Champions League Men | 18 Oct 2013

The night of favorites away

All three tonight`s Women`s European Champions League games belonged to the favorites who played away: Metz – SVS STROCK 0:3, Zamek Tarnobrzeg – Linz AG Froschberg 1:3, Budarosi 2i SC – Tyumen 2:3. The ultimate Round 2 games will be played tomorrow when t

Reigning WECL champion Linz AG Froschberg made a big step to semi final, beating Zamek Tarnobrzeg at Poland 3:1 in front of 450 host fans. Austrian champion now has 2-0 score in Group B, while 2012/13 ETTU Cup finalist continues with 1-1.

It could say that opening game determined final result. Froschberg`s Iveta VACENOVSKA (world`s no. 31) beat in straight sets Margaryta PESOTSKA (no. 45). Czech player looked like very confident, having a bit of problems just in late opening set.

Recent individual bronze medalist of 2013 LIEBHERR European Championships, HAN Ying (she took also team gold, actual no. 32), defeated 2005 ECH individual gold medalist LIU Jia (no. 27) in four games. They were leveled after two sets, but HAN improved her play and easily brought first point to her team.

Double gold medalist from 2013 LIEBHER ECH, Petrissa SOLJA appeared on the wings of her performances in previous two weeks at Schwechat. Tonight she overcame Renata STRBIKOVA in four games. Young German made a decisive step in late third set when she came from 5:7, 8:9 to 11:9.

Finally LIU Jia, twice WECL champion with Linz (2009, 2013), secured second consecutive victory for Froschberg in this season. She was better than PESOTSKA who managed to recover after bad start in fourth set (0:3, 7:4), but it was not enough to prevent guest`s win.

The 2011/12 WECL finalist SVS STROCK confirmed its class against newcomer Metz. Two times Austrian champion easily won at France, without losing any set. Newly crowned individual European champion LI Fen opened match against Yunli SCHRENER, and it was fast win. The 2010 ECH winner WU Jiaduo, the biggest hope of the host, lost from Daniela DODEAN in straight sets, and it was sign that Metz had no chance to avoid big loss. German was close in first and third set, but Romanian player showed how important is experience that she collected from several WECL clubs.

Former Berlin`s Petra LOVAS, the 2011/12 WECL champion, had a hard task against promising Laura GASNIER. The youngest Metz`s player was refuse to give up in each of three sets, but lost each by two points difference. She needed a little bit of self-confidence in third set even she played very well and led 8:6.

Third tonight`s game also provided one former individual European champion. It was Ruta PASKAUSKIENE (the 2008 ECH gold medalist) who brought very first WECL victory to Russian Tyumen which needed five matches to beat actual WECL runner-up Budaorsi 2i SC. Lithuanian player defeated two best host members, first Szandra PERGEL and young Dora MADARASZ in decisive encounter. She lost just one set in both clashes, saving one set ball against PERGEL (9:10, 12:10).

Dora MADARASZ overcame Polina MIKHAILOVA in straight games of second match, but guest missed two set balls in the longest, opening set (16:14). In battles between two no. 3 players, Maria FAZEKAS managed to beat Alexandra PRIVALOVA in five sets with many upside-downs.

Group A: Metz – SVS STROCK 0:3
Yunli SCHREINER – LI Fen 0:3 (5:11, 8:11, 7:11)
WU Jiaduo – Daniela DODEAN 0:3 (9:11, 4:11, 11:13)
Laura GASNIER – Petra LOVAS 0:3 (10:12, 10:12, 9:11)

Group A: Berlin Eastside – Fenerbahce (October 19th, 19h30 CET)

Group B: Zamek Tarnobrzeg – Linz AG Froschberg 1:3
Margaryta PESOTSKA – Iveta VACENOVSKA 0:3 (10:12, 4:11, 7:11)
HAN Ying – LIU Jia 3:1 (11:6, 7:11, 11:7, 11:8)
Renata STRBIKOVA – Petrissa SOLJA 1:3 (11:8, 6:11, 9:11, 9:11)
Margaryta PESOTSKA – LIU Jia 1:3 (6:11, 6:11, 12:10, 9:11)

Group B: Budarosi 2i SC – Tyumen 2:3
Szandra PERGEL – Ruta PASKAUSKIENE 1:3 (4:11, 10:12, 11:8, 9:11)
Dora MADARASZ – Polina MIKHAILOVA 3:0 (16:14, 11:7, 11:7)
Maria FAZEKAS – Alexandra PRIVALOVA 3:2 (13:11, 3:11, 11:4, 2:11, 11:6)
Szandra PERGEL – Polina MIKHAILOVA 1:3 (8:11, 6:11, 11:7, 6:11)
Dora MADARASZ – Ruta PASKAUSKIENE 0:3 (6:11, 6:11, 5:11)

Alex MILETIC, EWT, Alex MILETIC, EWT