Europeans Abroad: Buijs leads scorers as Praia claim Brazilian title

European volleyball players are spread all over the world during the 2022-2023 club season, playing big roles in their teams. Many of them are currently away from the continent, competing in some of the top leagues on the planet, and we’ll help you follow their journeys by providing periodic updates on how they’re doing.

Brazil

The second title of Dentil Praia Clube in the Brazilian Superliga was obtained on Sunday with the great influence of a European player as Dutch star Anne Buijs led her team to victory over rivals Gerdau Minas in Uberlândia.

Playing in front of their home fans, Praia gave no chance to defending champions Minas, sweeping (25-22, 25-22, 26-24) their in-state rivals to return to the top of the podium in the Brazilian League for the first time since 2017-2018.

Playing as an opposite this season, the 31-year-old Buijs, who joined Praia in 2020, was the top scorer of the Superliga Final, leaving the court with 20 points registered.

It was the sixth title won by the Dutch star since she arrived in Brazil. Buijs will have the chance of adding another title to her collection next week, when Praia will compete in the South American Club Championship.

Asia

Serbian opposite Nataša Čikiriz and her team Diamond Food Fine Chef – Air Force of Thailand took silver in the 2023 Women’s Club Asian Championship, which came to an end on Tuesday, in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam.

Despite seven points scored by the European player, Diamond fell to the home team of Sport Center 1, which featured nearly the entire Vietnam’s national team, in the five-set (25-21, 25-17, 20-25, 22-25, 10-15) gold medal match.

Kazakhstan’s Altay VC, which had Serbians Andjela Veselinović and Sara Sakradžija and Russian Irina Malkova in their squad, finished sixth in the tournament.