Match report 3-0 against resilient Warnemünde

SWD powervolleys Düren also win their fourth match of the Bundesliga season 3-0. At Arena Kreis Düren they beat a battling SV Warnemünde 25-22, 25-18 and 25-22. Head coach Christophe Achten rotated and started Tobias Hosch at setter. Hosch repaid that trust: his hitters converted 57 per cent of their chances directly. With a rate like that, a setter has done a lot right, Achten said.

Staying calm – and succeeding

The whole team earned praise as well. Warnemünde kept putting Düren under pressure with awkward float serves. According to Achten, the team stayed calm, adjusted and succeeded.

In the first set the visitors pushed back with good spirits, float serves and plenty of courage and led by two points midway through. Then Jordan Canham increased the serving pressure and knocked the visitors’ build-up out of rhythm. Düren went ahead 19-17, a visitors’ error made it 21-18, and SWD powervolleys held that lead to the end of the set.

Robin Baghdady makes an impact

In the second set Warnemünde used their float serves to go 8-6 up. This time Marcin Ernastowicz answered with an ace for 9-8. The next telling serves came from Robin Baghdady: he set up three points and added an ace for 16-11 and a net cord for 17-11. Warnemünde kept fighting but could not get back into the set.

Points from difficult positions

Düren stayed consistent in the third set. Warnemünde resisted bravely but never led. For 14-11, substitute Paul Nusterer used his 2.10 metres to put the ball away despite a poor position. Baghdady scored on a counter-attack, then Nusterer struck again with a difficult attack from deep in his own court.

Düren led 16-12, but Warnemünde did not give up: after a block by the visitors and a Düren error, it was only 23-21. Baghdady then converted the first match point from the back row.