Match report Cup final missed

SWD powervolleys Düren will not travel to the Zoi DVV Cup final in Mannheim at the end of February. The Volleyball Bundesliga side lose their semifinal at league leaders SVG Lüneburg 0-3 (23-25, 17-25, 24-26). Small details made the difference in favor of the Lower Saxony team.

The league match with roles reversed

The match was a carbon copy of the league meeting in Düren in November: a close first and third set, a clear second set for the home team – only this time the home team was Lüneburg. SVG were extremely strong at serving and defense in particular, and as in the league match, fortune favored the brave and the net cord sided with the hosts. Düren, on the other hand, were left frustrated at losing the first and third sets in the decisive phase despite leading. The risk-taking of euphoric Lüneburg decided the close sets.

Head coach Christophe Achten said his team played two strong sets and made Lüneburg doubt themselves. In the decisive moments, however, the defense was unlucky and Düren did not take their chances. With more than 3,000 euphoric spectators behind them, it is then very hard to win in Lüneburg.

Düren fight but go unrewarded

On the positive side, Düren came back against a strong Lüneburg side after the clearly lost second set and a four-point deficit in the third. After three sets, Düren could have been 2-1 up, Achten analyzed – but in the end Lüneburg always had one more small run in them.

The travel stress continues: the team returns from Lüneburg early on Wednesday morning and leaves on Friday morning for Halle an der Saale, where the league match at cerebricks Volley Goats Mitteldeutschland is on Saturday.

Set one: bitter attack errors

In the first set Düren repeatedly held narrow leads, because although the team took a long time to find its serve, it was extremely reliable in reception and attack. From mid-set the serve improved: Jordan Canham hit an ace for 16-14, and at 17-17 his attack got caught in the net. After strong defense by Joris Berkhout, Siebe Korenblek finished for 21-19. Lüneburg now served even harder. That did not directly disrupt Düren’s build-up, but the attack no longer ran smoothly. SVG scored on the counter for 21-21, and two bitter Düren attack errors gave Lüneburg 24-21. Düren saved two set points but still lost the set.

Set two: Lüneburg with luck and skill

In the second set Lüneburg had plenty of luck and skill on their side. The hosts served with high risk and were rewarded: two net-cord serves dropped into Düren’s court, and a challenge saw a Düren ball out by a whisker. Düren’s challenges had failed three times so far, while Lüneburg were right four times out of four. So SVG led 16-13.

With three blocks and a forced attack error, Düren closed to 16-17, and for the first time SVG head coach Stefan Hübner was wrong with a challenge. Under the heavy serving pressure, however, Düren made two attack errors for 17-21, and with the next Lüneburg ace the set was gone. The fifth successful challenge made it 24-17, then outstanding libero Takahashi, who repeatedly drove Düren’s attackers to despair, set up the set point with a dig. Lüneburg won the set 25-17.

Set three: not giving up after falling behind

In the third set both teams defended strongly, except that Düren got no lucky net cords – and Lüneburg got a hand between ball and floor even on almost impossible balls. SVG attacked boldly, went up 5-3 and, after a block, 7-4. After a Düren attack error it was 9-5. Düren raised the risk, which without any rhythm at first looked like a desperate attempt to force it – but it worked: after two Lüneburg attack errors Düren closed to 13-14 and, after two strong serves by Robin Baghdady, even led 17-16.

With the help of the net cord, Lüneburg took an 18-17 lead and scored on the counter after strong defense for 19-17. Substitute Zac Hutcheson dug a ball himself and then leveled at 19-19 with a sharp cross-court hit, and Lüneburg missed the court for 21-20 Düren. The comeback went unrewarded: SVG blocked for 25-25 and converted their very first match point with the familiar pattern: strong defense, counter-attack, point.