cev champions league
leo van hal
Indesit European Champions' League
2002-2003
PARIS VOLLEY TAKES SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY
Men's and Women's Indesit European Champions' League 2002/2003
LUXEMBOURG, 10 December 2002 - French Champion PARIS Volley booked its
second straight victory during the men's Indesit European Champions' League.
After defeating Austrian VIENNA hotVolleys last week in Pool C of the event
where the best European club teams meet, the Champion of the 2000/2001
season was stronger than VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN of Germany (3-1). In the women'
s Indesit European Champions' League Uralochka EKATERINBURG of Russia took
the first victory of this season, defeating Ezcacibasi ISTANBUL (3-0).
On the first day of the second leg of the 2002/2003 Indesit European
Champions' League, all matches in Pool C of the men's event where scheduled.
Former Champion PARIS Volley of France easily passed by Germans' best VfB
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN. The French team of national team stars Stephane Antiga and
Olivier Kieffer cruised over the Germans in the first set.
In the second set, the German setter Ilja Wiederschein brought VfB
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN back in business, serving from 15-18 till 19-18. That was
the only lead the team of coach Stelian Moculescu took in this set. At the
first set point, a giant block of the Czech player of PARIS Volley Jiri
Novak brought the squad of the Canadian coach Glenn Hoag the second set.
PARIS Volley failed to finish the match in the third set after leading
18-17. Bosnian Ljubisa Ristic served his team back in the match, scoring six
points in a row.
With Antiga (20 points) and Novak (17 points) as the leading scorers, the
French team took the second victory of this Indesit European Champions'
League winning the fourth set.
"I thought it would be much more difficult to win," stated PARIS Volley
coach Glenn Hoag. "Friedrichshafen has big servers, but we managed to
control them. Especially our block and defense was perfect. We also took the
benefit of playing a lot of tough matches in a row. We have a chance to go
to the next round, but I am not calculating but playing match by match."
Indesit European Champions' League rookie Buducnost PODGORICA Bank (YUG)
took its first ever victory in this European Cup. The Yugoslavian Champion
defeated Austrians' VIENNA hotVolleys at home (3-1). Almost 5,000 fans
supported the home team in the "Moraca" stadium of Podgorica. This victory
even gives Buducnost PODGORICA Bank a chance to play a major role in Pool C.
"We knew the match against Vienna would be a difficult one," said Buducnost
PODGORICA Bank head coach Igor Kolakovic said. "We took advantage of playing
home. One other advantage was that my team is not under big pressure,
because it's our first time in this competition. I am happy that we showed
that we are capable to play high quality volleyball."
In the women's Indesit European Champions' League, the situation is getting
clear in Pool B. Spanish Champion Marichal TENERIFE won the five sets
thriller against Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR). It was the second victory
of last seasons' third place winner.
In the same group, the Yugoslavian rookie Jedinstvo UZICE also jumped to a
2-0 win/lose record. Like last week against Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL, the
runner-up of the Yugoslavian league needed five sets to clinch the victory
over Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL).
In Pool A, title favorite Uralochka EKATERINBURG (RUS) lost last week
against the Italian team of Volley MODENA. The Russian squad of the famous
head coach Nikolai Karpol took revenge against Eczacibasi ISTANBUL (TUR),
the Final Four participant of the last three years. With the tall Ekaterina
Gamova as main scorer, the Russian team won the match 3-0. On Wednesday,
Azerrail BAKU (AZE) and Volley MODENA (ITA), the two winners of last week in
this group, meet each other.
The best 20 European men's club teams and the best 16 European women's club
teams participate in the 2002/2003 Indesit European Champions' League. The
double round robin league round is composed by groups of four teams. Three
legs are scheduled for December 2002, while the other three legs will be
played in January 2003. After the first leg last week, the matches in the
second leg started this Tuesday, while more matches are scheduled for
Wednesday and Thursday.
The eight best teams of the men's and women's Indesit European Champions'
League will proceed to the quarterfinals, scheduled for February 2003. The
Final Four of the men's event will be held on 22 and 23 March 2003 in Milan,
Italy. The best four teams of the women's Indesit European Champions' League
will play their Final Four on 15 and 16 March 2003 in Pila, Poland.
Results Tuesday 10 December 2002:
Men's Indesit European Champions' League.
Pool C:
Buducnost PODGORICA Bank (YUG) - VIENNA hotVolleys (AUT)
3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-18)
PARIS Volley (FRA) - VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER)
3-1 (25-13, 25-22, 20-25, 25-16)
Ranking: 1. PARIS Volley (FRA) 2-4 (6-1), 2.Buducnost PODGORICA Bank (YUG)
2-3 (5-4), 3. VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) 2-3 (4-5), 4. VIENNA hotVolleys
(AUT) 2-2 (1-6)
Women's Indesit European Champions' League.
Pool A:
Uralochka EKATERINBURG (RUS) - Eczacibasi ISTANBUL (TUR)
3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-21)
Ranking: 1. Uralochka EKATERINBURG (RUS) 2-3 (5-3), 2. Azerrail BAKU (AZE)
1-2, (3-1), 3. Volley MODENA (ITA) 1-2 (3-2), 4. Eczacibasi ISTANBUL (TUR)
2-2 (1-6).
Pool B:
Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR) - Marichal TENERIFE (ESP)
2-3 (18-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-16, 15-10)
Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL) - Jedinstvo UZICE (YUG)
2-3 (23-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20, 13-15)
Ranking: 1. Marichal TENERIFE (ESP) 2-4 (6-2), 2. Jedinstvo UZICE (YUG) 2-4
(6-4), 3. Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR) 2-2 (4-6), 4. Levski Siconco SOFIA
(BUL) 2-2 (2-6).
More on the net (including statistics, match reports, photos and other
information) at www.cev.lu
HistoryPress ReviewsSaison 2001-2002Saison 2000-2001
leo van hal
2002-2003
<--Back
PARIS VOLLEY SAILING THROUGH LEAGUE ROUND
Men's and Women's Indesit European Champions' League 2002/2003
LUXEMBOURG, 17 December 2002 - PARIS Volley of France again showed that the
team is a medal contender in the Indesit European Champions' League, when
the Champion of the 2000/2001 season defeated Yugoslavian's Buducnost
PODGORICA Bank in Tuesday's Pool C match (3-0). It was the third straight
victory of the French Champion, which put PARIS Volley on the top of the
leader board in this league round group.
PARIS Volley looks stronger than ever. With the French national team as
bronze medallist of the recent World Championship in Argentina, it looks
like the club team of PARIS Volley got wings thanks to this amazing
achievement. Opponent Buducnost Bank PODGORICA of Yugoslavia was simply
outplayed in the French capital.
The team of the French World Championship stars Stephane Antiga and Olivier
Kiefer are clearly leading Pool C as the only undefeated team and with a
perfect 9-1 set record.
The other French team in the Indesit European Champions' League, Stade
Poitevin POITIERS (FRA), also did a great job, winning the difficult away
match against Turkish SSK ANKARA in Pool D (3-2). It looks like the French
Cup Winner likes to play long matches, because it was the second five
victory in the three matches Stade Poitevin POITIERS played. The French team
also booked another record by winning the longest set of the event so far.
The second set only ended after 72 points were played (37-35).
Stade Poitevin POITIERS is leading Pool D now, but Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS)
can take the lead back on Wednesday by winning the match against Greek
Iraklis THESSALONIKI. The Russian squad is the only undefeated team in this
group so far.
Bulgarian Champion Levski Siconco SOFIA booked its first victory in the
women's Indesit European Champions' League. The Bulgarian squad took a win
over Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR) in the 'Winter Palace Stadium' of Sofia
(3-1). Elena Koleva was with 23 points the best scorer on the Bulgarian
side. She was only outplayed by Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL star Neslihan
Demir, but her 27 points couldn't bring the Turkish team more than one set.
'We thought it was time to finally win a match,' Levski Siconco SOFIA
captain Slavka Ouzounova stated. 'We were more concentrated than in the
first two matches and I think we deserved the victory.'
Despite the victory, Levski Siconco SOFIA is still behind the unbeaten
leaders Marichal TENERIFE (ESP) and Jedinstvo UZICE (YUG) in the ranking of
Pool B.
The best 20 European men's club teams and the best 16 European women's club
teams participate in the 2002/2003 Indesit European Champions' League. The
double round robin league round is composed by groups of four teams. The
matches played on Tuesday were the first ones of the third leg, while other
matches will follow on Wednesday and Thursday. The next three legs will be
played in January 2003.
The eight best teams of the men's and women's Indesit European Champions'
League will proceed to the quarterfinals, scheduled for February 2003. The
Final Four of the men's event will be held on 22 and 23 March 2003 in Milan,
Italy. The best four teams of the women's Indesit European Champions' League
will play their Final Four on 15 and 16 March 2003 in Pila, Poland.
Results Tuesday 17 December 2002:
Men's Indesit European Champions' League.
Pool C:
PARIS Volley (FRA) - Buducnost PODGORICA Bank (YUG)
3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
Ranking: 1. PARIS Volley (FRA) 3-6 (9-1), 2.Buducnost PODGORICA Bank (YUG)
3-4 (5-7), 3. VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) 2-3 (4-5), 4. VIENNA hotVolleys
(AUT) 2-2 (1-6)
Pool D:
SSK ANKARA (TUR) - Stade Poitevin POITIERS (FRA)
2-3 (25-23, 35-37, 21-25, 26-24, 11-15)
Ranking: 1. Stade Poitevin POITIERS (FRA) 3-5 (7-7), 2. Lokomotiv BELGOROD
(RUS) 2-4 (6-3), 3. Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE) 2-3 (5-3), 4. SSK ANKARA
(TUR) 3-3 (4-9).
Women's Indesit European Champions' League
Pool B:
Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL) - Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR)
3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 23-25, 28-26)
Ranking: 1. Marichal TENERIFE (ESP) 2-4 (6-2), 2. Jedinstvo UZICE (YUG) 2-4
(6-4), 3. Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL) 3-4 (5-7), 4. Gunes Vakifbank ISTANBUL
(TUR) 3-3 (5-9).