VC WIESBADEN flies on to #CEVChallengeCupW 8th Finals

Germany’s VC WIESBADEN did not concede a single set in the return match against Belgium’s Bevo Rekkenshop ROESELARE scheduled for the 16th Finals of the women’s Challenge Cup and this way underlined that they are able to keep up with European competitors. After two wins in as many matches and only one set lost, VC WIESBADEN has advanced to the 8th Finals. Some 849 enthusiastic spectators carried the hosts through the 69 minutes of the match - the atmosphere was better than it has been for a long time. Christian Sossenheimer was in charge on the sideline this time. Head coach Benedikt Frank had to cancel at short notice after falling sick just a few hours before the start of the match. 

While the first two sets were relatively close (25-21, 25-19), the third and final set was a demonstration of power by VC WIESBADEN (25-14). One of the ‘young and wild’ scored the match point: the 19-year-old Dutch outside hitter Noa de Vos had only just been substituted for the first time after returning from a long rehab. 

VC WIESBADEN played through the first two sets with their usual starting six: Tanja Grosser and Jaidyn Blanchfield (both outside hitters), Izabella Rapacz (opposite), Milana Božić (setter), Nina Herelová and Rachel Anderson (middle blockers) as well as Rene Sain (libero). As his team’s lead did slowly but surely expand in the third set, interim head coach Sossenheimer - alongside Noa de Vos - also gave Melissa Langegger (outside hitter), Pauline Bietau (setter) and Celine Jebens (opposite) a share of the game. Middle blocker Jonna Wasserfaller and outside hitter Hannah Hartmann watched their team’s victory from the stands. Both had injured their ankles a few days earlier in the same training session.

The hosts never trailed in the first set. The opposing team of head coach Koen Devos managed to equalise four times (5-5, 6-6, 18-18, 19-19), but had to succumb to the home team in the crunch time, who capitalised on their first set point. The visitors took a 1-0 lead in the second set, but then quickly trailed 2-6. Coach Devos took his second time-out at 7-11. VC WIESBADEN repeatedly allowed the Belgians to close the gap to one or two points (partly because they failed several times against the Bevo block), but then extended their lead (18-15, 24-19) and took the set straight home (25-19). The third set was a clear affair for the hosts. Bevo only took the lead once at 4-3. A short time later, it was 7-4 and 13-6 for the locals. Opposite Celine Jebens, who had replaced Izabella Rapacz shortly before, moved the score to 15-7. By 20-11, the team of Christian Sossenheimer (and co-coach Daniel Ramirez Santana) had built up a whopping nine-point lead. The final 25-14 - and thus 3-0 were shown on the scoreboard shortly afterwards. The only German representative in the CEV Challenge Cup had prevailed with two wins in as many matches. 

In the end, Christian Sossenheimer did not want to single out any of his players – after all, the game plan they had discussed before was largely implemented with accuracy. All team members had done a good job. Nevertheless, it should not go unmentioned that one athlete caused a murmur and wild clapping in the stands: ‘Flying Jai’ – Jaidyn Blanchfield – took great risks when serving, flew powerfully towards the ball and hammered it impressively to the other side of the net (resulting in a personal tally of 17 points). Tanja Grosser scored nine points. Outside hitter Charlotte Leys was the most prolific player for ROESELARE (10 points).

Christian Sossenheimer, interim head coach of VC WIESBADEN: “We were able to play to our full strength today. It makes a difference when you need to play against other systems in unfamiliar arenas in the European Cups. We only made minor changes after the first leg. We remained patient, were more consistent and capitalised on our chances this time. But I must emphasise that Bevo were an unpleasant opponent. This team is not easy to count out and impressed today, especially with their libero Megan Vanden Berghe. It is simply fun to play internationally. Many processes are different, and we learn a lot.”

In the next round, VC WIESBADEN will play Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL of Türkiye, who did not lose a single set in their two matches with Finland’s HÄMEENLINNA LR. VC WIESBADEN has another home game next Saturday, the ‘derby’ against VC Neuwied 77 in the Bundesliga.