Eurovolley 1/8 Finals: Ukraine stun Belgium in five-set thriller and claim the ticket for quarterfinals!

Ukraine upset favourites hosts of Belgium and silences the 6,600 home supporters in Antwerp, claiming a dramatic five-set victory to progress to Tuesday’s quarterfinal against Serbia. With seven points each, Ian Iereshchenko and Dmytro Viietskyi helped Ukraine change the course of the first set and claim a 25:22 victory. In the second set, Ukraine opened up a wide gap and things looked very difficult for the home team. However Belgium mounted a spectacular comeback from 11:18 to 22:19. Opposite Bram Van den Dries, who replaced injured Hendrik Tuerlinckx for this match, scored seven times along the way to 25:21 set win. Belgium dominated the third set and captain Sam Deroo scored six points, including an ace. The set end 25:14. The fourth set was quite competitive through 16:16, but Ukraina went on a powerful 9:2 run to take the set by 25:18. They were took control in the second half of the tie-break and triumphed victorious after Yurii Semeniuk’s monster block: 15:10.
Ukraine’s Dmytro Viietskyi was the top scorer of the match with 23 points, while Ian Iereshchenko added 20, including four aces. Bram Van den Dries was Belgium’s most prolific player, scoring 19 points.

—PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH—

Eight Final Matches (NED) – APELDOORN, NED
The Netherlands – Germany 1-3 (17:25, 22:25, 32:30, 23:25)
Poland – Spain 3-0 (25:18, 25:13, 25:16)

Eight Final Matches (SLO) – LJUBLJANA, SLO
Russia – Greece 3-0 (25:16, 25:15, 25:16)
Slovenia – Bulgaria 3-1 (25:27, 25:17, 25:16, 25:17)

Eight Final Matches (BEL) – ANTWERP, BEL
Serbia – Czech Repulic 3-0 (31:29, 25:21, 25:18) —GALLERY—
Belgium – Ukraine 2-3 (22:25, 25:21, 25:14, 18:25, 10:15) —GALLERY—

Eight Final Matches (FRA) – NANTES, FRA
France – Finland 3-0 (25:16, 25:23, 25:21)
Italy – Turkey 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:21)

Source and Photos: CEV