However, the duo showed remarkable improvement and shook off the bad impression with back-to-back victories afterwards.

The second fixture of the day brought Mouha-Gielen from Belgium in competition with Cicolari-Menegatti. The match spanned over two sets and completed its run in just 37 minutes. Italian pair started off well and secured the first frame with three points. Second set of the match unfolded the similar story. The Italians used the competitive edge and remained ahead of their counterparts. Set-2 also ended in Italy’s favour and Cicolari-Menegatti emerged successful with 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) victory.

Both the matches were played on Wednesday, August 15. At the end of the day, Italian side had a mixed result of 1-1.

In the next crucial match on Thursday, Italian ladies crossed their ways with Tsiartsiani-Arvaniti of Germany. The 15^th-seeded German pair showed good fighting spirit and scored well in the opening frame. Scoring remained tight in the first half of the set. However, the Italians paced things with heavy strike of volleys in the latter half. Cicolari-Menegatti concluded first set with final score 21-18 and took 1-0 lead in the match.

German pair played under pressure in the second set and became irresistible. The Italians took full advantage of the nervousness of opponents and cruised past to 2-0 victory. The final sets scores were 21-18 and 21-14.

Success in third match allowed the Italian duo to keep its hopes alive to play in the Round 2 of Main Draw. The team was required to claim one more victory, in order to advance to the next round. Austria Bawden-Hinchley collided with Cicolari-Menegatti in the decisive fourth match on Thursday. Italian duo did an impressive job and finished both sets with identical score of 21-14. Match ended in Italy’s favour and Cicolari-Menegatti successfully booked a spot in Round 2 of the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam.

In the next run, Italian team will be challenged by 8^th-seeded Kuhn-Zumkehr from Switzerland on Friday. Cicolari-Menegatti have high hopes to claw their way to the final four of the tournament.