Allianz MTV Stuttgart missed out on the sensation in the Volleyball Champions League. After the 3-2 win in the quarter-final first leg, the Swabians lost the second leg at Fenerbahce Istanbul 1-3.
After sensational 3-2 first leg win The Stuttgart volleyball players traveled confidently to the quarter-final second leg in Istanbul. After two clear set defeats at the beginning, Allianz MTV Stuttgart got into the game better in the third set and offered the favorites a game on equal terms. But more than a 1:3 was not possible against the leaders of the Turkish league. As a result, Stuttgart missed out on making it to the Champions League semi-finals.
Stuttgart got into the game with difficulty and lost the first set clearly
The Istanbul star ensemble underlined their ambitions from the start and quickly took a 7-1 lead in the first set. Krystal Rivers was initially able to interrupt the Turkish team’s run with the second point for Stuttgart, but Allianz MTV didn’t really get a chance against the hosts. Coach Konstantin Bitter therefore took the first time out early and demanded 100 percent effort from his players and appealed not to be influenced by the loud fans.
Stuttgart was then able to reduce the lead to 4:10, but continued to have a very difficult time against the variable attacking game and the good blocking of the Istanbul team. The Swabians also didn’t use their chances consistently and lost the first set clearly by 15:25.
Allianz MTV also had no chance in the second set
Fenerbahce also got off to a dominant start in the second set and took a 6-0 lead. While Instanbul particularly impressed with the bouncy and attacking Melissa Vargas, Stuttgart’s attacks too often got stuck in the opponent’s block. But then the Istanbul team made a few mistakes, which the guests were able to take advantage of and reduce the lead to 6:9. After that, the Turkish team showed off their class again and made Stuttgart despair of their block bulwark. The favorites pulled away point by point and also secured the second set with 25:15.
Stuttgart takes the third set
In the third round, the Swabians got off to a better start and took the lead for the first time in the game (3:2). The Turkish team began to lose concentration and Maria Segura Pallerés extended the lead for Allianz MTV to 7:4 with an ace. While the Stuttgart women played more and more courageously, the Istanbul women’s mistakes increased, so that Stuttgart increased their lead to 12:7. At the end of the set the hosts came within one point (22:23), but the Bitter team stayed cool and converted their first set point to make it 25:23.
Istanbul secures a tight fourth set
In the fourth set, a balanced game developed in which neither team was able to gain a decisive advantage. Krystal Rivers missed the equalizer when the score was 10:11 due to a service error, but Stuttgart kept at it and fought for every point. Stuttgart managed to equalize for the first time at 18:18. But then Istanbul pulled away to 24:18. Stuttgart fended off the first match point, but the Swabians were no longer able to prevent the 19:25 set defeat and elimination in the quarter-finals.
TV tip: Allianz MTV Stuttgart meets Potsdam in the cup final
SWR Sport shows this Volleyball Cup Final between the SC Potsdam and Alliance MTV Stuttgart at the 3 March live 1:20 p.m on TV and in stream.
Stuttgart before the cup final against Potsdam
After being eliminated from the Champions League, Stuttgart’s full focus is on the cup final on Sunday. In Mannheim, Konstantin Bitter’s team is fighting for the Supercup success in October for the second title of the season. SWR Sport will show the game against SC Potsdam live from 1:20 p.m.
