UCAM Cartagena T.M produced a dramatic comeback to secure their place in the Final 4 of the ETTU Champions League Women, overturning a 0-3 first-leg deficit against Saint-Quentin TT and clinching qualification in a tense golden match on home soil. After suffering a heavy defeat in France, the Spanish side responded with determination in front of their supporters, winning the second leg 3-1 to force the decider. Maria XIAO set the tone with a confident straight-games win over Linda BERGSTROM. Although Polina MIKHAILOVA responded by edging Tin Tin HO in a five-game battle, Fei QI restored parity in the overall tie with a strong performance against Camille LUTZ. The decisive fourth match of the leg saw Maria XIAO once again rise to the occasion. In a tense encounter against MIKHAILOVA, she held her nerve in the deciding game to level the aggregate score and force a golden match. With everything on the line, Cartagena showed remarkable composure. Fei QI saved crucial points in a dramatic 15-13 golden game victory over MIKHAILOVA, swinging the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts. Maria XIAO then sealed qualification with an assured 11-6 win against BERGSTROM. “It was an amazing comeback. We knew we had to produce something special to win today, and fortunately we managed to do exactly that. I’m extremely happy and truly proud of my team,” said XIAO. From a 0-3 defeat in France to a golden match triumph in Spain, UCAM Cartagena T.M completed a stunning turnaround and now advance to the Final 4, keeping their Champions League dream alive. UCAM Cartagena T.M – Saint-Quentin TT 3-1 Golden Match UCAM Cartagena T.M – Saint-Quentin TT 2-0 Saint-Quentin TT – UCAM Cartagena T.M. 3–0
Reigning champions ttc berlin eastside power into Final 4
Reigning champions ttc berlin eastside booked their place in the ETTU Champions League Final 4 Women after defeating Poland’s PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow 3-0 in the second leg. The German powerhouse, six-time title holders, once again demonstrated their pedigree on the European stage. Having already secured victory in the opening leg, Berlin left no room for doubt on home soil. The team from the German capital set the tone immediately. Yuka KANEYOSHI delivered a dominant performance in the opening match, overpowering Ilona SZTWIERTNIA with aggressive play and sharp control from the first ball. The second encounter brought more resistance, as LI Fen claimed the opening game against Nina MITTELHAM. However, the German international responded with authority, winning three consecutive games to put Berlin firmly in control of the tie. “I’m just very happy that we won and managed to take the 2-0 lead early, which was crucial for us. I was also glad that Sabina had the opportunity to play and she performed really well. I’m especially proud of her for the way she finished the last set, winning it 11-0 and fighting until the very last point,” said Nina MITTELHAM. Sabina SURJAN then closed the contest in style. After allowing Zuzanna WIELGOS to pull one game back, SURJAN raised her level once more and finished emphatically, sealing qualification with a flawless 11-0 in the fourth game. “After the 3-1 result in the opening leg, it was important for us to win two matches today. Yuka and Nina did their job perfectly, securing the two points we needed. I then played the third match and I’m very satisfied with my performance. We’re happy and we move forward,” said Sabina SURJAN. With victories in both legs, TTC Berlin Eastside advance confidently to the Final 4, once again underlining their status among Europe’s elite in the Champions League Women. ttc berlin eastside – PGE Fibrain Ku AZS Politechnika Rzeszow 3-0 PGE Fibrain KU AZS Politechnika Rzeszow – ttc berlin eastside 1-3
Europe Cup Women semi-final line-up complete
The semi-final picture in the Europe Cup Women is now confirmed. MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada, Linz AG Froschberg, and ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari have secured their places among the final four after decisive performances across the quarterfinal ties. They all joined SKST Plus Hodonín, after Czech club booked their place yesterday. With qualification sealed, the competition now moves into its decisive stage, where four ambitious sides remain in the race for the Europe Cup Women title in April. Linz AG Froschberg reach semi-finals with two-leg success Linz AG Froschberg secured their place in the semi-finals of the Europe Cup Women after recording victories in both legs against Son Cladera TTC – Mallorca. The Austrian side laid the foundation in the opening leg in Spain, where they claimed a 3-1 win. Back on home soil, they confirmed qualification with a 3-0 success, completing the tie without conceding an overall setback. Despite the clear aggregate outcome, the return match was far from straightforward. All three encounters went the distance, with Linz prevailing in each decisive game to underline their composure and experience in crucial moments. “This is one step closer. We are among the top teams now, but our goal is to reach the final. We are getting stronger and stronger, and today’s 3-0 victory gives us even more confidence,” said Britt EERLAND. Linz AG Froschberg – Son Cladera TTC – Mallorca 3-0 Opening leg Son Cladera TTC Mallorca – Linz AG Froschberg 1–3 ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari secure Europe Cup Women semi-final place After winning the opening leg 3-0, ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari needed just two points in the return match to confirm their place in the Europe Cup Women semi-finals – and they achieved exactly that with a 2-1 home success over Fenerbahce Sports Club. Fenerbahce struck first as Ece HARAC overcame Hengyu MA in four games, keeping the Turkish side’s hopes alive. However, Tania PLAIAN delivered a crucial response in a dramatic five-game battle against Sibel ALTINKAYA. The second game, claimed 18-16, proved pivotal in shifting momentum towards the Italian side. With qualification within reach, Miriam CARNOVALE stepped up confidently. After dropping the second game, she regained control and closed out the match in four games to secure the decisive second point. With victories in both legs, ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari progress to the Europe Cup Women semi-finals, continuing their impressive run in the competition. “We are very happy with this victory. We had a difficult campaign in the Champions League and unfortunately we were relegated, but now we are taking things match by match. I hope we can go all the way and win the Cup again, like we did in 2023. For this tie, we were without our number one, Elizabet ABRAAMIAN, and we knew it would be tough without her. Hengyu MA struggled against Ece HARAC’s style of play and it was an emotional match. As for my match, I am especially happy because I am not in my best shape. I have been dealing with hip problems and I am still not fully recovered. I had to fight for every point, but I managed to play at a very good level. Sibel ALTINKAYA is a very strong and experienced player, so this win means a lot to me. In Miriam’s match, everything went according to plan. She followed the tactics perfectly and played very well. I am also very happy for her, as we are close friends. We are now looking forward to the next match and we will give our best,” said Tania PLAIAN. SD Quattro Mori Cagliari – Fenerbahce Sports Club 2-1 Fenerbahce Sports Club – ASD Quattro Mori Cagliari 0–3 MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada beat STK Dr. Časl MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada confirmed their place in the Europe Cup Women semifinals after edging Croatia’s STK Dr. Časl 3-2 in the second leg. Following their straight matches victory away from home two days earlier, the Spanish side needed just two points to secure progression, and they delivered. The tie opened with Guo RUICHEN putting the hosts in front, overcoming Jiaqi LIU in four games with a confident display. However, experienced Xia Lian NI responded for the Croatian side, defeating Olga VOROBEVA in a tight encounter, highlighted by a dramatic 15-13 finish in the fourth game. Andrea TODOROVIC restored the advantage for the Spanish team with a straight-games victory over Szandra PERGEL, bringing MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada within touching distance of qualification. Although NI Xia Lian struck again, beating Guo RUICHEN to level the score at 2-2 on the day, the overall qualification was already secured thanks to the earlier points. The final match provided extra drama, as Olga VOROBEVA battled Jiaqi LIU in a five-game thriller to seal the 3-2 victory in front of the home crowd. “The second leg was a bit more tense because Dr. Časl changed their lineup. They decided to put Ni Xia Lian against Olga VOROBEVA. Olga had her chances and could even have won the match, but Ni justified her status. At 1-1, I managed to beat Szandra PERGEL, which was the second point we needed to secure our place in the semifinal. However, we continued playing and the fourth match was very close. Two days ago, Ruichen GUO defeated Ni 3-2, winning 6-4 in the deciding game, so this time Ni took her revenge. One of the difficulties was that we started celebrating a bit early because we already knew we had qualified for the next round, and it was not easy to maintain full focus. I would also like to praise Olga VOROBEVA for her effort in the decisive match. She defeated the Chinese player Jiaqi LIU in the fifth game of the fifth match by the death point,”explained Andrea TODOROVIC. With a 3-0 win in Zagreb and a 3-2 success at home, MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada advance confidently to the semifinals. MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada – STK Dr. Časl 3-2 Opening leg STK Dr. Časl – MIRÓ Ganxets Costa Durada 0-3
