CV GRAN CANARIA suffers home setback in #CEVCupW

CV GRAN CANARIA managed to cancel as many as seven match balls, but they eventually lost 0-3 to Bundesliga runners-up DRESDNER SC (23-25, 21-25, 30-32) in the opening round of the 16th Finals in the women’s CEV Cup. Francisco Carballo’s team will need a win by 3-0 or 3-1 in the return match in Germany to force a Golden Set.

An early 6-2 lead in the first set seemed to be a good omen for CV GRAN CANARIA, but DRESDNER SC soon found their way into the match. Sulián Matienzo scored points from the wings and Laura Suárez via the middle section of the net and the Germans had used up their second timeout when trailing 16-12 lead after a great shot by Saray Manzano. But even though the hosts had stayed ahead for almost the entire set, DRESDNER SC slowly but surely reduced their deficit until taking the first set by 25-23, thus leaving the home side empty-handed. 

History seemed to repeat itself in the beginning of the second set, when CV GRAN CANARIA stormed to a 5-2 advantage, but the response of the Germans came swiftly, with Jennifer Janiska and Tia Jimerson returning every hit from Manzano, Heloiza Pereira and Matienzo. The Germans took full command of the set as the hosts made too many mistakes and the contribution of Lucrecia Castellano in the blocking compartment was not enough to avoid a 21-25 setback. 
 
With their back against the wall, CV GRAN CANARIA saved as many as seven match balls for DRESDNER SC before surrendering at 30-32 in set 3, after Janiska closed the game with an unstoppable crosscourt shot that sealed a 3-0 win for the visitors. 

The reigning national champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, OK GACKO, and one of the leading teams from the Croatian national league, Kelteks KARLOVAC, locked horns on Wednesday night in Trebinje. After many long and fiercely contested rallies, OK GACKO emerged victorious at the tiebreak (25-19, 20-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-13). Thus, they do have an edge ahead of the re-match coming up next week in Croatia. This was the first match ever contested by Kelteks KARLOVAC in the CEV European Cups. On the other hand, for OK GACKO, this is their seventh participation in an international competition.