Oberbank STEELVOLLEYS Linz-Steg finished the first round of the AVL Women’s basic round with a win. The champion and Table leader won 3:1 (25:22, 12:25, 25:10, 25:17) against challenger ATSC Kelag Wildcats Klagenfurt in its home hall, increased its points account to 24. In the eighth league win in the ninth match the top scorers were Harlee Kekauoha (17) and Brooke Botkin (16). For the Wildcats, it was Ehize Lauren Omoghibo and Nikolina Bajic (17 each).
STEELVOLLEYS head coach Facundo Morando: “It was not an easy match for us today. Klagenfurt fought hard for a long time and demanded everything from us. In the second set it didn’t look good for us. But in the end our team is a bit more experienced, adjusted better to the opponent and made fewer mistakes. This win counts double considering the intense weeks.”
UVC Holding Graz is still level on points with the league leader. The women from Murstadt gave promoted ASKÖ Volksbank Purgstall no chance with 3:0 (25:20, 25:5, 25:17) at Raiffeisen Sportpark. Top scorers: Maya Elise Taylor (17) and Una Dizdarevic (9) and Verena Wenighofer (9). The two teams will face each other again on Sunday morning (10 a.m.) in the first Austrian Volley Cup quarterfinal.
PSVBG Salzburg just missed a surprise in their home match against record champion VB NÖ Sokol/Post. The team of head coach Ulrich Sernow had to admit defeat only in the tie-break, drew the short straw 2:3 (25:20, 17:25, 25:22, 19:25, 12:15). Sokol/Post is still the first chaser of the top duo – but now four points behind. “Basically it was a very good game from us. We wanted to perform courageously and we did that for long stretches. In the fifth set we were leading 8:5, but then we lacked the courage and the routine to close the deal. Basically, however, we have to be satisfied with the performance,” Sernow reported.
The players of TI-ROWA-Moser-volley did not show any weakness in their home match against TSV Sparkasse Hartberg. The fourth in the table beat the pointless last team 3:0 (25:21, 25:16, 25:9) in 72 minutes. Top scorers for the hosts were Ashtyn McKenzie (14) and Verena Janka (12). For Hartberg, Vlada Pridatko and Selina Bauernfeind each scored nine points. “We started nervously. It was a neck-and-neck race at first with several lead changes. But then our players caught themselves and in the end pulled off a commanding win. Fourth place after the first round is satisfactory,” summed up TI-volley chairman Michael Falkner.
Erzbergmadln VBV Trofaiach/WSV Eisenerz ended a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 (25:13, 22:25, 25:20, 25:19) home win over UNIONvolleys Bisamberg-Hollabrunn. The Styrians improved to sixth place ahead of the PSVBG women, who are tied on points.
AVL Women, 9th Round
03.12th: TI-ROWA-Moser-volley vs. TSV Sparkasse Hartberg 3:0 (25:21, 25:16, 25:9)
03.12th: UVC Holding Graz vs. ASKÖ Volksbank Purgstall 3:0 (25:20, 25:5, 25:17)
03.12th: PSV Volleyballgemeinschaft Salzburg vs. VB NÖ Sokol/Post 2:3 (25:20, 17:25, 25:22, 19:25, 12:15)
03.12th: Erzbergmadln VBV Trofaiach/WSV Eisenerz vs UNIONvolleys Bisamberg-Hollabrunn 3:1 (25:13, 22:25, 25:20, 25:19)
03.12th: Oberbank STEELVOLLEYS Linz-Steg vs ATSC Kelag Wildcats Klagenfurt 3:1 (25:22, 12:25, 25:10, 25:17)
Mode: Basic round (18 rounds) until February 19, then playoffs (starting with quarterfinals) or relegation (9th and 10th GD)
Schedule, results, table and statistics
Click here for AVL livestreams and livescores
AVL Men: HYPO TIROL finishes first round unbeaten, Hartberg beats Aich/Dob
AVL Men table leader HYPO TIROL volleyball team finished the first half of the season without defeat on Saturday night. The Innsbruckers managed their ninth victory in an extremely commanding manner, winning 3:0 (25:14, 25:11, 25:18) at last-place VBK Wörther-See-Löwen Klagenfurt in just 61 minutes. Top scorers for the guests were Niklas Kronthaler (12) and Mihkel Varblane (11). No Klagenfurt player scored in double figures.
The hit of the round took place in the JUFA Arena Bleiburg and ended with an away win. The surprise team of the season, TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg, took the next three points at runner-up Zadruga Aich/Dob, winning in four sets (32:30, 19:25, 25:19, 25:23) and defending second place. Top scorers Stefan Kaibald (29) and Noel Krassnig (17) or for the guests Dorde Knezevic (28) and Dmytro Fedorenko (15). Hartberg’s gap to HYPO TIROL VT is still five points, Aich/Dob slipped to fifth place.
New third is UVC McDonald’s Ried. The team from Innviertel lived up to their role as favorites at VBC TLC Weiz and won 3:1 (25:23, 24:26, 25:23, 25:20). UVC Holding Graz lost again after two victories, losing 0:3 (26:28, 23:25, 16:25) at Raiffeisen Sportpark against VCA Amstetten NÖ. The Mostviertler climbed to fourth place, the Murstädter are eighth. “This victory is to be highly valued. The Grazers are in good form and especially the first two sets they also underlined that they are not an opponent to be taken lightly,” explained VCA sports director Michael Henschke, in whose team especially middle blocker Robert Brzostowicz stood out as top scorer with 19 points. Henschke continued: “I think we can draw a very satisfied interim conclusion. We are fully in the fight for the top positions.”
After four league defeats in a row, defending champions Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel recorded another success. The sixth-ranked northerners defeated TJ Sokol V/Post SV Wien 3:2 (25:20, 23:25, 24:26, 25:18, 15:9) in the Stadthalle Zwettl. “Finally a win again after a long dry spell! This success was enormously important for self-confidence. Congratulations to Sokol for a good performance,” said URW head coach Zdenek Smejkal. Sokol top scorer and MVP Raphael Trauth: “That was a really hard fought match. We played well, showed a performance that can be built on.”
VCA Amstetten NÖ celebrates clear away success in Graz
The ninth round of matches of the Austrian Volley League Men formed the conclusion of the first half of the basic round and after the 3-0 success against UVC Holding Graz the VCA Amstetten NÖ is on the third place in the table behind championship top favorite Hypo Tirol Volleyballteam and TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg, the surprise team of the current season.
“I think we can draw a very satisfied interim summary, are fully in the fight for the top positions and with the victory against Graz we could confirm our upward trend of the past weeks,” VCA sports director Michael Henschke was pleased about the clear success.
“It was anything but an easy match for us, especially in the first two sets Graz made life very difficult for us,” explained Henschke, referring to the first two closely contested rounds, which his team narrowly won 28-26 and 25-23. The team from Mostviertel then won the third set clearly with 25-16.
“This was an important step for us, because in recent weeks we were often not clever enough in the final of such a closely contested set. Today my team showed a different face, one that I want to see as often as possible this year,” said Henschke, in whose team especially middle blocker Robert Brzostowicz stood out as top scorer with 19 points.
“The win against Graz is to be highly valued, they have recently won two games in a row, they are in good form and just the first two sets they also underlined that they are not an opponent to be taken lightly,” Henschke further explained, already looking ahead to the next match, where the VCA will host VBC TLC Weiz at home next Sunday.
“The league is as close and balanced as it has ever been in recent years. Every point you let lie is doubly painful. That’s why you have to approach every game with a high level of concentration,” the VCA sports director continued, and he is sticking to his current concept for success against the next opponent from Styria as well: “The final whistle of the match in Graz actually marks the start of preparation again and the full focus on Weiz. We only look ahead, this attitude has brought us success in recent weeks.”
AVL Men, 9th round
03.12th: VBK Wörther-See-Löwen Klagenfurt vs. Hypo Tirol Volleyball Team 0:3 (14:25, 11:25, 18:25)
03.12th: VBC TLC Weiz vs. UVC McDonald’s Ried 1:3 (23:25, 26:24, 23:25, 20:25)
03.12th: Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel vs. TJ Sokol V/Post SV Wien 3:2 (25:20, 23:25, 24:26, 25:18, 15:9)
03.12th: SK Zadruga Aich/Dob vs. TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg 1:3 (30:32, 25:19, 19:25, 23:25)
03.12th: UVC Holding Graz vs. VCA Amstetten NÖ 0:3 (26:28, 23:25, 16:25)
Mode: Basic round (18 rounds) until February 19, then playoffs (starting with quarterfinals) or relegation (9th and 10th GD)
03.12.2022