UCAM Cartagena T.M. claimed an important 3–1 away victory in France, defeating Etival ASRTT in Stage 2 of the ETTU Champions League Women. Earlier in the group, Etival opened their campaign with a win against Novi Sad, but the Spanish side responded strongly in their second outing.
Etival struck first thanks to a composed performance from Jieni SHAO, who handled the crucial points superbly and resisted Tin-Tin HO’s late push in the third and fourth games.
UCAM Cartagena immediately answered. Maria XIAO took full control of the rallies, disrupting Liu YANGZI’s rhythm to level the score with a confident straight-games victory.
The momentum shifted further when Daniela ORTEGA delivered a crucial third point for UCAM. Although Christina KÄLLBERG fought back to force a decider, ORTEGA regained her focus and sealed the match.
XIAO returned to the table to close out the tie, securing her second win of the evening. Despite SHAO’s earlier triumph, the Spanish captain proved too strong in the rematch, completing a commanding performance in straight games and locking in the team victory.
With this result, UCAM Cartagena leave France with a vital away win, significantly boosting their position in Group D as the Champions League campaign progresses.
“I think all the matches were crucial. I played very well today, Tin Tin played the best she could, and Daniela did her job by winning the third match in the fifth game,” said Maria XIAO.
Etival ASRTT – UCAM Cartagena T.M. 1–3
- Jieni SHAO – Tin-Tin HO 3–1 (11–4, 9–11, 11–8, 11–7)
- Liu YANGZI – Maria XIAO 0–3 (9–11, 9–11, 6–11)
- Christina KÄLLBERG – Daniela ORTEGA 2–3 (9–11, 11–7, 9–11, 11–5, 2–6)
- Jieni SHAO – Maria XIAO 0–3 (6–11, 6–11, 9–11)
