Champions League Women | 28 Jan 2017
One more spectacular game in Metz
Photo: Pillik
In front of 1,000 spectators Linz AG Froschberg beat Metz 3:2 in the 1st quarter-final leg of ECLW
Metz TT and Linz AG Froschberg fulfilled expectations in front of about 1,000 spectators, playing 1st quarter-final game of 2016/17 European Championships League Women. Double ECLW champion from Austria won 3:2 after three hours, what guarantee one more exciting clash in the returning leg. Last year, these two clubs were involved in a spectacular quarter-final showdown, decided by just one point (Froschberg won thanks to better point-ratio 347:346).
The 2005 individual champion of Old Continent LIU Jia was Linz`s hero, as she beat both FU Yu and Yunli SCHREINER. LIU did a big job at the beginning when she overcame in straight games actual runner-up in Singles Event of 2016 European Championships FU Yu. When Sophia POLCANOVA defeated 2015 European champion Elizabeta SAMARA, host side found itself in very bad position. But, in the next two games Pauline CHASSELIN and FU Yu beat ZHANG Mo and Sophia POLCANOVA respectively, while LIU secured victory to Linz in the ultimate clash against Yunli SCHREINER.
UCAM Cartagena upset no. 2 seed and actual ECLW runner-up Tarnobrzeg 3:0. Matilda EKHOLM beat former individual European champion Viktoria PAVLOVICH in the first match, but the next one was crucial, bearing in mind that Tetyana BILENKO overcame the best player of Polish team HAN Ying in the clash between two good defenders, playing full five games. Iulia NECULA concluded the game, being extended to full distance by LI Qian.
One more drama was held tonight, in France, where Hungarian team Szekszard defeated TT Saint Quentin 3:2. Dora MADARASZ played her best ECLW match so far, as she overcame both ZENG Jian and Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO. French side had an advantage after first three encounters, but guests won next two matches: first Polina MIKHAILOVA leveled the score against ZENG Jian (reversed the score 1:2 to 3:2) and finally, MADARASZ brought winning point against DODEAN-MONTEIRO after two thrilling sets (2nd 16:18, 4th 14:16).
European Champions League Women quarter-finals, 1st leg
UCAM CARTAGENA – KTS SIARKA ZOT TARNOBRZEG 3:0
Matilda EKHOLM – Viktoria PAVLOVICH 3:0 (13:11, 11:6, 11:4)
Tetyana BILENKO – HAN Ying 3:2 (14:16, 9:11, 11:8, 11:9, 11:6)
Iulia NECULA – LI Qian 3:2 (9:11, 11:8, 7:11, 11:8, 11:6)
TT SAINT QUENTIN – SZEKSZARD AC 2:3
ZENG Jian – Dora MADARASZ 1:3 (11:5, 9:11, 10:12, 8:11)
Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO – Polina MIKHAILOVA 3:0 (11:9, 11:9, 11:8)
Ran LI KATH – LIN Ye 3:2 (3:11, 14:12, 8:11, 14:12, 15:13)
ZENG Jian – Polina MIKHAILOVA 2:3 (11:9, 9:11, 11:8, 8:11, 10:12)
Daniela DODEAN-MONTEIRO – Dora MADARASZ 1:3 (5:11, 16:18, 11:4, 14:16)
METZ TT – LINZ AG FROSCHBERG 2:3
FU Yu – LIU Jia 0:3 (5:11, 12:14, 9:11)
Elizabeta SAMARA – Sophia POLCANOVA 2:3 (6:11, 11:7, 11:5, 8:11, 6:11)
Pauline CHASSELIN – ZHANG Mo 3:1 (6:11, 11:9, 11:8, 11:8)
FU Yu – Sophia POLCANOVA 3:2 (11:6, 6:11, 12:10, 6:11, 11:6)
Yunli SCHREINER – LIU Jia 0:3 (7:11, 5:11, 6:11)
