The Volleyball show of the year reaches its highlight this weekend, when four teams will clash in Rotterdam for the crown of the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women. The anticipated semifinals of the 2015 EuroVolley take place on Saturday in the magnificent Sportpaleis Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, as the top four squads of the competition embark on the final stages of the sensational journey that has captivated fans all over Europe. The teams of The Netherlands, Turkey, Russia and Serbia are already in the Dutch city of Rotterdam preparing the crucial moments of the Volleyball highlight of the year.
After five emotional days of competition, the four contenders get ready to shine in the quest for a spot in the grand finale coming up on Sunday.
FINAL RANKING:
1. Russia*
2. The Netherlands*
3. Serbia*
4. Turkey*
5. Germany*
6. Belgium
7. Italy
8. Poland
9. Belarus
10. Croatia
11. Czech Republic
12. Hungary
13. Bulgaria
14. Azerbaijan
15. Romania
16. Slovenia
*The top five are qualified for the Final Round of the 2017 CEV Volleyball European Championship – Women alongside the national teams of organisers Azerbaijan and Georgia.
THE DREAM TEAM
Most Valuable Player: Tatiana Kosheleva (Russia)
Best Setter: Maja Ognjenovic (Serbia)
Best Opposite: Lonneke Slöetjes (Netherlands)
Best Outside Spiker: Tatiana Kosheleva (Russia)
Second Best Outside Spiker: Anne Buijs (Netherlands)
Best Middle Blocker: Irina Zaryazhko (Russia)
Second Best Middle Blocker: Eda Erdem Dündar (Turkey)
Best Libero: Anna Malova (Russia)
Fair Play Award: President of the Dutch Volleyball Federation (Nevobo), Hans Nieukerke
FINAL ROUND
Gold Medal Match: Russia vs The Netherlands
Russia silenced 11,000 fans in attendance at the Sportpaleis Ahoy arena in Rotterdam and upset the home heroines of The Netherlands cruising to a 3:0 win (25-14, 25-20, 25-20) to claim the gold medal of the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women. The Russian side accomplished the great feat of winning back-to-back European titles, following their gold medal from the 2013 EuroVolley held in Switzerland and Germany. Two years later, the Russian ladies replicated that success and celebrated the 19th European crown for their country by counting also those claimed by the former Soviet Union. Tatiana Kosheleva received the award for the Most Valuable Player of the tournament as it happened also two years ago in Berlin and another six of her countrywomen – Irina Zaryazhko, Alexandra Pasynkova, Nataliia Obmochaeva, Ekaterina Kosianenko, Natalia Malykh and Anna Malova – celebrated their second straight European title as well.
Bronze Medal Match: Serbia vs Turkey
Serbia claimed the bronze medal of the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women. The Serbian ladies beat Turkey 3:0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18) in the clash for the third place of the tournament after presenting a powerful demonstration of skillful and effective offensive resources. The bronze medal in the 2015 EuroVolley completes a remarkable 2015 campaign by Zoran Terzic’s side following the second position earned at the 2015 FIVB Volleyball World Cup and the subsequent qualification for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. This is also the fourth European medal for Serbia following silver in 2007, gold in 2011 and a bronze medal claimed by the former Yugoslavia back in 1951.
SEMIFINAL ROUND
The Netherlands vs Turkey
The Dutch ladies extended by one more day their dream journey in the tournament being contested on home soil and advanced to the ‘grand finale’ of the competition after beating Turkey in three sets (25-22, 25-18, 28-26) in the first semi-final in Rotterdam. The support of 6,945 enthusiastic and unconditional fans was instrumental in the historic quest for glory of the Oranjes who are now hoping to repeat the feat achieved by their illustrious countrywomen who twenty years ago won the only European gold medal to date for the Netherlands, doing so also while performing on home soil in Arnhem.
Russia vs Serbia
Defending champions Russia booked the second ticket to the gold medal match of the 2015 women’s EuroVolley after presenting a convincing demonstration of efficiency in the second semi-final of the tournament. The 2013 gold medallists shocked favourites Serbia 3:1 (25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22) and will clash against the local heroines of The Netherlands vying for their 19th continental crown. The Russian side will try to relive what they accomplished in the 2013 edition of the tournament, when the powerhouses of European Volleyball beat Germany 3:1 in the title-deciding match.
A live photo gallery will be available here to offer media and fans all over Europe the best possible real-time following of the final weekend in Rotterdam.
The stakes are high for co-hosts of The Netherlands, and the Oranjes will count on the support of thousands of local fans who will pack the arena in Rotterdam. In fact, the imposing Sportpaleis Ahoy sports hall is nearly sold out for the final day of the tournament and rapidly running out of tickets for the clashes on Saturday. Giovanni Guidetti’s ladies, following their remarkable journey of four victories in four matches thus far will try to capitalise on the orange tides that will fill the stands in Rotterdam to reach the final of the CEV European Championship for the fourth time. The hopes of the co-organisers will be set on repeating what happened in the 1995 edition of the tournament, when The Netherlands won their first and only gold medal to date in a competition which was also held on Dutch soil.
On the other side of the net in the first semifinal, the co-hosts will meet one of the most inspired teams of the competition. Turkey has deservedly earned the recognition of tournament favourites after their demonstration of efficiency in the pool phase and in the quarterfinals. The Baku 2015 European Games champions have signed an outstanding run of four compelling victories in four matches ceding only two sets in the way, thus aiming at their second continental final after the one they contested in 2003 and their first gold medal in the top European competition.
The defending champions of Russia will attempt to increase their impressive tally of 25 medals in European Championships and will fight to repeat the qualification for the final match of the tournament, just as it happened in the 2013 edition of the event. In the competition celebrated in Germany and Switzerland, the Russian side beat Germany 3:1 clinching their 18th gold in the tournament. The team directed by Yuriy Marichev has presented similar journey in this edition and qualified for the semifinals after beating Italy 3:1 in quarterfinals.
The 2013 gold medallists will clash in the second semifinal with the winners of the 2011 CEV European Championship, thus presenting an encounter between the last two conquerors of the competition. Serbia have also produced an almost impeccable run in the tournament, following three wins by 3:0 in the pool phase and the 3:1 victory over co-hosts Belgium in quarterfinals. The three-times European championship medallists will try to claim their second continental title and aim at putting the golden finishing touch to their memorable season, after winning the silver medal in the FIVB World Cup in Japan, thus securing their qualification to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The five best-ranked teams of the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women as well as the organisers from Georgia and Azerbaijan qualify directly for the Final Round of the 2017 CEV Volleyball European Championship – Women.
QUARTERFINAL ROUND:
The Sportpaleis Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam lived a day a pure orange celebration as The Netherlands reached the semifinals of the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women. The Dutch side beat Poland 3:1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16) in a packed sports hall and made the dreams of the local fans a reality after qualifying for the crucial stage of the tournament.
The defending champions Russia clinched the ticket to semifinals following a compelling 3:1 (30-28, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20) victory over Italy in the first quarterfinal clash played in Rotterdam. The Netherlands will be playing Turkey in the first semi-final on Saturday while Russia take on Serbia for the other ticket to the gold medal match.
The quest for glory in the 2015 CEV DELA Volleyball European Championship – Women reached its highlight on Thursday as the teams still in the competition fought to clinch one of the four spots in the semifinals. The dream of co-hosts Belgium came to an end as Serbia shattered the hopes of the Yellow Tigers with a 3:1 (19-25, 29-27, 25-11, 25-18) victory in Antwerp.
In the first clash of the day, Turkey stated their condition of tournament favourites after booking the ticket to the Final Four following a sensational five-setter Volleyball showdown against an inspired German side (25-20, 21-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-12).
For more information on the 2015 CEV Volleyball European Championship – Women visiteurovolley2015.eu or click here. In social media, please use the competition’s official hashtag#EuroVolleyW.