From Friday to Sunday European women’s teams played in five qualification tournaments to World Championships. Shocking news comes from Poland, where team with biggest names doesn’t qualify to main competition in Italy!
3rd Round Qualifications Preview: (Teams in bold qualified)
Pool I – Ankara (Turkey):
Cyprus – Turkey 0-3 (9-25 9-25 12-25)
Best Scorers: Eda Erdem Dundar (TUR) 11, Kubra Akman (TUR) 8, Polen Uslupehlivan (TUR) 8
Romania – Ukraine 3-2 (23-25 26-24 19-25 25-21 15-12)
Best Scorers: Iryna Trushkina (UKR) 23, Adina Salaoru (ROM) 21, Nadia Kodola (UKR) 15, Yulia Pervukhina (UKR) 14
Turkey – Ukraine 3-0 (25-7 25-12 25-21)
Best Scorers: Neriman Ozsoy (TUR) 14, Eda Erdem Dundar (TUR) 14, Neslihan Demir (TUR) 10, Iryna Trushkina (UKR) 10
Cyprus – Romania 0-3 (15-25 17-25 9-25)
Best Scorers: Ioana Bacu (ROM) 14, Adina Salaoru (ROM) 13, Valentina Ivanof (ROM) 11
Turkey – Romania 3-0 (25-15 25-23 25-18)
Best Scorers: Gozde Sonsirma (TUR) 13, Adina Salaoru (ROM) 13, Neslihan Demir (TUR) 11, Eda Erdem Dundar (TUR) 10
Ukraine – Cyprus 3-0 (25-16 25-12 25-13)
Best Scorers: Iryna Trushkina (UKR) 11, Nadia Kodola (UKR) 11, Zoi Konstantopolou (CYP) 9, Ganna Lisieienkova (UKR) 8
Standings:
| Rank | Team | Win/Loss | Sets | Points |
| 1. | Turkey | 3/0 | 9-0 | 9 |
| 2. | Romania | 2/1 | 6-5 | 5 |
| 3. | Ukraine | 1/2 | 5-6 | 4 |
| 4. | Cyprus | 0/3 | 0-9 | 0 |
Summary:
Turkey had the easiest opponents comparing to other pools. Team proved it, not having any difficulties in beating all teams without losing single set. Team’s leader was Middle-Blocker, Eda Erdem Dundar.
Pool J – Baku (Azerbaijan):
Serbia – Estonia 3-0 (25-21 25-18 25-15)
Best Scorers: Polina Bratuhina (EST) 16, Jelena Nikolic (SRB) 11, Jovana Brakocevic (SRB) 10, Milena Rasic (SRB) 10
Azerbaijan – Israel 3-1 (25-15 25-21 19-25 25-15)
Best Scorers: Anastasiya Gurbanova (AZE) 22, Natalya Mammadova (AZE) 21, Anna Velikiy (ISR) 20
Serbia – Israel 3-0 (25-9 25-12 25-20)
Best Scorers: Brankica Mihajlovic (SRB) 14, Natasha Krsmanovic (SRB) 13, Jelena Nikolic (SRB) 12, Milena Rasic (SRB) 9
Estonia – Azerbaijan 0-3 (17-25 19-25 13-25)
Best Scorers: Natalya Mammadova (AZE) 19, Anastasiya Gurbanova (AZE) 11, Kseniya Kovalenko (AZE) 9, Polina Bratuhina (EST) 8
Israel – Estonia 3-0 (25-21 25-20 25-18)
Best Scorers: Tatiana Artmenko (ISR) 16, Moran Zur (ISR) 15, Anna Velikiy (ISR) 14, Polina Bratuhina (EST) 12
Azerbaijan – Serbia 3-2 (19-25 25-18 18-25 25-16 18-16)
Best Scorers: Anastasiya Gurbanova (AZE) 21, Jana Matiaskova-Aghayeva (AZE) 19, Jovana Brakocevic (SRB) 19, Milena Rasic (SRB) 18
Standings:
| Rank | Team | Win/Loss | Sets | Points |
| 1. | Azerbaijan | 3/0 | 9-3 | 8 |
| 2. | Serbia |
2/1 | 8-3 | 7 |
| 3. | Israel | 1/2 | 4-6 | 3 |
| 4. | Estonia | 0/3 | 0-9 | 0 |
Summary:
Azerbaijan surprised Serbia in last match. Only these two had chances for qualifying and did it, because Serbia was among two highest ranked second teams. Impressive performance showed Azeri players: Anastasiya Gurbanova and Natalya Mammadova. Serbian team played without Setter, Maja Ognjenovic absent due to health problems.
Pool K – Łódź (Poland):
Spain – Belgium 0-3 (20-25 18-25 12-25)
Best Scorers: Lise Van Hecke (BEL) 11, Jessica Rivero (ESP) 11, Freya Aelbrecht (BEL) 10, Milagros Collar (ESP) 9
Poland – Switzerland 3-0 (25-14 25-15 25-9)
Best Scorers: Anna Werblińska (POL) 14, Eleonora Dziękiewicz (POL) 12, Małgorzata Glinka-Mogentale (POL) 12, Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata (POL) 9
Belgium – Switzerland 3-0 (25-11 25-16 25-12)
Best Scorers: Freya Aelbrecht (BEL) 17, Charlotte Leys (BEL) 13, Lise Van Hecke (BEL) 13
Poland – Spain 3-0 (25-13 25-12 25-18)
Best Scorers: Jessica Rivero (ESP) 14, Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata (POL) 12, Anna Werblińska (POL) 9, Eleonora Dziękiewicz (POL) 9, Małgorzata Glinka-Mogentale (POL) 9
Switzerland – Spain 1-3 (19-25 22-25 25-15 14-25)
Best Scorers: Jessica Rivero (ESP) 21, Milagros Collar (ESP) 14, Helia Gonzalez (ESP) 14, Laura Sirucek (SUI) 13
Poland – Belgium 0-3 (20-25 20-25 25-27)
Best Scorers: Lise Van Hecke (BEL) 21, Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata (POL) 13, Małgorzata Glinka-Mogentale (POL) 10, Freya Aelbrecht (BEL) 10
Standings:
| Rank | Team | Win/Loss | Sets | Points |
| 1. | Belgium | 3/0 | 9-0 | 9 |
| 2. | Poland | 2/1 | 6-3 | 6 |
| 3. | Spain | 1/2 | 3-7 | 3 |
| 4. | Switzerland | 0/3 | 1-9 | 0 |
Summary:
Poland even with bigger names in team, including Wing-Spikers Małgorzata Glinka-Mogentale and Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata couldn’t stand the pressure and lost against Belgium, fighting only in last set. Belgian team develops well and proved again strength, after bronze in ECH. Key players were Opposite Lise Van Hecke, Libero Valerie Courtois and Outside Hitter Charlotte Leys.
Pool L – Rovinj (Croatia):
France – Netherlands 0-3 (18-25 18-25 28-30)
Best Scorers: Maret Grothues (NED) 13, Quinta Steenbergen (NED) 13, Helene Schleck (FRA) 13, Anne Buijs (NED) 12
Croatia – Hungary 3-0 (25-20 25-10 25-16)
Best Scorers: Sanja Popovic (CRO) 16, Mia Jerkov (CRO) 14, Renata Sandor (HUN) 12, Maja Poljak (CRO) 11
Netherlands – Hungary 3-0 (25-15 25-19 25-11)
Best Scorers: Renata Sandor (HUN) 14, Robin De Kruijf (NED) 13, Anne Buijs (NED) 13, Manon Flier (NED) 10
France – Croatia 1-3 (19-25 25-18 15-25 10-25)
Best Scorers: Mia Jerkov (CRO) 15, Alexandra Jupiter (FRA) 15, Senna Usic Jogunica (CRO) 12, Sanja Popovic (CRO) 11
Hungary – France 3-2 (12-25 17-25 25-22 25-23 15-4)
Best Scorers: Renata Sandor (HUN) 23, Greta Szakmary (HUN) 18, Helene Schleck (FRA) 16
Croatia – Netherlands 3-2 (25-18 25-23 22-25 22-25 16-14)
Best Scorers: Manon Flier (NED) 25, Mia Jerkov (CRO) 22, Sanja Popovic (20), Robin De Kruijf (NED) 17
Standings:
| Rank | Team | Win/Loss | Sets | Points |
| 1. | Croatia | 3/0 | 9-3 | 8 |
| 2. | Netherlands | 2/1 | 8-3 | 7 |
| 3. | Hungary | 1/2 | 3-8 | 2 |
| 4. | France | 0/3 | 3-9 | 1 |
Summary:
Next pool with two candidates for a place in WCH. Thanks to tiebreak in match Croatia – Netherlands both teams qualified, situation was similar to games in Azerbaijan. Key players were Mia Jerkov with Sanja Popovic from Croatia and Manon Flier with Robin De Kruijf from Dutch team.
Pool M – Samokov (Bulgaria):
Slovakia – Bulgaria 1-3 (13-25 19-25 26-24 24-26)
Best Scorers: Elitsa Vasilieva (BUL) 17, Miroslava Kuciakova (SVK) 15, Strashimira Filipova (BUL) 14, Miroslava Kijakova (SVK) 14
Belarus – Czech Republic 0-3 (20-25 15-25 18-25)
Best Scorers: Aneta Havlicvkova (CZE) 21, Anastasiya Harelik (BLR) 15, Nikol Sajdova (CZE) 13, Tereza Vanzurova (CZE) 8
Bulgaria – Czech Republic 3-0 (25-14 25-19 25-22)
Best Scorers: Aneta Havlicvkova (CZE) 19, Hristina Ruseva (BUL) 12, Emiliya Nikolova (BUL) 12
Slovakia – Belarus 3-1 (18-25 25-18 25-20 25-16)
Best Scorers: Michaela Abrhamova (SVK) 21, Monika Stankovianska (SVK) 13, Anastasiya Harelik (BLR) 13, Kristina Mikhailenko (BLR) 13
Bulgaria – Belarus 3-1 (25-11 32-34 25-9 25-23)
Best Scorers: Emiliya Nikolova (BUL) 20, Elitsa Vasilieva (BUL) 17, Ekaterina Skrabatun (BLR) 13, Katsiaryna Silantsyeva (BLR) 13
Czech Republic – Slovakia 3-0 (29-27 25-12 25-21)
Standings:
| Rank | Team | Win/Loss | Sets | Points |
| 1. | Bulgaria | 3/0 | 9-2 | 9 |
| 2. | Czech Rep. | 2/1 | 6-3 | 6 |
| 3. | Slovakia | 1/2 | 4-7 | 3 |
| 4. | Belarus | 0/3 | 2-9 | 0 |
Summary:
Bulgaria was favourite and had home advantage. Czech Republic had chances, but with many missing players and overusing star Opposite Aneta Havlickova it must look like this. In first match threat for Bulgaria was Slovakia, but after weird wrong decision by referee, team lost chances to fight with host of tournament.
Overall we had rather expected results. Only greater surprise here is Poland out of games. It will affect the ranking, where Poles will lose many points and positions, having tougher draws for next competitions, chance for them is next World Grand Prix. Federation should consider finding better coach than Piotr Makowski and find new players to train them and give international experience. After this collapse few players probably said goodbye to NT, because team was experienced, but definitely old.
Second team on decent level which is out is Czech Republic, but without players like Plchotova, Jasova, Muhlsteinova or Monzoni it was more expected than sensation in Łódź.
Another bad thing in this system of qualification was delivery of rest two places. In my opinion all second ranked teams: Serbia, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Romania should fight for two places left, not giving them tickets for WCH according to scores in that competition like CEV did it. Another system federation used in ECH qualifications, where second ranked teams from qualifications play Play-Offs for last places and here CEV should do the same thing, to WCH we have still much time.
