Three MEVZA teams in the Top-5 at the Portugal Beach Volleyball World Tour event

Cortegaca, Portugal. The Beach Volleyball World Tour 1-star event in Portugal has come to an end and again there were MEVZA teams competing until the end. The Austrian team Reiter J./Murauer finished with a strong 4th place finish, while their compatriots Schnetzer/Friedl F. and the women’s Cyprus team Nyström Er./Gusarova added to their success with 5th places.

The Austrian team of Jakob Reiter and Michael Murauer won their Pool after deciding a very tight match against their Austrian colleagues Florian Schnetzer and Felix Friedl. The interims duo Schnetzer/Friedl came up short 15-13 in the decisive third set. Reiter/Murauer as pool winners herewith advanced directly to the quarterfinals, skipping the Round of 12, where they met the British duo Biakoloz/Batrane. In another thrilling match, the Austrian duo secured a semifinal spot.
On the final day, another English duo, the Bello brothers and a host team from Portugal were too strong for the Austrian team that ended just missing the winners podium.

On the women’s side, the team Nyström Er./Gusarova from Cyprus expressly secured a quarterfinal spot after winning both pool matches against a host team and the Czech Dostalova, M./Francova. In the quarterfinal, it was a Spanish team that did not allow Cyprus to find their rhythm and continue their winning streak. Nevertheless, a strong 5th place to add to their laurels as the teams look forward to more World Tour events coming up in the next weeks.

Starting on Thursday, August 19, Prague and Budapest will be hosting a 2- and a 1-star Beach Volleyball World Tour event.

Schedule & Results
Main Draw:
Bronze Medal Match
Reiter, J./Murauer (AUT) – Roberto/Sebastiao (POR) 1-2 (21-16, 17-21, 9-15)

Semifinals
Reiter, J./Murauer (AUT) – Bello Ja./Bello Jo. (ENG) 0-2 (13-21, 17-21)

Quarterfinals
Schnetzer/Friedl, F. (AUT) – Bello Ja./Bello Jo. (ENG) 1-2 (16-21, 21-14, 10-15)
Reiter, J./Murauer (AUT) – Bialokoz/Batrane (ENG) 2-1 (18-21, 21-15, 15-9)
Nyström Er./Gusarova (CYP) – Florian/Bouza (ESP) 0-2 (17-21, 13-21)

Round of 12
Ferry, P./Ferry, V. (MON) – Schnetzer/Friedl, F. (AUT) 0-2 (9-21, 17-21)
Simoes/Moreira R. (POR) – Köstler, G./Ochaya La. (AUT) 2-1 (16-21, 21-16, 17-15)
Zeimann/Polley (NZL) – Dostalova, M./Francova (CZE) 2-0 (21-15, 21-14)

Pool Play
Bercik, V./Bercik, J. (CZE) – Ferry, P./Ferry, V. (MON) 0-2 (19-21, 15-21)
Schnetzer/Friedl, F. (AUT) – Reiter, J./Murauer (AUT) 1-2 (21-19, 16-21, 13-15)
Köstler, G./Ochaya La. (AUT) – Opsahl/Gamlemoen (NOR)  2-0 (21-16, 21-14)
Bercik, V./Bercik, J. (CZE) – Roberto/Sebastiao (POR) 0-2 (16-21, 13-21)
Kaluza/Chiniewicz (POL) – Reiter, J./Murauer (AUT) 1-2 (24-22, 18-21, 8-15)
Schnetzer/Friedl, F. (AUT) – Cardoso/F. Barros (POR) 2-1 (22-24, 21-17, 16-14)
Pedrosa/Campos (POR) – Köstler, G./Ochaya La. (AUT) 2-1 (21-14, 18-21, 15-12)
Nyström Er./Gusarova (CYP) – Dostalova, M./Francova (CZE) 2-0 (21-14, 21-12)
Fuchs/De Turk (USA) – Dostalova, M./Francova (CZE) 1-2 (23-21, 17-21, 8-15
Nyström Er./Gusarova (CYP) – C. Maia/M. Maia (POR) 2-1 (21-8, 20-22, 15-12)
Zeimann/Polley (NZL) – Wiesmeyr St./Schaberl (AUT) 2-0 (21-16, 21-7)
Bekhuis/Everaert (NED) – Wiesmeyr St./Schaberl (AUT) 2-0 (21-18, 21-11)

Qualification:
Round 2
Köstler, G./Ochaya La. (AUT) – Michael/Siapanis (CYP) 2-1 (21-11, 19-21, 15-12)
Bialokoz/Batrane (ENG) – Liotatis/Zorpis (CYP) 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 15-8)

Round 1
Luini/Nijeboer, T. (NED) – Pala/Vala (CZE) 2-0 (21-19, 21-19)
Michael/Siapanis (CYP) – Lomeli/Samuelson (ISV) 2-0 (21-18, 21-14)
Lõhmus/Rebel (EST) – Köstler, G./Ochaya La. (AUT) 0-2 (16-21, 22-24)
Liotatis/Zorpis (CYP) – Stewart/McKelvie (SCO) 2-0 (21-19, 21-11)