The Berlin Block with Timothee Carle (from left to right), Neheimjah Mote and Johannes Tille in action (archive photo) Photo: picture alliance / nordphoto GmbH / Engler
From BZ/dpa
The Berlin Volleys lived up to their role as favorites in the quarter-finals of the German Volleyball Cup. The cup defender won 3-0 (25:23, 25:19, 25:18) against the top second division club Blue Volleys Gotha on Sunday.
However, the Berliners only delivered a mediocre performance for long stretches with numerous replacements on the field. Setter Johannes Tille was subsequently voted the winner’s most valuable player.
Berlin coach Joel Banks had mostly used his second row in the Goldberghalle in Ohrdruf near Gotha, which was sold out with 900 spectators. The newly formed visiting team struggled through the sentences more than they could. In the end, outside attacker Robert Täht got the first match point, and a service error from Gothaer, who fought bravely, finally ended the game.
In the semi-finals, the BR Volleys will now meet SVG Lüneburg at home on December 6th. This was the result of the draw on Saturday evening in Hildesheim.
Both teams met in the quarterfinals last season. The Berliners won the highly dramatic game 27:25 in the tiebreak with the twelfth match point.