Strong day takes Azerrail to the quarterfinals in both genders
Beach Volley European Cup
Azerbaijan’s Azerrail was in top form on the second day of the CEV Beach Volley European Cup in Montpellier and saw both their men’s and women’s teams win their pools and advance directly to the quarterfinals on Friday.
The tournament continues on Saturday, with the elimination rounds – the four pool winners in each gender start the day in the quarterfinals, while the eight clubs that advanced in second and third place have to go through the Round of 12. The four teams at the bottom of the standings in their pools are eliminated.
Counting on Russian stars Konstantin Semenov and Igor Velichko in their squad, Azerrail’s men’s team finished first in Pool A thanks to a pair of sweeps over Slovenia’s BVC Ludus – they won the first duel 21-17, 21-17 and posted a 21-16, 21-8 win in the second.
The duel repeated in the women’s tournament’s Pool A and again Azerrail came out on top. Powered by Russian star Olga Motrich, the Azeris overcame the defending champions with two straight-set victories – 21-13, 21-19 in the first duel and 21-18, 21-13 in the second.
Besides Azerrail, also advanced directly to the men’s quarterfinals of the Beach Volley European Cup the Spanish of CVP Poniente Benidorm Alicante, the top team in Pool B, the Austrians of Aloha Beachvolleyball Club Wörthersee, who topped Pool C, and hosts Montpellier Beach Volley, who ranked first in Pool D.
CEV Beach Volley European Cup – Men’s Schedule & Results
Friday’s Round of 12 duels will have Sweden’s Slow Down BeachVolley Club Åhus against France's Ré Beach Club, Ludus facing Hungary’s SRSE Budapest, Italy’s Beach Volley Training dueling with Türkiye’s TVF Spor Lisesi Ihtisas Kulübü and Ukraine’s Sunrise Beach Sports Academy meeting Greece’s 4 Sports Club Athens.
Among the women, joining Azerrail in the quarterfinals will be Spain’s CV Majadahonda Madrid, who dominated Pool B, Ukraine’s Sunrise Beach Sports Academy, the Pool C winners, and Hungary’s Ėdra Tata, who emerged victorious in Pool D.
CEV Beach Volley European Cup – Women’s Schedule & Results
Meeting in the Round of 12 brackets will be Lithuania’s Oxyklinika and Austria’s Bergstrand Beachvolleyball, Ludus and Italy’s Beach Volley Training, France’s Bordeaux Beach Chillers and Romania’s C.S.U A.S.E. Bucuresti and Czechia’s Beachvolejbalova Škola Praha and Türkiye’s TVF Spor Lisesi Ihtisas Kulübü.