Match report Into the semifinal after another thriller

SWD powervolleys Düren are in the German championship semifinal. After the 3-1 at home, they also win the return leg at Helios Grizzlys Giesen – 3-2 after 155 minutes of drama (25-20, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, 17-15). A battered Düren side stood up to the Grizzlys with a fearless, fighting performance. In the semifinal they face the winner of the series between SVG Lüneburg and WWK Volleys Herrsching.

Defying the setbacks

The win counts all the more because Düren had to absorb many setbacks. After Zac Hutcheson, key player Robin Baghdady also dropped out at short notice with back problems. With Ryan Poole as the only specialist outside hitter for two positions, head coach Christophe Achten had to improvise: first middle blocker Kyle Paulson stepped in, then from the fourth set opposite Jordan Canham. Those were the last cards to play, Achten said, and they worked despite all the difficulties. In the end, Canham decided the series with an ace.

On top of that came the narrowly lost second and third sets, which Düren could have won. But the team fought back and won.

Defending from the floor

Alongside Canham, Ryan Poole was there for every difficult ball in sets four and five. Substitute Philipp Lauter also gave the team a boost with important points at the block. The point for 12-9 in the tie-break summed up the match: Canham, lying on the floor, dug a Giesen attempt to put the ball straight down, and Poole converted the difficult attack that followed.

A win built on mentality

After the match, managing director Tomas Kocian-Falkenbach praised the team's mentality. Anyone who plays a match like this in front of such a crowd without the right attitude goes under, he said. He admitted that a second win was not expected under these circumstances. The performance shows how united the team is and that it has good players who can help in other positions, too.

Achten gave his team a short break to celebrate; after that, the full focus is on the semifinal. With this mentality, the team can achieve something, was his conclusion.