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Novica Bjelica: I can still give a lot to volleyball, Bojana Drca: This MVP award goes to whole team

by Press 11/03/2022

written by Press

Two much-decorated teams from Belgrade – Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Soccerbet in the women’s and men’s competition, respectively – emerged as the winners of the Serbian Cup Finals held this past Sunday, March 6, in the city of Lajkovac.

The two Belgrade giants, Crvena Zvezda and Partizan, thus added one more trophy each to their already rich resume. This is the eighth national cup title for Partizan and the first such triumph in 32 years, and 18th crown for Crvena Zvezda’s women, who lifted the trophy for the first time in eight years.

Bojana Drca, better known under her maiden name Zivkovic, setter and team captain of Crvena Zvezda, and Novica Bjelica, middle blocker of Partizan Soccerbet, received the MVP awards for the competition – an accolade that they can add to their long list of achievements with the Serbian national teams.

“For sure, I am happy with the MVP award. I am not someone who is used to this kind of recognition, because I play in the position of middle blocker. To be honest, I did not even expect it. Everyone who plays in my position is greatly underestimated and does work in the shadows. This is just a confirmation that I can still give a lot on the court, even though I am 39 years old”, said Novica Bjelica , player of Partizan Soccerbet and MVP of the men’s Final.

“I would like to congratulate my teammates, since we have once again shown that we have character. We played a great match, even though we had a little scare at some point. We managed to come back, and then won 3-1. I am overwhelmed with emotions, we have been working hard to prepare for this game, and we showed the quality of our team on the court. This MVP award goes to the whole team, really”, said Bojana Draca, player of Crvena Zvezda and MVP of the women’s Final.

11/03/2022 0 comments

Skopje to host CEV Coaches Convention in September 2022

by Press 09/03/2022

written by Press

Skopje, the capital city of the Republic of North Macedonia, will be playing host to the third edition of the annual CEV Coaches Convention. The event will run from 16 to 18 September, with theoretical and practical sessions held at the Aleksandar Palace Hotel and the Boris Trajkovski sports hall, respectively.

The CEV Coaches Convention, organised for the very first time in 2019 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, has already managed to involve hundreds of coaches from across Europe and overseas as well – with internationally renowned speakers sharing their knowledge and inspiring those working at the entry level of the game to think outside the box in their daily work with children.

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 resulted in the postponement and eventual cancellation of the second edition. However, the CEV Coaches Convention returned in style in September of 2021 – with 164 people from all five Continental Confederations attending the event held in Kranjska Gora.

The Convention is an action run annually by the CEV within the scope of the School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’ – a programme joined by an unprecedented number of National Federations (as many as 24), which focuses primarily on the education of coaches and physical education teachers working at the grassroots level.

The CEV Technical and Development Department is now working closely with the National Federation of North Macedonia to start the planning, but you can already save the date before further details on the programme, the speakers, etc. follow in due course.

We look forward to meeting in Skopje and to enjoying another great opportunity to learn from each other, network and define how we can best inspire and grow the next generation of Volleyball players!

09/03/2022 0 comments

CEV Main

VakifBank ISTANBUL defeated in the first game of #CLVolleyW quarterfinals

by Press 09/03/2022

written by Press

The #CLVolleyW quarterfinals kicked off with more than a game to remember between the teams of Developres RZESZÓW upset VakifBank ISTANBUL. The fixture that lasted exactly 127 minutes was full of many emotions and turnarounds, but eventually, the 2021 runners-up and four-times winners of the competition, the Turkish powerhouse of VakifBank Istanbul suffered a 2-3 defeat from the inspired Polish team of Developres RZESZÓW.

Overall, VakifBank outclassed their opponents on all count (76 to 60 winning spikes; 16 to 11 kill blocks; five to three aces), but paid a heavy price for their own mistakes (26 to 17).

As many as 31 points by top scorer Isabelle Haak weren’t enough for the team of Istanbul to secure the win, Gaby added 26. For the winners, Kara Bajema scored 20, but her teammate – Anna Stencel, was named MVP with 17 points and 59% exc.in attack.

The away match between the teams is scheduled for March 16.

09/03/2022 0 comments

Albania Main

Domination of Tirana in Albanian National Cup

by Press 09/03/2022

written by Press

Tirana dominated in the finals of Albanian Cup, winning both trophies of female and male in the matches played on Sunday. “The blue-and-whites” of the capital city managed this in style, sweeping aside the opponents in the finals and returning to win the second coveted trophy of the Albanian volleyball after a long period.

For Tirana’s women, it was a return to the trophy after 11 years, as coach Amarilda Prenga-Sijoni rampaged through the final, beating Skënderbeu in straight sets. The capital’s team marched through the first set, leading all the way and never looking back and taking the set 25-15.

The second set was an evenly balanced affair, with both teams fighting for every point in the first half of it. Though Skënderbeu tried to break away in the second half, Tirana roared back, with both teams cancelling each-other’s set point, before Prenga’s girls won the the 28-26, doubling their lead.

The third set turned out to be a disappointing one for Tatjana Marash’s team (with the club director acting as well as the coach of Skënderbeu women’s team), as the southeastern girls were all the time chasing the game behind Tirana.

“The blue-and-whites” took the 3rd set too, 25-20, winning the whole contest 3-0 and winning the Albanian Cup after more than a decade. Moreover, it was sweet revenge for Tirana, as it was beaten just a few days ago in 4 sets by Skënderbeu in the final of inaugural women’s “Gjergj Kastrioti” League, the newly-formed competition between Albania and Kosova.

Meanwhile, it was a much longer wait for Tirana’s men, who won the Albanian Cup after 26 seasons. Coach Ben Sako’s team has dominated thus far in Albania, winning the season’s opener, The Federation’s Cup, proceeding to with the Independence Cup last November in Prishtina, and the inaugural men’s “Gjergj Kastrioti” League, the newly-formed competition between Albania and Kosova just a few days ago.

In the finals of the last two tournaments, “The blue-and-whites” had beaten Erzeni and Sunday’s final of the Albanian Cup set the capital city’s team one more time against the squad of the small Central Albanian town of Shijak. And this final was no different from the previous two encounters between the two teams.

Tirana took the first set 25-22, but Erzeni, led by the young coach, Parit Uruçi, bounced back fighting, taking the second set 25-21. But “The blue-and-whites” returned dominant, taking the other two sets by a comfortable margin, 24-14 and 25-16, and taking home the trophy after a 3-1 victory.

09/03/2022 0 comments