SVG Lüneburg is sensational in the quarter-finals of the volleyball champions League. After the 3-2 success against the Berlin Volleys in front of a home backdrop, the Bundesliga club lost the second leg with the German record champion on Wednesday evening with 2: 3 (13:25, 25:23, 25:23, 25: 27.17: 15), but won the Golden Set with 15:13.
The team of coach Stefan Hübner showed his comeback qualities impressively after a weak start to the game and the loss of the first sentence. In front of 5,211 spectators in the Max-Schmeling-Halle, the Lower Saxony fought themselves into the game bit by bit and at the end of the favorite capitals. The next opponent of the North Germans is the top Polish CMC Warta Zawiercie.
“Lünehünen” in the first sentence without a chance
The Hübner team could only keep up in the first set in the early minutes. Then the dominance of the home side got bigger. While the team of coach Joel Banks focuses and defended, the guests made far too many mistakes. The North Germans made just one block point in the first round. The nickname “Lünehünen”? Pure labeling of the label before the start of section two!
SVG again proves comeback qualities
From the point of view of the Lüneburger, it could only get better. And it got better – albeit in very small steps. But at least the Lower Saxony was able to get more stability into their field defense after the change of sides. And they now acted a little more powerfully in the attack, which was mainly due to Xander Ketrzynski. In total, the performance increase of the Hübner team meant that the audience now saw a balanced duel between the two best German teams.
For the time being, Berlin continued to win the important points, led 17:13 and had the winning of the second set in mind. But then the SVG fought its way to 16:18 and thus ensured a certain nervousness in Banks. The volley coach took a break. Probably also to get the SVG out of the rhythm.
But the plan didn’t work. On the contrary: with a series of premiums, Simon Torewie ensured that the guests took the lead with 21:19. And soon afterwards Michael Wright made the set win perfectly with a massive attack. Once again, the Lower Saxony impressively demonstrated their comeback qualities.
Lüneburg partially as unleashed in the third paragraph
Now the SVG was two sentences from the quarter -finals. And the “Lünehünen”, who now lived up to their nickname, left their last shirt on the floor in a figurative sense. The North Germans fought passionately for every ball and kept cool heads on all the emotions that were set up. Lüneburg was now in the frequently cited “flow” and took the lead with 20:16.
And Berlin? The home side now had to struggle with their nerves. The mistakes increased in the record champion. In addition, the block that was so strong in the first round was almost no more. The morality, however, voted very much to the Lüneburg trage of the Banks protégés. Because before Ketrzynski provided a butterfly ball for winning the third section, the capitals had warded off three set balls.
Hübner team lack four points in sets for victory
Now the SVG was only missing a set win. A look into the eyes of the Hübner players was enough to see that every single Lüneburger wanted to mobilize the very last mental and physical reserves for the triumph that is now so grashing.
But against now more secure Berliners who were passionate about the impending end, the guests had a look at the end of a dramatic sentence. At the stand of 23:23 and 25:25, the Hübner team lacked only two points for victory.
SVG in the golden set with the better nerves
As already in the first leg of the Tiebreak, followed. And in this in an 8: 3 lead for Berlin, everything initially indicated the equalization through the volleys and thus a golden set. But now the “Lünehünen” grew out again, soon equalized to 12:12 and then had match balls with a 14:13 and 15:14 lead. But Berlin equalized and then went in front with 16:15. Jake Hanes brought the hall to cook with an ace to 17:15 and the associated winning of the tie -break.
Now the golden set actually had to decide. The momentum seemed to be with the hosts. But volleyball is not a subjunctive one. And certainly not on this historical evening. With the very last energy, the Lüneburgers won the nerve battle on the Spree and thus entered the history books.
