UVC Graz suffer home loss to Halkbank Ankara in CEV Challenge Cup opener

This Thursday evening, MEVZA League participants UVC Holding Graz suffered a home loss at the hands of Turkish top club Halkbank Ankara in the opener of the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup. In front of about 500 spectators at the Raiffeisen Sportpark, Halkbank secured a 3-0 victory (25-16, 28-26, 25-21).

PHOTO © CEV

UVC Holding Graz scored five aces more than their opponents (6 vs 1) did but Halkbank was clearly better in attack (66% vs 44%), block (10 vs 2) and own mistakes (18 vs 27). Tiago Pereira (12) and Mark Kremer (11) top scored for the hosts, as Gökhan Gökgöz (17) and Fernando Hernandez Ramos (11) set the pace for the away side. Austrian Volleyball superstar Alexander Berger contributed nine points to the win of his new team Halkbank.

“We showed a good performance today. Unfortunately we were not able win a set, but we are looking forward to the re-match at Halkbank“, outside-spiker Mark Kremer said. Team manager Frederick Laure added: “We played with a lot of heart and fighting spirit. Our guys would have deserved to win the second set, but in crucial situations, Halkbank was the more consistent team.”

The re-match will be taking place in the Turkish capital on October 15.

Ried face Dupnitsa at the weekend

With Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel and the UVC Weberzeile Ried, two Austrian clubs are due to contest the Round of 32 in the Challenge Cup. Ried will already face Marek Union Ivkoni Dupnitsa from Bulgaria twice on home soil this coming weekend. URW will meet Lindaren Volley Luzern (SUI) on November 4 and 10. Already on Saturday, they will start their MEVZA League campaign against OK Merkur Maribor, just four days later they will play at ACH Volley Ljubljana.

CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup 2021 – Men

Qualification Round

08.10.: UVC Holding GRAZ (AUT) vs. Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) 0:3 (16:25, 26:28, 21:25)
15.10., 16:30: Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) vs. UVC Holding GRAZ (AUT) – TVF SC Baskent Sports Hall ANKARA

Round of 32

10.10., 18:00: UVC Weberzeile RIED (AUT) vs. Marek Union Ivkoni DUPNITSA (BUL) – Messehalle 18 RIED
11.10., 18:00: Marek Union Ivkoni DUPNITSA (BUL) vs. UVC Weberzeile RIED (AUT) – Messehalle 18 RIED

04.11., 19:30: Lindaren Volley LUZERN (SUI) vs. Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT) – Bahnhofhalle LUZERN
10.11., 19:00: Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT) vs. Lindaren Volley LUZERN (SUI) – Stadthalle ZWETTL

MEVZA League

10.10., 19:00: Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel (AUT) vs. OK Merkur Maribor (SLO)
14.10., 17:00: OK ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) vs. Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel (AUT)