Hypo Tirol says goodbye as triple champions without a single loss all season long
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It is an extraordinary and emotional farewell, perhaps unique in Austrian sports history. On Wednesday night, Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK won its fourth powerfusion VL Men’s Final against TSV Raiffeisen HARTBERG 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 26-24), thus becoming Austrian champions for the 13th time overall and for the third season in a row. Having won the Supercup at the start of the season and the Austrian National Cup in February, the club is stepping away from professional sports as a triple domestic winners. General Manager Hannes Kronthaler had announced this decision two months ago.
Niklas Kronthaler“It was a special last season, which we finished perfectly. I am incredibly proud of the team and everyone involved. A big thank you goes to my father, who built this club. An era is coming to an end, but today we will truly celebrate. There will certainly be some sad moments in the coming weeks.”
Hypo Tirol captain
‘The Blues’ made a splash internationally as well. They reached the top six in the Champions League, and this season they competed in the group stage of the premier continental league once again. They won the Middle European League three times. The fact that Hypo Tirol finished the season undefeated nationally, having conceded only six sets across all competitions, makes the farewell even more special. The fourth final, in the once again well-attended Stadtwerke Hartberg Hall, was a very one-sided affair in the first set. In the second set, the hosts led by six points but were unable to capitalise on their advantage. Set three was a close call. A decision on a net violation in favour of Hypo Tirol ultimately ended the season.
The young TSV team will certainly continue to be a force to be reckoned with. 20-year-old national team player Lukas Glatz broke the 500-point mark on Wednesday and became the season’s top scorer by a wide margin. The top match scorers for Hypo Tirol were captain Niklas Kronthaler (13) in what was his last career game and the MVP of the final series, Kyle Hobus (12), and for TSV Raiffeisen HARTBERG, Lukas Glatz (14) and Richard Hensel (8). The scoring statistics from the perspective of the old and new champions: attacks 38 to 35, blocks 12 to 4, and aces 3 to 5.
Max Thaller“The disappointment is great; we also lacked luck in the final series. We deserved the final set today. I am very proud of this young team. The final series does not quite reflect our season’s performance. With the absence of Hypo Tirol, the league will probably be more balanced now. I am looking forward to it.”
Setter of TSV Raiffeisen HARTBERG