Serbia came back from one set down against challengers Slovenia to retain their second EuroVolley crown this Sunday evening in Paris. About 13.000 enthusiastic fans on the stands at the magnificent AccorHotels Arena saw Head coach Slobodan Kovac’s squad celebrating an impressive 3-1 (18-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-20) win in the grand final.
Aleksandar Aianasijevic topped the scorers on a total of 22 points, with Uros Kovacevic adding 20 to Serbia’s tally. Klemen Cebulj reached 15 points on Slovenia’s side.
PHOTO © CEV
“For sure, we are disappointed because we wanted to win this final, to put gold on our necks, but today Serbia did a very good job, and we were not like in Ljubljana, we didn’t play so good, so they deserve this”, so Slovenia’s libero Jani Kovacic.
On Saturday hosts France suffered a defeat at the hands of world champions Poland, losing the bronze medal match 0-3 (24-26, 22-25, 21-25). “I am very pleased with how we played, we were far behind in the first set but came back. It’s always nice to collect medals, you never forget medals”, Poland’s head coach Vital Heynen said.
The history-making 2019 EuroVolley edition was held in four countries for the first time, namely France (Montpellier, Nantes and Paris), Slovenia (Ljubljana), the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Apeldoorn) and Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp). The number of participating teams had increased from 16 two years ago to 24.
MEVZA League opening just days away
Volleyball fans can already look forward to an exciting edition of the MEVZA League, that will feature eight men’s and seven women’s elite teams representing four countries. The men’s kick-off will be taking place on October 5 while the women’s season opener is due to follow a week later, October 12. The women’s and men’s sides initially compete in a double round robin format. After the main rounds, the MEVZA League reaches its climax with the Final Four tournaments in February and March (hosts will be announced in late October).
CEV EuroVolley Men 2019
Semifinals
26.09.: Slovenia (MEVZA) vs. Poland 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-23)
27.09.: Serbia vs. France 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 17-25, 15-7)
Bronze Medal Match
28.09.: Poland vs. France 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-21)
Gold Medal Match
29.09.: Serbia vs. Slovenia 3-1 (18-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-20)
Match Schedule, Results, Pool Standings
Middle European League Women 2019-20
Teams
UOK BANJALUKA Volley (BIH)
ZOK Bimal Jedinstvo BRCKO (BIH)
HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO)
OK KAŠTELA (CRO)
Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO)
GEN-I Volley (SLO)
Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR (SLO)
Schedule
12.10., 17:00: HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) vs. HOK KASTELA (CRO)
12.10., 18:00: Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR (SLO) vs. Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO)
12.10., 19:00: ZOK Bimal-Jedinstvo BRCKO (BIH) vs. UOK Banjaluka Volley BANJA LUKA (BIH)
Middle European League Men 2019-20
Teams
SK Posojilnica AICH/DOB (AUT)
Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT)
OK Mladost BRCKO (BIH)
HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO)
OK Mladost Ribola KAŠTELA (CRO)
ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO)
Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO)
OK MARIBOR (SLO)
Schedule
05.10., 18:00: HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) vs. OK Mladost Ribola KASTELA (CRO)
05.10., 18:00: ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO)
05.10., 19:00: SK Posojilnica AICH/DOB (AUT) vs. Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT)
PHOTO © CEV
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